His vision plunged into absolute blackness, as if trapped in the dead of night, only to be instantly pierced by several cold, brief starlights—like constellations flashing across the dark canvas—before clarity flooded back.
A strange tension gripped every acupoint across his body; some seemed to drill inward, others outward, creating a bizarre, ineffable sensation he couldn't quite process.
The acupoints spasmed a few times, then released, allowing the internal energy to flow out and gather slowly, moving from head to toe. Then, suddenly, another tightening, like a garment being cinched, followed by another loosening.
Li Muzhan observed internally with clarity: currents of neili moved as if imbued with life, converging in the Dantian, which gradually filled to overflowing before coalescing into a vortex.
The vortex spun clockwise, continuously drawing in energy. Suddenly, it stilled, then reversed, spinning counter-clockwise. Energy surged outward, flooding his entire body in an instant.
Li Muzhan blinked, catching a flash: between bone and flesh, a thin membrane suddenly appeared, as delicate as a cicada's wing, seemingly fragile enough to break with a breath, yet shimmering like a clear, cascading waterfall.
Li Muzhan slowly opened his eyes, surprised within his heart.
This was it—the minor accomplishment of the fifth level of the Vajra Indestructible Divine Art: the successful forging of the membrane.
Once the membrane was formed, the fifth level was achieved. The task ahead was to thicken this membrane continuously until it lay flush with the flesh and blood—this was the great accomplishment of membrane forging.
With that ultimate thickness achieved, the flesh and blood would be protected by the energy membrane, akin to modern body armor. This integration of the energy film with the physical body constituted true invincibility.
Overjoyed, he realized that although this membrane was still thin, it was already significant. It couldn't yet protect the flesh outside the bones, but it shielded the vital organs, greatly enhancing his life force.
He could barely suppress a booming laugh. The Vajra Indestructible Divine Art truly required military training. His grand-uncle was indeed profoundly knowledgeable; in just a few days, his progress had jumped two full levels, surpassing two years of grueling solitary practice.
Had he not enlisted, practicing this art would have required external stimuli—constant striking or ramming—a painful, exhausting process with uncertain progress. How could that compare to his current fortune?
He rose and pushed open the door; it was early morning.
The training ground was already bustling. Everyone was engaged in riding and archery, the thundering sound of hooves mixing with occasional bursts of triumphant laughter.
Though the activity appeared chaotic, the horses never collided, moving with surprising agility. Those mounted seemed to require no direction save for aiming at the targets.
The most striking sight on the field were the black horses, the very Black Eagle mounts Li Muzhan had seized. They stood a head taller than the others, radiating calm majesty and exceptional spirit.
The riders mounted upon them were grinning broadly, their pride attracting all attention, so no one noticed Li Muzhan approaching.
As Li Muzhan drew near, Zhao Shengli spotted him, yanked his reins, and the **black horse charged forward to Li Muzhan’s side. Zhao Shengli roared with laughter, “Monk, are you alright?”
Li Muzhan nodded. “Yes. How are these horses?”
Zhao Shengli grinned. “Fine horses... If we meet them again, if we can't win, we can at least run, and we’ll certainly get away.”
The others gathered around, praising him endlessly, urging him to recount the entire incident. Though they had heard it from Zhao Shengli’s group, they wanted to hear it firsthand from Li Muzhan.
Li Muzhan smiled, about to speak, when a voice cut through the air: “Is Mingkong here?”
Silence instantly fell. At the sound of that smiling voice, a chill shot through their bones, and they scrambled hastily to make way, revealing Commander Li.
Commander Li stood just outside the crowd, smiling benignly, radiating the harmless air of a kindly elder, yet everyone else’s hair stood on end.
Li Muzhan stepped forward and bowed respectfully. “Commander, are you looking for me?”
Commander Li gestured with a smile. “Mingkong, come with me. The Commandant requests your presence.”
Li Muzhan chuckled. “For the Commander to send you personally, I am profoundly honored... A mere messenger would have sufficed.”
He didn't find Commander Li terrifying; the others’ fear was born from exaggerated rumors combined with the stark contrast between his placid demeanor and his severe enforcement of laws, creating a chilling effect.
Commander Li smiled smoothly. “It is the Commandant’s direct order; I dare not presume to delegate. Let us go.”
Li Muzhan nodded to the assembled men and followed Commander Li out of the training ground, heading west toward a large compound, heavily guarded by men whose vitality and sharp gazes bespoke intense discipline.
Commander Li led the way, and no one questioned them; they passed straight through the compound to the front of the main hall.
Before the hall stood a large banner, emblazoned with a black tiger, fluttering in the wind with an imposing aura, as if ready to leap from the fabric at any moment.
Commander Li beckoned, and Li Muzhan followed him into the vast, empty hall. On the north wall hung a massive map depicting rivers and mountains, dotted with several small markers.
Beneath the large map stood a desk, behind which sat a middle-aged man with a square, jade-like face and a fine, flowing beard. He possessed an aura of authority tempered by a slight smile and gentle eyes.
Below him, two rows of chairs were set on the steps, currently occupied by two men.
On the left was Commandant Hu, whose face was wreathed in smiles, whom Li Muzhan recognized. On the right sat another middle-aged man, perhaps forty, with a long, narrow face, looking grim and unpleasant, his gaze sharp and cold.
The two men sat flanking the center, their expressions a stark dichotomy: one radiating warmth, the other, icy menace.
Beneath the immense map, the three figures seemed small.
“Mingkong pays respects to the Commandant, the Left Commandant, and the Right Commandant.” Li Muzhan executed a crisp military salute, standing calmly before the three, his own gaze level and meeting theirs evenly.
Commander Li took a seat below Commandant Hu and announced, “Commandant, this is Mingkong, our young hero.”
