The First Golden Trait [Army-Breaking]!
Pei Xuance's figure slowly disappeared upstream on the river.
A lieutenant who had been following beside him broke away Deputy General the ranks and, with a few Demon Suppression Guard, began to silently dispose of the Flood Dragon Lord's corpse.
After a long time, Zhou Zheng finally realized that he hadn't misheard General Pei's words.
The last few sentences... just don't seem right, do they?
He told General Pei about Yang Xiao's achievements here, and that Squad Leader in terms of his level and Merit, given that he had only been in the company for less than a month.
But becoming Deputy General... isn't that a bit of a leap?
The time spent in the company, the level of expertise, and the Merit all require a long period of seniority. Even though he was somewhat talented, it took him more than fifty years to become Deputy General.
Now you're telling me that you've only been in the company for less than a month and you already have a recommendation from the Demon Suppression General.
You could easily be mistaken for his grandson, right?
Zhou Zheng took a few deep breaths to calm himself down, then thought of the last two sentences with a complicated expression.
"Keep that gun."
"We'll reserve a Deputy General position for you."
The Demon Suppression General's exclusive weapon—let alone claim it for yourself, even just holding it and admiring it would require the entire Demon Suppression Guard of the prefecture to sign up and line up!
Putting aside the fact that it comes from the reputation of the Demon Suppression General, the fact that it is in the hands of the Demon Suppression General means that its strength and practicality are absolutely top-notch.
So this guy just joined the unit and already got a gun of the rank of a county- Demon Suppression General?
"Hiss--"
Zhou Zheng suddenly felt a toothache. He clicked his tongue and looked at Yang Xiao, who looked completely nonchalant, wanting to grab his ear and ask if he had heard what the general had just said.
However, Yang Xiao merely pulled the Army-Breaking Spear from Flood Dragon Lord's body, examined it calmly, and showed no sign of excitement whatsoever.
"Is this gun called Army-Breaker?"
"Right."
Lü Heng, the Deputy General had just stepped out from behind Pei Xuance, approached and looked at Yang Xiao with a complicated expression.
"The Army-Breaking Spear has been with General Pei for over thirty years; it is one of his most frequently used weapons. There are at least eight hundred to a thousand Demon who have died by this spear."
Yang Xiao looked down at the gun and examined it closely.
It feels heavy in your hand, exuding a cold, bleak, and battle-hardened aura.
The Army-Breaking Spear is about nine feet long, with a dark black shaft that looks like it was cast from heavy iron. There are no extra decorations on the surface, except for a few dark red Demon-Suppressing Runes engraved near the spearhead.
The spearhead Changfeng, with a dark silver color.
Even after years of fighting, the spearhead remains as sharp as new, its edges gleaming faintly.
What's so special about it?
Lü Heng's gaze fell on the Army-Breaking Spear, his expression one of utmost admiration.
"The strongest aspect of the Army-Breaking Spear can be summed up in one word: Broken!"
"Once hit by it, even a body cultivator who specializes in physical training will not fare well against it!"
Under General Pei's years of wielding, the Army-Breaking Spear had developed Spear Baleful Intent; once struck, it would relentlessly ravage the body, making it virtually impossible to heal itself—it was harder than climbing to heaven.
He raised his hand and tapped the gun barrel, the sound heavy.
"When General Pei Demon-Slaying Demon, he often pins them down with a single spear thrust. Even if the Demon doesn't die, it will be relentlessly tormented by the malevolent energy within the spear, eventually being crushed to death."
"This is also why General Pei allowed Flood Dragon Lord to escape on his own."
"Even without your intervention, it wouldn't have survived much longer."
Yang Xiao gripped the gun barrel tightly, feeling the lingering sharpness of the Spear Intent within.
"But don't think that just because you have it, you can unleash General Pei's power." He glanced at Yang Xiao and grinned.
"The Army-Breaking Spear doesn't recognize official rank or background; it only recognizes whether you dare to thrust forward."
