Chapter 293: Wave Slash

"The food is brought in by her personal maids. We've tried to ask those maids secretly, but their lips are sealed. They refuse to say anything and even warned us not to spread rumors."

"Is she that special?"

"Oh yes. She's so precious she can't even be exposed to the sun. Not like us, who face wind and rain daily."

The other farmer sighed, "Actually, we're still fortunate. The produce from our village fields is always sold to the Li family in the south, so we don't have to worry about sales. We can even get a full meal in this lean year. Look at other places in the countryside; people are almost gone."

Aunt Liu hissed, "Could that noblewoman be from the Li family? The village chief treats her like an ancestor."

After a few more words, they suddenly felt raindrops. Looking up, they saw dark, rain-laden clouds rolling in.

Mountain weather is unpredictable, changing several times a day. They quickly gathered their things and hurried home.

They had barely taken a few steps when dozens of horsemen galloped down the mountain path. The leading rider reined in his horse, looked down at them, and asked, "Aunts, how do we get to Thunderclap Village?"

Her companion started to answer, but Aunt Liu pulled her back and asked cautiously, "Who are you?"

The rider pulled out a waist token and flashed it before them. "We are on official business from Xiazhou Prefecture. Please cooperate."

A faint glow emanated from the token. Though Aunt Liu and her companion were illiterate, they had heard that officials possessed a practical, glowing artifact called a 'Sheji Token'.

The token the rider held exuded an intimidating authority.

Seeing that over thirty horsemen were fully armed, Aunt Liu felt uneasy. She pointed west and said, "Just follow this road for about a *li*."

The rider whistled, and the thirty-plus men galloped west. At that moment, the heavy rain began to pour.

Aunt Liu and her companion huddled with their washing buckets, heads down, rushing home through mud and puddles. They were unusually quiet, unlike their usual habit of muttering complaints.

What were those thirty-odd horsemen going to do in Thunderclap Village? Was it really just official business? Within moments, the torrential storm made it impossible to open their eyes.

They had no choice but to slow their pace.

By the time they finally reached the village entrance, they saw the same group of horsemen approaching, seemingly having completed their task and preparing to leave Thunderclap Village.

What was different from before was the addition of a carriage in the procession. The horsemen surrounded the carriage, appearing to both escort and guard it.

Despite the pouring rain, villagers still gathered to watch the commotion. Aunt Liu saw the largest crowd near the village chief's house and exclaimed, "They really came for the chief!"

Everyone in Thunderclap Village knew each other. She grabbed a nearby curious farmer and asked, "Li boy, what happened at the chief's house?"

"It seems officials came and took several people from the chief's house, saying they were harboring criminals!" "Criminals? What kind of criminals?" Aunt Liu immediately thought of the supposed noblewoman.

Another villager nearby added, "Someone seems to have died inside! I just saw blood on the ground!" Aunt Liu gasped, "Someone died at the chief's house?"

"It doesn't seem to be someone from the chief's family..."

However, the rumor spread quickly, soon morphing into: "Many people died at the village chief's house."

On the front lines of the two armies, it was also pouring rain.

The usually bustling military camp was eerily quiet, with everyone sheltering in their tents. Only the guards on duty stood outside their tents and in watchtowers, heads down, enduring the downpour.

While skilled thieves prefer windy nights to moonlit ones, and rainy weather over snow, armies planning surprise attacks operate similarly. Such tempestuous weather provides cover for opponents to launch hidden assaults, making vigilance essential.

Therefore, the Kite Army was on high alert, carefully prepared.

The Hanh River's waves became turbulent in the afternoon. Soldiers cautiously kept their distance from the shoreline, fearing a sudden collapse of the riverbanks.

Only Young Master He, the audacious Young Master He, seeing the rising water level and surging waves, let out a long laugh, grabbed his saber, and entered the water.

This act greatly alarmed everyone. Garrison soldiers rushed to report it, and Zhao Pan, fearing that Steward He's beloved son might die in his camp, quickly sent someone to inform him.

He Chunhua also slammed the table, ready to drag his wayward son back for a good scolding. Fortunately, Shan Youjun returned at that moment to explain, saying that Young Master He was on the verge of a breakthrough and needed to practice his saber techniques in the river.

What kind of saber technique couldn't be practiced on dry land, but absolutely required being in strong currents? "Is he serious? What saber technique is he practicing?"

Shan Youjun replied, "Young Master He said it's as real as it gets; he's practicing the 'Bo Lang' (Wave-Splitting) saber technique."

He Chunhua thought for a moment, then slowly sat down. "Go keep an eye on him. If anything happens, I'll hold you accountable!"

"Young Master He has a rope tied around his waist," Shan Youjun said with a smile. "If he gets swept away, we can pull him back to shore." He Chunhua, having no other choice, conceded.

Hearing the outcome, Zhao Pan secretly shook his head.

Steward He was shrewd and intelligent in his work, but why was he so indulgent towards his own son? Never mind, he had already fulfilled his duty to warn; he wouldn't concern himself with the aftermath.

Meanwhile, seeing the surging waves, He Lingchuan took off his shirt, gripped his Fusheng Saber, and entered the water. He wasn't recklessly foolish; he found a sturdy rock to stand on.

What was the name of the saber technique he was practicing? 'Wave Cleave'.

He had diligently practiced this saber technique for several months, combining real-life training with dream-world sessions, making significant progress in speed, stability, and precision. This was because 'Wave Cleave' could be combined with his 'Swallow Return' movement technique, transforming into 'Returning Swallow Cleave'.

