The Martial Arts Demonstration Interrupted (Wrong Time Set)

Lin Xuan watched Zhang Quan's sudden change in technique and did not force a clash, instead retreating a few steps to wait for an opening.

Every movement Zhang Quan made was captured by his eyes and etched into his mind; by slowly deducing them later, he would be able to imitate them perfectly.

With Sharp Eyes to track movements, Eidetic Memory to record techniques, and Martial Prodigy to deduce and dismantle them, the combined effect of these multiple talents was far greater than the sum of their parts.

He's changed his style... If I don't adapt, I'll likely be defeated, but there's no need to get bogged down in a protracted struggle with him.

Seeing his opponent begin to evade and refuse to engage, Zhang Quan had no intention of holding back.

Zhang Quan continued his offensive against Lin Xuan.

Just then, a courier sprinted into the Garrison, shouting all the way:

"Xihuai City and Linshui County have been breached by rebel bandits! The county offices have been burned, the gentry slaughtered, and tens of thousands of refugees and defeated troops are fleeing east! By order of the Wuqu Guard Commander, the Liangcheng Thousand-Household Office is to hold its position, prepare to defend the city, and must hold out until the Wuqu Guard and Commander-in-Chief Li's reinforcements arrive!"

As these words fell, panic instantly gripped the crowd.

Hearing this, both Lin Xuan and Zhang Quan felt their composure waver. Standing at opposite ends of the ring, they kept their eyes on each other, fearing the other might seize this moment to strike.

These two cities were only two hundred miles away; although one or two cities still stood between them and Liangcheng, the situation was already precarious.

If the rebel bandits could breach those two cities, they could certainly breach this one—it was only a matter of time.

"What?" Thousand-Household Commander Su's eyes widened at the news, his heart rate quickening.

Xihuai City and Linshui County, while not as large as Liangcheng, were not weak; how could they have been breached so easily?

Upon hearing such dire news, terror spread through the military households, and they began to doubt their ability to hold the city.

"How are we supposed to defend this? Two Thousand-Household Offices have already fallen; can we really hold out?"

"Exactly! If we try to defend, aren't we just being sent to our deaths? There's no word on the size of the rebel force—if there are ten thousand of them, how can we possibly hold them off?"

The mere mention of the rebel bandits had stripped these garrison soldiers of their will to fight, a testament to the backwardness of this military system.

"Shut your damn mouths! The next man to spout such defeatist talk and shake the morale of the army, I'll be the first to cut him down!"

Thousand-Household Commander Su turned his gaze to Lin Xuan and Zhang Quan, his voice deep and stern:

"The rebel bandits have broken Xihuai and Linshui; the scourge of war is at our doorstep. There is no need to vie for rankings in the Winter Hunt anymore!

Both of you possess strength, archery, and martial arts that surpass your peers, far exceeding the veteran Squad Leaders.

In this time of crisis, I am making an exception: you are both promoted to Flag Commander!"

Silence fell over the training grounds.

Everyone knew that standard rules were cast aside in wartime, and given the strength the two had displayed, no one dared to voice a single objection.

Though the veteran Squad Leaders were envious, they knew their own strength fell short and could only accept it.

Zhang Quan called out, "Lin Xuan, sparring with you is truly interesting. Since the tournament is suspended, we can't determine a winner. Let us compete on the battlefield instead, and see who kills more rebel bandits!"

Immediately, Zhang Quan thought to himself, Your talent is truly terrifying. I may not be able to beat you in the future, but this time, I must win!

His own strength and foundation in techniques were superior; this stalemate had been entirely due to Lin Xuan's astonishing endurance.

But Lin Xuan's learning ability was heaven-defying. Perhaps the next time they crossed blades, he would be no match for him at all, a thought that left him feeling quite unwilling.

After all, he had been kept hidden by his family for a time before being released, and to encounter such a setback right after his debut left him feeling unsettled.

"Then we shall see." Lin Xuan was surprised by Zhang Quan's reaction; the young man did not seem to be full of malice like his father.

Beyond that, he felt a faint sense of worry about his own situation. He was merely at the Bone Binding stage, still a gap away from Breath Circulation, and there would inevitably be risks on the battlefield.

Moreover, battlefield promotions were never a good sign.

Thousand-Household Commander Su had promoted them without hesitation because he anticipated that people would die in the coming defense—and likely a great many.

However, high risk came with high reward. Now that he held the rank of Flag Commander, if he killed enough rebels, he might be able to advance at lightning speed and attempt to reach the rank of Deputy Hundred-Household Commander.

Even if he didn't kill that many, many would surely die during the siege, and his Book of Fate would inevitably react; he should be able to harvest quite a bit. But all of this was predicated on his ability to survive.

Thousand-Household Commander Su added, "Expand the Squad Leader recruitment to six men, divided into two groups led by Lin Xuan and Zhang Quan respectively. All officers are to move their wives and children into the Garrison!"

Lin Xuan breathed a sigh of relief. Since he could move his family into the Garrison, he no longer had any worries holding him back.

There were two conflicting rumors about these rebel bandits: the first claimed they were strictly disciplined and treated the people well, unlike the imperial troops; the second claimed they were bloodthirsty, frequently raping and pillaging.

The former might be true, or the latter might be rumors spread by the Great Jin to pacify the populace. Which was it? Seeing is believing, and hearing is deceiving; he would only know the truth once he saw the plight of the residents on the front lines.

Lin Xuan dared not gamble; it was better to move everyone into the Garrison.

He would just have to stay on guard, to ensure that if a Thousand-Household Commander ordered a fight to the death, he didn't end up fleeing himself.

Then, he ordered, "Give them each two portions of Body-Strengthening Decoction."

Qin Sheng, on the other hand, was rather excited. He was desperate to advance; his current strength allowed him to trade blows with a Thousand-Household Commander, yet his rank was only that of a Flag Commander. To advance to Probationary Hundred-Household Commander or Hundred-Household Commander, he had to earn military merit or inherit his father's position.

Qin Lie was still young, barely over forty. For a martial artist who had achieved success, a lifespan of over eighty was normal, so inheriting his father's position was certainly not an option.

Thus, the arrival of the rebel bandits was a golden opportunity for him to earn military merit.

Lin Xuan took the decoction and asked the officer, "Are there any precautions I should take when using this medicine?"

The officer simply shook his head, "Take this medicine back, boil it over a high flame for an hour, then add these herbs and boil it over a low flame for half an hour before consuming."

The medicinal potency of this drug is fierce; it requires time to digest after consumption. If too much time passes without digestion, it will lead to a disturbance of the true qi within the body, obstructing one's future in the martial path.

"You may only take one dose every three full days. Do not be overly hasty and consume them all at once."

Lin Xuan nodded, engraving those words into his heart.

He immediately sprinted home with all his might to share the news with his mother, Lin An.

"Mother, we must pack our things right now and prepare to move into the Garrison. We cannot afford even the slightest delay." Lin An made her decision quickly.