Iron Body Skill

Over the next few days, the war sank into a strange deadlock. The Northern Mang no longer launched large-scale charges. Instead, like hungry wolves, they constantly sent small squads of elite troops to harass them, striking at the weakest points of the defenses, hitting once and retreating—vicious and elusive.

The casualty count in the Auxiliary Soldier camp continued to rise slowly but steadily under this grinding attrition, like a dull knife sawing through flesh. Panic and despair spread through the camp like a plague.

Because of Chen Qing, his squad had instead become an anomaly. In several small engagements, Chen Qing had always managed to lead his four recruits in with minimal losses, holding back the pressure and even occasionally killing one or two Northern Mang scouts in return. He struck ruthlessly and never left survivors. Even his skill at looting corpses had grown increasingly practiced.

"Brother Qing, water." A young recruit whose face still retained its boyishness carefully handed a waterskin to Chen Qing, who was wiping down his curved saber. His name was Shi Tou. Of the four men under Chen Qing, he was the sharpest, and also the first to become utterly devoted to him.

The other three—Hei Wa, Gou Sheng, and Tie Dan—sat around him as well. The fear in their eyes was gone, replaced by a glimmer mixed with dependence and reverence. Chen Qing had not only kept them alive, but would occasionally share extra dried rations he found with them. In this hellish environment, such insignificant "benefits" were enough to win people's hearts.

Chen Qing took the waterskin, drank a mouthful, and swept his gaze across the four of them. Their aptitudes were ordinary, and they were timid, but at least they were obedient. Every so often, he taught them a move or two of the most basic dodging and exertion techniques, adding a little more capital to their chances of survival.

"Stay alert. Those Northern Mang bastards haven't been right these past few days." Chen Qing tossed the waterskin back, his voice low.

The others hurriedly nodded.

Just then, the tent flap was lifted, and Squad Leader Zhang's scarred face poked in. His gaze fell directly on Chen Qing.

"Chen Qing, come out for a moment."

Chen Qing's heart tightened. He set down his curved saber and followed him outside.

The sky outside was dim, and the camp's atmosphere was oppressive. Squad Leader Zhang walked to a secluded corner, then turned and looked Chen Qing up and down. His gaze was so sharp it seemed ready to peel him apart.

"Mid Skin Tempering Realm? And you've even touched the Threshold of Bone Forging?" Squad Leader Zhang asked, his tone revealing neither pleasure nor anger.

Chen Qing's heart trembled slightly. Knowing he could not hide it, he nodded. "I was fortunate enough to make a breakthrough."

"Fortunate?" Squad Leader Zhang let out a derisive snort. "There isn't that much fortune on the battlefield. You brat, you've hidden yourself deep enough."

Chen Qing remained silent.

Squad Leader Zhang did not press further. Everyone had their own secrets, especially in the military camp. Changing the subject, he said, "Zhao Tie from the Vanguard Camp had someone bring me a message today. He praised you a few times and said he wanted to transfer you over there."

Chen Qing raised his eyes and looked at Squad Leader Zhang.

"I refused." Squad Leader Zhang said flatly, "The Supply Camp may not have much of a future, but I've finally produced someone who can fight under my command. Why should I hand him over for free to those high-and-mighty bastards in the Vanguard Camp?"

Chen Qing still said nothing. He knew Squad Leader Zhang had more to say.

Sure enough, Squad Leader Zhang paused, then lowered his voice. "Tonight, at three quarters past midnight, go to the abandoned training ground west of camp. Bring your saber."

After saying that, he did not wait for Chen Qing's response. He turned and left, his figure quickly disappearing into the dark shadows cast by the tents.

Chen Qing stood where he was, his brow slightly furrowed. What did Squad Leader Zhang mean? The abandoned training ground? Bring his saber?

He caught a whiff of something unusual.

At three quarters past midnight, the moon was dark and the wind was fierce.

The abandoned training ground was overgrown with weeds. Broken weapon racks leaned crookedly to one side, creaking softly in the night wind.

