As the sun dipped below the western mountains, the tense training finally concluded, leaving both the Thunder Riders and their Thunder War Beasts looking distinctly weary.

Da Lei was led back to the stable by Jin Yaoxin, while Jin Yaohong and I returned to the barracks—a standard hundred-man barrack featuring a large hall and ten single rooms. Each single room held a row of long beds, just enough to cram ten people in, and this luxury was reserved for the Thunder Iron Cavalry, the best-treated unit in the legion. Other soldiers were crammed into barracks meant for fifty or even one hundred men.

Back in the barrack hall, I collapsed onto a chair, feeling like a discarded rag doll.

Even though my cultivation had reached the Grandmaster level, this ten-hour, high-intensity training session, lasting the entire day, still left me utterly drained.

At the start of the training, Jin Yaohong had instructed me that in routine drills, I should avoid using Dou Qi (Aura/Battle Energy) unless absolutely necessary. Only through grueling physical conditioning could the body adapt to the high-intensity combat of the battlefield; Dou Qi was to be conserved as a reserve force. Consequently, it could be said that I hadn't exerted any Dou Qi for those ten hours, resulting in a truly embarrassing level of exhaustion and fatigue.

The days seemed to have reverted to the time when Chen Feng trained me back in the village.

This revelation shocked Jin Yaohong, Jin Yaoming, and the others.

"I did not expect Your Highness to possess Grandmaster-level Dou Qi cultivation, yet the physical body proves so fragile," Jin Yaoming expressed with concern.

"Truly unbelievable," Jin Yaohong echoed, filled with emotion. "How did Your Highness acquire this Dou Qi body cultivation?"

"Heh! Naturally, by slaying monsters and enemies," I replied, panting while adjusting my breathing rate. Only then did the agonizing soreness and numbness across my body subside somewhat. "I never imagined I'd be this weak without using my Dou Qi."

"You will grow accustomed to it," Jin Yaoming assured me. "Your Highness's killing techniques are already supremely polished, worthy of the finest warrior. The only deficiencies lie in horsemanship training and sheer physical stamina. I suggest Your Highness should intensify training in riding and physical conditioning from now on."

Physical conditioning. I inwardly groaned. Damn it, doesn't he know physical strength is my absolute weakest point? Without access to my Dou Qi, my actual power might not even match that of a High-Rank Warrior.

Since mastering the Gong Sha Sword Style, I had rarely experienced this kind of bone-deep fatigue and aching soreness. Now, it felt like reliving an old nightmare. It seemed physical fortitude remained my greatest vulnerability.

Although I had tried to make my body stronger, I knew clearly that talent often dictated destiny. With this frame, I was naturally ill-suited to be a soldier. Reaching the Grandmaster level of cultivation was already a miracle. To fully remedy the defect in physical strength seemed impossible.

Helplessly, I shook my head. "Forget it. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. It seems I was never meant to be a soldier."

"Why should Your Highness complain?" Jin Yaohong countered. "To attain Grandmaster cultivation at such a tender age—if such a heaven-gifted genius claims not to be cut out to be a warrior, then who in this world truly can be?"

"It seems the methods that work for ordinary people might not suit Your Highness," Jin Yaoming mused, as if a realization struck him. "Since Your Highness's Dou Qi is abundant but stamina lacking, there is no need to force it. Rather than dwelling on deficiencies, it is better to amplify strengths and avoid weaknesses. Your Highness should focus primarily on the cultivation of Dou Qi going forward. Even if physical strength is insufficient, as long as the Dou Qi cultivation is solid and supplemented by excellent equipment, I believe Your Highness can still exert far superior power."

"Exactly. Since Dou Qi is our specialty, let's follow that path to the end. Even if physical strength imposes limits on Dou Qi's full expression, equipment can bridge that gap," Jin Yaohong stated seriously. "Given Your Highness's status, acquiring top-tier equipment should be an effortless matter."

"You understand me best," I managed a dry laugh. "I figured this out long ago. The reason for avoiding Dou Qi today was just to gauge my stamina level, and look what happened." At this point, even I felt a bit embarrassed.

