Martial Saint through Reading

"Thank you, my lord."

Chu Ming saw Liu Sitong and Feng Yuan off, then returned to his room and sat down.

Deciphering the Mountain Scripture, producing new radicals and character combinations—this was a bargaining chip he set for himself.

That county magistrate was a close friend of Shen Yu, and also the leading figure in Xirong County’s interpretation of the Mountain Scripture.

If he showed more talent, that magistrate’s balance would tip a little more to his side.

But it wasn’t enough—his life was still in someone else’s hands.

While leafing through the books, Chu Ming pondered how he could extricate himself from the Chu Family and the Blood Evil Sect’s affairs.

As it stood now, Shen Yu’s side was a possible lifeline, but how useful it would be was still unknown.

"Housekeeper Fang... Tiger Armor Army... Ten Thousand Soldiers Commander..."

There was another way: join the Tiger Armor Army.

The Tiger Armor Army’s structure operated independently from the Xirong County Government; for most matters, they could make their own decisions.

If Housekeeper Fang could really become the Ten Thousand Soldiers Commander of the Tiger Armor Army, while his influence wouldn’t match the head of a county, the intimidation factor would be no less.

However, this method was not the best—and Housekeeper Fang hadn’t secured the Ten Thousand Soldiers Commander post yet. Even if he did, as a newly appointed commander, most of his authority was still uncertain.

"If worst comes to worst, I’ll have to take Housekeeper Fang and Little Shan and leave this place..."

If he was convicted, Little Shan would surely be implicated as well.

Fang Xiao, thanks to his ties with the Tiger Armor Army, would probably be fine, but he’d have to give up joining the military to follow him.

But running away was the most desperate option.

He picked up his pen and ink again, writing something down.

"According to what Ling Hao and Ji Yong said, with the Tiger Blood Technique and Blood Python Technique, Housekeeper Fang could very likely become Ten Thousand Soldiers Commander..."

"If a Blood Circulation Realm technique is enough to make him commander, what about a Strong Bone Realm technique even better than the Tiger and Python Body Refining Technique?"

Moments later, nearly twenty pages of cultivation content lay on the desk—one Strong Bone Realm Technique, more refined than the Tiger and Python Body Refining Technique.

If the Tiger and Python Body Refining Technique was a ’one,’ then this new one was between ’two’ and ’three,’ while the ones practiced by himself and Fang Xiao were ’ten’ and ’eleven.’

"I’ll call it Tiger Blood Bone Forging Technique."

He would use this technique to raise Fang Xiao’s status in the Tiger Armor Army!

Compiling the techniques together, Chu Ming left the yard and found Fang Xiao.

"Young master, this is..." Fang Xiao’s face was stunned, staring at the technique in his hands.

The young master could infer techniques?

Are cultivation techniques really this easy to comprehend?

Blood Python Technique of the Blood Circulation Realm, the Tiger Blood Technique, his own special Strong Bone Realm technique, and this much lower-level Tiger Blood Body Refining Technique.

But ’low-level’ was only relative to that special Strong Bone Realm technique—the Tiger Blood Body Refining Technique was still better than the Tiger and Python Body Refining Technique.

"It’s not for you, old man," Chu Ming said. "It’s meant for the Tiger Armor Army."

"Young master’s meaning is..." Fang Xiao immediately understood his intent.

"Mm. You’re Strong Bone Realm now. The Tiger Armor Army will surely ask about it."

"Young master..."

...

Liu Sitong and Feng Yuan held the new radicals of the Ancient Shell Script. Instead of going straight to Fu Chang, they returned to the academy first.

The two planned to use these radicals to combine and infer the content beyond thirty percent of the Mountain Scripture.

The Mountain Scripture’s interpretation progress in Baiyuan County had stalled at thirty percent for a long time; Chu Ming’s set of radicals showed them new progress.

Their intention wasn’t to stall for time, but to interpret new content and credit all of it to Chu Ming, strengthening his hand.

Back at their residence, Feng Yuan pulled out the Mountain Scripture, and the two immediately dove into deciphering.

In just half a two-hour period, the characters they couldn’t decipher before suddenly became clear. Not only those choke points, but the entire page of content was quickly matched to radicals and interpreted.

Delighted, the two were about to present their results to Fu Chang when a voice sounded at the door:

"My lords."

