Chapter 81: Gao Liu County's Number One Talent!

"Hammer Art?"

On the steps, Fang Fang Yunxiu's gaze sharpened.

A youth in hemp clothing stepped out from the crowd. Though he cupped his hands and lowered his head, his tall, straight frame was visible — his foundation seemed decent.

"Junior Brother Li?"

Yue Yue Yunjin and the other inner-court apprentices were all slightly taken aback, their expressions varied.

"His Hammer Art has already reached Great Completion?"

Wang Gong found it somewhat unbelievable.

Eight months ago, Li Yuan had joined the inner court with Small Completion-level Hammer Art, causing quite a stir. But Small Completion only required mastering one of the three internal-external unions,

while Great Completion demanded all six unions be fully connected.

Among so many inner-court apprentices, those with blood qi at Great Completion were not few, but those with Wu Gong at Great Completion — only Yue Yue Yunjin, who had received Fang Fang Yunxiu's guidance.

And Yue Yue Yunjin had been training in martial arts for over seven years…

"Yue Yue Yunjin's junior brother? Seems like a blacksmith?"

Lu Lu Bailing glanced a few times, seeming to recall something.

"Li Yuan of the Weapon-Forging Shop?"

Shen Shen Shangying and Miao Zhen had already stepped back and were now sizing him up as well, with a scrutinizing air, seemingly unconvinced.

"A year for saber, a month for staff, spear ever at the hip" — the complexity of Hammer Art is no less than spear art, and reaching Great Completion is far harder than saber or Zhang Fa.

"Weapon-Forging Shop, Hammer Art at Great Completion?"

Fang Fang Yunxiu's face was expressionless. With a wave of her hand, a Retainer from the Lu household had already carried over a long-handled hammer weapon:

"White Ape Cloak Hammer — seems to be a long-handled hammer art?"

"Reporting to Heroine Fang, both long and short handles are fine…"

Li Yuan reached out to take the hammer weapon, gave it a slight heft — roughly fifteen jin — which, for him now, was a bit too light.

'Time to test my ability to control my output!'

Li Yuan twirled the hammer lightly, calculating in his heart.

With his attainment in Hammer Art, how much to reveal, how much to display — naturally he could still gauge it.

Only the heroine on the steps was clearly far more formidable than Yu Zhen; she might well be an Internal Strength warrior on Cao Yan's level.

If not for Cao Yan's prolonged failure to return, fearing he might truly hide for years and miss the Divine Weapon Valley opening its mountain gate, he truly would not be willing to display his Martial Arts before a warrior of this caliber just to obtain a quota.

Though he was confident he wouldn't leak the Soldier Dao Combat-Slaying Hammer, the pressure was still considerable.

'When you need something from someone, you're easily at their mercy.'

Li Yuan sighed inwardly, yet remained calm — some things, after all, one must fight for oneself.

"Auntie, this person has mid-to-low foundation."

Lu Lu Bailing now recalled Li Yuan as well, leaned closer, and whispered: "I heard he trained in martial arts for four months and his Hammer Art reached Small Completion, and his forging talent isn't bad…"

"Mid-to-low foundation? Hammer Art at Small Completion in four months…"

Fang Fang Yunxiu frowned slightly: "A body clad in hemp…"

To judge one's foundation, normally one would need to touch and feel the bones personally, but most of the time, the quality of one's foundation can also be discerned somewhat from physical characteristics.

This lad had a tall, straight frame, long legs and long arms, looking lean and capable, with a hint of ape arms and wasp waist — if not upper-grade, should at least be mid-to-upper foundation, no?

Mid-to-low…

'This woman's gaze is far too piercing…'

Li Yuan held the hammer; even without looking up, he felt his scalp prickle.

This woman's gaze alone was more distinct and intense than the stares of dozens behind him — a testament to her extremely high Wu Gong.

"Do you need to familiarize yourself with the weapon? If not, strike and let me see."

Fang Fang Yunxiu asked casually, feigning indifference, her gaze sweeping over the crowd before the gate:

"Anyone else?"

There was some stir in the crowd, but no one else stepped forward. Yue Yue Yunjin did have Wu Gong at Great Completion, but naturally he didn't need to come out and demonstrate.