As nimble as a swallow, so swift could his saber be.

However, he couldn't grasp the continuous, magnificent, and mighty aura inherent in the saber technique.

After all, this saber technique was called 'Wave Cleave'; if there were no waves, practicing it would yield suboptimal results. He Lingchuan had also tried practicing with his saber in the large lake within the Coiling Dragon dream realm. The water was deep enough, but it wasn't wavy enough for his liking, and it was freezing cold.

Now, with this heaven-sent opportunity, how could he not cherish it?

The current's force grew stronger. The first few dozen swings of his saber against the water were not only ineffective but also knocked him off balance. His feet slipped, and he swallowed an unknown amount of water.

The guards above pointed and whispered, laughing at the fool below.

Gradually, however, He Lingchuan stumbled less, even though the rocks beneath his feet were slick from the current. The true power normally stored in his Dantian began to circulate efficiently, grounding his feet firmly like bedrock. Afterward, his saber swings also became slower.

Slow allowed for stability; slow allowed for fluidity. Slow meant the saber received a stronger impact from the water.

As the swirling currents passed him, He Lingchuan recalled Commander Xiao Maoliang's spears against the giant Meng Shan in Yueqing River Valley—they were truly as swift as thunder, pressing relentlessly forward.

He also thought of Nian Songyu, possessed by a deity, fighting the black dragon in the Coiling Dragon illusion, whose saber technique was expansive, powerful, and utterly dominant.

When he silently recited the 'Wave Cleave' incantations, he carefully used his surroundings to comprehend the fluctuating, continuous, invisible, yet powerful nature of water waves.

Wave after wave of murky yellow water crashed upon him. He Lingchuan had never before experienced the pain of being pushed, squeezed, and torn from all directions.

Perhaps this was also the essence of 'Wave Cleave': the application of "force."

As he persisted and cleaved with his sixty-seventh strike, the oncoming waves in front of him seemed to momentarily pause, their impact on him greatly reduced.

However, Shan Youjun, who was above, was already shouting, pointing west, "Master, come up quickly, a giant wave is coming!" Immediately, a wave crashed over He Lingchuan's head, completely submerging him.

*Pfft*, he swallowed some water, retracted his saber, and pulled the rope. He was there to practice his saber, not to drown himself. His personal guards on shore worked together to drag him out.

He Lingchuan was thoroughly drenched. As he shook his head, a large wave swept over the riverbank, submerging the very rock he had been standing on with a *bang*.

That wave was truly enormous, and everyone quickly retreated.

The Hanh River, typically clear, was now raging with colossal waves from the west, carrying countless amounts of mud, sand, rocks, and branches, surging like a furious yellow dragon.

The ground beneath their feet trembled from the immense power. He Lingchuan propped himself with his saber, silently sensing the river's fury, his heart similarly stirred, as if in resonance.

Water, though formless, possessed immense power, just like the saber intent he was striving to comprehend.

Rain streamed down He Lingchuan's forehead to his chin. With his hand on his saber hilt, he suddenly cleaved diagonally forward. The small tree directly in front still swayed wildly in the strong wind, its branches thrashing, yet not a single twig fell.

His saber swing wasn't fast, and his motion was somewhat clumsy.

Shan Youjun and the others said nothing, but a nearby sentry couldn't help but laugh.

Was this Young Master He all show and no substance? He goes down to cleave water in a storm, then comes up to put on another display, only to fail to cut even a single leaf. It was truly amusing.

They had thought guarding the riverbank was both dangerous and dull, but who knew they'd get a show today? He Lingchuan sheathed his saber with a *clang*, smiled at them, turned, and walked away.

They walked about five or seven *zhang* away, while the two sentries were still chatting and laughing. Then they heard a muffled "crack." They turned around to see a section of the riverbank, larger than a round table, suddenly crack. First, a thin line appeared, then it became a gully, and finally, this hard earthen patch directly collapsed into the rushing river.

This section of ground was about one *zhang* behind the small tree He Lingchuan had swung his saber at. The two sentries stopped laughing and exchanged glances.

Could it be that Young Master He's saber qi had passed through the wildly swaying small tree and severed the ground behind it?

It hadn't rained all winter, so one could imagine how hard the riverbank ground was. How much force would it take to cleave it? Furthermore, with hundreds of small tree branches thrashing wildly in the wind, could saber qi pass through them without causing any damage?

It must have been a coincidence, right? It had to be.

He Lingchuan couldn't care less what those two thought. After executing that saber strike, seizing the moment, his mind felt clearer, his spirit refreshed, and even his breathing became smoother. The sluggishness from being immersed in the water was completely swept away.

Could he do another strike?

It was hard to say; he wasn't sure.

Given this fortunate coincidence, he wouldn't claim his cultivation or realm had improved, but at least he had achieved a breakthrough in his saber intent, making himself more complete and harmonious.

The art of 'Wave Cleave' had advanced a small step. Now, he just needed to strengthen and consolidate it as quickly as possible.

Thus, he returned to his tent with a light step, humming a small tune.

However, as he passed the main army tent, he seemed to hear an argument inside, including his father He Chunhua's voice. Without thinking much, He Lingchuan was about to rush in.

The guard at the tent blocked him. "Stop! No entry without permission!" He Lingchuan didn't bother arguing and simply shouted, "Dad!"

"Chuan'er?" He Chunhua's voice came from inside. "Come in!"