The Speedrun Begins with Choosing Hunter

Chapter 368: Chapter 362: The World’s Best Aptitude

Black Tortoise Great Path, Bai Mansion.

Martial Arts Arena.

"Xiaobai, cut me!"

Bai Yuan’s gaze was scorching as he stared at Yue Xiaobai.

Of course, he wasn’t trying to offer up his head on a platter. He just wanted to test the results of his Dragon and Tiger Strength body. Yue Xiaobai was a fine blade, and he was the whetstone.

Yue Xiaobai folded his arms across his chest, his eyes narrowing slightly.

’Such an interesting request. This is the first time I’ve heard one like it. Of course, I have to oblige.’

SHIING!

The Bamboo Sword flashed from its sheath like a green serpent.

Yue Xiaobai leaped high into the air and brought his sword down on Bai Yuan’s right shoulder.

CLANG!

A loud noise rang out. His Bamboo Sword landed squarely on Bai Yuan’s shoulder, shredding the fabric to pieces and revealing bronze-colored skin beneath.

Yue Xiaobai let out a soft sound of surprise.

’Horizontal Body Forging Training!’

He hailed from the Ten Thousand Years Major Sect of Xiyue. His Swordsmanship was superb, so naturally, his knowledge was extensive as well.

He could tell with a single glance that Bai Yuan practiced a Horizontal Body Forging Training technique, and a high-grade one at that.

A warrior’s excitement sparked within him.

Another slash!

The third slash... the fourth... the twentieth.

Finally, Bai Yuan thrust a palm upward, colliding with Yue Xiaobai’s Bamboo Sword and sending them both stumbling back.

Twenty slashes. That was Bai Yuan’s limit.

He was overjoyed.

’Don’t look down on just twenty moves. This was the sword of Yue Xiaobai, the Xiyue Divine Sword! An ordinary Knowledge and Sensation Martial Master couldn’t even take a single blow.’

’Besides, a Body Refining Martial Artist uses their body as a weapon; they don’t train to become a turtle in a shell.’

’In a real fight, its power will be even greater.’

A rare look of astonishment crossed Yue Xiaobai’s face. "When did you learn this Horizontal Body Forging Training technique?"

Bai Yuan replied, "Haven’t been training it for long."

Yue Xiaobai rolled his eyes.

’Does he really take me for a three-year-old?’

’Even though I only cultivate the Sword Dao, that doesn’t mean I’m ignorant of other martial arts.’

’This kind of Horizontal Body Forging Training is the most time-consuming of all, and there are no shortcuts. To reach Bai Yuan’s level would take at least ten years of practice.’

’And that’s assuming one has outstanding innate talent.’

Yue Xiaobai was secretly astounded.

’This sparring partner I found is a real monster. Saber techniques, poison arts, leg techniques... and now he’s even added Horizontal Body Forging Training to the list.’

’Has this kid been practicing all these arts since the day he started training?’

’Doesn’t he ever sleep?!’

Yue Xiaobai felt a little frustrated.

Before meeting Bai Yuan, he considered his own aptitude for martial arts to be exceptional—at least among the top three in the world.

But now, compared to Bai Yuan, his aptitude seemed like trash.

With his discerning eye, he could naturally tell that Bai Yuan’s innate talent was merely average.

Bai Yuan’s talent might be considered decent among ordinary Martial Artists, but among the top experts, it was utterly worthless.

Yet, despite this trashy innate talent, Bai Yuan was unreasonably strong, which only served to highlight how heaven-defying his aptitude truly was.

Yue Xiaobai secretly compared Bai Yuan to the other young prodigies he had fought.

’His aptitude is number one in the world!’

Bai Yuan looked at his right shoulder, where the fabric had been shredded by Yue Xiaobai’s Sword Qi, and felt very satisfied. ’If even Yue Xiaobai can’t cut me, then there aren’t many people in this world who can break my defense.’

Just then, the little lass Fang E appeared in the courtyard, though no one had noticed her arrive.

And she saw a strange scene.

Bai Yuan was staring with a captivated expression at his own bare shoulder, and Yue Xiaobai was doing the same.

Fang E blinked.

’Lv Ping really wasn’t lying. Practicing martial arts truly does affect your mind.’

