A Poor Youth

"Profound Yin Soul Control Fragment!"

After a day of patrol, fortunately nothing happened, nor did they encounter any Monsters emerging from the Black Mist at the border.

After dinner, Zhong Shenxiu returned to his wooden hut and began recalling this method.

"To think he still hadn't even entered the beginner stage, yet he dared forcibly bind a Vengeful Spirit. The original owner's death was hardly undeserved..."

He shook his head and carefully contemplated this Daoist Art.

Most of the Daoist Arts of the Second Yanhan Empire originated from the First Empire—or rather, from the ancestors' otherworld. They carried a dense ancient style; every word was a pearl, requiring constant contemplation.

"Even though I have never cultivated any Daoist sect technique, I know that principles surpass techniques... And even demonic arts emphasize using the heart to control demons!"

The more orthodox a demonic art was, the more it emphasized one's state of mind: subduing the demon within and using it for oneself, rather than allowing the cultivator's mind to gradually become infected by madness.

Anything of the latter sort was undoubtedly treading a crooked and heretical path.

Though this scripture contained a method for subduing yin souls, it was not profound. Without question, it was no true transmission, merely a heretical and crooked method with a high chance of Cultivation Deviation.

Su Daozhi had only cultivated it by force because he had been left with no other choice.

As for any hidden dangers, he could no longer afford to care.

Of all things to provoke, you had to provoke something you didn't understand...

Zhong Shenxiu silently mocked him, then sat cross-legged, focused his mind on his dantian, and attempted to look inward.

This was a minor trick recorded in Daoist Arts, allowing one to observe yin souls attached to one's body.

The next instant, he seemed to see a blurry human figure...

Then intense pain struck again, nearly making Zhong Shenxiu unable to maintain his posture as his entire body trembled.

"Damn... As expected of a Magic Incantation that hasn't even reached the entry level. It simply can't subdue a Vengeful Spirit. Forget subduing it—I can't even observe it..."

"This is like inviting a life-threatening old master to live inside your body, and one who refuses to listen. How miserable can a man get?"

Having no other choice, Zhong Shenxiu waited until the piercing pain faded. Feeling his body grow a little more numb, he could not help but reveal a bitter smile. He moved his Qi and Blood a little, then began cultivating Xiantian Qi Gong.

This cultivation method had been his masterpiece in his previous life, gathering the strengths of countless schools and reaching the summit of perfection. It should have been a success—otherwise, heavenly lightning would not have struck him.

If I could truly cultivate True Qi, I would have been absolutely invincible in my previous life. I wouldn't even have feared an army too much... But in this world, hehe... I'd probably still be ordinary lower-class fodder. Still, being able to convert essence into Qi and mend this body should let me cling to life a little longer...

After drawing a Vengeful Spirit into one's body, without a method to command it, every full-moon night once every half month became a death warrant!

If his body were strong enough, he could probably hold out a little longer.

But Zhong Shenxiu still had little confidence when it came to the Blood Wheel Moon.

After a restless night's sleep, he arrived at the square and prepared to line up for breakfast.

Most of the low-ranking soldiers with him were dusty and grimy, and from time to time, he could even see several Dog Rong dog heads.

As he was thinking, Huang Xie came over with another Dog Rong. "Lord Su, my employment term has ended. Once today is over, I plan to go home and marry a wife. This is my nephew; he has just arrived to report for duty. I hope you'll look after him."

"Of course, of course."

Zhong Shenxiu casually agreed and looked over, only for his expression to freeze.

Huang Xie's nephew was tall and powerfully built. His enormous dog head had black-and-white fur, and his eyes glowed blue. When he put on a profound and unfathomable expression, he possessed a bit of imposing majesty without anger. But as soon as he grinned, he looked rather foolish.

Could this be a husky?

Zhong Shenxiu glanced sideways. He felt that Lord Huang, Huang Xie, truly was a talent—not only did he keep raising flags, but this nephew of his looked genuinely extraordinary.

At the very least, extraordinary enough to tear down a house...

