Swallowing the Stars: Starting with Panlong

Chapter 37: Thunder Blade Squad - Part 2

The car drove out of Yangzhou city and headed out of the city along the highway. About an hour later, the car stopped in front of an antique-style pavilion. The pavilion was a traditional Chinese building, with blue bricks and gray tiles, upturned eaves, and was nestled among lush bamboo. A wooden plaque hung at the entrance, bearing the two characters "Lei Dao" (Thunder Blade), written in a vigorous and sharp style.

"This is it." Wu Tong turned off the engine and led Lin Yun through the door.

Inside the attic was a spacious hall, furnished with several armchairs and an eight-immortal table. Several calligraphy and paintings hung on the walls, and a display shelf in the corner held porcelain and ornaments. The entire hall was decorated in a simple and elegant style, exuding a tranquil atmosphere.

Several people were already seated in the hall.

In the very center, in the main seat, sat a man in his thirties. He wore a gray training uniform, his temples were slightly gray, his face was thin, but his gaze was sharp as a knife. Under his right trouser leg, a metal prosthetic leg could be vaguely seen.

Lin Yun knew that this was Lin Zheng, the captain of the Thunder Blade Squad.

Beside Lin Zheng sat a woman who appeared to be around thirty years old. She was tall and slender, wearing a black bodysuit, her arms wrapped around a sword, her posture languid and casual. Her features were delicate, with a touch of heroism in her eyes, but her gaze was mostly fixed on Lin Zheng.

Vice Captain, Willow Catkins.

There were three other people sitting opposite them.

A young man in his early twenties, with a muscular build, wore a camouflage vest that revealed his strong arms. On the long table in front of him sat a modified heavy sniper rifle, its body fitted with many accessories whose purpose Lin Yun couldn't recognize. He was carefully wiping the barrel with a soft cloth, his movements as gentle as if he were caressing a lover.

Shenyang, a peak junior general, is skilled in firearms.

Sitting next to Shenyang was a rather androgynous-looking woman with short hair and delicate features, wearing a white training uniform. A short knife hung at her waist, the scabbard engraved with plum blossoms. She was looking down at a book when she heard footsteps, looked up, and glanced at Lin Yun curiously.

Luo Fang, a junior warrior, wields a sword.

The last one was a cold-looking young man, about twenty years old, wearing a long black overcoat, holding a long spear, leaning against the corner of the wall. His face was stern, his eyes indifferent, as if he had no interest in anything around him. Only when Wu Tong and Lin Yun walked in did he slightly raise his eyelids.

Leng Bao, a junior warrior, wields a spear.

Lin Yun quickly surveyed everyone, gaining a general understanding of the team's strength. Although Captain Lin Zheng had lost a leg, his composed demeanor commanded respect. Liu Xu's movement technique was at the Microscopic level, already top-tier among Warrior-level martial artists. Shen Yang, Luo Fang, and Leng Bao, though only beginner Warriors, were all experienced veterans judging from their expressions and equipment.

This team is even stronger than he learned about on the martial arts forum.

"Wu Tong, is this the kid you were talking about?" Lin Zheng's voice was deep and steady, carrying an undeniable authority.

"Yes, Lin Yun." Wu Tong smiled and pushed Lin Yun forward. "Fifteen years old, his strength is between a junior and intermediate warrior, his movement technique is solid, and most importantly, he also learned the Nine-Fold Thunder Blade."

The hall fell silent for a moment.

"Fifteen years old?" Shenyang stopped cleaning his gun, looked up, and sized Lin Yun up and down, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. "A junior general?"

Luo Fang closed the book in her hand and looked at Lin Yun with interest: "Captain, you didn't say before that he was such a young guy."

Leng Bao, who was leaning against the corner of the wall, did not speak, but his gaze lingered on Lin Yun for a moment.

Lin Zheng ignored the team members' reactions. His gaze fell on Lin Yun. After a moment of silence, he slowly spoke: "Lin Yun, fifteen years old, punching power around 10000 kg, excellent in nerve reaction test. During the martial arts combat assessment, he killed the armored lizard with a single strike, cleanly and decisively."

Lin Yun was slightly taken aback. Some of this data was public, but some details—such as his one-hit kill of the Ironclad Lizard—were only known to the members of the Extreme Gym. It seemed that Lin Zheng had thoroughly investigated his background before agreeing to take him on.

"You're quite good," Lin Zheng continued, his tone still calm. "However, talent alone isn't enough to gain our recognition. I've seen many geniuses, but few have become true masters. Wu Tong asked me to teach you the Ninefold Thunder Blade, and I agreed. But if you don't meet my requirements, I'll still kick you out of the team."

His gaze was fixed on Lin Yun, like two sharp knives: "Can you accept this?"

Lin Yun met Lin Zheng's gaze without flinching: "Captain, don't worry. If I fail to meet your requirements, I will withdraw on my own."

"Alright." Lin Zheng nodded, a slight smile playing on his lips. "You've got guts. But guts alone aren't enough; I want to see what you're capable of."

He stood up and walked to the center of the hall. Although his right leg was a prosthesis, his steps were steady, each step firm and solid.

"Ninefold Thunder Blade, what stage have you reached in your training?" Lin Zheng asked.

"The first level!" Lin Yun answered truthfully.

Lin Zheng nodded slightly: "First level...not bad! To have mastered the first level in less than ten days shows you have excellent comprehension. Come, use the Nine-Fold Thunder Blade to attack me!"

He took an ordinary training knife from the weapon rack beside him and tossed it to Lin Yun, while drawing a short sword from his waist. The short sword looked ordinary, but there were faint blue patterns on the blade, clearly indicating that it was not an ordinary item.

