Comprehending Myriad Techniques as Woodcutter

Chapter 190: Chapter 163: Upheaval in Yunzhao

The next day, Xie Yuan was called for a talk by the woodshed supervisor:

"Zhang Mountain, you’ve been doing well recently. The supervisors and even the deacons have taken notice, and they’re all very pleased with you."

Xie Yuan feigned humility while thinking to himself:

’Even Sword Cultivators, for all their righteousness, like hearing praise and seeing diligence. Sucking up and grinding away really are the two magic weapons of the workplace. Used together, they’re unstoppable.’

The supervisor continued:

"Didn’t you ask about taking leave before? I told you then that it was improper to want to go home right after arriving on the mountain. But, Zhang Mountain, you’ve proven your attitude, so I won’t be too demanding. It’s only human to miss home! The higher-ups have specially approved your annual leave for this year. Let me see, you live... hmm, near Jinshan County. Ten days for a round trip. Is that enough?"

"More than enough, more than enough! Thank you, Supervisor! You’re too good to me..."

Xie Yuan put on a moved expression.

Ordinarily, handymen only got five to seven days of annual leave to visit family, with no other days off all year. Factoring in the travel time to and from Cloud Mountain, they’d be lucky to spend two days at home. Jinshan County wasn’t far from Cloud Mountain, yet the supervisor gave him a full ten days. It seemed those firewood stacks carved with "Auspicious Wishes" had left him very pleased.

Xie Yuan immediately packed his belongings and prepared to descend the mountain.

Hearing that Xie Yuan was going on leave, the other handymen in the woodshed breathed a collective sigh of relief. Working alongside such a tryhard every day was incredibly stressful.

’A family visit is great. It’d be even better if he never came back... The only good Zhang Mountain is a gone Zhang Mountain.’

However, the supervisor then gave a casual order:

"Remember to split Zhang Mountain’s workload among yourselves. And, hmm, don’t forget the carvings. The higher-ups are happy to see them. It makes them think that even in the woodshed, we don’t forget to hone our skills and possess the will to study diligently."

The other handymen froze, cursing inwardly:

"Damn you, Zhang Mountain!"

Xie Yuan couldn’t hear their inner thoughts. After packing briefly, he was about to leave the Outer Sect when a young woman stopped him.

"Junior Brother Zhang, could I ask you to visit Junior Sister Chen’s family for me when you go home? I wonder why Junior Sister Chen hasn’t returned yet?"

Lin Zhen called out to Xie Yuan.

Xie Yuan nodded silently, muttering to himself:

’Miss Lin, your Junior Sister Chen isn’t coming back.’

He didn’t know what was wrong with Lin Zhen, growing so close to the enemy she once gnashed her teeth at. Although she called her "Junior Sister," she had been looking up to Mu Chaoyun like an older sister recently.

Lin Cheng was training manically every day and paid less attention to his sister, Lin Zhen. Although she too was diligent and eager for revenge, she had been a pampered young lady not long ago. The lonely mountain life probably made her cling to a close girlfriend.

Besides, he had no idea what Mu Chaoyun was thinking, treating Lin Zhen so well instead of giving her the cold shoulder as she did with him. It made Lin Zhen call her "Junior Sister" with her lips but "Older Sister" in her heart.

Xie Yuan shook his head and, under Lin Zhen’s hopeful gaze, started down the mountain path.

In the house he was renting long-term in Cloud Mountain Town, Xie Yuan took out his luggage, his long saber, and his axe.

To ascend the mountain, he naturally couldn’t bring the Lin family’s Treasure Saber or the short-handled axe made of fine steel, so he had stored them here along with his good clothes from the Escort Agency.

As for Zanyue, he’d left it at the Escort Agency long ago. Who would carry that thing while fleeing for their life?

Xie Yuan changed out of his Cloud Mountain Sword Sect handyman’s uniform, properly equipped his weapons, and then activated his Celestial Concealment Skill, silently departing from Cloud Mountain.

With his Blood Qi surging and internal energy rushing, Xie Yuan didn’t even ride a horse. In just a day and a night, he followed the main road back to Yunzhao County.

