Chapter 4 - Black Tiger Blade Method
"This is a crude blade method passed on to me by a wandering Taoist I met in my early years. It is considered third-rate in the Jianghu world.
Don't look down on it just because it's third-rate. It still has exceptional parts to it. Even a third-rate secret manual is good enough to be collected in those major sect libraries. Take it and read it carefully first. There are detailed postures and stances illustrated inside. Try practicing along first by yourself. If you decide to keep practicing after reading it, then come find me.
However, whether you practice it or not, remember to return this booklet to me."
Zhao Da Hu carefully handed the booklet to Lu Sheng.
"Alright!"
Lu Sheng knew this was probably Zhao Da Hu's hidden ace. That he could hand it to him so readily did not mean Lu Sheng could master this blade method just by reading the booklet. Martial arts mastery requires correcting many, many subtle details. It is not something one can casually pick up just by following the drawings in a manual.
"Thank you, uncle Zhao!"
Lu Sheng carefully accepted the booklet. Carrying the Black Tiger blade manual, he headed straight back to his bedroom and shut the door. He lit the candle stand and started flipping through the content by himself.
The Black Tiger blade method, though called a blade method, actually only consisted of three moves, all of which were attacking moves. There were no defensive techniques or evasion moves, only offense.
The first move was Tiger Death.
The second Tiger Might.
The third Tiger Howl.
The moves themselves were very simple, just three different blade trajectories producing different effects. What made them powerful would be proficiency. Their power relied on dexterity and speed.
And dexterity and speed in turn relied on innate body explosiveness and coordination.
Thus, accompanying these three blade moves was also a set of conditioning regimens for empowering this blade method to its utmost devastating potential.
These regimens, known as heart methods, dictate how to coordinate one's daily living, thoughts and spirit to fully unleash the power of the blade techniques.
In essence, heart methods teach ways to adjust one's psyche and mentality. The moves adjust the external, the heart methods adjust the internal, working in tandem to unite vitality, energy and spirit as one.
The Black Tiger heart method consisted of three levels. Each level did not have a particular designation, simply the First Level, Second Level, and Third Level.
When the heart methods are cultivated and the blade techniques reach the proficiency depicted in the booklet, that would signify complete mastery of this blade system to grand achievement.
Lightly closing the thin booklet, Lu Sheng sat silently at his desk for a long time, constantly engraving all the intricacies and difficulties involved in practicing this Black Tiger blade method firmly in his mind, going over them again and again.
Then, he recited in his heart.
"Dark blue."
Instantly, the interface of the Dark Blue skill modifier emerged before his eyes once more.
Inside the blue border were rows and columns of little squares.
Displayed inside the very first square at the top row was his current status:
Lu Sheng
Martial Arts Status:
Black Tiger Blade Method: Not Started
The display was simple, showing only the Black Tiger blade method he just briefly flipped through.
"So it really wasn't an illusion!"
Lu Sheng's body tensed up immediately. But not from fear, it was from excitement!
This world was far too dangerous. He had only intended to live an unremarkable life here, but now it felt as if he had fallen into a pit of vipers, where venomous snakes could dart out from the surroundings to strike at any inadvertent misstep, turning him into a hapless side character in one of those legendary ghost tales, dead in the most miserable way possible.
"But now, there is a glimmer of hope at least...if this modifier really works..."
Lu Sheng pressed down the elation and thrill welling up in his heart, and started recalling the functions he had programmed for this cheating tool back when he created it.
The sole purpose of this Dark Blue modifier was to modify all the martial arts skills the game protagonist had learned.
It could directly boost a skill level to grand mastery or supreme mastery, though unlike other cheats, it could not alter proficiency, or attributes like health, strength, speed, inner force etc.
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
The only thing it could change was the level of martial arts mastery for skills already in the character's possession!
"Looking at these boxes, the only thing that seems modifiable now is this Black Tiger blade method. So how should I operate this to initiate modification?"
Lu Sheng began exploring and researching earnestly.
Alone in his room, his hands unconsciously flipped through the booklet while his attention concentrated fully on the Dark Blue modifier interface in his mind.
He carefully studied the modifier up and down repeatedly. Soon, he discovered at the very bottom of the interface a tiny button. Printed on it were the words: Begin Modification.
"That's it!"
Lu Sheng focused his will, visualizing a finger firmly pressing down on that button.
Instantly, the entire Dark Blue modifier flashed briefly.
He suddenly sensed that he could now freely control everything on the modifier interface. This feeling was strange, but Lu Sheng did not dwell on it too long, quickly concentrating his attention on the Black Tiger blade method instead.
The words behind Black Tiger blade method were Originally Not Started. The moment his attention focused on it, the status jumped.
It changed to Started.
Lu Sheng's heart leaped with joy, sensing a chance here. He continued staring fixedly at Black Tiger blade.
Very quickly, Black Tiger blade jumped again, turning into First Level.
Then Second Level, Third Level...
"It worked!" Lu Sheng's heart swelled with delight. The modifier truly seemed effective!
Just as he was about to relax his concentration, the Black Tiger blade unexpectedly jumped once more.
'Fourth Level!!'
The Black Tiger blade method actually jumped straight to Fourth Level!
