Chapter Thirty-Three: A Monster Is About to Be Born

Leaving Nine Cauldrons City and heading north, after several hours, the peaks of Shuangjia Mountain finally appeared before the students’ eyes.

They rushed up the slope, and behind it lay a small village with about a dozen households. This was private property belonging to the Longteng Martial Academy, usually guarded by academy retainers. Xie En was the first to leap off his warhorse, and immediately a guard came out to greet them, leading the horses into the courtyard.

“Has Wu arrived yet?” Xie En asked one of the guards.

“Instructor Wu came long ago,” the guard replied.

“So eager… She really thinks she’s certain to win?” Xie En sneered. “Where did the First Battalion go?”

“They went to the left mountain,” said the guard.

“Then we’ll go to the right mountain. Follow me.” Xie En gestured for the students to keep up.

Once they entered the dense forest, the students’ expressions grew tense. Though the academy regularly culled the beasts here, eliminating those most dangerous and unpredictable, aside from Ye Xin and Xie En, none of the students dared to let their guard down.

After nearly half an hour of climbing, they finally neared the summit. Ahead was a row of tall walls, and behind them lay the flag altar. Wu Man, instructor of the First Battalion, stood beneath the wall, smiling as she watched them approach.

“You’re really slow,” Wu Man said calmly.

“Enough with the nonsense. Let’s exchange flags,” Xie En replied bluntly.

Wu Man drew out a piece of red silk from her waist, unfurled it with a flourish, and on it were the words: First Battalion.

She then took up prepared brush and ink, writing her name on the flag. Xie En likewise signed his name, and the two exchanged battalion flags. Wu Man glanced around, saying, “Let the children rest early. The First Battalion has already rested half a day. Don’t start looking for excuses if you lose.”

“The Fifth Battalion’s students don’t need your concern,” Xie En said.

“Kindness is wasted,” Wu Man shook her head and strode down the mountain.

The Fifth Battalion students were familiar with the flag-capturing battle, having participated before, so they quickly busied themselves. Some went into the woods to gather dry wood, others constructed cooking stoves, and some sorted out the food everyone had brought.

Only Ye Xin sat alone beneath the tall wall, watching the busy students with a distant gaze. Xie En came over, speaking in a low voice, “Boss, what are you thinking about?”

“Don’t bother me,” Ye Xin said.

“I’m just looking out for you,” Xie En chuckled. “Everyone’s working, and you’re the only one idle. The kids will be dissatisfied. If I didn’t come over to talk, someone would soon pick a fight with you.”

“It’s so exhausting just being a lousy student,” Ye Xin sighed, knowing Xie En was right. He’d barely sat for five minutes and already felt the eyes of many upon him. If he stayed longer, someone would inevitably lose their temper.

“Why not go over and help them with something?” Xie En suggested.

“I’m in a bad mood, too lazy to move,” Ye Xin replied.

“What’s wrong?”

“You’ve heard about Wei Juan’s big victory, haven’t you?” Ye Xin said.

“Yes,” Xie En replied. “When I went outside for the academy to prepare warhorses, I met Bai Qi and Hao Fei. They said… it’s Xiao Mo’s Finger who wants to kill you.”

“If I can’t refine a killer move, I’ll always be beneath them,” Ye Xin said slowly. “That’s my greatest shackle.”

“Take it slow. Cultivation can’t be rushed, it has to proceed step by step. You once told me this,” Xie En said.

“I should have waited another year,” Ye Xin said. “But my second uncle has been locked in the Sky Prison all this time. I worry Tie Xin Sheng will suddenly lose his mind and insist on killing him, dragging Bai Qi and Hao Fei down as well. Their status as Ye family retainers means Tie Xin Sheng, determined to eradicate all traces, won’t spare them.”

“Boss, the Hanwu Hall will be a great boon to your cultivation,” Xie En said.

“Yes, I know. It wasn’t a wasted trip,” Ye Xin nodded.

“Where have you been these past two years?” Xie En asked.

“Tianyuan City,” Ye Xin replied.

“Mercenary work? No way… We’re sitting on a treasure mountain, why bother with all that?” Xie En was puzzled.

Indeed, apart from Tie Xin Sheng, Ye Xin was now the most resource-rich person in Nine Cauldrons City.

Yuan stones are an indispensable strategic resource for the army. Before every campaign, the commander uses formation diagrams to accelerate the dispersal of yuan stone energy, striving to have every officer and soldier in peak condition. After a grueling battle, the formation is activated again so everyone can recover at maximum speed, ready for the next fight.

Thus, yuan stones are the lifeblood of the army. Without supply, there’s no point in fighting. Perhaps the first day can be endured, but by the second, one side has recovered while the other is still exhausted, and victory is decided, leaving no chance to reverse the outcome.

