The northern deserts were stirring restlessly once more. Armies were already being mobilized among the various tribes.
In response, the borders of the three northwestern provinces were also gathering troops, forming a tense military standoff. Among them, First Senior Brother Lü Ji had already fought in several fierce engagements, personally slaying over a thousand enemies and a commander.
In addition to this came troubling news about the Witch God Sect.
That sect had been quiet for half a year, but just over a month ago, it began once again to "persecute" disciples of the orthodox sects. No one had been able to determine who was behind it. Even if the so-called "immortals" in the Luotian Mountain Range were involved, someone should have seen traces by now.
The aura of malice…
Recalling the strange phenomena within the Luotian Mountains, Chen Sanshi now suspected it was connected to the revival of spiritual energy. He decided that when the time came, he would have to venture back into the mountains to investigate.
After this journey, he had gained much broader knowledge of the cultivation world. He wanted to understand exactly what these cultivators were doing.
But Liangzhou was his home.
Even if it had nothing to do with the Immortal Realm, he would never allow another tragedy like the Ten Days of Yunzhou to occur again.
Setting aside his thoughts, Chen Sanshi realized his daughter had fallen asleep in his arms. He gently placed her back onto the bed. When he tried to leave, he found her tiny hand still gripping his sleeve tightly. Fearing he'd wake her if he forced her to let go, he simply stayed seated beside her.
He'd planned to think through his future plans in detail, but as soon as he relaxed, the exhaustion he'd been carrying since his return washed over him. Before long, he fell asleep sitting right there.
When he opened his eyes again, dawn was already breaking outside the window.
His little girl was standing beside him, trying to drape a tiger-fur blanket over his shoulders.
"Papa, you're awake?"
Chen Yunxi jumped off the bed, then ran back with a basin of warm water and a towel.
"I have to go," Chen Sanshi said softly.
After quickly washing his face, he mounted Qianxun and rode toward the long-familiar military camp.
Dong, dong!
It was the mao hour (around 5 a.m.).
The roll call had just ended, and the soldiers were already drilling. Even from afar, he could hear the thunderous drumbeats and the cries of men shouting in unison.
Then came a familiar voice.
"Your seclusion's finally over?" Xia Cong hurried up to him.
"Yeah."
Chen Sanshi looked toward the direction of the Hongze Battalion. "How's everything?"
"All ready!" Xia Cong grinned. "All twelve battalions' commanding generals are now stationed here in Liangzhou. His Highness the Sixth Prince has also arrived by imperial order. Everyone's been waiting for you to come out of seclusion to begin the Grand Assembly of Troops—and then we'll march!"
"Waiting for me?"
Chen Sanshi frowned slightly. He knew he'd been in seclusion for half a year. Even with Fourth Senior Brother covering for him, he couldn't stay hidden forever.
He soon learned that His Highness the Sixth Prince, Cao Huan, was currently in the central command tent, so he went there immediately.
Inside the main tent, the prince stood before a sand table.
"General Fang," said Prince Cao Huan, "when will General Chen's seclusion end? The Grand Assembly must begin this month. Afterward, the next stage of training starts—we must be ready for the grasslands at any time."
"Let's begin without him for now," said a scholar in a blue robe seated in a wheelchair. "General Chen's seclusion has reached a critical point. It would be best not to disturb him."
"Well, very well then," Cao Huan replied. He turned to his aides to give further orders.
Just then, the flap of the great tent was lifted.
A man in a white robe stepped inside.
"Your Highness, forgive me for being late."
Chen Sanshi cupped his hands. "The troops are ready to be reviewed."
"You're General Chen?"
Cao Huan stepped forward with a smile. "At last, we meet! Even in Xihua Palace, I've often heard your name praised. Truly, Heaven itself has blessed our Great Sheng Dynasty with a general like you."
"Your Highness flatters me," Chen Sanshi replied modestly, while quietly sizing him up.
The Sixth Prince looked to be in his early forties, but after years of confinement, his hair was already streaked with gray, and the wrinkles at his eyes carried the weariness of long suffering.
Such was the fate of royal blood—once one set foot into court, there was no way back unless one withdrew from the beginning.
"Since General Chen's seclusion has ended," the prince continued casually, "I imagine you've made some breakthroughs?"
"When you entered seclusion, I heard you were just entering the Profound Manifestation Realm. Have you since mastered it?"
"By luck, I've broken through to Minor Achievement," Chen Sanshi said plainly.
In the army, cultivation levels weren't meant to be concealed—and at the moment, there was no reason to hide it anyway.
"Minor Achievement?"
The moment the words left his mouth, the entire tent went silent.
