"How is your archery?" the middle-aged man called out, clapping his hands. An armored soldier immediately rushed up to Li Muzhan, presenting him with a bow and a quiver of arrows.

Li Muzhan took the bow, drew it a few times, gently at first, then increasing the tension until it formed a perfect crescent moon. The middle-aged man laughed heartily. "Fetch him a two-stone bow!"

The soldier from before quickly reappeared, handing Li Muzhan another bow.

Li Muzhan tested it; the weng sound was louder, definitely much stiffer than the last one… After trying it a few times, he selected an arrow, nocked it, and loosed the string.

With a sharp thwack!, the arrow buried itself in the bullseye of the target fifty meters away.

Though his inner power was gone, his eyesight remained sharp. He could see clearly: the arrow had struck the very center.

"Shoot ten arrows!" the middle-aged man commanded loudly.

Li Muzhan nocked and loosed his arrows in succession. All ten arrows found the dead center. Thanks to years of grueling practice with throwing knives since childhood, his precision was supreme, later enhanced by practicing the Feiyun Archery technique, making his skill with the bow exceptional.

"Haha, excellent! Superb archery!" The middle-aged man clapped his hands in delight. The dozen or so men surrounding him were also smiling broadly; the atmosphere in the field was harmonious and spirited.

An old man stroked his beard and chuckled, "Commander, this is truly a fortunate day, excellent luck! To find such a promising seedling! Congratulations, Commander, hearty congratulations!"

"Haha... it is too early to speak of such things, far too early!" The middle-aged man’s face was alight with a joyous smile, though his words remained modest… He called out, "Retreat another ten paces! Shoot ten more!"

After stepping back ten paces, Li Muzhan loosed another ten arrows. Every single one struck the bullseye, eliciting cheers from the crowd. To hit the center from this distance was already no small feat.

The middle-aged man called out loudly, "Can you ride a horse?"

Li Muzhan responded clearly, "I have ridden before, but I am not proficient."

"Try it out then!" the commander boomed.

An armored guard led a horse over to Li Muzhan. Li Muzhan handed over his bow and arrows, took the reins… and vaulted onto the steed. He galloped twice around the training ground.

"Catch!" The armored guard suddenly tossed the bow and arrows toward Li Muzhan.

Li Muzhan stretched his arm and caught them smoothly. Amidst a series of thwack-thwack sounds, six of the ten arrows shot while on horseback struck the bullseye; the others, while missing, were not far off.

This provoked another round of applause, and several men began eagerly petitioning the commander for the recruit.

A middle-aged fellow said smoothly, "Commander, let him join our Divine Archer Battalion! With such exquisite archery, a little more training and he will surely become a master marksman!" He was lean, with long arms, and his eyes were slightly sunken, sharp as a hawk’s, yet his voice was slow and measured, unhurried.

"Commander, his horsemanship is decent too, perhaps he should enter our Valiant Cavalry Battalion!"

"Commander, he is very strong; why not place him in the Vanguard Infantry, he could become a fine wielder of the Ji or saber in the future!"

The men began scrambling over one another, each eager to claim Li Muzhan for their own ranks.

"Enough, stop arguing! Let's observe further!" The Commander waved his hand and announced loudly, "Good, dismount now, let's see your martial skills!"

Li Muzhan brought the horse to a halt and jumped down. In the short time he spent riding, he felt utterly refreshed; the thrill of high-speed motion was undeniably captivating.

"Young monk, you practice staff techniques, correct? What style of staff are you using?" the middle-aged commander inquired.

Li Muzhan approached, retrieved his black staff, and replied respectfully, "Reporting to the Commander, it is the Fengmo (Mad Demon) Staff Style!"

The middle-aged commander smiled. "Young monk, you truly observe everything around you, hearing all corners of the world... Very well, then, show us a set of the Fengmo Staff Style."

Li Muzhan bowed with his staff held upright, then unleashed the form. The Fengmo Staff Style whistled through the air, the flurry of staff shadows obscuring his figure, creating an impenetrable defense.

The observers shook their heads and smiled, appearing unimpressed; clearly, in their eyes, this Fengmo Staff Style was rather ordinary.

The middle-aged commander nodded and chuckled, "Not bad, not bad. It seems your strength is immense, allowing you to unleash the full potential of this style. Very good!"

After eight moves, Li Muzhan stopped, standing upright, his breathing even, not labored.

The middle-aged commander spoke kindly, "Young monk, what role do you wish to serve? Cavalry, infantry, crossbowman, or archer?"

Li Muzhan considered for a moment. "I request the Commander to decide!"

"Heh heh, the young monk is quite sensible!" The middle-aged commander stroked his beard and smiled. After a moment of thought, he declared, "Given your remarkable archery, you shall be a Valiant Cavalryman!"

"Yes, sir!" Li Muzhan returned a respectful salute.

