"Brother Shi, you're saying the Centurion has taken a liking to you and wants you to become a Banner Officer in the military camp?"
At the Chen residence.
After Wang Xuan and Chen Feng returned from the county town, they went straight to the latter's home and told Lu Yao, his sister-in-law, the good news.
She learned that Wang Xuan had caught the eye of the Centurion in the military camp and had even been chosen in advance as a Banner Officer!
Lu Yao was so shocked that she could not speak for a long while!
Born into a noble and wealthy family, she knew very well what kind of status a Centurion possessed. To earn a Centurion's favor meant he would surely rise step by step into the clouds in the future!
Her little face flushed red as she looked at Wang Xuan excitedly, her heart filled with exhilaration.
Wang Xuan smiled and explained, "Sister-in-law, it's still too early to say. To become a Banner Officer, I still have to pass the new recruit assessment first."
Beside him, Chen Feng draped an arm over Wang Xuan's shoulder and said, "For you, wouldn't the new recruit assessment be as easy as turning over your hand?"
"I have a lot of faith in you."
Off to the side.
Chen Feng's parents, Chen Shan and Liu Qin, were also smiling broadly. Chen Shan said, "That's right, Little Shi."
"You may have been frail since childhood, but your cleverness was the greatest in our whole village."
"Work hard. Uncle Chen believes in you."
Warmth filled Wang Xuan's heart at those words.
Ever since his father and elder brother had died, Chen Shan had always taken good care of them. That was why Wang Xuan had not kept this news from them.
"Today is a day worth celebrating."
"Little Shi is about to enter the military camp, and Feng'er has returned as well. Why don't you two stay here for dinner today?"
Liu Qin said with a smile.
"That's right, Little Shi."
"We haven't gathered together in months. This is the perfect chance to have a meal and catch up properly."
Chen Feng said with a smile.
"Wouldn't that be too much trouble for you?"
Chen Shan burst into laughter. "What trouble are you talking about, child? Your father and I knew each other since we were young, and I watched you grow up."
"It's just adding two more pairs of chopsticks for a meal."
Hearing that, Wang Xuan could not keep refusing.
Fortunately, when he and Chen Feng returned from the county town, aside from buying twenty arrows, they had also bought quite a bit of meat and rice.
After that, Lu Yao and Liu Qin went inside to cook, while Wang Xuan chatted in the courtyard with Chen Feng and his father, Chen Shan.
After dinner.
Wang Xuan and Lu Yao left Chen Feng's home.
"Sister-in-law, once I enter the military camp, I plan to move our home to the county town!"
After returning home, Wang Xuan told Lu Yao his plans.
He had thought about it a great deal over the past two days. The Pity Life Sect had already extended its hand into White Water County, and people had begun disappearing from the surrounding villages and towns.
On top of that, his encounter with Hou Feng two days ago had given him a sense of crisis. The more he thought about it, the more dangerous staying here seemed.
Now that he had the chance to enter the military camp, once he became a Banner Officer, he would earn ten taels of silver a month—enough for him and Lu Yao to live in the county town.
"Ah, move to the county town?"
"Then I... wouldn't I just be causing you trouble?"
Lu Yao asked nervously.
Though Wang Xuan called her sister-in-law, she had never truly married into the family. Their relationship was still very fragile.
Wang Xuan comforted her, "Sister-in-law, don't overthink it. As long as I become a Banner Officer, I'll have ten taels of silver every month!"
"That'll be enough for us to live on, so don't worry."
Lu Yao nodded and did not dwell on it further.
After chatting with Lu Yao for a while about going to the county town, Wang Xuan took his bow and arrows into the courtyard to practice his archery.
His archery had already reached Minor Mastery. To reach Major Mastery, he would still need several more days.
"I'll try to cultivate my Intermediate Archery to Major Mastery while I'm still in the new recruit camp. That way, I'll have a better chance of passing the special-grade assessment Brother Feng mentioned!"
Chen Feng had not explained the contents of the special-grade assessment in detail, but its requirements were surely high!
Whether for himself or for the future, he had to pass the special-grade assessment and earn Yang Tianfeng's favor. Only then could he gain a foothold in the county town!
Wang Xuan immediately nocked an arrow and drew his bow.
Your archery experience +20 Your archery experience +20
After breaking through to the Stone Hide level, Wang Xuan's stamina had risen drastically as well. He could practice for several hours straight without feeling particularly tired.
Thus, Wang Xuan practiced continuously from dusk onward, alternating between archery and saber techniques.
Late at night, Wang Xuan finally stopped.
He glanced at the panel.
Name: Wang Xuan Strength: 950 kilograms Cultivation: Iron Skin Realm, Stone Hide level Cultivation Technique: None Martial Arts: Mountain Severing Saber Art, Minor Mastery progress 655/3200 Skills: Intermediate Archery (Minor Mastery progress 980/3200), Basic Trapping (Minor Mastery progress 17/400), Tracking Art (Minor Mastery progress 75/400), Sprinting (Minor Mastery progress 230/400) Effects: Triple Star Shot, Double Efficiency, Clear as Fire, Copper Skin Iron Bones Attribute Points: 0
"Who could have imagined that in just three short days, I'd become a martial artist at the Stone Hide level? But it's still not enough!"
"I have to become stronger if I want a foothold in this world!"
Wang Xuan murmured.
"Hmm? Someone is watching me?"
His expression abruptly changed. He suddenly sensed someone spying on him from the darkness!
He immediately activated the Clear as Fire effect.
Wang Xuan appeared to casually glance toward the distant mountain forest, only to discover two groups of people watching him from within the woods.
One of them was Shi Qian!