Not only Prince Cao Huan, but every general present turned to stare in disbelief.
What did he just say?
Profound Manifestation Realm—Minor Achievement?!
Clang!
The sound of armor shifting rippled through the tent as everyone stood upright in astonishment.
How long had this man been training? Barely two years ago, during the Selection of the Vanguard, if they remembered right, he had just reached Transforming Strength at best!
Two years! From Transforming Strength all the way to Profound Manifestation!
That was beyond comprehension.
Even Chen Sanshi himself found it strange—it didn't feel like such an exaggeration to him.
But to others, it was something bordering on the impossible.
The martial path defied heaven itself.
Resources, physique, comprehension—each one formed a wall that countless cultivators failed to climb.
Take Transforming Strength, for instance. Eight out of every ten martial artists got stuck there for life.
Of the remaining two, most would fail when trying to advance to the Meridian-Connecting Realm, and even fewer would survive the leap to Profound Manifestation.
Even the most gifted needed years, sometimes decades.
But this man—
He'd been practicing martial arts for only three years, and in Liangzhou for just two!
People compared, and comparison killed.
In the blink of an eye, that once low-ranked officer from the Vanguard now stood as a true commanding general.
And lest they forget—he possessed the Martial Saint Body.
At this rate, it was only a matter of time before he became one of the top figures of the Northern Frontier—second only to General Lü Ji himself.
"Since General Chen has concluded his seclusion," said Prince Cao Huan after a moment of stunned silence, "we'll hold the Grand Assembly in two days."
In the Great Sheng Dynasty, pointing troops carried two meanings: one, mobilization for campaign; the other, military review.
This time, it was clearly the latter—the Great Northern Liang Military Review was about to begin.
The expansion of the army had taken a full two years, costing untold sums of silver. Naturally, the imperial court had sent "royal inspectors" to investigate, checking for errors, fraud, or those bold enough to embezzle military funds and falsify payrolls.
There were now twelve battalions, each holding 15,000 soldiers—a grand total of 180,000 men.
In wartime, once civilian laborers were added, their strength could easily be reported as 300,000.
Of course, that wasn't even the limit.
The three northwestern provinces still held vast numbers of garrisoned troops. The Great Sheng Dynasty was vast and populous—so long as there was grain and pay, more soldiers could always be raised.
Thus began the preparations for a grand and unprecedented Military Assembly of Northern Liang.
The central command tent was crowded, and Fang Qingyun was busy handling military paperwork, leaving Chen Sanshi no chance to bring up the matter of The Edge of the World. Instead, he picked up his spear and decided to visit the Hongze Battalion first.
"Greetings, senior brothers and sisters!"
On his way, he ran into his long-unseen fellow disciples. Naturally, all the main commanders of the battalions had returned for this great event.
"Hello, little junior brother," Rong Yanqiu said lazily, acting far different than usual. She didn't rush to greet him cheerfully this time; instead, she leaned idly against a stone pillar, twirling a flower in her hand, her expression distant.
Second Senior Brother Cheng Wei sat beside her, brow furrowed, abacus clicking nonstop, looking exactly like a merchant who had just lost a fortune in a bad deal.
Fifth Senior Brother Meng Guangxin sat cross-legged on the ground with eyes closed, knocking rhythmically on a wooden fish. "Tok, tok, tok"—each sound sharper than the last, revealing his barely contained agitation. Cracks spread across the wooden fish until—crack!—it shattered completely.
He stood, picked up his crescent shovel, and strode toward Seventh Senior Brother Ye Fengxiu. "Old Seven, let's fight!"
"Get lost."
Ye Fengxiu's phoenix-like eyes flashed with killing intent. He clearly wasn't in the mood for nonsense.
"Boom!"
But Meng Guangxin didn't care whether he agreed or not. He swung the crescent shovel in a wide arc, his Gang Qi roaring as he smashed it down.
"If you want to die so badly, I'll grant your wish!"
Ye Fengxiu drew his sword in an instant, and the two clashed violently.
"This…"
Chen Sanshi frowned. He could immediately tell something was wrong.
"Come with me."
The voice came from behind. It was Wang Zhi, who had appeared quietly.
Chen Sanshi followed him aside. "Senior Brother, what's going on?"
Wang Zhi spoke each word slowly and heavily. "The Eight Battalions… are gone."
"What?"
Chen Sanshi had already suspected as much, but hearing it confirmed still made his stomach tighten. "What happened exactly?"
"After the expansion, all the deputy generals and officers above that rank were reassigned."
Wang Zhi sighed. "The newly transferred troops mostly don't follow orders from the Grand Commander's Office anymore."
