The Death Squad Camp had rested for five days after the bloody battle atop the city wall.
Early that morning, all the survivors were herded onto the drill ground.
The man standing on the raised platform wasn't Instructor Zhao. He was a middle-aged scholar with a pale, clean-shaven face, dressed in a blue-gray military advisor's robe. His eyes were as sharp as an eagle's.
"My surname is Wu. I oversee the Death Squad Camp's records of merit and demerit." The scholar's voice wasn't loud, but every word landed clearly in everyone's ears. "Today, I'll explain the camp rules. Listen carefully."
Not a sound came from below.
"The Death Squad Camp is also called the Vanguard Camp. In battle, we charge at the very front, and when retreating, we're the last to leave." Advisor Wu surveyed the men below. "Most people who come here are criminals, refugees, or men seized for conscription. But Great Zhou's military law still leaves them a sliver of hope."
He paused, then spoke each word distinctly:
"Anyone who reaches the fifth level of Body Forging can leave the Death Squad Camp and join the regular army. Take your Military Merit Token to the City Defense Bureau to register. No one will dare stop you."
A buzz erupted among the men.
Li Jinshui stood in the crowd, his eyes shining.
He had heard old soldiers mention it before, but hearing an officer say it himself made all the difference.
"Anyone above the third level of Body Forging can become a Corporal, with an extra three qian of monthly pay and five jin of meat," Advisor Wu continued. "As for how to advance... kill Barbarians on the battlefield, and you'll naturally reap rewards."
He was vague, but the veterans understood. Kill Di People and take the Blood Essence Stones they carried to aid in Body Forging.
They couldn't compare to proper pills and cultivation manuals, but for common soldiers, they were the only way to climb the ranks.
After the gathering broke up, Li Jinshui and Monkey squatted behind the barracks, gnawing on steamed corn buns.
"The fifth level of Body Forging..." Monkey mumbled through a mouthful of coarse grain. "I'm at the peak of the second level right now."
Li Jinshui nodded. His status panel showed that he was at the second level of Body Forging, and his Iron Shirt proficiency had already reached 4/15.
During the days of rest, he had secretly practiced his technique. He hadn't gained any points, but his energy had grown more solid.
"There are quite a few people in camp with some cultivation." Li Jinshui looked around. "See that one-eyed man? He's at least third level. That big fellow in the northwest corner might be close to the fourth."
Monkey squinted at them. "They're all old hands... Among our batch of newcomers, you and I are about the only ones who've reached a level."
Just then, a copper gong boomed again and again.
"Enemy attack—up to the wall!"
It was the city wall again.
Li Jinshui gripped his iron saber and charged up with the others.
This time, he felt more confident. At the second level of Body Forging, with Iron Shirt to protect him, his chances of surviving were much better—as long as he didn't run into anyone too formidable.
The city wall was already in utter chaos. The Di People had deployed even more Scaling Ladders this time, and several crooked Siege Towers were being pushed forward.
"Death Squad Camp! Plug the gaps!"
Li Jinshui was shoved toward a crenel midway along the wall. The defenders there had just been cut down by a volley of arrows, and Di People were swarming up.
The moment a Di soldier appeared, Li Jinshui thrust his shield forward and knocked him right back down. A second Barbarian Soldier leaped up, swinging a curved saber straight at his head.
Army-Breaking Saber Technique—Horizontal Slash!
The iron saber clashed against the curved saber, spraying sparks.
Li Jinshui's arm went numb, but as Iron Shirt took effect, the force dispersed. He followed through with a kick to the man's stomach. The Barbarian Soldier staggered back, and Li Jinshui finished him off with a slash.
[Di soldier killed, points +1]
[Current points: 4]
Add the point to Iron Shirt at once!
At the thought, his points dropped to zero. A faint warmth stirred inside him, and his Iron Shirt proficiency rose to 5/15.
The third Di soldier was difficult to deal with. Short and stocky, he was surprisingly quick, and his curved saber kept aiming low.
Li Jinshui blocked three slashes in a row, but a chunk was cut from the edge of his shield.
