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Hearing him say this, both Zhou Hongling and Zhou Ming were stunned.

Integrating a military formation into one's aura was no trivial matter; it was well known that many famous generals had achieved this while still at the lowest ranks.

To be able to reach this stage was a sign of true potential as a renowned commander.

It was absolutely worth cultivating with great effort.

Do not be fooled by the Zhou Family's current status as regional rulers and a prestigious military lineage; they appeared imposing, but compared to those legendary generals of the world, they were lacking by no small margin.

Every famous general held a noble title.

To be enfeoffed as a marquis or appointed as a general went without saying.

Zhou Ming could not help but step forward and grab Lu Yuan's hand. "Are you telling the truth?"

"I would naturally never dare to deceive the General." After Lu Yuan replied, a faint black light bloomed from his body, forming the aura of an Arrowhead Formation—this was, quite shockingly, his Soldier Mark.

This scene left Zhou Ming thrilled.

Zhou Hongling, however, felt a pang of regret. Why hadn't she asked about the military formation earlier? She was still too young and careless.

If she had known, she would have kept it hidden.

Now, it was too late; seeing this, her third uncle would be even less likely to give up.

Sure enough, Zhou Ming said repeatedly, "Good, very good."

Then, fixing his gaze on Lu Yuan, he continued, "Are you willing to take me as your master? As long as you are willing, although I cannot give you the position of Centurion right now, I can take you to Yan Province City to be groomed.

Within two years, I will ensure your cultivation reaches the Tendon-Refining stage. An eighteen-year-old Centurion is considered a standout in the army.

Before you turn twenty-five, it is not impossible for you to reach the rank of Colonel."

As he finished speaking, his eyes were filled with burning intensity.

"Third Uncle, what is the meaning of this? Lu Yuan is my subordinate; are you trying to snatch him away?" Zhou Hongling said, dissatisfied.

Her tall, curvaceous figure stood rooted to the spot, radiating a sense of oppression.

Zhou Ming did not even look at her, staring only at Lu Yuan.

"Choose for yourself. As long as you join my tutelage, I can take you away immediately."

"Many thanks for the General's high regard, but I have only just arrived at the Northern Frontier. It is thanks to the Colonel's protection that I have reached this day. I truly dare not forget such grace, so I hope to remain in Ice Plain City."

He was joking, right? He already had a foundation here, and the equipment Zhou Hongling provided was enough for him to travel freely outside the city and continuously accumulate strength. How could his progress be as fast if he went to Yan Province City?

Moreover, Zhou Hongling was the daughter of the Zhou Family head, and she was already a Colonel at such a young age.

With such a powerful backer, why would he fear a lack of benefits?

Defecting to another was not considered a major taboo in the army, but it certainly didn't sound good.

Sure enough, as soon as Lu Yuan finished speaking, Zhou Hongling wore a smile, looking gratified.

While Zhou Ming was baring his teeth, the admiration in his eyes when he looked at Lu Yuan only grew deeper.

"Alright, Lu Yuan, you may return first." Zhou Hongling said immediately.

"Yes, my Lady." Lu Yuan responded and retreated.

Not until he had disappeared did Zhou Hongling turn to look at Zhou Ming. "Third Uncle, you went too far."

The latter was not embarrassed, instead saying, "What are you anxious about? Third Uncle was merely testing him for your sake. But after this test, I like this kid even more. He does not bow to power, nor did he leave you for the sake of wealth and status. This time, the Zhou Family has found a treasure.

You had better keep a close eye on him. If he decides to leave Ice Plain City on his own in the future, you cannot blame me for poaching him."

After Zhou Ming finished speaking, he turned and left.

His words were half-true and half-false, but they left Zhou Hongling grinding her teeth in anger.

What kind of test was that? If Lu Yuan had agreed just now, she believed her third uncle would have taken him away without a moment's hesitation.

However, this did indeed make her resolve to cultivate Lu Yuan properly.

To be honest, the stakes Zhou Ming offered were truly high.

If it had been anyone else, they might have been tempted, but Lu Yuan had flatly turned him down.