"And our brothers and sisters?" Chen Sanshi asked. "They were reassigned too?"
"Yes."
Wang Zhi nodded. "Before, each of us commanded at least one full battalion. Now, two people have to share one—one as commanding general, the other as deputy. Half of their officers have been replaced, and I'm afraid they'll soon be transferred completely out of the northern frontier."
"Except for First Senior Brother and Third Senior Brother," he continued grimly, "of the twelve battalions, including your Hongze Battalion, only four remain under us."
Eight battalions—gone.
Only four left.
Just a few imperial decrees, a few bureaucratic orders, and years of effort were cut in half overnight.
And that was probably just the beginning.
After the campaign against the grasslands, there would likely be more cuts—until the original eight battalions were scattered beyond recovery. When that day came, they'd probably all be forced to disband, returning to civilian life while a new generation of commanders replaced them entirely.
"Our Hongze Battalion didn't escape either," Wang Zhi said grimly, pointing to the training field ahead. "Starting from the deputy generals, every one of them was trained by the court from childhood. They'll fight under you now, but in the future…"
"Let's go see," Chen Sanshi cut him off, his expression calm but eyes sharp.
At the Hongze camp.
"Why the hell are we being reassigned to the Heavenly Wolf Battalion?!"
Xiong Qiu'an, Feng Yong, and the brothers from Poyang County were shouting angrily at the line of generals in front of them.
Xiao Zheng, You Jike, and Xia Cong stood on the opposite side, joined by two older deputy generals whose faces were cold and indifferent.
One of them, Chu Shixiong, a deputy general in the Profound Manifestation Realm, stepped forward and spoke flatly. "The Hongze Battalion has 15,000 men. Excluding the 3,000 Black Armored Cavalry, the remaining 12,000 soldiers have all been reassigned from near the capital. There's simply no more room for you here."
"Bullshit!"
Liu Jinkui cursed furiously. "We've followed the General since Poyang!"
He clenched his fists, voice rising with emotion. "We crossed the Hongze River four times, broke 100,000 men at Hulao Pass—we've always fought in the central army! If you want to move us to another northern battalion, fine, but the Heavenly Wolf Battalion? On what grounds?!"
"On what grounds?"
Chu Shixiong narrowed his eyes. "On the grounds that you're not qualified."
Not qualified!
"General Chu, there's no need to put it that harshly."
The other deputy general, Meng Dingxin, stepped in, his tone calmer but his words no less cutting. "You… what was your name again? Never mind, it doesn't matter."
"Poyang, right? So, you're all the brothers from Poyang."
"I know you've fought hard under General Chen, and your service deserves recognition. But times have changed. The Hongze Battalion is now the elite core of the Northern Liang Army. And as for you…"
He glanced over them slowly. "Most of you are at the Tempering Organs stage, right? Barely anyone's reached Transforming Strength, let alone Meridian-Connecting. The main issue is your physique—there's a ceiling you can't break."
"If you stay in Hongze Battalion, you'll only drag the General down."
"General Chen is righteous and sentimental, yes—but sentiment cannot be allowed to weaken a unit's fighting strength."
"You'll be transferred to the Heavenly Wolf Battalion, where you can keep your original ranks according to your level. But there's simply no position for you here."
"Besides," he added, "the Heavenly Wolf Battalion is still part of the Northern Liang Army. You'll continue to serve the dynasty—and live or die alongside General Chen."
His tone was polite, but his eyes were full of contempt.
The men from Poyang County clenched their fists, faces burning with humiliation—but they had no argument.
Meng Dingxin was right in one sense: their talent and background were indeed inferior. Most hadn't reached Meridian-Connecting, though each had done their duty well.
This wasn't an adjustment—it was a purge.
They were being deliberately pushed out.
Not only the officers, but even the thousand formation grunts from Poyang were being transferred to the Heavenly Wolf Battalion.
But with the imperial court backing this order, how could they resist?
And at this very moment, General Chen still hadn't returned.
If Xu Wencai were here—it might have made all the difference.
When Lord Chen wasn't around, Old Xu would usually handle things promptly, always managing to come up with a workable solution. But that old rascal… forget it.
"This won't do…"
Zhao Kang was the calmer one among them.
He didn't rush forward to argue, but he knew they couldn't compromise. If they really went to the Heavenly Wolf Battalion, they might never have a chance to come back.
"Lord Chen has returned!"
Just as the two sides stood in deadlock, someone shouted from afar.
Everyone turned immediately, hope and confidence flooding their hearts.
"Subordinate Xia Cong!"
"Subordinate reporting!"
