The Person Behind the Scenes

Entangling Force is the second stage of Internal Breath within the "Three Talents Slash," not merely a simple application of strength. It requires condensing the Yin-cold internal energy of the Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique onto the blade, forming spiraling force. This force can both deflect the opponent's internal energy and tear through armor like an iron hook, making it more refined and lethal than Shocking Force.

It was only when he truly mastered this power that Lin Zhao suddenly realized the profound depth of the sword path far exceeded his imagination. "Uncle Zhao once said that mastering Entangling Force is equivalent to grasping the foundation of a superior sword art. With the internal energy from the fourth tier of the Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique as my base, combined with this sword art, and adding the Silver Frost Step from the third tier of the Mystic Wolf Breathing Technique, what is my current strength level? When Uncle Zhao returns, I must spar with him properly."

Despite his words, he felt no arrogance. He had only just begun to grasp the rudiments of Entangling Force; the force could only condense within three inches of the blade.

Zhao Tieying had immersed himself in this path for over a decade. He might have already mastered "high-tier Entangling Force," allowing his force to extend half a foot from his body. The gap between them remained.

The joy of successive breakthroughs completely eased Lin Zhao's long-suppressed emotions.

He stretched his waist and arms. As his Internal Breath flowed, his bones and muscles emitted faint "crackling" sounds. "Entering Martial Master is divided into four tiers: low-tier (Qi Seed initial condensation), mid-tier (Qi Seed formation), high-tier (Qi Seed refinement), and peak (Qi Seed perfection). Only the Grandmaster Warrior of the Heavenly Gang Realm is not divided into ranks.

I just broke through, so by rights, I should be low-tier. But in terms of actual combat, with Entangling Force and Silver Frost Step, I might be able to contend with a mid-tier Martial Master."

He wanted to find someone to spar with, but the guards in the fortress had only practiced the Basic Slash and Stab Technique at most, not even qualifying as Martial Trainees. "Three Talents Slash" was a Killing Move, so how could he easily use it on his own people? "Forget it, I'll go to the Blacksmith Shed to forge iron. Blacksmithing can both stabilize my internal force and allow me to study the forging methods for the Pulse Protecting Pattern. It's killing two birds with one stone."

For Lin Zhao, Martial Arts Blacksmithing was no longer just a means of livelihood, but a way to temper his mind and refine his internal force. When swinging the hammer, he needed to circulate his Internal Breath to control his strength; when quenching, he needed to focus on sensing the heat. These were complementary to practicing force, and neither could be omitted.

The furnace fire ignited, and the bellows roared with a "whoosh." The Tiger Fang Dagger left by the assassin was thrown into the Mystic Iron smelting furnace.

Before the smelting furnace, Lin Zhao stood bare-chested, sweat dripping down the grooves of his muscles, splashing onto the scorching anvil and creating tiny sparks.

The hammer fell with a continuous "ding-dong" sound. His Internal Breath, following the rhythm of the hammer blows, was infused bit by bit into the red-hot iron.

As time flowed, a dark ink-colored short knife about a foot long gradually took shape. The blade was narrow and sharp, the hilt wrapped with anti-slip cowhide, and three shallow grooves were carved on the back of the blade. This was his newly devised "Entangling Force Pulse Protecting Pattern," which could better receive the force.

After quenching, tempering, and other processes, the notification sound from the Proficiency Panel chimed in time: [Martial Arts Blacksmithing Proficiency +10].

Lin Zhao picked up the short knife and swung it a few times, slowly infusing Entangling Force into it. The blade actually showed faint, dark, spiraling energy patterns. When he slashed it at the wooden post beside him, the cut was smooth with no burrs, and even the wood shavings scattered in a spiral pattern.

"Just as Uncle Zhao said, the Entangling Force of 'Three Talents Slash' is more like a method of applying internal force. If practiced to a high level, even blunt weapons like hammers and clubs can be used." He marveled, regretting that his current realm was insufficient, and the force could only condense on a sharp blade.

Comparing it to the Cold Steel Cold Moon Sword at his waist, Lin Zhao found that the newly forged Mystic Iron short knife could withstand the impact of Entangling Force better. "It's ultimately a matter of material. The Frost Condensation Sword is cast from ordinary refined iron, and its internal energy is easily depleted when circulating. This short knife is mixed with thirty percent Mystic Iron, and the Pulse Protecting Pattern fits Entangling Force, making it a truly handy weapon. If I can find Meteorite Iron in the future, I must forge a dedicated 'Entangling Force Sword'."

