Shaking the Border Pass

"What?"

"The captain is dead?"

"He was at the fifth level of Body Tempering!"

Seeing the head Li Yi held aloft, the Qing Kingdom soldiers who had been attacking like mad froze, and their offensive slowed.

The few fortunate centurions hurriedly led their personal guards in rallying the soldiers, barely keeping the attack moving forward.

Watching the somewhat chaotic Qing Kingdom troops, Li Yi swallowed several pills in quick succession to recover his condition.

"Liu Ye, hold up this head and show it throughout Wild Goose Pass!"

"Li Tao, return to the central command camp at once and tell General Guan that I have slain the Qing Kingdom's commanding captain!"

"Yes, sir!"

At Li Yi's command, the many personal guards sprang into action.

Leaning against the city wall, Li Yi took a brief rest, his gaze fixed on the Qing Kingdom vanguard, whose assault was slowing.

"Archers, heed my command—rest for a quarter of an hour!"

Without the Qing Kingdom captain to supervise and direct them, the pressure their vanguard placed on the defenders steadily diminished.

Ooooh—oooh—oooh!

A deep, resounding horn sounded from the central command camp.

Thud, thud, thud—

One heavily armored cavalryman after another slowly gathered behind the city gates, forming up under Song Jie's command.

After Li Tao reported the military situation, General Guan promptly seized the opportunity, and the entire camp burst into motion.

Watching the heavy cavalry gradually assemble, Li Yi drew the Seven Killings Bow and led the archers in unleashing another rain of arrows.

The Qing Kingdom vanguard invading this time numbered roughly five thousand, attacking the northern and western sides of Wild Goose Pass.

Wave after wave of arrows fell. One Qing Kingdom soldier after another was like wheat in a field—twitching a few times before collapsing to the ground, never to rise again.

By now, under Li Yi and his elite subordinates' suppression, nearly two thousand Qing Kingdom soldiers had been killed or wounded.

"The enemy is retreating!"

Watching the enemy troops slowly withdraw, Li Yi's expression sharpened. He raised the Seven Killings Bow high.

"Beat the war drums! The enemy is retreating! Attack!"

Boom! Boom! Boom!

As the war drums sounded, the defenders' morale soared.

With a creak, the tightly shut city gates were pushed open. Song Jie led his heavy cavalry straight out of the city.

After the Qing Kingdom captain's death, this vanguard force had already lost the will to fight.

Seeing this elite heavy cavalry charge out from Wild Goose Pass, the remaining Qing Kingdom soldiers wished their parents had given them a few more legs as they fled madly toward their own lines.

As Song Jie's hundred-man cavalry unit charged out, units of light cavalry and infantry followed close behind.

The Qing Kingdom vanguard's morale had scattered. Now was the time to strike back!

"Kill!"

Song Jie clamped his spear tightly under his arm. With a single charge, he bored through the Qing Kingdom soldiers' formation, while the Chen Kingdom defenders behind him hurriedly swung their blades and swords, reaping head after head.

Seeing this, Li Yi wasted no more time.

Once the Qing Kingdom soldiers had been driven beyond bow range, he put away the Seven Killings Bow.

"All uninjured men who can fight, charge and kill with me!"

At Li Yi's command, more than a hundred soldiers, including the infantry of the Fourth Company, brandished their long blades and howled as they rushed down from the city wall toward the battlefield outside.

In many people's eyes, archers were long-range troops; once enemies closed in on them, they lost their fighting strength.

But in truth, archers capable of repeatedly drawing heavy bows requiring several stone of force were all broad-shouldered and powerfully built, possessing tremendous strength!

In a one-on-one duel, ordinary infantrymen were simply no match for these brawny archers!

Under Song Jie's repeated charges, the Qing Kingdom vanguard had been carved into scattered fragments, leaving corpse after corpse behind as they fled in misery.

"Gale Triple Thrust!"

Li Yi led his men in biting down on a group of Qing Kingdom soldiers, the Plum Blossom Spear in his hands flashing again and again.

One Qing Kingdom soldier after another was instantly killed, becoming experience for Li Yi's many skills.

His soldiers swung their long blades even more fiercely, chopping off head after head.

Several thousand Chen Kingdom soldiers clung tightly to the fleeing Qing Kingdom troops, wiping out their remaining fighting strength.

The setting sun was red as blood, yet the land around Wild Goose Pass beneath the evening glow had long since been dyed crimson with blood.

After an hour of pursuit, Li Yi and the others arrived at a military camp.

