[Name: Lu Yuan]
[Age: 16]
Remember the domain of the first-posting site ????????.??????
[Techniques: Five-Tiger Array-Breaking Blade (12035/10000, Great Accomplishment, Breakthrough available?)]
[Tiger-Subduing Stance Bone Forging (13291/10000, Great Accomplishment, Breakthrough available?)]
[Iron-Bone Golden Bell Cover (11308/10000, Great Accomplishment, Breakthrough available?)]
[Wolf-Chasing Archery (49109/50000, Force-Entry Realm)]
[Cloud-Piercing Crane-Wing Formation (12510/10000, Great Accomplishment), Breakthrough available?]
Looking at the data panel above, Lu Yuan had a good idea of where he stood.
Once he broke through, he should be able to take on Tendon Refining experts with ease when he left the city.
As for the next realm, Organ Refining, he couldn't say. He'd never encountered an expert at that level.
It was said that several of the city's Chiliarchs were at this realm. The Captain even had a Chiliarch under his command who had reached the Blood Moving Realm, with an exceptionally vigorous flow of qi and blood.
He dared to charge a thousand armored cavalrymen all by himself.
Even among those at the same realm, he was an exceptionally brave fighter.
If he got the chance, Lu Yuan would like to see him in action.
Lu Yuan didn't choose to break through just yet. He still had to see Zhou Hongling, after all. There was no harm in waiting until he got back.
"Tap, tap!"
Crisp footsteps rang out.
Lu Yuan looked up and saw that the guard who had gone to announce them had returned. He addressed the two of them: "The Captain asks you both to come in."
Zhou He hurried ahead, pulling Lu Yuan along with him.
After crossing the front courtyard and its training ground, they arrived outside Zhou Hongling's study.
Zhou He showed no intention of going inside. Instead, he said to Lu Yuan, "Go on in. I'll wait here."
Lu Yuan nodded. When he reached the study door, he called out, "Lu Yuan pays his respects, Captain."
"Come in," came a clear female voice from within.
After entering, Lu Yuan saw Zhou Hongling setting down the book in her hands. It seemed to be a manual on military formations.
"You look well. How come I haven't heard that you've been leaving the city lately?" Zhou Hongling asked with a smile.
She wore a water-red dress today. When she was at the mansion, she usually dressed casually.
As a martial artist, and with her ample figure, she was quite resistant to the cold, so she wore relatively light clothing.
Even seated, she couldn't conceal the breathtaking curves of her upper body.
Especially her ivory-like skin.
It was a beauty of a rather striking sort.
Lu Yuan didn't look up to examine her closely. Instead, he said, "Reporting to you, Captain. My men have been training with the formation lately, so we haven't left the city."
"Mm, I've heard about that. You know there's been a group of elite Northern Barbarian scouts outside the city recently, right? I'll be frank with you: there's no one in Ice Plain City better suited for this than you.
"Leave the city tomorrow and bring back those men's heads. In addition to the court's reward, I'll let you choose one cultivation resource from the Armory, any one you like.
"I'll cover the merit points from my own account."
At her words, Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow.
He was already Bone Forging and had been wondering where to get the spirit medicine he needed for Spirit Nurturing. He'd seen it in the Armory before. It cost a full three thousand merit points, and silver couldn't buy it.
With his current merit points, it would take him a long time to get enough. This was an absolute opportunity.
"Yes, Captain." Lu Yuan agreed at once, without hesitation.
Seeing that he'd accepted, Zhou Hongling's lips curved upward. She then took out a box. "You've reached the Bone-Forging Realm, haven't you? There are five bottles of Black Jade Bone-Tempering Pills in this box. Once you've used them up, you should be close to breaking through.
"Your constitution seems different from an ordinary person's, so you should absorb them faster. You can keep cultivating even after you leave the city. I hope that the next time I see you, you'll have reached the Tendon Refining Realm.
"By then, you'll be an official Centurion under my command."
