Chapter Summaries

Li Xuancang awakened in the body of a dying border soldier in the Great Flame Dynasty and gained a system that permanently increased his strength by one percent each day. After killing a Barbarian soldier, he collapsed on the battlefield and awaited death until Great Flame reinforcements arrived.

• Li Xuancang inherited the memories of a farmer's son from Azure Creek Village, who had been drafted into the army and gravely wounded in battle.
• As Barbarian soldiers advanced, Li Xuancang activated Daily Enhancement and resolved to survive, grow stronger, and protect his family.
• Li Xuancang dodged a Barbarian's saber, then used his broken iron spear to kill him after his strength increased.
• Exhausted and unable to move, Li Xuancang feared the Barbarians would kill him until several hundred Great Flame reinforcements charged onto the battlefield.

Li Xuancang survived his battlefield wounds and recovered as he resolved to gain military rank to protect his family. When the Barbarians threatened Lakeside Station again, Battalion Commander Wang Tianshan promised conscripts rewards and regular-army status for killing them, leaving Li Xuancang ready to fight.

• After the Great Flame Dynasty reinforcements drove off the Barbarians, Li Xuancang forced himself to move and was carried to a dilapidated room, where another enhancement helped him survive.
• Li Xuancang learned that the army abandoned wounded men who failed to recover, and the sight strengthened his resolve to gain rank and protect his family.
• Over ten days, Li Xuancang's wounds mostly healed and his strength reached 1.1 times that of an ordinary person.
• Three days later, the Barbarians attacked again, and the conscripts assembled at the Drill Ground under orders to face military execution if they disobeyed.
• Battalion Commander Wang Tianshan announced that conscripts who killed Barbarians would earn rewards, and those who killed three would become official Battle Soldiers with pay, provisions, and benefits for their families.
• Li Xuancang clenched his fists and prepared to fight for the chance to change his fate.

Li Xuancang faced the Barbarian assault on Lakeside Station, driven by the hope that killing three enemies would earn him formal Battle Soldier status and protect his family. As the Barbarians stormed the walls, he dodged one soldier’s attack and thrust his spear at the opening.

• Wang Tianshan promised conscripts military merit and Battle Soldier status for killing three Barbarians, then ordered them to defend the walls.
• Li Xuancang resolved to earn the promotion so he could secure pay and protection for his family.
• The Barbarian army charged Lakeside Station, and Wang Tianshan threatened execution for anyone who retreated.
• Barbarians scaled the walls and fought the defenders at close quarters as Li Xuancang faced a charging soldier alone.
• Li Xuancang dodged the soldier’s blade and drove his iron spear forward with all his strength.

Li Xuancang killed three Barbarian soldiers and earned qualification to join the regular Great Yan army. After witnessing cultivators clash and die on the battlefield, he resolved to grow stronger, and the Barbarians eventually retreated.

• Li Xuancang killed three Barbarian soldiers in succession while Wang Tianshan and the other labor conscripts watched.
• More than a dozen Barbarian cultivators charged the wall, and cultivators from the Great Flame Dynasty met them in battle.
• Li Xuancang watched the cultivators fight and realized they could die, deepening his determination to become stronger.
• The Barbarians ordered a retreat after failing to defeat the Great Flame Dynasty, and the survivors cheered their victory.

After Li Xuancang killed three Barbarians, Wang Tianshan registered him as an official border soldier and granted him military benefits, including protection for his family in Azure Creek Village. Equipped with armor and a refined spear, Li Xuancang resolved to rise through the ranks and protect his family from the dangers of the troubled times.

• Wang Tianshan confirmed Li Xuancang had killed three Barbarians and ordered his military merit recorded.
• Wang Tianshan enrolled Li Xuancang in the Great Yan border army and announced his pay, rations, equipment, medical care, and exemption from forced labor.
• Wang Tianshan granted Li Xuancang’s direct relatives in Azure Creek Village ten years of tax and labor exemptions and military protection from local threats.
• Li Xuancang thanked Wang Tianshan and resolved to earn higher rank so he could better protect his family.
• Li Xuancang received iron scale armor, a refined battle spear, healing salve, and rice ration vouchers, transforming his standing among the labor conscripts.