After finishing the forging, Lin Zhao returned to the main office and had someone build a private secret room behind the rockery in the backyard according to his drawings. After this assassination attempt, he dared not be careless in the slightest. The secret room needed a Mystic Iron gate and had to be connected to the Mystic Arm Snow Ape's enclosure to ensure absolute safety.

The next day, at dawn, hurried hoofbeats shattered the fortress's tranquility.

Zhao Tieying, leading five guards, returned from a dusty journey. Their armor was covered in mud and snow, and their faces showed fatigue, but it couldn't hide the solemnity in their eyes.

Lin Zhao strode forward to meet him, smiling and asking, "Uncle Zhao, was your trip to Northern Garrison City smooth?"

"I have fulfilled my mission, Young Master." Zhao Tieying dismounted and took an oilcloth bag from his embrace, handing it over. "The armor has been given to 'Iron Mask.' This is the payment, and also a bottle of Pangolin Dragon Essence. Ruibao斋 only had this last bottle left, and I bought it at a high price."

Lin Zhao opened the oilcloth bag. Inside was a stack of banknotes with a face value of fifty taels, totaling thirty sheets, and a black ceramic bottle. He pulled out the stopper, and the unique, fishy aroma of Pangolin Dragon Essence wafted towards him.

The worry in his heart finally subsided. Zhao Tieying was a Peak Martial Master. As long as he didn't provoke a Heavenly Gang Realm Grandmaster Warrior, ordinary people couldn't harm him.

"Thank you for your hard work, Uncle Zhao." Lin Zhao put away the items and asked again, "Does Ruibao斋 still have any stock of Pangolin Dragon Essence? My Mystic Dragon Secret Medicine is almost gone."

Zhao Tieying shook his head, his expression becoming grave. "No, the shopkeeper said there won't be any for a while. I inquired and found out that Wala has banned the export of Pangolin Dragon Essence. They also need Pangolin Dragon Essence as a tempering auxiliary material for their Northern Desert Howling Wolf Breathing Technique. With the border conflicts currently intense, they simply blocked it, and the Pangolin Dragon Essence within their borders has become scarce.

Furthermore, the imperial family is practicing the Five-Clawed Golden Dragon Art and is rushing to acquire the remaining stock. The current market price has tripled; it's hard to buy even with money."

"In that case, to obtain Pangolin Dragon Essence in the future, I'll either have to wait for the border to reopen, or go into Wala territory to find it?" Lin Zhao frowned, not expecting the border conflict to affect his cultivation resources.

"Without the Pangolin Dragon Essence for the Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique's secret medicine, the cultivation progress will be at least halved," he mused inwardly. "Fortunately, the current stock is enough to last for two more months, so there's no need to rush. I can take my time to find a solution."

Returning to the main hall, Zhao Tieying stared at Lin Zhao for a moment before suddenly smiling, "Young Master, you've broken through to Entering Martial Master? Your internal energy is condensed and not scattered, and your eyes have brightened considerably."

"Yes, I condensed the Mystic Dragon Seed a few days ago, and I've also mastered Entangling Force with the 'Three Talents Slash'." Lin Zhao didn't hide anything. Zhao Tieying was the person he trusted the most. Before his father passed away, he had entrusted Lin Family Fortress and Lin Zhao himself to this old subordinate. If not for Zhao Tieying's loyalty, he, as a young orphan, would never have been able to hold onto the family business.

"To become an Entering Martial Master in three years and also master Entangling Force, you're even faster than your father was!" Zhao Tieying's eyes reddened, his voice choked with emotion. "If Father knew in the afterlife that you've become so accomplished, he would surely smile... It's just a pity he couldn't see this day."

After the master and servant calmed their emotions, Lin Zhao recounted the assassination attempt that night and produced the Ebony Night Raven Mask.

Zhao Tieying took the mask, his fingers tracing the raven pattern on it, his expression instantly becoming grave. "This is a 'Black Raven Mask'!"

"Black Raven?" Lin Zhao pressed.