"Paying respects to the General!"
Deputy General Chu Shixiong and the five deputy commanders all cupped their fists together in salute.
They all showed great respect for this young general who had led so many legendary campaigns.
Chen Sanshi glanced across the group, noticing several unfamiliar faces but saying nothing.
"Subordinate Chu Shixiong," the man said with a formal bow. "I currently hold the rank of Deputy Second-Rank General of Nation-Stabilization, serving as Deputy General of Hongze Battalion. From now on, I shall be General Chen's right-hand man. Whatever you command, I shall obey without question!"
Deputy Second-Rank—just beneath full Second Rank.
From the initial General of Nation-Suppression, one could be promoted to General of Nation-Stabilization, and then to General of Nation-Service.
In theory, after three such promotions, one could advance again to Full Second-Rank Cavalry General.
For Chen Sanshi, leaping from a Sixth-Rank Chengxin Captain all the way to Deputy Second-Rank General of Nation-Suppression had already been a meteoric rise.
In terms of pure military rank, Chu Shixiong's standing was technically higher than Chen Sanshi's.
"Subordinate Meng Dingxin!"
Another officer stepped forward to introduce himself.
"Subordinate Dong Yulin."
The third followed.
Chen Sanshi had already discussed these men with Wang Zhi on the way here, so he had some idea who they were.
Chu Shixiong had once been a leading commander of the Golden Guard, at Profound Manifestation · Major Achievement, and even possessed the Innate Martial Saint Body. He was already close to breaking through to the next stage—yet such a man had been sent here merely as a deputy.
The other two—one came from the Black Armored Cavalry, and the other from the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
All three were clearly capital elites.
"Oh, General Chen, you needn't worry."
Chu Shixiong, thinking he understood Chen Sanshi's silence, hurried to explain respectfully. "Since youth, I've studied the art of war, admiring the Eight Volumes of Military Strategy and their great masters.
"Never did I expect that in our generation, another true master of the art of war would appear—you, General Chen.
"I have read and re-read all your campaign reports, studying your every tactic. My admiration for you grows by the day.
"That is why I personally petitioned His Majesty to serve under you as deputy. I have no resentment about my lower position. On the contrary, I'm deeply honored for the chance to fight alongside you in the Northern Campaign against the barbarians!
"Please, General, whatever orders you give, I will carry out without hesitation—even if it means marching through fire or stepping into death!"
"I see," Chen Sanshi said calmly.
"So what you're really saying," he continued evenly, "is that you're afraid I might hesitate to give orders—because your rank and cultivation are higher than mine, right?"
Chu Shixiong stiffened slightly, thinking his earlier speech had been well received.
But instead of polite words, what came next froze the air.
"You think you're worthy?"
Three simple words—quiet, steady, and cold as still water.
Chu Shixiong's body trembled.
The other officers' faces all tightened instantly.
"Chu Shixiong."
Chen Sanshi handed his spear to Zhao Kang, then clasped his hands behind his back. His voice was slow, steady, and utterly expressionless. "From the way you speak, it sounds to me like the position of commander of the Hongze Battalion…"
He paused, then his tone sharpened like a blade. "…was something you gave to me?"
"Subordinate dares not!"
Thud!
Chu Shixiong dropped to one knee, his head bowed low. "Subordinate had absolutely no such intention!"
Though his cultivation was higher, at that moment his heart felt crushed by a suffocating pressure, as if an invisible seal weighed down on his chest—he couldn't even raise his head.
Chen Sanshi said nothing more. He simply brushed his sleeve aside and strode into the central command tent.
A moment later, Wang Zhi emerged and gestured for everyone to follow inside.
"What were you all arguing about just now?" Wang Zhi asked with feigned ignorance.
Zhao Kang stepped forward and spoke plainly. "We don't want to leave the Hongze Battalion."
"That's right."
Xu Bin added quickly, "My lord, even if we die, we want to die here in Hongze Battalion."
"Chu Shixiong."
Chen Sanshi sat on the main seat, his expression unreadable. "Was transferring these men your decision?"
"How would I dare act on my own?" Chu Shixiong answered quickly. "All personnel assignments for the Northern Liang Army expansion were issued by the Ministry of War. I only carried out the orders as instructed."
"The Ministry's arrangement is unreasonable. They don't understand the situation."
Chen Sanshi's tone turned heavy. "The brothers from Poyang are crucial to the formation's coordination. They cannot be replaced—they stay."
"General, the Hongze Battalion is already at full strength," Chu Shixiong said awkwardly. "There simply aren't enough posts for all of them."
"That's easy."
Chen Sanshi took up the roster. "Transfer some of your men out."
