The earth fort's archery range was not large; a small fortress housing only three thousand people didn't require a vast space for practice.

General Feng stood beside the target, two hundred paces away. He plucked a blade of grass from the ground and stuck it atop the target, saying, "I don't know the strength of the Seven Stars, but two hundred paces is likely the limit of how close you can get to him. Any closer, and the moment you lock onto him to strike, he'll easily discover you. If you can knock out this blade of grass, Luo might still have a chance."

Fen Tu Kuang Ge looked doubtfully at Qian Jin. As a scion of the Fen Tu lineage, proficiency with bow and horse was expected, but seeing a finger-length blade of grass at two hundred paces was difficult enough; to shoot it down presented an extraordinary challenge.

Qian Jin glanced at General Feng's target, squinted his eyes, scanned left and right, but made no move to draw his bow. Instead, under the puzzled gazes of the onlookers, he walked directly toward General Feng's target post.

Gong Mu whispered to the Qian Hu beside him, "Is it too far? Does he lack confidence and want to try something closer first?" The two Qian Hu exchanged contemplative glances, nodding in apparent agreement.

Qian Jin’s steps never faltered until he reached General Feng. He bent down and pulled up four more blades of grass, inserting them into the top of four other targets. Without a word, he turned and walked back.

"What does this mean?" Qian Hu Gong Mu's eyes were twice as wide as usual. "Does he even know what he's doing?"

Fen Tu Kuang Ge’s curiosity about Qian Jin deepened. Possessing the formidable strength of a Demon-Slaying Warrior, combined with his terrifying cognitive ability regarding maps—could his archery skills be equally exquisite? Few archers from the Yi Yu family, those without the awakened Divine Archer bloodline, could attempt what he was about to do. Could he actually hit it?

Duan Feng Bu Er maintained a constant smile, a still-unlit cigarette dangling from his lips, arms crossed over his chest, appearing ready to watch a spectacle.

Qian Jin walked all the way back to his original starting position. His one hundred and eight Dou Qiao apertures spun rapidly, the power of the Demon-Slaying Warrior instantly surging from his body. His legs split abruptly front and back as he rapidly twisted his body to face the distant targets. His powerful hand had already drawn the bowstring into a perfect crescent moon, the metal string emitting a soft creaking sound. The arrow vibrated on the string, then sliced through the air with a sharp whoosh...

Thwang, thwang, thwang, thwang... Four rapid vibrations of the bowstring followed, but the four arrows that flew out did not produce the sharp whoosh of piercing the air. They moved like silent wraiths, tearing through the bright sky, striking the blades of grass on the targets almost simultaneously.

The powerful self-rotation of his body generated a spiral-like wind pressure that instantly pulverized the struck blades of grass. The arrowheads and shafts plunged deep into the earth wall behind the target, right up to the fletching! Bang! Bang! Bang-bang-bang!

Five arrows buried themselves deeply in the earth wall, kicking up clouds of dirt and dust that drifted gently in the air.

General Feng ignored the acrid dust stinging his eyes, staring dumbfounded at the vanished blades of grass on the target and the fletching embedded in the wall!

"This archery..." General Feng's throat worked up and down, his pupils contracting to pinpoints. He was inwardly shocked by this terrifying archery. If the Dark Guard assassins who had tried to kill him that day possessed such skill... No! If they only possessed seventy percent of this archery... he would have already returned to the stars.

The three Qian Hu were completely stunned. In just ten days, this young warrior had brought them so much shock. Had he come to witness the Demon Race, or was he here to frighten people for sport?

Fen Tu Kuang Ge fell silent. He was nowhere near this level of archery. He had thought he already overestimated Qian Jin's strength, but even after boosting his estimation significantly, he still fell short of calculating his true capability.

Demon-Slaying Warrior, map analysis, and now this archery skill? Fen Tu Kuang Ge began to wonder if Qian Jin had been rigorously practicing various warrior techniques since he was still in his mother's womb.

Cold sweat beaded on General Feng’s forehead. Qian Jin had been facing away from the target before he struck. The moment he turned back, he nocked, drew, and released the arrows in one fluid motion! If he had intended to kill him just now, he probably would have five extra holes in his body... Such shooting skill... perhaps... perhaps this mission could actually be completed! He truly wanted to know what the Dark Guard was searching for! He truly wanted to see the face of the Dark Guard's Seven Stars.

In the silent archery field, the bowstring continued to vibrate, humming its resonant sound, seemingly showcasing its power to everyone. [Paired Crossbow]

Qian Jin watched his bowstring, damping the vibrating sound. The muscles on his chest rose and fell slightly as he gazed at the five successive arrows embedded in the wall, sighing inwardly that the time he spent forging bows and arrows in the Valley of Four Seasons was too late. Even now, he could only manage the five-shot sequence of [Linked Arrows]. To many archers, this might already be an incredible technique.

