Chapter 9
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: Mastering Footwork
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Mastering Footwork
The Sichuan Tang Clan was a school that specialized in poison and hidden weapons, making it crucial for them to maintain distance from their enemies. Thanks to this, their movement techniques and footwork were hailed as the best in the martial world, second to none.
"Lesser Dragon Steps..."
Lesser Dragon Steps was the highest-ranking footwork technique available under the Sichuan Tang Clan's martial arts. There were other, more impressive-sounding techniques listed below it, but I couldn't learn them yet.
To learn a higher-level footwork technique, I had to first increase my proficiency in a lower-level one.
You have learned Lesser Dragon Steps.
Having no other choice, I started with Lesser Dragon Steps. As soon as the message appeared, the method for performing the steps was imprinted in my mind, just as it had been with the Myriad Poisons Magnetic Divine Qi.
"This is convenient."
It was a remarkably smart system where learning a martial art meant I could apply it immediately.
Lesser Dragon Steps 1-Star 0
I tried walking across the training ground, applying the method for Lesser Dragon Steps now embedded in my mind. Though it was my first time, my feet moved as naturally as if I had done it countless times before.
"Oh!"
My foot twisted at a bizarre angle that would normally be impossible, but there was no pain. Instead, it felt refreshingly cool.
Your proficiency in Lesser Dragon Steps has increased.
After practicing Lesser Dragon Steps once, my proficiency rose by 3. That meant I only needed to do it 34 more times to reach 2-star.
At this rate, I figured I could reach 3-star by the end of the day.
Excited by the thought of quickly raising my proficiency, I tried the steps again, but this time it only increased by a mere 0.1.
"What the?"
I thought my eyes were deceiving me. 0.1. That was a thirty-fold difference from the initial 3.
Your proficiency in Lesser Dragon Steps has increased.
This time, my proficiency rose by 4, even more than the first time. I finally understood why the proficiency gains were different.
The first time, I had performed the footwork calmly. The second time, I had rushed, executing the steps carelessly. The third time, I had focused, moving with precision as if demonstrating for someone else.
The reason for the difference in proficiency was simple: it was the difference in sincerity and concentration. Whether I held the correct posture, guided my internal energy accurately, and avoided rushingall these factors contributed to the increase in proficiency.
Rushing through it hastily, like I did the second time, would actually slow down my progress.
"So, sloppy training is worse than no training at all."
I actually liked that. I decided I would master Lesser Dragon Steps properly and reach 3-star today.
I did my best to ignore Arin, who was staring at me from a distance with a look of utter confusion, and began practicing Lesser Dragon Steps with all my effort.
"Hah, hah."
Just yesterday, I had vowed not to exhaust all my internal energy, but that resolution was nearly broken within a day. I hadn't used it all, but I had spent a considerable amount.
The fun of watching my proficiency rise, like experience points in a game, made me lose track of time and forget to manage my internal energy as I focused solely on practicing the footwork.
My proficiency in Lesser Dragon Steps had already surpassed the halfway mark of 2-star. It fell short of my initial goal of 3-star, but it was still a significant achievement.
My gait was completely different from before. I could now use Lesser Dragon Steps as smoothly as flowing water.
If my 1-star movements were robotic, my current movements were at least like a ragdoll's.
It felt like I had made incredible progress in just one day.
"Grand Prince, it's gotten too late. We should head back now."
"Let's do that."
I looked up at the sky and saw no moon. It was a night so dark I couldn't see the ground, but Arin must have lit a torch for me around sunset so I wouldn't be inconvenienced.
Watching Arin was like having an ace new recruit as my direct subordinate, taking care of every little detail.
"Thank you."
"Pardon?"
"For lighting the torch. Thank you."
"It's my duty, of course."
Arin, who had been walking beside me, replied and then suddenly started walking ahead.
"By the way, what exactly were you doing today?"
"I was mastering a way of walking."
"A way of walking?"
"Yes."
Naturally, footwork techniques didn't exist in my novel. Arin must have thought I was just making a fool of myself all day.
"Uhm..."
Arin hesitated, as if she wanted to say something.
"A little what? Go on, say it."
"You looked like a drunkard who'd been day-drinking and was stumbling around."
"Ugh..."
It was a fair assessment. At 1-star, Lesser Dragon Steps was slower than normal walking. But now that I was past the halfway point of 2-star, I could move faster than a regular walk.
"Let's hurry. I'm hungry."
"Understood."
Come to think of it, I could use the footwork while moving.
I used Lesser Dragon Steps to follow behind Arin. As expected, my current speed was faster than walking, so I had no trouble keeping up with her.
"Excuse me, Grand Prince?"
"Yes?"
"To be honest, it's a little..."
"What?"
"Embarrassing."
"Ack!"