After Li Xuancang adjusted to life as a Battle Soldier, Zhang Yuan’s unit began night patrols under orders from Wang Tianshan. Their first patrol was attacked by eight Demon Hounds, and a frightened soldier’s flight disrupted their defensive formation as the hounds closed in.

• Li Xuancang encountered Old Du and other conscripts, who treated him with fearful respect and later spoke of his promotion as an inspiration to risk their lives in battle.
• Zhang Yuan told his unit that, by order of Wang Tianshan, they would begin night patrols after several units had been attacked.
• During the patrol, Li Xuancang sensed a sinister wind from the forest and warned the group as demon aura filled the air.
• Eight Demon Hounds charged from the darkness, and Zhang Yuan ordered the unit to form a defensive formation.
• One soldier panicked, dropped his torch and weapon, and ran, leaving the group unable to form up as the Demon Hounds reached them.

Li Xuancang fought a Demon Hound alone, gravely wounding it before collapsing from his injuries. Zhao Changlin’s men carried him back to camp, where Wang Daniu and Wang Xiaoniu treated him, while the battle ended with heavy losses and the Demon Hounds retreating.

• A Demon Hound attacked Li Xuancang, who fled when he realized he could not defeat it, then stopped to fight when it began to catch him.
• Li Xuancang endured severe wounds and repeatedly stabbed the Demon Hound in the abdomen, then collapsed unconscious after forcing it away.
• Zhao Changlin’s arriving soldiers killed the wounded Demon Hound, and Zhao ordered them to carry the barely breathing Li Xuancang back to camp.
• Wang Daniu and Wang Xiaoniu cleaned and treated Li Xuancang’s wounds, though they feared he would not survive.
• The fighting continued through most of the night until the Demon Hounds retreated, leaving more than ten Battle Soldiers and over forty laborers dead.

Li Xuancang woke after three days of unconsciousness and learned that Zhao Changlin had arranged for him to be rescued and given rare demon beast meat. After recovering enough to walk, Li Xuancang was summoned to meet Zhao Changlin, with Wang Xiaoniu urging him to make the most of the opportunity.

• Li Xuancang woke in the Battle Soldier Camp, and Wang Xiaoniu told him that he and his brother had carried him back and cared for him.
• Wang Xiaoniu brought Li Xuancang a meal of Demon Hound meat that Zhao Changlin had arranged for him.
• Wang Xiaoniu told Li Xuancang that his squad had been wiped out and Zhao Changlin had fought the Demon Hounds after Li Xuancang passed out.
• Li Xuancang recovered enough to move normally and thought about how becoming a Battle Soldier might ease his family's hardship back in Azure Creek Village.
• Wang Xiaoniu took Li Xuancang to meet Zhao Changlin and encouraged him to perform well for a chance at becoming a Five-Man Leader.

After recovering from his near-fatal wounds, Li Xuancang was promoted to Five-Man Leader for facing the Demon Hound and received command of five soldiers. He settled into his new role and grew stronger, while news of his promotion reached Azure County.

• Zhao Changlin praised Li Xuancang's courage against the Demon Hound and promoted him to Five-Man Leader.
• Li Xuancang accepted his waist token and new benefits, then thanked Wang Xiaoniu and his brother for helping him recover.
• Li Xuancang received five soldiers, memorized their names, and moved into his own barracks room with his supplies and pay vouchers.
• Li Xuancang assessed his growing strength and resolved to wait until he could stand against cultivators before taking greater risks.
• Li Xuancang's strength improved over the following days as he led patrols, and news of his promotion reached Azure County.

Qian the Tycoon tried to seize Li Ling'er to settle the Li Family's debt, but constables arrived and revealed that her brother Li Xuancang had become a registered Battle Soldier. The constable captain's announcement left Qian and the villagers facing the Li Family's newfound status.

• Li Dahai begged Qian the Tycoon for more time to repay the family's debt, but Qian refused and ordered his guards to take Li Ling'er away.
• The guards beat down Li Dahai, Mother Li, and Li Xiu while Li Ling'er cried and struggled in their grasp.
• Constables arrived and the captain accused Qian of seizing an innocent girl and oppressing the Li Family.
• Qian claimed the seizure was a private debt matter, but the captain challenged him and asked if he knew the family's identity.
• The constable captain announced that Li Xuancang had fought at the frontier, slain Barbarians, and been registered as a Battle Soldier by the imperial court.

