The training ground roared with voices, dust flying everywhere.
It was the Third Battalion of the City Defense Army's combat demonstration day. All officers of Corporal rank and above were present, and nearly two hundred people packed the training ground until not even a drop of water could pass through. Sunlight pierced the thin morning mist, glinting coldly off iron armor and weapons.
Li Jinshui stood among the ranks in his brand-new leather armor, keenly aware of the gazes coming at him from every direction—curious, appraising, probing, and a few openly contemptuous.
"So that's the Squad Leader who fought his way up from the Death Squad Camp? He doesn't look like much."
"I heard he reached the fifth level of Body Forging in just a month. Who'd believe that?"
"He must've gotten lucky, picked up a few heads on the battlefield, and worked his way up."
The murmurs were quiet, but they pricked his ears like needles.
Li Jinshui's face was as calm as still water. His right hand rested on the hilt of his saber, his knuckles faintly whitening with the pressure. Three months ago, he had still been hauling corpses around the Death Squad Camp. Now he stood here, three months later, and people still looked down on him.
In this world, strength was the only hard truth.
The demonstrations began.
The first to take the stage were several corporals around the third level of Body Forging. Their exchanges of saber and spear looked lively, but anyone with a discerning eye could tell they were holding back. They were comrades, after all, and would stop once a point had been made.
But the mood shifted abruptly when the Squad Leaders took the stage.
A hulking man with a face full of coarse flesh and a height of eight feet leaped onto the platform first. He landed with a dull thud. In his hands was a thick-backed saber, its blade black and its edge glinting coldly. It was clearly a vicious weapon that had tasted blood.
"Zhao Hu! Zhao Hu!"
A roar of cheers rose from below. Zhao Hu was a veteran Squad Leader at the peak of the fifth level of Body Forging, and he was well known in the Third Battalion.
"Who's next?" Zhao Hu planted his saber on the ground. His voice boomed like a bell as his gaze swept over the crowd, carrying a hint of disdain.
The first challenger wielded a spear. His technique was nimble, but after barely ten exchanges, Zhao Hu knocked the weapon flying with a single saber strike, sending him stumbling off the platform.
The second fought with twin sabers. His style was tricky, and he managed to hold out for fifteen moves before Zhao Hu drove him to the edge with a mighty chop and kicked him off.
The third had it worse. In just three moves, his palm split open from the impact and his saber flew from his grasp. His face pale, he jumped down from the platform.
Three fights, three victories. Zhao Hu stood with his saber lowered and his breathing steady, clearly far from having given it his all. He swept his gaze across the crowd, then let it settle on Li Jinshui. The corner of his mouth curled into a crooked, almost-smiling smirk.
"I hear we've got a new brother from the Death Squad Camp. Fifth level of Body Forging in one month—impressive. Why not come up and warm up with me?"
The training ground fell silent in an instant.
Everyone's gaze snapped toward Li Jinshui. Some were curious, some eager, but most wore the mocking look of people waiting for a good laugh.
Li Jinshui was silent for two breaths. Then he raised a hand, unfastened the saber at his waist, and stepped onto the platform.
His steps were steady, each one firmly planted. His leather armor rustled softly as he moved, the sound unusually clear across the silent training ground.
"Li Jinshui requests your guidance, Squad Leader Zhao." He cupped his fists, his voice calm.
Zhao Hu looked him up and down, then grinned. "You came out of the Death Squad Camp, so you must have real killing skills. Don't worry, this is only a demonstration. I'll stop once I've made my point. I won't hurt you."
Before the words had left his mouth, a glint flashed in his eyes. His thick-backed saber came crashing down like a bolt of lightning!
The strike was incredibly fast, cutting through the air with a whistle. He had clearly used seven-tenths of his strength; this was no "stopping once he'd made his point"!
A low gasp rose from below.
Li Jinshui's pupils contracted, but he neither retreated nor dodged. The power of his fifth-level Iron Shirt surged into both arms, and he raised his saber to meet the blow head-on—
CLANG!!!
The clash of metal rang out so loudly that ears throbbed, sparks bursting where the two sabers collided!
Zhao Hu's expression shifted. An ordinary fighter at the fifth level of Body Forging would have felt their arms go numb and been forced to step back to absorb the impact. Yet this young man stood perfectly still, his saber hand as steady as bedrock.
"Good!"
Someone in the crowd called out in approval.
Zhao Hu's expression turned serious. He drew back his saber and changed his move, unleashing a sudden storm of strikes. He wielded the Mountain-Opening Saber Technique at full strength, each blow heavy and powerful, the gusts from his blade stinging people's cheeks.
Li Jinshui sank low into his stance, fully unleashing his minor mastery of the Army-Breaking Saber Technique. He didn't meet force with force, instead overcoming strength with skill. He turned aside from the blade, and his iron saber followed through with an upward slash like a venomous snake striking out, aimed straight at Zhao Hu's saber wrist!
Fast and tricky, that move was the very essence of the Army-Breaking Saber Technique's Upward Slash.
