[Name: Lu Yuan] [Age: 16] [Martial Arts: Five-Tiger Array-Breaking Blade (25126/30000, Perfection)] [Tiger-Subduing Stance Bone Forging (32012/30000, Perfection; Breakthrough?)] [Iron-Bone Golden Bell Cover (31034/30000, Perfection; Breakthrough?)] [Cloud-Piercing Crane-Wing Formation (27819/30000, Perfection) Additional Effects: Wind Borrowing, Armor-Piercing]
Looking at the data that had appeared in his mind, Lu Yuan smiled. Could he finally break through? As long as he reached Tendon-Refining, he could become a true centurion.
"Break through."
Without the slightest hesitation, Lu Yuan chose to advance further. The next moment, the bones in his body began to transform. They had already given off a faint golden glow.
Now, they seemed to turn completely jade-like.
Streams of light flashed across them from time to time.
His tendons and bones collided, making a crackling sound.
Even his height increased a little.
His frame grew larger, and he became even more imposing, with the faint suggestion of a tiger in his features.
When he clenched his fists,
surging strength coursed through his entire body.
At that moment, Lu Yuan was certain he had broken through.
Then he took out the Tiger Bone Paste.
It was meant to be swallowed. It smelled awful, but now wasn't the time to fuss over the taste.
Lu Yuan lifted the jar and drank it down.
As the viscous medicinal liquid slid through his mouth and into his stomach, a surging warmth spread through his body.
The heat enveloped every bone in his body.
Then, little by little, it seeped into them.
He pushed Tiger-Subduing Stance to its utmost limit.
With every breath, his chest and abdomen rumbled like thunder.
A tiger's roar seemed to echo from within his body.
The power seemed endless, surging through Lu Yuan again and again.
Every time it welled up, it further strengthened his bones.
Dense divine matter clung to the bones, tempering them without pause.
Lu Yuan could clearly feel that his strength had reached unprecedented heights.
"Vmmm!"
As a quivering hum faded, Lu Yuan's tendons and bones trembled, resonating with the air around him.
Then he opened the System Panel.
[Tiger-Subduing Stance Bone Forging (50000/50000, Perfection; Breakthrough?)]
"Break through."
At that moment, Lu Yuan's bones fully set into their final form. Meanwhile, the great tendons throughout his body twisted like pythons, visibly tightening.
Only after a short while did they finally settle.
[Tiger-Subduing Stance Tendon-Refining (0/10000, Great Accomplishment)]
"Whew!"
Lu Yuan let out a long breath.
He had laid an excellent foundation, and the Iron-Bone Golden Bell Cover had constantly tempered his body. So the moment he broke through, he leapt straight to Great Accomplishment in Tendon-Refining.
By rights, at this realm, ordinary people were already qualified to break through directly to Organ Refining. But Lu Yuan wanted to push past his limits.
So for him, this was only the beginning.
Then the Iron-Bone Golden Bell Cover began to show its power as well. This technique didn't temper just one part of the body; it strengthened the entire physique.
Tendons, bones, skin, and internal organs—it covered everything.
Now that he had broken through, the golden bell that had once hovered outside his body completely merged with him.
A faint golden light flashed and vanished from the pores of his skin.
Lu Yuan's skin and bones seemed forged from gold and iron. Ordinary weapons could barely harm him at all.
As its name suggested, the Iron-Bone Golden Bell Cover focused on tempering one's bones.
[Iron-Bone Golden Bell Cover (1934/50000, Force-Entry Realm)]
At this moment, Lu Yuan's
flesh, skin, and bones had been tempered to perfection, and his whole body brimmed with immense strength.
On the battlefield, he could take on a hundred ordinary soldiers by himself.
Against elite troops, though, it would depend on how well he performed and how strong the other side was.
Then Lu Yuan stood up.
When he looked outside, it was already noon. Since spring had come, the sunlight was much stronger than before.
