One in Ten Thousand, Force-Entry

Over the past half month, Lu Yuan had led his men out of the city three times.

Each time, they had ambushed and killed bandits. Since they had only a dozen men, they had not gone looking for the Northern Barbarians. The purpose of those three expeditions had been to temper themselves and raise their cultivation.

Once their strength broke through, they would more or less be able to deal with the Northern Barbarians.

Naturally, the gains had been considerable. Lu Yuan alone had slain twenty-one bandits, exchanging the merit for over twenty taels of silver at the Merit Pavilion. There were also the horses they had seized, though the bandits' mounts could not compare to Northern Barbarian warhorses.

Even so, a single horse could be exchanged for ten taels of silver at the Merit Pavilion.

That alone had brought in more than two hundred taels.

Then there was the improvement in his own strength.

All three battles had been victories of many against few, earning him a large amount of proficiency.

When he opened the System Panel, even though Lu Yuan had been prepared, a smile still appeared on his face.

[Name: Lu Yuan]

[Age: 16]

[Technique: Blade-Breaking Eight Styles (29723/30000 Mastery)]

[Tiger-Subduing Stance Body-Tempering (9242/10000 Major Accomplishment)]

[Golden Bell Cover (7817/10000 Major Accomplishment)]

[Wolf-Chasing Archery (3461/10000 Major Accomplishment)]

[Arrowhead Formation (8413/10000 Major Accomplishment)]

That was right. Lu Yuan's Body Tempering had already reached Major Accomplishment. For an ordinary person, it would naturally be time to break through, but he had not yet reached his limit.

However, no one dared to underestimate his combat power.

If he faced someone in the Bone-Forging Realm now, he could easily defeat them.

The improvement in Golden Bell Cover was equally gratifying.

As for Arrowhead Formation, it too had reached Major Accomplishment. It was no exaggeration to say that if Lu Yuan went into battle now and launched a charge with a military formation—

The combat power of the soldiers under his command would rise by fifty percent.

Do not underestimate that fifty percent. In a battlefield melee, it could play an extremely crucial role.

Blade-Breaking Eight Styles will break through soon. If I practice a while longer today, it should be enough, Lu Yuan thought.

He picked up his saber and walked outside, beginning to swing it.

His saber technique had grown increasingly refined. As he danced beneath the sun, he was like a strip of gleaming silk; one could see only the saber's shadow, not the man himself.

The display was utterly terrifying.

Meanwhile, inside the Captain's Mansion, Red Tassel Captain Zhou Hongling was dining with an elder who had come from her family.

The table was laden with rare delicacies.

Zhou Family's Third Master, Zhou Ming, was fond of food. As he ate, he looked at his niece and said, "Recently, the imperial court reached a reconciliation with the Western Rong.

"The Third Princess was sent over for a political marriage. At last, there should be peace for a few days."

"Didn't His Majesty dote on the Third Princess the most?" Zhou Hongling paused with her chopsticks.

"There was no other way. We have been locked in a standoff along the Northern Barbarian border, and if we went to war with the Western Rong as well, how could we endure it? Even if His Majesty loved his daughter most, he still had to consider the court." Zhou Ming took a sip of wine and spoke blandly.

Zhou Hongling fell silent for a moment. "Using a political marriage to buy a fleeting peace is the shame of the imperial court—and the shame of military families like ours."

"Girl, are you trying to get yourself killed? Say less of such things in the future. If someone hears you, the whole family will suffer with you." Zhou Ming's expression changed as he glared at his niece.

Zhou Hongling did not care. She raised her head and said, "Third Uncle, I recently found a rather promising talent. Take him as your disciple."

As she spoke, she had someone send over Lu Yuan's records.

Zhou Ming merely glanced at them before saying,

"I can't. You know I only recently took Yun Mo as a disciple. If I take another, I won't be able to look after them both."

Yun Mo was a Centurion in Huqiu Fortress.

Though his official rank was not high, his name had spread through several nearby fortress cities. His cultivation was at the Tendon Refining Realm, and he had been born with immense strength. He had nearly always broken through only after reaching Major Accomplishment in every realm.

