He multitasked, thinking of the Arrow Extraction Art while observing the situation ahead. "What business does your Gallant Cavalry Battalion have here?" the young knight scoffed, his expression arrogant, though his features were striking—intensely heroic—as he coldly glared at Song Shiqi.

Song Shiqi remained composed, neither subservient nor aggressive. "As soldiers, we follow orders.

What exactly we are here for is entirely at the General's discretion. Might I inquire for instructions?" "..." "Fine, wait a moment!" the young knight said impatiently.

Song Shiqi frowned, turned his horse, and prepared to withdraw, but the young knight suddenly called out loudly, "Hold it!" Song Shiqi turned back, fixing him with a cold stare. "Does Your Excellency require something else?" The young knight stared intently at Song Shiqi, occasionally glancing at the severed heads on the saddle.

"Are these two heads... from the Eastern Chu men?" Song Shiqi nodded.

"Indeed! We were ordered along the Northern Line, encountered several groups of Eastern Chu cavalry, and dealt with them handily.

Took their heads as proof." "Good, well done!" the young knight shouted heartily. …………………………………………” Song Shiqi offered a slight smile.

"This is nothing; we only met small patrols. Those Eastern Chu cavalry truly live up to their name...

we are not their match," he implied. "Alas...

you speak the truth!" the young knight agreed with a wry smile. "If they weren't so capable, they wouldn't have pushed us this far, forcing us to borrow troops from other camps." He coughed lightly.

"Please, everyone wait a moment. I will inform the General immediately!" With that, he spurred his horse and vanished in a flurry of dust into the large eastern camp, swallowed by the endless rows of tents.

Song Shiqi shook his head and chuckled. Li Muzhan shook his head, saying no more, focusing his entire being on the simulation running in his mind, constantly refining the Arrow Extraction Art and attempting to integrate the Divine Sword of the Vast Sea into it.

Modifying an existing cultivation method is far more challenging than creating a new one; melding the two—where they oppose, generate, and check each other—is immensely complex, requiring obstacle after obstacle to be overcome step by step. Li Muzhan knew time was short; he had to exert himself more.

It seemed like a fleeting moment, yet countless moments had passed. He was lost in his own mind, oblivious to the passage of time outside.

The procession moved slowly, finally entering an encampment area. Four tents were clustered together, forming five distinct piles with a drill ground centered between them.

From above, it resembled the five petals of a plum blossom—quite an aesthetic arrangement. Each tent housed ten men, perfectly accommodating two hundred souls in total.

If necessary, a few more campaign beds could be squeezed in, still leaving ample space. This setup was ideal for the Gallant Cavalry Battalion.

Before entering the tent, Jiang Haoyu bid farewell to Li Muzhan. They were heading into Divine Radiance City, where their homes lay, and they extended a heartfelt invitation to Li Muzhan.

Li Muzhan politely declined with a smile, feeling constrained by his current status, which prevented him from moving about freely. He promised to visit them in the city when he had leisure in the future.

Jiang Haoyu and the others departed with reluctance, but they said little more, leaving cleanly and efficiently. ……”,………………………………,………………………… Ten men per tent, organized by fire unit, Zhao Shengli and his group were quartered together.

Upon entering the tent, Li Muzhan immediately sat cross-legged on the cot, closed his eyes, and remained utterly still, concentrating solely on the Arrow Driving Art, striving to forge a new technique. Seeing this, Zhao Shengli and the others refrained from disturbing him.

They gathered in a corner, chatting and laughing softly, aware that Li Muzhan’s internal focus was profound, and their lighthearted noise would not break his concentration. After more than half a month of grueling march, they had finally arrived.

They all let out a deep sigh of relief, feeling physically lighter. After talking and laughing for a while, the seven of them began a game—a tactical formation exercise Li Muzhan had invented, similar to modern-day sand table simulations, played in pairs with three others acting as referees.

Gathered together, the seven played with great enthusiasm, shouting and cheering, their fatigue instantly vanishing. Li Muzhan sealed off his auditory senses, letting their clamor wash over him unheard, his mind as still as water, his focus locked onto the figures in his mind, continuously refining the Arrow Driving Art in pursuit of maximum destructive power.

After an indeterminate length of time immersed in his mental calculations, unaware of time's relentless flow, a sudden alarm jolted his awareness. He hastily withdrew his consciousness and opened his eyes.

Zhao Shengli was standing before him. Seeing his eyes open, he quickly reported, "Mingkong, the Commandant requests your presence!" He knew the correct way to summon Li Muzhan without touching him: approach quietly, stand still, and hold his gaze for a moment; Li Muzhan would then naturally perceive his presence and open his eyes.

Li Muzhan nodded, rose from the cot, and stepped out of the tent, where Captain Hu stood waiting. "Commandant," Li Muzhan executed a crisp military salute.

Captain Hu beckoned. "Mingkong, General Hua wishes to see you." Li Muzhan smiled faintly.

"Why would a mere private such as myself require the summons of a General?" Captain Hu glared at him and snorted. "Hmph.

Mingkong, that's your failing—being too modest! If it weren't for you, we would have lost countless men.

You single-handedly slew so many Eastern Chu curs; I dare say, no one in the entire Dayan Army can match you!" He had intended to treat Li Muzhan with deference, being a highly respected monk, but seeing Li Muzhan’s easygoing smile, he couldn't resist teasing him a little. Li Muzhan grinned.

"Are you being honest now, Commandant?" "Nonsense, I speak plainly!" Captain Hu retorted, clearly unbothered. He started walking as he spoke, blending playful banter with sharp criticism, leading them through a few turns to a large tent.