He was truly able to withstand the test.

Meanwhile, the man in question had already arrived at the Armory.

He had already obtained the token from Zhou Hongling, which allowed him to collect a set of standard-issue armor and weapons for a Centurion.

He would certainly take advantage of this benefit.

After he handed over the token, the people inside did not dare to be negligent.

They immediately brought out a set of Fish-Scale Iron Armor and the matching Hundred-Refined Steel Saber.

Then, they spoke politely to Lu Yuan, "My Lord, I wonder what kind of long weapon you prefer? We can look for you; perhaps we have something suitable."

The Great Yong possessed formidable military armaments; upon reaching the rank of Centurion, one was qualified to select a long weapon that suited them.

Lu Yuan was famous now, and since the Captain had personally summoned him today, his subordinates naturally went out of their way to accommodate him.

"I still prefer using a blade. Do you have anything suitable? I don't mind if it's heavy."

"Heh, we actually do. A Tiger-Head Heaven-Swallowing Blade was confiscated a while back and has been sitting in the Armory ever since. It was originally reserved for the rank of Chiliarch, but since it hasn't been officially logged into the inventory yet, you can have priority if you want to use it," the official in charge of the Armory at the Captain's Mansion said hurriedly.

The City Defense Bureau and the Captain's Mansion each had their own Armory; the former held equipment for ordinary soldiers, while the latter housed gear for officers at the rank of Centurion and above.

A moment later, several men were seen carrying a long blade inside.

The shaft was two meters long and entirely pitch-black, engraved with intricate beast patterns. A howling tiger head served as the crossguard, and the blade itself was one meter long—straight-backed with a slightly upturned tip and a wider edge.

The entire weapon was bronze-gold, etched with exquisite designs.

The blade was bright as snow, glinting with a cold light. While it wasn't a divine weapon, it was leagues better than the blades he had used in the past; at the very least, he wouldn't have to worry about the edge chipping.

Taking it into his hands, Lu Yuan hefted it; it weighed at least several hundred catties.

However, for him now, holding it was no burden at all.

After donning his armor, taking his weapon, and spending a thousand taels of silver to purchase a Python-Sinew Great Bow, he walked out of the Captain's Mansion.

No sooner had he stepped out than he bumped straight into Zhou He.

Upon seeing him, the other man couldn't help but circle Lu Yuan, looking him up and down. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. It's only been a few days, and your gear is already this good? You're treating today."

"No problem. Let me drop my things off first, then we'll go," Lu Yuan said with a chuckle.

Zhou He was a good man; if not for him, it likely would have taken much longer for Lu Yuan to get ahead.

"Hi, just carry them with you. This is Sai City; people walking the streets in full armor are a common sight, so everyone is used to it. Let's go now." With that, he pulled Lu Yuan toward the Beef Offal House.

They were both at the same rank; while they could afford to grit their teeth and go to better places, the Beef Offal House offered better value. Since it was just brothers drinking, there was no need for a grand display.

Lu Yuan had no choice but to follow.

However, his suit of iron armor drew the attention of many on the street.

After all, everyone knew that only those at the rank of Centurion could wear iron armor.

Not to mention that Lu Yuan was so young.

The gazes around them were fervent, filled with envy, and some women couldn't help but turn their heads.

The people of Great Yong were fierce and bold, and women were not confined to their homes; they could appear anywhere they pleased.

Furthermore, they were much more passionate when expressing their feelings.

This scene left Zhou He, who was walking beside him, filled with envy.

Just as they passed a storefront, they happened to see Wu Han coming out after buying rice.

Zhou He didn't hesitate; he grabbed him and said, "Come on, let's go drink. Someone is treating today."

"I... I haven't put my things away yet," Wu Han said, stumbling as he was pulled along, though he wasn't annoyed, merely holding his groceries.

"It's the same if you go back after drinking. Don't you see Lu Yuan is carrying his weapon out? It's fine, it's fine." Zhou He was clearly impatient; ignoring Wu Han's explanation, he simply dragged him forward.

A moment later, they arrived outside the Beef Offal House.