Chapter 136 - 115: Return

Chapter 136: Chapter 115: Return

He stared at the bodies piled high on the ground, a look of utter disbelief on his face, followed by sheer excitement.

’Lu Yuan’s strength is simply beyond my imagination,’ he thought. ’I doubt even Zhou Ren could have lasted more than a few moves against him.’

"Captain, what are our next orders?" Zhou Xiong asked after glancing at the corpses.

"We’ll clean up the battlefield and then head back. The Wolf Soldiers may be scattered, but we don’t know if Xirong has reinforcements on the way. The sooner we leave, the better."

"Yes, sir!"

After acknowledging the order, Zhou Xiong immediately led his men to start collecting the Identity Tokens from the fallen Xirong Warriors.

At the same time, he sent a man to tell their lookouts on the summit to come down and regroup.

For a moment, a wave of elation at having survived against all odds washed over everyone.

Meanwhile, one of the Imperial Guard Scouts asked, "Chief, what do we do now?"

"We’re heading back. We’ll report what happened here to Marshal Xiao." As he spoke, he took out a scroll. It was a Retrospective Scroll, an item that could record scenes from a battlefield.

They were wondrous items crafted by the imperial Ministry of Industry.

Only Imperial Guard Scouts were issued them, and they were rarely used.

But this veteran scout had clearly used his rather precious Retrospective Scroll last night.

"Chief, you used it?"

"Heh heh, I’m about to retire. If I didn’t use it now, I’d never get the chance," the Reconnoitre Centurion said with a chuckle. "And we just so happened to witness that Wolf Rider Captain’s incredible display of power. So I used it. I’m sure Marshal Xiao won’t hold it against me."

The others nodded, then turned their horses around and headed toward the Dayong camp.

Lu Yuan and his men, after clearing the battlefield and having a meal, also began their journey back.

They had set out with three thousand men, but now, fewer than five hundred were returning. Still, every one of them knew.

They knew that it was Lu Yuan who had saved their lives. Otherwise, they would have been wiped out on the very first night.

Zhao Wu and Sun Li hadn’t known Lu Yuan for long, but they were now completely won over by their new captain.

The return journey was uneventful. After a full three days, they finally neared the main camp.

After all, their ranks were filled with the wounded, making it impossible to quicken their pace.

As for the Imperial Guard Scouts, they had long since returned to camp and informed the dispatched relief force that the battle was already over.

Inside Xiao Heng’s command tent, his top commanders and the Seventh Prince were gathered.

The Reconnoitre Centurion knelt on one knee, slowly unfurling the pale gold scroll in his hands. A series of images began to appear upon its surface.

Though the perspective was from a distance, everyone could clearly see the scene: Lu Yuan on the battlefield, wielding his Crescent Saber and carving a path through the horde of Wolf Soldiers.

Several of the Imperial Army Garrison Generals couldn’t help but gasp.

The Seventh Prince’s brow furrowed slightly.

’Lu Yuan’s performance is somewhat beyond my expectations.’

The jealousy and resentment in Zhao Yu’s eyes were plain to see.

Xiao Heng’s eyes, however, were filled with appreciation. ’I already thought Lu Yuan was exceptionally talented, but I never imagined he would still exceed my expectations by so much.’

When the scroll’s projection ended, he spoke slowly, "Excellent. The Border Army has finally produced a true talent."

Then, his gaze shifted subtly toward the Seventh Prince.

He saw the Prince’s brow twitch, but he remained silent.

Xiao Heng sighed inwardly. ’It’s clear the Prince has still chosen Zhang Zhe.’

’Then again, that’s to be expected.’

’After all, Zhang Zhe has the Prince Polu Royal Mansion behind him.’

’But Lu Yuan’s brilliance can no longer be hidden.’

Then, Xiao Heng gave his order. "When Wolf Rider Captain Lu Yuan returns, have him rest and recuperate for a while."

