The Nations' Heroes' Deadly Game Begins, Zhao Cheng Opens Acupoints and Condenses Jade Fluid

Within the great hall of the Chu State.

King You of Chu felt a sense of unease and asked, "Do you ministers have any sound strategies to slay this man?"

"I believe that since this man possesses peerless martial prowess and is currently deep within enemy lines, we should dispatch a great army to exploit his vulnerability and surround him within the battle formation."

"I find that unwise. The Chu State has just lost sixty thousand elite troops. To mobilize again now—not to mention that the Qin State will be prepared—might lead us into a Qin ambush. Furthermore, ordinary generals would find it difficult to surround and kill such a man."

"Xiang Tuo's martial prowess is known to all. Even surrounding him within a military formation was no easy task, and this man is even more ferocious than Xiang Tuo. Killing him would be even harder."

"I suggest we issue a high-bounty decree. The lands of Chu are filled with chivalrous heroes; perhaps some reclusive master might emerge to assassinate him."

"I suggest we send word to the other five states, inviting all manner of talented individuals to slay this scoundrel."

"I believe the safety of the King is of the utmost importance. I have heard that within the Yunmeng Marsh of Chu, there are hidden dragons and crouching tigers. Among them is Yunmeng Zi, who can control water with his qi and manifest the Water Tornado technique. We must send someone to Yunmeng Marsh to invite this hermit to the palace to stand guard for the King..."

"..."

One minister after another offered their strategies.

King You of Chu nodded, "Then we shall do as you suggest: send word to the five states, invite the heroes, and slay this scoundrel."

"Also, go to Yunmeng Marsh to invite the hermit to guard the palace. This Lonely One is willing to treat him with the honors of a high minister!"

Soon, the Chu State dispatched envoys to the other states, spreading exaggerated tales of the threat posed by Zhao Cheng to every monarch.

The monarchs reacted differently. Because of the Qin State's strategy of befriending distant states while attacking neighbors, some believed the Qin Army would not attack them and thus paid no heed.

However, others felt that Zhao Cheng was too great a threat and that, given time, no one would be able to stop him. They secretly responded, inviting heroes and preparing to assassinate Zhao Cheng.

Outside Chou City, the Qin Army was stationed to rest and reorganize.

Meng Wu sat in the main tent, writing another letter to the King of Qin.

"To His Majesty the King:

Your servant Meng Wu bows his head and pays his respects again, daring to report the events of the Nanyang campaign before you.

Since the day Ye County was conquered, Zhao Cheng reported that the Chu Army was marching day and night, intending to link up with the remnants in the city and annihilate our forces beneath Fang City.

Fortunately, Zhao Cheng was the first to scale the walls and break the city. I then turned their plan against them, laying an ambush with elite soldiers at the foot of Xing Mountain, waiting with a net cast wide.

When the Chu reinforcements arrived, their commander was the Tiger of the Xiang Clan, Tuo.

This man has long been known for his ferocity in the Jianghan region and is skilled at assessing the strength of his foes. The moment he saw the formation change, he sought to lead thirty thousand elite troops to break through and flee.

Fortunately, Zhao Cheng led thirteen thousand cavalry, galloping to the Chou Yi gorge to cut off his retreat.

Zhao Cheng leveled his halberd and charged to the front, fighting Xiang Tuo alone before the lines. In a single exchange, he crushed his momentum.

Xiang Tuo's courage shattered; he abandoned his banner and fled. Zhao Cheng pursued the victory, beheading him with a single strike of his halberd to serve as a warning.

Without their leader, the Chu Army collapsed in the field and was entirely annihilated by our forces.

Even after such a fierce battle, Zhao Cheng remained high-spirited. He led three thousand Assault Cavalry, marching silently through the night toward Chou City.

He disguised himself as a Han messenger, tricked the gates open, slew the defending general, and seized the city.

Our army swarmed in during the chaos; before the third drum, the fortress was ours.

In this campaign, Zhao Cheng's courage surpassed the three armies, his might shaking the enemy's soul. Even the E Lai or Meng Ben of antiquity could not easily surpass him.

In the battles thus far, our casualties have not exceeded ten thousand, all thanks to the dedication of our soldiers, and especially the sharpness of Zhao Cheng.

This man is truly the sharp blade of the state; wherever he points, walls crumble.

Your servant is overjoyed to have such a tiger-like minister as my wing. I hope Your Majesty will promote him further to inspire the three armies.

Your servant Wu bows in trepidation. The sixteenth year of King Zheng of Qin, early winter."

After finishing the letter, Meng Wu felt his mind clear significantly.

