Chapter 31

"Brilliant!"

Master Jingzhi, who had been watching the battle from behind the crowd, broke into a smile.

Especially as he watched Zhou Hao blend the True Meaning of Wind with his footwork with increasing perfection, making him appear as though he might ride the wind and depart at any moment, the brilliance in the master's eyes grew ever more intense.

"Entering the Xiantian stage through the Chiming Nine Heavens Map, manifesting divine sense, and comprehending the True Meaning of Wind..." Master Jingzhi murmured in a low voice, "Yueying, before my time runs out, were you the one who sent him to me?"

The outcome was decided!

On the training grounds, this thought flashed through everyone's mind.

When even Hu Yong's most prideful movement technique could not surpass Zhou Hao's, the conclusion was already set in stone.

"I concede." Hu Yong's voice rang out, tinged with bitterness.

He then pulled back, turned, and leaped off the ring.

Whoosh! Zhou Hao's figure came to a halt the moment Hu Yong jumped away.

"He conceded?"

With only him left on the ring, every gaze was fixed upon Zhou Hao.

Zhou Hao stood there, looking up toward the viewing platform at the front of the training grounds.

There, the Lord of Jade Dragon City, General of the Green Flood Dragon Army, and Myriad Phenomena True Person Muxuan was watching him with a beaming smile.

"I announce that this selection for the new commander has concluded! The new commander of the Fifth Squad of the Jade Dragon Army is—Zhou Hao!"

True Person Muxuan's voice resonated across the heavens, lingering for a long time over the vast training grounds.

BOOM~~~~

"Zhou Hao!"

"Zhou Hao!"

"Zhou Hao!"

The Xiantian lifeforms, who had been silent until now, suddenly erupted into loud cheers.

Whether it was destroying the Vine Wood Puppet in a single breath or suppressing Hu Yong with his movement technique, Zhou Hao's strength had won the admiration of every Xiantian lifeform on the grounds.

Even the usually composed Zhou Hao felt a surge of excitement amidst the thunderous cheering, and he cupped his hands to salute the crowd.

"That is?"

A somewhat lonely and desolate figure appeared in Zhou Hao's eyes. "Master Jingzhi?"

"Zhou Hao, come up to the viewing platform." True Person Muxuan's voice arrived, and Zhou Hao, having no time to overthink, leaped off the ring and headed toward the platform.

The Xiantian lifeforms below cleared a path, their gazes toward Zhou Hao filled with respect and envy.

A commander!

A commander of the Jade Dragon City's Green Flood Dragon Army was someone even the Purple Mansion Cultivators of the great hegemon clans on the Great Wild Plains had to treat as an equal.

Not to mention that after becoming a commander, one could receive a High-Grade Origin Stone every month, with the future opportunity to enter a Daoist sect as an inner disciple.

"General." Zhou Hao walked onto the platform and bowed respectfully to True Person Muxuan.

"Zhou Hao." True Person Muxuan looked at him. "From this day forth, you are the commander of my Jade Dragon Army's Fifth Squad!"

"Yes," Zhou Hao replied in a clear voice.

"Bestow the command token and the dragon armor!" True Person Muxuan commanded.

Immediately, the silver-haired elder beside him rose and walked over to Zhou Hao, his hand flipping to reveal a tray.

On the tray lay a set of ancient, black armor, accompanied by a black command token.

Zhou Hao accepted them solemnly.

"Zhou Hao, every commander of our Jade Dragon Army possesses a set of Black Jade Dragon Armor. The runes upon it allow you and your soldiers to form a Dao Soldier Formation, merging your Origin Essence into one, capable of rivaling even a Purple Mansion Cultivator." The silver-haired elder smiled warmly. "Go ahead and put on the Black Jade Dragon Armor, and refine the commander's command token."

"Yes, thank you, Elder Ji." Zhou Hao bowed.

Before coming onto the stage, Zhou Hao had inquired with Zhao Hu about the two deputy generals and several commanders of the Green Flood Dragon Army. He knew this silver-haired elder was named 'Ji Kang', rumored to be a collateral descendant of the Marquis of Guangling's Ji Clan and the most senior member of the Green Flood Dragon Army. Having guarded Jade Dragon City for hundreds of years, even the General addressed him as 'Elder Ji', and he was a powerhouse who had reached the peak of the Purple Mansion stage in the Qi Refining path.

Zhou Hao refined the command token, which was engraved with the characters 'Commander' on the front and a flood dragon motif on the back. He then changed into the Black Jade Dragon Armor. Seeing Cao Rong winking at him, he walked over and stood beside him.

"Brother, you really are something. You made me twenty High-Grade Origin Stones this time." Cao Rong whispered, "I won't say anything else; tonight, the Emerald Cloud Pavilion is on me. You can pick any girl you like..."

"Beast!" A sharp rebuke came from nearby.

Zhou Hao turned his head.

It was a tall woman with an exceptionally beautiful face.

In particular, the prominent curves beneath her Black Jade Dragon Armor, paired with the mature charm of a young woman, made her stunning to behold.

"Yunyun, I'm just going to the Emerald Cloud Pavilion to have a drink, listen to some music, and at most chat with those girls," Cao Rong hurriedly explained. "This is just to arrange a celebration for Brother Zhou Hao."

