Armor-Piercing Dart Technique = Threading the Needle [Request for Recommendation Votes]

As dusk settled, the twilight deepened.

As night fell, Su Yang and his group finally stepped through the vermilion gates of the Huang residence. The mud stains on their trousers and the bloodstains on their clothes were particularly conspicuous under the lantern light in the corridor.

Butler Ye Jianhong was already waiting inside the door, his long blue robe damp with dew, his expression even more somber than the night: "Guard Wang, Guard Su, the master is waiting in the main hall—the manor has received news of the Liu Family Manor matter."

Wang Tiezhu paused, his back tensing instantly, and Su Yang was also secretly alarmed.

The news of their escape from Liujiazhuang was relayed back in less than a day, demonstrating the extensive network of informants the Huang family had outside the city.

Passing through the corridor wrapped in ivy, the lights in the main hall grew brighter, and the sound of light tapping on a table could be heard from afar.

Upon entering the hall, one sees an elderly man with white hair and beard sitting on a grand chair at the head of the room. His brocade robes accentuate his plump figure, and his cloudy eyes, when scanning the crowd, reveal a sharp glint like that of a hawk—it is none other than Huang Shiyun, the master of the Huang family.

Standing on either side were Fei Jianhua and several other managers, as well as four elite guards with curved swords at their waists. The veins on the backs of their hands were bulging, and the air was heavy, like cotton wool soaked in water, making it hard to breathe.

"Greetings, sir!"

Wang Tiezhu took the lead by clasping his hands in a fist salute, followed closely by Su Yang and the other surviving guards.

Huang Shiyun slowly raised his hand, his knuckles calloused from years of holding an abacus: "Stand up and speak. Liu Shiyuan's estate, is it really gone?"

As Wang Tiezhu stood up, his voice trembled: "Reporting to Master, when we retreated to the hill outside the manor, Liu Family Manor was already on fire. The men in black attacked the main courtyard inside the manor, and Master Liu led a man in purple robes to rush southeast. What happened after that..."

He paused, his Adam's apple bobbing: "Liu Family Village is probably already reduced to ashes."

"Bang!"

The teacup slammed heavily onto the table, and the spilled tea water spread across the rosewood table surface.

Huang Shiyun's previously relaxed face suddenly tightened, and anger surged in his cloudy eyes: "A bunch of cowardly rats, daring to touch my Huang family's goods!"

The hall was completely silent. Fei Jianhua secretly glanced at Su Yang, a barely perceptible sneer curling at the corner of his mouth—he was waiting to see how this newly appointed guard would deal with the master's wrath.

"Go on, don't leave out a single word."

Huang Shiyun's voice turned serious: "How many men in black were there? What weapons were they using? Did they touch anything inside the car?"

Wang Tiezhu dared not be negligent. He began by recounting how the caravan entered Liujiazhuang territory, detailing in detail how the men in black ambushed them from the dense forest, how the poisoned darts were coated with a bluish-green venom, and how Chen Le's left arm was broken by a runaway horse.

When talking about Su Yang covering the retreat and killing the enemy with a single blow, he emphasized, "Brother Su reacted quickly. Just as the man in black was about to release his dart, he was struck in the throat by Su Yang."

Huang Shiyun's gaze finally fell on Su Yang, looking the young man, covered in dust but with a straight back, up and down: "You are Su Yang? Instructor Yang told me that you outshone everyone during the guard selection, and you lifted the stone weight more steadily than the veterans."

Su Yang felt a warmth in his heart. Yang Yunxing had indeed concealed his true abilities, emphasizing only strength and not talent. He bowed and replied, "Reporting to Master, it was the instructor's excellent guidance. The situation was chaotic at the time, and the man in black was caught off guard by my attack from the side and rear. It wasn't a true display of skill."

"To be able to kill someone with a single blow when they're caught off guard is a skill in itself."

Huang Shiyun suddenly laughed, his wrinkles crinkling together: "In chaotic times, the ability to survive is more precious than anything else."

He turned to Ye Jianhong and said, "The brothers who were injured or killed will receive double the compensation. Chen Le will be sent to the medicine kitchen, and Old Zheng will personally take care of him. The money for the medicine will come from my private treasury."

