Chapter 42: Slippery Ground, Martial Arts Hall Cooperation, and the Strength of Five Oxen!

"No wonder those Wolf Guards are so formidable! They can take on multiple opponents at once."

He had only just cultivated his Vital Blood, yet he was able to go head-to-head with a Company Commander using the "Blood Coagulation" effect of the Blood Demon Arts without falling behind. It was no wonder that those barbarians were as fierce as tigers the moment they cultivated their Vital Blood.

"The ground is too slippery!"

Commander Wang was helped up by his men, his face flushing red as he shoved their hands away.

Only then did the others seem to wake from a dream, rushing forward to congratulate Xia He, each of their faces revealing undisguised envy. Who would have thought that a tiny border garrison could actually produce such a martial arts genius? Even though everyone had been practicing blood arts for many years, there were very few who could truly surpass Commander Wang. Although the Commander might not have used his full strength, this brief clash clearly demonstrated just how high the ceiling of Xia He’s talent truly was.

Talent—it was something so many dreamed of!

At this moment, Wang Erpang was so stunned he stood agape. The excitement that had filled him earlier vanished without a trace. He stared at Xia He with wide eyes, his legs turning to jelly; he almost knelt down on the spot! He secretly rejoiced that he had latched onto this powerful figure early on—it was worth it!

The commotion reached a military tent in the distance. Commander Fan, who was busy handling military affairs, heard the news of Xia He’s successful cultivation of Vital Blood and hurried over.

"You have truly cultivated Vital Blood?"

As a master at the Bone Refinement stage, Commander Fan’s gaze was as sharp as a blade. With a single look, he could see that the surging, powerful Vital Blood in Xia He’s body was no illusion. He looked at Xia He as if he had discovered a rare, uncut jade, his eyes filled with surprise and appreciation. He couldn't help but exclaim:

"Good lad, such innate talent is truly extraordinary."

He repeated the word "good" several times, a mysterious glint flashing in his eyes. To have surpassed the hard work of most people’s eight or ten years in just over a month of training—the gap in talent and foundation was completely laid bare.

"It is all thanks to your cultivation, Commander Fan."

Ever since Xia He learned that it was Commander Fan who was responsible for the blood plague in town, he felt his skin crawl under the man's lingering gaze.

"Not bad, your Vital Blood is thick. From now on, those of the same level should not be able to withstand a single blow from you..."

"Recently, I have reached an agreement with the local martial arts schools. They will provide us with a large amount of medicinal herbs. It seems you might achieve the Great Completion of Blood Refinement before the start of spring?"

Xia He put on a timely look of surprise. "Our garrison is collaborating with the martial arts schools?"

"Indeed! To defend against the barbarians, they must contribute their share. Furthermore, I will have people from the schools come to the garrison to spar and exchange martial arts with you all."

Xia He remained silent, his face filled with suspicion. The martial arts schools were secretly backed by Commander Fan and were usually arrogant and domineering; they even dared to beat the Town Magistrate at will. They had spread the blood plague everywhere to harm innocent people just to line their pockets. Now that the barbarians were attacking, why had they suddenly changed their tune? Had they grown a conscience?

That very afternoon, the schools sent men over, driving donkey carts loaded with large quantities of herbs and grain. The warehouse master hurriedly welcomed them, calling for the new recruits in the mess hall to help unload the supplies. Before long, the once-empty warehouse was filled to the brim.

The refugees in town lived in misery, often unable to even get a mouthful of food and starving to death. But that was only the common folk; the town also had its share of wealthy families who had fled from other regions. The martial arts schools were particularly wealthy, overflowing with riches. Wang Erpang had told Xia He in private that the schools' oppression of the people was getting worse, to the point where they dared to beat disobedient citizens to death! And what did they rely on? Wasn't it their very own Commander Fan?

But with money and grain in hand, Xia He wasn't foolish enough to stand up and oppose them now. For the military households in the garrison, these benefits were tangible. After all, Blood Supplement Soup was expensive; how could their measly monthly military pay cover it? It was a godsend! If they truly defeated the barbarians and performed meritorious service, who would care about the commoners at the bottom?

"Brother He, these things... should we take them?" Wang Erpang hesitated, feeling a sense of guilt.

"Take them. Why wouldn't we?" Xia He replied. "The schools plunder the people. If we don't use these medicines and grain, won't someone else? At least if we use them, we can actually kill some barbarians. The others might not be able to say the same. Even if we are to settle scores with the schools, now is not the time."

The plan after spring was to eliminate the barbarians. The following days were spent solely on drills. Commander Fan had great ambitions and seemed to truly want to distinguish himself in the military. Even the military discipline had become much stricter, and everyone was training intensely, as if they felt a war was truly imminent. With resources now available, most people stopped complaining. Everyone secretly praised Commander Fan.

For more than ten days, Xia He practiced in the military training grounds. The wild boar meat he had brought back was all gone, and he had gained another attribute point, which he added to another martial art, "Wild Bull Strength," to directly improve his proficiency.

[Skill: Wild Bull Strength (Great Completion)]
[Progress: 0/1000]
[Effect: Strength of Five Bulls, instantaneous burst of power]

"So, not all martial arts can evolve into branches?" Xia He frowned. He had hoped this technique would evolve into something unique, but it seemed to depend on the limits of the technique itself. "A bit of a waste."

But there was nothing he could do; he currently had no other martial arts. However, with his Vital Blood now established, combined with the "Strength of Five Bulls" from this technique, it should be sufficient for the time being.

"The meat is gone; I need to find more. And if I want to accumulate attribute points quickly, the quality of the meat must be high! Are there any more Great Demons in the mountains?"

Martial arts was all about resources.

The weather grew increasingly cold. On the day of the Winter Solstice, snowflakes began to drift from the sky. In the depths of winter, Xia He took a rare half-day off to relax. He bought meat and rice, and even brought a sugar cake for his nephew, Xiaowen, as he headed home.

Pushing the door open, a cold wind blew past, and snowflakes fell gently, landing on his shoulders and hair. He shook off the snow, creating a faint rustling sound. As he entered, his wife, Li Huilan, came to greet him. Xia He felt a warmth in his heart.

"Wife, didn't I tell you to wait for me inside? It's cold now, and I was afraid you’d catch a chill."

Li Huilan’s cute little nose was rosy, and she stared at him with wide eyes. "Brother He, I'm wearing my cotton-padded jacket. I'm not cold."