Ouch, that hurt. It felt like a dagger had flown into my chest.
The power of a beautiful woman bluntly calling you embarrassing was beyond imagination.
But I didn't back down and continued to follow her using Lesser Dragon Steps all the way.
"Huh?"
"Is something wrong?"
"It's nothing."
I had experienced all sorts of strange things since coming here, but I never thought I'd be disappointed that my food wasn't poisoned.
The Chirein soup Arin brought for dinner contained no poison at all, unlike before. It was just an ordinary, bland soup.
I quickly swallowed the soup and handed the empty bowl to Arin.
"You ate particularly fast today."
"It was delicious today."
The reason I used to eat slowly was to watch the proficiency messages that popped up whenever I consumed poison.
"Grand Prince, you must get some sleep tonight."
"I will."
Even without Arin's reminder, I planned to get a proper night's sleep. I'd heard that the early morning was a good time for internal energy training, so I intended to wake up early for it.
"Well then, I will take my leave."
"Alright. Get some rest."
After Arin left, I lay on the bed and reviewed the Lesser Dragon Steps I had learned today.
"I reached 3-star after all."
The Fourth Training Ground was quite a distance from the Marquis's estate. By the time I arrived at the mansion, the internal energy in my dantian was nearly depleted, and my Lesser Dragon Steps had reached 3-star. I felt a sense of pride at having achieved my goal.
"When is he going to show up?"
I couldn't even practice my internal energy cultivation method because Peru was supposed to come.
Anyone who has read a few martial arts novels knows the common trope: if someone touches you while you're cultivating internal energy, you'll suffer from Qi Deviation.
It might not apply here, but I couldn't risk it. So, with eyes heavy with exhaustion, I could neither sleep nor circulate my internal energy, and just stared at the door.
Knock, knock.
Was this what it felt like when a long-awaited lover arrived? I could feel my heart pounding at the sound of the knock.
"Come in."
But the person who entered wasn't Peru, whom I had been waiting for.
"I knew you wouldn't be asleep yet."
"Oh, I was just about to sleep."
The visitor was Arin. She had changed out of her servant's uniform, and her hair was damp, indicating she had just washed up.
"I brought some herbal tea. The scent of herbs is said to help with sleep, so please drink this before you rest."
"Arin. Thank you, truly."
"Of course. I will be going now."
After Arin left, I looked at the teacup, from which a faint steam was still rising.
"Having high favorability is pretty great."
Bringing me herbal tea just because I looked tired... such a response would have been unimaginable before. She would have just stared at me with a sullen face.
"She's changed a lot."
Knock, knock.
A moment after Arin left, another knock came from outside.
"Come in."
"Greetings, Grand Prince."
This time, it was the person I had been waiting for. It was Peru, the poison master with blue hair and a dazed expression. He knelt on the floor as soon as he entered.
"Did you sleep well last night?"
"I couldn't sleep a wink."
"I imagine so."
I sat cross-legged on the bed, projecting an air of leisure. In situations like this, the atmosphere was key. I had to present myself as an arrogant and mysterious Grand Prince.
"Why didn't you put poison in the soup tonight?"
"Today was my day off, so I had no reason to go to the kitchen. You told me to bring all the poisons I have, so I thought I would deliver them to you now."
"I see."
I extended my right hand toward him. Peru took out a small pouch from his robes.
What? Is that all he has?
The pouch was only the size of my palm, and I was disappointed, but that wasn't all. From that palm-sized pouch, another one the size of a human head emerged.
What Peru had was a magic pouch with compressed space, a staple in fantasy novels.
Peru took out four cloth-wrapped bundles from the magic pouch.
A magic pouch was a rather expensive item. The fact that he owned one proved he was no ordinary person.
"These are all the poisons I possess."
"There aren't many."
"I-I apologize."
I was incredibly surprised on the inside but desperately maintained a calm expression. I even tilted my chin up slightly to emphasize my arrogance.
"Heek!"
Seeing my condescending gaze, Peru curled into a ball and trembled.
"Did you experience any abnormalities after taking the Grass Toxin I gave you yesterday?"
"My head was fuzzy all day, and I kept breaking out in a cold sweat."
"Don't worry. That just means the Grass Toxin is working properly. You'll be fine for a month. After that time passes, you'll die, of course."
"Aah..."
As if. Grass Toxin, my foot. It was just a rolled-up leaf. His head was fuzzy because he hadn't slept, and the cold sweat was likely from the anxiety of thinking he might die in a month.
Was I always this good at lying? The lies just flowed out of me.
"Don't forget to come for the antidote in a month."
"I understand!"
I nodded, still maintaining my arrogant expression.
"Shall we continue where we left off yesterday?"
Peru swallowed hard, as if he knew what question was coming next.
"Who was the one who ordered you to poison my food?"