He climbed a high platform and surveyed the area for a moment. Very quickly, Li Yi understood the situation.

Including the soldiers who had fled back, only around a thousand Qing Kingdom soldiers remained in this camp, while the Chen Kingdom army attacking it numbered a full three thousand!

"Li Yi, have your archers suppress them. I'll lead the men in and cut them down."

Song Jie rode over to Li Yi and discussed the battle plan with him.

According to the scouts' earlier intelligence, this camp belonged to the Qing Kingdom vanguard that had attacked them just now. It contained vast stores of provisions, weapons, and more—a massive prize!

"Fine, but my share can't be short."

After breaching the camp, they would certainly seize a great deal of supplies. Aside from the majority that had to be turned over to the army, whatever remained belonged to whoever had taken it.

"No problem. I've already spoken with the other squad commanders and centurions. They'll each take a portion of their spoils and give it to you."

Before long, Li Yi and Song Jie had settled the matter!

"Pass down my orders—have the two formations fire in rotation!"

Under Li Yi's command, the hundred-odd soldiers split into two groups and took turns unleashing volleys of arrows.

There was only the span of a breath between each volley, leaving the Qing Kingdom soldiers in the camp no chance to catch their breath.

After more than two hundred of their men had been killed, the Qing Kingdom soldiers no longer dared expose themselves, hiding desperately inside the tents.

"Now! Attack!"

"Men, charge with me!"

Seeing the Qing Kingdom soldiers pinned down so thoroughly by Li Yi's archers that they could not even raise their heads, Song Jie seized the opportunity at once. Using the heavy cavalry battalion under his command as the spearhead, he led a thousand cavalry straight at the camp.

The soldiers had already been terrified out of their wits by the arrow rain. Thus, Song Jie's group encountered only scattered resistance before successfully charging into the camp.

Squad after squad of cavalry rampaged through the camp, slaughtering Qing Kingdom soldiers at will. Great numbers of Chen Kingdom infantry also poured through the gaps the cavalry had smashed open, brandishing the long sabers in their hands.

In the one-sided slaughter, the Qing Kingdom soldiers within the camp were soon wiped out completely.

Song Jie led his men in carrying off vast quantities of grain, medicinal herbs, weapons, and supplies.

Seeing that the entire camp had been thoroughly looted, Li Yi drew his bow and nocked an arrow. An iron arrow with a burning wad of cloth fixed to its tip streaked through the air and fell into the camp.

That arrow seemed like a signal. The next instant, over a hundred flaming arrows rained down upon the camp as well.

Before long, the entire camp blazed with roaring flames. Plumes of smoke rose and slowly merged into the gloomy sky.

"Withdraw!"

After confirming that the camp had been burned down, Li Yi led the archer battalion back inside Wild Goose Pass alongside Song Jie and the others, carrying a large haul of spoils.

By the time the three thousand Chen Kingdom soldiers returned to Wild Goose Pass, night had fallen.

General Guan stood atop the city wall, watching his subordinates return laden with spoils, a satisfied smile on his face. At his side, one of his personal guards was carrying the head of the Qing Kingdom captain.

"Li Yi's contribution to this battle cannot be overlooked!"

"Pass down my military order—tonight, we celebrate!"

For a time, the entire camp overflowed with joy. The logistics troops slaughtered and stewed sheep one after another, rewarding the army that had returned in triumph.

After properly settling the wounded soldiers and attending the victory banquet, Li Yi, who had been busy all day, finally returned to his tent.

"This battle has brought in quite a harvest!"

During the victory banquet, General Guan had already hinted to Li Yi that merits would be assessed and rewards granted tomorrow.

As for the supplies seized from the Qing Kingdom camp, after deducting the portion turned over and the shares given to the other soldiers, the amount that ended up in Li Yi's hands would conservatively be worth several hundred taels of silver!

But before Li Yi's greatest gains, none of that was worth mentioning!

In this battle, Li Yi had not only shot down large numbers of Qing Kingdom soldiers and several centurions, but had later personally slain the Qing Kingdom captain as well.

Under such intense combat, all of Li Yi's skills had gained a great deal of experience!

After calming himself slightly, Li Yi turned his attention to his skills.

[Gale-Rending Formation-Breaking Spear (Minor Mastery): 1300/1600]

[Effect: The spear strikes like a dragon, unstoppable in momentum! Unlocks the spear technique Gale Downpour!]