"But this is a Ministry of War…"
"I'll write the memorial myself," Chen Sanshi interrupted, each word cutting cleanly. "I'll send it directly to Wanshou Palace. Do you understand me?"
"Yes, sir!"
Chu Shixiong bowed low and hurried out, forced to obey.
The brothers from Poyang looked at each other, finally letting out a breath of relief before withdrawing one by one.
Now, Chen Sanshi finally had a central command tent of his own.
Yet sitting in the grand master's chair, he felt no satisfaction at all.
Keeping these thousand or so men wasn't difficult—their numbers were small, and few had high cultivation.
But it was a signal.
A clear signal that the court intended from this day forward to tighten its grip on the Northern Liang Army.
Chen Sanshi had read enough of Great Sheng's history to understand.
When the Great Sheng Founding Emperor founded the dynasty, his control over military power was absolute.
Take the old garrison system as an example:
Even the highest-ranking officer, the Commander-in-Chief of the Guard, had no right to mobilize troops on his own.
Whenever war broke out, the court would temporarily appoint a Supreme Commander to lead the troops. Once the war ended, the command authority would be withdrawn, and that commander would return to his original post.
This arrangement prevented generals from amassing personal military power, but it also meant that responses to war were often delayed, and opportunities were lost.
Later, as wars flared up more frequently—large and small almost every year—the system gradually changed. Local generals could go to war after obtaining only the Ministry of War's approval.
But now the trend was shifting again.
After the coming grassland campaign, the court intended to restore the ancestral system.
And to be fair—it was indeed the perfect time.
The Southern Xu Kingdom, Eastern Qing Kingdom, and Western Qi Kingdom had all been gravely weakened. If the grassland tribes could be crushed next, the entire continent would enjoy at least ten years of relative peace. Even temporary field commanders would have enough time to respond to any future conflicts.
But still…
Wouldn't that mean all his hard work had been for nothing?
From the very beginning, Chen Sanshi's purpose in training and joining the army had been simple—to gain control over his own fate.
These years, he'd walked through storms and fire, fought through countless battles, survived mountain blades and ocean flames.
He'd risked his life again and again.
Was it all just to serve as a pawn for that old emperor?
After all his blood and sweat, after forging a wolf-and-tiger army from nothing, was he now supposed to just hand it all back with both hands?
That was beyond humiliating.
But for now, there was no good solution.
He could only finish the grassland war first—then discuss the next move with his senior brothers and sisters.
In any case, he would never hand his destiny over to the imperial court.
Not to mention that the old emperor—who might at any time pull another stunt like the "Ten Days of Yunzhou"—even if he were a wise ruler for the ages, Chen Sanshi would still never surrender his military power.
To serve beside the emperor was like walking beside a tiger.
He had no intention of being eaten.
He sighed inwardly.
Another dozen or so days had passed. He wondered how things were going at The Edge of the World.
If the old emperor had died there, that would truly be cause for celebration.
And his master—how was he faring now?
"For now, we prepare for war," Chen Sanshi muttered to himself. "While preparing, I'll continue refining pills. I have to reach the Martial Saint realm as soon as possible—only then can I stand firmly in this mortal world."
"And the strange phenomena in the Luotian Mountain Range still need to be dealt with."
"What a troublesome season this is."
With Chen Sanshi's return from seclusion, the Grand Assembly of Troops officially began.
Originally, there were to be twelve battalions. But at the last minute, the number was raised to fourteen, though no one knew where the extra two came from.
In total—fourteen battalions, fourteen commanding generals, and over 210,000 elite soldiers, all gathered within Liangzhou City.
The military roster was as follows:
Grand Commander Sun Xiangzong, absent but holding supreme command. In wartime, he would oversee all armies of the northern frontier. His personal guard was named the Heavenly Strategy Battalion.
Lü Ji, with Third Senior Brother Nie Yuan as his deputy, commanding three battalions—the Black Turtle Battalion, the White Tiger Battalion, and the Heavenly Lion Battalion.
Fang Qingyun, with Meng Guangxin as deputy, commanding the Azure Dragon Battalion.
Rong Yanqiu and Ye Fengxiu, as commanding and deputy generals, leading the Vermilion Bird Battalion.
Second Senior Brother Cheng Wei, together with General Zhao Wuji, commanding the Liangzhou Garrison Troops.
The remaining battalions were led by generals personally appointed by the court.
Notably, Bai Tingzhi, Lu Shuhua, Xie Sishu, and Yan Changqing had all been dispersed across the army, serving as deputy generals under various commands.
Then came the Hongze Battalion—Chen Sanshi's command.