Wu Ming was somewhat envious, but he was past twenty, his Hammer Art hadn't reached Great Completion — not a single condition met — he could only watch longingly, envious yet dejected.

"I am ready."

Li Yuan bowed slightly.

Though he did not currently wield the Great Craftsman's Hammer, it seemed both the Hundred Soldiers Familiarity and Soldier-Type Talents had remnants remaining; combined with his mastery of long weapons, after a few hefting motions he had already familiarized himself with this hammer weapon.

After bowing, he pushed off with his feet, twisted his waist, swung the hammer — it produced a 'whirring' sound cutting through the air — and began performing the White Ape Hammer.

"All six unions fully connected!"

Hearing that sound piercing the air, Yue Yue Yunjin's eyelid twitched.

This hammer sound was fiercer than his own, more stable than his own.

"This lad's Hammer Art…"

On the steps, Fang Fang Yunxiu's eyes narrowed slightly.

Lu Lu Bailing beside her could not help but be somewhat astonished. Comparing in her heart, this blacksmith's Wu Gong was actually no worse than her own?

The Lu family's young lady was somewhat dazed, a considerable sense of frustration rising within her.

Once, she had believed herself a genius…

Whirr!

Li Yuan's Hammer Art was already so practiced it flowed naturally; the hammer moved like a gale, and in an instant, eighteen strikes were completed. He feigned panting and cupped his fists:

"I ask Heroine Fang for guidance."

Fang Fang Yunxiu watched calmly, yet merely shook her head:

"It looks drawn-out, but in truth it's full of openings…"

Hm?!

Li Yuan's heart skipped a beat, and he raised his guard.

He had watched Shen Shen Shangying and Miao Zhen's martial display from start to finish, and the hammer technique he was using was neither too much nor too little—it pressed right against the two of them by a hair.

As for his own control, Li Yuan naturally had full confidence.

He didn't believe this woman was so blind…

"Huh?"

Lu Lu Bailing came back to her senses—this wasn't even letting a splash of water through, and it still counted as full of openings?!

Then herself…

"Stiff and by-the-book, lacking flexibility—hardly a Great Completion."

Fang Fang Yunxiu cast a glance at the two martial hall disciples standing nearby, looking rather astonished:

"Shen Shen Shangying, Miao Zhen!"

"Here!"

The two martial hall disciples watching from the side exchanged a look, then cupped their fists in unison:

"We would like to exchange a few moves with Brother Li!"

Li Yuan gripped his hammer handle tightly, guessing at Fang Fang Yunxiu's thoughts, while the latter merely nodded lightly:

"Mm!"

"Please instruct us, Brother Li!"

Shen Shen Shangying held his long saber, bowed slightly, tapped his foot, and the saber swept sideways, slashing over like a crescent moon.

Right behind him, Miao Zhen's hands flushed red, and as they opened and closed, the gusting force surged.

"Hundred-Refined Saber Art, Departure-Reunion Palm!"

Li Yuan straightened up, his hammer held horizontally before him to block the saber's sideways sweep, but his peripheral vision flicked toward Fang Fang Yunxiu on the steps.

The latter seemed not to notice, merely watching calmly.

'What is this woman trying to do? Did she see something? Impossible—I haven't even shown a single move of the Soldier's Path Battle-Slaying Hammer, how could she possibly see through me?'

His hammer held horizontally to fend off the two, and in the flash of an instant, Li Yuan's thoughts churned as he guessed.

"You dare let your attention wander!"

The moment he was slightly distracted, Shen Shen Shangying's heart flared with anger, and his already swift saber became several degrees fiercer, drawing gasps from the watching crowd.

Shen Shen Shangying and Miao Zhen were the most elite disciples of the three great martial halls of the inner city; their Wu Gong had reached Great Completion years ago—they were renowned geniuses.

Seeing now the swift saber-light and the fierce Zhang Fa, even Yue Yue Yunjin couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat, and was utterly shocked at the same time.

Because Li Yuan, dancing with his hammer held sideways, used simple moves, yet somehow kept the two from closing in, the advantage of a long-handled weapon displayed to the fullest.

"Brother Li, be careful!

