Life Span Pill Condensation, Meng Wu's Letter

Was this even human!?

He had killed more than two hundred men all by himself!?

Beside him, He Ping's eyes bulged like copper bells. He was completely dumbstruck.

Good heavens!

After one battle, this kid had become my superior!

Once he came to his senses, He Ping looked at Zhao Cheng with complicated feelings.

His military merits would be reviewed. This was no joke: if any falsification was discovered, everyone involved would be implicated, and superiors and subordinates alike would be executed.

So there was absolutely no exaggeration in these figures!

In other words, this young man before him really had killed more than two hundred men on his own, and led his men in killing over five hundred more. He had also been the first to scale the enemy walls and had captured the enemy commander!

The most terrifying part was that he'd taken only two hundred men with him. They'd even fallen into an enemy ambush, yet he was still alive and running around full of energy. This...

He simply wasn't human!

He Ping had only ever met one man like this in his entire life. He couldn't even bring himself to compare himself to Zhao Cheng; all he felt was utter astonishment and admiration.

Zhao Cheng remained impassive. He bowed respectfully. "Thank you, General."

"Don't thank me just yet. Your military merits are unprecedented. As for the specifics of your reward, I'm afraid we'll have to wait until the battle report reaches Xianyang. The king will decide with a single word." As Meng Wu spoke, his expression turned rather peculiar. He had spent many years in the army, but he'd never seen anything like this.

"But I can provisionally appoint you to a military post. You'll serve as Assault Cavalry Commandant for now, and command three thousand cavalry."

Zhao Cheng bowed respectfully. "I accept your orders, sir. It's just that I don't have much experience commanding troops..."

He'd never commanded three thousand men. Even leading a hundred or so had been a struggle. All he knew was how to charge at the front.

If he led three thousand men into battle by charging at the front, wouldn't that be a disaster?

Meng Wu smiled. "Meng Tian also distinguished himself in this battle. I'll promote him to Assault Cavalry Colonel and make him your deputy. He can assist you with command."

Meng Tian bowed respectfully. "I accept your orders!"

Zhao Cheng relaxed a little. Bearing responsibility for the lives of three thousand men weighed on him, but with Meng Tian's help, the pressure eased considerably.

Seeing Zhao Cheng's expression, Meng Wu smiled too. At least this kid knows his own limits.

"You fought well in this battle. Your assault at the front and breach of the enemy lines saved me a great deal of trouble. Go get treated. The seriously wounded soldiers should nearly all be taken care of by now."

Earlier, Meng Wu had told Zhao Cheng to get treated, but Zhao Cheng had said his injuries were only minor and insisted that his seriously wounded comrades be treated first. He'd moved many of the soldiers around him, and before long word had spread that Zhao Cheng had suffered hundreds of cuts but still let his comrades go first...

After this battle, Zhao Cheng's prestige in the army had soared. Meng Wu had seen it all, which was why he had promoted Zhao Cheng to Assault Cavalry Commandant ahead of schedule. With this promotion, combined with Zhao Cheng's habit of leading the charge, the army's morale was bound to rise considerably.

Zhao Cheng and Meng Tian left the tent.

Meng Tian bowed to Zhao Cheng. "I owe my achievements in this battle to you, little brother. Thank you."

If Zhao Cheng hadn't been so valiant, then with anyone else in his place, the two hundred elite cavalrymen would have been wiped out in the ambush. Meng Tian would have gained no merits at all and would instead have faced severe punishment!

Zhao Cheng hurriedly helped him up. "Why say that? If you hadn't come to support me, I'd probably have been done for."

He changed the subject. "Speaking of which, when will the ennoblement and land grant reach our village?"

Thinking of how his uncle and aunt would react when they saw him receive a title and land, and imagining himself returning home in glory someday, Zhao Cheng felt delighted.

Meng Tian laughed. "The ceremony for granting you your title and land should be completed in a few days. They'll register the farmland, residence, and servants under your household, then engrave it on a stone stele and make a public announcement."

Zhao Cheng was surprised. "So soon? I thought the report had to be sent with the army to Xianyang for the king's approval."

Meng Tian smiled. "That's where my father's cleverness comes in. With the military merits you've earned, why do you think my father said you'd definitely be granted the Fifth Rank Grandee, rather than reporting you for Left Shuzhang?"

Zhao Cheng was puzzled. "Why?"

Meng Tian explained, "The tenth-rank title of Left Shuzhang is already considered a high rank. Your military merits would have to be reported to Xianyang with the army, after which the Minister of Titles, who oversees ranks, and the Minister of Justice, who oversees the law, would jointly review them.

