The Tufu yelled, "What's all the rush about? Damn it! Do you even look like a soldier?"
Jipi was startled and quickly saluted respectfully, saying, "Yes, Captain..."
Li Qiang said, "Brother Jipi, what happened? Tell me quickly, ignore this guy."
The Tufu chuckled and slapped Li Qiang on the shoulder, "Damn it, only you, Big Brother, dare to talk to me like that. Hey, Jipi, what the hell are you standing there for?"
Li Qiang shook his head. The officers here were all incredibly rude. He said, "Brother Jipi, what's the matter?"
Jipi said anxiously, " The Falcon Squad is in trouble. Five or six of our brothers are injured..."
The Tufu roared, "What kind of thing did you encounter that injured so many people?"
Jipi said, "When we were hunting the flying antelope, one of our brothers knocked over a nest of poisonous ants. We saved the person, but the other brothers who went to help were all bitten by the ants. Alas! They've been poisoned."
Li Qiang pushed up his Jipi: "What are you standing there for? Take me there now!"
Jipi took off running, with Li Qiang and the Tufu in hot pursuit. The Tufu cursed as he ran, "Damn it! Catching a flying antelope has resulted in so many injuries, a bunch of idiots!"
A large group of soldiers surrounded the rescue team's leather tents. As soon as Tufu arrived, he started cursing, "Damn it! What are you all doing here? Go! Go! Go back to your tents! We're about to go hunting on the plains. Are you all bored?" The soldiers scattered in fright, which Tufu found displeasing. He really knew how to beat people.
Bianchongya Tooth emerged from the tent with a worried expression, but upon seeing Li Qiang, he exclaimed excitedly, "Brother, come quickly and help! Can you save them?"
Li Qiang walked into the tent and said, "Brother Tufu, you seem to be quite relaxed. Why don't you go and make some preparations!" He spoke as if the Tufu were his subordinate.
The Tufu casually replied, "Okay, I'll go right away... Hey? Damn it! I'm the team leader... Never mind, I'm going now." He had no temper with Li Qiang.
Bianchongya was dumbfounded. In the entire military camp, only General Jipo dared to speak to Tufu like that. He never expected that Li Qiang would also dare to speak to him like that.
The wounded soldiers lay on animal skin mats. There were seven soldiers in total, all naked, covered in countless small wounds oozing black, thick fluid, their groans rising and falling. The head of the medical team stood helplessly, unable to treat poison wounds.
Li Qiang picked up a wooden bowl, poured in half a bowl of warm water, took out a Cold Marrow Scale, and dissolved the elixir in the water. "Everyone drink a little, you'll be better soon."
The medical captain personally took the wooden bowl and fed each soldier a little. Soon, the swelling subsided, and the wounds slowly healed. The medical captain smiled wryly and said, "Sigh, you should be the medical captain."
Li Qiang laughed, "Are you trying to kill me with work? Hey, you're sending people on this hunt too, aren't you?"
Bianchongya interjected, "They're not going. Here, we'll just bear the minor injuries ourselves, and if we're seriously injured but not dead, we'll be carried back. In a critical situation, we can't afford to worry about anything else unless we have good friends around to help us. Otherwise, we can only leave it to fate."
Several soldiers scrambled to their feet and thanked Li Qiang repeatedly. The wounds from the poisonous ant bites were small; the key was the venom. After the antidote was administered, the people recovered quickly.
Li Qiang said, "Go back to your tents and rest for a few days, you'll be fine. Don't wander around. None of you will be going on this hunt."
Bianchongya said, "You guys go and rest. I still need to train the new recruits. Thanks, brother. They were all good fighters; it would be a real shame if they died."
Li Qiang shook his head. He realized that here, soldiers' lives were treated like objects, their value determined entirely by their worth, which made him very uncomfortable.
Li Qiang returned to the tent and said to Jipi, who was following behind him, "Go and prepare. You'll be going on this hunt too. Let me know when you leave." After he finished speaking, he sat down cross-legged and closed his eyes to meditate.
Jipi Skin bowed and left. He had been ordered by General Jipo to serve and monitor Li Qiang, but a year had passed, and he no longer intended to monitor him. Li Qiang treated him very well, even teaching him many strange fighting techniques, and never bullied him, which was completely different from the behavior of the other soldiers in the camp. It was common for soldiers in the camp to form cliques and bully the weak, but Li Qiang was an exception. No one dared to provoke him, and he never bullied anyone.