"Legend has it that the Black Raven is a strange beast from the shoulder of the 'Netherworld Martial Venerate.' Its cry signifies the arrival of lost souls. There is an assassination organization in the martial arts world whose members wear these masks when they act. They specialize in high-priced assassinations—whether commoners or nobility, as long as they are paid enough, they even dare to kill garrison martial officers."

Zhao Tieying said solemnly, "This organization is called 'Night Raven Tower.' Their whereabouts are very secretive. The imperial court has sent Martial Masters to suppress them several times, but they haven't been able to eradicate them. There are even rumors that their shadow is behind several official assassinations in recent years."

"Oh? Such a powerful organization exists?" Lin Zhao was slightly surprised.

"What's even more troublesome is that the founder of Night Raven Tower is rumored to be that mysterious 'Myriad Illusions Martial Saint,' Ji Hanying," Zhao Tieying lowered his voice further.

Myriad Illusions Martial Saint Ji Hanying—these six words struck Lin Zhao like thunder.

This Martial Saint might be the most mysterious Legendary Master Warrior in the Great Ming for hundreds of years. No one knew his real name, no one knew when he broke through to the Legendary realm, and no one had even seen his true appearance.

It was only known that he had once, single-handedly, repelled the siege of over a dozen Peak Grandmaster Warriors from the Northern Desert, and had also left behind several superior martial arts techniques such as Myriad Illusions Step and Phantom Blade. The title "Myriad Illusions Martial Saint" had long been deeply etched into the hearts of martial artists in the Jianghu.

If Night Raven Tower was indeed founded by him, then the foundation of this organization was truly terrifying.

"Uncle Zhao, in your opinion, who wants to harm me?" Lin Zhao collected his thoughts and asked.

Zhao Tieying pondered for a moment, then said solemnly, "Most likely Duke Wei, Xu Qin."

"But he had the chance to kill me six years ago, why wait until now?" Lin Zhao was puzzled. Six years ago, his father had just died, and he was alone and helpless in Jiangnan Prefecture. If Xu Qin wanted to silence him, it would have been easy.

"Circumstances have changed," Zhao Tieying explained. "Six years ago, it was the height of the border war. When Master had just died in battle, the imperial court was posthumously honoring him as 'Black Dragon General.' If Xu Qin had acted against you then, it would have easily drawn suspicion from the court and earned him the reputation of 'bullying the descendant of a loyal minister.'

Now, six years have passed. Master's name has long been forgotten. Your position as a minor Centurion of Lin Family Fortress is, in the eyes of others, merely an insignificant descendant of military merit in the north.

Hiring the Black Raven Tower to kill you now would both cut the weeds and eliminate the roots, and no one would pursue it. It's the most suitable time for him.

What he didn't expect was that in six years, you've grown from a child into an Entering Martial Master capable of facing a killer from the Black Raven Tower."

"Could it be Daoist Zhang from the Celestial Masters' Manor?" Lin Zhao asked again.

"Unlikely," Zhao Tieying shook his head. "If the Celestial Masters' Manor wanted to deal with you, they wouldn't need to resort to assassination.

Princes and nobles have to consider laws and regulations when killing each other; the Celestial Masters' Manor, with its reputation as 'Guardians of the Realm,' is the martial arts rule of the North itself. If they wanted to deal with you, they could directly send their Dharma protectors and Martial Master Corps to 'suppress rebels,' which would be legitimate.

Besides, that Daoist Zhang only cares about the silver for military supplies. You've already agreed to pay, so there's no reason for him to risk killing you and cutting off this long-term income."

Lin Zhao felt his words made sense—the Duke Wei was indeed the most suspicious.

After all, the Lin family's Furong Manor and Iron Stove Mountain properties in Jiangnan not only had fertile land but also concealed a small Mystic Iron ore vein. Xu Qin had forcibly occupied them for years and already considered them his own.

He, the "orphan of the Black Dragon General," was a thorn in Xu Qin's side. Even though he had played the part of a "prodigal son" all these years, as long as he was alive, there was a possibility of rising up for revenge.

"Being a small fortress lord is so difficult," Lin Zhao couldn't help but sigh. "I've been so low-key, not fighting for anything, yet those important figures still see me as a thorn in their side and are determined to eliminate me."