Lv Ping was one of the two young maids sent by Zhou Minghan, and Fang E had already become such good friends with them that they could talk about anything.

When Bai Yuan noticed Fang E’s little head peeking, his expression hardened.

"Shouldn’t you be practicing?"

"Oh."

Fang E stuck out her tongue and playfully scurried away.

Watching Fang E leave, Bai Yuan finally remembered that Lu Yu had written a few days ago, saying he would be coming to the Capital City with his wife, Fang Wan.

’This saves me the trouble of taking Fang E to Lu State.’

’As for whether Fang Wan is willing to teach Fang E, that will depend on the little lass’s own fortune.’

...

「Two days later.」

"Husband, is this Black Tortoise Great Path?"

"It should be."

A handsome man and a gentle-looking woman appeared on Black Tortoise Great Path.

Black Tortoise Great Path was home to the major Government Offices of the Court, so aside from Third-Grade Officials, no other carriages were permitted on the road.

The man and woman walked up to a grand and imposing mansion.

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK...

The melodious sound of knocking echoed.

The man clicked his tongue in wonder. "After hearing so much knocking in Jiangnan, the sound in the Capital City is far more impressive."

The woman offered a gentle smile but said nothing more.

After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, a young, fresh-faced girl poked her head out.

She gazed at the man and woman before her, who looked like a couple blessed by the heavens, and blinked.

"Who are you looking for?"

The man chuckled. "We’re looking for Bai Yuan."

"You’re looking for the Master?"

"The Master has gone to his post. He’ll be back around 5 p.m. to 7 p.m."

Hearing this, the man was about to speak again.

But then he saw the girl’s eyes light up with delight. "Master, you’re back!"

Before the man could even turn his head, he heard a voice from behind him.

"Xiaoyu’Er, long time no see."

This man and woman were, of course, Lu Yu and Fang Wan.

Bai Yuan looked at the couple standing at the entrance to the Bai Mansion and smiled happily.

"Not bad, you’ve broken through."

He sized Lu Yu up and down.

After not seeing him for several years, Lu Yu had actually broken through to the Knowledge and Sensation realm. Such speed could be considered first-rate.

Lu Yu looked a bit smug.

The reason he had been stuck for so long before was that he had wanted to walk the path of proving the Dao through pure strength.

But after several years of training, he discovered he simply didn’t have the talent for it. So, he switched to the Fang Family’s Confucian Sect Cultivation Technique, which was how he managed to break through the Knowledge and Sensation gate so quickly.

"You should be able to take a punch from me now. Not bad, not bad at all."

At these words, the smile vanished from the previously beaming Lu Yu’s face.

’He had only broken through after switching to the Confucian Sect and receiving Fang Wan’s help, whereas Bai Yuan had genuinely shattered the barrier with pure strength.’

’Although they were both in the Knowledge and Sensation realm, the difference in their combat power was immense.’

’If Lu Yu was like a bottle of water poured into a pond, then Bai Yuan was that pond, already about to overflow.’

’There was simply no comparison.’

Bai Yuan turned his gaze to Fang Wan.

He hadn’t seen her in years, and he found that he could see through this extraordinary woman of the Fang Family less and less.

’It wasn’t that Fang Wan’s realm or combat power was higher than his, but that every art has its specialists. In the path of divination, Fang Wan far surpassed him.’

Fang Wan gave a graceful curtsey. "Brother Bai, it has been a long time."

Bai Yuan nodded with a smile in acknowledgment.

"Xiaoyu’Er, what brings you to the Capital City?"

Lu Yu reverted to his usual playful, roguish demeanor. "The Fang Family has a clan uncle serving in the Capital City’s Ministry of Rites. He wrote a letter asking Wan’Er to come to the Capital City to help with something."

Bai Yuan nodded.

’He recalled the list Zhou Minghan had given him before.’

’He had indeed seen an official with the surname Fang in the Ministry of Rites section.’

"Do you have a place to stay?"

Lu Yu shook his head.

Bai Yuan made a sweeping gesture. "In that case, why don’t you just stay here at my mansion? It’s empty anyway."

Lu Yu and Fang Wan glanced at each other, then both nodded in unison.

Just then, Fang E heard the commotion and came running over.

Her gaze met Fang Wan’s.

"A Five Yin Fate Formation!"

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