“When I practice, I use a light wooden sword, which is naturally easy to control. But if I practice sword techniques with the heavy pure white knight’s greatsword, the difficulty increases greatly. If I can reach the point where I control the pure white knight’s greatsword as easily as the wooden sword, then when I use a light sword again, my control will naturally improve a lot.”

　　Without hesitation, Edward White tossed aside the wooden sword and picked up the pure white knight’s greatsword to practice the Pain Sword Technique.

　　The difficulty was even greater than he had imagined. The Pain Sword Technique was meant for single-handed use, but the pure white knight’s greatsword was a two-handed sword, and even heavier than most two-handed swords. Just lifting the greatsword with one hand, the very first step, was already extremely difficult.

　　For the first few days, Edward White could only hold the greatsword with one hand each day, without the strength to even swing it. When his right hand gave out, he switched to his left; when his left hand gave out, he switched back to his right. He repeated this over and over, and after about half a month, he could barely manage to swing the greatsword for a short while—still far from actually using any sword techniques.

　　“Open up! Open up!” The urgent knocking and impatient shouting woke Edward White, who had been cultivating all day and was now in a deep sleep.

　　Hearing that annoying voice, Edward White knew it was time to pay the protection fee again.

　　Blade Lun City belonged to Count Blade Lun. Anyone wishing to live in Blade Lun City had to pay a certain amount of life scale to the count every month.

Chapter 3 “The Bayeux Sutra”

　　“It’s time to pay this month’s protection fee—five hundred scales.” When Edward White opened the door, he was greeted by a face so disgusting he wanted to stomp on it.

　　“Wasn’t it two hundred scales?” Edward White frowned slightly.

　　“That was before. Now I’m telling you, from now on the protection fee is five hundred scales a month. If you want to stay in Blade Lun City, you have to pay that much. If you don’t, get out immediately.” The man said impatiently.

　　Edward White hesitated for a moment, but still paid the five hundred scales. He wasn’t strong enough yet to survive outside the city. If he left Blade Lun City and slept outdoors, he might be decapitated by wandering undead in his sleep.

　　After paying the protection fee, Edward White was about to return to his room to continue practicing sword techniques when he suddenly heard the sound of an argument nearby.

　　“Please, I only have six hundred life scales left. If I give you five hundred, I’ll be left to die. Let me pay two hundred first, and I’ll make up the rest in a few days. Please, have some mercy, help me!”

　　“Whether you die or not is your own business. Not a single scale less than five hundred. Either hand over the life scales or get out of Blade Lun City right now. Your choice.”

　　Following the voices, Edward White saw that the one begging was his neighbor, William Rowe, who had lived next door since Edward White could remember. He looked like a young man, gentle and refined, but it was hard to tell his real age.

　　When Edward White’s parents were still alive, William Rowe often brought wine to their house to drink with Edward White’s father. It was said he had even helped their family before.

　　No matter how much William Rowe pleaded, in the end, five hundred scales were still taken from him. Left with just over a hundred scales, William Rowe collapsed to the ground, his face ashen with despair.

　　“Uncle Luo, are you alright?” Edward White went over to help William Rowe up.

　　“It’s all over. I have just over a hundred scales left. I don’t even know if I’ll see the sun tomorrow.” William Rowe said to Edward White in utter despair. “A-Dong, work hard. Don’t end up like your Uncle Luo. When I was young, all I did was eat, drink, and have fun. Only now do I realize how precious life is, but it’s too late.”

　　“Uncle Luo, I still have some scales. Let me transfer five hundred to you first.” As he spoke, Edward White took the initiative to transfer five hundred scales to William Rowe.

　　Edward White’s parents had said that William Rowe had helped their family before. Although Edward White didn’t know the details, he couldn’t just watch William Rowe wait to die at home.

　　“A-Dong!” William Rowe was moved, but soon his expression darkened again. “You should take your life scales back. Even if you give them to me, what difference does it make? Once I use them up, I’ll die all the same. I was born with excellent innate talent, nearly two hundred years’ worth of life scales—almost double that of an average person. So I always thought I’d never run out, never cultivated seriously, and rarely went out to hunt the undead. I’ve wasted away, and now I don’t even have the strength to hunt the weakest undead. Death is only a matter of time for me.”

　　“Uncle Luo, there’s always a way. How about you come with me to hunt little blade demons?” Edward White suggested.

　　“It’s no use!” William Rowe shook his head and returned to his room like a walking corpse.

　　Looking at William Rowe’s room, Edward White suddenly felt as if he were looking at a morgue, a chill running through his heart.

　　“No matter what, I will never end up like that. Even if I die, I want to die gloriously.” Back in his own room, Edward White devoted himself even more to practicing sword techniques. As soon as he could fully control the pure white greatsword and use the Pain Sword Technique, he would go out to hunt the undead.

　　A few days later, while Edward White was diligently practicing sword techniques, he suddenly heard a knock at the door. When he opened it, he saw William Rowe standing there, cheeks sunken and eye sockets dark and gray.

　　“A-Dong, I can’t go on. I only have a few hours left.” William Rowe’s voice was lifeless, as if he had already given up on surviving.