Entering the Personal Guard Battalion

The day after Li Jinshui broke through to the Inner Strength Realm, the governor's messenger arrived.

"Commander Li, the governor requests your presence."

As Li Jinshui followed the messenger into the General's Mansion, he had a rough idea of why he was summoned.

Indeed, Zhao Zheng sat in the main seat. His eyes lit up when he saw Li Jinshui enter. He scrutinized him from head to toe before bursting into laughter.

"Good! Good! Good!" He uttered three "goods" in a row, then stood and walked up to Li Jinshui. "Inner Strength Realm! Three days ago you were at the ninth level of Body Forging, and now you're in Inner Strength? How did you break through?"

Li Jinshui lowered his head and said, "I was practicing last night, and it happened naturally."

"Naturally?" Zhao Zheng stared at him for a long moment, then suddenly smiled again. "Fine, however you broke through, the breakthrough itself is a testament to your ability."

He patted Li Jinshui's shoulder. "We had an agreement. Once you reached the Inner Strength Realm, you'd join my Personal Guard Battalion. Starting today, you're part of the battalion."

Li Jinshui cupped his fists. "Thank you, Governor."

"Don't thank me just yet." Zhao Zheng waved his hand. "The benefits of the Personal Guard Battalion are far superior to those of a commander. Your monthly stipend will be twenty taels, fifty catties of meat, and five Blood-Qi Pills each month. Additionally—"

He picked up a token from the table and handed it to Li Jinshui.

"The Scripture Pavilion of the General's Mansion will be fully open to you. No military merits required. Enter whenever you wish, and take whatever cultivation techniques you desire."

Li Jinshui took the token and looked down. It was different from the last one. This one was pure gold, engraved with the character "Order."

"Is this the token for the Personal Guard Battalion?" he asked.

"Correct." Zhao Zheng nodded. "In all of North-Rejecting City, there are fewer than twenty people who can enter the Scripture Pavilion and take cultivation techniques freely. You are the seventeenth."

Li Jinshui gripped the token, his mind racing.

The Scripture Pavilion, fully open.

Take whatever cultivation techniques he desired.

This meant—

He could record all the cultivation techniques he could learn into his panel.

No need to specialize in one. No need to agonize over choices.

He wanted them all.

After all, he had the panel. As long as he had points, he could upgrade anything.

"Thank you, Governor," he said, this time with a hint of genuine sincerity in his voice.

Zhao Zheng waved his hand. "You may go. Spend these next few days recovering from your injuries and familiarizing yourself with the rules of the Personal Guard Battalion. Once the regular army arrives, you'll be busy."

Li Jinshui nodded and turned to leave, but then he heard Zhao Zheng speak from behind him.

"Oh, right. You can come and go from the camp freely these next few days. The battle is over, the vanguard has retreated, and the city's restaurants are all open. Go relax."

Li Jinshui paused, then looked back.

Zhao Zheng smiled at him, a smile with a hint of knowing amusement.

Li Jinshui nodded and strode away.

The Scripture Pavilion was still the same small blue brick building, and the two old guards with white hair and beards were still at the entrance.

Li Jinshui presented the golden token. The old guards verified it, and a flicker of surprise flashed in their cloudy old eyes.

"From the Personal Guard Battalion?" one of them looked up at Li Jinshui. "Young man, you've got skill."

Li Jinshui didn't speak and pushed the door open.

This time, he didn't have to leave after just an hour.

He first went to the internal energy section and picked up the Evergreen Art again, flipping through it to confirm it had been recorded. Then, he headed to the blade technique section.

On the blade technique shelves, various techniques were displayed in abundance.

His gaze swept across them, finally landing on a beast-skin booklet—White Tiger Blade Technique.

He opened the first page: This blade technique was created by the General of the North-Suppressing. Its killing intent is fierce, and its power is unmatched. It has seven forms, each with the might to split mountains and shatter rocks. When trained to mastery, the blade energy will take form, like a white tiger pouncing.

The General of the North-Suppressing.

That was the one who commanded an army of 150,000 and was going to Yanmen Pass to meet the main force of the Di People.

Li Jinshui put the booklet away.

He continued walking.

The footwork section.

He remembered during the night raid, he had run for dozens of miles, and his legs had nearly given out. If there were footwork techniques for long-distance marching, he wouldn't have to suffer so much in the future.

He searched around and finally found a book in a corner—Marching Step.

He opened the first page: This footwork technique was created by the General of the North-Suppressing, specifically designed for long-distance rapid marches. Once mastered, one can march a hundred miles a day without feeling tired, suitable for large armies on forced marches.

A hundred miles a day.

Li Jinshui nodded and put it away.

He then recalled fighting on the city walls, where sometimes it was just a blink of an eye difference between his blade landing on the enemy. If there were footwork techniques that could explode with speed over short distances—

He continued his search.

Inch Step.

He flipped it open: A method for high-speed, short-distance movement. Within a Square Inch, one moves like a ghost or a phantom. When mastered, no one can escape within a single step.

This is the one.

He then walked toward the fist technique section.

