Chapter 262: The Elf in the Tavern

‘Perhaps in the next few days, I should find time to spar with those Twilight Blade members. I still don’t have much experience dealing with warriors who combine sword and spell!’ George, who had just dismounted, thought to himself. Of course, this was absolutely to prevent being caught off guard if he encountered similar enemies in the future.

Fighting against different types of combatants not only helps with the growth of one’s own strength, but most importantly, it broadens one’s horizons. For a profession that lives by war, working behind closed doors is the worst thing to do.

In fact, unless there was some specific inheritance, the martial arts instructors of this world taught their apprentices the basic principles of how to hold a sword, slash, thrust, and defend correctly. As for how to perform in battle, one had to experience and explore that on their own. To put it plainly, the martial arts of this world were disparagingly called “wild styles” in the martial arts circle of Tianchao before the crossing. It was somewhat similar to the cultivation method of the “Old Man of Hundred Defeats” written by Jiang Shangou.

Because there were no fixed moves, one only needed to lay the foundation for weapon-wielding techniques first, find one’s own shortcomings and defects in every battle, absorb the opponent’s strengths, and then improve the angles and methods of attack, fighting with rich experience and improvised moves.

One cannot say that this cultivation method is bad. Without fixed moves, there is no fear of being targeted and cracked by others. If cultivated to perfection, it is definitely a monstrous and powerful existence. “Formless beats formed”; Dugu Qiubai is the model representative of the highest realm of this cultivation system.

However, reaching this supreme realm was truly too difficult. Talent, perseverance, and opportunity were all indispensable. Throughout history, very few could reach this step, even in fictional novels. The rest either gave up or were hacked to death, let alone in the real world.

Of course, this did not mean that the martial arts of Tianchao would definitely work in this world. Because most of what was popular in later generations was close-quarters combat, which belonged to unarmed combat techniques.

Although they could be divided into training methods and fighting methods. Training methods strengthened the body, while fighting methods killed enemies. Training methods toughened the skin and flesh and strengthened muscles and bones, improving physical fitness; fighting methods focused on actual combat, attacking vital points, and destroying enemies as easily as crushing dry weeds.

The so-called dual cultivation of internal and external not only referred to the combination of internal boxing and external boxing, but actually referred more to the combination of the “hardware” of body strength and the “software” of skills and experience, to achieve the best state of strengthening oneself and killing the enemy.

If the two were combined, it could be said to form a systematic martial arts system. Unlike what was widely spread in the Western Continent of this world, which were mostly scattered basic movements.

However, whether it was internal boxing or external boxing, they often broke the opponent’s attack route through hooking, reaching, grabbing, and blocking with both hands, then advanced into the body. Both hands changed rapidly multiple times within a very short distance, chain-striking the opponent’s eyes, throat, ears, and neck sides, quickly disintegrating the enemy’s ability to resist.

But the weakness of this martial art was also very obvious, because the attacked enemy must also be unarmed, otherwise some of his offensive techniques would be like suicide. Because most of these close combat moves appeared during the Tartar Dynasty when martial arts were banned: in the fourth year of Yongzheng, the Tartar court issued a famous “Martial Arts Ban” edict: prohibiting civilians from walking with swords, prohibiting commoners from fist fighting, prohibiting private ring competitions, violators would be severely punished according to the law, and casualties in the ring would be treated as murder.

Since then, the original methods of the battlefield array had to be transformed into related methods of unarmed melee if they wanted to continue to be passed down. Those Tartars attempted to wear down the bloodiness of the Han people through this method, but from another aspect, it also led to the vigorous development of many boxing styles later.

However, in this era without weapon restrictions, it was naturally a priority to practice weapon combat skills. Not using weapons and insisting on practicing unarmed combat, wouldn’t that be giving up the important for the trivial? A mortal’s iron palm, no matter how hard, could not compare to a war hammer; a commoner’s unarmed skill, no matter how refined, could not compare to a fast knife. It was the same principle in the world before the crossing. Unless there was a qualitative gap in strength between the two, the unarmed could never beat the armed.

However, one could not say that the martial arts moves passed down from the previous life were useless. Because many of the routines in those martial arts could enhance personal physical fitness. Moreover, the “Vine” style, which focused on entanglement, often utilized footwork very well.

Even when advancing, a trace of retreating power was hidden; when retreating, a hint of advancing trend was implied. With every step, one sank the shoulders, twisted the waist, sat on the hips, and buckled the knees, accumulating the strength of the whole body in the crotch and waist. Every exertion of force took the waist as the pivot, integrating the strength of the whole body up and down to strike out violently. This exertion technique was something that the vast majority of commoner Adventurers could not master in their lifetime.

At the same time, it could train the eyes, hands, and steps to be both fast and integrated. Moreover, when the arms attacked, at the moment of exerting force, extreme rigidity suddenly revealed very soft elasticity, truly achieving rigid but not stiff, soft but not weak, fast but not rash. To achieve this level, an ordinary person in this world without inheritance would need to pay effort worth at least the Red Iron level. It could be said that as long as one switched to a suitable weapon for training, one would definitely make rapid progress. It could save people from taking quite a few detours.

