The cold of the cellar had not left Jiang Xun when he woke.
It was difficult to tell how long he had slept—time bled strangely in this ruined place—but the soreness had faded, and more importantly, the trembling in his limbs was gone. A deep ache lingered behind his sternum, like the aftershock of an internal war, but he welcomed it.
That ache was progress.
He sat up slowly, his breath misting in the gloom. The cot's wood groaned beneath him, but held. His saber lay within arm's reach, and instinct made him grip the hilt before rising.
His body responded more sharply today. Lighter. More centered. Even the simple act of standing sent a ripple through his muscles—not weakness, but something else.
He opened the panel again.
[Physical Condition: Stabilized]
Cultivation Level: Initiate Tier – Unrefined Meridian Path (Stage 1/9)
Essence Stored: 0/10
Next Breakthrough requires 10% progress.
Ironblood Saber Arts – 12% Mastery
Level 1 Technique – Practical but rough. Foundation formed. Fluidity lacking.
It was still hard to fully believe this was real. He'd awoken in a dead man's body, fought and slain a demon, and now he was advancing in a world that answered to muscle, steel, and will.
But disbelief wouldn't help him survive.
He climbed the steps into the gray morning light, saber strapped to his back. The wind carried ash and silence. No signs of life—only crows picking through the dead.
He needed to train.
...
The village's rear path wound through a skeletal forest, trees blackened by fire but still standing in mockery of life. Jiang Xun found a clearing between two scorched pillars of bark and knelt there.
He unstrapped the saber and drew it slowly. The blade was chipped and dull in places, but it still hummed with potential—iron shaped by desperate hands.
He recalled the Ironblood Saber scroll—its fragments, at least. The body's previous owner had vague memories of it: a series of seven foundational forms meant to channel raw bodily strength into fluid, crushing offense.
[Training Mode Activated: Ironblood Saber Arts]
Each practice session contributes to Mastery, Physical Adaptation, and Insight.
Bonus Activated: First-Time Practice + Efficiency Boost (x1.25)
Jiang Xun exhaled. He began with the first form: Falling Stone Cut.
It was a downward strike, grounded in the hips, meant to mimic the sheer weight of boulders tumbling down a slope. Simple in theory. In execution—it demanded balance, precision, and breath control.
He stepped forward and slashed downward.
Again.
Again.
Each motion shook through his legs and up his spine. The cold air sliced his lungs. Sweat beaded down his back. His muscles began to burn by the fiftieth repetition.
Ironblood Saber Arts +2% Mastery (14%)
+1% Body Tempering Progress
You are improving rapidly. Form repetition is beginning to generate Insight.
He didn't stop.
The Crushing Arc came next—a sweeping horizontal cut aimed at breaking through defenses. Then Stoneback Guard, a defensive stance bracing the body behind a high guard to absorb impact.
With each motion, the saber felt less like dead weight and more like an extension of his limbs. The stiffness faded, replaced by rhythm.
He trained until the sun stood directly overhead—and his arms shook with every breath.
...
He rested beneath the remains of an old torii gate carved from blackened wood. As he drank from a waterskin, the system stirred again.
Insight Reached – Ironblood Saber Arts
Basic Foundation Achieved
[New Option Unlocked: Combat Application – Minor Flow Bonus]
Your strikes flow slightly better during real combat. Timing improves. Movements are less rigid.
Next Threshold – Intermediate Insight (30% Mastery)
Jiang Xun leaned back against the gate and chuckled breathlessly. "This thing really is a game system. Except I can feel it in my bones."
But peace never lasted long in this world.
A distant scream split the wind—high-pitched, human. Desperate.
His heart dropped.
He moved instantly, grabbing his saber and racing toward the sound. Branches clawed at his clothes, thorns bit his legs, but he pushed forward.
A clearing opened suddenly before him—wider, sunlit—and in its center, a girl no older than twelve stumbled backward, clutching a broken spear.
Before her loomed a creature—a gaunt, spidery demon with a skull-like face and six twitching limbs. Its eyes glowed violet. Its tongue slithered.
She cried out again as the demon struck.
Jiang Xun's body moved before his mind caught up.
Combat Engaged: [Spider-Fanged Shade] – Lesser Class Demon
Suggested Action: Target limbs. Disrupt mobility. Do not let it bite.
System Combat Flow Bonus Active.
The demon turned toward him as he closed the gap—fast, but not faster than instinct. His saber swept into a Crushing Arc, catching one of its legs and slicing it clean.
The creature shrieked and lurched, lunging with its fangs.
He pivoted into Stoneback Guard, taking the brunt of its impact. The force knocked him back two steps, but he stayed upright.
"Go! Run!" he shouted to the girl.
She hesitated—but then bolted into the trees, half-sobbing.
The demon hissed and came again.
This time, he went lower, ducking beneath its swing and slamming a Falling Stone Cut into its exposed gut.
Critical Hit – Weak Point Exploited
+5% Mastery – Ironblood Saber Arts
+2% Body Tempering Progress
It screamed, legs flailing. He twisted the saber and pulled back, black blood splashing across his face.
Then—without hesitation—he drove the blade upward through its jaw.
The light in its eyes died instantly.
The demon collapsed into a twitching, bubbling heap—and then evaporated into black mist.
Demon Slain – Spider-Fanged Shade
+2 Demon Essence acquired.
+3% Mastery – Ironblood Saber Arts (22%)
+1% Body Tempering Progress
Jiang Xun stood still, saber still humming in his grip.
He exhaled.
That made two.
And the embers in his body flared just a little brighter.