Martial Arts Longevity Begins with the Equipment Slot

Chapter 9: The Bodyguard's Accidental Discovery of a Secret Manual

The next day, I patrolled the rooms.

Before even entering the door, Chen Yu could hear people talking loudly.

Although the volume wasn't loud, he could hear it clearly.

The voices were very familiar; they were Shi Le and Wang Ping'an.

These two were not originally in the same cell, but Shi Le was a socially active person with a particularly strong desire to express himself, and he often came over from next door to chat and gossip.

Upon seeing Chen Yu enter, Shi Le strode forward and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Perfect timing!"

"I was just telling you some big news."

Chen Yu pushed his hand away, sat down in a chair against the wall, and slowly asked.

"What news?"

Shi Le didn't keep them in suspense and said directly, "The young lady will be choosing her personal guards tomorrow, and the candidates will be selected from the gatekeeper and the night patrol room."

When Chen Yu heard the name of the young lady Song Xiangxiang, his heart sank.

I remembered the strange thing I saw in the inner courtyard when I was on patrol last night.

The suppressed voice and the distorted figure lingered in Chen Yu's mind, echoing endlessly.

Although he had never seen Song Xiangxiang's true face, he always felt that this young lady was not a kind person.

"It's been less than three months, why are we selecting people again?"

Wang Ping'an asked in confusion.

In his memory, the young lady's personal bodyguards were usually replaced every three months.

"We're short-staffed; someone died."

Shi Le seemed quite surprised.

"Don't you know?"

"The young lady's personal bodyguard, Li Kong, suddenly suffered a heart attack last night and died."

Wang Ping'an's doubts were suddenly resolved: "I see, then that explains it."

"I heard, I mean, I heard."

Shi Le glanced around and lowered his voice so that only the three people nearby could hear him.

"This matter may not be that simple."

"How so?"

Wang Ping'an asked anxiously.

"Brother Wang, you've been in the manor for a long time, so you should know that our manor lord, Song Jianglong, has very few children, with only our eldest young lady as his descendant."

"It's not that the lord doesn't want to have more children and blessings, but he was betrayed when he was young, which damaged his very foundation, leaving him without the ability."

"He secluded himself to refine elixirs all day long, and that was also for this matter."

Wang Ping'an nodded and said, "I've heard about it, but what does this have to do with Miss?"

Shi Le glanced around again to make sure no one else was nearby before continuing.

"The master is no longer involved in affairs; the eldest young lady has the final say in all matters within the manor."

"She can make you give birth if she wants you to, and she can make you die if she wants you to."

"I know Li Kong. I saw him recently. He was in perfect health. How could he suddenly develop a heart condition?"

"My guess is that he might have displeased the young lady in some way, which led to his execution."

Upon hearing this, Chen Yu fell silent for a moment.

Thinking back to what I saw and heard that night.

Song Xiangxiang seems capable of doing such a thing.

I hope I won't be chosen as the guard tomorrow.

……

The following evening, the sky turned a dark red, like blood.

Song Xiangxiang personally selected her bodyguards.

This was the first time Chen Yu had seen the young lady's true face.

This woman was short and stocky, with a sturdy build, resembling a round ball of flesh.

The neck is short and thick, almost invisible.

A head appears to be attached directly to the body.

His face was broad like a plate, with thick, fleshy cheeks that trembled constantly when he spoke.

Chen Yu could see everything clearly thanks to his sharp hearing and eyesight.

He suddenly felt that Song Xiangxiang and his butcher knife might be destined to be together.

Fifty-two servants stood in the courtyard.

Everyone kept their heads down, not daring to breathe.

"Raise your head."

Song Xiangxiang held a leather whip and examined each one one by one, as if she were choosing livestock.

"Too ugly."

A whip lashed across Wang Ping'an's face, causing him to wince in pain.

"Too short."

Another lash struck a short man's face.

"His shoulders are too narrow; he can't take a beating."

"That shifty look in his eyes is annoying."