Its roster was as follows:
Chen Sanshi — Battalion Commander
Chu Shixiong — Deputy General
Dong Yulin — Front Battalion Deputy General
Xiao Zheng — Left Battalion Deputy General
You Jike — Right Battalion Deputy General
Meng Dingxin — Rear Battalion Deputy General
Xia Cong — Central Battalion Deputy General
Below them, all Thousand-Commanders and Hundred-Commanders remained at their posts.
Total force: 15,000 troops.
Then, after seven days of troop review, just as the assembly was nearing its end, two more battalions arrived in Liangzhou.
And along with them came earth-shaking news.
Wolong Destroys the Wei Kingdom!
One year ago, Xu Wencai—known as Wolong—had been sent east of Youzhou. In just four months, he quelled all local rebellions. But instead of disbanding, he marched onward. With the Ministry of War's approval, he continued east, and within six months, he captured more than forty cities.
Two months ago, he took the capital of Wei Kingdom, capturing the Wei emperor alive.
Though Wei was small, it was still a kingdom—and the feat stunned the world.
It was said that Xu Wencai's insight and strategy were nearly prophetic. His use of formations was on par with the legendary White-Robed Army, and his cunning schemes had shocked the realm.
For his achievement, he was granted the title of Upper First-Rank Pillar of State, and appointed General of Nation-Suppression.
The people called him one of the Four Great Military Saints of the age—and three of the four were now all in the northern frontier of Great Sheng.
Thus, the court reorganized the garrisons into battalions and established two new battalions under Xu Wencai's command: the Zhenbiao Battalion and the Northern Garrison Battalion.
Their troop compositions were identical to those of the Northern Liang Army.
They had come to Liangzhou temporarily to join the grassland campaign. Afterward, they would either march south or guard the western front.
"That old rascal…"
When the brothers from Poyang County heard the news, they were dumbfounded.
"He destroyed a whole country!"
"Even if Wei wasn't big—it was still a kingdom!"
"That old rascal could barely lift a sword. How the hell did he command an army?"
Under the watchful eyes of thousands, the mighty Zhenbiao Battalion crossed through the city gates.
At the head of the column was Xu Wencai himself.
But instead of riding a horse, he sat in a wheeled cart, dressed in feathered robes and silk, exuding elegance and refinement—the picture of a scholar-general.
"Ha!"
"That old rascal!"
"He's got two good legs—why ride a damn cart?"
"Probably trying to imitate General Fang!"
"Ridiculous!"
Another day passed.
By dusk, the great troop assembly finally came to an end.
Not all the armies had gathered together at once—after the main inspection, most forces had already withdrawn, leaving only the commanding generals behind. The parade ground was nearly empty now.
The commanders of the Northern Liang Army gathered for a banquet, a chance to meet and grow familiar before the war on the grasslands began. In battle, they would soon be comrades who lived and died together.
"Congratulations, Lord Xu!"
"Yes, Lord Xu—truly a late-blooming genius!"
"Greetings, Lord Chen!"
"I've long heard of General Chen's name. To meet you in person today is a great honor indeed!"
The generals exchanged polite greetings and flattery.
"Lord Xu."
Chen Sanshi stepped forward and clasped his fists. "Congratulations. Destroying a kingdom—this merit will go down in history."
But Xu Wencai merely glanced at him, grunted softly, and turned away to chat with someone else, as though Chen Sanshi didn't exist.
That scene made several generals freeze mid-conversation.
They'd heard rumors that the two didn't get along—but they hadn't expected such blatant hostility, not even bothering to keep up appearances.
"Old Wu, what's that about?"
"I heard that after Xu Wencai earned his great merit, Lord Chen deliberately delayed reporting it, wanting to keep control over him."
"That's like cutting off a man's future!"
"Which is no different from killing his father and mother!"
"No wonder, no wonder!"
And so the gossip spread.
Before long, all of Liangzhou knew—Chen Sanshi and Xu Wencai were at odds.
Their subordinates had already brawled several times, even drawing blood, and both sides had suffered harsh punishments.
"Damn it!"
"Let's kill that old bastard!"
"No need to kill him."
"Then let's at least drag him into a sack and beat him half to death!"
"Enough!"
Zhao Kang scolded sharply. "We'll just stay out of their way from now on. There's no need to go fighting to the death!"
"Move out!"
"The Lord told us to meet him quietly tonight—must be something important."
At the Grand Commander's Residence, Chen Sanshi sat in a lakeside pavilion behind the mountain. He recounted his experience at The Edge of the World, hoping to finally understand what was truly going on.