To the residents of the surrounding areas like Panlong Town and Little Stone Village, Yunzhao was the only major city around. They came here for work, study, and medical care, adding to Yunzhao County’s bustling atmosphere.

As soon as Xie Yuan entered the city, he saw it was still bustling with activity. Crowds flowed like rivers, carriages and horses streamed by, and the streets were extraordinarily lively. The commotion caused by the Grandmaster a few days prior seemed to have had no lasting effect on the common folk.

Everything in Yunzhao seemed the same as ever—except for the Longteng Escort Agency.

Xie Yuan walked to the Escort Agency’s entrance and stared, stunned for a long moment, at the newly refurbished main gate. On the plaque above, four flamboyant characters read: "One-Cut Martial Arts School."

Two disciples with large sabers at their waists exchanged a look, and one of them walked up to Xie Yuan.

"Sir, are you here to join our One-Cut Martial Arts School to learn martial arts?"

Xie Yuan snapped back to his senses, shook his head, and turned to leave, instantly melting into the crowd.

The disciple had a strange look on his face. He turned back to his companion and said:

"What was that guy’s deal?"

"Who knows."

The two resumed their positions at the gate. In the time it took for them to speak, Xie Yuan had already brushed past them and entered the "One-Cut Martial Arts School."

He wandered through the large estate, which took up half a street. He saw that the entire place was decorated with festive lanterns and looked brand new. The people from the martial arts school were cheerful, and many disciples were already training in the practice yard.

It wasn’t until he reached his own small courtyard and saw the flowers in full bloom that he was certain his memory wasn’t failing him. This was the Escort Agency; it had just been completely transformed.

Xie Yuan’s brow furrowed. After a moment of thought, he left the agency and slipped into the stream of people on the long street.

In a residence in Yunzhao, a man was practicing his saber in the courtyard. The scorching sun was high in the sky, and sweat poured off him like rain, but his expression was grim as he trained without pause.

KNOCK, KNOCK.

A knock sounded at the courtyard gate. Annoyed at being interrupted, the man set down his saber, walked to the gate, and opened it. His eyes instantly widened.

"Xie Yuan! You’re back? You’re not dead?"

Xie Yuan smiled, looking at Qin Sea.

"Brother Qin, why so surprised? Seeing you’re all right puts my mind at ease."

A joyful expression spread across Qin Sea’s face as he pulled Xie Yuan inside.

"Come in and talk!"

Inside, Xie Yuan thanked Qin Sea for the tea he poured, then couldn’t help but ask directly:

"Brother Qin, how did the Escort Agency become the One-Cut Martial Arts School? What happened after I left that day? Are the Chief Master and the others... are they okay?"

Qin Sea’s smile froze, then slowly faded. He sighed softly.

"The Chief Master and the others..."

As Qin Sea recounted what had happened since that day, Xie Yuan’s expression grew increasingly grim.

"...Boss Zhao’s foundations were injured. Master Lu returned and took him to the prefectural capital to seek treatment. We haven’t heard from them in a long time.

"Then, the One-Cut Martial Arts School came and just took over the place. It turns out they seized the opportunity to conspire with Yu Chunsheng again, swallowing up all the properties belonging to the Vajra Sect and our Escort Agency. Now they’re the number one martial arts school in Yunzhao."

Qin Sea slammed his hand on the table and snorted coldly.

"Back when the Escort Agency was still around, they talked about taking down Yu Chunsheng together. They sure were quick to become opportunists! Yu Chunsheng was supposedly about to flee, but now with the One-Cut Martial Arts School switching sides to support him, his position is secure again."

Xie Yuan listened, his brows tightly knitted. He couldn’t help but ask:

"The Escort Agency’s properties and estate are backed by land deeds. On what grounds can the One-Cut Martial Arts School just occupy them?"

"Yu Chunsheng is in the county government; of course he’d indulge the One-Cut Martial Arts School...

"More importantly, the Escort Agency has no one left. We don’t even have a Third Training expert. We’re helpless against the One-Cut Martial Arts School. With Boss Zhao and the others gone, the agency couldn’t protect anything. Now, we don’t even have a storefront or a sign. It... it exists in name only."

Qin Sea clenched his fists.

"I’ve been training desperately, but unfortunately, my strength is too limited."

