The tides of fortune turn every thirty years. I, Chen Changsheng, am only twenty-eight. It’s not too late to work hard now!
Joy, tossing and turning, and continuous attempts—the night quickly passed. At the crack of dawn, Chen Changsheng could no longer contain himself. He grabbed his Iron Spear and strode out of the house.
To the south of Heifeng Stronghold was a gentle slope. Aside from the mountain path, there were many vegetable gardens and several flat rocks on the slope. Chen Changsheng chose a flat rock platform. The Iron Spear in his hands shot out like a flood dragon. True Qi poured from his palms into the Iron Spear. The grim spear tip instantly transformed into bursts of cold light.
"BAM!"
"SWISH!"
He was using the Chen Family Village’s ancestral Spear Technique, the Snake Coiling Seven Probes Spear Technique. The seven probes were seven killing moves, each one lethal. The snake coiling referred to spinning the spear shaft, making the spearhead form a Defense surface like a coiled snake, combining offense and defense. His predecessor was very familiar with this Spear Technique, but could not fully unleash its power. After all, the Spear Technique was meant for a Martial Artist, and his predecessor had not entered the True Qi Realm.
"RUMBLE!"
"BAM! BAM! BAM!"
Now, after Chen Changsheng practiced for a short while, his subsequent strikes carried the sound of wind and thunder. For a time, the sharp shrieks of piercing the air and the billowing roar of parting air currents shook the surroundings. The spear light began to change color, becoming scorching hot. Faint traces of red spear light flashed all around. The snow on the ground reflected the crimson glow, and the blazing spear light began to melt the snow.
The violent noise attracted many early-rising villagers of Chen Family Village. Everyone was a Human practitioner of martial arts, and all were Humans who knew what they were looking at, sparking bursts of exclamations and noisy discussions.
"Is this that cowardly and incompetent Chang Sheng?"
"Damn, is this still the same Chang Sheng who said he couldn’t make a living last month and was planning to marry off Yao’Er for a bride price? I didn’t expect him to break through today!"
"Holy crap, when did Third Brother break through to become a Martial Artist!"
"Empowered by True Qi, with spear light shooting everywhere—he really succeeded!"
"Haha! With over three hundred households and nearly two thousand Humans in Chen Family Village, we finally have our second Martial Artist!"
"Hehe, not just the second in Chen Family Village, he’s the second Martial Artist in our Chaoyang Town!"
"In Great Fog County, Chang Sheng can publicly rank in the top six!"
"With two Martial Artists, there’s absolutely no need for us to huddle up in the stronghold! The thaw is coming soon, and we need to get busy in the fields!"
"Makes sense! Our Chen Family Village has its own walls. With two Martial Artists standing guard, even if a hundred Barbarians come, we won’t be afraid at all!"
Some Humans—some with a flash of jealousy in their eyes, others with a hint of gloom—quietly turned and left. Chen Yuyao, who had just arrived, stared in disbelief at the somewhat unfamiliar figure of her father on the platform. His previously pathetic frame now looked exceptionally tall and sturdy. She felt an inexplicable sense of relief. Now that her father had advanced to a Martial Artist and made something of himself, he surely wouldn’t be in a hurry to marry her off anymore. It probably wouldn’t be long before her second brother could return to the County School! Turning to leave, Chen Fusheng’s originally burly and upright figure slumped slightly.
"PHEW."
Chen Changsheng retracted his spear and took a deep breath. A stream of white mist, like a white dragon, entered his nose and soon shot back out into the air in front of him. Just as over a hundred villagers were about to swarm forward, a voice rang out.
"Everyone, go back to your work first. I need to have a chat with Chang Sheng!"
Clan Leader Chen Xuan leaped down gracefully from the stronghold wall. With a few Flying Sweeps, he arrived at the platform where Chen Changsheng stood.
"Greetings, Clan Leader!"
Chen Changsheng hurriedly cupped his hands in greeting. In his memory, this elderly man, who was nearing seventy, had protected Chen Family Village for nearly thirty years. He was fair and just, possessed exceptional strength, and was highly visionary and strategic. The county and the Northern Border Army had tried to recruit Chen Xuan many times. Despite countless excellent career prospects laid out before him, he politely declined time and time again for the sake of Chen Family Village, quietly staying in this mountain ravine to protect it.
On Yuntai Mountain, bandits ran rampant, and the Barbarians from the north would frequently cross the mountain paths to loot and pillage. Yet, for the past thirty years, Chen Family Village had never suffered any major man-made disasters. The main reason was that Chen Xuan stood guard over Chen Family Village—a True Qi Realm Martial Artist buried in a poor mountain ravine.
Chen Xuan walked to the eastern edge of the cliff, looking at the newly risen Chaoyang. With his hands behind his back, he sighed emotionally.
"Sigh... Chang Sheng! You really picked the wrong time to advance!"
