The General Trend

Thirty-Six Forms of Spearplay.

Each form contained another Eighteen Variations.

Chen Sanshi forced himself to finish practicing the first three forms.

At the same time, aided by the Breathing Method, Song Yan also finished his stance training and began practicing spearplay, catching up by quite a bit.

"If only I could practice at a faster pace through sheer effort!"

Chen Sanshi stopped.

He planned to pause for now and raise his archery to the Minor Mastery level.

The last time he broke through to Proficiency, his bones and physique had improved somewhat. If he practiced to Minor Mastery, the effects might be even better.

"Food!"

The garrison was over twenty li from Yanbian Village—not too close, yet not too far. To save time, he did not return home to eat. Instead, he went to a small eatery in the Military Colony village run by an elderly retired couple.

"Five jin of cooked beef, a bucket of millet rice, and another chicken."

Chen Sanshi and Zhu Tong had just finished ordering when someone else came over and sat down.

"You lazy bastard who works your mother to death, what are you doing here?!"

Zhu Tong did not look pleased.

"Brother Chen!"

Ignoring him, Xu Wencai grinned at Shi Ge'er and said, "Our pay will not be issued until next month. I am utterly penniless and truly starving. May I join you for a bite?"

"Of course."

Chen Sanshi added two small dishes and some staple food.

"Brother Chen is truly a righteous man. You will achieve great things someday!"

Without the slightest hesitation, Xu Wencai tore off a chicken leg and began eating, grease running all over his mouth.

"Stone, you are just too kindhearted!"

Zhu Tong cursed, "What is the use of feeding him? He is nothing but trash."

"Who is trash? Maybe someday, you will have to bask in my glory! Besides, I am not eating for nothing. I will explain the General Trend of the world and broaden your horizons!"

In just a few bites, Xu Wencai cleaned the chicken leg down to the bone. He sucked at it noisily until not a shred of meat remained, then licked his lips and spoke in an extremely low voice, "Gentlemen, how do you think the fate of the Great Sheng Dynasty stands?"

"Of course it has not run out."

Zhu Tong said gloomily, "Though the officials are more detestable than the last, there are still over two million government soldiers and many great generals. I heard the rebellions in the south have all been suppressed successfully."

"Wrong!"

Xu Wencai kept talking while secretly tearing off another chicken leg.

Zhu Tong looked around, and only after making sure no one was nearby did he say, "You mean the barbarians will eventually destroy our Great Sheng?"

"Completely wrong!"

Xu Wencai shook his head repeatedly. "The barbarians may appear fierce these past years, but with Governor Sun around, they will ultimately never accomplish anything great.

"I dare say that Great Sheng will perish at the hands of its own people!

"Do not look at how these rebellions are always swiftly suppressed. Before long, more will emerge. Given enough time, there will eventually come a day when they cannot be contained."

At that moment, Chen Sanshi interjected, "A spark can start a prairie fire."

"Hiss—"

Xu Wencai was visibly stunned upon hearing this. He smacked his lips as though savoring fine wine, then abruptly slapped his thigh. "Wonderful words! Exquisite, utterly exquisite words!

"That is exactly what I meant!

"Brother Chen truly deserves to be called a fellow scholar, to speak such marvelous words!"

"I did not say that..."

Chen Sanshi explained, "Brother Xu, please continue."

"Ahem!"

Xu Wencai cleared his throat. "I declare that within five years, the world will fall into complete chaos! It will utterly wring dry the remaining fate of the Great Sheng Dynasty! Only then will it be the day for Mr. Sleeping Dragon to spread his wings and display his grand ambitions!"

"Give it a rest!"

Zhu Tong found him unbearably long-winded. "All you do from dawn to dusk is spout nonsense. First think about how to learn stance training. If you cannot even learn stance training, you will not be fit to serve as a formation soldier. You will probably end up tending horses or repairing city walls."

Chen Sanshi looked at Xu Wencai, a trace of surprise in his eyes.

He had received nine years of education. Having come to this sort of world, it was not strange that he could see the Great Sheng Dynasty's fate was nearing its end and that troubled times were approaching.

But Xu Wencai was a native, and a rural native at that. It truly was not easy for him to make such a judgment.

Though his constant shameless comparisons to a chancellor were rather embarrassing, he probably did have some real ability.

Once the idle chatter ended, the group lowered their heads and dug into their food.

After eating and drinking their fill.

Chen Sanshi did not continue practicing martial arts. Instead, he took his bow and arrows to the target range.

The more likely the world was to fall into chaos, the more he needed to strengthen himself. Not only did he need great ability, he also needed high status, so that he could remain safe and sound amid the raging torrent.

He drew his bow and nocked an arrow.

Bang bang bang bang bang—

Thunderous blasts rang out across the Training Ground.

After firing more than fifty arrows, Chen Sanshi's arm began to ache, but he did not dare stop. He kept aiming and firing, one arrow after another.

Rustle, rustle—

"Keep up!"

"..."

By afternoon, the Military Camp suddenly grew restless.

Several Hundred Household Commanders gathered their respective soldiers. More than three hundred fully armed men hurried toward Poyang County.

They are not heading to the Great Wall, so enemy raiders are not attacking.

But what could have happened in Poyang County to warrant mobilizing so many people?

Most likely, it is another citywide search for barbarian assassins.

Not long ago, Chen Sanshi had thought barbarian assassins would have nothing to do with him in this lifetime. Now, it seemed possible that he would have to take part in such an operation later.

"Forget it. Keep practicing archery."

Bang bang bang bang bang—

As they led their troops past the target range, the Hundred Household Commanders were all drawn by the ear-splitting sound of arrows.

"Heh, has this kid given up? Instead of practicing martial arts, he came to practice archery."

Commander Xiong held a bamboo toothpick between his teeth.

"Without a Breathing Method, the pain of practicing a Cultivation Technique is multiplied. How could an ordinary person endure it?"

Commander Liu gave a surprised sound. "A Two-stone bow? Hitting a target at seventy paces every time? This kid is a Master Archer after all!"

"He really is."

Commander Xiong also revealed a surprised look.

Commander Liu clicked his tongue in wonder. "Who knows how he offended Tianyuan Martial Arts Academy. What a pity, what a pity..."

"Oh?"

Commander Xiong raised his brows. "Old Liu, that look in your eyes is a little suggestive. Have you taken a liking to him?"

"I do cherish talent somewhat."

Commander Liu gazed toward the target range. "How about this? Later, I will ask the Young Master of the Academy how this kid offended him. If it is not something serious, I will help settle it.

"But let us be clear—you cannot compete with me for him."

"I do not have the leisure for that."

Commander Xiong looked to his left. "Fatty Wang, what about you?"

"I, Wang Zhi, have seen true geniuses in the Eight Great Camps. Do you think I would fancy this sort of goods?"

Wang Zhi said disdainfully, "Hurry up. We will muddle through things in the city, then drink with courtesans tonight."

Bang—

At the target range.

Chen Sanshi practiced alone from daylight until nightfall.

To save time, he did not even go eat dinner. He merely had Zhu Tong bring him some meat and dry rations.

His strength was exhausted.

The two-stone bow became incomparably heavy.

Chen Sanshi slowly raised his arm, hooked the bowstring with trembling fingers, and fired an arrow with every ounce of his strength.

Bang—

The arrow pierced through the target once more.

At the same time, the System Panel reappeared.

Skill: Archery (Minor Mastery)

Progress: (0/1000)

Effect: Monkey Arms and Bee Waist, Surprising Bones; Three shots in an instant, hit the willow at a hundred paces