Chapter 5: Cultivation Technique
Meanwhile, in the main courtyard of the City Defense Camp, Old Huang stood frozen, at a complete loss. Lu Yuan had left, leaving him all alone.
Facing the stares of Wei Yong and Zhang Gun, he didn’t dare to look up.
Wei Yong watched Lu Yuan leave, his brow furrowing slightly before he shot a look at Zhang Gun.
Zhang Gun walked over to Old Huang and clapped a heavy hand on his shoulder. "Old Huang, you’re a veteran in this garrison. It’s not that Wei is trying to give you a hard time on purpose. Just think about what you’ve done.
Watch yourself from now on, or there’ll be more trouble waiting for you."
Zhang Gun’s words made Old Huang’s face twitch.
"Is this about the Cow Offal Shop?" he asked in a hoarse voice.
"So you’re not a complete idiot. Stay away from there. Why are you so concerned about Widow Li’s daughter? From now on, if you’re going to eat, just eat. Don’t say what you shouldn’t say, and don’t do what you shouldn’t do. Got it?"
His coarse palm scraped against the broken skin on Old Huang’s cheek.
"Did she ask you to warn me?"
"What do you think? Widow Li has already promised her daughter to Wei. His promotion to Centurion was a sure thing. Don’t go asking for trouble." Zhang Gun was smiling, but the force in his hand increased significantly, rubbing away the scabs on Old Huang’s face and exposing the raw flesh beneath.
"No wonder that old broad has gotten so high and mighty. I get it now," Old Huang muttered, nodding in understanding.
Only then did Zhang Gun lower his hand. He glanced at the bloodstains on his fingers, wiped them on Old Huang’s clothes, and then said, "Look at your face, it’s a mess. Go wash it. Anyone who didn’t know better would think I was bullying you."
Old Huang nodded without another word. He went to a snowdrift, scooped up some snow, and rubbed it on his face.
Only then did Wei Yong’s expression soften.
He then turned to Zhang Gun. "What’s the deal with the new guy? Why did the Centurion summon him?"
"Who knows? I heard that business in Icefield Lane last night happened near his house. Maybe he’s being questioned about it. We drank too much last night, otherwise we could’ve gone to check out the action," Zhang Gun said, squatting down and leaning on his waist-saber.
SMACK!
Wei Yong slapped him on the back of the head. "You don’t know shit! Check out the action? Do you have any idea how many people died yesterday? The news is still locked down. Is the Northern Border the kind of place you can just go looking for trouble?
You could lose your head over it."
Zhang Gun rubbed his head and said nothing.
The army had always admired the strong, and in his eyes, Wei Yong was definitely a force to be reckoned with. For that, he respected him from the bottom of his heart.
"Alright, stop prying into this. We’ll just pretend we don’t know anything."
As the two of them were talking, Lu Yuan had begun to choose his Cultivation Technique. There were many Secret Manuals on the bookshelf, but they were all sealed. Only the names and brief descriptions were visible on the outside, which disappointed Lu Yuan. ’I was hoping I could record all these Cultivation Techniques in the system and practice them slowly.’
’Looks like that plan won’t work.’
So, he could only focus on choosing one Cultivation Technique.
In the end, he chose a manual called *Golden Bell Shield*. It was a Cultivation Technique that enhanced one’s Defense Power and also increased strength, making it a decent External Skill. Once practiced to Perfection, it could block blades and swords. Combined with a suit of armor, it would be nearly impossible for an ordinary person to break through his Defense.
Seeing his choice, Zhou He, who was standing to the side, frowned slightly. "Friend, don’t say I didn’t warn you. The *Golden Bell Shield* is a good Cultivation Technique. It’s said that once mastered, your body won’t decay and will be impervious to blades. But in all the years it’s been distributed in the army, no one has ever mastered it. While it provides a small boost to Defense Power and strength in the early stages, it gets progressively harder. It’s a classic case of ’easy to learn, hard to master’.