Thanks to killing the Qing Kingdom captain, Li Yi had directly gained over a thousand experience points. His [Gale-Rending Formation-Breaking Spear] had leaped from Proficiency to the Minor Mastery realm in one stroke. He was now only three hundred experience points away from breaking through to Major Mastery and mastering the spear technique Gale Downpour.

His [Archery] skill had improved as well.

[Archery (Perfection): 300/6400]

[Effect: Draw a ten-stone bow! Sha Qi infuses the arrows!]

After [Archery] broke through from Major Mastery to the Perfection realm, Li Yi could use an eight-stone powerful bow. At the same time, he had mastered the Seven Stars Linked Pearls Arrow Technique!

One arrow loosed, seven arrows flew together!

Looking at the skill panel, Li Yi fell into thought.

"What does 'Sha Qi infuses the arrows' mean?"

"Could it mean I can use the Sha Qi stored by the opera costume on the Seven Killings Bow?"

Li Yi curiously took out the Seven Killings Bow, exploring the many changes brought by his skill's advancement.

Crack!

With a dull twang, Li Yi drew the Seven Killings Bow in his hand.

The Seven Killings Bow, which had once been just right for him, now drew open with considerable ease.

"Looks like now that my skill has reached perfection, this seven-stone Seven Killings Bow is already a little unsuitable for me."

The current Li Yi could easily wield an eight-stone heavy bow!

Fortunately, the Seven Killings Bow was a semi-growth divine bow!

Slowly exhaling a breath of stale air, Li Yi circulated his breathing technique, driving his blood and qi into the Seven Killings Bow.

As streams of blood and qi poured into the Seven Killings Bow, Li Yi felt the pressure steadily increase, and the bow in his hand slowly drew shut.

"Excellent. Master Tang didn't lie to me!"

After Li Yi infused it with blood and qi, the Seven Killings Bow's draw strength instantly increased.

After feeling it out for a while, Li Yi finally found the right balance. Once he infused it with an appropriate amount of blood and qi, the Seven Killings Bow transformed from a seven-stone bow into an eight-stone heavy bow!

Yet compared to the improvements in the [Gale-Rending Formation-Breaking Spear] and [Archery] skills, the changes brought by the breathing technique had given Li Yi something entirely different.

[Gale Breathing Method (Major Accomplishment): You have trained this breathing technique to perfection; there is nowhere further to advance!]

[Effect: Enhanced five senses, enhanced agility, able to slightly wield the power of the gale!]

"So this is already the limit?"

Li Yi's expression darkened as he looked at the skill panel.

Still, this [Gale Breathing Method] was merely a basic breathing technique widely circulated in the army, purchasable for ten taels. Its limited potential was within Li Yi's expectations.

As for the effects brought by training this breathing technique to perfection, after some testing, a satisfied smile appeared on Li Yi's face.

"General Guan truly did not deceive me. This breathing technique is indeed remarkable once trained to its peak. It was worth setting aside the [Wind-Breaking Breathing Technique] instead of practicing it."

With a thought from Li Yi, a faint breeze rose inside the tent, flipping several pages of the books on the table.

This was the power of the gale brought by the breathing technique. It could slightly move objects, and it could also be infused into all manner of things.

With the power of the gale's enhancement, the arrows Li Yi fired could become at least thirty percent faster!

His five senses and agility had also increased by roughly twenty percent!

These enhancements made Li Yi at least thirty percent stronger than warriors of the same level!

"But since this [Gale Breathing Method] has already reached its end, it's time to cultivate the [Wind-Breaking Breathing Technique]!"

Li Yi had long since committed the cultivation method of the [Wind-Breaking Breathing Technique] to memory.

After adjusting his condition, Li Yi began cultivating this breathing technique.

As a secret transmission breathing technique, it was more than a level stronger.

After Li Yi circulated his blood and qi through one full cycle, the power of blood and qi within his body became thirty percent more condensed.

The reason breathing techniques created the greatest gap between warriors was that breathing techniques of different grades produced blood and qi of differing quality.

If the blood and qi cultivated by the [Gale Breathing Method] was a wild wolf, then the blood and qi cultivated by the [Wind-Breaking Breathing Technique] was a fierce tiger!

Perhaps because the two breathing techniques shared the same attribute, Li Yi's transition to the new method progressed rapidly.

By dawn, all the blood and qi in Li Yi's body had been refined and purified by the [Wind-Breaking Breathing Technique].

Looking at the blood and qi that had shrunk by more than half, a feeling rose in Li Yi's heart.

Once he cultivated his blood and qi back to the amount it had been the previous night, he would be able to break through to the fourth level of Body Tempering!

