Harm Approaches

Luming Fort. The stockade walls where the militia were garrisoned stood two zhang high, built entirely from solid blue stone. With arrow towers and watchtowers lining the ramparts, it was essentially a small military fortress.

This was the core of Luming Fort. The frontier military garrison system had remained unchanged for a century; every man in the fort was required to join the ranks for training upon reaching the age of fifteen. During the off-season, even women and children were expected to practice with crossbows, making it a place where every citizen was a soldier.

"Clop—clop—clop—"

The sound of hooves echoed sharply against the blue stone streets of Luming Fort.

Five horses galloped recklessly, coming to a sudden halt before the gate on the high ground in the west of the fort.

The lead rider, Chen Chao, vaulted off his horse. He was a sturdy man with a scar on his cheek.

He wore the armor of a cavalry commander from Heishui City, a military saber hanging at his waist. He made no effort to conceal the aura of a peak body forging realm martial artist. As his gaze swept over the militiamen on the walls holding their bows in alert, a haughty smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"Oh my, Commander Chen, what a rare guest." Qin Tianbao had already come out to meet him upon hearing the commotion. He stood on the stone steps of the gate, his figure as steady and imposing as a mountain.

Though his words were polite, his brows were slightly furrowed. This Chen Chao, a cavalry commander from the county office, was the brother of the tax collector Chen Yong. The way he had charged straight into the fort with such an aggressive air suggested he had come with ill intent.

Sure enough—

Chen Chao tossed his riding whip to an attendant and strode forward, skipping the pleasantries. He pulled a document from his robes. "Captain Qin, let's skip the small talk. I am here on orders from the military affairs office of the county government to deliver a mandate."

He unfolded the document, deliberately raising his voice so the militiamen training nearby could hear: "Regarding the application of Luming Fort resident Qin Meng to join the militia: following a review by the county office, it has been determined that this individual has a history of alcoholism and gambling, is incorrigible, and possesses poor character. The military affairs office has decided: the application is rejected!"

The shouting on the training ground gradually died down, and dozens of gazes turned toward them.

Qin Tianbao's expression darkened. He took the document and glanced at it; the red seal was unmistakable.

"Commander Chen, Qin Meng has long since turned over a new leaf. He is now the most outstanding hunter in the fort. Just yesterday, he hunted a fierce wolf single-handedly to assist his fellow townsmen—"

"A dog can't stop eating dung!" Chen Chao interrupted, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"The county office's assessment is written in black and white: this man is unruly and a black sheep. Captain Qin, are you trying to defy the decision of the county office?"

He stepped forward, lowering his voice, though it was still loud enough for those nearby to hear clearly:

"I heard that this Qin Meng was causing trouble in the fort just a few days ago, beating a fellow clansman. You dare to try and slip such a violent thug into the military register?"

A cold glint flashed in Qin Tianbao's eyes. How could he not see that someone was pulling strings behind the scenes?

He didn't even need to think to know that this was the work of Qin Lai, who had gone to the county seat a few days prior. He was equally aware of the trap hidden in the commander's words.

If he argued further, he would be questioning the authority of the county office; if he stayed silent, he would be accepting the county's assessment and the fabricated charges.

"This matter was decided collectively by the officials of the county military affairs office." Chen Chao stepped back, his voice returning to normal, though his face wore undisguised mockery.

"I made this trip personally today to tell Captain Qin: the county military affairs office does not interfere with the military affairs of the frontier forts, but we do have the power of supervision.

As for this Qin Meng, his character is flawed; he is not permitted to join the team. This is for the sake of Luming Fort, to ensure one rotten apple doesn't spoil the whole barrel."

The training ground was deathly silent.

Many young militiamen wore expressions of indignation, only to be held back by the veteran soldiers beside them.

The veins on the back of Qin Tianbao's hand, which held the document, bulged slightly. A moment later, his expression turned calm as he stared at Chen Chao. "Are you finished?"

"Uh..." Chen Chao was taken aback.

"If you're finished, get lost." Qin Tianbao tossed the document onto the stone steps, his voice as cold as chilled iron. "Luming Fort is an imperial military garrison. My appointment comes from the Border Army Governor's Office, not your Heishui City magistrate's office.

You are merely a low-ranking cavalry commander from a county town, yet you galloped through the streets, disturbing the residents. I haven't even held you accountable for that, and yet you dare to point fingers in my garrison?"

Chen Chao's face changed drastically. "You—"

"What?" Qin Tianbao took a step forward, the aura of a peak Body Forging Realm martial artist erupting like a mountain. "You want to start a fight here?"

On the fortress walls, the sound of bowstrings being drawn rang out in unison.

The four cavalrymen behind Chen Chao turned pale, their hands resting on their sword hilts, not daring to draw them.

Although border forts were nominally under local jurisdiction, they were effectively self-contained systems. They were reserve units for the Border Army and were not subordinate to local officials.