"Officer Li, step forward and claim your man!" the middle-aged commander called out.

A burly man rose from behind a table, leaped over it, and landed soundly. With three or four quick strides, he approached, rubbing his hands together and chuckling sheepishly. "Commander… he’s joining our Valiant Cavalry, then?"

"Indeed. He is a fine hand; do not let him go to waste!" the middle-aged commander advised.

The burly man thumped his chest… and roared, "Rest assured, Commander! Leave it to Old Li! Haha!"

He couldn't help but laugh out loud, drawing jeers and curses from the crowd.

The burly man ignored the insults, instead casting a smug glance at the others, chuckling, "Our Valiant Cavalry Battalion finally gets to drink the first sip of the soup!"

A strapping fellow with a loud voice said, "Li Luoquan, I'll trade you a whole squad for this young monk, how about that?"

"No trade, no trade! Forget a squad… even a full company, I won't trade! Haha!" The burly man shook his head repeatedly, looking utterly triumphant.

Li Muzhan followed him, noticing his bow-legged gait—no wonder they called him Li Luoquan (Li Bow-Legs)… perhaps from spending too much time in the saddle. Li Muzhan could sense the man’s sheer excitement.

A squad was ten men, a company fifty. For him to say such a thing, Li Muzhan felt slightly overwhelmed; he currently had no martial arts, and although his archery was excellent, it hardly warranted trading for so many men.

Following Li Luoquan, Li Muzhan remained silent, determined to speak less for a while. They arrived at a training ground, even vaster than the previous one.

The ground thundered with the sound of hooves as more than a dozen riders charged across the field, shooting arrows that landed on two dozen straw dummies set up on the west side.

When these riders finished their volley, they wheeled their horses and galloped north. At that moment, another dozen horses burst forth from the south, their riders loosing arrows toward the same two dozen straw dummies. They repeated this four times until their quivers were empty, then turned north, only for another dozen riders to charge out from the south.

Li Muzhan observed them; every single rider possessed exceptional horsemanship, moving with perfect synergy with their warhorses... The mounts seemed extensions of their own legs, clearly highly disciplined.

Li Luoquan stood at the edge of the field and coughed heavily twice. The riders immediately dismounted and gathered before him, quickly forming into a tight square formation.

Li Muzhan estimated there were about two hundred men in total.

Li Luoquan straightened his posture, his eyes blazing intensely, and bellowed, "Today we have a new comrade among us, given the monastic name Mingkong. From now on, he is our brother in arms, one family!" "Yes!" A stout man stepped forward and answered loudly.

"Mingkong, you will join his squad!" Li Luoquan ordered.

"Yes!" Zhao Shengli shouted back, then turned to Li Muzhan with a cold look. "Little monk, come and stand properly!"

Under the gaze of over two hundred pairs of eyes, Li Muzhan quietly walked over and positioned himself beside the man, his expression serene, uttering no words.

Zhao Shengli's sharp gaze swept over Li Muzhan's face, and he snorted once without speaking.

Li Luoquan called out loudly, "The requirements for our Valiant Cavalry Battalion are very strict, it is rare for new recruits to be accepted. This year, we are fortunate to have one. Everyone must take good care of him!"

"Yes! Officer!" the men roared in unison.

Li Luoquan waved his hand. "Alright, dismiss! Everyone, resume training... Don't slack off! Whoever finishes last will be sweeping the stables!" Mingkong, since you just arrived, your performance won't count for the first six months."

"Sigh..." A collective groan of discontent rose from the men.

Zhao Shengli beckoned him over. "Hey, little monk… come meet your squad mates!"

The rest dispersed, leaving three men who remained standing, sizing up Li Muzhan from head to toe.

Li Muzhan paused, finding it strange; why were only three men left? A squad was supposed to have ten.

Zhao Shengli shook his head. "It’s hard to replenish new men in the Valiant Cavalry. One loss is one less. Missing a few members is no big deal!"

Li Muzhan nodded and bowed respectfully. "This humble monk, Mingkong, greets you all, elder brothers."

Zhao Shengli waved his hand dismissively. "These are Li Zi, Da Kun, and Xiao Cai!"

He pointed to the three men in turn. Li Muzhan smiled and nodded back. To be a monk in another world for power and majesty.

Li Zi was thin and dry, beaming with a somewhat simple-minded smile; his real name was Li Baolu. Da Kun, whose real name was Feng Dakun, was tall and broad with a round, flat face and a cold expression; he merely nodded.

Xiao Cai was handsome and martial, possessing a large nose, yet he carried himself with scholarly refinement, showing a gentle smile. Li Muzhan instantly perceived that beneath that mild exterior lay a core of ruthlessness.

Zhao Shengli turned and started walking toward the tents, remarking, "Monk, you've just arrived today. First, we'll set up your sleeping quarters, then find you a horse."