As the three spoke, a black-armored figure approached. He was tall, with a black mole on his face. He was Tian Bufeng, the Company Commander of their unit.

"Huang Xie, Su Daozhi... Your squad will go inspect Saizi Lake to the north today. The settlers there have reported wild beasts destroying their crops..."

Tian Bufeng's voice was stern, his manner entirely businesslike.

"Yes, sir!"

Huang Xie hurriedly answered and tugged at Zhong Shenxiu beside him.

Zhong Shenxiu curled his lips. He knew that he was being targeted again...

After all, penal convicts were not welcome to begin with. This much still fell within the rules.

Huang Xie, however, was a mercenary who sold his life for money, while he was a convicted penal laborer who could not be pardoned without great merit. Judging from Company Commander Tian Bufeng's attitude, even minor merit would be impossible for him to obtain.

Dreaming of earning merit through ordinary beheadings was futile; it was entirely possible that his achievements would simply be swallowed up.

With that, the orthodox path of cleansing his crimes had been cut off.

Ordinary patrols were merely arduous and tiring at worst, but this Company Commander kept assigning him dangerous missions. His intentions were truly condemnable.

Of course, military rules came first, and an official one rank higher could crush a man to death. The former Su Daozhi had been utterly helpless—but Zhong Shenxiu had no intention of enduring it. He immediately raised his voice. "Company Commander, our squad inspected the Great Rift of Black Mountain only yesterday. Why are we being sent to another dangerous place today? This seems somewhat... against the rules!"

His retort was loud enough to immediately draw many gazes.

The ordinary soldiers were one thing, but the seated Squad Leaders and Company Commanders cast over rather mocking looks.

Tian Bufeng's face immediately reddened with fury. The black mole on his face twitched as he roared, "Do you intend to defy military orders?"

"Of course I dare not defy military orders. I merely wish to tell the Company Commander that although my Su Clan has declined, it once stood among the Commandery Prestige, with friends far and wide and family still remaining. Though I am now trapped in the mud, that does not mean I will never rise again. Better bully an old man with white whiskers than mock a poor youth!"

Zhong Shenxiu secretly gathered his breath and projected his voice, throwing out that overused saying from his previous life. At once, several people nearby lit up with interest.

Tian Bufeng looked at the youth, who had suddenly become so dignified and refined, as though heaven's bells and divine elegance had gathered upon him. A surge of inferiority abruptly welled up within him.

He suddenly understood why he had always felt a faint dislike for this youth.

The Second Yanhan Empire had rigid hierarchies. The noble air on this youth's body, something that required the accumulated refinement of an Aristocratic Clan over hundreds or thousands of years, made a lower-class man like him feel ashamed the moment he saw it.

Even a phoenix fallen into misfortune was still a phoenix!

Especially today—the youth was even more dazzling, compelling admiration.

In his anger, he had even wanted to have the bastard dragged out and beheaded on the spot. But when he saw the mocking smiles on the faces of several rivals watching nearby, he forcibly swallowed his rage.

Black Mountain Fortress was not a place where he alone called the shots. Military discipline was strict; it was true that superiors held the power of life and death over their subordinates, but they still needed a reason or pretext.

If Su Daozhi had refused an order, killing him would have drawn no one to speak for him.

But things had not reached that point, and besides, the man had a point. He was, after all, a noble son fallen on hard times; surely some of his connections had yet to be severed...

Thus, he endured it and barked, "For talking back to your superior, get out there and run ten laps around the camp!"

Zhong Shenxiu curled his lips and turned to run.

Inwardly, he smiled bitterly. You think I wanted to slap you in the face?... I didn't want to either...

Though tearing off all pretenses like this today meant the targeting he would face in the future would surely be ten or even a hundred times worse, Zhong Shenxiu was not truly Su Daozhi. If Tian Bufeng truly provoked him, he could assassinate the Company Commander—or even kill him openly—then hide at the Black Mist border, and that would be that.

The Black Mist was fragmented and shattered. Who knew how many alien races survived in its cracks and gaps? A few more Yan Han desperadoes would make no difference!