"In a sense," Fang Qingyun said in a low voice, "you could already be considered half an immortal. You've stepped into the Dao, even if not deeply. At this point, there's no need to hide certain things from you anymore."
He paused, his tone darkening. "It was the fifty-sixth year of Longqing—the year before Sixth Brother's army was wiped out. Master discovered an ancient tomb beneath the glaciers of the far north."
"A cultivator's tomb?" Chen Sanshi guessed.
"Something like that," Fang Qingyun said. "More accurately, it was a battlefield."
"Master entered the tomb and was badly injured. He returned to Liangzhou to recover. The wounds were grave. When the court found out, they took the chance to accuse him of treason and had him imprisoned—planning to dismantle the Eight Great Battalions while he was down."
"But the next year, Southern Xu launched a massive northern invasion."
"During that chaos, I went to the far north in Master's stead. By then, I had already reached the Martial Saint realm."
"I ran into the court's own forces inside that tomb-field. Both sides took some things from it."
"Afterward, I also went to The Edge of the World."
"Long story short—by the time I returned, I had become what you see now—a cripple."
"Meanwhile, Southern Xu was pressing hard. The court had no choice but to release Master. After the war, he went back north again. I don't know exactly what happened there."
"All I know is that when he came back, his strength had exploded. The Spirit-Destroying Formation, the Guardian of Dongsheng Divine Continent you mentioned—it's probably all connected to that far northern site."
"The court gained plenty of treasures from it too—enough to raise a whole new generation of Martial Saints and Grand Generals of the Profound Manifestation Realm. That's why there was that sudden boom in martial advancement those years."
"The far north…" Chen Sanshi murmured. "Senior Brother, do you still remember Mr. Mei?"
"You're asking whether it's related to him?" Fang Qingyun shook his head lightly. "I can't be sure. But don't worry about Master—he'll come back safe. He always does, at least until things are finished."
When they finished discussing The Edge of the World, Chen Sanshi brought up the issue of military power.
This time, Fang Qingyun only smiled bitterly and said nothing.
"What's that supposed to mean, Senior Brother?" Chen Sanshi pressed. "We're just going to let this go?"
The court had already started meddling with their authority. He could tell—the next step would be to strip them of personnel entirely.
"Junior Brother."
The scholar in green spread his hands helplessly. "The court has coveted the Eight Great Battalions for a long time. Now they've finally found their chance. The grassland campaign will likely be our final curtain call."
"After this, who can the Eight Battalions even rely on?"
"The world praises me as 'Fengchu,' the Phoenix Chick. But in truth, I'm nothing more than a cripple. And the rest of our brothers—they still haven't reached the Martial Saint realm. Their words will carry little weight."
"I still remember the Li Family of Great Yan in the previous dynasty. Duke Li Wei guarded the borders for over fifty years. After his death, his twelve adopted sons were given poisoned wine—those who weren't executed were crippled, and some fled to join the barbarians…"
"Oh." Fang Qingyun gave a faint laugh. "I almost forgot—we still have our eldest brother. Maybe with him around, things won't end as tragically as they did for the Li family."
"Who knows? Heaven will decide."
As he spoke, Fang Qingyun turned his wheelchair slowly and began to roll away.
"Junior Brother, you came at the wrong time. Had you joined the Eight Battalions a few years earlier, you could've enjoyed a few good years while we still held power. But you came in the final stretch—as Master's last disciple, trapped in a dying age…"
His voice faded into the night, the scholar's figure melting into darkness.
Chen Sanshi sat there, silent.
He wasn't a fool—he understood perfectly well what his brother had just implied.
If it were truly only sorrow and regret, why add that last line?
He wasn't mourning—he was warning him.
And thinking back on it all now…
The three-year Martial Saint oath—perhaps it had been planned long ago.
Learning a master's martial art meant also bearing a disciple's responsibility.
And besides… this wasn't really following someone else's path.
It was his own choice all along.
Back then, there had only been two roads before him—
First, go to the capital and become someone's dog.
Second, gamble everything at the border.
Now that things had come this far, what was there left to hesitate over?
Clack!
Chen Sanshi drained his cup of tea in one gulp, then set it down heavily before returning to his residence.
At the Marquis of Martial Righteousness's Manor, the back courtyard connected to a secluded alley.
That night, the back gate stood wide open.
Zhao Kang and the others slipped in one after another.
Once everyone had arrived, a young maid quickly bolted the door shut.
The courtyard was thick with the scent of medicine.
Lord Chen sat on a stone bench, several boiling cauldrons of medicine bubbling in front of him.
"How are things?"
He looked up and asked, "These past few days in the camp—feeling stifled?"