Those high and mighty nobles, who could stir up storms and were full of schemes, had never truly taken him seriously.

But he, Lin Zhao, was the worst at political maneuvering and struggles. There was only one thing he could do—bury his head in cultivation, max out his proficiency, and when his strength was sufficient, he would smash those people's dog heads, trample their faces, and reclaim everything that belonged to the Lin family!

"Young Master, although you've become an Entering Martial Master, the gap between you and Duke Wei is still worlds apart," Zhao Tieying said urgently as he saw a fiery glint in Lin Zhao's eyes. "Xu Qin himself is a peak Entering Martial Master, and his subordinates, General Bloody Hand Zhou Yan and General White Shirt Wang Jun, are also Grandmaster Warriors. He also commands thousands of well-equipped private soldiers. Whether it's personal combat prowess or troop strength, he far surpasses us. You must not act impulsively!"

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing," Lin Zhao suppressed the anger in his heart. "From now on, we'll live as usual, but two things will change: First, half of the armor and weapons we forge each month will be kept for our own use. I want to select a hundred strong men from the estate guards and train them into 'Mystic Iron Elite Soldiers,' each equipped with Mystic Iron Plate Armor and long sabers with Pulse Protecting Patterns.

Second, if there's an opportunity, I want to purchase a batch of Hetao War Horses to train cavalry. On the battlefield with cold weapons, cavalry is the dominant force. Without cavalry, even more infantry will struggle to resist a strong enemy."

Cavalry was the troop type he most desperately needed right now. In a high-martial-arts world, cavalry was far more intimidating than in his previous life: warhorses had to be able to withstand the Internal Breath enhancement of a Martial Master, horse armor had to be forged from Mystic Iron, and riders had to practice the Mounted Combat Breathing Exercise. When charging, the impact of the warhorses combined with the rider's internal energy meant that even a Peak Martial Master would have to avoid the charge of ten cavalry.

An Entering Martial Master might be able to fight twenty infantrymen, but facing ten cavalrymen, they would be helpless.

With a hundred cavalry, he could sweep through the Centurion territories around the Northern Desert. With several hundred cavalry, even a Count's manor would have to be wary. As for thousands of cavalry, he didn't dare to even think about it yet. In the past, during border wars, the imperial court conscripted the entire nation and could only muster over fifty thousand cavalry, which showed how precious cavalry was.

Lin Zhao had initially intended to stay in Lin Family Fortress, cultivate and forge in peace, but reality forced him to strategize.

In this chaotic world, without military strength, even the strongest personal combat prowess couldn't protect one's family business.

He had to train an elite force to survive in the cracks between Duke Wei and the Celestial Masters' Manor.

Although his idea was clear, the practical difficulties lay before him—warhorses were too expensive.

He had inquired about the market price. A Hetao War Horse capable of withstanding Internal Breath enhancement cost one hundred and fifty taels of silver, a full double the price of an ordinary warhorse.

For a hundred warhorses, the purchase alone would cost fifteen thousand taels, not including horse armor, lances, let alone the fact that warhorses needed tens of pounds of fodder daily, and to maintain their condition, they had to be mixed with bran and beans—it was simply a bottomless pit of money.

"No matter how difficult it is, we have to do it. We'll slowly save up the silver," Lin Zhao gritted his teeth. "We can forge the armor and weapons ourselves, saving a lot of money. We'll train the elite soldiers first, and find an opportunity for the warhorses later."

"I agree with the Young Master's idea," Zhao Tieying nodded. "If we want to reclaim our ancestral property in Jiangnan in the future, cavalry will be indispensable. However, the fortress's finances are indeed tight right now, so we need to make long-term plans. Oh, and one more thing—that 'Iron Mask' Martial Master you traded armor with, I might know his background."

"Oh? Who is it?" Lin Zhao's eyes lit up.

"The second-in-command of the Wild Jackal Gang, Diao Kui," Zhao Tieying said in a deep voice. "When I was inquiring in the black market of Northern Garrison City, someone said that 'Iron Mask' often delivered armor to the Wild Jackal Gang and that he has a knife scar on his left hand—exactly the same as Diao Kui's.

The Wild Jackal Gang previously abducted Zhang Laochui, likely to force him to forge armor. Now they're buying armor from you, probably to expand their army and with significant ambitions."