Wolf Fang Stronghold had become a sea of fire and an Asura battlefield.
Its commander, "Vulture," had been slain in formation, its provisions burned, and fires blazed through many tents. Coupled with Vanguard Camp's fierce, well-prepared assault, the Northern Barbarian defenders' resistance swiftly crumbled like a landslide. What remained was a one-sided pursuit of fleeing enemies—and... merciless cleanup.
By the time Chen Qing returned to the rendezvous point, Old Niu, Sun Quezi, and the others were already waiting there. Everyone was wounded, yet their eyes gleamed with excitement. When they saw the savage wound on Chen Qing's left arm and his blood-soaked form, with Killing Intent only growing stronger around him, their hearts tightened before deeper awe surged within them.
"Squad Leader!"
Chen Qing nodded and swept his gaze over them. All ten men were present; none had been lost. Only Hei Wa had taken a saber slash to the shoulder. The wound was not shallow, but his life was not in danger.
"How is the situation?"
"Reporting to Squad Leader, we burned two small grain stores and slaughtered seven or eight Northern Barbarian bastards!" Old Niu reported excitedly. "The other groups did about the same. The stronghold's completely in chaos!"
"Well done." Chen Qing gave a faint word of praise, then turned his gaze toward the Northern Barbarian rout soldiers still putting up a desperate resistance or trying to flee. "Those who can still move, come with me. The wounded, bandage yourselves where you are and look after one another."
He had no intention of resting. The battle was not yet over, which meant there was still moving "proficiency" to be gained. Especially from those scattered Northern Barbarian Officers and elite troops—the returns they offered far surpassed those of ordinary soldiers.
"I'm fine! I'm going with Squad Leader!" Old Niu was the first to roar. Though he had taken a few hits himself, they were all flesh wounds.
Sun Quezi and several other lightly wounded soldiers also voiced their support.
Chen Qing said no more. Saber in hand, he charged toward the direction where the cries of battle were thickest and where the routed soldiers were chiefly fleeing. Old Niu and the others immediately followed close behind.
They were like a sharp blade, specially intercepting and slaughtering Northern Barbarian Soldiers who remained in organized groups or tried to gather and resist. Chen Qing led from the front. His Black Tiger Saber Technique, now fully integrated, grew ever more practiced and ruthless in actual combat. Combined with the formidable defense and strength granted by Fierce Tiger Iron Body, he found almost no opponent able to withstand a single exchange wherever he passed.
He specifically targeted Northern Barbarian Officers and hardened soldiers wearing iron armor and exuding stronger auras. Whenever his saber flashed, heads fell or severed limbs flew. Old Niu and the others dealt with the ordinary soldiers whom Chen Qing had frightened out of their wits, filling in any gaps and picking off stragglers.
[Killed Northern Barbarian Decurion, gained qi and blood and Killing Intent, Fierce Tiger Iron Body proficiency +18] [Killed Northern Barbarian hardened soldier...] [Black Tiger Saber Technique proficiency +15]
The system notifications rang continuously in his mind like the most exquisite melody. The Killing Intent within him grew increasingly active and refined with every slaughter, blending ever more tightly with his qi and blood. Wrapped in black-red Killing Intent, the wound on his left arm had already stopped bleeding, and even began to itch and tingle.
He was like an untiring killing machine, efficiently and coldly harvesting lives. The vicious, baleful aura that gathered without dispersing made Old Niu and the others following behind him feel their hearts pound in terror, while driving them into even greater fervor. Following a Squad Leader like this not only gave them a better chance of surviving, but also made earning military merit feel exhilarating!
When the last darkness before dawn was dispersed by the fish-belly white at the horizon, the resistance within Wolf Fang Stronghold had largely subsided. Apart from a small number of Northern Barbarian rout soldiers who escaped into the wilderness, most of the defenders had been wiped out.
Vanguard Camp began methodically clearing the battlefield, tallying the spoils, burning enemy corpses, and gathering their fallen comrades.
Chen Qing finally stopped as well. Leaning on his ring-pommel saber, he breathed lightly. Even with his Bone Forging Realm cultivation and the formidable strength of Fierce Tiger Iron Body, the consecutive high-intensity slaughter had left him somewhat weary. Yet as he felt the increasingly vigorous qi and blood within him, along with his more condensed Killing Intent, this bit of fatigue was not worth mentioning.
He looked toward the light screen.
[Host: Chen Qing] [Realm: Bone Forging Realm (Early Stage)—(Stabilized, nearing Mid Stage)] [Martial Art: Black Tiger Fist (Fully Integrated, Proficiency: 1980/5000)] [Martial Art: Black Tiger Saber Technique (Fully Integrated, Proficiency: 1850/5000)] [Martial Art: Fierce Tiger Iron Body (Initial Glimpse, Proficiency: 720/1000)]
The harvest had been enormous! Fierce Tiger Iron Body in particular was already not far from breaking through to Slight Accomplishment.
"Squad Leader Chen!" A messenger ran over and respectfully saluted Chen Qing. "The Commandant summons you. Please come with me."
Chen Qing nodded and instructed Old Niu, "Take the brothers to treat their wounds and tally the spoils."
"Yes, Squad Leader!"
Following the messenger to the open ground at the center of Wolf Fang Stronghold, Chen Qing found that the area had already been cleared. Commandant Zhou Han stood beside the fallen Vulture banner, surrounded by several Squad Leaders, including Squad Leader Zhao and Zhao Tie.