The whip lashed out.

Amidst the screams, Song Xiangxiang yawned.

Until they reached Zhuang Fangyuan.

"this……"

Song Xiangxiang used a whip to lift Zhuang Fangyuan's chin.

"This one's good, it looks like a dog, I'll take it."

Zhuang Fangyuan was overjoyed.

He believed that being chosen by the young lady as her personal bodyguard was a great opportunity for him to rise to prominence.

He made extensive preparations in advance for this purpose.

I got up before dawn to wash my face, washing it more than twenty times.

Her clothes, both inside and out, were completely permeated with fragrance.

Now that I've been successfully elected, all my efforts haven't been in vain.

Soon, Song Xiangxiang walked up to Chen Yu and suddenly cracked her whip.

"Snapped!"

The whip tip grazed past Chen Yu's ear, cracking a inch deep in the wooden pillar behind him.

Splinters of wood flew, drawing a line of blood down his cheek.

Chen Yu's heart skipped a beat, but he dared not utter a sound.

Song Xiangxiang raised her right hand, and slowly moved the whip handle upwards to press against Chen Yu's chin.

The whip handle, with its distinct joints, pressed against his Adam's apple, inch by inch, forcing him to raise his head.

"He's not very muscular, but he's quite good-looking."

Song Xiangxiang stared at him, then suddenly smiled.

"From this day forward, you will be my personal bodyguard, Song Xiangxiang."

"I'll practice with the whip, and you'll be my target."

"When I go out, you lead the horse for me."

"I'm going to sleep—" she paused deliberately, then said with ill intent, "You warm my feet."

Chen Yu was helpless.

My face still looks too authoritative.

I deliberately didn't wash my face this morning so I wouldn't be selected.

None of them could escape this fate.

Since things have come to this, let's just take it one step at a time.

One must be patient and lie low.

We must not act rashly if we lack sufficient strength.

"Alright, those are the two. Come with me."

As Song Xiangxiang finished speaking.

Most people were dejected, regretting that the young lady hadn't chosen them.

Those few who knew the inside story secretly rejoiced and breathed a huge sigh of relief.

……

Since being chosen as his bodyguard, Chen Yu has been extremely cautious.

For the past ten days or so, things have been peaceful.

【Technique Section (Tier 1 34%)】

[Technique]: Bone-Cleaving Blade Technique

[Progress]: 10th floor (1000/1000)

The Bone-Cleaving Blade Technique has been mastered to its limit, increasing the progress of the skill bar by 12%.

The more techniques you master, the faster your technique ranking will increase.

Chen Yu planned to practice the remaining sword techniques.

Previously, while working in the night patrol room, I studied literacy with Gao Youde for a period of time.

In addition, the sword manual has illustrated demonstrations, so it's not too difficult to understand.

It was drizzling outside the window.

While soaking his feet, Chen Yu took out a sword manual from his package.

There are three books in total.

They are "Wild Wind and Swift Blade", "Mad Dog Blade Technique" and "Eighteen Styles of the Woodcutter's Knife".

Judging from the titles, they are all ordinary books.

Chen Yu casually picked up a book titled "Eighteen Routes of the Chopping Wood".

The pages are bluish-gray, with a texture that resembles silk but is not quite silk, and the surface has fine, wavy patterns.

Upon opening it, I felt that the moves were indeed mediocre.

Although the technique itself wasn't very good, the little figure drawn on it was lifelike and eye-catching.

Chen Yu was engrossed in reading when his hand suddenly slipped, and the book "Eighteen Routes of the Chopping Wood" flew out of his grasp.

With a "poof" sound.

It landed perfectly in the center of the foot bath.

Water splashed everywhere.

The sword manual slowly sank into the water, the ink spreading like blood streaks.

As Chen Yu reached out to retrieve it, he discovered a line of small vermilion characters emerging from the soaked paper.

"Only by washing away the superficial can the true power be revealed. The Blood Lotus Technique is unparalleled under heaven..."