Chen Qing arrived as promised, his curved saber hanging at his waist. His figure blended into the heavy darkness, with only his eyes gleaming with startling brightness.

A man stood in the center of the training ground. It was Squad Leader Zhang. He had removed his military outer robe and wore only a fitted black martial outfit. In his hand was a standard-issue ring-pommel saber.

"You're here." Squad Leader Zhang looked toward Chen Qing, as though he had sensed his arrival long ago.

"Squad Leader." Chen Qing stepped forward.

"No more nonsense." With a flick of his wrist, Squad Leader Zhang's ring-pommel saber drew a cold arc through the darkness and pointed at Chen Qing. "Use the skills you use to kill Northern Mang bastards. Come at me."

Chen Qing's gaze sharpened. A spar? A test? Or...

He did not hesitate. Blood Qi surged through his body in an instant, and the intent of the Black Tiger Fist, already at Slight Accomplishment, rose within him. He suddenly drove off the ground, dirt spraying everywhere as he pounced like a black tiger hunting its prey!

Clang!

His curved saber left its sheath, carrying a miserable, savage Killing Intent as it cleaved straight for Squad Leader Zhang's face! The saber strike was swift and fierce, faintly carrying the roar of wind and thunder!

A flicker of surprise crossed Squad Leader Zhang's eyes. He seemed not to have expected Chen Qing's opening move to be so violent. But he was battle-hardened and experienced. Without panic, he swept his ring-pommel saber upward and precisely caught the curved saber!

Clang!

Sparks flew in all directions!

A tremendous force traveled through the blade. Chen Qing's arm went slightly numb, and he retreated half a step. Squad Leader Zhang merely swayed.

"Not bad strength! Again!" Squad Leader Zhang barked, taking the initiative to attack. His saber technique had little flourish—simple, ruthless, and efficient. Every slash went straight for a vital point, carrying the intense style of military combat, utterly different from Chen Qing's strange and savage Black Tiger Saber Technique.

Chen Qing focused and responded, pushing the Black Tiger Saber Technique to its limits. Tiger Sweeps Its Tail, Devious Thrust, Black Tiger Clips Its Tail... Saber light whirled through the air, at times like a raging tempest, at times like a venomous serpent slithering in the dark.

Yet Squad Leader Zhang's realm was clearly above his, and his saber technique had been tempered a thousand times over. No matter how tricky Chen Qing's attacks became, they were always dissolved by seemingly plain and unadorned saber moves. And the occasional counterstrike left Chen Qing scrambling, teetering on the brink of danger.

[Observing military killing saber techniques, gained insight. Black Tiger Saber Technique proficiency +5]

[Blood Qi circulation stimulated. Black Tiger Fist proficiency +3]

The system's notifications rang in his mind.

Chen Qing's heart stirred. He stopped attacking blindly and began consciously observing and learning Squad Leader Zhang's techniques for exerting force, his footwork, and his grasp of timing. He even tried to blend Squad Leader Zhang's simple, direct intent of chopping and cleaving into his own Black Tiger Saber Technique.

His saber momentum began to change. It lost some of its unpredictability and gained some of the fierce decisiveness of military saber techniques, yet its core remained the ruthlessness and grim savagery of his Black Tiger Saber Technique.

The longer Squad Leader Zhang fought, the more alarmed he became. This brat's comprehension was far too high! He had been somewhat immature at the start, but after only a few dozen exchanges, he had already begun absorbing the strengths of his saber technique and integrating them into his own? And his fist and saber techniques followed a wild path, their Killing Intent exceptionally heavy. They were absolutely not some ordinary family inheritance!

"Watch out!"

Squad Leader Zhang shouted low and stopped holding back. His ring-pommel saber abruptly accelerated, saber light pouring down like splashed water and enveloping Chen Qing's entire body!

The pressure suddenly soared!

Chen Qing's pupils constricted. The Blood Qi throughout his body boiled to its peak, and his bones emitted a faint hum. He twisted sharply to the side, narrowly avoiding the slash aimed at his neck. At the same time, his curved saber scraped upward along the opponent's blade, striking directly for Squad Leader Zhang's wrist!