"If you dare to stab it, it will become the Army-Breaker, capable of destroying all enemies."
"If you don't dare, it's just a fire poker, and the Spear Baleful Intent inside will backfire on you, making us laugh at you."
Yang Xiao remained silent for a moment, then nodded solemnly to Lü Heng.
"I've learned my lesson. I'm determined not to let its reputation be ruined in my hands."
Seeing that Yang Xiao also valued it, Lü Heng put away his disdain. "That's good. From now on, we'll probably still be family, so it's not like the good stuff is going to outsiders."
"You rest first, I'll take care of this dragon's corpse and send it to General Pei."
Seeing Yang Xiao covered in blood, Lü Heng knew the dangers of his battle with the Flood Dragon Lord and decided not to waste his energy talking to him.
Yang Xiao carefully put away the Army-Breaking Spear, and as soon as he turned around, he bumped into Zhou Zheng, who had a red-eyed look on his face.
"Deputy General Zhou, is there something you want to say by looking at me like that?"
"No, it's nothing."
Zhou Zheng practically spat out those words through gritted teeth, looking at Yang Xiao with a burning desire to abandon everything he had achieved over the decades and take his place!
The reason lies in Lü Heng's saying, "We shouldn't let the good stuff go to outsiders."
The young man before him seemed unaware of the deeper meaning behind the gun.
Compared to the significance of this gun, being recommended as Deputy General in less than a month is nothing.
Inheriting the personal weapon of a Demon Suppression General almost branded him as belonging exclusively to that general's faction.
Furthermore, reserving a Deputy General position for you is tantamount to treating the other party as their successor.
However, this seat is uncomfortable; in fact, it's quite uncomfortable to sit in.
General Pei's final words, "Qingzhou has gained a firm foothold," were not just empty words.
The position of Deputy General coveted not only by those below him, but also by powerful families and the veteran Demon Suppression Guard. Given Yang Xiao's current cultivation level of Liquid Condensation, it would be extremely difficult for him to secure the position.
It's unclear how General Pei suddenly took a liking to Yang Xiao.
He gained at least several hundred years of lifespan by breaking through to the Mysterious Core Realm, and is currently in his prime. Why would he need to cultivate a successor?
Zhou Zheng had a question mark in his mind, and then, looking at Yang Xiao, who was almost the same age as his grandson, he couldn't help but speak up.
He had nothing else to do tonight, so he decided to explain all the pros and cons to Yang Xiao.
However, the latter simply nodded, replied with "Oh, I understand," and then carried the Army-Breaking Spear back to his little hut.
Zhou Zheng was somewhat amused and exasperated, assuming that Yang Xiao had never experienced the feeling of being targeted and criticized.
"You brat, you're in for a tough time now."
"However, things will get better once you reach the Aperture-Opening Realm..."
He estimated that with the young man's talent, he would probably reach the Aperture-Opening Realm in less than a year and rightfully become Deputy General.
At that time, I, this so-called senior, will probably be swept away by this kid and left on the shore.
Back to the hut.
Yang Xiao sat cross-legged and waited quietly for a while until the Flesh Cloak completely healed his injuries and confirmed that his body had returned to its peak condition.
His expression revealed a hint of excitement as he examined the Army-Breaking Spear lying flat on his lap.
The reason was simple: he had just glanced at the equipment effects of the Army-Breaking Spear. Although he couldn't equip it in front of everyone, the gold and purple colors were enough to make him treat it with caution.
[Aperture Opening - Army-Breaking Spear]
[Effect 1: Gain the attribute (Gold) Army-Breaker: Po Jun possesses the might of slaughter Army-Breaker, invincible and capable of shattering anything.]
[Effect 2: Obtain the purple Blood-Devouring Spear Baleful Intent: The Sha Qi carries a bloodthirsty power that can erode flesh and bone, block self-healing, and is difficult to remove.]
[Permanent fixation condition: Equip for one month, or kill a Demon at the Aperture-Opening Realm.]
"Equipment!"