Compared to the techniques described in Divine Archery—[May Rain Assault], [July Downpour], and [Chaotic Arrow Strike]—it was far inferior! According to the description in Divine Archery, the power of the May Rain Assault sounded like a sudden thunderstorm upon hearing it initiated. If it reached the level of July Downpour, the bowstrings and arrows would make people look up at the sky to see if it was truly raining; a pot of arrows could be expended in an instant, each shot carrying terrifying power.

As for the power of the [Chaotic Arrow Strike], the description in Divine Archery was simple: only those who have used it will ever know how astonishing its power is.

"It seems I really need to practice my archery diligently when I have the time," Qian Jin secretly resolved. The next time he entered the Endless World, he must forge a powerful bow and create a stack of arrows, and then seize the chance to practice his archery when he had the opportunity to search for items in the Western Mountains. "Hmph!"

Duan Feng Bu Er was the first to break the deathly silence of the archery range with applause. Fen Tu Kuang Ge applauded and praised him, secretly feeling fortunate for his previous actions which bordered on seeking apprenticeship. This single display of archery alone would make many seasoned generals tremble with fear.

The three Qian Hu walked woodenly toward the target, gently touching the five powerful arrows nailed into the wall, murmuring continuous praise and admiration.

Faced with the sight of five perfectly aimed, wall-piercing shots fired in rapid succession, General Feng could not voice any objection. How strong was the Demon Warrior known as the Dark Guard Seven Stars? He would probably need to consult files from the Military Department in the Divine Capital to find out.

But the power of those five arrows! General Feng knew clearly that they were lethally effective! Among the five shots just now, especially the last four, the arrows flew with absolute silence. If he had been in that position, even with five lives, they would all have been returned to the stars.

"Perhaps there is a chance," General Feng sighed. "This mission was originally supposed to be mine. Frankly, it was set up by someone above to harm me. If I, the general of this earth fort, were to infiltrate Demon territory, and something were to happen on the border line in the meantime, my dismissal and investigation would be a certainty."

A trace of helplessness crossed Fen Tu Kuang Ge's rugged face. No wonder his grandfather always said that internal threats were more terrifying than external ones. If a small earth fort was like this, what would it be like in larger territories? Perhaps only His Majesty the Emperor, or the appearance of a warrior with the ultimate bloodline, could temporarily resolve such matters for now?

"This time, I intended to consult with the three Qian Hu to see if they could attempt a rescue of the target the Dark Guard is seeking, to try our luck," General Feng did not hide his intentions at all. "It just so happens that you three young cadets, who only appear here once every ten years, have arrived at the earth fort, so..."

"I want to try as well," Qian Jin stroked the bow. "If I get the head of the Dark Guard Seven Stars, it might increase my chances when competing for the position of City Lord in the future, right?"

General Feng regarded Qian Jin with surprise. A youth with the goal of attaining a position as high as City Lord—was he overflowing with confidence, or did he simply not grasp the severity of the situation?

The City Lord, within the Zhen Ce Dynasty, was a high-ranking official governing a region. Becoming a City Lord was no simple matter. It required not only an imperial decree from the Dynasty but also considerable maneuvering to secure the seat firmly, as well as the support of the powers within the city and those surrounding it.

"Indeed, if you truly obtained the head of the Dark Guard Seven Stars, it would significantly increase your odds when vying for the City Lord position." General Feng laughed heartily. "Actually, if you can rescue the target the Dark Guard is searching for, that merit alone will be substantial. Old Feng, though my rank is low, I haven't devolved to the petty act of snatching credit from the younger generation! Whoever earns the merit, owns it!"

Qian Jin inwardly praised General Feng for being shrewd. The earth fort was his territory after all; no matter the extent to which the mission succeeded, the report to the military department would undoubtedly be submitted by the military head of the earth fort, not a mere warrior cadet from the Auckland Academy of Magic and Warfare. His only concern was having his merit usurped.

Having read many books, Qian Jin naturally knew more; when profit reaches a sufficient magnitude, very few people can resist it.

[Friends are not loyal because of camaraderie; camaraderie exists because the price of betrayal is not high enough. Brothers are not loyal because of devotion; devotion exists because the lure of temptation is not strong enough.]

Although Qian Jin did not fully agree with this passage recorded in a certain book, he knew it held a degree of truth. At the very least, his relationship with the current General Feng had not reached the point where they could entrust their lives to each other; therefore, everything needed to be clearly negotiated first.

"However, the position of City Lord..." General Feng coldly snorted several times. "Relying on a single military achievement is not enough... If you had graduated from a first-rate high academy, then amassed countless military merits, combined with your own strength and cultivating a network of connections, the goal of becoming City Lord would become somewhat more realistic." Ah! Let me roar first! Aaaaaaahhhhhhh! Ten chapters! Ten chapters! Do I need to say anything else? ...mF