From the outside, it looked no different from any other, lacking visible guards. "Greetings, General!" Captain Hu called out loudly.

A gentle voice sounded from within. "Enter." Li Muzhan slightly lowered his eyes.

His Eye of the Void cast a probing glance, immediately detecting something unusual. While no guards were visible, the surrounding tents housed numerous powerful experts watching intently.

Small slits had been cut into the tent fabric, allowing them a clear view outward. Should trouble arise, they could burst forth instantly, leaving no time for rescue.

……………………………………………………………… Seeing this setup, Li Muzhan immediately understood: the Eastern Chu forces must have assassination masters, otherwise, a respected General would not need to mask his presence so thoroughly. Captain Hu adjusted his uniform, glanced up and down, and slowly approached the entrance.

He lifted the flap, ducked his head, and stepped inside. Li Muzhan followed closely behind.

The main tent was as spacious as a grand hall, floored with thick purple carpeting that muffled all sound. The furnishings were sparse: only two rows of chairs, and at the far end, a high desk, behind which sat one man.

This man appeared to be in his mid-forties—his face round as the full moon, with sharp, commanding eyebrows and bright eyes. He exuded an aura of dashing ease, as if nothing in the world could truly bother him.

He was looking their way, his gaze placid, yet his brow showed a trace of weariness and complexity; a profound gravitas underpinned his casual elegance, making him incredibly charismatic. "Greetings, General." Captain Hu stepped forward and offered a military salute.

Li Muzhan followed suit, standing quietly behind Captain Hu, head slightly bowed. The middle-aged man waved a hand, rose, and circled the desk to approach them.

"No need for formalities, Captain Hu. Is this the young hero, Mingkong?" He stopped before Li Muzhan, assessed him from top to bottom, nodded, and smiled faintly.

"Not bad, not bad. Standing like a cliff, bearing like a mountain—truly a distinguished presence." Captain Hu confirmed, "General, this is Mingkong." Li Muzhan smiled gently.

"Your praise far exceeds my humble worth, General." Such an elegant and extraordinary middle-aged man turned out to be a General. He looked more like a civil official than a military officer; one truly could not judge by appearances.

"To slay over four hundred Eastern Chu cavalry by yourself, including two hundred of the White Fang Elite Riders, is truly astonishing. Even I, leading personally, wouldn't possess such skill," General Hua said with a slight smile.

Li Muzhan shook his head. "It was mere brute strength, nothing remarkable." General Hua chuckled.

"Sometimes brute strength is the most useful. Very well, I will report this military merit immediately.

The commendation, however, must wait until after the campaign concludes." Li Muzhan pondered for a moment. "General, I have an unsolicited request." "Oh?

Let's hear it," General Hua replied with an amiable smile. Captain Hu frantically made eye signals, glaring at him with exasperation, inwardly cursing the arrogant brat for getting ahead of himself—earning merit and immediately demanding things, surely asking for trouble!

Li Muzhan continued, "I wish for this military merit to be distributed among all the brothers of the Gallant Cavalry Battalion. I could not have achieved this alone; it was entirely dependent on the assistance of all the brothers." "Oh?" General Hua's eyebrows lifted, and he smiled.

"That is no small achievement. Are you certain you want to give it all away?" Divided among the men, it would become insignificant, a trifle of merit." …………………………………………………………………… Li Muzhan nodded firmly.

"Yes, my decision is final." "Then so be it! I shall grant your wish!" General Hua clapped his hands and laughed.

Captain Hu’s eyes widened, and he snorted. "Brat, what in the blazes are you doing?" General Hua waved him down.

"Enough, Old Hu. It is rare for him to show such consideration.

With skill like his, earning merit will be as easy as breathing. Let him have his way!" "General Hua, this—this might not be proper..." Captain Hu chuckled nervously.

General Hua smiled broadly. "There is nothing improper about it.

In matters like this, everyone simply turns a blind eye. Stop trying to play clever in front of me, Old Hu.

I am keeping the man!" "Heh heh, ah—what?!" Captain Hu scratched his head, laughing weakly for a moment before suddenly turning pale with shock, looking up at the General. "Keep him?

Keep him where?" "Mingkong will serve as my personal guard," General Hua declared. "That won't do at all," Captain Hu immediately shook his head repeatedly.

General Hua smiled lightly. "What's the matter, Old Hu?

Are you that stingy?" Captain Hu cried out mournfully, "Mingkong is the pillar of our unit! All our breakthroughs and charges rely on him!

If you keep him, General, what are we to do?" General Hua smiled winningly. "I promise you, your Gallant Cavalry Battalion will never be sent to the front lines again.

How about that?" He continued, "With the merit from these four hundred cavalrymen, your Gallant Cavalry Battalion is already distinguished enough. You no longer need to strive for more battlefield glory.

Stay safely in the rear, how does that sound?" "We are soldiers, how can we fear death!" Captain Hu declared righteously. Then he turned to Li Muzhan.

"Mingkong, you decide. You are the core of our strength." Li Muzhan smiled.

"The General is the Dragon Head; his safety cannot be compromised. It is my highest honor to serve as the General's guard.

However, I do have one small request." "You're small in stature, but big on demands," Captain Hu grumbled, waving his hand impatiently. "Spit it out!" Li Muzhan knew the Captain was secretly pleased, so he smiled.

"After the fighting ends and the Gallant Cavalry Battalion returns to Tenglong City, I will return with the unit." General Hua agreed readily. "Done.

It is rare to find someone as principled as Mingkong. How could I be the villain?

It is settled then!" "Thank you, General," Li Muzhan said with a deep, sincere bow. (To be continued.

To find out what happens next,)