"Hmph, what you two do has nothing to do with me." The woman turned her head away, ignoring them entirely.

Zhou Hao felt somewhat helpless.

This woman was named Yang Yun, the only female among the four commanders, hailing from a cadet branch of the Yang Clan, one of the hegemonic tribes of the Great Wild Plains.

She had been arranged by her family to marry into the Hu Clan, another hegemonic tribe, but for reasons unknown, she had a falling out with her husband's family. After leaving the Hu Clan, she did not return to the Yang Clan, but instead came to Jade Dragon City, joined the Xiantian Battalion, and became the commander of the Fifth Squad.

According to Zhao Hu, Cao Rong had been pursuing her madly ever since she arrived.

Truly worthy of being Boss Cao, one of the 'Four Beasts of Jade Dragon' who only has eyes for young married women.

Thinking of how proud Zhao Hu was whenever he mentioned the 'Four Beasts of Jade Dragon', Zhou Hao could only secretly offer his admiration.

"Kid Zhou, here is your winning stake."

A streak of light suddenly flew over, and Zhou Hao reached out to catch it.

It was a storage ring.

"Many thanks, Lord Ren Baili." Zhou Hao smiled and bowed.

"After all that effort, I ended up working for you." Ren Baili glared at Zhou Hao. "I see your movement technique is decent, but it still lacks a bit of polish. After the martial competition ends, I'll give you a hand and refine it further."

The smile on Zhou Hao's face stiffened.

If you want to beat me up, just say so; why call it 'refining'...

What kind of situation is this?

However, according to Zhao Hu's introduction, this Deputy General Ren Baili came from humble roots, originally the leader of a pirate band on the East Sea. Later, unwilling to continue living a life of licking blood from the blade, he surrendered to Jade Dragon City. He was a body-refining powerhouse who had reached the late Purple Mansion stage; his entire body was as hard as diamond, and his strength was formidable.

Within the Green Flood Dragon Army, Ren Baili possessed a strong air of the pugilistic world and lacked the airs of a Purple Mansion Cultivator, making him deeply beloved by the soldiers of the Xiantian Battalion.

Whenever their cultivation resources were insufficient or they were short on Origin Stones, they could always go to Lord Baili to tide themselves over—though, naturally, the necessary interest could not be skipped.

The largest casino in the East City of Jade Dragon City was a business he ran.

On this side, Zhou Hao was appointed commander of the Fifth Squad, standing alongside Cao Rong and Yang Yun.

On the other side, the six newcomers at the late Xiantian stage, including Shangguan Yun and Shangguan Yu, were summoned to the viewing platform by the silver-haired elder Ji Kang to receive their orders and armor.

According to the organization of the Jade Dragon Army, apart from the commander, a squad of Xiantian Lifeforms consisted of 125 people and five Guild Leaders; yet, there was one extra person this time.

"My sister and I specialize in combined attacks; please count us as one unit," Shangguan Yun said to the silver-haired elder Ji Kang.

"Very well," Ji Kang said indifferently. "But the military pay for the other person can only be calculated as a Squad Leader."

"No problem, no problem." Shangguan Yun nodded repeatedly.

Zhou Hao smiled at the sight; wasn't that still one Guild Leader and one Squad Leader?

"Hm?"

At this moment, Zhou Hao felt a cold gaze fixed upon him.

When he looked over, the other party had already closed his eyes, as if he had never opened them at all.

"Li Zhan?"

Zhou Hao was also quite curious about this cold youth who also cultivated the Chiming Nine Heavens Map and had already reached the sixth level, the peak of the Xiantian stage, just one step away from being a Purple Mansion Cultivator.

In the information Zhao Hu gave him, the introduction for Li Zhan was simply: mysterious.

His background was unknown, his origins unclear; all that was known was that he was a disciple of the general, True Person Muxuan, who had brought him into the Xiantian Battalion.

He had displayed astonishing strength in numerous missions and was the veritable top expert of the Xiantian Battalion.

He was just extremely cold by nature, never interacting with others and having no hobbies; he was a cultivation maniac who seemed to be practicing anytime and anywhere, regardless of the occasion.

Thinking of the icy, emotionless gaze his divine sense had just sensed, Zhou Hao smiled and didn't take it to heart.

The Third Commander, 'Guo De', who stood next to Li Zhan, was quite friendly.

Seeing Zhou Hao's gaze turn toward them, Guo De cupped his hands from afar and sent a voice transmission expressing his admiration.

Zhou Hao hurriedly cupped his hands in return.

This is much better!

A cultivation fanatic like Li Zhan is clearly just a manifestation of autism, right?

Taoism speaks of entering the world and transcending the world; if one does not enter the world to experience the Red Dust, how can one have the state of mind required to transcend the world and pursue the Immortal Dao?

Besides, to abandon all human emotion—even if one truly becomes an immortal, what would be the point!

Zhou Hao sighed inwardly.

At this moment, he heard the silver-haired elder Ji Kang announce that the martial competition had concluded. Next, each squad would be arranged to change into their new armor, and the military department would transmit the new Dao Soldier Formation into everyone's identity token.