Chapter 32: Great Knight, Part 2
The blade light was fierce, and it was unknown how long he had been practicing before Song Changming finally stopped for a break.
At this time, he noticed that in the cell, Liu Xiangnan had been watching him practice his sword skill for a long time.
"The Soul-breaking Saber skill at the Great Success Realm, and it’s from the Ghost Blade Faction, where did you learn it from?" Seeing Song Changming stop, Liu Xiangnan finally asked.
"I obtained it by chance." Song Changming, seeing that the other seemed familiar with the Soul-breaking Saber, couldn’t help but move closer again.
𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞
Although he didn’t explain much, Liu Xiangnan, who had traveled extensively, could more or less guess the general situation.
"You are not an orthodox disciple of the Ghost Blade Faction; you probably just happened to pick up one or two moves. Yet you have managed to train to Great Success at such a young age; your martial arts talent is indeed remarkable." Liu Xiangnan acknowledged Song Changming’s sword skill accomplishment.
He didn’t actually dislike patrol guards like Song Changming. Back when Song Changming blocked the prisoner carriage, it was merely executing his orders, part of his duty.
What he truly hated were those corrupt officials who bent the law for personal gain, not all the officials of the entire Imperial Court with one stick.
Among them, naturally, there were also upright officials who cared for the country and its people, equally deserving of respect.
Song Changming thought for a moment, before asking, "Senior, this sword skill is too eerie. Is there anything taboo about using it?"
This was something that had always worried him. He didn’t understand this Ghost Blade Faction well, and if he were to use it in the future, being identified as using an evil path by those knowledgeable, it would be truly troublesome.
Liu Xiangnan spoke frankly, "In the past, among the disciples of the Ghost Blade Faction, there indeed emerged several great villains, causing the Ghost Blade Sect to be universally reviled.
Later, the Ghost Blade Faction declined, its sword skill legacy fragmented and scattered everywhere, with many non-disciples learning this faction’s sword skill. This is no longer considered taboo martial arts.
In my view, the sword skill itself doesn’t have distinctions of good or evil; the true difference between righteous and evil factions lies with the person using the sword..."
Song Changming understood from Liu Xiangnan’s words that this Ghost Blade Faction might once have been at its peak but has now faded away. The Soul-breaking Saber skill he mastered wasn’t considered a big problem.
It wasn’t part of the core heritage of the Ghost Blade Faction.
Knowing this, he felt a bit relieved, as long as the sword skill he relied on wouldn’t drag him into a mess of trouble.
"Thank you for telling me." Song Changming bowed his hands in gratitude to Liu Xiangnan in the cell.
"It’s just a small matter." Liu Xiangnan said, staring at Song Changming for a while before speaking again.
"I have a set of Flying Swallow Skill here, and I don’t want its legacy to end with me. If you are interested, you might as well learn it."
"This..." Song Changming was slightly stunned, unexpectedly hearing Liu Xiangnan express the wish to pass on his martial arts heritage to him before death.
In fact, Liu Xiangnan really had no choice.
Not to mention that his heart had the will to die, even if he could drag on alive, his arms were crippled, all his abilities dissipated, making it impossible for him to wield a sword again.
Now, if he wanted his martial arts to continue, he could only teach them to Song Changming.
Even if it were another patrol guard, if they lacked talent, they couldn’t learn his martial arts in a short time.
"If you want to learn, I will teach you, if not, I won’t force it." Liu Xiangnan slowly said.
"I will learn." Song Changming had nothing to hesitate about.
Even though he mastered a set of Soul-breaking Saber skills, it didn’t prevent him from learning other martial arts skills, which could only be beneficial.
Moreover, being martial arts insights from a renowned Great Knight like Liu Xiangnan, they were worth anything, even ten thousand silver!
"Alright, my Flying Swallow Skill focuses on the Flying Swallow Technique and the Flying Swallow Light Body Skill, emphasizing the unity of body and form..."
Liu Xiangnan didn’t waste words; after obtaining Song Changming’s response, he immediately began the teaching.
Song Changming listened intently, sitting cross-legged, with an iron bar separating them.
One teaching inside, one learning outside.
They did not stop throughout the whole night.
It’s undeniable; having a live master guiding, through words and deeds, was far more efficient and useful than his previous blind attempts with sheepskin texts and illustrations.
Coupled with his ’Heaven Rewards Diligence’ cultivation bonus, within just two nights, Song Changming gained what he wanted.
[Flying Swallow Technique: Not yet at basic level (0/200)]
[Flying Swallow Light Body Skill: Not yet at basic level (0/200)]
On the panel, two more martial arts pieces of information were added.
One high-level sword skill, one high-level light body skill.
These were the two core martial arts Liu Xiangnan relied on the most.
High-level martial arts are more profound and precious compared to low-level martial arts, with much greater difficulty and higher personal aptitude requirements.
This was reflected in needing more experience value even from the basic level than low-level martial arts.
"Thank you!" At dawn outside the iron window, Song Changming stood up, ending the night’s teachings.
"Although I use a sword and you use a saber, my Flying Swallow Technique is rather special and is not limited to the type of weapon. Using a sword makes it a sword skill, using a saber makes it a sword skill as well, both are applicable.
You already have the Ghost Blade Faction’s saber skill at the Great Success Realm as a foundation, it won’t be difficult for you to bring the Flying Swallow Technique to the basic level. As for my light body skill, since you are contacting it for the first time, you may need to spend some time exploring to master it..."
Liu Xiangnan, based on his martial arts experience, provided Song Changming with as much useful advice and guidance as possible in the shortest time.
Song Changming kept all this in mind.
Before leaving, his mood was more complicated.
Although he hadn’t spent much time with Liu Xiangnan, he increasingly felt regret for this person’s fate.
He didn’t intend to say much but couldn’t help but speak before leaving the cell: "Once a person dies, everything ends. For you, it’s just an escape. Only by living does one have the opportunity to make up for regrets, to dissolve pain.
If you once had aspirations, you might as well think about them..."
With that, Song Changming walked away.
He had no means to prevent Liu Xiangnan from being beheaded; he just hoped that this Great Knight wouldn’t be solely focused on seeking death.
Should that one in a million opportunity for survival truly arise, he hoped the other would not easily give up.
Liu Xiangnan leaned against the wall, eyes closed, who knows what he was thinking, without responding to Song Changming’s words.
In the following days, the patrol guards watching the jail changed shifts, and Song Changming could no longer go to the cell, returning to his usual duty mode.
At night, he started to delve into the two high-level martial arts he had obtained.
As Liu Xiangnan said, with a solid sword skill foundation, the experience value for the Flying Swallow Technique increased quickly, gaining over ten points in one night.
However, the experience growth for the light body skill was much slower, only increasing by two or three points in one night, and this was with his ’Heaven Rewards Diligence’ bonus.
During these days, with more and more major criminals being beheaded, it finally came to Liu Xiangnan’s turn five days later.
Song Changming was still responsible for the escort, all the way to the execution ground.
"It’s a pity we couldn’t sit at the same table and drink a few cups." In the prisoner cart, Liu Xiangnan suddenly whispered, as if talking to himself.
Song Changming walked right beside him, knowing he was speaking for him to hear, and couldn’t help but turn his head towards the other.
Not seeing Liu Xiangnan for several days, his physical condition looked even weaker, his increasingly emaciated figure appearing lifeless.
Song Changming sighed softly, not replying.