You’d be better off picking one that’s easier to practice. At least then you’d have a hope of reaching Great Success."
Although he knew Lu Yuan was talented, the *Golden Bell Shield* was notoriously difficult to train.
He hoped the other man would consider it carefully.
After a moment of thought, Lu Yuan said, "This is the one. I want to try it."
’Just because others can’t master it doesn’t mean I can’t. I have the system, so it shouldn’t be a problem.’
"Alright, suit yourself then," Zhou He said with a sigh.
’Talented people are often like this. He’ll understand once he hits a wall later on.’
"Take this, too. Now that you’re a Centurion, you’ll need to learn some basic Arrays. This *Arrowhead Array* is a required subject for our Border Army. Take it back and familiarize your men with it."
Lu Yuan took the thin booklet and nodded.
The Yong Dynasty court ruled through martial might. Cultivation Techniques and Military Arrays were exceptionally rare, typically held only by the imperial family and major clans. The Cultivation Technique and the Array he was given today represented a rare opportunity.
Some people might only get a chance like this once in their entire lives.
After stowing the two booklets safely, Zhou He said, "Alright, let’s go out and meet everyone."
Lu Yuan nodded, and the two walked out of the armory side-by-side.
After locking the door, they headed for the front courtyard.
At this time, Old Huang and the others were still gathered in a group.
These men were the City Guard Army from the city gate, as well as the Rotating Garrison Soldiers.
When Zhou He arrived, all eyes turned to him.
"Alright, don’t just stand around. Meet your new Centurion. From now on, the Centurion of the North Gate is Lu Yuan. I’m telling you all, behave yourselves. Don’t even think about being a troublemaker.
If you get put in your place, you’ll have deserved it."
As his voice fell, the men’s gazes shifted to Lu Yuan, and a flicker of surprise went through them.
No one had expected the newcomer to be made a Centurion.
Still, most of them bowed. "Greetings, Sir."
Wei Yong and Zhang Gun also bowed, though a closer look would reveal a trace of discomfort on the former’s face. But a senior officer could crush a junior one.
He didn’t dare show any dissatisfaction.
Old Huang’s face, however, lit up with pleasant surprise.
"From now on, we are all brothers-in-arms. I’m new here, so I hope you’ll all look out for me," Lu Yuan said, clasping his fist in a salute.
The men quickly replied with polite pleasantries.
Seeing that it was about time, Zhou He shouted, "Alright, the Centurion said the main business today was to announce the new Centurion for the North City Gate. Business is concluded, so everyone can head back."
As his voice faded, the crowd slowly dispersed.
Their expressions varied; some were envious, others jealous.
Lu Yuan took it all in.
Then, he called out to the crowd, "Old Huang, stay behind for a moment."
The man immediately stopped, a broad grin on his face.
Lu Yuan turned his head to Zhou He. "Come on, I’ll treat you to a drink for lunch."
"I was just joking, but you’re really treating me? In that case, I won’t be polite!" Zhou He said with a laugh.
Lu Yuan grabbed his arm. "What’s there to be polite about? It’s the least I can do."
Then he said to Old Huang, "Let’s go together. To the Cow Offal Shop."
Without another word, he pulled the two of them out of the camp.
The north side of the city wasn’t large, and there weren’t many affordable eateries. The Cow Offal Shop was definitely one of them.
When Lu Yuan and the others arrived, the place was already bustling with people.
A quick glance revealed that Wei Yong and his group were there as well. Several dishes and a jar of liquor were on their table; they had clearly already started drinking.
The three of them found an empty table and sat down.
Lu Yuan called towards the back, "Three pounds of stewed cow offal, a plate of braised cow liver, a plate of cow head meat, and a jar of sweet potato liquor! And make it quick!"
When Widow Li heard his voice, she immediately looked over, and then couldn’t help but freeze in surprise.