When Lu Yuan passed Old Huang's house, he first told him to inform his men that they would leave the city early the next morning.
Then he went home to prepare for his breakthrough.
As soon as he entered the house, he took off his armor.
Then he chose to break through without hesitation.
Immediately, his body began to change. His arms grew a full size thicker in a short time, yet became sturdier and more compact.
They also became far more agile than before.
It was as if he had strength to spare.
Another layer of calluses formed on his palms.
[Technique: Five-Tiger Array-Breaking Blade (2035/30000 Perfection)]
His blade technique had reached perfection, which would greatly improve Lu Yuan's combat strength.
Next, his body began to change in subtle ways. Once a realm reached perfection, it always brought changes to the physical body. If someone examined Lu Yuan's bones now, they would find that they seemed to have turned into jade.
Anyone else who saw this would be astonished, because this only happened after Bone Forging reached perfection.
Even the scions of powerful clans, despite having vast reserves of rare treasures to support them, would find it difficult to reach this stage.
But for Lu Yuan, this was not the limit. What he wanted was the Spirit-Nurturing Realm.
Only then could he truly be invincible when facing others at the same level.
Besides, the stronger his foundation, the farther he could go in the future.
Otherwise, no matter how talented he was, without a solid foundation, he would be unable to control the strength he gained from further advancement.
[Tiger-Subduing Stance Bone Forging (3291/30000 Perfection)]
"Once I return from outside the city, I should be about ready to enter the Spirit-Nurturing Realm. Then I can exchange for cultivation resources."
Truthfully, Lu Yuan rather hoped to reach the Tendon-Refining Realm.
After all, breaking through to that realm would mean he could officially become a centurion. It would be a major step forward.
At the same time, he would stand on equal footing with Zhang Zhe.
The Zhang Clan would learn who the real good-for-nothing was.
Next, after Lu Yuan's bones had finished transforming, his physical body began to improve once more. The Iron-Bone Golden Bell Cover benefited not only the skin and flesh but also the tendons, bones, and internal organs.
So, with this technique's breakthrough, Lu Yuan's tendons, bones, and internal organs were tempered once again.
A faint golden bell appeared around his body, rising and falling along with him.
The inscriptions on it had become clearer.
A mysterious force seemed to emanate from it.
[Iron-Bone Golden Bell Cover (1308/30000 Perfection)]
After his external technique broke through,
a flood of experience with the Cloud-Piercing Crane-Wing Formation appeared in Lu Yuan's mind. What he had failed to understand before suddenly clicked into place.
The formation's boost to his soldiers' strength reached an astonishing threefold, and most importantly, it could now draw slightly on the power of the world around them.
[Cloud-Piercing Crane-Wing Formation (2510/30000 Perfection) Additional Effects: Wind Borrowing, Armor-Piercing]
Wind Borrowing, as the name suggested, allowed them to harness the wind and move faster.
Armor-Piercing allowed the troops under Lu Yuan's command to pierce armor more effectively.
That was Lu Yuan's trump card.
After completing his breakthrough, he felt a pang of hunger.
He stood up and, too lazy to cook, went to the Beef Offal House and ate a pot of beef offal and three pounds of beef. Then he headed for the City Defense Bureau.
A short while later, he brought the physician, Doctor Tian, to the gate of Xiao Hua's courtyard.
"Knock, knock, knock!"
Lu Yuan pounded on the gate with his palm.
"Coming! Who is it?" A clear female voice came from inside.
"It's me," Lu Yuan answered.
Creak.
The gate opened, revealing a young girl's face.
"Brother Yuan."
Xiao Hua looked quite pleased to see Lu Yuan.
He turned to Doctor Tian behind him and said, "It's been half a month since Auntie was last examined. I brought Doctor Tian here today to change her prescription."
When she noticed the person behind Lu Yuan, Xiao Hua blushed and hurriedly stepped aside to let them in.
"Sorry for the trouble, Doctor Tian."
"Heh, no need to be so polite, young lady. Lord Lu has honored me by asking for my help. Let's see your mother first." He tightened the medicine case on his back, then headed inside.
Once they were in,
Doctor Tian first took Madam Xiao's pulse, then turned and said, "Her condition is very stable. If she takes this new prescription for a while, she should be just about recovered."
With that, he took out his brush, ink, paper, and inkstone and began writing.
When he was done, he handed it to Xiao Hua. "You won't need to change the prescription again. Have her take this one for three months."
"Mm." Xiao Hua nodded.
Lu Yuan took out two ingots of silver and pressed them into Doctor Tian's hand.
After tucking them into his sleeve, Doctor Tian picked up his medicine case and took his leave.
After he had gone,
Lu Yuan pulled a banknote from his robes and held it out to Xiao Hua. "Here's a hundred taels of silver. It should be enough for three months' worth of medicine. If it isn't, tell me.
"This is a matter of life and death, so don't be polite."
"Brother Yuan, thank you," Xiao Hua said, lowering her head.
Madam Xiao, who had said nothing, had already accepted Lu Yuan from the bottom of her heart.
This was more than just a hundred taels of silver. It was her life, and her daughter's future as well.
The debt of gratitude the mother and daughter owed him was immense.
Lu Yuan patted Xiao Hua on the shoulder. "Don't be polite. Auntie treats me like family, so it's only right that I help pay for her treatment."
She said nothing more.
An act of kindness like this needed no further words.
"I'm leaving the city tomorrow, so I'll head back and get ready. I'll come see you and Auntie again in a while."
After Lu Yuan finished speaking,
Xiao Hua looked up and asked, "Would you like me to make some travel rations?"
"No need. There are a lot of people going this time, and a supply train will be coming with us." Lu Yuan chuckled.
Madam Xiao glanced at him with concern. "Then the enemy must be stronger too, right? The Northern Barbarians' elite cavalry is peerless under heaven and has its own formidable strengths. Be careful in everything you do."
"Don't worry, nothing will happen to me." Lu Yuan reassured Madam Xiao, then took his leave.
When he got home, he cultivated for a while and didn't rest until late into the night.
Early the next morning, he put on his armor, slung his weapons over his shoulder, and left the house.
Seated on his warhorse, he gazed out at the mist-shrouded streets.
Lu Yuan felt refreshed.
In this battle, he would surely take another step forward.
When he arrived at the city gate, he found everyone already gathered there, a dense sea of people. Wei Yong's and the others' troops numbered roughly sixty or seventy men in all.
They were all young and strong, with hardly any older men among them.
Though their leather armor was somewhat worn, they were full of vigor.
Zhou He and his men numbered eleven. They led more than thirty horses, each carrying two enormous bamboo baskets, apparently filled with all kinds of supplies.
There was grain, meat, water, and all sorts of odds and ends.
Together, they formed a small supply train.
Lu Yuan glanced around. "Is everyone here?"
"Everyone's here," Wei Yong replied.
"Then let's go. Our mission outside the city is to find the Manyan Tribe's scout cavalry and wipe them out." Lu Yuan set off as he spoke, and the others followed close behind.
Everyone remained quiet along the way. It wasn't until they neared Black Pine Forest and Lu Yuan saw smoke rising from within that he spoke to the others.
"Wait here. I'll be right back."
Then he beckoned Zhou He and headed forward.
The day before, Lu Yuan had sent Zhou He outside the city to leave a marker in Black Pine Forest. He'd only been trying his luck, but he hadn't expected Wu Han to actually show up.