Tien Dan, having shared quite a few drinks with Teng Qingshan yesterday, had certainly pegged him as a straightforward, forthright fellow.

“Brother Tien Dan, it’s like this! My cousin, Teng Qinghu, came here to the Guiyuan Sect with me from our hometown. Yesterday, he became a Squad Leader and was assigned to your Hundred-Man Squad. I was hoping… perhaps you could transfer my cousin over to my own Hundred-Man Squad,” Teng Qingshan stated directly. “And in exchange, I could send one of the Squad Leaders from my unit over to yours.”

Tien Dan’s brow furrowed.

“What, is there a problem?” Teng Qingshan inquired.

“Since you are brothers, I certainly don’t object to moving Teng Qinghu to your side. However… swapping personnel between two Hundred-Man Squads—that requires the approval of the Commander, Lord Du Tong, you see.” Tien Dan looked at Teng Qingshan. “Brother Qingshan, you saw our Commander Du Tong when we were drinking last night. He’s quite an arrogant man.”

Swapping personnel between two Hundred-Man Squads did indeed require the Commander’s consent.

“You mean Commander Bai Qi?” Teng Qingshan’s brow tightened slightly.

“Brother Qingshan, you’ve just arrived in the Black Armored Army, so you probably haven’t seen through Commander Bai Qi yet. Don’t let his polite demeanor fool you. In reality… he’s arrogant to the core. He prides himself on being a core disciple of the Guiyuan Sect and harbors a certain disdain for us outsiders who’ve joined the Black Armored Army!” Tien Dan explained.

The soldiers of the Black Armored Army came from two sources.

One group consisted of direct disciples of the Guiyuan Sect who then entered the Black Armored Army. The second group comprised a large number of outsiders who joined, such as Teng Qingshan, Teng Qinghu, and Gongyang Qing.

The first group included Wu Man and even Zang Feng, who held the esteemed rank of Battalion Commander.

Those from the first group had been nurtured by the Guiyuan Sect since childhood. After achieving competence in strength, they joined the Black Armored Army. Naturally, these individuals were trusted more by the Sect. In the army, important posts like Battalion Commander and Commander required not only strength but, more crucially, loyalty!

“Surely Commander Bai Qi won’t make a fuss over such a small matter,” Teng Qingshan remarked.

“Brother Qingshan, be a bit more deferential when you speak to him later. Commander Bai Qi is someone who deeply values face. Perhaps he’ll agree,” Tien Dan advised.

“Look, Commander Bai Qi is right over there,” Tien Dan said, pointing into the distance.

Teng Qingshan followed the indicated direction. In the eastern section of the training ground, many Centurions and Commanders were practicing their swordplay, spear techniques, or saber forms alone, while others sparred amongst themselves. Among them, a young man with a thin, pointed mustache was practicing his spear technique.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

The spear moved like a swimming dragon, its tip blurring into a perfect circle of shadow.

This man was Bai Qi, one of the three Commanders serving under the First Marshal.

“Hmm?” Bai Qi’s gaze swept toward the distance, noticing Teng Qingshan and Tien Dan walking toward him side-by-side. Bai Qi wondered internally, What are those two coming over for? While morning drills imposed high standards on ordinary soldiers and Squad Leaders, there were no such rigid requirements for Centurions, Commanders, or Marshals.

“Commander Lord,” Teng Qingshan called out with a smile from quite a distance away.

“Oh, Qingshan,” Bai Qi immediately put away his long spear with a grin and walked over. “Qingshan, how was your first morning drill?”

“Drilling with six thousand men all at once is quite invigorating,” Teng Qingshan replied.

“They say six thousand Black Armors, but in truth, there aren’t six thousand men on the field—only a little over five thousand,” Commander Bai Qi stroked his mustache and said. “Our Black Armored Army always has some soldiers out completing missions.”

Teng Qingshan nodded realization dawning, while Tien Dan interjected beside him, “Commander Lord, Brother Qingshan has come to ask for your assistance with a matter today.”

“Oh? What is it? Just say the word. I will certainly help if I can,” Commander Bai Qi responded readily.

Teng Qingshan felt a slight easing in his chest and then stated, “It’s like this, Commander. My kinsman, Teng Qinghu, came from our hometown with me and joined the Black Armored Army together. He’s currently a Squad Leader under Brother Tien Dan. I wanted to transfer my brother over to my command. That shouldn’t be a major issue, right?”

Commander Bai Qi fell silent upon hearing this.

“Commander Lord,” Teng Qingshan called out.

“Qingshan,” Bai Qi said gravely. “This is the Black Armored Army. The discipline here isn’t child’s play; you can’t just switch personnel on a whim! The assignment of Teng Qinghu to Tien Dan’s command was personally decided by the Grand Marshal. How could I so easily alter that?”

“That’s one point. More importantly, Qingshan, the Squad Leaders under you have already familiarized themselves with their soldiers and can lead their troops more effectively. If you now swap two Squad Leaders, there will inevitably be some adaptation issues.”

Commander Bai Qi spoke sternly. “I cannot help you with this matter.”

Teng Qingshan frowned.

This Bai Qi was actually lecturing him on military discipline. Such boilerplate rhetoric was utterly useless against someone who had lived two lives.

“Commander Lord, this is merely a minor matter. Swapping one Squad Leader for another—I trust my cousin and the Squad Leader I have will quickly acclimate to their new subordinates. It will have no impact on the combat strength of our Black Armored Army. Commander Lord, please just lend us this favor,” Teng Qingshan said with a smile. “I, Teng Qingshan, will remember Lord Commander’s kindness.”