Li Qiang has recently reached a very strange point in his cultivation. After entering the Second Desire Heaven realm, his progress seems to have stagnated, and no matter how hard he tries, it is difficult for him to advance any further.
He didn't know that no cultivator had ever practiced the Heavenly Recommendation Scripture before; it was an unimaginable thing. For someone like him to be forcibly helped to cultivate into a divine path by two Loose Immortal, he really didn't know whether it was a blessing or a curse.
With the help of the immortal energy of the two great Loose Immortal, Li Qiang easily and quickly passed through the three realms of the First Brahma Heaven. Since he had comprehended the twenty-seven realms of the Nine Divine Heavens of Gods beforehand, he was no stranger to cultivating the divine. However, he was at a loss in the current situation. No one could guide him in his cultivation. He had to rely entirely on his own exploration and made the most of his time to cultivate diligently.
However, since completing the three realms of First Brahma Heaven, he clearly felt that his Divine Yi Power had become much purer. What he wanted to learn most now was the cultivation of immortal artifacts and divine artifacts, but he was troubled by not knowing where to start. He felt that the weapon-refining methods of the Chongxuan Sect were no longer suitable for him.
At dawn the next day, before daybreak, a deep bugle call sounded in the camp, the order to assemble. Li Qiang stretched and stood up; he did not assemble on the parade ground like the other soldiers.
Jipi was already waiting outside the tent, holding a torch, and said, " Big Brother Li, shall we go to the camp's training ground?"
Li Qiang shook his head and said, "Go to the camp's training ground and wait for me. I'll be there in a bit."
Jipi knew that Li Qiang didn't need to take roll call. He turned and ran towards the playground. If he was late without a valid reason, he would be whipped. He dared not be negligent.
Li Qiang arrived at the repair team's shed, but there wasn't a single craftsman inside, only a disabled old soldier guarding the gate, half-asleep and leaning against an animal hide mat. Seeing Li Qiang enter, he tried to get up, mumbling, "Captain... why so early?"
Li Qiang waved his hand and said, "You continue to rest. I have something to do and I'll be leaving soon."
Despite having only one hand, the disabled veteran still got up, opened the door of the repair shed for Li Qiang, and asked, "Should I go find some of the brothers to help?"
Li Qiang laughed and said, "No need. I'm going hunting on the plains with the Second Battalion soon. I've come to find two suitable weapons."
The crippled veteran shuddered, his hands trembling as he lit a torch and placed it beside the iron furnace. He whispered, "Captain, be careful. Stay alert. If you notice anything amiss, don't fight to the death. Try to stay close to your brothers..."
Li Qiang was touched and patted him on the shoulder, saying, "Don't worry, I'm fine."
The crippled veteran sighed and turned back outside. He had lost his arm while hunting, and if it weren't for his good relationships with his brothers who risked their lives to get it back, he would have died on the plains long ago. Now, the mere mention of hunting makes him tremble uncontrollably.
Li Qiang casually picked up a few pure steel weapons and held them in his hand. He took out a small piece of Heavenly Gold Sand and burned Heavenly Fire into it. He didn't want to use the Star-Absorbing Sword and the Supreme Radiance Shuttle because he wanted to continue his secluded cultivation here for a while longer. If he exposed his identity as a cultivator, he wouldn't be able to stay in the military camp any longer.
He still preferred sword-shaped weapons, so he forged a two-handed greatsword with a blade five fingers wide, a blade 140 centimeters long, a hilt 40 centimeters long, and a weight of 60 jin (approximately 30 kilograms).
Looking at the sword, which was as tall as himself, Li Qiang found it quite interesting. He then found a large iron bar and forged a steel scabbard, inserted the sword into the scabbard, hoisted it onto his shoulder, and walked towards the military camp's drill ground.
The military camp parade ground was filled with soldiers lined up in formation, each with a tall warhorse beside him. This time, General Jipo had gone all out, selecting only elite soldiers, most of whom were experienced veterans. Leading the troops was Tufu, the captain of the Second Battalion.
When Li Qiang arrived, he had just finished giving instructions. From afar, he saw Li Qiang carrying a strange weapon, a large one that he had never seen before.