He summoned someone to take the message, sending it along with the military report to Xianyang.

He then spread out a map, his gaze lingering on Wan City as he pondered in silence, as motionless as a wooden statue.

At this moment, Zhao Cheng was in the main tent, studying military theory with Meng Tian and learning about many classic battles.

After the Killing Star entered his meridians, the speed at which his Thoroughfare Vessel condensed Primordial Qi was even greater than before.

However, as he invested a thousand years of his lifespan into cultivation and condensed the Primordial Qi, the killing intent in his heart grew increasingly intense.

He had no choice but to stop, thinking that once he grasped the laws of condensing other meridians, he could continue his cultivation and perhaps balance this killing intent.

Thus, after exchanging for another Insight Pill, he resumed his study of military strategy with Meng Tian.

"...During the Battle of Chengpu, the Jin and Chu states vied for hegemony. Duke Wen of Jin, Chong'er, to repay the kindness of King Cheng of Chu, practiced the 'retreating three stages,' withdrawing ninety miles before engaging in the decisive battle at Chengpu."

"At the time, the Jin Army adopted a strategy of 'avoiding the strong and striking the weak.' The lower army routed the Chu right flank of the Chen and Cai coalition, the upper army feigned defeat to lure the enemy, and the main force of the center army circled around to flank the Chu left..."

Zhao Cheng was thoughtful, saying, "This is the tactical essence of feigning a position to lure the enemy, then circling around to envelop them."

"Oh, you learn very quickly." Meng Tian was quite amazed by Zhao Cheng's aptitude for military strategy.

"In the Battle of Maling, the Wei State attacked Han, and the Qi State again sent Sun Bin to the rescue. Sun Bin used the ruse of 'reducing the cooking stoves to lure the enemy' and set an ambush at Maling."

"He intentionally reduced the number of cooking pits to feign a massive desertion of the Qi Army, luring Pang Juan of the Wei Army into a reckless advance, only to annihilate the Wei forces with a simultaneous volley of arrows."

Zhao Cheng said, "This is winning by adapting to the enemy, assessing their strengths and weaknesses, and using strategy based on the situation."

Meng Tian raised an eyebrow. "Oh, not bad. You've only read it once, yet you can already map it so accurately to the art of war."

"Look at this next one..."

Zhao Cheng answered fluently, pulling examples from his mind with ease.

"This is 'attack where they must defend'..."

"Winning completely without fighting, leaving the great army unscathed..."

"The way of war prizes unity..."

He cited many more classic battles, and every time he finished explaining a battlefield situation, Zhao Cheng could quickly find the corresponding theory from his recent studies to verify it.

The effect of the Insight Pill went without saying; Zhao Cheng now understood everything at a touch, capable of drawing inferences about other cases from one instance, which left even Meng Tian feeling a bit demoralized.

Zhao Cheng was still eager to learn, but Meng Tian was starting to run out of things to teach.

"Enough, enough. Let's stop here for today."

Zhao Cheng did not force the issue; the way of war was unfathomable and ever-changing.

Although he could grasp the essence of these things through the corresponding classic battles, he knew that to truly master them, he would likely need to experience them in actual combat.

Of course, that meant having others use these strategies against him, so he could learn while breaking their formations.

His style of warfare remained focused on killing, consistent from start to finish.

He simply couldn't be like Xiang Tuo, charging forward blindly only to be played like a puppet in the palms of others.

After Meng Tian left, Zhao Cheng took advantage of his current state of enlightenment and immediately began a simulation.

"System, invest ten years of lifespan to simulate the circulation path of Primordial Qi."

[Beginning lifespan investment for simulation.]

[Year 1: After consuming the Insight Pill, your insight increases greatly. With your previous experience of the Killing Star entering your meridians, you continue to observe the celestial phenomena at night...]

[Year 3: You still feel the laws of heaven and earth are vast and complex, but you have confirmed they are inextricably linked to the circulation of your meridians. You faintly grasp that single thread of connection...]

[Year 5: You have gained some insight. You believe the Twenty-Eight Mansions in the sky correspond to various meridians within your body, but you have yet to find the underlying pattern.]

[Year 9: Years pass in a flash. You have re-examined your many realizations and gained a deeper understanding of the deceptive strategies of war described by Meng Tian. Observing the night sky again, you discover that within the Seven Mansions of the White Tiger, the Zui Mansion glows once more. You gradually become immersed in it; numerous battle formations and strategic ploys emerge in your mind. Countless troops seem to be clashing in your consciousness, maneuvering and slaughtering each other according to your will. At this moment, the Primordial Qi in your Thoroughfare Vessel begins to circulate again, rushing into the Great Collateral of Shaoyang, intersecting and cycling with four of the Twelve Standard Meridians, before returning to the Thoroughfare Vessel.]

