Chapter 67: Successive Breakthroughs
[Name: Lu Yuan]
[Age: 17]
[Cultivation Technique: Second-Grade Cultivation Skill, Five Tigers Array-Breaking Saber (61045/50000, Entering the Stance. Use 10,000 Skill Level to infer new skill?)]
[Third-Grade Cultivation Skill, Tiger Subduing Posture (Heart Refining) (1242/30000, Perfection)]
[Second-Grade Cultivation Skill, Iron Bone Golden Bell Shield (60351/50000, Entering the Stance. Use 10,000 Skill Level to infer new skill?)]
[First-Grade Array, Cloud-Rushing Crane Wing Array (60241/50000, Entering the Stance). Added Effects: Borrowing Wind, Armor-Piercing. Use 10,000 Skill Level to infer new array?]
[First-Grade Cultivation Skill, Wind-Chasing Arrow Skill (20192/50000, Entering the Stance)]
Looking at the data displayed above, the corners of Lu Yuan’s mouth turned up.
The other skills were one thing, but the fact that his Military Array could be evolved was definitely good news. It offered an extra layer of security for both him and his men in this vast Wasteland.
"Infer."
As the word left his lips, Lu Yuan’s arms began to change. His already taut muscles became even more defined, and layers of calluses appeared on his palms.
It was as if he had studied the saber for many years and, in a flash of insight, suddenly achieved an epiphany, mastering a brand-new Sword Skill.
[Cultivation Technique: Third-Grade Cultivation Skill, Wind and Thunder General-Slaying Saber Technique (1045/10000, Great Success)]
Next, the Iron Bone Golden Bell Shield began its inference.
A vast amount of insight into Body Refining swirled in his mind, then fused and integrated, giving rise to a new Cultivation Technique.
[Third-Grade Cultivation Skill, Mixed Element Golden Bell Shield (351/1000, Minor Achievement)]
The moment the new Cultivation Technique appeared, Lu Yuan felt a current of air materialize in his chest, constantly merging with his internal organs. It was a tremendous help for Refining his viscera.
"WHOOSH!"
He exhaled a long breath that shot out straight for a meter. When it hit the ground, it blasted a small pit, and the breath itself was black.
Clearly, what he had just expelled were impurities.
At the same time, insights into the Military Array followed. It was as if he had fought on the battlefield for years, and through countless battles, he comprehended a new Array.
[Second-grade Array, One-Character Long Snake Formation (241/1000, Minor Achievement). Added Effects: Defense Enhancement, Chasing Kill]
As the Array took shape in his mind, Lu Yuan nodded with satisfaction.
The One-Character Long Snake Formation could amplify his warriors’ strength by five to six times.
Moreover, their Defense Power also increased by a full three times. A troop like this...
He couldn’t make any other guarantees, but surviving shouldn’t be a problem.
After his strength increased, a wave of hunger washed over him. Lu Yuan took out some rations and began to chew mouthfuls.
The rations for this campaign were uniformly distributed by the army, and the ingredients weren’t bad.
Flatbreads made from fine grain and fist-sized chunks of meat—all good stuff.
Many people couldn’t afford to eat like this normally.
Lu Yuan downed five flatbreads and seven or eight chunks of meat in one go, washing it all down with a flask of wine before he started to feel better.
Seeing that he was fine, Zhou He approached with Wei Yong and the others.
"Sir, the General only gave us two days. A full night has already passed, and we still haven’t found the main force of the Northern Barbarians. What should we do next?"
Zhou He said, his voice tinged with exhaustion.
After fighting for a whole night, even with his considerable strength, he was finding it hard to bear.
Lu Yuan pursed his lips. "We continue deeper. If a main Barbarian force truly intends to attack us, they can’t be too far away. Tell the brothers to hold on. If we make it back this time, things will be different for everyone."
Not to mention anything else, everyone would receive a hundred merit points. As long as their strength was sufficient, they could be promoted directly to Centurion.
That was a position many warriors of the Northern Border could never hope to achieve in their entire lives.
"Yes, Sir," Wei Yong said immediately.
Then, Lu Yuan picked up a branch and began drawing in the dirt. "This formation is called the One-Character Long Snake Formation. I want you to take your men and learn it. Familiarize yourselves with it as we march.
It’s much more powerful than our previous array."
Hearing his words, Wei Yong and the others didn’t dare hesitate and immediately began to study it.
The morning passed in the blink of an eye. When afternoon arrived, Lu Yuan stood up and shouted to his men, "Everyone, prepare to move out."
The warriors, who had been resting just a moment before, instantly rose to their feet. They began to sort out their armor and weapons, then mounted their horses.
A moment later, on Lu Yuan’s command, they rode forward.
They practiced the Military Array as they rode. Since their numbers weren’t too large, it was manageable for everyone to keep up.
As the sky gradually darkened,
Lu Yuan and his men finally spotted a massive camp. But a moment later, he furrowed his brow.
The number of people in the camp ahead didn’t seem to be very large, only about thirty to forty thousand. It was even slightly smaller than the army of Dayong’s right wing.
As they drew a little closer, Zhou He said at once, "Those aren’t Northern Barbarians. That’s King Yan’s army."
King Yan was originally a Border Marquis of Dayong. However, because he was too forthright, he was displeased that the Merit Marquis and City Marquis Group in the imperial court were trading with the Northern Barbarians, selling weapons and medicine while ignoring the lives of the Border Army soldiers. So, braving the threats against him, he prepared to report them to the court.
But the news was leaked beforehand, and instead, he was framed for treason.
Powerless to argue and completely disheartened, his soldiers eventually compelled the Dayong Marquis to defect to the Northern Barbarians.
Afterward, he was enfeoffed as a Prince.
Of course, his title of Prince was very different from that of a true prince among the Northern Barbarians. He was merely granted a piece of land as his territory.
It was a place to settle his soldiers and their families.
From then on, these people of Dayong became a blade in the hands of the Northern Barbarians.
"If that’s the case, it means our right wing is just facing a diversionary force from the Barbarians. Their main target isn’t us. It’s most likely the Central Army."
Lu Yuan said in a low voice.
However, he didn’t dwell on it. He continued, addressing his men, "Start mapping and gathering information. We just need to bring back what we’ve seen. As for the rest, leave it for the Generals to worry about."
"As you command!"
After acknowledging the order, Wei Yong and the others dispersed, carefully gathering intelligence around the camp’s perimeter.
Lu Yuan, meanwhile, stared ahead, his eyes like a falcon’s.
He was watching to prevent any Barbarian scouts from sneaking up on them.
About an hour later, his men regrouped, and Wei Yong nodded at Lu Yuan.
Evidently, the information had been collected.
"Withdraw!"
Not daring to linger, Lu Yuan gave the order, and they began to retreat, with the others close behind him.
They had to deliver the message back before tomorrow night.
Although it wasn’t a great distance, time was not on their side.
They rode through the night without encountering any more enemies. But just as the sky began to brighten at dawn, a wandering unit of Iron Kites appeared in the distance.
Upon spotting Lu Yuan and his men, they let out strange cries and formed up for an attack.
Across the Wasteland, they moved like a soaring kite, incomparably swift and fierce.
Lu Yuan wasn’t nervous when he saw this. He simply tightened his grip on his weapon and prepared for battle.
At the same time, the One-Character Long Snake Formation slowly deployed. On the wide Wasteland, they looked like a giant python coiling into a Snake Array, exuding a cold, sinister aura.