Ren-Rank Camp's Situation! Breaking Through to Seventh Rank!

Arriving at the Merit Hall, Jiang Bei registered, one by one, the military merits he had earned during this trip to East Camp City.

Once the registration was complete, he had gained a full thirty-five military merits from this journey to East Camp City!

The moment that number was revealed, it immediately caused a stir throughout the Merit Hall.

After all, it was unheard of for a single mission to earn thirty-five military merits for a Squad Leader.

Even for a Camp Commander, few could earn that many military merits in an entire year!

Adding the previous eighteen, Jiang Bei had now accumulated fifty-three military merits!

Jiang Bei directly exchanged them for the highest-level Qi and Blood Method, spending a full fifty military merits!

Jiang Bei took the manual.

Seeing the five words on its cover—Dragon Elephant Subduing Demon Skill—the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.

With this Qi and Blood Method, he would be able to quickly break through to the Seventh Rank!

After leaving the Merit Hall, Jiang Bei ran into Xu Qi.

"Camp Commander."

Jiang Bei clasped his fists in greeting.

"You went to the Merit Hall to exchange for a martial art?"

Xu Qi asked with a smile.

"Yes, I exchanged for a Qi and Blood Method."

Jiang Bei nodded.

"You brat, aren't you going to break through to the Seventh Rank before I do?"

Xu Qi chuckled, knowing that this was highly likely.

With Jiang Bei's talent, reaching the Seventh Rank was only a matter of time.

Meanwhile, he had been stuck at the Eighth Rank Great Training stage for several years.

He did not even know whether he still had any hope in this life.

"Come with me."

Xu Qi spoke, then turned and headed toward his camp commander's tent.

Jiang Bei was somewhat surprised, but he did not overthink it and immediately followed.

"Sit. Have some tea."

After entering the tent, Xu Qi personally poured Jiang Bei a cup of hot tea.

"Thank you, Camp Commander."

Jiang Bei accepted the teacup with both hands.

"Has the Mystic Cloud Saber been serving you well?" Xu Qi suddenly asked.

"It's much better than my previous Horizontal Saber. It fits my hand perfectly."

"That's good. I remember that besides saber techniques, you also practice movement techniques?"

"Yes... but why are you suddenly asking about this, Camp Commander?"

Xu Qi's expression turned solemn as he slowly said, "To become a true powerhouse, you cannot have any obvious weaknesses. It may not be apparent when you first enter the ranks, but as your cultivation rises, the enemies you encounter will grow stronger as well. At that point, a hard-body martial art—something used to protect the body—becomes especially important."

"A body-protection martial art? I understand the reasoning, but the Merit Hall of our Ren-Rank Camp doesn't have any such techniques."

Jiang Bei's tone carried a trace of regret.

How could he not understand the importance of defense? But body-protection martial arts were already rare, and there was not even a single one in the Merit Hall.

Xu Qi chuckled upon hearing this. He stood up, took a yellowed manual from a nearby cabinet, and placed it on the table.

"Come to think of it, my father-in-law passed this down to me back then. Take this Mysterious Iron Dragon Scale Body."

Jiang Bei's gaze sharpened as it fell upon the five words on the manual's cover—it was indeed a body-protection martial art!

"Camp Commander, this is too precious... You already gave me the Mystic Cloud Saber. I truly cannot accept this as well."

Jiang Bei hurriedly declined.

"If I tell you to take it, then take it." Xu Qi's tone was resolute. "Martial arts manuals are meant for people to practice. You rendered great merit in East Camp City this time. As your Camp Commander, how could I not show my appreciation? Accept it!"

Warmth rose in Jiang Bei's heart. Xu Qi had given him the Mystic Cloud Saber and now a body-protection martial art. He had never expected such generous treatment.

"Thank you, Camp Commander. I'll remember this favor."

He solemnly accepted the manual. He truly needed a body-protection martial art right now, and he would remember this debt of gratitude in his heart.

He had always been someone who clearly distinguished gratitude from grudges. Xu Qi had helped him repeatedly, so naturally, he could not forget it.