[Year 10: Watching the Zui Mansion, you comprehend the method of circulating the Thoroughfare Vessel through the Yang Vessel. The condensation speed of the Primordial Qi in your Thoroughfare Vessel doubles. One cycle of the Thoroughfare Vessel now equals a hundred cycles of natural circulation throughout your body. At this time, as you circulate Primordial Qi through the Thoroughfare Vessel again, the Sha Qi produced in the Yin Collateral is naturally converted by the Yang Collateral into the driving force for condensing Primordial Qi...]

Zhao Cheng slowly opened his eyes, feeling the killing intent in his mind dissipate entirely. His spirit became clear and bright, and a smile appeared on his face.

"So that's how it is."

"The Eight Extraordinary Meridians are the major vessels, and each major vessel corresponds to two star mansions."

"The Shen Mansion is a killing star, governing slaughter. Because I had been filled with Sha Qi from those few battles, it was easier to resonate with that star, which is why my urge to kill was so hard to suppress!"

"But the Zui Mansion is related to offensive strategy and deceptive formations, symbolizing the commander of the three armies. Only after I studied the art of war deeply could I better comprehend it."

"Having such a general star enter the meridian can guide the violent Sha Qi and convert it into an orderly force."

"It is just like on the battlefield; mere bravery and a soaring morale are not enough. One must effectively guide this military spirit through command and formation to transform it into the most powerful force."

"Only by combining the orthodox with the unorthodox, and balancing Yin and Yang, can I ensure the stability and condensation of the Primordial Qi within my body."

From this point on, the Primordial Qi in Zhao Cheng's Thoroughfare Vessel circulated simultaneously between the Yin Collateral and the Yang Collateral, not only becoming extremely stable but also condensing a hundred times faster than before.

All circulation of Primordial Qi in his body was now centered on the Thoroughfare Vessel; the high-quality, condensed Primordial Qi was all stored within it.

It acted like a compression device, gathering all the ordinary Primordial Qi he absorbed into the Thoroughfare Vessel, constantly compressing and tempering it before storing it away.

The more condensed this Primordial Qi became, the more immense the power it contained.

Zhao Cheng channeled a wisp of the condensed Primordial Qi to his fingertip and pressed it against his Precision Cast Great Halberd.

Under the coverage of the Primordial Qi, the slight nick on the edge of the halberd was actually flattened by his finger.

This precision-cast weapon felt as soft as modeling clay in his hands.

Even Zhao Cheng himself was filled with astonishment.

He hadn't even felt any resistance from the hardness of the metal.

Recalling this wisp of condensed Primordial Qi back into his Thoroughfare Vessel, Zhao Cheng thought that even if Wan City were a fortress of bronze and iron, he could easily break into it relying on this condensed Primordial Qi.

Breaking the city would take but a snap of the fingers.

It was just a pity that the amount of this refined Primordial Qi was still far too little.

Zhao Cheng prepared to test the cultivation for a hundred years first; if no issues arose, he would begin investing his lifespan on a large scale to condense the Primordial Qi within his Thoroughfare Vessel to the absolute limit, to see what changes might occur then.

"System, invest one hundred years of lifespan to refine the Primordial Qi of the Thoroughfare Vessel."

[Beginning investment of lifespan to refine Primordial Qi.]

[In the first year, you utilize the Star Observation Meridian Method to refine the Primordial Qi of the Thoroughfare Vessel. You continuously absorb Primordial Qi from heaven and earth, drawing vast amounts from your Twelve Standard Meridians and Eight Extraordinary Meridians into the Thoroughfare Vessel, where it is repeatedly condensed into a wisp, then a thread, until it is finally refined to the point of being nearly invisible...]

[In the one-hundredth year, endless Primordial Qi from heaven and earth has been drawn into your Thoroughfare Vessel. Through constant refinement, a faint, mist-like Primordial Qi has emerged within the vessel. As this mist-like Qi circulates through the Thoroughfare Vessel, your speed in absorbing Primordial Qi from heaven and earth increases by several dozen times again...]

The deduction complete, Zhao Cheng felt that wisp of mist-like Primordial Qi within his body. He channeled a sliver of it to his fingertip and flicked it gently toward the Great Halberd.

Clang!

With a crisp sound, a fingernail-sized notch instantly appeared on the edge of the Great Halberd.

The break was smooth, as if tofu had been sliced by a blade.