He even had hopes of reaching perfection before breaking through Tendon Refining.

Moreover, his military formation had reached Major Accomplishment. Such a person was naturally a prominent figure in this borderland.

"Stop making excuses. Ever since you got Yun Mo, you have looked down on everyone else. You are set on raising a famous general. But this Lu Yuan is not bad either. Are you truly not taking him?"

"I'm not. You know your Third Uncle's greatest wish is to train a famous general. One more disciple means more attention divided. As for this Lu Yuan, he has already joined our Zhou Family's ranks.

"Whether he takes a master or not makes no difference. You can handle it yourself." Zhou Ming drank as he waved his hand repeatedly.

Zhou Hongling could only express her helplessness.

She had merely remembered that Lu Yuan had yet to take a master after seeing Zhou Ming, so she had tried asking.

If it did not work, then so be it. In any case, he had already been entered into the register.

At present, a mere Squad Leader was not worth too much of her attention.

At worst, if he performed outstandingly again in the future, she could find a concubine-born woman from the Zhou Family to marry him. This was the Zhou Family's usual method of winning people over.

Lu Yuan knew nothing of this. He was wholly focused on swinging the saber in his hand.

"Hummm!"

Following the hum—

Data appeared in his mind.

[Technique: Blade-Breaking Eight Styles (30134/30000 Mastery). Break through?]

"Break through."

Then Lu Yuan felt countless insights into saber techniques surface in his mind, while the strength in his arms grew.

It was as if he had practiced the saber for decades and attained sudden enlightenment in a single day.

Layer upon layer of calluses appeared on his palms.

The battle saber in his hand grew lighter, and it moved even faster when he swung it.

Moreover, he comprehended many new variations.

[Technique: Blade-Breaking Eight Styles (134/50000 Mastery). Force-Entry]

This was an entirely new realm, a martial realm every warrior dreamed of reaching, yet found difficult to attain.

To form one's own saber force while still in the Body Tempering Realm meant such a person was one in ten thousand.

Many people could not even touch upon it until the Organ Refining Realm, and only comprehended their own force after breaking through to the True Origin Realm.

Yet Lu Yuan had already achieved it.

Anyone who saw it would likely be stunned beyond measure.

"Swish!"

As the blade swept through the air, Lu Yuan's aura abruptly changed. A fierce gust stirred around him, lending him an added measure of intimidation.

After comprehending saber force, his combat power had increased by more than merely double.

If he had previously only been able to fight a Bone-Forging Realm opponent head-on, then now he could easily kill one.

If Golden Bell Cover reaches mastery, it will also strengthen Tiger-Subduing Stance. If I can reach mastery soon, my combat power will increase again. Even if I cannot defeat someone in the Tendon Refining Realm, I should be able to withdraw calmly with the help of a military formation.

Thinking this, Lu Yuan put on his clothes and prepared to go out. The Armory stocked all kinds of body-refining medicines. In the past, he had not had enough silver to buy them, but now he had more than three hundred taels on him.

He could go see whether there was anything suitable.

He was the sort of person who acted the moment he made up his mind. After getting dressed, he headed outside.

He had just locked the courtyard gate—

When he saw Xiao Hua from next door emerge with a smile. "Brother Yuan, my mother said she's inviting you to lunch today. You have to come."

"Alright. I'll definitely be back before noon," Lu Yuan replied.

Then he headed toward the City Defense Bureau.

The Armory remained open year-round. The items inside could be exchanged for merit, or purchased with silver.

Lu Yuan did not have enough merit at the moment.

So he could only pay in silver.

After arriving at the Armory—

He looked over the rows of medicines inside, and finally his gaze fell upon a jar.

"Wildland Fierce Tiger Essence Blood. It has miraculous effects in tempering the body and is most suitable for assisting external cultivation." Lu Yuan read the description.

Then he saw the price: a full three hundred taels.

Gritting his teeth, he bought a jar.

It was enough for three uses.

It would be enough to break through.

Once his strength improved this time, he would seek out Northern Barbarian cavalry whenever he left the city. He would definitely earn back every last bit of what he had spent.