Zhou Han's gaze fell upon the approaching Chen Qing, lingering for a moment on the savage wound on his left arm and the Killing Intent still not fully dispersed around him. The other Squad Leaders also looked toward Chen Qing with varied expressions—surprise, scrutiny, and undisguised admiration.
"You are Chen Qing?" Zhou Han asked. His voice remained steady, though it had lost some of its earlier cold hardness.
"This subordinate is here."
"In last night's surprise attack, your unit was the first to infiltrate, eliminate the hidden sentries, and slay the enemy chief, 'Vulture,' in formation. Your merits are beyond measure!" Zhou Han raised his voice so everyone nearby could hear. "I have recorded your foremost merit! You are awarded three hundred taels of silver and three Qi and Blood Condensing Pills!"
A wave of soft gasps rose from the crowd. Three hundred taels of silver was already a lavish reward, while Qi and Blood Condensing Pills were valuable medicines of great benefit to Bone Forging Realm martial artists! The foremost merit for slaying the enemy chief was wholly deserved!
"Thank you, Commandant!" Chen Qing clasped his fists, his expression calm and showing little excitement.
Zhou Han's appreciation deepened. Unarrogant and unhurried—he was good material. Zhou Han continued, "Your skills are extraordinary. Keeping you as a Squad Leader would be wasting your talent. You are promoted to Deputy Squad Leader. For now, you will lead your original squad and serve under Squad Leader Zhao. Once we return to camp, your troop numbers will be filled out."
Deputy Squad Leader! Though it was only a deputy position, it was already an official military rank, far beyond that of a Squad Leader! Moreover, allowing him to temporarily command his original men clearly showed immense trust and favor.
"This subordinate accepts the order and will not disappoint the Commandant's high expectations!" Chen Qing answered in a deep voice.
"Good!" Zhou Han patted his shoulder with no light force. "Go rest properly and bandage your wound. A great battle is imminent, and Vanguard Camp needs a sharp blade like you!"
"Yes!"
Chen Qing saluted once more and turned to leave. From beginning to end, he had not given the other Squad Leaders a second glance. His manner was neither servile nor overbearing.
Watching his departing figure, one Squad Leader could not help saying to Zhou Han, "Commandant, this boy's Killing Intent is extremely heavy, and his attacks are ruthless. I fear he has cultivated some... technique that harms the harmony of heaven. Promoting him so quickly, is that truly..."
Zhou Han waved a hand and interrupted him, his gaze profound. "In troubled times, harsh laws are needed; an army needs fierce generals. So long as he can kill enemies and his loyalty can be relied upon, what does a little Killing Intent amount to? Or would you rather have soft eggs whose legs turn to jelly at the sight of blood?"
Everyone fell silent.
Squad Leader Zhao smiled and added, "The Commandant is right. Though Chen Qing is wrapped in Killing Intent, he carries out military orders decisively and is quite protective of those under his command. He is a talent worth molding."
Zhou Han nodded and said no more, beginning to arrange the subsequent defenses and withdrawal.
When Chen Qing returned to the area where his squad was resting, Old Niu and the others immediately gathered around him. Learning that Chen Qing had been promoted to Deputy Squad Leader, they cheered with delight. With their commanding officer rising in rank, they, his direct subordinates, would naturally rise with the tide.
Chen Qing distributed most of the awarded silver among his men, keeping only a small portion and the three Qi and Blood Condensing Pills for himself. What he needed was strength; wealth was merely something outside the body, perfectly suited for winning people's hearts.
This made Old Niu and the others so grateful that tears filled their eyes, and they became utterly devoted to him.
He found a relatively clean tent and began treating the wound on his left arm. After pulling out the curved saber, the wound was deep enough to nearly expose bone. He circulated Fierce Tiger Iron Body, directing his qi, blood, and Killing Intent toward the injury.
The overturned flesh, wrapped in black-red aura, slowly wriggled and closed at a speed visible to the naked eye. Though it was not especially fast, compared to ordinary wound medicine, the effect was as different as heaven and earth.
"Fierce Tiger Iron Body... not only provides defense, but can also speed recovery from injuries?" Chen Qing came to this realization, and his assessment of this mutated technique rose another level. Though it came with the risk of Killing Intent eroding his mind, its power was beyond doubt.
He swallowed a Qi and Blood Condensing Pill. Its pure medicinal power dissolved and swiftly replenished what he had expended, while faintly pushing the proficiency of Fierce Tiger Iron Body upward.
When the beacon smoke over Wolf Fang Stronghold finally died away completely, Vanguard Camp quietly withdrew to the main camp with its spoils and the bodies of its fallen brothers. By then, the name of "Fiend Star" Chen Qing had spread through Vanguard Camp and even among portions of the main force without wings.
Slaying the enemy chief in formation, promotion to Deputy Squad Leader, Killing Intent soaring to the heavens, methods ruthless...
Everyone realized that a new general star, carrying a heavy stench of blood, was slowly rising amid the corpse mountains and seas of blood along the frontier.
At that moment, Chen Qing sat cross-legged with his eyes closed in a captured carriage on the return journey, digesting the medicinal power and consolidating his cultivation, deaf to the discussions around him.
His goal had never been merely the position of Deputy Squad Leader, nor even Vanguard Camp itself.
Killing Intent tempered bone; saber edge stained with blood.
This road—he had only just set foot upon it.
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