"Your Highness, forgive us," Jin Yaohong and Jin Yaoming looked utterly dismayed. "It is our subordinates' ignorance of the actual situation that led us to lecture Your Highness; we were extremely foolish."

"Look how scared you are," I said, feeling slightly awkward. "There are no outsiders here, so there's no need to be so formal." Frankly, I was quite unaccustomed to Jin Yaohong and the others' anxious deference. If this issue wasn't resolved early, the days ahead would be difficult. Therefore, I decided to have a serious talk with them to prevent awkwardness for everyone later on.

"Having grown up among the common folk since childhood, I am accustomed to treating people as equals. Although I am now the Prince of Qin, this nature is hard to change," I sighed, looking at Jin Yaohong, Jin Yaoming, and the rest. "Honestly, seeing you so terrified and formal makes me extremely uncomfortable. It tires you, and it tires me. In the future, when there are no outsiders present, please relax."

"This, this cannot be!" Jin Yaohong exclaimed, greatly surprised.

"There is nothing that cannot be," I chuckled lightly. "Since you are my personal guard, my very life and fortune will be entrusted to you. Where I grew up, we have an old saying: 'Brothers fight the tiger, sons fight the battle.' If we remain so distant, how can I trust you with my back?"

"........" For a moment, the hall fell into an absolute silence, all the personal guards staring with expressions of complex fear.

"'Brothers fight the tiger, sons fight the battle,'" Jin Yaohong murmured after a long pause, then his voice turned fervent. "We are honored by Your Highness's regard; we dare not presume."

"Haha, that's more like it! From this day forward, you are my brothers in Star, and as brothers, there’s no need to be so polite and distant."

"We understand, My Lord!" All the personal guards were intensely moved. On the Mafa Continent, the stratification between ranks was exceptionally rigid. There was little interaction between nobility and commoners unless by special circumstance, and royalty possessed its own imperial majesty—not unlike the feudal system of ancient China.

The title of personal guard sounded respectable, but crudely put, they were servants. Serving a minor noble already required constant vigilance; serving me, who held the title of Prince of Qin, meant they were naturally distant and fearful, worried that a moment's displeasure could lead to their ruin. Rising from commoner status to their current position was difficult enough; one misstep could cost them their lives and potentially implicate their entire families.

Although I didn't fully grasp how royalty and nobility in the Mafa World treated their retainers, I had watched enough period dramas about court intrigue to understand their worries.

Truthfully, I could not adapt to that master-servant dynamic. Perhaps it was related to my free-spirited, easygoing nature.

Taking this opportunity, I laid everything bare. If we could change how we interacted, that would be best; if not, I would have to let things stand.

However, judging by the current situation, the effect seemed promising. At least they now understood my perspective, and that was enough for now.

"Alright, from now on, call me Group Leader when we are in the military. Call me Your Highness in formal settings. And everywhere else, just call me Boss," I grinned. Finally, I could legitimately reclaim the title of 'Boss.' In my past life in Legend, I was a major figure, a 'Big Brother'—though Dragon Ge was the true Number One, and I was merely Number Three. Generally, among guild brothers, titles like First Boss, Second Boss, and Third Boss were all just called 'Boss.' That felt incredibly satisfying.

"Group Leader... Your Highness... Boss," Jin Yaohong was slightly bewildered, seemingly confused by my insistence on having multiple designations. Yet, when he uttered the word 'Boss,' a flicker of excitement involuntarily crossed his face before he composed himself seriously. "Yes, Boss."

"Haha, that's the spirit." Although the way he said 'Boss' sounded a bit unnatural, it was a significant achievement.

After a good rest, my stamina had finally recovered.

After dinner, I slipped away to the periphery of the Killing Squad's barracks, hoping to check on Feng Qingtian and the others. Truthfully, we were all new recruits enlisted around the same time, and I was sure they had many stories to share. As for Jin Yaohong and Jin Yaoming, I naturally ensured they didn't follow me.