"Since your father-in-law's family possessed a body-protection martial art, they must have been a Martial Dao family?" Jiang Bei could not help asking.

"They once were." Xu Qi's smile faded, and he sighed softly. "But not anymore. They died. All of them died—my wife, my son... They all died at the hands of the Barbarians."

He looked up at Jiang Bei, a bitter smile tugging at his lips. "If my son were still alive, he should be about your age now..."

Jiang Bei's gaze dimmed. "Battalion Commander, I was presumptuous."

"It's fine." Xu Qi waved a hand, then changed the subject. "Tomorrow, I'll be taking the Third Battalion to Yellow Wind Ridge. You'll remain in camp."

"Why? I'm part of the Third Battalion too."

"You've just returned from a mission. You should rest. Besides, if you leave, the Ren-Rank Camp won't have a single Eighth Rank Great Training left. If anything unexpected happens, there won't even be anyone to take charge. I'll feel more at ease with you staying behind."

"But even excluding the Second Battalion, doesn't our Ren-Rank Camp still have six battalions? There should be at least six Eighth Rank Great Training martial artists..."

Xu Qi shook his head and cut him off. "You don't know the situation. The Ren-Rank Camp's circumstances are extremely dire now. Many areas across the two prefectures under our jurisdiction have already been invaded by the Barbarians. The most serious is the Eight Desolations Mountain Range—Lord Jiang is personally holding the line there with three battalions, yet the situation is still far from optimistic. Two other battalions are stationed at Iron Phoenix City and Tiger Leap Valley respectively. Now I must head to Yellow Wind Ridge as well. All six Eighth Rank Great Training martial artists are deployed outside."

"And that isn't all. Now there's also the most troublesome rebellion at Five Sect Mountain. We still can't spare anyone to suppress it. We've asked other military camps for aid, but there has been no reply. We can only wait and see which of our three battalions can free itself first."

Jiang Bei's expression turned grave.

He had known that the Ren-Rank Camp was in a difficult position, but he had never expected it to be this bad—its six battalions had all been deployed, and the main camp had to temporarily rely on him, a newly advanced Eighth Rank Great Training martial artist, to hold it down.

"Five Sect Mountain... what is its background? Why is it considered the most troublesome?"

Jiang Bei asked.

"Five Sect Mountain is the largest force in the lands of our two prefectures. There are five sects in the mountains, and each sect has an Eighth Rank Great Training martial artist in command. Now they've colluded with the Barbarians, harboring wicked ambitions. They've even helped the Barbarians conduct 'blood sacrifices,' kidnapping commoners everywhere and offering up lives as sacrifices... They've harmed countless people!"

Xu Qi's brows were tightly furrowed, his tone heavy.

"Five Eighth Rank martial artists?" Jiang Bei's expression changed. "Then don't we stand no chance at all?"

After all, the entire Ren-Rank Camp only had six Eighth Rank Great Training martial artists. How could they possibly be a match?

"That is indeed the case. Even if all three of our battalions can free themselves, we can only provide some deterrence at most. To suppress them completely, we'd need powerful reinforcements from other military camps, or we'd have to wait until Lord Jiang's side resolves the Barbarian threat... But how could that be easy? If anyone had been willing to intervene, they would have come long ago."

Xu Qi sighed and continued, "The First Battalion has already sent several ten-man squads to investigate. We'll make long-term plans once we understand the specifics. Right now, every area is stretched thin, and none can afford any delay."

He patted Jiang Bei on the shoulder. "For the next few days, the Ren-Rank Camp is in your hands."

"Yes." Jiang Bei nodded heavily, his expression solemn.

The Ren-Rank Camp's situation was so urgent that it had nearly reached a life-or-death juncture.

At any moment, he might have to take the field on a difficult mission and face powerful enemies.

There was no time to waste in improving his strength!

After leaving the tent, Jiang Bei returned to his own barracks.

"Husband, you're back!" Yu Rou immediately came up to him, unable to hide the anxiety in her voice. "I heard people outside talking about what happened to you. You weren't hurt, were you?"

