Nurturing the Spirit

[Name: Lu Yuan]

[Age: 16]

[Techniques: Blade-Breaking Eight Styles (38021/50000 Momentum)]

[Tiger-Subduing Stance Body Tempering (35193/30000 Perfection, breakthrough available?)]

[Golden Bell Cover (28918/50000 Momentum)]

[Wolf-Chasing Archery (10324/10000 Mastery, breakthrough available?)]

[Arrowhead Formation (46819/50000 Momentum)]

Looking at the data, Lu Yuan chose to breakthrough immediately. The next moment, an astonishing change occurred in his body.

After his skin and flesh underwent a transformation, every inch of his muscle was reinforced once more. His cells became more active, seemingly storing vast amounts of energy within.

This made every movement Lu Yuan made more powerful and more destructive.

[Tiger-Subduing Stance Body Tempering (5193/50000 Spirit-Infused)]

At this moment, every part of Lu Yuan's skin contained a certain charm and possessed divine properties.

His defensive capabilities had increased by an unknown margin compared to before.

He did not know what changes had occurred in his body, but he understood that he had embarked on a path that no one else could fathom.

Although his cultivation realm had not broken through, he was certain that if he encountered a Tendon-Refining expert now, even that Centurion of the Iron Sparrowhawks could be killed by his hand within a few moves.

The man would absolutely have no chance to escape.

Following this, Lu Yuan felt the strength in his arms, chest, and abdomen increase once again.

His arms, in particular, were steadier than they had ever been before.

[Wolf-Chasing Archery (324/30000 Perfection)]

With two techniques breaking through simultaneously, Lu Yuan's combat power surged once more, and a look of satisfaction appeared on his face.

The next time he left the city, he would surely earn even more military merit.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Just then, a knocking sound echoed from outside.

Lu Yuan rose and walked out of the courtyard. As soon as he opened the gate, he saw Xiao Hua standing there.

Upon seeing Lu Yuan, she couldn't help but exclaim, "Ah!"

Because he had just finished training, he was shirtless. His sturdy, well-defined upper body appeared before the young woman, causing a flush to instantly rise to her cheeks.

Although women in the Great Yong lands were relatively open-minded, Xiao Hua was, after all, still just a young girl.

Lu Yuan hadn't expected it to be her, so he immediately returned to his room to put on his clothes before coming back out.

Xiao Hua stood prettily in the courtyard, her shyness already vanished, and she was now observing Lu Yuan with great interest.

"Brother Yuan, I'm inviting you to dinner tonight. Come over in a bit."

After saying this, she turned and ran out of the courtyard.

Lu Yuan gave a wry smile, then locked the courtyard gate and headed out.

Xiao Hua and her mother didn't have much income, and his own appetite was so large that a single meal of his could feed them for days.

Moreover, despite Xiao Hua being just a girl, she had taken good care of him.

Therefore, Lu Yuan decided to buy some things before heading over.

He first went to the grain shop to buy a bag of polished rice and flour, and also had a large piece of meat cut for him.

Then, he purchased some braised snacks before heading toward Xiao Hua's home.

After entering the courtyard, Xiao Hua saw him carrying so many items and immediately ran out, saying, "Brother Yuan, why did you buy so much stuff?"

"I earned some silver on this trip, so I picked up some food and bought some for you all as well."

As he spoke, Lu Yuan carried the items into the house.

The table was already set with food: a plate of stewed roe deer meat, a plate of cold tofu, and a dish of wild vegetables.

Beside it sat a small basin filled with coarse rice buns.

For Xiao Hua and her mother, this meal was already the best they could afford.

After the start of spring, it was the lean season, but in this Northern Frontier region, the imperial court provided enough subsidies that people didn't have to worry about starving to death.

In other places, one could only imagine how many people wouldn't survive the winter.

Xiao Hua's mother didn't stand on ceremony: "Ah Yuan, put the things down and sit quickly."

After her voice rang out, she walked over to the table.

As the weather gradually warmed up, her coughing had eased significantly.

Xiao Hua took a jug of wine from the inner room, filled Lu Yuan's cup, and then picked up a piece of meat for him.

"Eat quickly, Brother Yuan."

