Section 4, Sharpening the Knife

Xiao Buyi had something on his mind, yet he found himself unconsciously approaching his own room. As he pushed the door open, he had not thought much of it when he heard a woman's exclamation, which brought him back to his senses. Instinctively, he took a step back and closed the door.

Smiling, Xiao Buyi stood up and shrugged his shoulders, saying, "You all discuss it first; I have something to attend to, so I will take my leave."

"Where are you from?" Xiao Buyi sat on the ground, which could be considered as adapting to local customs, as most people in the mountains have such habits

Xiao Buyi shot him a glance and said, "Do you think I wouldn't know where my own house is?"

Several months have passed now, and although his swordsmanship may not be particularly remarkable, his leg strength and arm power have both improved, which brings him some comfort

When he finally reached the top of the mountain, Xiao Buyi sat down with a thud, panting heavily, his gaze fixed on a tree.

Xiao Buyi discovered that the concept of a good person does not hold. She witnessed with her own eyes how she killed indiscriminately; how can such a person be considered good?

How to gamble?" Xiao Buyi stopped in his tracks, "If you win, you will receive a reward; if you lose, you will give the reward to Mo Feng"

Engaging in invention and creation? It seems manageable on a small scale, but when it comes to serious endeavors, even if one has theories, they lack the practical tools. He aspires to invent a computer, striving to make the vast land of China the first in the world to have invented a computer. What you consider significant is trivial; China had already invented the world's first computer thousands of years ago. The mere thought of this idea is exhilarating, but let's not mention things like diodes, transistors, microelectronics, or integrated processes. Even electricity seems to be something one can only borrow from the thunder god.

This tree is no different from the large tree beside it; the only slight difference is that there is a knife growing on the tree

"There is, go to the stable to feed the horses." Xiao Buyi spoke half in jest, half in earnest

Apart from equestrianism and archery, he cannot find where he excels compared to others

It was only after he had struck seven hundred and twelve blows that he finally paused to catch his breath. At that moment, he only wished to collapse and sleep, but even as he struggled to regain his breath, he still persisted in completing a thousand strikes before finally stopping

The plump locust tree rolled its eyes and changed the subject, "Less head of the household, women, women..."

Xiao Buyi was aware, but he was somewhat surprised by how eloquently Xiao Dapeng spoke.

Upon encountering a disagreement among the leaders of the counterfeit group, Xiao Buyi did not intervene, as he deemed himself unqualified to do so

By the time we descended the mountain, dusk was approaching, and the sun had set behind the opposite peak, tinting half the sky red

"The woman is in your room." Pang Huai gestured and said, "Should I take Shao Dangjia over there?"

He said that you have performed exceptionally well recently, Xiao Buyi replied with a smile

Xiao Buyi gazed at the knife, a bitter expression forming at the corners of his mouth. He was a young master, and while he could manage a couple of moves, it was only limited to that.

Then what is your name, so that I may have a way to address you?" Xiao Buyi asked again

He eagerly announced to everyone that this was his woman, and that it was not due to several months of abstaining from women, nor was it merely a surge of desire, but rather a mindset rooted in the protection of harmony and literature.

Xiao Buyi smiled and strode up the mountain. Pang Huai looked at Xiao Buyi's back, scratching his head in confusion, and asked Mo Feng: "Mo Feng, what is the young master going up the mountain for"

With a helpless shake of his head, and no longer dwelling on it, Xiao Buyi stood up, walked to the large tree, and pulled down the steel knife.

The woman remained silent, her gaze towards Xiao Buyi was quite peculiar

Running to the mountain top every day, striking a thousand blows, this is the task he has set for himself

Han Xue. The woman finally provided an official answer to a question posed by Xiao Buyi

Although there seems to be no effect, he has no other options

"The hardworking and accomplished Pang Huai should receive this reward," Mo Feng said hastily

He never considers himself a gentleman, yet he does not think of himself as a scoundrel either

Xiao Buyi once again felt a stunning impression; the woman was dressed simply, in a high-waisted long skirt with small sleeves, cinched at the waist with a silk ribbon, just a delicate grasp.

Xiao Buyi also felt that the Turkic soldiers were even more brutal than the horse bandits, killing and capturing people without any reason

Reform? How can he be considered a new socialist? It is just that I fear that before any reforms could take place, the Sui Dynasty would have already perished. Moreover, everyone says that Yang Guang was a tyrant, utterly incompetent, and only interested in women. I have heard that Li Yuan was also a debauched man; I cannot understand how he managed to seize the world. Li Shimin seems quite capable, but by the time the Tang Dynasty sought reform, it appears to be quite distant. Furthermore, even if he wanted to reform, whether others would heed his call remains a question. I have heard that Li Yuan was also a debauched man; I cannot understand how he managed to seize the world. Li Shimin seems quite capable, but by the time the Tang Dynasty sought reform, it appears to be quite distant. Furthermore, even if he wanted to reform, whether others would heed his call remains a question

Xiao Buyi thought to himself: "It seems that you are not my woman, but rather my enemy. Why did the Turks capture you?"

