As Long As Ideology Doesn't Slip

"Sir, you should still..."

"I said in two days, can't you understand human language?!"

Feeling the anger in the other party's tone, Chen Sanshi didn't dare to say more. He cupped his hands obediently and withdrew from the tent.

Wait two days?

He was afraid it wouldn't be two days, but two days after that.

By the time the ten-day assessment period ended, it would be too late.

"Others are willing to teach if I pay them, but they refuse if I pay?"

Even a fool could tell he was being deliberately targeted.

Chen Sanshi hadn't offended anyone since joining the army. Who was trying to make trouble for him?

Two possibilities.

One, Qin Xiong's brother!

He was wearing a military uniform, so Qin Feng couldn't touch him. Fearing that he might achieve something in martial arts, he was targeting him in this way.

But Qin Xiong's brother didn't even seem to be able to become a True Disciple, so he shouldn't have this much influence to get on the good side of the Hundred Household Commanders.

Therefore, the second possibility, Commander Luo.

Commander Luo's nephew was currently ranked second in speed for practicing posture training.

He was worried that he would steal Song Yan's future.

This made sense.

Chen Sanshi felt immense pressure.

Climbing up was truly one step at a time, with obstacles at every turn!

"How is it? Who taught you? I heard Commander Liu teaches the most patiently and is the best value."

Zhu Tong came over to inquire. Upon hearing the result, he was furious: "What nonsense! Taking money and not teaching?! I'm going to argue with him!"

"Old Zhu, you can't go."

Xu Wencai advised, "This Brother Chen has probably offended someone!"

"This..."

Zhu Tong scratched his head: "Then what should we do? Among these people, Stone practices the fastest. The qualification for the elite selection should be his."

"Or I can teach you secretly? No one should know."

"Old Zhu, you really don't need to."

Chen Sanshi didn't want to implicate others.

Even if the others had breathing techniques, he was still the fastest at practicing posture training.

It wasn't necessarily completely hopeless.

Thinking this, he took a Plum Blossom Spear from the Orchid Stand next to the training ground and began to practice.

"Spear technique?"

Zhu Tong was shocked: "Stone, you're already practicing spear techniques?!"

Not only him, but everyone in the training ground turned to look.

"It's fine!"

Zhu Tong shouted loudly: "Stone is so capable, and everyone isn't blind. As long as a military officer sees it and reports it, there will definitely be a lord willing to cherish talent."

Xu Wencai looked at him with the eyes one would use for a child and shook his head slightly.

Clearly, the reality was not like that.

The higher-ups were not present, but there were quite a few Squad Leaders. However, no one was prepared to meddle in other people's business.

Including Xu Bin, who happened to be passing by.

When he arrived at the army camp today, he heard the clerks in the armory talking about how his fellow villager was a Master Archer, likely to become a Warrior Recruit, so he wanted to take a look.

Then, he saw Chen Sanshi being targeted, unable to learn breathing techniques even after spending money.

"This kid, he's offended someone as soon as he arrived."

Xu Bin glanced in the direction where the Lord Thousand Households usually worked, took a step towards it, but quickly retracted it. Finally, he sighed and went home.

"Your second uncle! It must be your second uncle!"

Zhu Tong grabbed Song Yan's collar: "It was your second uncle who was giving Stone a hard time."

"I... I don't know!"

Song Yan's face turned red: "I didn't ask my second uncle to do this!"

"Hmph!"

Zhu Tong cursed: "In my opinion, there's no need for an assessment. Just give the qualification for the elite selection directly to you."

"I'm going to find my second uncle."

Song Yan broke free and ran straight out of the military camp.

Inside the tent, he found his uncle and voiced his question.

"What do you mean?"

Commander Luo, who was reading a military book at his desk, looked up. "Isn't this a good thing?"

He looked at his nephew's clear eyes, put down the military book, and continued:

"I do have that intention, but let alone that I haven't been promoted to Deputy Thousand Households yet, even if I were, the other Hundred Household Commanders, especially Fatty Wang, wouldn't all be willing to listen to me.

"Actually, it was yesterday, when the Lord Thousand Households sent us to cooperate with the martial arts school to search the entire city for barbarian assassins. After it was over, the Young Master of the Tianyuan Martial Arts Academy invited us for drinks, and on the wine table, he mentioned that kid's name.

"Heaven knows how he offended people from the martial arts school.

"We've all benefited from the Tianyuan Martial Arts Academy's kindness for many years, so naturally, we have to give them face."

"This..."

Song Yan lowered his head. "Isn't this too unfair to him?"

"Unfair to y—"

Luo Dongquan felt helpless towards his naive nephew. He put down the military book he almost threw: "Yan'er, why do you care about others? Focus on cultivating properly and obtaining the elite selection qualification. Entering the Governor's Mansion in the future is what you should be concerned about!

Do you know that without a master, without a family background, you'll never be able to wear the scarlet robe embroidered with cranes in this lifetime! Becoming a subordinate of Governor Sun is your only hope! Go out, don't bother me anymore."

Meanwhile, in Commander Wang's tent, two or three Hundred Household Commanders were gathered.

"Hey Fatty Wang, you're quite ruthless."

Commander Xiong teased. "It's one thing that you don't teach him, but why did you take the silver too."

"Hahahaha, I'll treat my brothers to drinks later."

Wang Zhi was very proud.

"But..."

Commander Liu said solemnly: "I remember that Chen Sanshi seemed to be the fastest in practicing posture training in this batch. What a shame for such a good seedling."

"When has the army ever lacked good seedlings? I learned posture training in a day and a night back in my day."

Wang Zhi sneered. "What the army lacks are true geniuses. Posture training in half a day, spear techniques in three days, that's worth cultivating."

"That's true. After all, in this broken place, if we give a little more resources to others, we'll have less for ourselves."

Commander Liu stroked his chin. "But if this kid doesn't make it, it's estimated that the elite selection qualification will fall to Commander Luo's nephew. If he can really be selected into the elites of the Eight Great Camps, he might even be able to bring Commander Luo along in the future. That would truly be soaring to success!

"Speaking of which, Fatty Wang, if you could bring a genius, maybe you could return to the Eight Great Camps. You're not content to stay in this broken place forever, are you?"

"I want to, but where the hell am I supposed to find a genius?"

Wang Zhi played with a silver ingot in his hand, ending the topic.

Training ground.

Chen Sanshi began practicing his spear techniques.

With his excellent memory, it was as if a slideshow was playing in his mind, replaying the scenes of Commander Wang demonstrating the spear techniques earlier.

Posture training was already extremely draining.

Adding spear techniques on top of that, Chen Sanshi immediately felt as if the strength in his body was being sucked dry by a water pump. Fortunately, he was mentally prepared and persevered.

Every time he swung the Plum Blossom Spear, his heart would race, and his lungs would feel constricted, like reaching the limit of running, with a bloody taste in his throat.

Breathing techniques were likely auxiliary, meant to alleviate pain and speed up cultivation.

If they were merely auxiliary, it meant that without breathing techniques, it was still possible to learn the complete spear techniques.

It would just mean enduring more pain than others.

As for speed, as long as one practiced fast enough, a relative slowdown wouldn't matter much.

As long as the mind doesn't falter, there are always more solutions than difficulties!

Chen Sanshi gritted his teeth, continuing to swing the iron spear in his hand.