Xie Yuan was silent for a moment before saying in a low voice:

"I never thought it would turn out like this."

Qin Sea patted Xie Yuan’s shoulder and sighed.

"Don’t blame yourself. We said it when we took the job—this is the Escort Agency’s mission. The message you left was useful at first, but later... we heard that Yu Chunsheng contacted those two Grandmasters in advance. He told them our plan, so they surrounded the four city gates ahead of time. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have been this bad!

"He probably leaked the information himself. The One-Cut Martial Arts School saw that he had connections to the Grandmasters, and that’s why they started working with him again. Now that villain is strutting around arrogantly, but there’s nothing we can do about him. We couldn’t even save the Escort Agency. The One-Cut Martial Arts School took everything... Xie Yuan, even though you’re back, the Escort Agency is gone."

Qin Sea covered his face in anguish. The tough, coarse man couldn’t stop himself from wiping his eyes.

"Yu Chunsheng... One-Cut Martial Arts School..."

Xie Yuan was silent for a long time, then suddenly rose to his feet.

Startled, Qin Sea looked at Xie Yuan’s expression and said instinctively:

"Xie Yuan, calm down! The One-Cut Martial Arts School is powerful now. Don’t do anything rash on your own! We can make a long-term plan!"

Xie Yuan shook his head, his voice low and deep.

"This all started because of me. If I don’t see this through, I’ll have failed the Escort Agency."

He ignored Qin Sea’s attempts to stop him and walked straight out the door.

Qin Sea couldn’t catch up. Watching Xie Yuan quickly recede into the distance, he stamped his foot, turned back to grab his saber, and followed.

「Inside the former Longteng Escort Agency, now the One-Cut Martial Arts School.」

"School Master, we have countless people signing up for the school every day. This new estate is perfect for housing all the new disciples."

A middle-aged bladesman said to the School Master of the One-Cut Martial Arts School, who was seated in the main chair.

The shrewd-looking School Master chuckled.

"No matter how many disciples we get, it doesn’t make me as happy as having Brother Wang here to lend me his strength."

"You flatter me, School Master. I only had the chance to go out and make a name for myself after training at this school for a time."

"Of course. We can be considered from the same school. It’s because of this connection that I invited Brother Wang to be our resident master."

School Master Chen Su laughed heartily.

This Wang Chengpeng was a Fourth Training expert from the next county. Years ago, he had only been a nominal disciple at the One-Cut Martial Arts School for two days. In fact, he didn’t even practice the saber now, but the great spear.

But now that the school was expanding, it was the perfect time to invite him to be a resident master, and he had readily agreed. With two Fourth Training experts at the One-Cut Martial Arts School and the Longteng Escort Agency gone, they had no rivals left in Yunzhao County.

Once they partnered with Yu Chunsheng to swallow up the Piaoyu Sect and the Sword Monarch Hall, the One-Cut Martial Arts School would be the sole, unrivaled power in Yunzhao County. In the future...

"Chen Su! Where are you? Xie Yuan of the Longteng Escort Agency has come to see you."

A loud shout from outside the main gate shattered Chen Su’s pleasant daydream.

The Longteng Escort Agency, Xie Yuan?

Chen Su’s brow furrowed as he instantly recalled the name that had been so imposing in Yunzhao not long ago.

’He’s not dead? Weren’t they saying he was hunted by a Grandmaster and died in the wilderness long ago?’

Chen Su mulled it over for a moment, glanced at Wang Chengpeng beside him, and said:

"Brother Wang, shall we go out and meet this Master Xie?"

"As we should."

Wang Chengpeng said flatly, picking up his great spear. He wanted to see for himself what this notorious remnant of the Escort Agency looked like, to dare to come here and cause a scene.

The two of them went out together and saw that the entrance was already surrounded by several layers of disciples from the One-Cut Martial Arts School. In the center of the crowd stood a handsome youth with a face like polished jade and a straight, proud back. His hands were clasped behind him, his expression profound. He ignored the shouts of the disciples around him as if they were nothing but air.

As soon as Chen Su and Wang Chengpeng came out, Xie Yuan spotted them. Before they could speak, he said flatly:

"Are you going to get the hell out of the Escort Agency on your own, or do I have to make you?"

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