Using offense as defense! Black Tiger Saber Technique—Tiger Snatches Food from the Jaws!

This change was both incredibly risky and incredibly tricky!

Squad Leader Zhang had not expected Chen Qing to risk his life like this. With a turn of his wrist, the ring-pommel saber spun back, its hilt smashing hard toward Chen Qing's wrist.

Bang!

Their figures touched and separated in an instant.

Chen Qing staggered back several steps. A burst of intense pain shot through his wrist, and his curved saber nearly slipped from his hand. Squad Leader Zhang also retreated half a step. Looking at the leather armor on his wrist, cut open by the blade, the astonishment in his eyes deepened.

"Good brat!" Squad Leader Zhang sheathed his saber and stood upright, exhaling a breath of turbid air. "Ruthless enough, and bold enough too!"

Chen Qing steadied himself, suppressed his churning Blood Qi, and cupped his fists. "Squad Leader, you went easy on me."

"Bullshit, went easy on you." Squad Leader Zhang waved a hand and walked over to Chen Qing, looking at him with a complicated expression. "Your Black Tiger Fist and Black Tiger Saber Technique are interesting. They don't seem like the common wares circulating out there."

Chen Qing's heart tightened slightly, but he did not answer.

Squad Leader Zhang did not pursue the matter. Instead, he asked, "Do you know why I called you here?"

"Please enlighten me, Squad Leader."

"You've seen the Northern Mang's movements these past few days." Squad Leader Zhang's face darkened. "The higher-ups believe they're probing us, and searching for the weak links in our defenses. A major battle is probably not far off. Next time, it may not be some little skirmish."

He stared at Chen Qing. "The Supply Camp consists of auxiliary soldiers, but once the defensive line is torn open, we'll be the flesh thrown in to plug the gap! I don't want to die, and I want even less for my brothers under me to die for nothing."

"You, Chen Qing, are the strongest card in my hand right now." Squad Leader Zhang's tone was solemn. "In the coming battles, I want you not only to survive yourself, but also to bring back as many brothers alive as possible. When necessary... I grant you the authority to make decisions according to circumstances!"

Chen Qing's heart shook. The authority to make decisions according to circumstances? For a mere Squad Leader in the Supply Camp, that was almost unimaginable trust—or rather... a heavy burden placed upon his shoulders.

"Squad Leader, I..."

"Don't give me that bullshit!" Squad Leader Zhang cut him off. He pulled a small cloth pouch from his robes and tossed it to Chen Qing. "Take it. There are a few Blood Qi Pills inside, for keeping yourself alive after serious injuries. And there's also a fragment of the Iron Body Skill that I got back when I was wandering the martial world. It may be a commonplace external cultivation art, but if you train it well, it can save your life at a critical moment."

Chen Qing caught the cloth pouch. It felt heavy in his hand.

"I don't care what secrets you're hiding. As long as you can lead the brothers to kill more enemies and keep more of them alive, you're a good soldier of mine!" Squad Leader Zhang patted Chen Qing's shoulder, his hand heavy. "Come back alive."

With that, he turned around and strode into the darkness, disappearing from sight.

Chen Qing stood there, gripping the pouch of pills and the manual as he looked in the direction Squad Leader Zhang had vanished, speechless for a long time.

The night wind blew past, carrying a chill.

He opened the cloth pouch. Inside were three pills the size of longans, dark red in color and giving off a faint bloody smell. The other item was a thin booklet with badly damaged edges. On its cover, the words Iron Body Skill were written in crude handwriting.

[Obtained Iron Body Skill fragment (Mortal-tier low-grade). Spend proficiency to gain rapid comprehension. Yes/No?]

The system prompt appeared at the perfect moment.

Chen Qing did not choose immediately. He raised his head and looked north, toward where the Northern Mang army was stationed.

The mountain rain was about to come, and the wind already filled the tower.

He tightened his grip on the pouch and his curved saber.

Live on. Grow stronger.

Then kill his way out.