Of course, the secret transmissions in the hands of various families or organizations were hard to say. Leaving aside the changes in fighting methods, just in terms of training methods, those from before the crossing were completely outclassed by this world.

If George’s identity when he crossed over was just an ordinary commoner. Then the martial arts knowledge from before the crossing would be the most critical capital for his rise. But as a member of the ruling class with his own inheritance, this stuff was just icing on the cake.

After making his plans, George quickly entered the Castle and met Knight Isidora Aubrey, who was responsible for commanding affairs. The two Knights from last time had already finished their tasks, returned to Karada to report, and then went to the Manor to adjust and recover.

After the handover, it was time for the inspection of the goods. This was not just a routine matter. Whether for the buyer or the seller, it was an extremely important link in the transaction. If not handled well, it might add a lot of trouble out of thin air after the transaction. It was better to solve any problems properly before disputes appeared.

In fact, because of sufficient preparation in advance, this inspection could be said to be quite smooth. Armor, weapons, consumable arrows, and even Portable Rations, under George’s strict requirements, every item had passed strict quality checks. At the same time, during the transportation process, they were packed and stored by category, marked, and written with cargo lists, thus facilitating the inspection work.

Taking advantage of the afterglow of the sun before sunset, with the cooperation of the Guards and the quartermaster, everything in front of them was resolved without any problems. After the supplies were transported into the warehouse of the Inner City, George was grabbed by Hiren, who had been waiting there again: “We haven’t seen each other for so long, let’s go out and have fun for a while. Staying with those deadly stiff elders every day, I feel like I’m going crazy.”

Because Hiren’s words did not intend to hide from anyone, several Knights turned a blind eye to George’s pleading eyes. In their view, since Hiren had been holding it in for so long, it was not bad to let him relax. As for George! With him watching Hiren, at least it wouldn’t be easy to cause trouble. If Hiren was a hound, then the role George played now was the dog leash holding him.

Walking out of the sentry post that served as the dividing line between the Inner City and the Outer City, the environment immediately turned into a noisy “vegetable market”. Compared with the orderly and ready-for-battle appearance of the Inner City, the feeling here was more relaxed and natural.

“The skills of that Gnome lady in the Tavern here are really good. By the way, it was a mistake that you didn’t bring the Cooking Troops this time. The food in the camp now can’t compare with our Bolerum Territory at all. Fortunately, I got a lot of salary from recent operations, so I can come out to have a good meal. But usually, those Knights watch quite closely, so I can’t come out very often.” Hiren complained while walking.

At this time, the sound of “Selling mules, selling mules…” came from not far away. George looked intently, and it was not a warehouse or a shop but obviously an Inn. Tied to the hitching post outside the Inn were a few inferior horses and other skinny livestock.

Looking at George’s puzzled gaze, Hiren felt that he finally had a chance to show off: “In a place where commerce is not so developed, almost every inn has mounts and pack animals that can be sold to passing travelers. Of course, there are even tired or disabled livestock originally used by travelers for ‘mortgage’, and the inn owners often don’t mind using them to exchange for a few Copper Coins. But if it were a more prosperous place, because there are more people specializing in this aspect of business. Relatively speaking, inns with no competitiveness would not operate this business.”

“Where did you hear this news from!” George looked at Hiren with a strange smile, obviously not believing that the other party could come to such a conclusion by himself.

Hiren said generously: “I hang out in the Tavern whenever I have a chance these months. Naturally, I got these news from the conversations of those merchants and Adventurers.”

‘Hiren actually pays attention to these things now. This was absolutely unimaginable in the past! It seems that this period of independent military life has made him grow a lot. Val would definitely be quite happy to see him like this now!’ George couldn’t help but nod secretly.

At this time, a burst of noise suddenly came from the gate of the Outer City. It turned out that a Caravan traveling on the same road was preparing to enter the city before the sun officially set. Because if they waited until after the sun went down, they would have to set up camp outside. Once the city gates were closed at night, they would not be opened for just a few of them.

In a world full of bandits and carnivorous monsters, a Caravan protected by mounted guards has almost become a necessity. Caravans were usually divided into two types: the first type was the closed or sole proprietorship Caravan, usually having a group of highly disciplined and cooperative hired workers, often wearing uniforms. The second type was the open or same-road Caravan, which was composed of carriages belonging to different owners and other travelers, who paid fees to the Caravan owner to travel under its protection.

However, the latter was often more common. Even large Merchant Guilds crossing national borders would often travel with others for cost considerations. Unless they were transporting high-value goods that could not be lost, the cost of a closed or sole proprietorship Caravan was too high.

Although these Caravans varied in size, combat power, and assets. But any capable Caravan owner would have at least two extra tool carriages carrying weapons and armor, spare harnesses, replacement wheels and axles, towing ropes and chains, firewood and kindling, tents, and repair tools and materials.