"Yes, sir." Ye Jianhong bowed and replied, then added, "The eldest young master just sent someone over, saying that the men in black might be after 'a specific item,' and asked you to investigate and have someone deliver the documents to his study."

Huang Shiyun nodded, clearly having no objection to the arrangement: "Wang Tiezhu, write down what happened clearly tonight and give it to me tomorrow morning. Everyone else, go and rest. Su Yang—you stay behind."

After everyone had left, leaving only the two of them in the hall, Huang Shiyun softened his tone: "Instructor Yang said you have a steady temperament and are willing to work hard in your sword practice. The guards in my Huang family are divided into three ranks. You are currently in the second rank. Do a good job, and next month you will be promoted to the first rank, with a 30% increase in your monthly salary."

"Thank you for your guidance, sir!"

Su Yang clasped his hands in a salute.

"Don't just thank me." Huang Shiyun pointed to the door: "Things haven't been peaceful in the manor lately. There are more and more refugees outside the city, and there's also quite a commotion at Duba Manor. You should train hard with Instructor Yang and do your job well. With me, Huang Shiyun, here, those who are willing to put in the effort won't be let down."

As Su Yang stepped out of the main hall, the evening breeze carried the fragrance of osmanthus blossoms, and he realized that his back was already damp with a light sweat.

Just as they turned the corner of the corridor, Fei Jianhua's voice, neither loud nor soft, carrying his usual fake smile, came from the side: "Oh, Guard Su is back? You must have had a hard time on this trip. The master personally kept you here for a chat, quite an honor. However... the damage to the carriages and the casualties among the brothers, the accounts are a bit messy. We'll sort this out slowly later."

"hehe!"

Su Yang didn't reply, but nodded slightly and walked straight towards Jingjie Courtyard.

Fei Jianhua's difficult behavior was expected. His mind was now filled with the fragments of the Overlord Blade manual in his arms, the Armor-Piercing Dart Technique, and the simplified points on the panel.

At that time, this clown Fei Jianhua will be nothing more than a knife to the head.

He closed the door to the side room tightly, immediately took out a small porcelain bottle he kept close to his body, and poured out a dark brown pill—seven of the ten Strengthening and Nourishing Pills given by Old Zheng remained. The pill melted instantly in his mouth, the warm medicinal power sliding down his throat, and the panel in his mind immediately flashed:

[Simplification point +5!]

Bring up the panel, and the number on it is clearly visible: [Simplified: 29.6].

"70.4 o'clock to go."

Su Yang carefully put the porcelain bottle away and headed straight for the kitchen.

Although it was past mealtime, there was still food warming on the stove: brown rice, braised pork with radish, and two white steamed buns.

He wolfed down his food, and the panel popped up again: [Simplification Points +2.1!], totaling 31.7 points.

...........

Su Yang finished his meal.

Back in his private side room in the Jingjie Courtyard, Su Yang bolted the door shut, cutting off all outside noise.

"If the 49-style Overlord Blade technique isn't simplified enough, then let's simplify the Armor-Piercing Dart Technique first!"

He didn't rush to rest, but sat down at the table and carefully took out the oilcloth package he had obtained from the corpse of the man in black from his bundle.

Unwrapping the oilcloth, three bronze triangular darts with a faint blue luster, a thin book, some silver coins, and medicine for wounds came into view. His gaze immediately fell on the thin book.

The booklet's cover was made of tough, tanned cowhide, with four characters written on it in bold, sharp strokes: "The Art of Armor-Piercing Darts".

Su Yang gently opened it and examined it closely.

The booklet is thin, and the first half details the precise coordination of the wrist, fingers, waist, abdomen, and even toes when launching darts. The second half describes the forging requirements of various darts, poisoning techniques, and penetration techniques for different types of armor, such as leather armor, chainmail, and lamellar armor, all illustrated with pictures.

"It's definitely good stuff!"

A look of joy flashed in Su Yang's eyes.

This is not only a technique for using concealed weapons, but also includes a unique set of power generation techniques and practical combat experience.