"I'm on it!"
Monkey darted in from the side and thrust his saber toward the Barbarian's ribs.
The Di soldier turned his saber to parry. Seizing the opening, Li Jinshui swept his iron saber upward—
The blade sliced across the man's thigh, exposing the bone.
The Di soldier screamed and fell. Monkey finished him off with another stab.
[Points +1]
Add it to Iron Shirt again!
His Iron Shirt proficiency increased, and his strength rose.
The two stood back to back, holding the crenel to the death.
The Di People surged forward like a tide, only to be beaten back again and again.
Li Jinshui's saber work grew more and more practiced. He cycled through the Three Army-Breaking Styles, gradually wielding them as smoothly as flowing water.
"Left!" Monkey suddenly shouted.
A Di soldier wearing leather armor and a wolfskin cap climbed onto the wall.
His presence was completely different. His eyes were as fierce as a wolf's, and the curved saber in his hand was heavier than those wielded by ordinary Barbarian Soldiers.
Fourth level of Body Forging!
And definitely at the peak of the fourth level.
"Di Five-Man Squad Leader!" an old soldier cried out. "Fall back! Let the spearmen handle him!"
But the spearmen were tied up at another breach and couldn't get there in time.
The Di Five-Man Squad Leader grinned, showing a mouthful of yellow teeth, and charged straight at Li Jinshui.
His curved saber came down, its whistle through the air piercing the ears.
Li Jinshui raised his shield to take the blow—
"Crack!"
The wooden shield split down the middle.
A tremendous force slammed into him. Li Jinshui staggered back three steps, a metallic sweetness rising in his throat.
Monkey stabbed at the Squad Leader from the side, but the man knocked his blade aside with a backhand and kicked him in the stomach. Monkey went flying.
"Monkey!" Li Jinshui's eyes blazed red.
The Squad Leader gave him no chance to catch his breath. His curved saber came down again.
Li Jinshui could only use his half-shattered shield to block as best he could. Each blow left his arm a little more numb.
He couldn't face him head-on!
Li Jinshui began circling the crenel, using corpses and broken bricks on the wall for cover.
The Squad Leader's saber work was ferocious, but his footwork wasn't very nimble. After several swings struck empty air, he grew more and more agitated.
"Zhou dog! Is running all you can do?"
Li Jinshui said nothing. He waited for the instant the man's saber missed, when its old force had run out and the new force had yet to rise, then suddenly charged back at him!
Army-Breaking Saber Technique—Upward Slash!
The strike flashed like lightning, aiming straight for the wrist gripping the saber.
Caught off guard, the Squad Leader hurriedly turned his blade to block.
The two sabers clashed. Li Jinshui's tiger's mouth split open, and his iron saber nearly flew from his hand—but he had forced the man back a step.
Now!
Li Jinshui pressed forward instead of retreating, slamming his whole body into the man's chest. He smashed the shattered remains of his shield into the Squad Leader's face. The man instinctively tilted his head back to dodge—
Li Jinshui drove his iron saber upward with all his strength!
The tip sank into the man's lower abdomen.
The Squad Leader's eyes widened in disbelief. He let out a howl and swung his curved saber back at Li Jinshui.
Li Jinshui yanked out his saber and retreated. The blade grazed his chest, slicing open his leather armor.
"Argh!" The Squad Leader stumbled two steps, blood pouring from his belly. He still hadn't fallen. Instead, he charged at Li Jinshui in an even more frenzied rage.
Li Jinshui gritted his teeth and met him again.
This time, the Squad Leader had weakened. Li Jinshui knocked aside two slashes, found an opening, and swept his iron saber across—
The blade sliced through the man's neck.
The Squad Leader froze. His curved saber clattered to the ground, and his body slowly toppled over.
[Di Five-Man Squad Leader killed (peak fourth level of Body Forging), points +5]
[Current points: 10]
Put it all into Iron Shirt!
[5 points consumed. Iron Shirt proficiency maxed out]
[Breakthrough: Second Level → Third Level]
Boom!
