Exchanging Merits for Movement Techniques, Shoring Up a Weakness

The two walked out of the supply room and followed the corridor toward the courtyard gate.

Zhou Zheng sighed. He looked at Yang Xiao's calm face, wanting to speak but holding back.

He remembered the day Pei Xuance had handed the Army-Breaking Spear to Yang Xiao.

Back then, he had thought General Pei was moving too fast. Yang Xiao had been in the division for less than a month, yet Pei Xuance had given him a Deputy General's post and the Army-Breaking Spear.

Now it seemed General Pei had a keen eye indeed.

"Go back and get ready. We'll assemble shortly." Zhou Zheng waved goodbye and turned toward his quarters.

Dusk deepened, and the lanterns of the Demon Suppression Division lit up one after another.

The courtyard remained quiet. Only a few Patrol Soldiers left behind were making their rounds.

Yang Xiao left the Demon-Slaying Battalion's courtyard and followed the path through the bamboo grove.

"Brother Yang?"

Yang Xiao stopped and turned his head.

Dusk deepened along the bamboo-lined path.

Xu Qingshan emerged from the grove in a dark green brocade robe. He wore his familiar smile, though faint weariness lingered in his eyes.

He hurried over to Yang Xiao and looked him up and down before finally letting out a breath.

"I finally caught you." He shook his head with a rueful smile.

"I went around the Demon Suppression Division several times without seeing you, then asked at the Deputy General Camp and learned you'd come to the Demon-Slaying Battalion again. I figured you couldn't have gone far, so I waited by the gate. Just happened to catch you coming out."

Yang Xiao smiled helplessly.

"I have been rather busy lately."

He glanced up at the darkening sky. "Since joining the division, I don't think I've spent more than