Hunger gnawed at his belly. He quickly fixed himself something to eat, then walked out of the room.
Now that he had reached Tendon-Refining, he could become an official centurion. More than that, he could finally go toe-to-toe with the Iron Sparrowhawks.
In their last clash, he had been at a disadvantage in both numbers and cultivation. This time, he could face them on equal terms.
Then he headed for the Captain's Mansion.
Meanwhile, Zhou Hongling was frowning in her study. Just one day earlier, a crack unit she had sent out had been wiped out to the last soldier.
The centurion leading the unit was an expert at Great Accomplishment in Tendon-Refining. He had thirty hardened soldiers at the Entry Realm under his command, and their equipment and everything else were among the best in Ice Plain City.
Yet they had still lost. According to the scouts who had inspected the battlefield, the fight had lasted less than half an hour.
Their bodies had been piled up less than fifty li from Ice Plain City.
This was unquestionably a provocation by the Iron Sparrowhawks.
Looking at the letter of reprimand her father had sent, she couldn't help but feel a headache coming on.
Just then, a guard from outside walked in.
"General, Lu Yuan requests an audience."
Zhou Hongling raised an eyebrow. He had been back for several days, and she had thought he'd given up on going into battle. She hadn't expected him to come after all.
Although she didn't want Lu Yuan to take such a risk, she couldn't crush his confidence.
After all, a commander in the army needed, above all, to keep his edge.
So she could only say, "Let him in."
A talented subordinate deserved reassurance.
A moment later, Lu Yuan walked in and cupped his fists toward Zhou Hongling. "Greetings, General."
"Sit down. What is it?"
She spoke softly.
Lu Yuan straightened and called out, "This subordinate requests permission to fight!"
Zhou Hongling seemed to have already guessed what he wanted. She said helplessly, "Lu Yuan, I know what you're thinking. But just yesterday, one of the crack units we sent out was wiped out by the Iron Sparrowhawks in less than half an hour.
Yun Mo barely made it out of the Wasteland alive, and that centurion from the Yellow Sand Fortress was struck down as well. He managed to escape, but all his elite soldiers died out there.
You're still in the Bone-Forging Realm. You need to focus on your cultivation. As long as you stay in the Northern Frontier, under my command, I guarantee you'll have plenty of chances to earn merit. Why are you in such a hurry?"
She truly had Lu Yuan's best interests at heart. In fact, all three frontier cities wanted someone under their command to wipe out the Iron Sparrowhawks. Whoever did so would be a shoo-in for the title of Guardian General of the Three Cities.
Yet Zhou Hongling still chose not to let Lu Yuan take the risk. It showed just how much she valued him.
"General, do you mean that I can go into battle once I reach Tendon-Refining?"
"If you reach Tendon-Refining, I definitely won't stop you," Zhou Hongling said firmly.
In her heart, Lu Yuan couldn't possibly break through so quickly. After all, he hadn't been in Bone Forging for long.
But as soon as she finished speaking, Lu Yuan stood up. "General, I've already broken through to Tendon-Refining. Please allow me to leave the city."
His tendons and bones snapped and crackled as the words left his mouth—the telltale sign of having reached Tendon-Refining.
Zhou Hongling's eyes lit up. This time, she was certain she'd found a treasure. His comprehension, his talent—
Now she was starting to regret it. She wanted even less to let the young man before her take such a risk.
But she'd already given her word. There was no taking it back now.
Lu Yuan continued, "General, please approve my request to leave the city."
Zhou Hongling lowered her eyes and pondered for a moment before saying, "All right, I approve. But first, there's one more thing to take care of: your promotion to centurion.
I'll select some men and bring them here tomorrow for you to meet. At the same time, I'll officially appoint you as a centurion."
Since she could no longer stop him, all she could do was make sure Lu Yuan had more capable men under his command.
"Yes, General."
Lu Yuan answered and withdrew.