Seeing the two of them join forces yet gain no ground within several moves, Miao Zhen shot a glance at Shen Shen Shangying and called out a warning.

Yu Yu Xuanji, his qi and blood already surging, pushed off with his feet, lunged in close, and his palm—which had suddenly swollen by more than a full circle—struck at Li Yuan's chest, one after the other.

At the same time, Shen Shen Shangying raised his saber, preparing to clash head-on with the hammer.

The two of them joining forces—if they couldn't win quickly, then forget earning the female knight-errant Fang's favor, they'd get whipped by their master when they got back!

'She's testing me!'

As he raised his hammer to meet the attack, Li Yuan keenly caught the look in Fang Fang Yunxiu's eyes, and as his thoughts turned, his feet thundered with force.

His already extremely fast hammer sped up another three-tenths, and in a single strike, he knocked Shen Shen Shangying's long saber from his hand; at the same time, he twisted his body to evade Miao Zhen's Departure-Reunion Palm,

then swung the hammer back in a strike, carrying gusting force straight at Miao Zhen's skull!

"Hold!"

Fang Fang Yunxiu's sharp rebuke rang out as she herself swept in sideways; her pale palm turned once, and the hammer was pressed to a halt right before Miao Zhen's sweating face.

"Ah!"

Miao Zhen retreated several steps in a sorry state, feeling as if his back were soaked through.

Let alone that he hadn't trained any horizontal-hardening Wu Gong—even if he had, he couldn't withstand that hammer blow!

On the other side, Shen Shen Shangying clutched his palm—his Hukou had been split open by the shock—and stared fixedly at Li Yuan, his heart churning like rivers and seas.

The two of them joining forces, and they were still swiftly defeated…

Fang Fang Yunxiu withdrew her palm, and her expression couldn't help but change:

"Hammer technique at Perfection?"

Lowering his hammer and bowing, Li Yuan had already confirmed that this woman really was testing him, and his heart eased as he replied:

"A few days ago, under my master's guidance, I gained a slight insight, but this disciple hasn't studied martial arts for long, so I don't know whether it's Great Completion or Perfection…"

Knowing she was testing him rather than having seen through anything, Li Yuan's heart relaxed at once.

What he was hiding was more than enough; testing was what he feared least.

If Fang Fang Yunxiu tested again, at worst he'd expose his 'Heavenly Strength'; and if she tested again, there was still the effortless weight-lifting and Bai Yuan Jin behind that…

A talent too astonishing might draw some eyes, but it was still better than exposing the Soldier's Path Battle-Slaying Hammer.

He couldn't be sure whether this woman, upon learning he had mastered the Soldier's Path Battle-Slaying Hammer, would cherish talent or strike ruthlessly…

"One year of martial study, and hammer technique at Perfection?!"

Fang Fang Yunxiu was greatly startled.

When Li Yuan had performed his martial display, her understanding of hammer techniques had let her faintly guess the boy was hiding something, which was why she wanted to test him.

She hadn't expected that the Soldier's Path Battle-Slaying Hammer hadn't been drawn out—instead, she'd tested out a hammer-technique genius?!

"This…"

The Miao Zhen and others beside them couldn't help but stare in shock.

Wu Gong at Great Completion—he already had the qualifications to break through to Internal Strength. They had only ever seen the Perfect realm on their martial hall's master; who would have thought someone could reach Perfect after just one year of martial training?

And it was a hammer technique, notoriously difficult to practice at that?!

"A-Auntie, you didn't misread, did you? H-How could he possibly have reached Perfect in hammer technique?!"

Young Lady Lu steadied her forehead, feeling rather dizzy herself.

She had begun taking medicine and studying martial arts and manuals before the age of seven, yet only reached Wu Gong Great Completion at seventeen…

"Perfect!"

A clamor rose before the Lu residence. The martial artists invited here were at the very least elite troops or inner courtyard disciples of shops; how could they not know what Perfect meant?

A Wu Gong at Perfect meant one could break through to Internal Strength even without an Internal Strength root chart!

"H-How is this possible?!"

In the crowd, Wang Gong's eyes went wide, utterly unable to believe it; Wu Ming even thought he had misheard.