"The current me can defeat at least two of my former selves. In other words, my combat strength has increased by more than double!"

After sensing the strength gained from changing cultivation methods, Li Yi turned his gaze to the skill panel.

[Wind-Breaking Breathing Technique (Proficient): 370/500]

[Effect: Wind cleaves like blades! Blood and qi regenerate!]

Because it shared the same lineage as the [Gale Breathing Method], after switching methods, the skill level of the [Wind-Breaking Breathing Technique] had directly reached Proficient. It was even only a little over a hundred skill points away from breaking through to Mastery.

At the training ground, Li Yi held the Plum Blossom Spear and continuously practiced his spear techniques, adapting to his newfound strength.

By the time the sky had brightened, Li Yi radiated heat that suppressed the chill of Wild Goose Pass.

"My lord, General Guan requests your presence!"

Just after Li Yi had washed up, a soldier came to the archer camp and spoke respectfully.

Had the time to reward merit finally arrived!

Seeing the soldier, Li Yi's heart leaped with joy, and he quickly made his way to the central army camp.

Song Jie, who had led the charge yesterday, was already seated in the main tent, drinking a bowl of milk tea. When he saw Li Yi enter, Song Jie repeatedly waved him over, signaling him to sit beside him.

Not long after Li Yi sat down, military officers entered the great tent one after another.

Once nearly everyone had arrived, General Guan finally emerged from the rear tent and took his seat of honor.

"Yesterday's spoils were plentiful, and countless enemies were slain! In this battle, Li Yi deserves the foremost merit!"

After the registrar announced the tally of the battle results, one of General Guan's personal guards carried over a wooden tray and presented it for the officers to inspect.

In the wooden tray lay a properly preserved human head.

It was the Qing Kingdom captain Li Yi had slain!

The officers had no objections whatsoever to Li Yi claiming first merit as they looked at the captain who had died such a miserable death.

After all, the strongest among them were only at the same realm as that captain!

"Since no one has any objections, Li Yi alone shall receive half a share of the spoils!"

By the rules, seventy percent of the seized spoils were handed over to the army, five percent belonged to the commanding general, and another five percent went to whoever claimed the foremost merit.

As for the remaining twenty percent, it was divided among everyone else!

But in practice, everyone would secretly skim off a portion before turning the rest over to the army.

Moreover, Song Jie and the others had already promised yesterday to give Li Yi a portion of their earnings.

All told, Li Yi could receive nearly ten percent of the spoils!

"I've struck it rich!"

Li Yi was overjoyed as he looked over the list handed to him by the registrar.

Even after distributing a portion of these spoils to the archers under his command, Li Yi would still receive quite a lot.

"Thank you, General!"

General Guan laughed heartily at Li Yi's cupped-fist salute and motioned for him to sit.

"Don't rush. This general has more rewards for you!"

"Because your archer battalion fought so valiantly, this general hereby bestows upon it the name Wind Tiger Battalion! You are permitted to recruit troops and expand the Wind Tiger Battalion into a unit!"

A company consisted of two hundred men, while a unit had five hundred!

With this, Li Yi's military rank rose directly from company commander to unit commander!

For a time, everyone in the camp repeatedly congratulated Li Yi on his promotion.

"Tonight, I'll host a feast. Drinks and meat for everyone!"

As the saying went, joyous occasions put a spring in one's step, and promotion and wealth were two of life's three great joys!

Seizing this joyous opportunity, Li Yi promptly arranged a banquet and began winning over the officers.

Soon, the awards for merit were finished. Everyone had gained something, and each of them was rather excited.

"Liu Ye, hurry back to camp and have Han Jia take the Fourth Platoon to the registrar to collect our spoils."

"Li Tao, announce the recorded merits. If no one objects, I'll personally distribute the rewards tomorrow!"

Li Yi could not have taken the Qing Kingdom captain's head without his subordinates tying him down, and during both the defense of the city and the pursuit, all four platoons of the Wind Tiger Battalion had fought with great effort.

Since these soldiers obeyed his commands as readily as an arm obeyed the hand, Li Yi would not be stingy with rewards.

As he walked, Li Yi pondered the future of the Wind Tiger Battalion.

"Is that Cloud-Piercing Arrow?"

"I heard that on the northern wall, he shot five centurions dead with a single arrow, then fought alone and killed that captain!"

"That's not right. I heard Cloud-Piercing Arrow Li Yi fired an arrow and shot the Qing Kingdom captain dead from three hundred paces away!"

Listening to the increasingly outrageous discussions among the soldiers around him, a smile appeared on Li Yi's face.