The Tufu beckoned to Li Qiang and said, "Listen up! Li Qiang is the captain of this hunting and repair team, and he's my right-hand man. What he says goes! Anyone who dares to disobey him, I'll leave them on the plains for the monsters to eat. Did you all understand?"
Every soldier knew the Tufu's temper; his reply was absolutely earth-shattering.
Li Qiang smiled slightly, shouldered his greatsword, walked to the front of the line, and said slowly, "Hello everyone, I hope that you brothers will work together this time. What we catch is not important, the important thing is... to come back alive as much as possible. I know there are some bad habits in the military camp, that we won't help those who aren't good friends or fellow villagers! This time, we absolutely cannot allow that to happen. No matter what the situation, we will never abandon those around us, otherwise... if the monster doesn't kill you, I'll chop you to pieces!" He raised his hand and swung the greatsword on his shoulder, aiming at the stone pillar beside him.
The massive stone pillar, as tall as a man and as thick as two men, shattered into countless small pieces as the greatsword swung around. The soldiers in formation watched with trepidation; they had never seen such a demonstration before.
The Tufu was also terrified. He had just witnessed Li Qiang's skills and never expected that the usually gentle and refined Li Qiang would reveal such a powerful aura.
Li Qiang demanded again, "Did you all understand?"
This time, everyone shouted, "Understood!"
The Tufu thought to himself, "Good heavens, I really don't know what this guy used to do. He's even more ruthless than me."
General Jipo and General Shaya stood to the side, dumbfounded. No one had ever spoken like that before. General Shaya stared intently at the greatsword Li Qiang was carrying, his mouth watering. He knew his stuff; he could tell at a glance it was an indestructible weapon. He was thinking about how to get his hands on it.
Li Qiang knew he couldn't change anything; he could only do his best and take it one step at a time.
General Jipo was quite pleased with himself. He felt he had a good eye for talent. Although he disagreed with Li Qiang's words, he didn't argue. In any case, once they reached the plains, they could decide for themselves what to do with the books. He said, "Alright, I hope you brothers will fight bravely against the monsters this time. Hmm... we also need to pay attention to safety. Hmm, that's it. Habulifu, prepare to depart!" He was too lazy to say more and directly ordered Captain Tufu to set off.
Jipi led a horse up to Li Qiang and whispered, "This is a Fierce Azure Horse that General Shaya gave you. It's a famous steed here, very rare."
Li Qiang fell in love with the horse at first sight. It was jet black, with a back a head taller than his own, a small head, a thick neck, and a slender waist. Its chest was covered with fine scales, making it somewhat different from the horses in his hometown. It looked exceptionally majestic.
General Shaya waved to Li Qiang, Li Qiang bowed slightly, understanding that General Shaya had taken a liking to his two-handed greatsword.
Coyote Pass is a small pass, a narrow passage leading to the plains. The Battle Circle Continent is peculiar, with a long, narrow plain in the middle and hills on both sides. The plains and hills are separated by a steep mountain peak, and only a few passages lead to the plains.
The people here are different from the ordinary people Li Qiang has ever met. Judging from the soldiers' physical qualities, they are born warriors. Not only are they tall and strong, but they are also incredibly strong. You can tell just by looking at the weapons they use. The lightest weapons weigh about 20 kilograms, while the heaviest can weigh 30 to 40 kilograms.
Sometimes Li Qiang would think that if he hadn't cultivated immortality, he would probably be nothing here, no one would respect him, and it seemed natural for the weak to be bullied here.
Li Qiang rode on his Fierce Azure Horse, his two-handed greatsword strapped to the side of the saddle. On the other side of the saddle was a leather pouch filled with many finger-sized triangular steel spikes—his secret weapon. He found bows and arrows cumbersome and had a limited number of arrows to carry. He didn't want to reveal his identity if he used Law Treasure, so these steel triangular spikes were very effective, both inconspicuous and powerful.
The Tufu, also riding Fierce Azure Horse, said, "Brother, let's try our luck in the middle of the plains this time. If we encounter a rare beast, we'll be rich!"
Li Qiang laughed and said, "Besides monsters, what other powerful creatures are there on the plains?"
"There are many more powerful things, monsters are just one part of it. Damn, I hope we don't run into any of those terrifying things." He seemed somewhat fearful.
"Whatever frightens even Tufu must be incredibly powerful," Li Qiang asked. "What is it? Tell me, I know nothing about it."