【Armor-Piercing Dart Technique (Beginner 0/100)】

[The martial art "Armor-Piercing Dart Technique" can be simplified. You can consume 10 simplification points to simplify it. Yes/No?]

Fifteen minutes later, his mental panel began to flash.

"yes!"

Su Yang did not hesitate.

[You have consumed 10 Simplification Points to simplify "Armor-Piercing Dart Technique"... Simplifying... Simplification successful!]

【"Armor-Piercing Dart Technique" = Threading a Needle!】

"Threading a needle?"

Su Yang was slightly taken aback, then his eyes revealed a look of realization and surprise.

This simplified result was something he hadn't expected!

"Threading the needle" requires extreme precision, stability, force control, and technique—isn't this the core key to launching darts, especially when pursuing armor-piercing effects?

The eye of the needle is extremely small, the thread must be flexible, and it requires a steady and accurate hand, a keen eye, and skillful force to thread it!

More importantly, the act of "threading a needle" can be practiced anytime, anywhere, and is extremely discreet, making it difficult to arouse suspicion!

He glanced at the panel; he had 21.7 simplification points remaining.

"No needle and thread..."

After successfully simplifying the process, Su Yang frowned slightly as he looked at the "threading the needle" prompt.

He really needs a good needle.

The dart's tail hole is too rough, making it difficult to achieve the extreme precision required for cultivation.

Let's look again tomorrow.

He suppressed the urge to try it immediately.

Honglan is washing clothes; she definitely has needles and thread.

It was late at night, and it was inappropriate to go out to look for the needle at this time, especially to the courtyard where the female servants lived, as it would easily arouse gossip. He couldn't cause trouble for Honglan.

He carefully hid the "Armor-Piercing Dart Techniques" booklet and darts, and glanced at the half-finished leather sword manual in his arms. He suppressed his urge to study it immediately—he had already exhausted his energy tonight and needed to save it for when he was more energetic.

He took off his clothes and went to bed.

........

The next day, early in the morning.

At the end of the Yin hour, Su Yang arrived at the archery range on time to participate in the morning exercise.

Instructor Yang Yunxing had a stern expression. He already knew about the Liu Family Manor incident, but he didn't say much. He simply made the training even more grueling than usual. After practicing the "Sudden" technique five hundred times, the new guards' arms were all sore and numb, and their breathing was heavy.

After morning practice, everyone headed to the canteen.

As Su Yang walked through the crowd, his gaze inadvertently swept across the path leading to the laundry room, and a thought struck him.

He quickly finished his breakfast, which increased his simplification points by 1.3. Instead of leaving with the others immediately, he carried his empty bowl to the back of the dining hall, where tableware and swill were collected. This area was close to the kitchen and laundry room, and servants responsible for cleaning often came and went there.

He pretended to linger casually for a moment, and sure enough, not long after, he saw Honglan and several maids from the laundry room carrying large wooden basins to collect the used bowls, chopsticks, and rags from the dining hall.

Honglan also saw him.

Her gaze swept quickly over Su Yang. Seeing that he was travel-worn but still in good spirits, the worry in her eyes subsided slightly, and she gave him a barely perceptible nod.

Su Yang patiently waited for them to put the bowls and chopsticks into the basin.

As Honglan turned around with the basin, preparing to leave with her companions, Su Yang naturally followed, keeping a few steps away, as if they were just going the same way.

Upon reaching a corner, his companion took a few steps ahead, while Honglan lagged slightly behind. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Su Yang quickly stepped forward and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Honglan, are you free after lunch? I'd like to borrow a needle from you, a thin sewing needle."

Honglan didn't stop or turn around, but gave a barely perceptible "hmm" and said in a low voice, "Early afternoon, the usual place."

She was referring to the place where the two had met before, by the small bamboo grove outside the Jingjie Courtyard.

"it is good."

Su Yang agreed, then slowed his pace and turned onto another road, as if he were just passing by by chance.

Everything happened so naturally that it went unnoticed by anyone.

.........

In the afternoon, at the beginning of the 11 PM.

Su Yang arrived at the edge of the small bamboo grove ahead of time.

It's a secluded place, with guards occasionally passing by, but not often.

