Chapter 34
The towering flames of Wild Wolf Plains became the most shocking sight on the Northern Frontier over the next few days—and a sharp blade stabbed into the heart of Wuwei, the Northern Mang Left Virtuous King.
Nearly half the grain and supplies had been burned. The army's provisions immediately became strained, and its formerly aggressive offensive was forced to come to a complete halt. Wuwei flew into a rage and executed several officers responsible for logistics, yet he could not change the reality of plummeting frontline morale and the army's forced shift to defense.
Meanwhile, the tale of "Fierce Tiger" Chen Qing leading five hundred valiant Black Tiger Camp soldiers deep behind enemy lines, burning Wild Wolf Plains, severely wounding Northern Mang's High Priest Wugutuo, and escaping unharmed spread across the Northern Frontier at an explosive speed. It reached the Imperial Capital and even began spreading toward the heartland of the Great Yan Dynasty.
"Have you heard? Northern Mang's supply nest was wiped out by our men!"
"It was General Fierce Tiger! He dared to charge in with only five hundred men and burned the whole place to ashes with one fire!"
"Even Northern Mang's High Priest was injured by him! Good heavens, that was an expert at the peak of the Meridian Condensing Realm!"
"Black Tiger Camp! Now that is a true army of tigers and wolves!"
The morale along the Northern Frontier's defensive line, previously low due to the prolonged standoff and Northern Mang cavalry raids, was instantly ignited to its peak! Chen Qing and the Black Tiger Camp became the idols and spiritual pillars of every border soldier.
Even Captain Zhou Han, who had always held complicated feelings toward Chen Qing, fell silent for a long time upon receiving the confirmed battle report. At last, he let out a long sigh. "This boy is no longer a thing trapped in a pond."
He immediately submitted a memorial to the commander's tent seeking rewards for Chen Qing and the Black Tiger Camp. His words were earnest, and he exaggerated Chen Qing's achievements by thirty percent. He knew full well that after this battle, Chen Qing's rise could no longer be stopped. Rather than make an enemy of him, it was better to go with the current.
Imperial Capital, Yujing City.
This time, it was no longer hidden undercurrents stirring beneath the surface, but a tremendous uproar in broad daylight.
During court assembly, the Minister of War personally reported the great victory on the Northern Frontier, particularly emphasizing the heaven-shaking merit of "General Yangwei Chen Qing." In the Golden Throne Hall, civil and military officials discussed it fervently. Some were astonished, some praised him, while quite a few had flickering eyes and thoughts of their own.
The Great Yan Emperor, seated upon the dragon throne, was around forty and had a stern, imposing face. As he listened to the Minister of War's report, a trace of surprise flashed through his eyes. He naturally welcomed the emergence of such a fierce general on the Northern Frontier, especially since this battle had indeed greatly relieved the pressure there.
"General Yangwei Chen Qing is loyal and brave, with outstanding military merit. He has exalted our nation's prestige! Promote him to General Zhenbei, grant him the title of Marquis of Guannei, reward him with ten thousand taels of gold and one thousand spirit jades, and permit his Black Tiger Camp to expand to three thousand men!"
With the Emperor's golden words, the lavishness of the reward made the entire court look sideways.
General Zhenbei! Marquis of Guannei!
Though both were honorary titles without actual fiefs, the glory and status they brought already surpassed those of most border generals! Not to mention the permission to expand to three thousand men—this meant Chen Qing would possess a sizable private army that answered entirely to him!
The imperial decree was dispatched to the Northern Frontier at the speed of an eight-hundred-li urgent courier.
At the same time, memorials impeaching Chen Qing for cultivating an evil art and possessing Killing Intent that soared to the heavens flew onto the Emperor's desk like snowflakes. Most were vague in their wording, merely stressing that his cultivation method was strange and likely not of the orthodox path, and that it might breed disaster in the long run.
The Emperor merely smiled noncommittally as he read those memorials, then casually set them aside. In troubled times, generals were valued above all. So long as Chen Qing could win battles and guard the nation's gates, he did not care about a few "flaws." Besides, how could he fail to understand the intentions behind those impeachment petitions?
Marquis Zhenbei's Manor.
Han Wenyuan once again stood in the study, reporting the court's developments and the Emperor's rewards to Marquis Zhenbei.
After listening, Marquis Zhenbei was silent for a long while before slowly saying, "General Zhenbei, Marquis of Guannei... His Majesty is placing him over a fire to roast."
