Chương 38: War God — Chapter 38 - Martial Secret Skill — Butcher Carving the Beast

Wang Xian didn't really know much about Ye Miyue's family. She'd never brought it up. If she didn't bring it up, she didn't want others to know. So Wang Xian wasn't about to go prying into Ye Miyue's family circumstances. But even without prying, he could guess things were bad. Gambling-addicted father, seriously ill mother, disabled siblings, broken family... she probably had at least one of those.

"Little Xianzi, New Year's coming up soon. Don't forget to visit your parents' grave beforehand."

"Your teacher told me you've got tomorrow off. Go then!" Back home, Wang Xian received a message from Third Uncle. He counted the days silently and replied with an okay. By the time he got home, evening had fallen. Wang Xian opened his computer and searched:"Heavenly Blade Club." In his previous life, he couldn't say he was too familiar with this club. He had crossed hands with martial artists from the club, though. Beyond that, he didn't know much.

After all, most of his life after university had been spent on the Alien Star Battlefield. After reading through the online information, Wang Xian's eyes flickered.

"Heavenly Blade Club really does have blade-related martial secret skills." Martial secret skills were an indispensable part of the modern martial system. Secret skills, in plain terms, were passive abilities. Once learned, they produced tremendous effects. These secret skills were typically created through joint research by many people, then tempered and tested over time, finally forming various techniques. Heavenly Blade Club, for example, possessed several secret skills related to blades and swords.

The most classic and highly regarded technique was called: [Butcher Carving the Beast] As the name implied, this secret skill originated from an ancient martial artist named Butcher Ding. By using a butcher's knife to slaughter various alien beasts, he comprehended this secret skill, enabling him to effortlessly dismember beasts with superb blade technique. The effect was simple and brutal.

Once learned, after slaughtering a certain number of alien beasts, the power dealt to beasts when using blade techniques would increase significantly. Martial secret skills had no realm divisions, only proficiency divisions. They didn't depend on comprehension talent either. Like this secret skill, to raise its proficiency, the only way was to spend time slaughtering large numbers of beasts. Kill one, it improves. Kill enough, the secret skill reaches its peak. Perfect cultivation.

Modern martial secret skills were something every martial artist craved. Put in the effort, get returns. This distinctive trait made some secret skills even harder to obtain than many martial techniques. But they were also harder to cultivate. After all, sometimes time was the most precious resource. Slaughtering beasts also meant facing equivalent danger.

"If I could obtain this secret skill..." If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

"It would be tremendously beneficial for my blade cultivation..." A passive ability. A tangible, real improvement. This was also the easiest secret skill to obtain from Heavenly Blade Club. As long as you had a certain level of contribution to the club, or signed a contract with them, you could obtain this secret skill. Only, well. For a student, there was little opportunity. The prerequisite for signing a contract was at least being a professional martial artist.

"But... it's not completely impossible." The next day. Wang Xian arrived at the martial hall. Before he even entered, he heard Third Uncle's booming voice:"Not bragging, my nephew made it onto the Rong City news reports! Even that Seventh Realm Great Grandmaster Bai Hongtian thinks highly of my nephew! So choosing my martial hall is absolutely the right choice!"

"Can't go wrong at all, rest assured!"

"The Martial Exam? With my nephew's current potential, even if he awakens the most trash talent, he can casually pick any 985 university. Even Dragon Country's five top institutions wouldn't be hard! When the exam-success banquet comes, you all have to attend!"...

"Old Wang's bragging with your name again." At the entrance, Wang Yan shook his head helplessly.

"Let's go. We're heading to the cemetery..." Wang Xian nodded. School matters, Third Uncle, as his guardian, naturally knew about them. Things like receiving commendation from the Security Bureau, the school teachers would call home to notify. Wang Xian just didn't live with Third Uncle and the others, but they still ate together from time to time. If anything happened, the school would immediately contact Third Uncle. For the martial hall, it was a good thing. Third Uncle was only a Second Realm martial artist.

Running a martial hall in Rong City, he didn't have much competitive edge. With a bit of reputation boosting it, he could barely attract people to sign up for memberships.

"Speaking of which, you've improved quite a lot, kid..." Wang Yan chuckled.