Saying this, he approached a large tent, pulled back the flap, and stepped inside. Immediately, the overpowering scent of sweat rushed out. Li Muzhan smiled wryly, shaking his head slightly. Since he was here, he couldn't expect the comforts of Mount Canghai, nor the freedom of being alone outside. Hardship was unavoidable.

He quickly adjusted his mindset and followed Zhao Shengli inside. The tent was quite spacious, perhaps ten meters in diameter, with four low couches arranged in a row down the center. A few boxes served as tables near the head of the couches. The interior was tidy, save for a pile of miscellaneous items heaped in the western corner. The bedding on the couches looked clean, and Li Muzhan’s sharp eyes noted clothes hidden beneath one of the mats.

Zhao Shengli walked to the western corner of the tent, crouched down, fiddled with something for a moment, then brought several poles to the center and manipulated them until a simple cot took shape. He then brought over two sets of bedding, spread them out, and patted them firmly. "There, this is your spot. Come take a look!"

Li Muzhan walked over and pressed down on the mat; it felt sturdy. Although the padding was thin and a bit prickly, it was decent enough, considering it wasn't home.

Zhao Shengli let out a breath and clapped his hands. "You'll be sleeping here from now on. You might not be used to it at first; Xiao Cai’s snoring is quite loud, so it might take you a while to adjust."

Li Muzhan nodded. "Thank you, Squad Leader."

Zhao Shengli’s face darkened, and he spoke irritably, "There you go again! We are family here. Don't use such formal language!"

"Understood," Li Muzhan replied with a smile.

"Put your things down, let's go get your horse!" Zhao Shengli said.

Li Muzhan set down his bundle and long staff and followed him, turning corners until they reached the sound of neighing horses. They stopped before a small corral.

There were more than a dozen fine horses in the enclosure, each with a different bearing. Compared to civilian mounts, every horse here was extraordinarily spirited.

"Old Zhao, what brings you here?" An old man was feeding the horses and looked up when he saw Zhao Shengli. He grunted, "Are you returning the horse I lent you again?"

The man had a long, somewhat homely face, his hair was grizzled, and he looked to be fifty or sixty years old. His eyes were gentle—not at all like a soldier’s—and he exuded a soft aura.

Zhao Shengli laughed heartily. "Haha, Old Man Wang, you are mistaken this time… I’m not here to return a horse, I’m here to pick one!"

"Oh?" The old man chuckled. "Heaven has opened its eyes! You finally have a newcomer to assign one to?"

"That’s right!" Zhao Shengli laughed openly, "It's this little fellow!"

"He’s a monk?" The old man looked at Li Muzhan curiously.

Li Muzhan bowed with his hands clasped but said nothing. Zhao Shengli, however, spoke up in a booming voice, "What about it if he’s a monk? Can't a monk serve the country?"

The old man chuckled good-naturedly. "Alright, enough chatter, go pick your horse!"

Zhao Shengli glared at him, then turned to Li Muzhan. "Monk, you pick the horse. Choose whichever one you like… From this moment on, it will be your partner until death!"

Li Muzhan nodded, walked up to the feeding trough, and gently stroked the forehead of each horse in turn. Finally, he selected a chestnut mare with a white diamond marking on its forehead. This horse was tall, reaching his shoulder height. Its coat was smooth, shining as if draped in silk, its eyes sparkled like agate—spirited and aware. Its bones were strong, and its hooves were as large as bowls.

The moment Li Muzhan’s hand touched its forehead, he could faintly sense its mood, confirming his choice. This was the cleverest of all the horses.

"Hmm, little monk, you have good judgment!" The old man nodded, looking at the horse with an expression of fond affection. "His name is Chiying (Red Shadow). He is incredibly fast, but his temper is rather fiery; be careful."

Li Muzhan stroked the white patch on its forehead and thanked him with a smile.

"Blast it, Old Man Wang, hurry up and saddle him!" Zhao Shengli urged.

The old man ducked into a nearby tent and quickly returned with a full set of tack, which he fitted onto Chiying with practiced, efficient movements, finishing in short order.

Li Muzhan vaulted onto the horse, smiled, "Thank you, Brother Wang… Squad Leader, I’m heading back now!"

With that, he flicked the reins. Chiying let out a loud neigh and shot forward. Its turns were extremely agile; with the slightest shift from Li Muzhan, it seemed to understand, showing remarkable intelligence.

In a flash, he reached the training ground, headed south, and rejoined the three men—Li Baolu and the others.

The trio had been standing together, chatting and laughing. Seeing him approach, Li Baolu called out enthusiastically, "You picked your horse so fast?" He then gaped. "This is Chiying? How could you pick him!"

He looked genuinely shocked, shaking his head repeatedly. "Why didn't the Squad Leader advise you against it? Chiying’s temper is too fierce; he’s caused quite a bit of trouble!"

Li Muzhan smiled. "We felt a connection, so I chose him."