"Then the king would have to approve and confirm your rank. After that, the Office of the Chancellor would send documents to the local commanderies and counties, which would allocate farmland, residences, and servants according to your rank. The whole process could take a month at the shortest, or several months at the longest. The war might even be over by then."

"But the Fifth Rank Grandee is still considered a low rank and can be granted by the county magistrate."

"Once the army finishes its review, it can send the 'Title Granting Order' straight to Yang City County. The county can then register your rank in your household records, engrave a stele and announce it publicly, allocate farmland, a residence, and servants, exempt your family from labor service, and grant you the tax income of three hundred households."

"Besides, the campaign to destroy Han isn't over yet. You'll probably earn plenty more military merits. The merits from each battle will be reported as they come, and they'll all count toward you. Your rank will keep rising, with everything settled according to the final tally. Granting you the Fifth Rank Grandee first simply saves a lot of trouble."

"That's excellent!" Zhao Cheng was quite pleased with this arrangement.

This was only one battle. Before it, he hadn't even been granted the Gongshi rank, yet now he'd leaped over eight ranks at once and been made a Fifth Rank Grandee!

A Fifth Rank Grandee could receive twenty-five qing of farmland, a residence of 225 mu, twenty-five servants, an annual stipend of 450 shi, and the tax income of three hundred households. His entire family would be exempt from labor service, and locally he'd rank alongside the county magistrate!

So much farmland, with servants assigned to work it, not to mention the stipend and tax income!

He'd only been gone from Huaiyang Village for a few days and had fought just one battle. What more could he ask for?

Thinking of his uncle and aunt's expressions when they saw him receive the Fifth Rank Grandee title, Zhao Cheng could barely keep the corners of his mouth from lifting.

He glanced at his system again, and in the end, he couldn't keep his grin in check.

[Remaining life span: 3,735 years]

[Life span exceeds one thousand years. Life Span Pill Condensation function unlocked. You can consume life span to refine pills. Currently available pills...]

Zhao Cheng was overjoyed. After saying goodbye to Meng Tian, he said, "Brother, I'm going to find the physician and get treated."

Meng Tian seemed relieved. "Go, go."

At least the kid was being sensible and getting his injuries treated. His constitution was far beyond an ordinary man's; anyone else would have died eight hundred times over by now.

Zhao Cheng dashed off and found an empty corner of a tent. He sat down, then sank his mind into the system.

"I've already taken nearly four thousand years of life span. Even if I do nothing now and just live, I could make it to the twenty-first century. That's practically immortality."

"I just don't know whether I'll grow old with so much life span. If I keep living and just get older and older, there's not much point in living so long."

"Let's take a look at this new function first. Life Span Pill Condensation—what kinds of pills can I refine?"

He carefully examined the system's new function.

[Cultivation pills: Blood-Qi Pill (taken orally to provide a great deal of blood and qi, strengthening the body): ten years of life span per pill.

Qi Gathering Pill (provides a small amount of Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi when taken): one hundred years of life span per pill.

Essence Gathering Pill (provides a great deal of Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi when taken): one thousand years of life span per pill.

Insight Pill (greatly enhances comprehension for ten years when taken): one thousand years of life span per pill.

Marrow Cleansing Pill (cleanses the meridians and marrow, improving one's natural constitution): ten thousand years of life span per pill.]

[Recovery pills: Qi Recovery Pill (quickly restores stamina when taken): five years of life span per pill.

Lesser Restoration Pill (quickly heals minor internal and external injuries within three days when taken): ten years of life span per pill.

Hemostatic Ointment (quickly stops bleeding and improves the body's ability to recover when applied externally): ten years of life span per jar.

Greater Restoration Pill (heals severe internal and external injuries within half a day when taken): one hundred years of life span per pill.

Flesh Regenerating Ointment (when applied externally, instantly stops the bleeding and scabs over wounds deep enough to expose bone; new flesh grows within three days, and the scabs fall away without a trace after seven): one hundred years of life span per jar.

Rejuvenation Pill (heals all injuries within the time it takes an incense stick to burn when taken): one thousand years of life span per pill.

Jade Dew Ointment (treats broken bones and severed tendons, reconnecting them; instantly stops the intense pain when applied, and the limbs can be moved the next day): one thousand years of life span per jar.