Zhao Hu was startled and hastily drew back to block.
CLANG!
Another sharp ring. Their blades met, sparks flying everywhere.
Zhao Hu was actually forced half a step back. Disbelief flashed through his eyes. The timing of that strike had been perfect. Had he not been so experienced, he would have walked right into it.
A low murmur swept through the crowd.
"That saber technique... there's something to it."
"Look at his footwork. Steady as a rock, not a bit of confusion."
"He fought his way out of the Death Squad Camp. Of course he's different."
Zhao Hu's face had begun to burn with embarrassment. He had thought he could take down this newcomer within ten moves, but he hadn't expected his opponent to be so difficult. He drew a deep breath, his smile vanishing completely, and changed his saber style once more!
The Mountain-Opening Saber Technique was built on overwhelming skill with brute force. Now that Zhao Hu had driven it to the limit, his blade flashed like a waterfall, strikes flowing without pause until they covered most of the platform.
Li Jinshui remained calm and unhurried, his eyes sharp as an eagle's.
His Army-Breaking Saber Technique had only reached minor mastery, not great mastery, but the practical experience he had gained among the Death Squad Camp's mountains of corpses and seas of blood—his instincts for danger and his sense of timing—far surpassed those of fighters who had trained in orderly fashion inside the military camp.
Block, dodge, counterattack.
Every response was perfectly measured: one fraction more and it would be too much, one fraction less and it would be dangerous. The power of Iron Shirt at the fifth level coursed through his body. Now and then, he took a heavy blow head-on. A white mark was left on his leather armor, but he didn't budge.
Twenty moves passed, and Zhao Hu still hadn't gained the slightest advantage. Fine beads of sweat had begun to form on his forehead.
The crowd had fallen completely silent. Everyone held their breath, watching this unexpected duel.
"Zhao Hu's run into a tough one today..."
"Li Jinshui's saber technique looks simple, but every move goes for a vital spot. That's a saber technique for killing on the battlefield!"
Zhao Hu grew more and more anxious. He was a veteran Squad Leader. If he couldn't take down a newcomer in front of all these people, where would that leave his reputation?
On the thirtieth move, Zhao Hu's prolonged assault still hadn't broken through. His temper fraying, he swung a strike as mighty as Mount Hua splitting in two, then was half a beat too slow in bringing his saber back.
That was the fleeting opening!
A cold glint blazed in Li Jinshui's eyes. He planted his foot and surged forward like an arrow released from the bow. His iron saber became a streak of cold light, thrusting straight for Zhao Hu's throat!
Army-Breaking Saber Technique: Thrust! He had comprehended this variation himself through countless life-and-death battles. It wasn't one of the three standard forms, but it was even fiercer and more vicious!
Zhao Hu's face changed drastically. In desperation, he threw himself backward.
SCHK!
The blade skimmed past his neck. The icy touch made his hair stand on end. The leather guard around his throat was sliced open, leaving a shallow red line across his skin.
Li Jinshui lowered his saber and stepped back twice.
Zhao Hu staggered to his feet and touched his neck. A speck of bright red stained his fingertips. His expression shifted between green and red. After a long pause, he finally let out a heavy breath and cupped his fists, his voice low and solemn.
"I'm impressed! Squad Leader Li has a fine saber technique. I concede."
His words sent the crowd into an uproar.
"Did you see that?! Zhao Hu conceded!"
"If he hadn't pulled that strike, Zhao Hu would be lying here right now!"
"He fought his way out of the Death Squad Camp. Damn, he's ruthless!"
Li Jinshui returned the salute and left the platform, his expression still calm, as if the fierce battle had only been a warm-up. But only he knew that sweat had soaked his back. Zhao Hu was indeed strong. Without his rich combat experience and Iron Shirt's defensive power, the outcome would have been hard to predict.
The demonstrations continued.
Two more Squad Leaders, unwilling to accept the result, took turns challenging him.
The first wielded a twelve-foot spear. His technique was tricky, like a venomous dragon bursting from its cave, and he focused on attacking the lower body. Li Jinshui used his saber to break the spear technique, slashing three times in succession to shatter the attack. Then he struck the man precisely on the shoulder blade with the back of his saber. The man grunted, and his spear slipped from his hands.
The second wielded twin sabers. His blades flashed like snowflakes, his movements exquisitely coordinated. Li Jinshui didn't dodge. He took one slash head-on, rushed into the man's guard, and slammed the hilt of his saber into the man's chest. The man stumbled back seven or eight steps and dropped onto his rear, his face deathly pale.
Both fights ended in clean, decisive victories, even faster than his bout with Zhao Hu.
Not another person in the crowd dared to challenge him. The contemptuous and curious gazes turned into respect.
After the demonstrations, Li Jinshui was summoned to the Camp Commander's tent.
Camp Commander Zhou Kui was a middle-aged man in his forties, with a dark complexion and a scar slashing diagonally from his left eyebrow to the corner of his mouth, adding to his fierce air. He looked Li Jinshui up and down, then nodded.