Commander Bai Qi, however, sounded displeased. “Qingshan, I’m not trying to criticize you, but even though you two brothers aren't in the same Hundred-Man Squad, you are both still in the Black Armored Army and can see each other daily. Why must you insist on having your cousin join your unit? I cannot agree to this! Furthermore, you need to manage your temper. We are the Black Armored Army, not some disorganized gang; you can’t have everything go exactly as you wish!”

Teng Qingshan felt a flicker of irritation deep inside.

This Bai Qi was adopting the tone of, This is the Black Armored Army, we must follow military discipline.

No matter where one is in this world, human relations and customs cannot be avoided. Talking about military discipline depends on the timing. If it were a critical moment or an important matter, Teng Qingshan certainly wouldn't press the issue. But transferring Teng Qinghu to his unit was an utterly trivial affair.

Yet, the other party was stubbornly treating a feather as if it were a crucial arrow—making a mountain out of a molehill.

Bai Qi’s rhetoric might fool some inexperienced youngsters, but Teng Qingshan possessed the experience of two lifetimes.

“Brother Qingshan,” Tien Dan signaled him repeatedly.

Teng Qingshan stopped pleading with Bai Qi and walked away alongside Tien Dan.

Commander Bai Qi watched the retreating figures of Teng Qingshan and Tien Dan, a cold sneer in his heart: Hmph. Some poor country bumpkin who thinks he’s hot stuff just because he has a decent spear technique? What a joke! People with exceptional innate talent usually provoke one of two reactions: admiration, respect, and appreciation; or jealousy.

This Commander Bai Qi spoke with high-sounding words, but in reality, he was narrow-minded. Teng Qingshan had stolen the show yesterday, which had already caused Bai Qi some underlying dissatisfaction.

“This is the Black Armored Army, not a clique! What the Black Armored Army values most is loyalty. Without loyalty, no matter how strong you are, don't even dream of becoming a Commander or a Marshal!” Bai Qi sneered. Centurions might earn their rank through strength, but Commanders and Marshals were appointed by the Guiyuan Sect.

You’ll be stuck as a Centurion for life, always serving under me for your entire career, Bai Qi thought, feeling immensely satisfied. He comfortably resumed practicing his spear technique.

...

Teng Qingshan and Tien Dan walked side-by-side.

“It turns out Brother Tien Dan, you were right,” Teng Qingshan said with a wry smile.

Tien Dan tried to console him. “Brother Qingshan, don’t take it too much to heart. Commander Bai Qi speaks grandly, but deep down, he looks down on us. It can’t be helped… he’s a core disciple of the Guiyuan Sect, and they trust him. However, the Guiyuan Sect doesn't forbid challenges and spars between Centurions and Commanders. You could always go challenge him and beat him up for some relief. Just ensure no one gets killed.”

Centurions and Commanders were all first-rate martial artists. The Guiyuan Sect did not prohibit sparring among them.

“Beat him up?” Teng Qingshan pondered for a moment, then smiled, saying no more.

Beating someone up to vent?

A rash young man might do that. But Teng Qingshan wouldn't do something that offered no benefit and brought only harm. Regardless of the situation… currently, Commander Bai Qi looked down on most Centurions, but he hadn't specifically targeted him yet. If Teng Qingshan were to physically assault him for relief now, they would genuinely be at loggerheads from then on.

“Not necessary yet,” Teng Qingshan mused internally.

Such a petty, narrow-minded individual wasn't worth provoking. After all, dealing with a difficult minor character could be tiresome.

...

After morning drills concluded, the soldiers rested.

Teng Qinghu was sitting on the ground with the nine soldiers under his command, chatting casually.

“Hey, brothers,” Teng Qinghu said cheerfully to his nine men. “Now that we’re at the Guiyuan Sect, we should be able to learn some Inner Strength secret manuals, right? I haven’t seen any manuals, and the Guiyuan Sect hasn't given me any either.”

“Sir,” one of the soldiers laughed heartily, “Of course you get Inner Strength manuals once you enter the Black Armored Army.”

“Why haven’t I seen one?” Teng Qinghu frowned.

“Sir, the Inner Strength manual is engraved on that large stone tablet north of the training ground. Every Black Armored Army soldier can view and practice it,” another soldier explained. “That manual is the standard Inner Strength technique for the Black Armored Army, and its power is quite decent. However, some truly formidable experts already possess their own powerful Inner Strength techniques and don't need to practice the standard one.”

“The stone tablet to the north? Everyone can see it?”

Teng Qinghu’s eyes lit up, and he immediately stood up, looking north where a tall, vaguely visible stone stele stood at the northern edge of the training ground.

Teng Qinghu knew clearly that both he and Teng Qingshan had gained their internal energy through practicing the Tiger Fist technique, which, in essence, barely qualified as an Inner Strength manual. Both Teng Qingshan and Teng Qinghu deeply yearned for genuine Inner Strength manuals.

“What’s it called?” Teng Qinghu felt his heart quicken.

“The Fierce Ox Great Strength Art! It’s considered a very good Inner Strength manual,” the soldiers said.

“It’s an Inner Strength technique with very strong offensive power,” another soldier praised.

In the eyes of ordinary soldiers, the Fierce Ox Great Strength Art was indeed a high-grade manual. But to those like Yue Song, who had received instruction from famous masters, it was hardly worth mentioning. For people like Teng Qingshan and Teng Qinghu, who had never practiced a formalized Inner Strength manual, the Fierce Ox Great Strength Art was a treasure.

“Fierce Ox Great Strength Art?” Teng Qinghu immediately scrambled to his feet and ran toward Teng Qingshan, who was not far away. He had to share this news with Teng Qingshan!