The Tufu said, "Those things are usually invisible, except during the major attack that happens once every ten years... Hey, brother, don't ask anymore. They're all things that look like humans but aren't, extremely powerful. We call them Heavenly Crow People here, and there are others... Never mind, let's not talk about that. Brother, can I take a look at your weapon?" He had long coveted Li Qiang's strange greatsword.
Li Qiang smiled, took off the greatsword, and handed it to him, saying, "Be careful, it's very sharp." But in his heart, he was thinking, "What are Heavenly Crow People? What a strange name."
The Tufu leaned out from his horse to catch the greatsword. Li Qiang gently released his grip, and the Tufu leaned forward, exclaiming in surprise, "Damn, how is it so heavy... Hey, I can't handle this! Tsk tsk! What a fine weapon! What a fine weapon! What a pity... What a pity!" He knew that General Shaya had taken a liking to this two-handed greatsword.
Jipi chimed in, "We've reached the checkpoint."
The so-called Coyote Pass is actually a narrow gap in the mountains, as if a giant celestial sword had cleaved it through the mountains. Inside the pass, you can only see a sliver of sky, and it is wide enough for two horses to ride abreast.
As Li Qiang crossed the pass, he couldn't help but exclaim, "One man can hold the pass against ten thousand. Strange? Why use three thousand soldiers to guard the pass? It's completely unnecessary."
The Tufu said, "Three thousand soldiers are still too few. When it comes to actually guarding the pass, there are usually five thousand soldiers here. After a major battle... not many will survive."
A bright light appeared before their eyes; Li Qiang and his group had already left the Coyote Pass.
Beyond the pass lies a downward-sloping earthen bank, sparsely covered with low trees and shrubs. As far as the eye can see, there is a vast plain stretching as far as the eye can see, with large areas of forest and grassland, which appear lush and vibrant under the azure sky.
The Tufu spurred his horse forward, loudly ordering the captains to assemble their 1,200-strong force at the pass. Li Qiang lightly tapped the stirrups and rode off to the side, with Jipi close behind him.
Li Qiang didn't care how the troops operated; he wouldn't interfere with things he wasn't familiar with. He reined in his horse, affectionately patted the Fierce Azure Horse's thick neck, and laughed, "Brother Jipi, how fast can the horses here run?"
Jipi had never considered this question. He shifted the longbow on his back and said with a wry smile, "I... I don't know. Big Brother's Fierce Azure Horse is extremely fast, but it can't stay that fast forever... Hmm, I can't say for sure."
Li Qiang squinted, watching the Tufu and several company commanders directing their soldiers. Jipi secretly watched him, noticing a faint golden halo flickering in Li Qiang's eyes. Jipi trembled slightly, utterly bewildered. He couldn't understand how a person's eyes could emit golden light, and a thought flashed through his mind, "Is this a human or a monster?"
The troops quickly assembled. All 1,200 soldiers who came this time were cavalry, and two companies of soldiers were wearing heavy steel armor. Fortunately, the horses here were tall and strong and could support such heavy men and steel armor.
Two other squadrons were light cavalry, their soldiers wearing soft leather armor and their main weapon being longbows. Their mission was arduous: to lure out monsters and beasts, and if they weren't careful, they might not be able to return.
Each company has a large flag, guarded by four soldiers. The significance of the battle flag in the army is self-evident; it is a symbol of unity, strength, and honor. This is especially true for armies that use cold weapons, where the battle flag also serves to command the troops.
With the sound of a horn, the Falcon Squad, at the very front, sped off first, followed by the main force.
Li Qiang exclaimed, "I never imagined a thousand-strong cavalry force could be so magnificent! Let's go!"
Li Qiang hadn't expected the so-called narrow plain to be so vast. Led by a guide, they rode at full speed for a day, bypassing several forests and crossing several rivers before finally approaching the edge of the monster's territory.
Along the way, Li Qiang didn't see any monsters, only some small animals appearing in the woods and bushes. He thought to himself, "Perhaps the large number of troops and the billowing dust scared the monsters away."
At dusk, the large group of men stopped on a clearing in the grass, and the Tufu ordered them to set up camp. The soldiers immediately went to cut down trees and build fortifications. In the middle of the camp, a tall pile of firewood was erected and a roaring bonfire was lit.
Li Qiang felt like he was on vacation. He tossed the reins of his Fierce Azure Horse to Jipi, picked up his greatsword, and walked to the fire. Soldiers had already laid out large pieces of animal hide on the ground, Tufu was shouting something.
