To the west of Verdant Bamboo Peak's Miscellaneous Hall, near a narrow cliff where the wind howled like blades, few dared to tread. It was there that Xu Xiaolong came each day to practice his sword.
The Basic Sword Manual was the lowest of techniques, yet he believed that if it had endured through the ages, it held truths worth wielding. A manual might be simple—but the strength lay in the one who practiced it.
Reaching the cliff's edge, Xu Xiaolong drew his sword.
Slash, thrust, chop, lift, cut—each motion plain, but filled with intent. Dust lifted underfoot, the air humming faintly as he moved.
For two hours he practiced before the sound of panting and shuffling feet came up the trail. Er Hu appeared, a lunch basket swinging in one hand.
"Boss, food's here!" the fat man called, wiping sweat from his neck.
Xu Xiaolong raised an eyebrow. "Why's there meat today?" In the Servant hall, even seeing oil was a luxury.
Er Hu grinned, the flesh on his cheeks trembling. "Heh, Boss, I've been helping in the kitchen. They toss us some scraps for the effort. Used to eat fine before—but since you're my boss now, can't have you starve alone!"
Xu Xiaolong glanced at his round face and sighed. "No wonder you're built like a dumpling. Fine, you're clever enough. Send food here on time from now on."
After eating, he resumed his sword practice. There are no useless arts, only useless men. The belief echoed in his heart with each swing of the blade.
When night came, he shifted to the Nameless Body Art taught by the old man. It did not cultivate Yuan Qi, yet his flesh and bones brimmed with silent power—each punch heavy enough to kill a tiger.
Half a month passed. Xu Xiaolong's basic swordsmanship had improved a lot. He could feel it in his arms and steps. That day Er Hu came back to the cliff with a swollen face and one eye already purple.
"What happened? Who hit you and didn't know I've got your back?" Xu Xiaolong frowned as he put down his sword.
Er Hu rubbed his cheek and complained, "A new servant disciple came to our hall. He didn't obey orders. I told him to work and he pushed me—so I got beaten." His voice sounded put-out; he had been a servant for years and didn't like being bullied.
Xu Xiaolong finished eating, stood, and patted his belly. "Let's go see. If he dares to be dishonest, we'll dig a hole and bury him." He meant it; his fists were not empty words.
On the way, Er Hu kept talking. "That new one is Chu Baiyun. He missed the apprenticeship ceremony. Came late, so he signed up as a servant to eat." He glanced around as if the news tasted odd in his mouth. "He said—except when he's eating, anyone who calls him out, he'll hit."
They reached the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall and found the place in an uproar. The old servant rooms had been cleared. New disciples filled the bunks. Trunks were piled at the door. The regular servant stood in the yard, muttering.
"Before you came, we said Xu Xiaolong was like a dragon crossing the river," one old hand muttered. "Now Chu Baiyun comes down like a tiger from the mountain. Who knows who'll be leader next?" The talk moved from mouth to mouth, half proud, half worried. Someone added that if Chu Baiyun stayed, Er Hu might be pushed down to third fatty.
Xu Xiaolong pushed through the small crowd. When he reached the room the new men had taken, he shouted, "Get out of here, you surname Chu!" His voice cut through the chatter.
A young man stepped out. He had one eye already bruised, but his posture was sure. He looked straight at Xu Xiaolong.
"So you're Xu Xiaolong, the boss here," he said coldly. "If you don't meddle with me, I'll treat you as the boss. But if you do, I won't follow you."His hand rested on the hilt at his waist, the long sword clear at his side.
Xu Xiaolong twisted his neck and said calmly, "Then let's fight. You win, you're the boss here. You lose, you listen to me."
"Good!" Chu Baiyun replied without hesitation. He stepped into the courtyard of the servant disciples, drawing the long sword at his waist in one smooth motion.
Xu Xiaolong looked at the blade, shaking his head slightly. He had just gotten his own sword—if this had been earlier, he might not have even had that much. But now, that didn't matter.
Chu Baiyun didn't bother with words. He slashed straight at Xu Xiaolong.