"I'm fine. Look, aren't I perfectly alright?"

Jiang Bei smiled and rubbed her hair.

"How are you alright? Look at how badly these clothes are torn..."

Yu Rou spoke softly as her fingers gently brushed over the torn corner of his robe, damaged in the fierce battle. Then she turned and walked into the inner room, taking a new set of clothes from the table. "I just made this for you over the past two days. Go change into it."

Warmth flickered in Jiang Bei's eyes, and the corners of his mouth rose unconsciously. "Xiao Rou, thank you."

"Why are you thanking me? Go take a bath and put on the new clothes first," Yu Rou urged gently.

"Alright."

Jiang Bei nodded. Before long, he had finished bathing, changed into the new clothes, and walked neatly over to Yu Rou.

"Husband, you're so handsome!" Yu Rou's cheeks reddened slightly, and she could not help rushing forward to wrap him in a tight embrace.

"Alright, I'll keep you company later. I'm going into seclusion first."

Jiang Bei said as he gently stroked her long, silky hair.

"Mm!"

Yu Rou nodded obediently.

Jiang Bei turned and entered a quiet room within the barracks. With a thought, he summoned the panel:

You killed the deeply sinful Xie Kaiyue. Merit Points +50!

You killed... Yang Ming. Merit Points +38

You killed...

Martial Arts: Xing Tian Gong (Mastery), Blood Wolf Saber Technique (Fourth Layer+), Cloud Shadow Steps (Second Layer+), Dragon Elephant Subduing Demon Skill (Not Yet Initiated+), Mysterious Iron Dragon Scale Body (Not Yet Begun+)

Realm: Eighth Rank Great Training

Merit Points: 210

Talent: Thousand Illusions True Eye

Dragon Elephant Subduing Demon Skill discovered. Can be upgraded. Requires 120 Merit Points. Upgrade?

Mysterious Iron Dragon Scale Body discovered. Can be upgraded. Requires 30 Merit Points. Upgrade?

Blood Wolf Saber Technique discovered. Can be upgraded. Requires 160 Merit Points. Upgrade?

Cloud Shadow Steps discovered. Can be upgraded. Requires 40 Merit Points. Upgrade?

"The Dragon Elephant Subduing Demon Skill is marked 'not yet leveled,' unlike the others marked 'not yet initiated.' Could this be the so-called Qi and Blood Method? Perfect—if I raise it to the first level, I should be able to break through directly to Seventh Rank!"

Jiang Bei studied the panel, pondering inwardly.

At the same time, he had not expected Xie Kaiyue to possess a full 50 Merit Points.

Even more than Ironwood Flying and those Barbarians!

It was clear just how many evil deeds he had committed!

This time, Jiang Bei had truly upheld justice on Heaven's behalf.

"Upgrade!"

Jiang Bei hesitated no longer. With a thought, he directly upgraded the Dragon Elephant Subduing Demon Skill.

In an instant, a surge of heat rose from his dantian and swept through his entire body like crashing waves!

"Boom!!"

His body jolted violently, and the blood qi within him suddenly began to boil.

Seventh Rank and Sixth Rank belonged to the Qi and Blood Stage, where the main focus was tempering one's blood qi.

This was also the greatest difference between Seventh Rank and Eighth Rank.

The Qi and Blood Stage was further divided into four phases: Blood Qi Gauze, Blood Qi Wolf Smoke, Blood Qi Furnace, and Blood Qi Like Dragon!

They corresponded respectively to Seventh Rank Lesser Training, Seventh Rank Major Refinement, Sixth Rank Lesser Training, and Sixth Rank Major Refinement.

Now, as the Dragon Elephant Subduing Demon Skill rose to the first level, the blood qi within Jiang Bei rapidly grew stronger.

Then it burst forth in a mighty rush.

Above his head, it formed into a gauze-like mist that hovered in the air!

He abruptly opened his eyes, a sharp gleam flashing within them as he felt power surge through his entire body.

He knew that Seventh Rank Lesser Training had been achieved!