Hearing this, Chen Changsheng’s heart tightened. He recalled the sound of a porcelain bowl shattering in the Clan Leader’s room last night, followed by an angry argument. An ominous premonition bore down on him like a dark cloud.
"Sigh."
The Clan Leader let out another long sigh, slowly turned around, and walked briskly to Chen Changsheng’s side. Leaning in close, he whispered into his ear:
"County Captain Li visited late last night. The Northern Barbarians are wreaking havoc in Great Fog County, and beacon fires have been lit everywhere. He ordered me to lead a hundred strong young men from Chen Family Village to Chaoyang Town to assist in the Defense.
"However, Chaoyang Town’s terrain is treacherous but not secure, and its stronghold walls are weak. Going there is undoubtedly a suicide mission.
"I argued with him for a long time last night, refusing on the grounds that Heifeng Stronghold needs a Martial Artist to guard it, but he wouldn’t budge.
"I thought we could discuss it further and perhaps avoid this disaster, but the commotion of you advancing to a Martial Artist... County Captain Li is a Late Stage True Qi Realm expert, the strongest in Great Fog County, and he is right here in Heifeng Stronghold. How could we hide this?"
Chen Changsheng was stunned. He hadn’t expected that his breakthrough would push a hundred strong young men from Chen Family Village into a desperate situation.
Yuntai Mountain snaked from the coast all the way to Yuntai Pass, shaped like a peninsula. To the west of the pass lay the even more treacherous Qixia Mountain Range. Yuntai Pass, situated between Yuntai Mountain and Qixia Mountain, was a place of magnificent strategic terrain between the mountains and the sea. It guarded the only northeastern passage between Great Yan and the Northern Barbarians, hailed as the Number One Pass under Heaven. Although it was difficult for large armies to cross, the Northern Barbarians often sent small squads carrying minimal rations to traverse the hundred-mile-thick Yuntai Mountain, invading You Province to burn, kill, and pillage.
At this moment, small bands of Northern Barbarians were infiltrating southward from Qixia Mountain and Yuntai Mountain. The citizens of You Province were fleeing into counties and towns protected by walls. A small town like Chaoyang Town could be wiped out at any moment. However, Chen Changsheng felt that County Captain Li’s conscription was highly ill-timed. After all, the season for conscripting corvée labor had already passed, and forty to fifty Humans from Chen Family Village were already serving outside. Great Fog County’s defensive deployments had been completed as early as last October, and there was no precedent for a conscription occurring just as the Northern Barbarians were about to retreat.
Just as Chen Changsheng was about to speak, a figure arrived, his hearty laughter preceding him.
"Haha! Chen Family Village is truly full of talent, producing yet another Martial Artist! This is a blessing for Great Fog County!"
A Gale blew against their faces, and the powerful aura of a Late Stage True Qi Realm expert swept over them. Chen Changsheng hurriedly bowed.
"This junior, Chen Changsheng, greets Lord Li!"
County Captain Li smiled and nodded at Chen Changsheng. He stepped forward and patted Chen Xuan on the shoulder, his expression turning solemn.
"Brother Chen, logically speaking, it is already rare enough that you can protect yourselves, and I would absolutely not force this upon you.
"But Chaoyang Town’s situation is special this time, and it absolutely cannot be lost.
"Most of the County Soldiers have already been deployed to Chaoyang, and personnel from various villages and strongholds have also been drafted. I will be stationed there personally.
"This order doesn’t just come from the county; it is a joint decision by the Commandery, You Province, and the Governor’s Mansion at Yuntai Pass!
"There is also a hefty reward for this conscription. In addition to what the Court’s laws stipulate, participants will be rewarded with five taels of silver, an extra ten taels for every Barbarian head, and fifty taels of silver in compensation for the fallen!"
As soon as the bounty was announced, the villagers erupted in an uproar. For these mountain Humans, death wasn’t terrifying; what was terrifying was dying of poverty.
"Fifty taels of silver. It’s worth it."
Chen Changsheng understood clearly in his heart. With an order from the Court, Chen Family Village had no choice but to obey. The Clan Leader’s earlier hesitation stemmed from two factors. On one hand, only by personally taking the field could he ensure that most of the hundred young men would return alive; however, Chen Family Village’s seven-hundred-year legacy could not be left unguarded. On the other hand, to be perfectly honest, his predecessor had left a terrible impression. He was overly docile, timid, and cowardly. Even though he had broken through to become a Martial Artist now, the Clan Leader was likely still worried about his capabilities.
Looking at the Clan Leader’s hesitant expression, Chen Changsheng thought about advancing by looting Corpses, the bounties, and the Clan Leader’s old injuries. He spoke resolutely.
"Clan Leader, let me go!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the entire area fell silent. Even the Clan Leader looked at Chen Changsheng in astonishment.