It hadn't been long before Chu Mu's attempt at saber practice, which started off decently enough, fell apart entirely. Exhausted, he slumped against the courtyard wall, the long saber resting beside him as he gasped for breath.
"No wonder this thing's so rusted!"
He glanced at the saber and let out a sudden chuckle. The blade weighed several pounds, and just managing its heft was tough enough for a few swings. Actually training with it? That was no small feat, especially to keep at it consistently.
From the memories of the body's original owner, Chu Mu knew the guy's father had been diligent about practicing only in the first couple of years after joining the Patrol Division. After that, he seemed to have settled into the role of a jaded bureaucrat.
Maybe he thought honing his skills was pointless, or maybe he just went along with the crowd. Either way, this saber had become more of a "kind blade," rarely drawn from its sheath, left to gather rust as its default state.
Shaking his head, Chu Mu pushed the thought aside. With a silent command, the glowing panel reappeared in his vision.
[Name: Chu Mu]
[Skills:
Basic Saber Technique (Beginner) 15/100]
[Spirit Radiance: 100.5%]
The change caught his eye, and he raised a brow, barely hiding his surprise. His earlier practice had been amateur at best—barely better than a kid messing around. The only edge he had came from the original owner's memories.
"Memories?"
The thought made him pause. He glanced at the saber in his hand, gave it a couple of swings, and felt a sudden clarity. Sure, he had no experience, but the original owner had trained plenty with his father. Whether it was muscle memory or instincts, it had merged seamlessly with Chu Mu during his practice.
So, technically, he had a bit of a foundation in saber techniques. No wonder it showed up so quickly on the panel.
With that mystery solved, his attention shifted to the "Spirit Radiance" value. It was over 100%, which clearly meant it wasn't capped at a hundred. Normally, Chu Mu would've mulled this over, but now his eyes locked onto the small + sign still blinking after "Spirit Radiance." His brow furrowed again.
If "Spirit Radiance" was like skill points, shouldn't the option to add them show up next to the skill? Yet here was that + sign, stubbornly blinking after "Spirit Radiance."
So how was he supposed to allocate points?
Or maybe "Spirit Radiance" wasn't for point allocation at all?
After a moment's thought, Chu Mu decided. Guessing was useless—better to test it.
With a focused thought, the + sign stopped blinking.
In that instant, Chu Mu's body jolted. He'd been staring at the panel, and now a look of utter disbelief spread across his face.
It took a while for him to snap out of it. The shock lingered, but a wild joy bubbled up too.
"Amazing!"
Unable to contain his excitement, Chu Mu let out a hearty laugh. His eyes gleamed brighter than ever. He snatched up the saber and stepped forward, resuming his practice with proper forms that danced across the courtyard.
If his earlier attempts were like a toddler mimicking a master, this time, while still clumsy, it was like he'd jumped onto an express train. His progress was visible, almost tangible.
Before long, the awkward stumbles smoothed out. His movements grew sharper, his swings more precise, even carrying a hint of menace.
Chu Mu himself was different now. His eyes burned with a deep, focused intensity, as if the world had narrowed to just him and the saber in his hands.
Chop. Slash. Lift. Thrust.
Basic moves flowed one into the next. The heavy saber, which had felt like a burden before, started to feel light as a feather over time.
Then, with a sharp clang, the saber's chilling gleam under the moonlight stopped abruptly.
The blade hit the ground, and Chu Mu collapsed, soaked in sweat and panting. Exhaustion hit him like a tidal wave, drowning him in fatigue.
"Whew…"
He gasped for air, his body aching, but no amount of soreness could dim the joy in his heart.
Today, Chu Mu had glimpsed the truth—like parting clouds to reveal a clear sky.
An ordinary mind, touched by a spark of radiance, transformed. His thoughts, logic, memories—everything tied to intellect—blossomed under that spark.
It was like the scholar protagonists in the novels he'd read in his past life: hyper-focused, deadly serious, with their intellect blazing. What was once an insurmountable wall was now a clear path.
That feeling? Pure thrill.
If he'd had this in his past life, he'd have been the star of a scholar novel, scaling the heights of science with this radiance boosting him.
His brow quirked. That scientific path was gone, but here, in this ancient world, there were the imperial exams.
In this era, you had two roads: literature or martial arts. With this radiance, maybe he could carve out a scholar's path in this ancient world.
A scholar in ancient times?
Chu Mu's expression turned odd. That didn't quite fit the vibe…
He quickly shoved the thought aside. For an ordinary guy like him, this chance was a gift from the heavens.
"Phew…"
He exhaled deeply, as if blowing away the uncertainty and gloom of his first days here.
With this gift, the future might still be murky, but he had a bit more confidence now, a bit less fear. He could even look forward to what lay ahead.
The moonlight glowed soft and hazy. After resting for a while, he finally dragged himself to his feet.
The leap in intellect from the radiance was intoxicating—almost maddening.
In that frenzy, he'd ignored everything else.
Now, the consequences were clear.
His body screamed with pain. Standing, he shook uncontrollably. He couldn't even pick up the saber from the ground. His steps wobbled, and after a few, he faceplanted.
The short walk from the courtyard to his bedroom—a mere几十 steps—took him several agonizing minutes.
"Guess I'm not reporting for duty tomorrow."
Sprawled on his bed, Chu Mu gave a wry smile.
The Patrol Division had given him some leeway to report later due to his mourning period, but a stable job like that was a hot commodity. His plan had been to start as soon as possible, locking in that secure position.
Now, after pushing himself to the limit, that plan was shot.
Without a few days' rest, he wasn't recovering anytime soon…
*(End of Chapter)*