In the Prague Legion, standard troop classifications fell into two main categories: Cavalry and Infantry.

The classification for cavalry was simpler: Light Cavalry, Heavy Cavalry, and Heavy-Armored Cavalry. In the Prague Legion, only those in the Warrior class could serve as cavalry.

However, among the seven legions of the Demon Sealing Empire, besides the three types of cavalry mentioned above, they also included Magic Cavalry.

Among the four kingdoms, the Demon Sealing Empire was unique in possessing a cavalry corps composed entirely of Mages.

As for the others, Cang Yue’s cavalry divisions were structured similarly to the Demon Dragon Empire's.

The classification of infantry was far more detailed.

Divided by profession, there were three main types: Warriors, Mages, and Taoists. However, these three professions were often utilized in a mixed capacity within military formations.

Among all infantry, the Red Moon Killing Squad possessed the strongest combat capability.

It could be said that to enter the Red Moon Killing Squad, every member's strength had to reach the Red Moon First Stage cultivation or higher.

The Red Moon Killing Squad was equivalent to modern special elite forces; every member was a master with formidable individual combat abilities. Most were Warriors, though Mages and Taoists were included. Generally, the Red Moon Killing Squad was deployed as a surprise force.

Following the Red Moon Killing Squad were the Four Great Armies!

Azure Dragon!

The Azure Dragon Army could exert massive combat power in both open field battles and siege warfare. They formed a balanced force for offense and defense, composed primarily of Warriors.

White Tiger!

Among the Four Great Armies, the White Tiger Legion boasted the fiercest offensive power, especially in field battles. Furthermore, the White Tiger Legion included a very special troop type: Heavy-Armored Infantry—a unit specifically designed to counter cavalry.

The Prague Legion possessed Heavy-Armored Ballista Soldiers (Zhongjia Tuanu Bing), specialized in countering the Demon Sealing Empire's Magic Cavalry. This was the only infantry unit in the Prague Legion that dared to engage Magic Cavalry head-on.

These Heavy-Armored Infantry wore specialized War God Armor. During forging, this armor incorporated special materials designed to resist magical attacks, allowing the heavily armored warriors to effectively withstand the magical assaults of Magic Cavalry.

Their heavy crossbows, known as Tanu, were terrifying weapons that gave all Mages immense headaches.

The power of the Tanu was terrifying. While slightly less potent than the neck arrows shot by the Dragon Archers in the Demon Dragon World, they were close.

Within a range of 300 meters, they could effectively pierce the armor worn by Magic Cavalry. Thus, on the battlefield, magic troops dared not confront the Heavy-Armored Ballista Soldiers.

However, drawing the string of this Tanu required tremendous strength, necessitating the use of the foot to hold the bow down while drawing the string with both hands—hence the name Tanu (Stepping Crossbow).

Yet, the Heavy-Armored Ballista Soldiers had a serious drawback: slow movement speed. Therefore, if the Magic Cavalry managed to widen the distance, the Heavy-Armored Ballista Soldiers would struggle to inflict damage.

Historically, some tried to mount the Tanu onto cavalry units, but the sheer difficulty of stringing the weapon forced them to abandon the idea. This left Magic Cavalry as the longest-ranged and highest-damage-dealing cavalry unit overall.

Following the White Tiger was the Vermilion Bird!

The Vermilion Bird Legion was the special corps responsible for intelligence gathering and enemy reconnaissance among the Four Armies, having the smallest numbers. However, every member was exceptionally skilled. The Vermilion Bird Legion was predominantly composed of Taoists, though a small number of Mages were selected. These Mages possessed an astonishing latent talent for Spatial Magic, mastering the super-skill of Instantaneous Movement. These Mages' identities were the most closely guarded secrets of every nation—information Jin Yaohong and the others shared with me.

After the Vermilion Bird Legion came the Black Tortoise Legion.

Among the Four Great Armies, the Black Tortoise Legion was the most crucial support corps. They possessed little inherent combat power but excelled in the construction and utilization of siege machinery.