"We've all been saying you might have awakened your talent early... even Big Sis came asking about it." Wang Xian shook his head. Big Sis was Third Uncle's eldest daughter, also a martial artist. She was just studying at a top university in another region. Chatting idly with Wang Yan along the way. Before long, they arrived at the Warrior Cemetery in Rong City's outskirts. In Western Shu customs, before the New Year, you had to visit deceased family members' graves, sweep the tombs, and burn paper offerings.

"Dad, Mom... your son's burning paper money for you..."

"I don't know if last year's money was enough..."

"This year I'll burn more for you... I might not come for Qingming Festival..." After finding the gravestone, Wang Xian knelt down. He sighed inwardly, arranged the paper offerings he'd bought into a circle, then lit the fire, burned incense, and kowtowed. His parents had been martial artists, once on the same team as Third Uncle. Later, they died in a beast rampage, giving their lives to defend the city. On that team. Some died, some were crippled, some lingered half-dead...

Before they died, his parents entrusted the then-only-a-few-years-old him to Third Uncle. At his side, Wang Yan also knelt down to pay respects. About 2 hours passed. Wang Xian reined in his low mood and left the cemetery with Wang Yan. After leaving, they didn't go back. Instead, they bought a pile of gifts and headed to a care sanatorium in Rong City's old district. The sanatorium housed martial artists who were disabled and beyond cure. Several had been on the same team as his parents.

Basically every year before the New Year, or on certain special holidays. Third Uncle would have him and Wang Yan come here to visit these people. Unfortunately, most of the martial artists here had difficulty even walking, mere vegetables with only a few breaths left. Or they were tormented by illness into dementia. Very tragic. But it was also another portrait of modern martial artists.

"This year, are you still donating money to those few beds?" Wang Yan suddenly asked.

"Your strength is considerable now, and there are plenty of places you'll need money... even though you only donate a few tens of thousands each year... but..." He didn't say more.

"Donate it." Wang Xian paused briefly, then nodded. In his previous life, during his first and second years of high school, thinking he had no hope in martial arts, he'd given up on himself and become a poor student. But his character hadn't deteriorated, otherwise he wouldn't have later gone to the Alien Star Battlefield. So instead, he donated some of the money his parents had left behind. Thinking that since he wasn't going to use it for martial arts anyway, he might as well donate it to people who needed it.

Combined with his regular visits to the sanatorium over the years, he simply donated to a few patients' beds.

"I received a commendation before and got a bonus of a few tens of thousands..." Wang Xian said.

"That money isn't much. Since it came as a reward, donating it to them is only fitting."

"You kid..." Wang Yan smiled, rubbing the corner of his eye.

"Born to be a martial artist!" The two went to the sanatorium's office and donated the money according to procedure.

"You child, coming here every year to donate money... always anonymously... never leaving a name..." The director was an old grandmother over 80. Being a martial artist, she was quite hale.

"It's not a lot of money, but it's still heartfelt. Leaving a name would let some of the patients' families express their thanks."

"That won't be necessary." Wang Xian smiled.

"Their families probably aren't well-off either. There's nothing much to thank for."

"Ah... actually, it's not much use anymore." The old grandmother sighed.

"There's one bed, the patient's already nearing the end... treatment would cost a huge sum. Even with money, they might not be cured... there's no medicine for it..." Wang Xian and Wang Yan exchanged a glance. Neither spoke.

"What kind of illness is it?"

"Beast cancer." Wang Yan drew in a sharp breath. Wang Xian furrowed his brow slightly. Hearts heavy, the two left the sanatorium. About an hour after they left. A light, nimble figure also hurriedly entered the care sanatorium...

"Old grandmother..."

"Xiao Yue, you're here? Your father, I'm afraid..."

"Mm, I know..."

"Ah, martial artists, martial artists. Everyone only sees the glamorous side... but besides the nation, how many people still care about this little disabled martial artists' sanatorium..."

"Right, that child who came to donate money the past 2 years came again this year too... That child has such a good heart, and doesn't even leave a name..."

"..." January 19th. Wang Xian took Metro Line 9, passed 4 stops, and arrived at Heavenly Blade Club. ➤ Next: Heavenly Blade Club, Holographic Intelligent Beast Challenge!