Junior Examinee Xu He also stood at the door, face full of excitement, bowing low.

"What is it?" Feng Yuan was extremely impatient: "Spit it out."

Xu He quickly produced a sheet of paper from his robe: "My lords, this humble student has deciphered the first passage of page two of the Mountain Scripture!"

Actually, he had done so yesterday, but Feng Yuan hadn’t been at the academy.

When he saw Feng Yuan and Liu Sitong return just now, he couldn’t wait to show off his findings.

"That’s it?" Feng Yuan didn’t even look, his tone irritable: "Too slow!"

This is slow?

"But my lords, Junior Xiaang hasn’t..."

Xu He tried to explain, but saw Feng Yuan and Liu Sitong walking off at speed, vanishing soon after.

...

The city gates shone with autumn light, country roads almost empty of passersby.

At dusk, on the broad road before Baiyuan County’s city gates, a few great blazing horses galloped forth, kicking up clouds of dust.

The lead man’s face was resolute, donned in battle armor, his war robe flapping in the wind.

The warhorse beneath him wore iron armor. Muscles knotted and strong, its fiery-red mane waved in the wind like a blaze.

The most striking feature was the horse’s eyes—fierce as those of tigers and leopards.

The few horses behind were slightly inferior, but still radiated a shocking presence.

"Blazing Fire Tiger Horses! It’s the Tiger Armor Army!" The city-guarding officials trembled and backed away.

Blazing Fire Tiger Horses—mounts of Xirong County’s Tiger Armor Army, mutated warhorses with tiger and leopard bloodlines, only seen in battle.

Something big is happening in Baiyuan County!

On the wall, Tan Hong of the Criminal Defense Bureau heard the commotion and rushed to meet them: "General..."

The Blazing Fire Tiger Horse’s heavy breath blew in his face; Tan Hong felt his heart leap out of his chest.

"Open the gate!" One of the soldiers atop the blazing horse flashed his identification badge.

"Ye-yes..."

Tan Hong hurried to the gate and personally pushed open the half-closed door.

Roar—

The Blazing Fire Tiger Horses let out beastly neighs, wind kicking up under their hooves, striding into Baiyuan County under the stunned gazes, racing straight for the West City.

The hoofbeats roared like thunder; all pedestrians moved aside along the road.

Soon enough, the five Blazing Fire Tiger Horses stopped outside the Chu Mansion.

The great commotion had already drawn many guards and servants.

Spectators from afar choked up the streets outside the Chu Mansion for several blocks.

Inside the mansion.

Chiliarch Ling Hao and Centurion Ji Yong were discussing the Tiger Blood Technique with Fang Xiao, when the familiar sound of hoofbeats broke out outside.

"Blazing Fire Tiger Horses!"

Their eyes snapped to each other.

The sound of warhorses’ hooves—they knew it too well.

"Old Fang, come greet them with me!"

Fang Xiao hesitated, then ran with them to the gates.

Before Ling Hao and Ji Yong reached the entrance, they could see from afar the lead warhorse—much fiercer than an ordinary Blazing Fire Tiger Horse.

"Commander Ling, that Blazing Fire Tiger Horse—isn’t it... isn’t it...?" Ji Yong, running, was visibly shocked.

"It’s the lead horse! One of the commanders is here in person!" Ling Hao said gravely.

Above the Centurion rank in the Tiger Armor Army was Chiliarch, then Ten Thousand Soldiers Commander, and only after that—the six great Commanders of the Tiger Armor Army!

"Hurry, Old Fang!"

Their steps quickened as they reached the entrance.

"Commander Huo!"

As soon as they arrived, they recognized the lead figure and quickly bowed in salute.

The Tiger Armor Army’s Third Commander, Huo Buyan!

Not only the commander—behind him, on the other four warhorses, were two Ten Thousand Soldiers Commanders and two Chiliarchs!

Ling Hao and Ji Yong’s hearts pounded wildly.

The formation was unexpectedly grand!

One Commander, two Ten Thousand Soldiers Commanders, two Chiliarchs—this was a force greater than that for storming a city.

In an instant, a thought flashed through both their minds.

Old Fang’s Ten Thousand Soldiers Commander post was as good as secured!

But—even for a Ten Thousand Soldiers Commander, would a Commander come personally from Xirong County, riding a Blazing Fire Tiger Horse?