Lu Yuan nodded, standing on no ceremony as he began to shovel the food into his mouth.

At this moment, Xiao Hua's mother spoke softly, "A-Yuan, keep eating. Just listen to my rambling for a moment."

Lu Yuan immediately straightened his posture. "Please, Auntie, go ahead."

"Oh, there's no need for that. Just keep eating," she said, waving her hand.

Lu Yuan nodded, listening to her while he continued his meal.

"A-Yuan, the Northern Barbarians and Great Yong have been locked in a stalemate for so many years. Countless men die in battle every year. Military merit is important, but your life is your own. You must take care of yourself."

"I can tell by your face that you are a man of fortune. You will have noble people to assist you, and in the future, you will surely soar. There is truly no need to risk your life for a mere pittance of military merit."

Hearing Xiao Hua's mother, Lu Yuan knew she meant well and felt a touch of emotion. To keep him from leaving the city, the old woman had even resorted to reading his fortune; it was truly difficult for her.

Still, he replied with a solemn expression, "Rest assured, Auntie, I will certainly take care of myself."

He paused for a moment, then gave a bitter smile. "As for noble people, what kind of noble would look at someone like me? Even my own family abandoned me the moment they needed a scapegoat. Without my own strength, even if I did meet a noble, they might just discard me again later."

Lu Yuan shook his head and downed the wine in his cup in one gulp.

Xiao Hua's mother had not expected him to have such an experience and wanted to say more.

He interrupted, "Auntie, I know you have my best interests at heart, but there are things I must do. I want to get ahead."

"I want to become someone useful. I don't want to be cannon fodder anymore."

"In a while, once I've earned some more silver, I'll find a good doctor to cure your cough."

"That way, you won't have to suffer through the winter."

"I have no kin here; you and Xiao Hua are my family. I have taken your words to heart."

After saying this, he poured himself another cup of wine and drank it down.

Xiao Hua listened to Lu Yuan's words with her head bowed in silence, while her mother looked at him with a face full of pity.

In the end, she sighed and stopped trying to persuade him, seeing that he was a man with a mind of his own.

Once the meal was finished, Lu Yuan left and returned to his home.

He planned to leave the city in a few days, not only to improve his strength but also to accumulate military merit.

If he killed a thousand men, he could be promoted to a chiliarch.

Once he reached that level and further increased his strength, he would be able to take a significant step forward and enter the upper echelons, or at the very least, ensure he wouldn't be easily discarded by others.

Ever since he had been cast out by his clan to serve as a scapegoat, his only thought was to climb upward as quickly as possible so that his fate would no longer be controlled by others.

Elsewhere, within the Zhang Clan of Yun Province, Zhang Hong and his younger brother, Zhang He, were sitting in the living room. The former picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said slowly, "I had a drink with the Yun Province General today. He said that if A-Zhe wants to be promoted to a chiliarch, he still lacks some military merit and seniority."

"The fastest and best way is for him to go to the Northern Frontier to gild his resume. If he spends a few months there killing some Northern Barbarians, it should be enough to get the job done once he's transferred back. What do you think?"

"Which fortress should he go to?" Zhang He asked.

He was not at all at ease regarding his son; while his talent was acceptable, he could be disobedient at times.

"Yellow Sand Fortress, a fortress controlled by the Helian Clan of the Northern Frontier. The Yun Province General has a good relationship with the Helian military family and is willing to act as a bridge. Rest assured, this isn't an exile; it's just a standard garrison rotation. He won't suffer there; it's merely for show."

Fearing his brother might disagree, Zhang Hong immediately urged him.

Cultivating his own kin within the military was a major move he was making, and it was a necessary step for the Zhang Clan to break their current deadlock.

Zhang He nodded. "Very well. Since you have already arranged it, I will listen to you, Big Brother."

A smile appeared on Zhang Hong's face. "Good. When you go back, have a word with A-Zhe and tell him to prepare over the next few days."

"Understood." Zhang He replied, then stood up and left.

Watching him walk out the door, Zhang Hong let out a sigh of relief.

He knew the path through the military was difficult, but if the Zhang Clan wanted to rise higher, it was a path they had to walk.

Moreover, this first step was crucial; the firmer it was, the better.