After what had happened during the day, Shi Qian had become certain that Wang Xuan had killed his elder brother!
On top of that, Wang Xuan had earned the Centurion's favor. This made Shi Qian furious while also filling him with unease, so he planned to get rid of Wang Xuan that night!
The other group was Qian Tong!
He was hidden on the other side of the forest, with two people beside him.
Because they were too far away, Wang Xuan could not make out their strength clearly, but there was no doubt that they were all martial artists!
"They came this quickly..."
"It seems what happened yesterday was Zhou Bapi's doing!"
After spotting Qian Tong, Wang Xuan did not alert them. Instead, he silently packed up his bow, arrows, and hunting saber before returning to his room.
"I have to find a way to lure them away!"
"Shi Qian's target is me. Qian Tong's target should be Sister-in-law..."
After returning to the room, Wang Xuan immediately began considering what to do!
"I have to strike first. I can't give them a chance! I'll leave through the back door!"
Killing intent surged in Wang Xuan's eyes. Under cover of night, he quietly climbed out through the back door, without attracting Shi Qian or Qian Tong's attention.
Within the mountain forest.
Shi Qian's eyes were bloodshot as he watched Wang Xuan enter the house. Fury spouted from his eyes, and the veins on his forehead bulged!
"Damn bastard!"
"He's the one who killed Big Brother!"
"I was the one who taught Big Brother that saber art!"
Shi Qian roared inwardly.
The moment he saw Wang Xuan practicing the Mountain Severing Saber Art, he became certain that Wang Xuan had killed his elder brother!
Shi Qian wanted nothing more than to rush out immediately, kill Wang Xuan, and avenge him!
But he also knew that Wang Xuan had now practiced saber techniques and was likely already a martial artist. He needed to wait until Wang Xuan fell asleep before making his move!
On the other side.
Qian Tong and the other two wore black night garments.
Watching Wang Xuan enter the house, a cold glint flashed through Qian Tong's eyes!
"This brat actually stole martial arts to learn them. It seems Shi Yong's death last time wasn't an accident—it was this brat's doing!"
"Then Hou Feng's death yesterday must have been this brat's handiwork too!"
Qian Tong muttered. At that moment, every doubt in his heart was answered.
"My lord, when do we strike?"
"That brat has already gone to sleep."
One of the men behind him spoke softly.
Qian Tong glanced at the sky and said, "Wait a little longer. There's something strange about this brat!"
The two men nodded slightly.
Wang Xuan quietly slipped out of the courtyard, carrying his bow and arrows and holding his hunting saber. From a direction Shi Qian and Qian Tong could not see, he entered the mountain forest.
He used Tracking Art. Under the Clear as Fire effect, he concealed his entire presence and made not the slightest sound.
"I'll deal with Shi Qian first, then Qian Tong!"
"That man could Demonize yesterday. Qian Tong and the others might be able to Demonize too. I have to kill them in one strike!"
Wang Xuan pondered as he crept through the forest, steadily closing in on Shi Qian's location.
Very soon, he saw Shi Qian's back.
When he was a hundred meters away, Wang Xuan raised his bow. The arrowhead aimed at Shi Qian.
He did not use any effects. After his archery had broken through to Intermediate Archery, even without using effects, he could hit every shot within three hundred meters.
Whoosh!
An arrow flew forth.
The arrow tore through the forest with only a soft whoosh, piercing straight through Shi Qian's chest!
Shi Qian had been staring at Wang Xuan's courtyard, but an arrow suddenly punched through his chest. His eyes widened instantly as he stared in disbelief at the bloody hole in his chest.
"How... could this happen?"
Unwillingness filled Shi Qian's eyes as his body collapsed, blood spreading across the ground.
You killed a martial artist at the Ox Hide level. Archery experience +200 Intermediate Archery: Minor Mastery progress 1180/3200
After killing Shi Qian, Wang Xuan did not linger at all. He put away his bow, then turned and rushed toward Qian Tong's location.
Very soon.
Qian Tong and his two companions appeared in Wang Xuan's field of vision.
"Two at the Ox Hide level and one at the Stone Hide level!"
"They can be killed!"
After arriving behind Qian Tong and the other two, Wang Xuan immediately judged their strength.
He raised his bow, aiming an arrow at Qian Tong's head.
He had learned from Chen Feng that because the Demon-Humans of the Pity Life Sect had fused with demon blood, their vitality was exceptionally tenacious. To kill them, he had to ensure a single fatal blow!
There were only two places for a fatal blow.
The heart and the head!
With the arrow aimed at Qian Tong's head, Wang Xuan slowly exerted force and drew the bow into a full moon!
Over there.
Qian Tong stared at Wang Xuan's courtyard when he suddenly felt a chill down his back. His eyelids twitched wildly!
Every hair on his body stood on end at once!
A faint sound of something cutting through the air suddenly rang by his ear, and all his hair bristled!
A life-and-death crisis surged into his heart in an instant!
"Not good!"
He hurriedly turned around and grabbed one of the people beside him, pulling him in front of himself as a shield.
Bang!
With an explosive blast, the head of the man in his grasp instantly burst apart!
Blood and brain matter splattered all over Qian Tong's face!
The other man beside him turned deathly pale at the sudden sight!
Bang!
Before he could react, another explosive blast rang out!
The man's head burst apart!
In less than three seconds, the two men Qian Tong had brought had lost their heads!
The stench of blood spread through the air. Without a second thought, Qian Tong immediately darted behind a nearby tree!
Only then did he see a figure behind them, holding a bow and arrows, staring at him coldly.
"You little beast, it's you!"
"Why are you here?"
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