And there were four or more carriages loaded with food. These carriages could be freed up on the road to replace carriages that had to be abandoned, or lost due to fire, attack, collision, or irreparable damage. The typical way to treat disabled pack animals was to sell them or slaughter and eat them on the road.

The area of the fortress was not large, and George and Hiren quickly stepped into the Tavern. The temperature here alone was much higher than outside. The noisy voices and turbid air were the norm in most Taverns in this world. Although it was not yet night, the tables in this Tavern were almost all occupied.

Hiren quite familiarly took George to occupy a seat, and then went to the bar to order. George, who was preparing to look around casually, found that there was actually an Elf Bard giving a speech in the Tavern.

His magnetic voice was like a radio announcer from before the crossing: “If you encounter those Dark Elves underground, the most important thing to note is their ‘KyoneVeldrin’ style. This is a word in the Elf language that translates into the Common Tongue as ‘Cautious Shadow’. Because all Dark Elves have the spell-like ability to cast Darkness. So while they learn how to use it to ambush, disrupt, and divide enemies, a few learn the KyoneVeldrin style, which originally meant ‘alert in the dark shadow’. Apprentices of this style can accurately locate enemies in complete darkness and hit enemies with amazing accuracy, even though they are also blinded by the darkness. Generally speaking, experts of this style usually form a special attack team with the LuthAlur style. Drow of the KyoneVeldrin style fight within the sphere formed by the Darkness spell, while the LuthAlur style is responsible for shooting with bows to bring enemies escaping from the Darkness to death. Facing this situation, it is better for everyone to try their best to rush out of the area affected by the Darkness spell.”

“Then what does the LuthAlur style mean?” someone in the Tavern immediately asked with interest.

“Although LuthAlur translates to ‘Strong Throw’ in the Common Tongue. But there is still a considerable difference. Because many of those fallen ones are as slender as us, so some of them tend to choose to stay away from the direct risks of combat. This style, LuthAlur, meaning ‘Superior Shooting’, is very appropriate for those guys. Because this style allows them to knock down enemies with deadly accuracy, but they themselves do not need to step into danger. This style often requires sharp eyes and steady hands. A few Drow who use ordinary bows sometimes even learn to shoot faster than usual, but such techniques are very difficult for the standard ranged weapon of ordinary Dark Elves—the hand crossbow, so those who use this weapon are relatively rare. Most Dark Elf squads have at least two LuthAlur style warriors, and in all-out war, there is a whole squadron of warriors belonging to this style. Such warriors are usually used to attack their enemies from ambush. But generally speaking, if you encounter the latter few situations, everyone just needs to think about how to run away.” The Bard answered the question just asked with a smile, and made a little joke, making the originally serious atmosphere much more relaxed.

Then he introduced the ‘Flash Walk’—BauthaZ’hin style, which means “Flash and Walk”. Following the natural agility and preference for light armor of the Dark Elves, Drow like to circle around enemies and attack them from all directions. Of course, they especially use this method to deal with special monsters with frequent and long-range attacks.

This style emphasizes sticking, close hitting, and high maneuverability. Apprentices of this style often learn the foundational techniques of the OrbAlur “Spinning Spider” style together, and they often boast of being unscathed in battle. Warriors of this style often pair up with partners using the Z’ressA’thalak “Military Might” style, especially with the latter as an anchor, while the former positions appropriately to flank the enemy. This style is favored by Rogues and light warriors, and some Priests of Eilistraee and Velen also prefer it.

Next is the related “Spinning Spider”—OrbAlur style, which combines the best elements of both BauthaZ’hin and KyorlinPlynn, requiring a long time to master. It means “Superior Spider”. This style emphasizes high-level spinning movement, allowing its learners to hit the most enemies with the least effort.

Usually, they rush into the center of the enemy group by tumbling or jumping. If successful, they defeat all enemies with one strike. This situation can effectively destroy the enemy’s morale and often trigger the enemy’s rout. Learners of the OrbAlur style are usually valued by Drow noble families and granted many privileges.

Similarly related is the ‘Military Might’—Z’ressA’thalak style, which means “Power of War”. It is not common among Dark Elves, because only a few have enough physical strength to learn all the necessary techniques. Apprentices of this style sacrifice the precision of strength to learn how to slash the bodies of fallen enemies, and then hit the next enemy, or smash the enemy’s weapon with one blow. Drow fighting in this way range from preferring heavier weapons—such as Longswords, War Hammers, or Battle Axes—to lighter weapons—such as the Rapiers used by most Drow. However, the threat of the former is obviously greater.

Just as George was preparing to listen further, Hiren came to the front of the table holding two large wooden trays. After Hiren put the things in his hand down, George found that in front of him was medium-rare veal, oatmeal thick soup, and red cabbage lettuce salad.

But at this time, George’s mind was not on the food. He asked Hiren: “How long has that Elf been promoting this knowledge in this Tavern?”

“That one came with other Elves, and it’s been at least 10 days today!” Although Hiren’s answer was not very certain, even if there was a difference, it wouldn’t be much.

For some reason, George’s heart suddenly became heavy.