Liu Zheng and the others nearby were also greatly astonished. Of course they knew what it meant to cultivate a hammer technique to Perfect in just one year.

For a genius like this, poor bone structure hardly mattered; Internal Strength was almost a certainty!

"Perfect-grade Cloak Hammer technique!"

Yue Yue Yunjin was first shocked, but upon seeing the astonishment on Fang Fang Yunxiu's face, a chill crept into his heart.

……

"One year of martial training?"

"Should be about a year…"

"How is his family background?"

"Parents died early, family fallen on hard times. He entered the weapons forge last autumn…"

"Had he studied Wu Gong before?"

"No."

……

Most people outside the Lu residence had already dispersed. Inside the residence's courtyard, Fang Fang Yunxiu questioned in a low voice, and Li Yuan answered every question.

He hadn't intended to reveal too much, but since it was revealed he didn't regret it—it was merely the difference between a genius and a greater genius; he reckoned his current self could bear it.

"In Gao Liu County, there is actually such a genius?"

Fang Fang Yunxiu's heart trembled.

A lower-grade Wu Gong reaching Perfect was nothing special, but reaching Perfect in a hammer technique within a year—even in Zhe Long Prefecture, there weren't many such cases.

And those geniuses all came from prestigious family lineages with excellent conditions and resources. What did this blacksmith boy from a fallen household have?

He probably hadn't even taken a single pill, had he?

"Take this token. Next year in March, bring it and you may enter Divine Weapon Valley. At that time, someone will report to me!"

Fang Fang Yunxiu produced a token, one side painted with a precious sword, the other inscribed with the character 'Xiu'.

"Many thanks, Heroine Fang!"

Taking the token with both hands, Li Yuan felt some relief in his heart.

With this token, even if Cao Yan hid away for several years without returning, he could still go to Divine Weapon Valley to seek a master on his own.

"If you have patience, do not attempt to break through to Internal Strength. Instead, devote yourself to practicing the hammer. If you can cultivate it to Great Perfection, then even with mediocre bone structure, you may have the chance to enter the inner sect directly!"

Having taken in such a fine seedling, Fang Fang Yunxiu's mood improved considerably. The Talent Seeker post was a tough assignment within the sect, but the rewards were truly generous.

Not to mention, this boy was also a hammer technique genius.

"Elder Han will probably be overjoyed when he sees this boy, won't he?"

Waving her hand to dismiss Li Yuan, Fang Fang Yunxiu only then recalled that her original purpose had been to catch the thief who had stolen and learned the Soldier's Path Battle-Killing Hammer.

"Forget it, I'll look for him tomorrow… With this boy, even if I can't catch that thief, Elder Han couldn't possibly blame me!"

Fang Fang Yunxiu felt the great stone in her heart fall to the ground, and only now did her tightly furrowed brow finally relax.

"Auntie!"

At this moment, Lu Lu Bailing came over, wanting to speak but hesitating.

"Don't even think about that token. Even if I gave it to you, how could you compete with the true seeds the other Talent Seekers have brought?"

Fang Fang Yunxiu had intended to scold her, but remembering she had lost her parents at such a young age, her heart inevitably softened.

"That's not it, Auntie."

Lu Lu Bailing stamped her foot: "Didn't you say before that you could only give one token?"

"Ah?"

Only then did Fang Fang Yunxiu catch on.

Hadn't she given a token to that young fellow surnamed Yue earlier?

"Silly Auntie!"

Lu Lu Bailing mercilessly mocked her once, then waved her hand and walked toward the door:

"I know you're thin-skinned. I'll go help you get one back!"

……

……

Outside the Lu residence, most people had already dispersed.

When Li Yuan came out, quite a few people were still lingering outside. Besides Yue Yue Yunjin and Wu Ming, Liu Zheng, Wen Wen Yida, Huang Wang Peiyao and other Young Ladies and Young Masters of the inner city were also present.

"Brother Li hid it from us so well!"

"Congratulations, Brother Li…"

"My men have already arranged a banquet at the One-Word Tavern. Brother Li, you must do me the honor of attending!"

……

That evening, another banquet was held at the One-Word Tavern.

(End of chapter)