Li Qiang sat down cross-legged. A moment later, the Tufu led the team leaders to sit down around him. He plopped down next to Li Qiang and loudly complained, "Hey, brother, you're having a good time, not caring about anything at all, but I'm suffering!" Before Li Qiang could reply, he turned and shouted, "Is the Falcon Squad back yet? It takes this long to hunt a few wild animals! Damn it, one rainy season and they're practically paralyzed!"
The captain of the first squadron sat on the other side of Li Qiang. He was a middle-aged man nicknamed Shanxiong. He was very burly, with a neck as thick as his head and arms that were not much thinner than Li Qiang's waist. When Li Qiang first saw him, he was really surprised. Even the bodybuilders in his hometown did not have such a muscular physique.
This guy's weapon was also made by Li Qiang. It was a triangular, shovel-shaped weapon that weighed 55 jin (22.5 kg), and most people couldn't even wield it.
Shanxiong gripped Li Qiang's two-handed greatsword, stroking it with obvious affection. Li Qiang nudged him lightly with his shoulder and chuckled, "Old Bear, how's my greatsword?"
Shanxiong chuckled enviously, "I don't understand... I really don't understand you. How can someone so thin wield such a heavy weapon..."
The Tufu laughed, "Don't be surprised, he does all sorts of strange things, everyone knows that, I'm used to it, haha!" He slapped Li Qiang hard on the hand.
Li Qiang smiled slightly, thinking to himself, "My skills are really nothing special in this world. Compared to those masters, only I know how big the gap is. Otherwise, I wouldn't have ended up here."
Bianchongya arrived with several soldiers carrying a wild beast. Li Qiang knew that only the officers were allowed to eat fresh game; the soldiers ate the rations they carried. He beckoned, " Bianchongya, come sit down and eat with us."
The Tufu added, "Eating together is good; we can still hunt deer at this time of year."
Bianchongya didn't sit down; instead, he squatted down and said with some concern, "Captain, I find it strange. There are unusually few wild beasts, and we haven't seen a single monster. Has something changed?"
The Tufu waved his hand dismissively. "Damn it, what's changed? There are so many people out this time, the monsters have long since run away. Once we get into the hunting grounds... hehe, I guarantee there will be monsters everywhere, so you can go ahead and kill as many as you want. Come on, sit down and eat some meat with us."
Li Qiang took Bianchongya's words to heart. He had witnessed many strange things and was always very cautious. As his skills improved, he became even more cautious. "Brother, I think it's best to be careful. Send more people to patrol tonight."
The Tufu said dismissively, "It's alright... Okay! Okay! I'll listen to you." He immediately ordered his soldiers to increase the number of men patrolling at night.
As night deepened, the entire camp fell silent. Li Qiang, clutching his greatsword, sat by the campfire, lost in thought. This time, in his quest to Heavenly Recommendation Scripture for God Cultivation and the Heaven-Defying Treasure Mirror, he had incurred the wrath of two immortals, who had chased him relentlessly. Fortunately, he had destroyed the Jade Pupil Slip in time, allowing the immortals to harbor illusions, which temporarily saved his life.
As for whether there are other immortals also staying here, Li Qiang no longer doubted it; there certainly would be. However, he wondered if even higher-level deities existed in this realm, since immortals were present. If so, the world would likely descend into chaos.
Judging from the current situation, returning to the Cultivation Realm is a very difficult thing. Unless he can find an ancient teleportation array here, he has no way to go back with his current strength. He was thinking so hard that his head was throbbing when he suddenly felt a thud in his chest. He was slightly startled and quickly reached out to touch it. It turned out that Gu Mei'er's spirit pearl was pulsating.
Li Qiang grabbed the spirit pearl and brought it close to his eyes for a closer look. He saw that the spirit pearl was faintly shimmering with a pink light, but it was still very weak. He knew in his heart that Mei'er was probably about to be born, but he couldn't tell when Mei'er would be born or how long it would take for her to manifest. After thinking for a moment, he hung the spirit pearl around his neck again and decided that it was best to let nature take its course.
Suddenly, a sense of unease welled up inside Li Qiang. He released his Divine Sense to search around, but the surroundings seemed peaceful. He wondered, "Strange, what could be making me feel so unwell?"