A surge of warmth coursed through his body. His skin shimmered with a faint bronze glow that faded after two breaths.
The numbness in his left arm vanished instantly, and the wound in his tiger's mouth stopped bleeding and healed. His energy climbed by the moment, while his bones and sinews crackled.
[Current realm: Third level of Body Forging]
He'd done it!
Li Jinshui let out a long breath. Only then did he feel the weakness in his limbs.
Leaning on his saber as he panted, he looked over at Monkey. Monkey was clutching his stomach as he climbed to his feet. His face was deathly pale, but he could still move.
"Not dead..." Monkey grinned, looking more like he was crying than laughing.
By then, reinforcements had finally arrived and retaken this section of the wall.
As he left the wall, Li Jinshui took a deliberate look at the Di Five-Man Squad Leader's corpse. His leather armor was better than an ordinary soldier's, and a small leather pouch hung from his waist. While no one was watching, Li Jinshui yanked it off and stuffed it into his tunic.
Back at the Death Squad Camp, they counted the casualties. More than sixty had died in this battle, but the Di Army's attack had also been repelled.
That night, Li Jinshui and Monkey sat in a corner of the barracks, sharing a piece of dried meat.
"You broke through?" Monkey asked.
"Mm, third level." Li Jinshui nodded. "What about you?"
"I'm still a little short." Monkey rubbed his stomach. "That kick was brutal... but it was worth it. I feel like my bottleneck's loosened."
The two silently chewed on the dried meat. From a distance came the moans of the wounded, mingling with the snores of the old soldiers.
"Why did you join the Death Squad Camp?" Monkey suddenly asked.
Li Jinshui paused. "My clansmen sold me."
"Ha." Monkey gave a laugh. "About the same for me. There was a famine back home, and my parents starved to death. I ran to North-Rejecting City to find work, but the conscription officers caught me. They said refugees had to serve or be treated as spies."
He chewed on the dried meat, his gaze drifting. "Actually... I've got decent talent for martial arts. When I was little, a wandering martial artist said my natural aptitude was above average. Too bad my family was poor and couldn't afford the apprenticeship fee."
Li Jinshui looked at Monkey.
It was true. Though Monkey was only at the second level of Body Forging, he was nimble and quick to react, and he often came up with flashes of inspiration in a fight.
"Once I reach the fifth level of Body Forging and join the regular army, I'll be able to learn proper cultivation techniques." Monkey's eyes shone. "Then maybe I can make it to the seventh or eighth level—or even Bright Force!"
Li Jinshui nodded. "You definitely can."
He took the leather pouch from his tunic and opened it. Inside were three blood-red crystals the size of his thumbs, along with a few taels of silver.
"Blood Essence Stones?" Monkey's eyes lit up. "Good stuff! The Di People sometimes carry these on the battlefield to replenish their blood and energy. One is worth ten meals of meat!"
Li Jinshui gave Monkey one and kept two for himself.
The two of them split the silver evenly.
"Thanks." Monkey didn't stand on ceremony. He carefully put it away. "Once I break through to the third level, I'll buy you a drink—if we can get our hands on any liquor."
That night, Li Jinshui swallowed a Blood Essence Stone.
The moment it entered his stomach, the crystal dissolved, turning into warm blood that flowed through his limbs and body.
He circulated Iron Shirt, guiding the energy to nourish his bones, sinews, skin, and flesh.
Two hours later, he had absorbed all the crystal's energy, and his third-level Iron Shirt proficiency had risen from 0 to 3/15.
He brought up his status panel:
[Technique: Iron Shirt (Third Level 3/15), Army-Breaking Saber Technique (Beginner 9/10)]
[Realm: Third level of Body Forging]
[Points: 5]
His Army-Breaking Saber Technique was just one step away from reaching minor mastery.
Iron Shirt continued to advance steadily. At the third level of Body Forging, he had already covered most of the road to his goal of reaching the fifth level and leaving the Death Squad Camp.
The moonlight outside the window was deathly pale.
Li Jinshui clenched his fist, feeling the surging strength within him.
Soon.
Before you continue