Creation Pill (brings the dead back to life and regenerates flesh on white bones; can heal anyone with even a breath of life remaining): ten thousand years of life span per pill]

"Damn... These pills are expensive. But they're truly miraculous. The Rejuvenation Pill alone is worth it. It can heal all injuries in the time it takes an incense stick to burn. It's practically a divine remedy, something that could save my life."

"The Blood-Qi Pill is cheap too. If I'd unlocked Life Span Pill Condensation earlier, why would I have needed to spend so much time on Bone Refining?"

"The Qi Recovery Pill is great too. It's easy to run out of strength when surrounded by enemies. Take one Qi Recovery Pill and you're back on your feet. It's practically a necessity."

"I'll buy ten Qi Recovery Pills first!"

[Deducted fifty years of life span. Received Qi Recovery Pill * 10. Claim now?]

"I won't claim them yet. I'll use them when I need them."

"I'll buy a jar of Hemostatic Ointment too."

[Deducted ten years of life span. Received Hemostatic Ointment. Claim now?]

"Claim it."

His vision blurred. A small jar appeared in Zhao Cheng's hand, about the size of a pebble. There didn't seem to be much ointment inside, perhaps two liang at most.

"What a rip-off. I thought the jar would be much bigger."

After thinking it over, Zhao Cheng decided not to exchange for anything more expensive. This life span had been hard-won. It would be better to save it for developing his body-tempering technique and increasing his ability to kill enemies—that was the best use for it.

As he thought, he smeared the Hemostatic Ointment over his wounds.

His hundreds of wounds looked frightening, but they were only flesh wounds. None had even cut through the fascia, and many had already scabbed over.

Some parts of his body weren't protected by fascia, and they were still bleeding. But after he applied the ointment, a cool sensation spread over them within moments. The wounds soon scabbed over and stopped bleeding.

"Good stuff. If the Hemostatic Ointment works this well, how effective must the Greater Restoration Pill and Flesh Regenerating Ointment be, when they're refined with a hundred years of life span?"

He could only imagine. One pill cost a thousand years of life span. He wasn't going to exchange for one.

"I'll rest for a while."

Even with his constitution, the intense fighting had left him somewhat exhausted. His body was more or less fine; it was mainly his mind that had taken a beating.

His first time killing someone, his first charge into battle, his first fight to the death, his first time breaking through the enemy lines and capturing a commander—it had been far too intense.

And so Zhao Cheng lay down in the tent and drifted into a hazy sleep.

A breeze lifted the tent flap, bringing in a refreshing coolness. Zhao Cheng's body gradually relaxed, and he slipped into a dream.

In the dream, he stood in the open space before the ancestral hall in Huaiyang Village. The county magistrate granted him his title and land amid the clamour of gongs and drums. His uncle and the villagers crowded around, beaming with joy, their gasps of astonishment and envy unending.

A thousand mu of fertile fields, a mansion with no end in sight, dozens of servants—all his.

His uncle and aunt beside him were grinning from ear to ear...

While Zhao Cheng slept soundly, the commanding general, Meng Wu, sat in his tent writing a letter.

His brush glided across the silk, every stroke vigorous and forceful.

"Your Majesty, King of Qin: Your servant Meng Wu bows his head and respectfully submits this report on the border situation. I have recently come across a young divine general. His name is Zhao Cheng, and he is sixteen years old. None can match his bravery.

"In the battle at Fang City Pass, this young man distinguished himself brilliantly. He led two hundred Assault Cavalry Elite in a daring ascent of the Southern Foothills of Fang City. The enemy had two thousand elite garrison troops holding the high ground.

"Zhao Cheng led the charge and climbed the cliff. When he came to close quarters with the enemy, he slew 227 men, seized their pass, and raised a banner as a marker. He held his ground with great difficulty until our reinforcements surrounded the enemy...

"When the enemy troops broke out, Zhao Cheng charged alone into their ranks, smashing through their strongest defenses and capturing the enemy general alive. Our army took the pass by storm without breaking a sweat.

"This Zhao Cheng possesses the makings of a God of War, a fierce general who could stand against ten thousand men...

"More remarkable still: this young man is handsome and heroic in appearance. Between his brows, he bears some resemblance to Your Majesty.

"I have heard physiognomists say that those born to nobility often bear the marks of Heaven. Zhao Cheng was born with such features and also possesses the courage of ten thousand men. Perhaps Heaven has bestowed him upon Qin...

"Your servant Meng Wu bows again. Written in the tenth month of the seventeenth year of King Zheng of Qin."

After finishing the letter, Meng Wu looked it over and nodded with satisfaction.

"Someone, send this letter to Xianyang together with the battle report and present it to the king!"