"Yes, Marshal Xiao!"

After the Marquis of Mucheng, his Vice General, acknowledged the order, the tent fell silent.

Then, Xiao Heng waved a hand, dismissing the others.

Once only he and the Marquis of Mucheng remained in the tent, he asked casually, "What are your thoughts on Lu Yuan?"

"Excellent. His talent and his character are both top-notch," the Marquis of Mucheng stated bluntly.

Xiao Heng nodded, then sighed. "Indeed. But it is incredibly difficult for a commoner to climb into the upper echelons. It’s tantamount to infringing upon the interests of the establishment. Without some earth-shattering achievements, it’s nearly impossible to make a name for oneself."

"And now that he’s been publicly rejected by the Seventh Prince, his path forward will be even more difficult."

Dayong was founded over a millennium ago; its upper echelons have long since ossified.

In a system like this, it is incredibly difficult for a single person to break the mold.

But he then continued, "However, since he is now under my command and I’ve taken notice of him, I will do my best to give him an opportunity to rise. As for whether or not he can tear through the canopy of the upper class and carve out a place for himself... that will be up to him."

The Marquis of Mucheng bowed. "Marshal Xiao, your magnanimity is truly something we all admire."

"Heh heh, enough with the flattery. Lu Yuan and his men should be returning soon. Go and welcome him on my behalf. See if he needs anything, and do your best to provide it."

"Yes, Marshal Xiao."

The Marquis of Mucheng acknowledged the order and withdrew.

Meanwhile, Lu Yuan’s column, with its stop-and-go pace, finally arrived outside the camp just as dusk was falling.

The Marquis of Mucheng was already waiting at the entrance, a warm smile on his face.

Upon seeing him, Lu Yuan stepped forward and bowed. "Greetings, Marquis."

"No need for such formalities. Marshal Xiao knew you were returning and specifically sent me to welcome you," the Marquis of Mucheng said, taking Lu Yuan by the arm and leading him inside. "You’ve performed a great service this time. First, let’s go record your merits."

As for Zhou Xiong and the others, they led their men back to their own camp and summoned a Medical Officer to treat the wounded Warriors.

When Lu Yuan arrived at the Merit Camp and a mountain of Wolf Soldier Identity Tokens was piled up, the Quartermaster didn’t dare to delay and immediately began to tally them.

Under the watchful eye of the Marquis of Mucheng, he meticulously recorded the merits for Lu Yuan and his men.

"Second-Class Merit." After seeing the three words in the merit ledger, Lu Yuan let out a long sigh of relief. ’This battle wasn’t fought in vain, after all.’

"To earn a Second-Class Merit at your age is truly rare. Marshal Xiao said you fought exceptionally well," the Marquis of Mucheng said, patting Lu Yuan on the shoulder. He was clearly very optimistic about the young man’s prospects. "If there’s anything you need, just say the word. I’ll do my best to provide it."

"Marquis, my weapon was damaged in the battle. I was wondering if it would be possible to get a new one that suits me," Lu Yuan said with a smile.

The Marquis of Mucheng had expected some difficult request, so when he heard it was only for a weapon, he quickly replied, "That’s no problem at all. You go back and rest. I’ll have a weapon sent over to you shortly."

"The Marshal happens to have a weapon in his personal collection. It’s a real treasure—I wanted it myself, but he wouldn’t give it to me. But you fought so well, I’ll try asking for it on your behalf. I think Marshal Xiao might be willing to part with it."

"Then I must thank you, Marquis."

"Don’t mention it. Now, go and get some rest," the Marquis of Mucheng said with a chuckle.

Lu Yuan nodded and headed toward his tent.

The moment he was back, a system panel popped into view.

[Cultivation Technique: Fourth-Grade Cultivation Skill, "Spring and Autumn Saber Skill" (60,172/50,000, Entering the Stance). Spend 10,000 Skill Level to advance?]