Chapter 85 - 72: Fame Shakes Black Mountain

Chapter 85: Chapter 72: Fame Shakes Black Mountain

There might be other precedents, but regardless, being able to slash and kill an Outer Gang Realm expert with only Qi Storage Realm strength was enough to prove that his future was limitless!

"Master."

Du Ding’s voice came from outside the window. Ma Zhiyuan looked toward the training ground outside. Many disciples and apprentices were already prepared. They gathered together, rubbing their hands in eager anticipation, looking extremely excited.

Unlike the Xu family’s Martial Arts Hall, where it was merely mentioned in passing on a whim, the apprentices of the Ma family’s Martial Arts Hall had received the news long ago. Furthermore, they were more than willing to enlist in the military. After all, the tuition fees at the Xu family’s Martial Arts Hall were exorbitant. Those who signed up were all children from wealthy families in the county. For them, there were many paths to change their lives; they didn’t necessarily have to become soldiers.

However, the Ma Family Fist hall charged very little, and Ma Zhiyuan was a kind man. During the autumn harvest, one could even bring a single catty of grain to practice Fist Techniques for a few days. Therefore, after Ma Zhiyuan made the announcement, all the apprentices eagerly signed up, having long wanted to join the army to change their destinies.

Even if they didn’t do it for the silver, simply becoming Regular Soldiers of the Black Mountain Guard meant they would receive one Blood Nourishing Pill issued by the Court every month! Relying on that monthly pill, they could reach Blood Refining by the time they hit retirement age. And a Blood Refining Martial Artist was already considered a prominent figure in the county town.

Looking at the apprentices before him, Ma Zhiyuan was in high spirits. He waved his large hand and said happily, "Good, good, good! I will take you all to enlist right now!"

He figured that if there were ten of his own disciples among Captain Zheng’s Personal Guards, his influence in Captain Zheng’s heart would surely increase. Nowadays, the Border States were plagued by the chaos of war. With Roving Bandits wreaking havoc and the Beirong invading from the north, a hero like Captain Zheng was bound to make a name for himself sooner or later. Captain Zheng had no relatives, so his closest ties would naturally be his fellow townsmen.

He mused that if a few County Magistrates or County Captains emerged from among his disciples in the future, the Ma family would achieve great glory. Ma Zhiyuan pondered this carefully. He certainly didn’t dare to dream of earning merit for supporting a new emperor or becoming a founding minister of a dynasty. Although he had a sharp mind, Ma Zhiyuan still couldn’t grasp the crisis-ridden state of Great Zhou. He simply wanted to leverage their bond as fellow townsmen, hoping that Zheng Jun would climb higher and higher within the Great Zhou Court, taking his people along for the soaring ride!

Rumors surged throughout Black Mountain County.

Whether it was among the local Gentry and prominent clans, or the Martial Arts Halls and enforcer gangs, Zheng Jun’s reputation once again resounded throughout the entire county. This was different from his previous fame as a renowned youth and a Martial Arts Pride. This time, his reputation had reached the absolute pinnacle! He had become an existence revered by everyone in the county town.

Many of the Gentry were already making active plans, preparing to inquire extensively about whether he had taken a wife or concubines in hopes of establishing a connection. After all, anyone with a discerning eye could see that Zheng San had a limitless future.

Meanwhile, this Zheng Jun—the Zheng San who was revered by everyone in Black Mountain County—was currently draped in a cloak, sitting upright inside the Military Department. He held a scroll on Military Strategy in his hands, reading it over and over again. He couldn’t put it down, his attitude incredibly earnest.

Previously, Zheng Jun hadn’t thought this military manual was anything rare, only hastily skimming through it a couple of times. Having arrived in this great world of Martial Arts, he had always imagined matching an army of ten thousand by himself, coming and going without a trace. If ultimate power resided solely within oneself, what was the point of an army?

Even if they could use Array Formation, it had its limits. They moved slowly, while Martial Arts experts moved like shadows. Forming a Military Array only allowed for passive defense, making it impossible to attack proactively. Zheng Jun had been quite dismissive of such a situation.

But now, he understood.

Executing an Array Formation was truly an exhilarating experience. Being roped into someone else’s array as a mere member of the collective was naturally unpleasant. However, having others form an array for him—feeling that mighty power converge on his own body—was genuinely as thrilling as taking a potent elixir.

He reasoned that no matter if the enemy was in the Outer Gang Realm, backed by a great army in Array Formation, they wouldn’t dare lay a finger on a Qi Storage Realm cultivator like him!

After carefully leafing through the Military Strategy, especially the section on Arrays, Zheng Jun couldn’t help but sigh with deep emotion, "Whoever created Arrays was a true genius!"

The Star Array was nothing more than the simplest and most foundational Array in the Great Zhou military. In addition to that, there were Arrays for cavalry charges, Arrays for coordinated Archers... There were all kinds of them, with endless variations. However, no matter what kind of Array it was, the most important element still lay with the people.

First of all, to successfully execute an Array, three conditions needed to be met.

First, possessing an Array Banner. The Array Banner had to be erected within the army, drilling day and night alongside the troops. By receiving the convergence of every soldier’s Blood Qi and True Qi, the Array could become spiritually awakened and establish mutual connections among them.

Second, soldier training. It wasn’t as simple as casually pulling together twenty Martial Artists to form an array. At the very least, they needed to practice the formations of a Military Array, balancing offense and defense, so they wouldn’t wander aimlessly and scatter the formation, which would cause everyone’s True Qi to dissipate. It was best if everyone practiced the same Cultivation Technique, as this would allow them to be much more familiar with each other’s energy.

Third, a formidable Main General. Even after achieving the previous two points, the most crucial aspect was still the Main General. This role was the most difficult. After all, everyone’s True Qi and Blood Qi were chaotic. Although the Array Banner stood beside them and could link all this True Qi together, the Main General still needed to use his own True Qi to guide these energies in order to unify their deployment.

Some Commanders lacked sufficient skill. Even if they formed an array, they couldn’t command the True Qi and Blood Qi of the entire army as easily as moving their own limbs, allowing them to exert only a tenth or even a twentieth of its true might. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ

But other Commanders possessed majestic and vast True Qi, enabling them to direct and command with absolute unity. No matter how many soldiers were under their command, they could mobilize them all. This was the difference between a famous general and an ordinary one.