Lin Yun took the training knife and took a deep breath.

He knew that Lin Zheng was testing him. Not testing his strength, but testing the depth of his understanding of the Ninefold Thunder Blade. If his performance failed to satisfy Lin Zheng, the door to this team might be closed forever.

He gripped the knife handle tightly, spread his feet apart, and lowered his body slightly.

He needs to be serious about this strike.

"Come on." Lin Zheng held the short knife in one hand, standing still.

Lin Yun propelled himself forward with his feet, his body shooting out like an arrow. The instant he reached Lin Zheng, he swiftly drew his blade—

"Thunder Blade, First Level!"

The battle blade tore through the air with a sharp whistling sound. The instant he unleashed the first strike, he activated the second layer of power within his body. The two forces combined on the blade, causing its power to surge dramatically.

A hint of surprise flashed in Lin Zheng's eyes. He didn't dodge, but instead raised his short sword and faced the attack head-on.

"clang!"

The clanging of metal echoed through the hall. Lin Yun felt a tremendous force rebound from the blade, making his arm numb, and he staggered back three steps before regaining his balance. Lin Zheng, on the other hand, only swayed slightly.

"Not bad." Lin Zheng nodded, his surprise turning into admiration. "You've already grasped the basics of the first level. To achieve this in less than ten days shows you have a deep understanding of 'speed.' However..."

He changed the subject, his tone becoming serious: "Your power delivery isn't smooth enough. There's a noticeable gap between the first and second bursts of power. A true Nine-Fold Thunder Blade should unleash both bursts of power simultaneously, without any pause in between. You might be able to handle ordinary monsters like this, but against a true master, that momentary pause will be fatal."

Lin Yun listened attentively, remembering every word Lin Zheng said.

"And your footwork," Liu Xu suddenly spoke, her voice clear and melodious. "When you drew your sword, your center of gravity shifted to the right. Although it was only a slight shift, it affected the speed of your subsequent moves. If you were facing a speed-type monster, this opening would be enough to kill you three times over."

Lin Yun was startled.

He hadn't even noticed that he'd lost his balance. That's experience—although he'd experienced many battles in the Panlong World, those were life-or-death struggles with magical beasts, emphasizing killing the enemy as quickly as possible. Human martial arts combat, however, required not only speed but also stability, precision down to every single detail.

"Thank you for your guidance, Captain Liu," Lin Yun said solemnly.

Liu Xu waved her hand, a slight smile playing on her lips. "Just call me Sister Liu. The captain is right, you have good talent, but you still need to hone it. Train hard with us, and don't embarrass the Thunder Blade Squad."

Lin Zheng sheathed his sword, walked back to the main seat, sat down, looked at Lin Yun, and slowly said, "From today onwards, you are a reserve member of the Thunder Blade Squad. Train for a period of time, and once your strength reaches our standards, you will be officially promoted."

"Yes," Lin Yun replied.

"We just came back from the wilderness area and will rest for a few days. Today is March 11th, and we tentatively plan to go back to the wilderness area in three days. You should prepare well in the next few days." Lin Zheng's gaze swept over everyone. "Liu Xu, you are in charge of looking after him."

"Understood." Liu Xu nodded.

Wu Tong stood to the side, watching this scene with a satisfied smile. He patted Lin Yun on the shoulder and whispered, "Do a good job, don't embarrass me."

"Don't worry, Uncle Wu."

After Wu Tong left, Lin Yun spent the whole day in the attic, getting to know each other's teamwork with the members of the Thunder Blade Squad.

Shenyang explained in detail the characteristics and uses of various firearms, as well as how to select and utilize fire support in different terrains. Luo Fang taught him some practical sword techniques—not the advanced power techniques of the Nine-Layer Thunder Blade, but basic but useful things, such as how to draw a sword in a narrow space, how to take advantage of the terrain, and how to judge the attack trajectory of monsters.

Although Leng Bao didn't say anything, during training he stood silently beside Lin Yun and used his spear to block Luo Fang's sneak attacks twice.

"That's just Leng Bao's personality," Luo Fang said with a smile. "He seems cold, but he's actually a nice person. You'll see later."

In the evening, Lin Zheng called Lin Yun to his side.

"The cultivation of the Ninefold Thunder Blade cannot rely solely on brute force," Lin Zheng's voice was deep. "You need to feel the power of lightning. Not with your eyes, not with your ears, but with your body. When you truly feel the 'speed' of lightning, your blade will naturally become faster."

Lin Yun nodded thoughtfully.

The speed of lightning—when he cast lightning magic in the Panlong World, he could indeed feel that instantaneous burst of speed. But if he wanted to feel it with his body, he needed more practice.

"There's one more thing." Lin Zheng looked into his eyes. "Wu Tong said you're very talented, reaching the level of a junior warrior at the age of fifteen. But I want to tell you that talent is just a stepping stone. There are many talented people in this world, but those who truly reach the top are the most hardworking and resilient."

"I understand," Lin Yun said.

"That's good." Lin Zheng nodded, stood up, and said, "We'll be leaving in three days. Go back and get some rest."

When Lin Yun stepped out of the pavilion, it was already dark. He glanced back at the wooden plaque that read "Thunder Blade," and a sense of anticipation welled up inside him.

Three days later, he would enter the wilderness area for the first time as a formal martial artist. Although he wouldn't be alone, with a team like the Thunder Blade Squad guiding him, he believed his progress would be much faster than if he were figuring things out on his own.

More importantly, he finally had the opportunity to test the results of his cultivation in both worlds in a real battle.