The Li Family learned that Li Xuancang had become an Imperial Court Battle Soldier, and his status forced Qian the Tycoon to abandon his claims and flee. The county officials granted the family protection and ten years of tax and labor exemptions, leaving them newly secure in Azure Creek Village while Li Xuancang remained at the border.

• After learning Li Xuancang was an Imperial Court Battle Soldier, Qian the Tycoon released Li Ling'er, waived the debt, and begged the Li Family for forgiveness.
• The bailiff chief warned Qian that harassing a Battle Soldier's family would be treated as treason, and Qian fled with his servants.
• The Li Family embraced and wept with relief as the villagers reacted with shock and envy to Li Xuancang's status.
• The bailiff chief arranged treatment for Mother Li's wound and announced that the family would be exempt from taxes and corvée labor for ten years.
• The bailiff chief promised the authorities would protect the Li Family, then departed after telling them to seek him at the county office if they needed help.

After the constables revealed that Li Xuancang had become an Imperial Court Battle Soldier, the Li Family’s neighbors fawned over them and their immediate crisis ended. Li Xiu returned to her husband’s home hoping her brother’s new status would protect her, but her mother-in-law and husband greeted her with abuse and demands.

• The villagers crowded around Father Li and Mother Li with gifts and praise after the constables left, and the family sent them home.
• Li Xiu said goodbye to her parents and left with her daughter Nannan, while Father Li assured her that the Zhang Family would no longer dare bully her.
• Li Xiu returned to the Zhang Family courtyard, where Yang Cuihua cursed her for visiting her natal family and Zhang Erzhu ordered her to do chores and called her useless.

Li Xiu stood up to her abusive in-laws by revealing that her younger brother, Li Xuancang, had become an officially registered Battle Soldier. The Zhang Family changed its treatment of her out of fear and respect, leaving Li Xiu with a secure place in the household.

• Li Xiu told Yang Cuihua and Zhang Erzhu that Li Xuancang had become a Battle Soldier and that the Li Family was protected by the authorities.
• Yang Cuihua and Zhang Erzhu apologized to Li Xiu, offered to care for her and Nannan, and promised she would no longer do household work.
• Zhang Chunhua arrived and ordered Li Xiu to cook, prompting Yang Cuihua and Zhang Erzhu to scold her for disrespecting her sister-in-law.
• Yang Cuihua and Zhang Erzhu explained Li Xuancang's status to Zhang Chunhua and ordered her to take over all the household chores.
• Zhang Chunhua apologized to Li Xiu and promised to treat her well, while Li Xiu accepted her apology and felt secure in the household.

Li Xuancang led five veteran soldiers on a mountain patrol, where they encountered a dangerous Black-Ridge Demon Wolf. He sent the beast flying with one spear strike, leaving his squad stunned and hopeful as the fight continued.

• Li Xuancang assessed his strength and learned more about cultivation after becoming a Five-Man Leader.
• Li Xuancang received orders to patrol the border mountains with five soldiers and instructed them to stay alert and follow his commands.
• Zhou Xing warned Li Xuancang that patrol squads often vanished in the forests, but Li Xuancang pressed deeper into the mountains.
• The squad encountered a Black-Ridge Demon Wolf, and the veterans panicked at the sight of the powerful monster.
• Li Xuancang stopped the soldiers from fleeing and rallied them to fight the wolf together.
• The Black-Ridge Demon Wolf pounced, but Li Xuancang struck its head with his spear and sent it crashing into a pile of rocks.

Li Xuancang and his five soldiers fought and killed an adult Black-Ridge Demon Wolf despite suffering severe injuries. They carried the corpse back to camp, where their feat astonished the soldiers and quickly became the talk of the camp.

• Li Xuancang and Zhou Xing’s squad battled the demon wolf, with Li Xuancang taking a heavy blow while protecting his men.
• Li Xuancang pierced the demon wolf’s brow, and the others attacked until it died.
• Li Xuancang ordered the wounded squad to leave quickly before the blood attracted more Demons, and they carried the corpse away.
• The squad returned to camp with the Black-Ridge Demon Wolf, shocking the sentries and soldiers who recognized it.
• Li Xuancang and his men headed to the quartermaster’s office to register their achievement, and news of the kill spread through the camp.