BOOM!!
The instant Black Tiger blade reached Fourth Level, Lu Sheng felt his mind blast deafeningly.
His entire body convulsed as if struck by lightning, shuddering violently.
Slumping over his desk, it took him a very long time to catch his breath. Supporting his head up laboriously, his nose felt wet and sticky, with a tinge of blood.
Gently dabbing under his nose, his fingers came away dark red. Vision blurry, his whole body ached, sore all over without an ounce of strength, even standing seemed strenuous.
Raising a hand up to see, the skin was ghastly pale. His eyes could not focus too, an overpowering urge to sleep dragged him under.
"This is a sign of severe blood and energy depletion!" Although Lu Sheng knew no medicine, he at least grasped some basics.
He knew his condition was likely due to overly critical depletion.
Still seated at his desk, he struggled for a very long time just to prop himself up. Putting away the booklet, he collapsed onto his bed to recuperate.
"Qiao'er!"
"Young master? Do you require something?" Little Qiao softly inquired outside.
"Go...cook me...some red dates and millet porridge, add in ginseng, aged stock. Tell them to take the oldest available."
Lu Sheng said with difficulty.
Being the precious young master of a wealthy household did have advantages at times. Let alone aged ginseng stocks, even ordinary families would treat ginseng as lifesaving medicine, not something to casually consume as supplements like Lu Sheng could.
Little Qiao acknowledged and swiftly trotted off to the kitchens to prepare the porridge.
Lying alone on his bed, after a very long while, Lu Sheng's condition still felt weakened with hazy sight and limp limbs.
Yet oddly, as he reached out a hand, a familiarity, adeptness, an ingrained dexterity as if having practiced bladework for many years surged from his palm into his mind.
Those three Black Tiger blade moves and three levels of accompanying heart methods had somehow turned exceptionally smooth and agile in his psyche.
Not only did he thoroughly comprehend the subtle intricacies hidden within each blade maneuver, even the means of coordinating the heart methods to empower the moves, various corresponding techniques, boundaries, methods of application, he understood completely with perfect clarity.
If not for his current poor bodily state stopping him, he would have loved to grab a blade and head to the drill grounds to properly drill through these techniques.
Before he could ponder the situation deeper, Little Qiao had already returned with the porridge.
"It just so happens Young Miss Three did not want her replenishing blood tonic porridge. The ingredients were mainly red dates too, with added Solomon's seal rhizome and ginseng the same as what Young Master ordered. Let me bring it over first while it's hot. This should nourish the heart and blood, Young Master please drink up."
Little Qiao asked softly outside the door.
"Bring it in."
Lu Sheng replied faintly.
Only then did Little Qiao gently push the door open and walked inside, but had barely taken a step in when she caught sight of the smudge of blood on Lu Sheng's collar.
"Y...Yo...Young...Young Master, what happened to you!!" Little Qiao exclaimed in immense shock, nearly dropping the porridge in her hands onto the floor.
Lu Sheng gave a wry laugh.
"It's nothing."
"How can you say it's nothing! You've coughed blood!"
Little Qiao's face blanched white with fright.
"Really, it's fine...." Lu Sheng said helplessly.
Little Qiao hurriedly brought the porridge over to Lu Sheng.
"Young Master please drink this warm porridge first."
Under her attentive service, Lu Sheng finished the entire bowl slowly.
His mood did feel slightly better.
He started carefully recalling the jumble of information and experiences regarding the Black Tiger blade method that had somehow surfaced in his mind.
It was very bizarre. As if these things had been lurking inside his brain all along, no matter how profound the intricacies, he could grasp them effortlessly. It even felt like his body could smoothly execute them too.
If not for his current poor constitution barring him, he would have already snatched a blade to test run these techniques over and over in the drill grounds.
After Lu Sheng finished the porridge, Little Qiao promptly took her leave to fetch the Lu manor's resident physician from the medicine room, still worried for Lu Sheng's health.
The Lu manor had its own personal doctor on staff. He was a lanky old fellow with a wispy goatee.
Carrying a large medicine box, he strode swiftly over to Lu Sheng's bedside. Palpating Lu Sheng's wrist pulse as soon as he sat down, his eyebrows unfurrowed with relief.
"No major issues, just deficient vital energy leading to blood loss. Vitality drained severely for now, rest and recuperate for a few days and he will be fine."
He whipped out a piece of paper and scrawled a replenishing recipe down swiftly.
"Take this to the medicine room, administer twice daily for ten days. The young master's condition should recover nicely."
"Thank you, doctor."
Lu Sheng also felt the load on his heart lighten. This aligned perfectly with his own self-diagnosis.
Very soon, Lu Sheng's father Lu Zhang arrived as well, together with his stepmother Lady Liu and concubine Niu.
Lu Sheng's birth mother had fallen ill and passed on rather early. He had been raised mostly by his stepmother Lady Liu since young. Lady Liu was gentle-tempered and treated others well. She cared for him no different than her own children.
"What happened?" Lord Lu asked with a frown.
As the eldest son and future pillar slated to inherit the family enterprise, any mishaps befalling Lu Sheng would naturally prompt immediate concern and inquiry.