Though Qin Tianbao's rank as a militia captain was low, he had been sent down from the Border Army and held a legitimate military post, which carried more weight than a county cavalry commander. If a conflict truly broke out, the magistrate's office might not even dare to pursue the matter.

"Fine, fine..." Chen Chao repeated the word several times, the scar tissue on his face twitching. Finally, he gritted his teeth and waved his hand. "The assessment results have been delivered. Let's go!"

The five of them vaulted onto their horses, and the sound of hooves rang out once more as they beat a hasty retreat.

Qin Tianbao stood on the stone steps without moving an inch, watching the dust trail fade into the distance before bending down to pick up the document. The edges of the paper were already cracked from his grip.

"Captain..." his deputy stepped forward, speaking in a low voice.

"This is going too far." Qin Tianbao turned and walked into the fortress tower, his voice suppressing a surge of anger. "Tell Qin Meng to see me, immediately."

Meanwhile, in the small Qin courtyard.

Practicing a Mystic Grade martial skill was extremely taxing on the body.

Qin Meng had just finished his third large bowl of rice mixed with snake meat soup. As the warmth in his stomach finally suppressed his hunger, he picked up his blade and entered the courtyard to continue his practice.

As he swung his zhanma dao, his mind sank into the momentum of the blade.

Memories of the life-and-death struggle from last night flashed through his mind—the stench of the demon salamander as it lunged, the vibration of the blade slicing through scales, the fury of the hand-to-hand combat, and the way his baleful qi had fused into his killing blow in the heat of the moment, the blade light tearing through the air...

These realizations merged with the blood energy of his newly reached Boiling Blood Realm, giving birth to a brand-new blade intent.

As the blade rose, it no longer followed rigid, conventional moves.

Cleave, slash, sweep, lift—every strike carried the ferocity of a desperate struggle. The speed of the blade grew faster and faster, a black-red shimmer flowing along the edge, gradually forming an impenetrable web of steel that enveloped a radius of two to three zhang.

Shen Qiuyue was washing clothes by the well. When she looked up and saw the scene in the courtyard, the garment in her hands dropped into the basin.

Qin Meng moved with the agility of a phantom, his blade light weaving a web. Wherever he passed, the withered leaves drifting in the air were shredded into powder before they could even hit the ground.

The whistling of the blade wind and the swirling of baleful qi caused the woodpile in the corner of the courtyard to rattle.

In the doghouse, the little black dog curled into a ball, whimpering softly.

On the windowsill, the little fox's pupils narrowed into slits, its fur standing on end.

At that very moment—

"Hum!"

The zhanma dao suddenly let out a clear, resonant ring, vibrating like the roar of a dragon!

A brilliant black-red light erupted from the blade, condensing into a blurred blade shadow three inches from the tip. It flickered between reality and illusion, radiating a menacing baleful qi.

Qin Meng felt a sudden flash of inspiration. Two streams of pure blood-qi surged within him. The scorching blood-qi from his heart poured into his arms, while the dense blood-qi from his dantian rushed straight toward his brow.

His vision suddenly shifted—the trajectory of the blade perfectly aligned with the airflow. Every ounce of resistance and every precise angle became crystal clear to him.

"Slash!"

It was the simplest vertical strike.

As the blade fell, the blade shadow detached from the edge!

"Crack! Crack! Crack!"

The dried pine firewood stacked in the corner of the courtyard snapped in response. Three logs as thick as bowls were sliced clean through, the cut surfaces as smooth as mirrors.

The blade shadow flew twenty feet before dissipating. Wherever it passed, the air twisted as if it had been torn apart, and a deep gouge was carved into the courtyard wall.

A gale exploded, and the morning mist vanished completely.

Qin Meng stood still, sheathing his blade. His chest heaved slightly, and steam rose from his body like mist.

He clearly felt that his strength had grown once more. His muscles, bones, and even his spirit had undergone a form of tempering during that strike.

A few lines of small text appeared before his eyes:

[Evil-slaying blade-breaking saber - Minor Mastery (1/1000)]

[Special Effect: "Physique enhancement" strengthened: Massive increase in physical constitution.]

[Special Effect: "Sharpness" strengthened: Condenses baleful qi, increasing sharpness.]

[Special Status: Evil-slaying (Minor Mastery): Damage against demons and evil entities increased by 70%.]

What was even better was that the baleful qi of the blade had already begun to circulate and merge with his own blood and qi. Holding the zhanma dao felt as natural as an extension of his own arm, and its sharpness had increased significantly.

"The minor mastery realm is truly different." Qin Meng stroked the blade, his heart surging with excitement.

Just as he was about to carefully sense the changes in his body, the courtyard gate was suddenly knocked upon.

"Mengzi, Captain Qin requests your presence. It's urgent!" The voice outside the door was hurried.

Qin Meng frowned slightly and sheathed his blade. He glanced at Shen Qiuyue, whose face was filled with worry, said "Don't worry," and pushed the door open to step out.