"Stifled!"
Xiong Qiu'an cursed, "So stifled I could die!"
"Yeah," Feng Yong added. "Ever since you let us stay in Hongze Battalion, those bastards have been giving us dirty looks."
"Then tell me…" Chen Sanshi asked calmly, "why do you think you can only swallow it in silence?"
The group went quiet.
The answer was obvious—because their cultivation wasn't high enough.
If it were, they could've competed for position openly.
"Lord, it's our incompetence."
Chen Sanshi didn't respond immediately. Instead, he ladled out a bowl of dark medicine and said, "Wu Da, you first."
Wu Da's physique was that of an inevitable Profound Manifestation Body, coupled with sharp comprehension. He was the highest-ranked among them.
"Alright."
The scar-faced Wu Da didn't hesitate. He raised the bowl and gulped it down in one breath.
Moments later, he felt a clear, refreshing warmth spread through his body, flowing through every bone and vein.
This medicinal power…
It was stronger than even the finest treasure pills!
Wu Da immediately sat down to cultivate. Within seconds, his progress was obvious—his qi flow surged faster than ever before.
"This…"
"Lord! What kind of medicine is this?!"
"How is that even possible?!"
"It's just ordinary medicine," Chen Sanshi said evenly. "What I can do for you ends here."
Spiritual grain.
He had mixed Spiritual grain medicinal paste into high-grade tonic medicine!
And this Spiritual grain—he'd boiled it himself using an alchemy furnace bought from the Immortal Realm.
Tests showed that the medicine's potency far surpassed anything made with a mortal black-iron cauldron—by dozens of times. And as long as one's cultivation had reached the Organ Tempering stage or higher, it produced no harmful side effects.
His men from Poyang—quick to react in battle, utterly loyal.
Their only flaw was poor innate talent.
That couldn't be fixed by mortal means.
So he would fix it by immortal means.
Now the Hongze Battalion could follow him to fight the barbarians without issue.
But they still weren't truly his.
To turn Hongze Battalion into his own army, he first needed trusted officers loyal only to him.
As for the matter of Spiritual grain…
After his experience at The Edge of the World, such things no longer seemed so unspeakable.
If the secret ever did leak, there were plenty of ways to explain it.
Though he still didn't fully understand what kind of item an immortal treasure truly was, the method of refining Spiritual grain could easily be justified after the "Opening of Heaven's Gate."
As his own cultivation improved, the Spiritual grain paste had less effect on him—but for his men, it remained a first-class treasure medicine. Keeping it hidden any longer would've been a waste.
After Wu Da, the rest of the men drank their bowls of medicine one by one, each containing the Spiritual grain paste.
"Five at Meridian-Connecting, fifteen at Transforming Strength."
Chen Sanshi gave his command: "If, within half a year, you still can't reach this standard, leave Hongze Battalion on your own."
With Spiritual grain and unlimited tonics to assist them—if they still couldn't achieve that, then they were hopeless.
"No problem!"
Zhao Kang said confidently, "With medicine like this, I'll reach Meridian-Connecting within two months!"
Meridian-Connecting and Transforming Strength corresponded to the ranks of Lieutenant General and Thousand-Commander—the core officers who truly controlled the army.
Once he had enough such people, no matter what chaos arose, Chen Sanshi was certain he could keep Hongze Battalion firmly in his grasp.
After instructing them on several detailed matters, he dismissed them.
Before he realized it, dawn had already broken.
Without resting, he donned his armor and rode out to the barracks for morning roll call.
From today onward, the Hongze Battalion would take charge of a stretch of the Great Wall watchline, responsible for fending off small groups of probing barbarian cavalry.
When Chen Sanshi led his troops to the Wall, the sight before him felt strangely familiar—it was like Poyang all over again.
Only now, he commanded ten thousand men, and he himself was a Profound Manifestation General.
Xia Cong came forward with a map. "My Lord, please look. This shows the current deployment of the grassland's four tribes.
"It's not just us preparing for war—the barbarians have noticed as well. Half a year ago, they began massing forces at the frontier."
"At the very front, we're facing the Yu Wen tribe's army."
"They currently have around twenty thousand troops, and the Yu Wen State Chancellor himself is stationed among them."
"That's just the local situation."
"Looking at the overall picture—our total forces number about two hundred thousand, while the allied barbarian tribes muster more than four hundred thousand."
"When the northern campaign begins in full, they'll react quickly. It's bound to be a head-on war."
The Yu Wen tribe—Chen Sanshi had dealt with them before.
Standing atop the watchtower, he gazed northward.
Beyond the endless desert lay the barbarians' great capital.