He had a blade technique and a footwork technique, but he still lacked a skill for close-quarters combat.

His gaze swept across the rack of fist techniques, finally landing on a thin booklet—Iron Thread Fist.

He flipped it open: This fist technique specializes in close-quarters combat, combining hardness with softness. The strikes are like iron threads; they appear light, but in reality, the force penetrates to the bones and tendons. When mastered, a single punch can shatter a person's internal organs.

Li Jinshui hugged the four booklets to his chest and walked to the entrance to register them.

The old soldier looked at the stack in his arms and froze for a moment: "You're taking this many?"

Li Jinshui nodded.

The old soldier opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end, he didn't, merely shaking his head as he recorded them in the ledger:

"White Tiger Blade Technique, Marching Step, Inch Step, Iron Thread Fist."

He looked up at Li Jinshui: "Young man, biting off more than you can chew will only lead to indigestion. Any one of these techniques is enough to keep you busy for years."

Li Jinshui didn't speak, merely offering a smile.

The old soldier shook his head and said no more.

Returning to the barracks, Li Jinshui placed the four booklets on his bed and sat down cross-legged.

He opened the White Tiger Blade Technique first.

As soon as he finished reading the first page of the incantation, that cold, mechanical voice suddenly rang out in his mind—

[Technique detected... Recording...]

[Recording successful: White Tiger Blade Technique]

[White Tiger Blade Technique: Uninitiated (0/50)]

He flipped to Marching Step.

[Recording successful: Marching Step]

[Marching Step: Uninitiated (0/30)]

Inch Step.

[Recording successful: Inch Step]

[Inch Step: Uninitiated (0/40)]

Iron Thread Fist.

[Recording successful: Iron Thread Fist]

[Iron Thread Fist: Uninitiated (0/40)]

Li Jinshui looked at the four "Uninitiated" statuses on the panel, and the corners of his mouth slowly curled upward.

Being uninitiated didn't matter.

As long as he had points, reaching the entry level would be a matter of an instant.

He put the four booklets away, placing them alongside Evergreen Art and Rock Body.

He now had six techniques.

Evergreen Art, Rock Body, White Tiger Blade Technique, Marching Step, Inch Step, and Iron Thread Fist.

Added to the already perfected Iron Shirt, Wolf Killing Seven Forms, and Tiger Walk.

It was enough.

As long as he was given enough time and killed enough people—

All of these techniques would be perfected.

Footsteps sounded outside the door, the door was pushed open, and Monkey poked his head in.

"Jinshui! I heard you got into the Personal Guard Battalion?"

Li Jinshui nodded.

Monkey's eyes lit up; he darted inside and plopped down next to him: "Holy crap! The Personal Guard Battalion! That's the most badass unit in North-Rejecting City! Does that mean you're one of the Commander's men now?"

Li Jinshui thought for a moment: "I suppose so."

Monkey chuckled happily, looking even more excited than if he had joined the Personal Guard Battalion himself.

After laughing for a while, he seemed to remember something and lowered his voice to ask: "Right, I heard people saying earlier that the Commander is allowing people to enter and leave the camp freely? Is that true or false?"

Li Jinshui nodded: "True."

Monkey's eyes grew even brighter: "Then are we heading into the city tonight? To the Drunken Immortal Restaurant? To Gentle Haven?"

Li Jinshui looked at him and suddenly smiled.

"Alright."

Monkey's mouth split into a grin that reached his ears.

That evening, the two tidied up and headed into the city.

Walking on the road, Monkey chattered incessantly, asking all sorts of questions. Li Jinshui responded occasionally, but mostly just listened.

When they reached the city gate, he suddenly remembered something and asked Monkey, "Do you have any money on you?"

Monkey patted his chest and pulled out a few pieces of broken silver. "Yeah, why?"

Li Jinshui took out the fifty tael silver pouch from his chest and tossed it to Monkey.

Monkey caught it, opened it, and his eyes went wide. "Holy crap! Fifty taels?! Where did you get that?"

Li Jinshui didn't answer, only saying, "I'm treating tonight."

Monkey stared at him blankly, then looked at the silver pouch again, and suddenly smiled.

"Alright! Tonight we'll feast on a rich man!"

The two walked through the city gate and disappeared into the lights.

General's Mansion.

Zhao Zheng stood by the window, looking at the lights of the city gate in the distance.

Behind him stood a personal guard, reporting.

"...Li Jinshui went to the Scripture Pavilion today and took four cultivation methods. White Tiger Blade Technique, Marching Step, Inch Step, and Iron Thread Fist."

Zhao Zheng raised an eyebrow. "Four? This kid has quite an appetite."

The personal guard hesitated. "Commander, should we remind him? Too much too soon..."

Zhao Zheng waved his hand.

"No need."

He looked out the window, the corners of his mouth slowly curling up.

"Someone who can break through from Body Forging ninth layer to Inner Strength in three days cannot be judged by common sense."

He paused, his voice as light as if he were talking to himself.

"I'd like to see how far this kid can go."

Outside the window, the night deepened.

The lights of North-Rejecting City flickered in the darkness, like countless eyes.