After earning military rewards for killing a Black-Ridge Demon Wolf, Li Xuancang shared some with his squad and recovered from his injuries. At the training ground, veteran Five-Man Leader Zhou Mang challenged him, but Li Xuancang defeated him in front of the camp.

• Li Xuancang turned in the Black-Ridge Demon Wolf and received silver, rice, Body Tempering Decoction, and Flesh-Fortifying Ointment as military merits.
• Li Xuancang gave part of the rewards to Zhou Xing and the others, then used the body-tempering medicine to recover; three days later, his injuries had healed and his strength had risen.
• Zhou Mang mocked Li Xuancang’s rapid promotion and questioned whether he deserved to be a Five-Man Leader.
• When Li Xuancang refused to back down, Zhou Mang attacked him in the training ground.
• Li Xuancang dodged Zhou Mang’s palm, broke his wrist, and threw him several meters, leaving the onlookers stunned.

Li Xuancang defeated Zhou Mang, who then drew his saber and tried to attack him, prompting Zhao Changlin to intervene and punish Zhou Mang. Zhao Changlin praised Li Xuancang and warned the camp against further violations, leaving Li Xuancang with greater respect and influence among the soldiers.

• Li Xuancang knocked Zhou Mang down in their public confrontation, humiliating him before the soldiers.
• Zhou Mang drew his saber and charged at Li Xuancang, but Zhao Changlin arrived and stopped the attack with a rebuke.
• Zhao Changlin condemned Zhou Mang for violating military discipline and sentenced him to twenty heavy cane strokes and three months without pay.
• Zhao Changlin praised Li Xuancang, urged him to train his men and earn military merit, and showed interest in bringing him under his command.
• Zhao Changlin warned the soldiers that Zhou Mang would serve as an example, and the camp stopped daring to treat Li Xuancang as an easy target.

Li Xuancang and the defenders of Lakeside Station faced a large-scale assault by more than a thousand Barbarians and dozens of demon soldiers. When a powerful demon soldier threatened to break through the eastern pass, Zhao Changlin ordered Li Xuancang to stop it, leaving his fate uncertain.

• Li Xuancang returned from patrol and saw hundreds of civilians arriving for military service, reminding him of his family back home.
• As more civilians arrived, Wang Xuanshan ordered them to train with the Battle Soldiers while the camp grew increasingly tense.
• An alarm announced a large Barbarian and demon soldier invasion, and Li Xuancang led his five soldiers to reinforce the eastern pass.
• Wang Xuanshan rallied the defenders, and the enemy charged as arrows failed to stop the demon soldiers from reaching the defensive line.
• A gray-furred demon soldier broke through two lines, so Zhao Changlin ordered Li Xuancang to stop it; Li Xuancang charged forward as Zhou Mang hoped to see him killed.

Li Xuancang held off a demon soldier through a fierce battle, helping Lakeside Station withstand the barbarian and demon assault. After the enemy retreated, Zhao Changlin praised Li Xuancang and promised to remember his contribution, leaving him hopeful of advancing.

• Li Xuancang blocked the demon soldier’s attack and fought it to a standstill, astonishing Zhao Changlin and the other defenders.
• After half an hour, Li Xuancang wounded the demon soldier with his spear, but it tore the weapon from him and threw it, killing a human soldier.
• Li Xuancang fought the demon soldier barehanded for several more hours, enduring its attacks and landing blows of his own.
• The barbarians and demon soldiers retreated after suffering heavy losses, and Li Xuancang watched the wounded and dead across Lakeside Station.
• Li Xuancang discovered that only Zhou Xing had survived from his squad, then received Zhao Changlin’s praise and promise to remember his service.

Li Xuancang earned promotion to Five-Man Leader and sent silver and permanent protections home to his family. His parents celebrated his success but feared for his safety on the dangerous border.

• Li Xuancang gained battle merits during ten days of patrols and fighting at the border.
• Zheng Feng arrived at the Li Family courtyard and told Father Li that Li Xuancang had become a Five-Man Leader.
• A government runner delivered ten taels of silver and announced that the Li Family was permanently exempt from taxes and corvée labor and protected by military registration.
• The villagers reacted with shock and envy, praising the Li Family for Li Xuancang’s achievement.
• Father Li and Mother Li accepted the news with pride but worried that Li Xuancang might not return safely.