Patrolling

Wang Quan didn't look back, holding his lantern, and continued walking along the dark wall. The warm energy from his perfected Bronze Armor Technique circulated beneath his skin, warding off much of the night's chill. He gripped his saber hilt, his eyes like hooks, fixed on the deeper darkness ahead.

After walking for another half an hour, it was nearing midnight. The wind grew colder, stinging his face. The newcomers shivered from the cold, but after the previous incident, they weren't as panicked as before. They just darted their eyes around, glancing everywhere.

Wang Quan suddenly stopped. Something was wrong. The wind carried not just the stench of rot, but also a faint smell of blood. And it seemed to be coming from more than one direction.

He immediately raised his hand, signaling for silence and a halt. He strained his ears. In the darkness, besides the sound of the wind, he could faintly hear a dragging sound, "shaa... shaa...", and that familiar guttural groan, coming from more than one place!

"Light your lamps! Stick to the wall! Back to back!" Wang Quan hissed, drawing his saber with a "clang" and raising his oil lamp high.

The four newcomers flinched, but this time their reaction was quicker. They fumbled to light their own tattered lanterns and quickly huddled around Wang Quan, their backs against the cold city wall, facing outwards, sabers held horizontally. Their blades trembled like leaves in the wind.

The dim yellow light pushed back a few steps, illuminating four figures emerging unsteadily from the shadows of the ruins ahead and to the left. They were similar to the previous ones, moving stiffly, their skin greenish, their clothes ragged, and groaning hoarsely. This time, four of them appeared, forming a loose semi-circle, surrounding them.

"Again, again!" the skinny new recruit cried out with a sob.

"Shut up!" Wang Quan cursed in a low voice, his gaze sweeping around quickly. Four of them, all low-level Walking Corpses, moving slowly. But if they attacked together, it would be trouble for these four rookies. He could handle them himself, but dividing his attention to protect these novices would be difficult.

"Shi Zhu! You take those two on the left, keep them busy, don't fight head-on, circle around them! The two on the right are mine!" Wang Quan spoke rapidly, his tone leaving no room for doubt. "All of you remember this! Do it like before, chop their legs! Cut their necks! Just make sure they can't move! Anyone who dares to run, I'll be the first to cut them down!"

"Yes! Boss!" Shi Zhu gritted his teeth and responded, gesturing to the younger boy and another slightly calmer recruit. They held their sabers towards the two Walking Corpses slowly shuffling towards them on the left. Shi Zhu stood at the front, his eyes wide.

Wang Quan took two steps forward, facing the two Walking Corpses that were shuffling over almost side-by-side on the right. These two were closer.

"Hrr..." The Walking Corpses seemed to smell the stronger scent of living humans, their shuffling speed increasing slightly as their grayish claws reached out directly.

Wang Quan's eyes turned cold, and he advanced instead of retreating! He stomped his foot, and his perfected Bronze Armor Technique not only made his skin tough and his strength great, but also gave him a more stable stance and faster bursts of speed! He darted out like a leopard, his long saber cutting a cold white arc in the dim light.

The Wind Slaying Saber Technique emphasized speed, accuracy, and lethality, making it most suitable for dealing with these slow-moving creatures. Wang Quan didn't use any fancy moves, just the simplest slashes, but they were extremely fast and powerful, his blade aimed directly at their necks.

Pu! Pu!

Two muffled thuds, almost simultaneous. One Walking Corpse's head was chopped to the side, the blade deeply embedded in its neck, and black blood spurted out. He kicked the other in the chest, sending it staggering backward. Wang Quan twisted his body, his saber flashing, and the second head flew off, rolling to the side with a thud.

It took only two or three breaths to deal with both.

Without even looking at the fallen corpses, he turned and lunged towards the left. Shi Zhu and the other two were still entangled with the other two Walking Corpses. Shi Zhu was holding his own, blocking the Walking Corpses' claws with his saber and seizing opportunities to slash at their hamstrings. The younger boy was also fighting fiercely, slashing wildly with his eyes closed, managing to cut the Walking Corpses a few times. The remaining one had completely panicked, only knowing how to wave his saber aimlessly, stumbling backward, clearly about to be grabbed by the Walking Corpse's claws.

"Useless!" Wang Quan cursed, cutting into the fray like the wind. His saber flashed again, swift and precise. A Walking Corpse's claw reaching for the panicked recruit was severed at the wrist, followed by the blade slicing through its neck. The other Walking Corpse, lunging at Shi Zhu, was also decapitated from the side and behind.

In the blink of an eye, all four Walking Corpses lay on the ground, headless corpses, their foul-smelling black blood slowly pooling.

[Killed Low-Level Walking Corpse, Gained Skill Point: 2 points]

[Killed Low-Level Walking Corpse, Gained Skill Point: 2 points]

[Killed Low-Level Walking Corpse, Gained Skill Point: 1 point]

[Killed Low-Level Walking Corpse, Gained Skill Point: 2 points]

Four consecutive system notifications sounded in his mind, a total of 7 points!

Wang Quan sheathed his saber and stood still, his breathing slightly heavy. The continuous killing, coupled with having to look after the stragglers, was a drain on his stamina and mental energy. He glanced at the four still-shaken newcomers. Shi Zhu could still stand, but the other three, including the younger boy, were pale and gasping for breath. The one who had almost been caught had collapsed onto the ground, his crotch wet again.

"Get up! Clean it up!" Wang Quan kicked the leg of the person sitting on the ground, then pulled out a small porcelain bottle from his bosom, tossing it to Shi Zhu. "Bone Dissolving Water. Drip it on the wounds, don't touch it with your hands."