By now, Li Yi's reputation as [Cloud-Piercing Arrow] had been firmly established. Throughout Wild Goose Pass, everyone knew there was a peerless archer in the army named Li Yi!

And the greater his reputation, the more secure Li Yi's position would be. Those forces that wanted to make a move against him in secret would have to weigh their options carefully.

By the time Li Yi reached the Wind Tiger Battalion's camp, a large crowd of soldiers had already gathered outside its gates.

What was going on?

Li Yi was slightly startled, but Liu Ye had already led the guards forward to drive the crowd away and escort Li Yi back into camp.

"Han Jia, what's going on here?"

Looking at the soldiers continuously streaming in outside the tent, Li Yi was rather puzzled.

Han Jia chuckled and cast his gaze toward the Seven Killings Bow on Li Yi's back.

"Brother Yi, you don't know. The entire camp is spreading the name [Cloud-Piercing Arrow] now."

"So many soldiers have come here because they admire your reputation. They all want to join us!"

Come because they admired his reputation?

Li Yi raised a brow, then immediately realized this was a good opportunity.

"Han Jia, General Guan has promoted me to unit commander of the Wind Tiger Battalion. I now command ten platoons, five hundred men!"

"I've already applied to General Guan to promote you to company commander!"

"I'm a company commander?"

Han Jia froze at Li Yi's words, then was overcome with joy.

"Brother Yi, if not for you, I'd never become a company commander in my entire life. Thank you!"

Han Jia knew he was clumsy with words. As he thanked Li Yi, he silently resolved to repay Li Yi's kindness with his life.

Breathing techniques, armor, military rank...

Ever since reuniting with Li Yi in Blackstone Town, he had received far too many good things from Brother Yi.

Li Yi did not know what Han Jia was thinking, but as he looked at Han Jia's grateful expression, he was considering how to expand the Wind Tiger Battalion.

Now that they had received nearly a tenth of the spoils, he could use part of it to recruit troops and distribute the rest as rewards to the soldiers who had fought alongside them.

"Han Jia, I have a task for you!"

After pondering for a moment, Li Yi looked at Han Jia and summoned several squad leaders from the First Company.

"Now, there are only a little over a hundred men left in the Wind Tiger Battalion. We need to quickly replenish our ranks to ten companies, five hundred men!"

"The First through Seventh Companies will be archers, while the Eighth through Tenth Companies will be infantry!"

"Since there are many soldiers outside who have yet to join us, Han Jia, you will be responsible for recruiting men!"

"Remember, better lacking than indiscriminate! I want only elite soldiers!"

After laying out all his requirements one by one, Li Yi gave Han Jia a few more instructions.

"Brother Yi, don't worry. I'll definitely handle it!"

Han Jia then led his men to the camp gate to recruit suitable soldiers.

After Han Jia left, Li Yi flipped through the documents in his hand and began to think.

As the commandant of the Wind Tiger Battalion, Li Yi not only had to train soldiers and lead them into battle, but also handle these military affairs.

The spoils assigned to Li Yi this time included not only silver, but also many medicinal herbs, weapons, armor, and the like.

The soldiers' needs differed as well.

Therefore, how to distribute the rewards in a way that satisfied everyone was a very important matter!

"Perhaps it's time to have Li Xin help me!"

Looking at these documents, an idea surfaced in Li Yi's mind.

The Wind Tiger Battalion now had a full five hundred men. It was time to establish dedicated civilian officers within the army to handle miscellaneous affairs for Li Yi.

For instance, when rewards were distributed today according to merit, General Guan had clerks and other civilian officials to handle such matters as tallying battle achievements and dispensing rewards. General Guan only needed to conduct the final review.

Li Yi knew very well that his footing in the army rested on his martial skill.

If he wasted his time on such trifles and affected his cultivation of archery and the like, that would truly be sacrificing the greater for the lesser.

Li Xin, meanwhile, was well-read and fully capable of handling such miscellaneous matters.

Most importantly, Li Xin was his younger brother—one of his own, someone he could truly trust!

For three days straight, Li Yi remained busy in the Wind Tiger Battalion.

Besides personally handing out the rewards, Li Yi also led training, guiding the entire Wind Tiger Battalion to develop according to his plans.

By the time everything had settled onto the right track, more than half a month had already passed.

Standing on the training grounds, Li Yi raised a hand and caught a snowflake, his heart stirring.

"Winter is almost here already. I wonder how things are at home."

"Come to think of it, it's about time I went back for a look!"