That large tree, even if several people were to encircle it with their arms, could not be fully embraced. It appears to be quite old. In his time, it would have certainly been surrounded by a rope, with a sign hanging above it stating that it is a certain type of wood, a nationally protected plant of the second level.

The mountain terrain gradually becomes steep, surrounded by dense forests, with strange rocks standing tall. When a strong wind blows, it becomes difficult to maintain one's footing, and the landscape appears quite perilous

Reaching the summit in one breath was somewhat of a daunting task for him, yet he understood better than anyone that he was challenging himself. Compared to a few months ago, regardless of other factors, his physical strength had significantly improved.

He learned a few techniques from others and picked up some martial skills from Xiao Dapeng. However, while he was able to achieve a unity of man and horse, he could not attain a unity of man and blade

His tone was casual, even one might say easygoing, and Han Xue's vigilant gaze finally softened somewhat. Her actions were quite normal; although she had just escaped from the tiger's mouth, she had now entered the wolf's den. As a weak woman, there was really not much she could do.

As soon as he finished speaking, he turned and headed up the mountain. Pang Huai grabbed him and said, "Young Master, I can see that you are having another episode. I bet you that your house will definitely not be on the mountain."

However, upon arriving here, these trees are as abundant as the cow dung scattered all over the ground

Because he gradually discovered that although the old man Xiao Dapeng appeared formidable, he was well-versed in literature and possessed a meticulous mind.

With a steel knife in hand, Xiao Buyi focused his mind and calmed his spirit, swinging the knife to chop. In an instant, wood chips flew from the large tree. He chopped continuously, delivering over five hundred strikes in one breath, already drenched in sweat, his arms sore and numb, yet he did not stop.

Unable to hear Han Xue's response, yet hearing the rumble of her stomach, Xiao Buyi smiled, stood up, pushed the door open, and began to walk down the mountain.

He understands that the human body has its limits; breaking through these limits can lead to progress, while failure to do so results in constraints

The woman still did not cast a glance, cautiously observing Xiao Buyi.

"Han Xue? A very pleasant name," Xiao Buyi murmured to himself, suddenly recalling a question, "Have you eaten?"

Although the long skirt was relatively intact, it was riddled with tears, revealing the light blue undergarment beneath. Xiao Buyi did not wish to look further and averted his gaze

Fat Huai can only sigh, "As a young head of the family, I have been quite confused lately. It seems that the room you live in is on the mountain"

Xiao Buyi remained unconcerned, racing along the way, beads of sweat forming on his forehead, slightly out of breath

Since he has expressed his supportive stance, no one stopped him. As Xiao Buyi exited the assembly hall, Pang Huai and Mo Feng had already approached, warmly linking arms and asking, "Young Master, what is the matter with the village chief?"

Do they need a reason to arrest someone? The woman finally spoke a sentence, her voice soft and quite melodious

It is better to rely on oneself than to seek help from others; this has always been his style

The long skirt is tied above the chest, with ribbons that accentuate the graceful and elongated figure of the woman. Her hair is styled in a layered bun, her skin is as white as jade, her neck is slender, and her dark, bright eyes resemble black lacquer, further highlighting her captivating beauty.

"Eat." Mo Feng said irritably before disappearing. Fat Huai looked somewhat bewildered, scratching his head and murmuring, "It seems the place to eat is at the foot of the mountain"

Do you practice medicine? It is often said that one should aspire to be a good doctor rather than a good minister. I do not appear to be suited for the role of a good minister, so I can only strive to become a good doctor. However, when I have a headache or a fever, I still have to seek out a quack doctor. The quack doctor seems quite impressive, casually going up the mountain to gather some wild herbs and dried vines, presenting himself with an air of authority. Xiao Buyi feels a bit envious, but after seeing him brew a large bowl of soup that people drink, sometimes effective and sometimes not, he dismisses the thought of learning medicine from him.

The knife certainly did not grow on a tree, but rather it was left here by him

You need not be afraid," Xiao Buyi said with a smile, "I am a good person

"So what rewards are there?" Mo Feng's saliva dripped down.

"What happened to the woman?" Xiao Buyi then remembered that there was a trophy, recalling the woman's stunning beauty, which also made his heart race.

Sitting on the ground, breath uneven, drenched in sweat, Xiao Buyi couldn't help but smile wryly in his heart. With such skills, he could be considered to possess nothing more than clumsy abilities, yet clumsy abilities are still better than having no abilities at all

Suddenly realizing, this is her own room, and she has not gone the wrong way. Pushing the door open again, she hears no screams, only sees the woman cowering in the corner of the room, looking at her in panic

In recent months, he has explored the various talents of the counterfeiters and found that they also possess some skills, yet even from his perspective, those individuals cannot be considered exceptional