Whether attacking or defending a city, the Black Tortoise Legion played a vital role.

During sieges, the Black Tortoise Legion controlled Tortoise Shell Chariots (Guijia Zhancha), driving them into enemy formations to transport allied infantry to the base of the city walls. Although these chariots were slow, they boasted terrifying defensive capabilities, effectively blocking magic attacks, rolling logs, and magical traps. They were, without a doubt, the continent's most formidable super-armored vehicles.

The Scaling Ladder Chariots (Yunti Zhancha) could carry extended ladders, driving right up to the city walls and deploying extra-long scaling ladders—over twenty meters long—to create pathways for allied Warriors to assault the enemy ramparts.

Additionally, there were Bridge Chariots (Qiao Che), capable of filling rivers or trenches dug for moats, allowing the attacking force to smoothly advance to the foot of the enemy walls.

Of course, they also included siege weaponry with superior firepower, such as Catapults (Tóushí Zhànchē), Heavy Crossbow Chariots (Zhòngnǔ Zhànchē), and Magic Chariots (Mófǎ Zhànchē). Catapults were the most frequently used siege engines; hurling stones weighing hundreds of pounds could easily breach defensive structures on the enemy side, and walls insufficiently robust could be smashed apart by them. The devastation was extreme.

Magic Chariots were essentially armored vehicles designed to transport Mages. Protected within, the Mages could unleash various spells without fear of heavy counter-fire.

Among the four kingdoms, the Demon Sealing Empire possessed the strongest Magic Chariot corps, as they had the largest number of elite Mages on the continent. The Prague Legion, conversely, was equipped with only a small number of Magic Chariots.

Heavy Crossbow Chariots served a function similar to Catapults, but their power was more pronounced in open battles. A Heavy Crossbow Chariot pulled by warhorses was arguably the most terrifying super-tank in the Mafa world; no single unit could withstand the super-heavy bolts fired by a Heavy Crossbow Chariot head-on.

The heavy bolts from these chariots could reach an astonishing one thousand meters, and within seven hundred meters, they could pierce the black-iron heavy shields of Heavy-Armored Infantry. In terms of raw attack power, the heavy crossbow was terrifying among standard units.

Historically, there were attempts to combine Heavy Crossbow Chariots with Thunder War Beasts to create an unusual unit intended to counter the Demon Sealing Empire's Magic Cavalry, but this failed due to mobility issues and never materialized. Despite this, Magic Cavalry units still dared not confront legions equipped with Heavy Crossbow Chariots in a direct clash.

Besides the Heavy Crossbow Chariots, the Black Tortoise Legion commanded mastery over many other specialized equipment utilizations and constructions, though I had not been in the army long enough for Jin Yaohong to explain them all to me.

Beyond these troop types,

The Royal Family and the Church possessed the even more formidable Thunder Eagle Sky Knights, equivalent to the Mafa World's air force, but their numbers were extremely limited.

Generally, only the Royal Guard and the Heavenly Demon Warriors were mounted on Thunder Eagles. The Prague Legion did not deploy Thunder Eagle Sky Knights.

The barracks for the Four Great Armies were also segregated according to their positions within the city.

Feng Qingtian’s Red Moon Killing Squad and my Thunder Iron Cavalry barracks were both located near the central plaza of Yuncheng. Training also took place in this plaza.

This arrangement ensured that the Red Moon Killing Squad could swiftly appear in any war zone requiring support. As for us, the Thunder Iron Cavalry, aside from training horsemanship and mounted charges, we often trained alongside the Red Moon Killing Squad.

In many scenarios, the Thunder Iron Cavalry had to assist other legions in defensive sieges. After all, not every battle required the deployment of cavalry—this was considered a rational use of resources.

In truth, every Thunder Knight was a powerful expert in foot combat. Naturally, anyone qualified to join the Thunder Iron Cavalry must possess cultivation at the Red Moon First Stage or higher. Besides their exquisite horsemanship, the Thunder Knights' infantry combat ability was little different from that of the warriors in the Red Moon Killing Squad.