"Ha ha..." The man with the conical hat suddenly laughed and touched his forehead.

"I've been away from the mountains for too long, getting too attached to appearances, and completely forgot there's still this method."

The young girl's face also showed a hint of a smile.

"The Yangnao Land does not have any Fetal Breathing Technique circulating, this nation here probably doesn't have anyone stronger than the two of us, indeed we can do this."

"It also saves us from aimlessly searching."

"However, at that time, we will need Senior Brother to set up some Techniques for testing for Spiritual Roots, it will be more convenient this way."

The man with the conical hat nodded with a smile: "That's not difficult."

After saying this, he looked towards Shen Wenxing and hesitated for a moment, saying: "I am Li Heshan, this is my junior sister Zhongli Qing, Younger Brother helped us out greatly, indeed we should show some gratitude."

Li Heshan hesitated for a moment, then took out a porcelain bottle from his chest.

"Here are five Qi Nourishing Pills, they are of great use for extending life and strengthening foundations for Cultivators in the Body Tempering Realm, consider it a token of thanks."

Shen Wenxing didn't know what Qi Nourishing Pills were, but upon hearing Li Heshan talk about their effects, his eyes lit up.

He quickly and respectfully reached out to take the porcelain bottle, saying: "Thank you, Immortal!"

Li Heshan nodded slightly with a smile and asked: "Younger Brother, how should you be addressed?"

Shen Wenxing cupped his hands: "In response to the Immortal, I am from the Shen Family in Anyang County, my name is Shen Wenxing."

"Hmm, Younger Brother Shen, leave here soon, my junior sister and I still have to pursue that Iron-spine Demon Wolf." Saying this, Li Heshan looked at Zhongli Qing, and the two figures flickered, immediately chasing in the direction where the giant wolf disappeared.

Though the two left a long time ago, Shen Wenxing still felt a bit dazed, as if he had just had a bizarre and colorful dream, encountering an Immortal within it...

Yet, the exquisite porcelain bottle in his hand was very real.

He slowly pulled out the bottle stopper, and a faint pleasant fragrance slowly wafted out from the porcelain bottle, merely taking a sniff swept away all his fatigue, refreshing his spirit.

"Gift from the Immortal, truly extraordinary!"

Delighted, Shen Wenxing looked at the porcelain bottle in his hand, quickly re-stoppering it, afraid of losing the fragrance.

Cherishingly putting the porcelain bottle into his chest, he recalled Li Heshan's instructions, hurriedly left the forest, and headed towards Wuya Mountain.

October.

Great news once again returned from the front lines, the Yu Country celebrated wholeheartedly.

The Three Fengxian Counties had fallen for a hundred years, now the army consecutively conquered Fengxian and He Counties, a century of disgrace finally washed away.

At this moment, another imperial decree came from the Imperial City.

The Yu Country, favored by the heavens, had Immortals show their compassion, wishing to select Spirit Root Practitioners from Great Yu's millions to enroll in the Immortal Sect and be taught the Cultivation Immortality method.

All citizens of Yu Country under thirty years old could soon go to the County Government to test for Spiritual Roots.

Once selected, appointed and conferred titles, blessings to the clan, the benefits are imaginable.

Upon the decree's announcement, the response from Yu Country's millions was overwhelming.

In past years, legends about Immortals were always circulating among the people, yet it seemed no one had ever truly seen an Immortal. Now with this decree, many ordinary common people seemingly saw a good opportunity to transcend their social class and soar to the heavens.

The instigator of this, Shen Wenxing, was currently making his way back to the Yunzhong Border Camp with the army.

In the battle at He County, the left wing's thirty-thousand vanguard army and seventy-thousand elite encountered the elite of the barbarian race's soldiers, paying a great price.

He County now conquered, the central and right wings together totaling two hundred seventy thousand have already surrounded the last of the Three Fengxian Counties—Baima.

After deliberation by the Military Department and the commanders of the three armies at the front lines, they decided to temporarily pull back the heavily damaged left wing from the front lines, and along the way, bring back the wounded and the spoils of war to the Royal City.

"General, we're retreating this time, the merits for capturing Baima County will fall to the central and right wing armies."

On horseback, a Personal Guard Soldier looked at Zhang Bin and spoke.

As soon as his voice fell, the disfigured Zhang Bin laughed and cursed: "You damned fool, you want military merit without regard for your life."

"Look! Just look!"

He pointed at the soldiers behind him: "Among my one thousand brothers, now injured, dead, those who survived mostly are missing arms and legs."

"Whoever wants military merit can have it, I'm not envious."

"Now I just want to take these brothers home."

In the battle at He County, he was nearly struck down by a barbarian Martial Artist, narrowly escaped death, and had a sudden realization.

Life is more important than military merit.

Moreover, the military merit system seems to give everyone the chance to become a marquis or a general.