Soon after, Honglan's slender figure appeared.

She was holding a small embroidered basket in her hand.

Seeing Su Yang, she quickly walked over, took a small coarse cloth bag from her basket, and stuffed it into Su Yang's hand, whispering, "Here you go. There are two needles inside, one the finest embroidery needle and one slightly thicker, more resilient sewing needle, and a small axle. See if they fit."

Su Yang took it, and could immediately feel Honglan's thoughtfulness: "Perfect!"

He paused, looking into her clear eyes: "Honglan, I'm sorry to have worried you. I'm fine."

Honglan gently shook her head, her gaze lingering on his face for a moment, as if to confirm that he was truly unharmed, before whispering, "You're always so hardworking... Be careful in everything you do. Return the needle and thread to me when you're done, no rush."

She seemed to want to say something more, but seeing figures moving in the distance, she hurriedly said, "I'll go back first; the manager needs to check up on things."

"Okay, go quickly."

Su Yang tucked the small bag into his pocket.

Honglan nodded slightly to him, then picked up her basket and quickly left the bamboo grove, her figure soon disappearing behind the courtyard wall.

Su Yang touched the sewing kit in his arms, feeling at ease.

With the right tools, his training in the Armor-Piercing Dart Technique could finally begin.

He didn't go back to his room immediately, but went to the archery range first to complete his regular afternoon training.

It wasn't until after dinner in the evening, when he returned to his quiet side room, bolted the door, lit the oil lamp, and then, with anticipation, took out the sewing kit that Honglan had given him.

The slender embroidery needle, its tip gleaming with a cold light, its eye as fine as dust.

"This is it."

Su Yang picked up the cotton thread, held his breath, and recalled the diagrams and initial insights of the "Armor-Piercing Dart Technique," concentrating all his energy on his fingertips.

Threading a needle.

A training program focused on precision, stability, and ultimate control of force quietly unfolds in the still of the night.

[Armor-Piercing Dart Technique Proficiency +1!]

[Armor-Piercing Dart Technique (Beginner 3/100)]

"It worked!"

Su Yang smiled slightly, immersing himself in this subtle yet fulfilling cultivation experience.

............

Late at night, in the secret underground chamber of the Duba Manor.

The candlelight was dim.

A man dressed in black, wearing a golden mask, sat quietly in the shadows, with a coded letter with messy and fragmented handwriting spread out in front of him.

"...A formidable enemy suddenly arrived. The purple-robed man appears to be a master from beyond the Great Wall, his palm strikes like a raging torrent... I fought valiantly but was overwhelmed. The rubbing of the Forty-Nine Styles of the Sword Technique manual has been torn up... The first half is missing, and the second half has fallen into enemy hands... I am severely injured and will seek refuge elsewhere. Do not look for me..."

Behind the mask, his gaze was fixed on the words "Forty-Nine Styles of Sword Techniques Manual," and the rhythm of his fingertips tapping the table suddenly became heavy.

"Forty-nine forms... rubbings..." A deep voice came through the mask, carrying a strange quality that mixed with realization, irony, and icy anger: "My dear martial uncle, you thought it was just a 'sword technique manual' until your death?"

He slowly leaned back in his chair, the golden mask reflecting shimmering light in the candlelight.

"The Forty-Nine Styles of Sword Techniques... is merely a decoy. The real killer is the map of the Demonic Sect's secret scrolls, drawn with secret Demonic Sect medicines, hidden within the special interlayer of the leather pages."

The masked man's voice was very low, as if he were talking to himself, or as if he were accusing the invisible void: "I went through all sorts of trouble to smuggle it out of the manor's secret vault, under the guise of a 'sword manual rubbing,' just to prevent any leak of the 'secret scroll'... Even to you, Uncle Liu, I only said that it was a powerful sword technique that the sect urgently needed to complete."

He paused, his fingertips striking heavily the words "missing" in Liu Shiyuan's letter: "But now you're telling me... this 'sword manual' was torn in two? The first half is missing? The second half has fallen into enemy hands?"

The man in gray knelt on the ground, even his breathing was cautious. He could hear the turbulent undercurrent beneath his lord's calm tone.