Han Wenyuan said quietly, "My Lord, that boy's reputation is now blazing like the midday sun, and he has received such generous rewards from His Majesty. I fear he will become even harder to control. And the matter of the Black Tiger Sect..."
"The Black Tiger Sect..." Marquis Zhenbei rubbed his brow. A trace of weariness and reminiscence flickered in his eyes. "Whether it brings fortune or calamity remains to be seen. Keep watching him. For now... do not make an enemy of him."
"Yes."
Northern Frontier, Black Tiger Camp's garrison.
When the Emperor's reward decree and the Ministry of War's official documents arrived, the entire Black Tiger Camp erupted in excitement!
General Zhenbei! Marquis of Guannei! Expansion to three thousand men!
What glory and power!
"Long live the General!"
"Long live the Black Tiger Camp!"
The soldiers waved their weapons and let out earth-shaking cheers. Their eyes, fixed upon Chen Qing, were filled with fanatical worship.
Chen Qing accepted the bright yellow imperial decree, his expression as calm as ever. Only the dark red in his eyes seemed to have deepened further.
Power and status were merely tools and talismans for obtaining strength. What he truly cared about were the thousand spirit jades and the authority to expand his ranks.
With more spirit jades, his cultivation speed could rise further. With a Black Tiger Camp of three thousand men, the "resources" he could obtain would grow by geometric proportions!
"Old Niu, Sun Quezi."
"Present!" The two were now true trusted generals under Chen Qing's command, their voices ringing like great bells.
"From this moment on, recruit brave and fierce soldiers in the name of the Black Tiger Camp. The standards remain unchanged—better lacking than indiscriminate! What I want are elite warriors who can follow me in trampling the Northern Mang Royal Court!"
"Yes, General!" The two accepted their orders excitedly.
As news of the Black Tiger Camp's expansion spread, the entire Northern Frontier was shaken once more. Countless fierce soldiers yearning for merit and riches, even low- and mid-ranking officers from other camps, came one after another to offer their service. Every day, the Black Tiger Camp's recruitment station was packed to the brim.
Chen Qing entrusted all matters of recruitment and training to Old Niu and the others, while he himself took the thousand spirit jades and entered seclusion once more.
Although he had withdrawn safely after the battle at Wild Wolf Plains, his injuries were severe. His left arm in particular had nearly been crippled by Wugutuo's fire-thread spell and had yet to fully recover. The direct clash with an expert at the peak of the Meridian Condensing Realm had also made him realize his own shortcomings.
He needed to recover from his injuries as quickly as possible and break through to a higher realm.
The middle stage of the Meridian Condensing Realm—or even the later stage!
Inside the tent, spirit jades were piled like a mountain, radiating gentle and pure spiritual energy.
Chen Qing sat cross-legged, holding a spirit jade in each hand as he simultaneously circulated Fierce Tiger Iron Body and Black Tiger True Intent.
Pure spiritual energy surged into his body, forming a subtle balance with that tyrannical, savage Killing Intent. The spiritual energy nourished his damaged meridians and flesh, accelerating the healing of his wounds, while the Killing Intent, tempered by the spiritual energy, became more condensed and controllable.
He guided this mixed energy, washing over the barrier preventing him from entering the middle stage of the Meridian Condensing Realm again and again.
Time flew past in cultivation.
Outside the tent, the Black Tiger Camp continued expanding, its Killing Intent growing heavier by the day.
Inside the tent, Chen Qing's aura continued rising, becoming deeper and more terrifying.
When he completely absorbed the nine hundred and ninety-ninth spirit jade—
Crack!
It was as though some shackle within his body had shattered!
Even more surging power flowed through his Saber Meridian. The Fierce Tiger Domain around him expanded uncontrollably, instantly engulfing the entire tent as dark red Killing Intent rolled like tangible substance!
The middle stage of the Meridian Condensing Realm!
He slowly opened his eyes, the dark red in his pupils resembling two clusters of burning ghostfire.
The injury in his left arm had fully healed. Even the newly formed skin and bones were tougher than before.
Feeling the reborn power within him, as well as the Fierce Tiger Domain that had expanded to a radius of two zhang, Chen Qing clenched his fist.
It was time to find Northern Mang and collect some interest.
He rose to his feet and lifted the tent flap.
Outside, the sunlight was just right. The newly recruited two thousand five hundred fierce Black Tiger soldiers were undergoing frenzied training under Old Niu and the others. Their roars shook the heavens, and their Killing Intent surged into the sky!
Chen Qing's gaze passed over them and turned northward.
Northern Mang Royal Court... wait for me.
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