But in reality, once reaching an official ranking higher than a grand master, wanting to rise further is almost impossible.

Just like this battle at He County, though the left wing army ultimately won, combining with the other two wings to capture He County.

But due to the heavy casualties, not only did the generals and commanders of the left wing not receive any military merit, they also faced reprimands from Emperor Yu and the Military Department upon returning.

This is the "profit and loss" in the military rank system.

As a general in the army, leading your soldiers to battle, if you kill a hundred enemies and your own casualties reach fifty, it is considered balanced, with no rewards or penalties.

If casualties reach eighty, even if you win the battle, it's considered a pyrrhic victory and you will be reprimanded and punished.

The personal guard was scolded but dared not say more.

Zhang Bin glanced at the silent Shen Wenxing beside him and couldn't help but laugh: "Kid, what's on your mind?"

"Isn't it obvious? I bet Shi Tou is eager to fly to Anyang County to see his long-missed senior sister."

"Haha... I heard that this kid is going to get married when he returns, don't forget to invite the brothers for the wedding feast!"

Such is the camaraderie.

Once you've been on the battlefield together, life and death shared, your relationships become much closer.

Moreover, Shen Wenxing has a good temperament, and all the soldiers of the Personal Guard Camp like him.

"Definitely, definitely."

Listening to everyone's joking, Shen Wenxing repeatedly bowed.

What he was actually thinking about was not marrying Huang Lingxiu.

The Imperial Decree has already spread throughout Yu Country, and the army had received news that an Immortal would be selecting disciples within Yu Country.

Touching the porcelain bottle in his bosom, recalling Li Heshan and Zhongli Qing he saw at the time, Shen Wenxing couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

Suggesting they go to the Imperial Family was an impulsive thought.

Reflecting on it later, he felt it was by no means easy.

Now, the Imperial Family had even agreed, yet he wondered what kind of deal was struck between them.

Recalling the news revealed in their conversation, they seem to be merely two disciples in the Qi Cultivation Perfection Realm from Qiyun Valley.

It's these existences that can face Emperor Yu directly upon arriving in Yu Country. Imagine, among siblings, if truly capable of joining Qiyun Valley, the entire Shen Family would become the most honorable in Yu Country.

At that time, the parents will no longer toil like this, and siblings can lead better lives.

Thinking this through, Shen Wenxing suddenly smiled.

This smile naturally triggered teasing from those around him again.

"Alright, let's speed up, send the injured brothers back to camp, and we need to escort these treasures to the Imperial City quickly."

Glancing ahead, Zhang Bin stopped them from joking around.

Meanwhile, on the road from Great Yu Lincang County to the Imperial City, three prisoner carts slowly moved under the watch of many soldiers.

Beside the carts followed over ten Martial Artists riding warhorses, wearing black outfits with half-arm scale armor, their breaths steady.

These Martial Artists belonged to a special organization in Great Yu—the Inspectorate.

Because of their half-arm scale armor feature, they are also called Black Scale Guards.

Among the Black Scale Guards, a slightly stout middle-aged man with a Black Gold Short Saber at his waist glanced at the stubborn figure inside the prisoner cart and shook his head in sigh.

"Master is a great scholar of this era; now at this age, isn't it better to find a peaceful place to enjoy retirement?"

"Why bother stirring things up?"

The middle-aged man didn't get a response and wasn't annoyed, he chuckled and continued: "Back in the day, your startling words almost overturned the scholar society, it was out of old favor from His Majesty that you were sheltered."

"But now, you actually... Alas!"

The figure inside the prisoner cart slowly turned, revealing none other than Lu Zhiyuan.

While in the other two prisoner carts naturally were Shen Wenyan and Uncle Ya.

"A ruler serves the world; a ruler remains righteous then worthy; fails righteousness then return to fields, this..."

"Stop stop stop!"

The middle-aged man's expression slightly changed, hurriedly interrupting Lu Zhiyuan's words, smiling bitterly while gesturing:

"Such rebellious words, I dare not listen."

"Master, you aim to rival saints, I am but a coarse martial artist, in your bookish terms, what bugs what ice... Anyway, it's incomprehensible."

"But there's one thing I don't understand." He glanced back at Shen Wenyan inside the prisoner cart and said lowly: "That kid is your student, are you truly willing to watch him send to death?"

Upon hearing, guilt and sadness flickered through Lu Zhiyuan's aloof expression.

He tried to look back at Shen Wenyan but couldn't due to the restrictions of the prisoner cart.

"These words spoken by this old man, it concerns him not, a mere child?"

The middle-aged man chuckled nodding: "Those words, explain to His Majesty, I'm just the messenger."

After saying this, he turned to look at the sinking sunset and spoke in a deep voice: "Quickly move on, we need to reach Kang City before nightfall."

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