Xu Xiaolong met him head-on, sword flashing through the basic forms he'd been drilling for half a month—cut, thrust, lift, and slash. Though simple, every stroke carried weight.
The clanging of steel echoed through the yard. Watching him, the other disciples widened their eyes.
This newcomer—his swordsmanship was fierce, sharp, and filled with killing intent. For a moment Xu Xiaolong had to grit his teeth just to keep up.
But soon, he found the rhythm. His muscles tightened, his strength rising like a tide.
If your sword is sharp, he thought, then I'll crush you with force!
Their swords met again—hard. Sparks flew. Chu Baiyun's long sword was knocked clean from his grip, clattering to the dirt.
Xu Xiaolong sheathed his own blade without pause and stepped in close. His fist drove into Chu Baiyun's stomach, folding him in two, then another smashed into his chin, sending him sprawling to the ground.
Xu Xiaolong straddled him, landing one last punch straight to the eye. "That'll remind you," he muttered.
When he finally stood, he brushed the dust from his robes and looked around. "Alright, everyone. Back to work. Keep listening to Er Hu's arrangements."
The other servant disciples scattered quickly. No one dared say a word.
The servant disciples all scattered back to their work. The reason was simple—Xu Xiaolong was too ruthless. No one wanted to end up like Chu Baiyun.
Chu Baiyun sat up from the ground, rubbing his face. One of his eyes was already swollen shut from Xu Xiaolong's punch.
"You're not bad," Xu Xiaolong said, looking down at him. "From now on, you follow me. Otherwise, I'll dig a hole and bury you myself."
Chu Baiyun's mouth twitched. "Fine, I'll follow for now. Just don't let me catch a chance to beat you later," he muttered. He didn't have a choice, not after losing so miserably.
Xu Xiaolong grinned. "Good. I'll be waiting anytime. Tell me something though—how does someone like you end up as a servant disciple?"
With a sigh, Chu Baiyun leaned back on his hands. "I got into trouble at home and ran away. The apprenticeship ceremony ended by the time I arrived, so I paid some silver and joined the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall. Just wanted to stay fed until next year's test."
He sighed again, shoulders slumping. "It's embarrassing. If my family knew I'd fallen to a servant's rank, they'd probably kill me."
Xu Xiaolong reached over and slapped him on the back of the head. "What's wrong with being a servant disciple? Who says we can't stand tall? Stick with me—outer disciples, inner disciples, they'll have to look up when they see us."
Chu Baiyun looked at him for a long moment, then asked, "Are you serious?"
Xu Xiaolong nodded firmly. "Of course. What's there to lie about?"
Chu Baiyun gave a short laugh, half disbelief, half interest. "Alright then. I'll believe you for now. So what are we doing next, Boss Xu?"
"After lunch," Xu Xiaolong said, thumping his chest, "we're taking tasks. We earn sect points and trade them for skills. Others started as official disciples—we'll rise from the bottom and make them watch."
"Done!" Chu Baiyun said, suddenly fired up. Though his face was swollen, his spirit wasn't.
Xu Xiaolong turned to Er Hu. "Er Hu, you don't need to worry about Chu Baiyun's matters. Move his bedding into my room. The rest, handle as usual."
Er Hu grinned and nodded.
After lunch, Xu Xiaolong slung his sword to his back and set out with Chu Baiyun. They were going to earn points—and if that meant fighting beasts again, all the better.
As they walked, Chu Baiyun tied a strip of cloth over his bruised eye, muttering, "Fine, if I look like this, I might as well act the part of a one-eyed dragon."
Xu Xiaolong snorted. "One-eyed or not, just don't fall behind."
When Xu Xiaolong and Chu Baiyun arrived at the Hall of Merit, they went straight to the task board. Every mission under the third tier—whether collecting herbs or hunting monster crystal cores—they took them all without hesitation.
The law enforcement officer in charge didn't say a word this time, only watched. The surrounding sect disciples also stayed quiet. Everyone could see it—Xu Xiaolong, that so-called servant disciple who once caused trouble; was no longer the same. Now he wore a sword at his waist…and behind him stood another who did the same.