"Your saber technique is solid, not just fancy moves. Those who fight their way out of the Death Squad Camp really do have a few tricks up their sleeves." He paused. "Starting today, you'll lead Squad Jia, with five men under your command. Lead them well. Don't bring shame on me."
"Yes! Thank you, Camp Commander!" Li Jinshui cupped his fists.
"Go. There's a victory banquet at the General's Mansion tonight. All officers of Squad Leader rank and above must attend."
"Yes."
At dusk, the side courtyard of the General's Mansion was decked out with lanterns and decorations, and filled with noise and bustle.
Li Jinshui followed the group to their seats. His place was toward the back of the side hall. The tables were laid with stewed meat, flatbread, and grain rice, and even a small jar of liquor. For a military camp, it was a rare feast.
He kept his head down and ate in silence. A few Squad Leaders sat at his table, and one cautiously struck up a conversation.
"Squad Leader Li, you've got quite an appetite."
"After spending enough time in the Death Squad Camp, you get used to eating your fill." Li Jinshui replied calmly and continued chewing.
The man got a polite but unmistakable brush-off. He smiled awkwardly and turned to talk to someone else.
As the banquet wore on, the mood grew lively. The Camp Commanders and battalion officers seated at the head of the hall clinked cups and chatted loudly. Suddenly, the clamor fell silent, and everyone rose to their feet.
A middle-aged general in gleaming armor and a crimson cloak entered the side hall, surrounded by his personal guards. It was none other than General Xu Zhenyuan, the commander defending North-Rejecting City.
General Xu's face was imposing, his eyes bright as lightning. He swept his gaze across the hall and spoke in a ringing voice. "You've all worked hard defending the city these past few days. Today's small banquet is both to celebrate our victory and to reward you. Drain your cups!"
"Thank you, General!" Everyone answered in unison and raised their cups to drink.
Li Jinshui followed the crowd and drained his cup of rough liquor. It burned on the way down like a blade.
General Xu offered a few brief words of encouragement, then returned to the inner hall. The curtain fell behind him, separating two different worlds.
The banquet continued, but the mood seemed to cool. Li Jinshui heard someone at his table complain under his breath.
"Only two taels of silver in compensation. A life's worth just two taels?"
"Be satisfied. The dead in the Death Squad Camp don't even get compensation. They're tossed straight into the mass grave..."
Li Jinshui tightened his grip around his cup. He thought of Hunter Han and of all those faces from the Death Squad Camp whose names he had never even learned before they died. But he quickly pushed the feelings down and went back to eating.
What he needed to do now was grow stronger, survive, and then... settle the score.
By the time the banquet ended and he returned to camp, it was already the middle of the night.
Li Jinshui didn't rest right away. He went alone to the open space behind the barracks and drew his saber.
Moonlight poured like water over the blade, which gleamed with a ghostly chill.
He brought up the panel:
[Technique: Iron Shirt (Fifth Layer 5/25), Army-Breaking Saber Technique (Minor Mastery 8/10)] [Realm: Body Forging, Fifth Level] [Points: 0]
His Army-Breaking Saber Technique had reached minor mastery, and he was still three points short of breaking through to great mastery.
He swallowed the Blood-Qi Pill issued that day. A wave of heat rose from his dantian. Then he took up his stance and began practicing his saber.
Upward slash, horizontal cut, chop.
The simplest three moves took on countless variations in his hands. Beneath the moonlight, his blade traced one silver arc after another, the whoosh of each strike sharp and piercing.
Scenes from the day surfaced in his mind: Zhao Hu's startled expression, the change in the crowd's gazes, Camp Commander Zhou Kui's approval...
Strength!
In this dog-eat-dog world, only strength could serve as the foundation for survival, only strength could help him avenge himself!
He had to grow stronger—and grow stronger faster!
His saber strokes grew faster and faster, gradually becoming a field of silver light that enveloped his figure. Sweat ran down his temples and dripped into his eyes, stinging, but he barely noticed.
At the start of the hour of the tiger, the panel finally updated:
[Army-Breaking Saber Technique Proficiency +1] [Current: Minor Mastery 9/10]
One final point remained.
Li Jinshui lowered his saber, his chest heaving. Sweat had soaked through his undershirt. He closed his eyes and regulated his breathing as the Iron Shirt technique slowly circulated, nourishing his tired muscles and bones.
Soon.
His Army-Breaking Saber Technique was on the verge of great mastery, and his Iron Shirt was steadily improving too.
He opened his eyes and looked toward the inner city of North-Rejecting City. A few lights glimmered there, but otherwise it was silent.
Li Houde, Li Jinbao...
You probably think I died in the Death Squad Camp, don't you?
When I return, I hope you won't be too surprised.
Beneath the moonlight, the corner of Li Jinshui's mouth curled into a smile as cold as ice.
A night wind suddenly rose, whipping the camp flags into a loud, snapping flutter.
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