At that time, Henry Owen's hand speed was only slightly above average—not particularly outstanding.

"I also felt like I was dreaming. I wasn't thinking about anything at the time, and suddenly, when I drew my blade, I just got faster."

Henry Owen didn't know how to explain, so he just made something up.

Surprisingly, William Harris believed him. She nodded thoughtfully and let go of Henry Owen's arm.

"This should be a bloodline awakening. We humans are descendants of Pangu, but for some unknown reason, our bloodline was sealed later on, and we lost our innate divine power. So your situation is actually quite common. Many people awaken previously unknown talents or abilities when facing danger or desperate situations.

But you still need to work hard on your blade skills. How can someone who uses a blade not be able to control it? Even with your full talent, you're only using about seventy percent of it right now."

William Harris glanced at Henry Owen's face, then clicked her tongue and looked away.

This guy's face is just too deceptive.

"Come on, I'll take you to the storeroom to get some Essence-Nourishing Pills and a Refined Light Steel Saber. With a light steel saber in your hand, your blade speed can increase by another twenty percent. By the way, are you and your sister still renting outside the martial arts school?"

"We're renting a small attic, not far from the south gate of the school." As Henry Owen answered, he looked at William Harris with some confusion, not understanding why she suddenly brought up the matter of renting.

Zhengyang Martial Arts School provides food and lodging for all disciples. Even for outer disciples like them, there are dormitories with eight people to a room.

But he and his sister couldn't accept that.

It wasn't that they couldn't get used to it, but that they had too many secrets. It wasn't suitable to squeeze in with others, so they would rather spend money to rent a place outside.

"I really don't get it. When you two first came to Xiushui, you were willing to do any hard or tiring work, and you counted every penny, yet you'd rather spend silver to rent a place than squeeze into the dorms with others."

William Harris took a long key from her belt and tossed it to Henry Owen: "There are two empty side rooms in the storage courtyard on the east side. You two can move in."

Henry Owen's eyebrows immediately lifted, a hint of joy appearing on his face.

The so-called storage courtyard was supposedly for storing miscellaneous items, but in reality, it only held some lumber, steel ingots, and stone—things that weren't often used. Few people ever went there, so it was quite private.

Behind the small courtyard was a fifty-square-meter open space, perfect for practicing martial arts and blade work.

"Are you sure? Is this allowed?" Henry Owen asked, but he was already slipping the key into his sleeve.

"If you feel bad, just give it back to me."

William Harris glanced disdainfully at Henry Owen's hand, then smiled: "You deserve it. You really made me look good today. You didn't see Samuel Grant's expression just now—tsk tsk, it was beyond words—"

Henry Owen wasn't really listening. He was fingering the key in his sleeve, thinking of his sister Emily Owen.

Emily Owen had left a day later than him for her escort job, so in terms of travel time, she should be back by noon today.

If all went well, they could move into the martial arts school this afternoon.

After parting ways with William Harris, Henry Owen went to a pharmacy just across the street and got four bottles of medicine.

The medicine was called "Yanghe Powder." After taking it, not only could Henry Owen extend his life by two days, but it could also expel the accumulated yin poison and cold energy in his body, alleviating the symptoms after exposure to sunlight.

This medicine was very expensive—the cost price alone was three taels of magic silver.

Henry Owen risked his life in the wilderness for a three-day round trip as an escort, and could only earn enough for two bottles of "Yanghe Powder."

At this point, he had less than half a tael of magic silver left in his pocket—he was practically penniless.

After hesitating for a while, Henry Owen still went to the market and bought a two-jin sea bass to take home.

He figured that such a happy occasion as entering the inner sect of the martial arts school deserved a little celebration.

When Henry Owen returned to the attic they rented, he first lit the stove and cooked some rice before starting to prepare the sea bass.

Skillfully, he snipped off the fins, scraped the scales, and slit open the belly.

When handling the innards, Henry Owen deliberately saved the fish intestines and bladder.

People in this world disdained eating these, thinking they were too fishy, but Henry Owen couldn't bear to throw them away.

He and his sister rarely had meat, so they treasured any edible morsel.

Just as Henry Owen sprinkled ginger and garlic and put the sea bass in the pot to steam, the attic door creaked open.

Henry Owen turned around and saw the door being pushed open. A young girl in a white dress stood at the entrance, a swath of sunlight pouring in, casting her face in shadow.

This was his "sister," Emily Owen.

Strictly speaking, she was also his nominal wife.

Chapter Four: The Yazi Diagram

"I'm back."

Emily Owen's voice was as clear as an oriole's. Her skin was so pale it seemed bloodless, as if she too was afraid of sunlight. She raised her hand to shield herself and slowly stepped from the sunlight into the room.

The girl was about the same age as Henry Owen, with a classic oval face and willow-leaf eyebrows. She looked very frail, but there was a hint of sharpness in her eyes and brows. Her long black hair was simply tied behind her with a red cord, and even in the plainest of white cotton dresses, her ethereal beauty was unmistakable.

Looking at the girl before him, Henry Owen's gaze grew a little dazed.

His experience of transmigration was probably the most bizarre of all transmigrators.

Even now, when he thought back on it, it still felt absurd and unreal, like a dream.