Shi Zhu hastily caught the bottle; it was ice-cold. He looked at the headless corpses lying haphazardly on the ground, then at Wang Quan. His throat bobbed, and he gritted his teeth, crouching down. He carefully dripped the colorless, pungent liquid from the bottle onto the severed necks of each corpse.

Zzz...

A faint corrosive sound arose, and the corpses began to emit white smoke. Flesh and bone rapidly dissolved, turning into puddles of yellow liquid that seeped into the dirt, leaving only tattered scraps of cloth. The acrid smell in the air intensified.

"See?" Wang Quan looked at the four newcomers, their faces as white as ghosts, his voice cold and hard. "This is going to be normal from now on. If you don't want to end up lying here and dissolving into water yourself, toughen up your courage and sharpen your hands! Here, the cowardly die the fastest! Scared? Is being scared useful now? Next time, the time after that, either you chop them, or they'll chew you up! No one has the leisure to protect trash! Pull yourselves together, let's go!"

He couldn't be bothered to say more, picked up the lamp, and turned to continue walking along the city wall. No matter how much he said, it was less effective than seeing blood. Those who survived would naturally understand; those who didn't, understanding would be useless.

Behind him, Shi Zhu silently followed. The other three supported each other, also following with unsteady steps. But this time, their gazes at Wang Quan's retreating back held something more than just fear. Their hands, still trembling as they held their sabers, seemed to grip them tighter.

As Wang Quan walked, he mentally checked his status panel. 7 skill points, plus the 0 remaining from before, totaling 7 points. Bronze Armor Technique was perfected and could be upgraded, but it cost 5 points. Turtle Breath Vitality Art was still at "Uninitiated."

"I'll upgrade Turtle Breath Vitality Art first," he thought. This cultivation method wasn't for fighting, but it could nourish qi and blood, calm the inner breath, and likely help with stamina recovery. If he were ever forced into a corner and swallowed an Exploding Pill, he might be able to use it to stabilize the violent effects of the drug. In this hellish place, endurance sometimes mattered more than the ability to fight.

[Consume 1 Skill Point to upgrade Turtle Breath Vitality Art to "Initiated"?]

"Yes."

A cool stream of energy rose from his Dantian and slowly flowed throughout his body. Unlike the warm energy of the Bronze Armor Technique, this energy was gentle and continuous. Where it flowed, the soreness in his muscles from the recent combat seemed to lessen slightly, and his breathing appeared to become longer. His mind gained knowledge on how to regulate his breath, how to calm his mind, and how to sustain his energy.

"Continue, upgrade to Minor Accomplishment."

[Consume 1 Skill Point to upgrade to "Minor Accomplishment"?]

"Yes."

The cool energy seemed to strengthen slightly, circulating a bit faster in his body, and the feeling of fatigue relief became more pronounced.

"Upgrade to Proficient."

[Consume 1 Skill Point to upgrade to "Proficient"?]

"Yes."

This time, the cool energy was noticeably stronger, like a small stream flowing slowly through his body. It not only dispelled fatigue but also significantly calmed his agitated mind from the recent combat. With each inhale and exhale, his breath became longer, and his perception of his body became clearer.

"Upgrade to Perfected."

[Consume 1 Skill Point to upgrade to "Perfected"?]

"Yes!"

With the last point invested, the cool stream of energy suddenly became thick and mellow, like hot spring water, soaking into his muscles, bones, skin, and even clearing his mind. The physical exertion from before was rapidly replenished, his breathing grew deep and long, his limbs felt much lighter and more agile, and his internal energy (or blood and qi) circulated much more smoothly, making him feel like he could last longer.

[Turtle Breath Vitality Art Current Realm: Perfection]

[Notification: This Cultivation Method has reached the limit of its current tier. You may attempt to deduce, explore the possibility of breaking through the mortal level and entering a higher grade. Requires Skill Point: 5 points.]

[Remaining Skill Points: 3 points]

Both of the most basic Cultivation Methods had reached their peak. Although they were common, one focused on the external, making him sturdy, resistant to damage, and strong; the other focused on the internal, nourishing qi and calming the spirit for rapid recovery. Combining the two, Wang Quan felt like a completely different person compared to yesterday. His physique was significantly more solid, his endurance was stronger, and although his internal energy wasn't yet abundant, it was continuous and had lasting power.

It's just that this deduction requires another 5 points... and...

Wang Quan frowned. Something was wrong. In one night, at the base of this short stretch of city wall, he had encountered five Walking Corpses. Although they were all the lowest grade, the density was too high. Anping County was guarded by a Garrison, and there were no breaks in the night patrols. Even if the city walls were breached, there were defenses. Normally, even if scattered Corpse Ghosts slipped in, it wouldn't be this frequent. Could it be that the "things" outside the city were increasing? Or was there something outside the west wall attracting them?

A shadow fell over his heart, but his feet didn't stop. He led the four still-shaken new recruits along the designated route. The latter half of the night was quiet, with only a few distant calls of night birds and no other sounds.

The eastern sky gradually turned the color of fish belly white, and darkness receded like the tide. The sky, finally, brightened.

Dragging the tired and exhausted, but thankfully intact, new recruits back to the Garrison, they handed in their night patrol wooden tokens. Commander Chen was already waiting in the usual spot, his usual expressionless dark face.

"Commander Chen, we patrolled the west wall. No Demonic Creatures encountered, but we ran into a few half-formed Corpse Tribe members. It felt... a bit off," Wang Quan clasped his fists, his voice steady.

Wei Dayong also returned with his team, everyone looking disheveled, some injured, but all present.

Commander Chen grunted, his gaze sweeping over Wang Quan and the four new recruits behind him – though battered, they were all whole. He paused for a moment on Wang Quan, as if sensing a slight difference in his aura from yesterday, but didn't ask further. He took the wooden tokens and waved his hand, "Understood. You may go."