Zhou Hongling was clearly much more polite to Lu Yuan now than she'd been in the past.
"Thank you, Captain."
Lu Yuan didn't stand on ceremony. He stepped forward and took the box.
Zhou Hongling was quite pleased by his gesture. It was better that he didn't stand on ceremony with her.
Then, as if she'd just remembered something, she asked, "Do you need me to pick out some subordinates for you?"
Clearly, she was uneasy about Lu Yuan leaving the city with only his garrison troops.
"No need. My men are already familiar with the formation. There's no time to switch them out now."
Zhou Hongling nodded, then said with a beaming smile, "All right. As long as you're confident, that's good enough. I won't keep you any longer. I imagine you already know who you want to take out of the city.
"When you get back, I'll treat you to a drink. Strong liquor!"
As she said this, her expression turned serious.
In the absence of large-scale wars, these frontier fortresses held an assessment every three years. Of Ice Plain Fortress, Yellow Sand Fortress, and Crouching Tiger Fortress, whichever scored the highest stood the best chance of having its garrison Captain promoted.
This was Zhou Hongling's third year in the post. In the first two years, her scores hadn't given her much of an edge over the other two fortresses. In fact, she'd even fallen a little behind.
It was only after Lu Yuan defeated the Iron Sparrowhawks last time that she caught up with the other two fortresses, and even showed signs of overtaking them.
That was why this mission against the elite scouts of the Manyan Tribe was so important to the Captains of all three fortresses.
Whoever wiped out this elite force would be all but certain to rise another step.
They would then become the person in charge of all three fortresses, commanding their troops and fully entering the ranks of the generals.
That was why this opportunity mattered so much to Zhou Hongling.
If Lu Yuan could wipe out this elite cavalry force of the Manyan Tribe, her promotion would be all but assured.
That was why she was willing to spend so much, though she also genuinely wanted to cultivate Lu Yuan.
After all, even if she didn't give him these resources,
Lu Yuan would still do what needed to be done.
"Yes, Captain!"
Lu Yuan answered, then withdrew.
Once outside, he let out a long breath.
Everything would be decided by this battle. If he won,
the cultivation resources would be one thing.
Once Zhou Hongling rose another step, she would become his strongest backer. At the very least, within the territory of the three fortresses, Lu Yuan's standing would rise along with hers.
After all, once this was over, he would truly be one of her people.
"How'd it go? She's sending you out of the city, right?" Zhou He asked as soon as Lu Yuan came out, stepping forward and grabbing his arm.
"Mm. She wants me to leave tomorrow. The forces from the other two fortresses have already set out." Lu Yuan nodded.
"Are you sure you can do it?" Zhou He rubbed his hands together and led Lu Yuan out of the courtyard where the study was.
Seeing this, Lu Yuan didn't hide the truth. "I should be able to. It just depends on whether we can find them."
"Ha! Then what are we waiting for? How about you take me along tomorrow?"
"You want to go too?" Lu Yuan asked, surprised.
"Who wouldn't want the chance to earn military merit? Besides, how safe would I be with you?
"Don't worry, I won't hold you back. I can help everyone with supplies and such. If we run into the enemy, I can fight too. Your brother here has reached Bone Forging now." Zhou He thumped his chest with a resounding bang.
Lu Yuan glanced at him, then nodded. "All right. We'll go together."
"Great! I'll get the provisions ready now. Listen, in your situation, the higher-ups will allow a dedicated supply train to accompany you. People just don't know about it, and nobody thinks to remind them. The squad I'm bringing has three horses per man. We'll handle your logistics. This time, you'll get your money's worth."
Zhou He said with a cheerful grin.
Lu Yuan hadn't known there was such an arrangement, but it worked out perfectly. He really couldn't stomach dry rations yet.
Besides, having someone else manage the supplies would ease his burden considerably.
After making their arrangements, the two left the Captain's Mansion and parted ways. Lu Yuan went straight home.
He could hardly wait to break through.