“Good—” The Commandant rose from his armchair and descended the steps toward Li Muzhan.
He stepped closer, scrutinizing Li Muzhan for a few moments, then burst into laughter, clapping him on the shoulder. “Truly a young hero! A blessing for Great Yan, a fortune for our Divine Martial Army!”
“You flatter me, Commandant,” Li Muzhan replied with a slight bow, inwardly startled.
The Commandant was broad and slightly stout, possessing the bearing of a civil official, yet Li Muzhan could sense immense pressure and danger emanating from him—his cultivation was clearly profound. If they were to fight, Li Muzhan admitted he held no guarantee of victory.
The Commandant returned to a chair beside him and asked cheerfully, “Mingkong, how many Black Eagle Riders did you slay?”
Li Muzhan paused in thought. “Fifty or sixty, perhaps. I didn’t keep a precise count.”
“Oh—?” The Commandant’s thick eyebrows lifted slightly.
“Hmph, what a grand boast,” the narrow-faced man sneered derisively.
The Left Commandant frowned, studying Li Muzhan deeply.
Li Muzhan smiled faintly, meeting the gaze of the narrow-faced man openly. He knew this was the Right Commandant, who did not oversee the Light Cavalry Camp but commanded the Flying Cavalry Camp.
The Right Commandant sneered again. “You claim you killed fifty or sixty Black Eagle Riders?”
Li Muzhan nodded. “Yes. There were about two hundred of them. My Chiying runs fast; I fought while retreating, so I might have brought down fifty or sixty.”
“Such arrogance to spout such lies,” the Right Commandant scoffed, shaking his head. “Two hundred Black Eagle Riders? And you managed to escape?”
“I did,” Li Muzhan confirmed.
“Lying with your eyes open!” the Right Commandant snapped coldly. “Forget two hundred; if you escaped even two, that would be skill enough.”
He understood the fearsome power of the Black Eagle Riders better than anyone. Most of the Flying Cavalry Camp soldiers lost had fallen victim to their blades. He ground his teeth in resentment but could do nothing. The Black Eagle horses were swift, and their riders were martial arts masters who could take on ten men apiece. No matter how meticulously the Flying Cavalry and Light Cavalry Camps were trained, facing them meant certain death. Now, this young monk claimed he had killed fifty or sixty while pursued by two hundred, and returned unharmed. It was unbelievable—not just to him, but even to the Commandant or himself. Could this young monk truly accomplish such a feat? He absolutely refused to believe it, finding the monk hypocritical and detestable.
“Mmm…” The Commandant pondered for a moment, looking toward the Left Commandant.
The Left Commandant suggested, “Mingkong’s archery on horseback is exceptional. Why don't we see it for ourselves?”
“Yes, that would be wise,” the Commandant agreed with a slight nod. He turned to Li Muzhan. “Mingkong, I look forward to seeing your demonstration. Let’s go outside.”
Li Muzhan bowed in assent, and the group moved outdoors.
The Left Commandant gave an order, and two armored guards arrived, one leading a chestnut-red horse, the other carrying a bow and arrows, which they presented to Li Muzhan.
Li Muzhan took the bow and arrows and drew the string slightly. With a sharp crack, the bow snapped.
Li Muzhan laughed sheepishly. He hadn't expected his strength to increase so dramatically; he hadn't even exerted himself, yet the bow broke as if it were made of paper.
It seemed the breakthrough in the Vajra Indestructible Divine Art, achieving minor membrane completion, had made his body significantly more robust, granting him immense power.
The four men stared, astonished. The Left Commandant remarked, “That was a three-stone bow.”
The Commandant chuckled. “Bring a four-stone bow.”
The armored guard quickly returned with another bow, utterly black, as if it absorbed all light.
The Commandant smiled. “This is the bow I use. Try it.”
Li Muzhan thanked him, took the longbow, and drew it slightly. It bent into a perfect curve, but he instantly let go, afraid of snapping it entirely.
The four exchanged glances, deep in surprise. The Commandant himself possessed innate divine strength, which allowed him to wield this bow and earn his rank. Li Muzhan handled it with such ease that his strength clearly far surpassed the Commandant’s.
“Heh heh… Good, shoot a few arrows to test it,” the Commandant laughed, stroking his beard, and strode toward the eastern wall. He bent down, picked up a stone, and drew a circle the size of a palm on the wall. “Shoot here.”
Li Muzhan vaulted onto his horse and reined it left, then suddenly twisted sharply as he approached the wall, releasing an arrow.
Thump… Thump… Thump… Three dull impacts sounded as three streaks of light sliced overhead, forming a perfect triangle, all embedding themselves inside the circle.
The Commandant, standing nearby, clapped his hands and roared, “Excellent archery!”
Li Muzhan swiftly drew three more arrows, tucking them between his fingers, and nocked them on the string. The horse, without needing reins, turned on its own accord and trotted eastward.
Li Muzhan released the string. Thump… Another dull impact: three arrows shot in a triangular formation, all striking the marked circle.
“Excellent archery!” the Commandant shouted.
Li Muzhan loosed arrow after arrow. For every ten meters the horse ran, he released ten arrows.
The crowd couldn't help but cheer. From a distance of two hundred meters, he achieved a hundred percent accuracy, his release both swift and precise. They felt utterly inferior to such skill.
Li Muzhan dismounted. The Commandant approached and clapped him on the shoulder. “Haha, Mingkong, what reward do you desire?”
Li Muzhan replied, “Defending the battlefield and killing enemies is my duty, I dare not ask for reward.”
The Commandant waved his hand, smiling broadly. “This time you showed exceptional bravery saving lives; you must be rewarded. Don't be modest; ask boldly.”