How can one obtain the greatest tempering? How can one most effectively strengthen their yuan meridian and yuan power? How can one transform their innate technique into a killer move as quickly as possible? The answer is singular: join the army.

Cultivating alone is much safer than entering the military. Dangerous missions can be avoided, or abandoned midway to start anew elsewhere, but in that case all resources must be accumulated personally. In the army, the machinery of the state compensates for all losses, enabling soldiers to kill more enemies.

Yuan stones are the foundation of cultivation, the reason all power groups wage ceaseless wars year after year. The irony is that the goal of war is to occupy more land, which yields more yuan stones, yet the amount consumed in war is incalculable. For instance, Ye Guanhai’s Sirius Legion and Xiao Mo’s Finger’s Demon Army are built upon heaps of yuan stones.

But war is unavoidable. Take the Nine Grand Duchies as an example: if any duchy goes a decade without war, it will be eliminated.

Warriors grow at astonishing speed during conflict. It’s said that a thousand years ago, when the Shenchuan Empire collapsed and split into sixteen small duchies, the David Kingdom founded by the Iron family had only one pillar-level warrior: Iron Zhan, the family patriarch.

The world advances! Every power group strives forward! To pause is to fall behind; none dare rest. Duchy fights duchy, empire fights empire, sects never cease their strife.

This world is like a newborn forest, each tree struggling to grow. The moment one lags, it finds its sunlight blocked, its roots squeezed, and withers away.

The myth of the reclusive cultivator who, after decades of isolation, emerges to sweep the world simply does not exist, at least not here. To break through bottlenecks, of course, requires secluded refinement, but the long accumulation and tempering before that must be earned through battle.

There are no hermits in this world. Fame, strength, and profit are always proportional. Not knowing simply means one hasn’t reached the same heights.

Wei Juan could challenge Xiao Mo’s Finger upon emerging because Tie Xin Sheng never gave up on him, while the Sirius Legion’s deputy, Qiu Jiecha, aged prematurely before fifty, due not only to psychological torment but mainly because his supply was cut off.

Ye Guanhai died, the Sirius Legion disintegrated, and Qiu Jiecha lost everything. He refused Tie Xin Sheng’s offer and ended up waiting for death in a nameless mountain village.

In contrast, the Heavenly Sin Battalion led by Ye Xin won battle after battle, even capturing Gold Mountain—the largest and most vital supply post of the Great Zhao Kingdom. The spoils seized by the Heavenly Sin Battalion reached astronomical sums!

The resources Ye Xin controlled were not much less than Tie Xin Sheng’s. Of course, he had to first infiltrate Great Zhao and retrieve the buried treasures.

Ye Xin never believed he could control the fierce warriors of the Heavenly Sin Battalion through sentiment and kindness alone. He trusted in hope and profit far more.

“A blade rusts if not honed, and I fear that if I become idle, I’ll lose direction for the future.” Ye Xin sighed softly. “Besides, there are other troubles weighing on me.”

Just then, Ye Ling hurried over, first handing a piece of roasted meat to Xie En, then placing another in Ye Xin’s hand. She scrutinized Ye Xin, her eyes flickering with suspicion.

Ye Xin had just joined the Fifth Battalion, and she couldn’t understand what he had to discuss with Instructor Xie, even less why Xie was so friendly toward him.

But Ye Ling had grown up, learned to keep her own counsel, and she buried her doubts in her heart.

“Ye Ling, did anyone bring wine?” Xie En asked.

“Yes,” Ye Ling nodded quickly. She knew Instructor Xie had always treated her well, so her manner was a bit anxious and respectful.

“Go fetch me some,” Xie En said.

Ye Ling returned to the campfire, picked up a wine pouch, and tossed it over. Xie En caught it and handed it to Ye Xin. “Boss, will you drink?”

“Take it away!” Ye Xin hissed, lowering his voice. “Those little girls are all sharp, and you hand me wine before drinking yourself—of course they’ll suspect! Why don’t you ever use your brain?”

Sure enough, Wen Rong and several others glanced over, then quickly looked away.

“Let them suspect,” Xie En smiled. “Bai Qi said you’re about to start serious ‘cultivation’ at Longteng Martial Academy. Your progress will be shocking. My respect for you shows my keen judgment!”

Ye Xin shook his head, his gaze sweeping over the students before changing the subject. “What’s that fat girl’s name?”

Ye Xin liked to observe people from the shadows. After half a day, he’d noticed something odd about that girl.

“She? Her name’s Wen Tian,” Xie En replied. “She used to be a servant girl of the Wen family, bought at the market. Once, Wen Hongren was ambushed on the street, and Wen Tian happened upon him. She managed to carry Wen Hongren all the way into the palace in one breath. They say Wen Tian ran like a wild horse, and even when the assassins unleashed their innate techniques, none could catch her.”