The Primal Chaos Technique

Bai Lang didn't have the ability for sound transmission. "Young hero, there's no need to mind. This old man will bother you again later." The voice sounded in his ear again. Bai Lang nodded—this was the first martial artist he had seen with internal energy in this world. Governor Sun also wanted such a fierce general under his command, but saying it outright would be an insult to Governor Deng. So, he could only try to negotiate and coordinate battle plans with Governor Deng, hoping to place such a fierce general in the main attack direction.

The generals, on the other hand, patted their chests and guaranteed they would follow Bai Lang into battle. "We will definitely capture those bandits and take them to the capital for slow slicing and execution!" However, before that, there was an urgent matter to attend to—Zhang Xianzhong was currently attacking Xiangyang, and the urgent dispatch from Xiangyang had already arrived. Bai Lang didn't know if Zhang Xianzhong was supposed to have captured Xiangyang by this time. In any case, as far as he knew, wasn't the Eighth Prince supposed to have gone to Sichuan?

Regardless, Governor Deng was supposed to save Xiangyang according to his jurisdiction. However, Zhang Xianzhong had hundreds of thousands of troops under his command. Even if Governor Deng could gather troops from various regions later, he would be lucky to have ten thousand. This was the downside of not having a solid base. Yet, Bai Lang didn't care. It was all about fighting anyway, and in the chaos of battle, there were probably very few people who could kill him. Now that he had the Azure Dragon Saber, and with the addition of the Wild Goose Feather Saber, he probably didn't need to fear grappling hooks or fishing nets?

Governor Sun also gave Bai Lang something. "This is a self-igniting firearm? You mean a flintlock pistol." This thing wasn't cheap, but with the gunpowder commonly used by the Ming Army at this time, it was just so-so. This pistol was good as a collectible. Bai Lang felt he could take it back, but use it for war? The power of this thing probably couldn't even break through his Golden Bell Shield? Of course, if he could withstand the shot, it might be able to break it, but at a distance of twenty paces... it was probably impossible.

It was the gifts from those generals that gave Bai Lang a headache. "I clearly said Thirteen Great Protectors' Adamantine Bell Shield. Do they understand what 'Adamantine' means? What's with sending women?" These people sent beautiful young women, women considered beautiful in their eyes. Bai Lang could only smile wryly. He couldn't break his virginity yet. At least not until the fourth stage. Only then would the Virginity Cultivation be unnecessary. Although Bai Lang didn't understand what this Virginity Cultivation was all about. Besides women, weren't there many other ways to break it? Did it mean as long as he didn't "insert," it didn't count as breaking the Virginity Cultivation?

It was probably a psychological factor, but Bai Lang wasn't going to challenge it. He estimated he could break through the fourth stage before he was twenty, and such matters were indeed not suitable for doing at too young an age. The most crucial thing was that none of these women met Bai Lang's aesthetic standards. "They're skinny, and while their faces are nice, their small chests and small butts make them look like girls who haven't fully developed. I'm not a lolicon."

Over three thousand Ming soldiers, grumbling all the way, followed Governor Deng south to Xiangyang. They couldn't help it; they hadn't received any rewards. After all, they had beheaded quite a few rebels. The lack of rewards after recording their merits had caused unrest among the troops. Governor Deng was also helpless—he truly had no money. Bai Lang, on the other hand, was a true general in the eyes of a Governor-General, because he only wanted fame and glory, not money. This was excellent. The court also liked such warriors, who could be appeased with a few titles.

However, other Ming soldiers wanted money more. Governor Deng could only prioritize giving discounted rewards to his own banner troops. As for the other Ming soldiers, he could only make promises—once the Ministry of War verified their achievements and the Ministry of Revenue disbursed the rewards, they would be paid in full immediately. Everyone knew these words were just to fool ghosts. If Great Ming truly had money, would it be in this state? Thus, the entire army, except for the hundred or so men in the banner troops, had no morale.

In fact, if they hadn't feared Bai Lang's martial prowess, these men might have even considered a mutiny. Governor Deng had very little prestige, certainly far less than Governor Sun Chuanting or the late Supervisor Lu Xiangsheng, who had died in service. They could raise their own troops, but Governor Deng was lucky to have his hundred-man banner troop. However, Governor Deng didn't think he was that bad. He believed he had won over a peerless fierce general—Bai Lang. Didn't even Supervisor Sun speak courteously with him to discuss troop deployment? Governor Deng was also a Jinshi scholar; how could he not realize that this was Governor Sun wanting to borrow Bai Lang's martial strength under his command?

That scholar also came to see Bai Lang that night, it turned out he was also there to win Bai Lang over on behalf of Governor Sun. This Mr. Qin Wujiu was also from Shaanxi and a Juren scholar. He was currently serving as a strategist under Governor Sun, but he also held an official position. Mr. Qin spoke with extreme hatred for the rebels, saying that the current situation was ruined by these rebels. He didn't have many good words for the current emperor, and greatly missed the previous emperor and even Emperor Wanli.

"Mr. Qin's internal energy and martial arts," Bai Lang brought up the topic. Mr. Qin also smiled, "Qin Wujiu of Mount Hua." He only said this. "Mount Hua? Is there a Mount Hua Sect?" Bai Lang asked curiously, and Mr. Qin nodded. "All my martial arts are passed down from Mount Hua, but the Mount Hua Sect today is full of traitors."

Bai Lang became even more interested. Relying on his young age, he asked another question, "I would like to hear the details." Qin Wujiu looked at Bai Lang and smiled, "I was frail since childhood, so my family sent me to Mount Hua to cultivate. At that time, I heard that Mount Hua had internal energy techniques for nourishing the body. As soon as I arrived at Mount Hua, I cultivated this Primal Chaos Technique, balancing cultivation and study. Fortunately, I passed the Xiucai examination at eighteen. After becoming a Xiucai scholar, I descended the mountain to inherit my family business. At twenty-six, I passed the Juren examination, but unexpectedly, in that same year, rebels arose."

Qin Wujiu sighed. He didn't mention the subsequent events, but when he spoke of returning to Mount Hua, he encountered his fellow disciples and uncles on Mount Hua discussing joining the "Righteous Army." However, by the time he returned to the mountain, it was already three years ago. Since then, he had betrayed the Mount Hua Sect. "The martial arts I possess are indeed direct lineage from Mount Hua. I wonder about Young Hero Bai's skills?"

Bai Lang had nothing to hide. "Thirteen Great Protectors' Adamantine Bell Shield. I've cultivated it since childhood, developing internal energy from the outside in. As for my fist and foot techniques, Mr. Qin has probably already seen them."

Qin Wujiu tapped the table with his finger. "Is the young hero practicing the Tiger Form?" Although it was a question, his tone was affirmative. Of course, seeing a giant humanoid tiger sitting there, how could he not tell? As they spoke, they also exchanged martial arts insights, but both were tacitly in agreement not to discuss internal energy. Even Bai Lang, who had read many martial arts novels, knew that discussing internal energy was generally impossible.

So, they talked about interesting martial arts anecdotes, the history of the Mount Hua Sect, and the current martial arts powers.