Chapter 193: Fourth War Corps, Abundant in Buckets!

Qin Shi's soul trembled!

The 【Order】 attribute bestowed by condensing the Holy Embryo Prototype, plus the Divine Spirit Pillar of 【Taiyi】, was enough to make him immune to the vast majority of spiritual impacts!

But when Lao Liang was reflected, that sky-supporting, earth-treading Bronze Giant Spirit image, its sense of power unmatched, was manifested.

Qin Shi's ears rang, exploding with a boom, his Consciousness Sea nearly collapsing.

Like a red-hot Iron Nail, "Swish!" piercing through the Skull, straight into the cranium!

The sudden sharp pain made his body sway, bumping against the Coal Stove, knocking the Medicine Pot to the ground.

The clanging sound startled Lao Liang, who had swallowed Half Blood Flower; his pupils contracted instantly, like an instinct triggered by the body itself!

Crack! Crack!

Qin Shi vaguely heard the sound of chains dragging; in his swaying vision, he saw Lao Liang's skin become congested, turning crimson and dripping, then a series of pitch-black patterns spread rapidly, intertwining into some kind of floral pattern, like closing Flower Buds, covering the abnormality within his body.

The Bronze Giant Spirit image reflected in his heart gradually blurred, then dispersed, completely gone.

"I forgot, when you were young you achieved Spirit-Flesh Unity. Life force surged, and your spirit must have advanced too."

A flash of self-reproach crossed Lao Liang's eyes, speaking as if still shaken:

"From now on, absolutely do not use 'Spiritual Vision' to observe me. Remember this!"

Qin Shi saw Lao Liang being so serious for the first time, even using a warning tone.

"Understood, Master Liang. How is the effect of the Blood Flower?"

He didn't ask further; everyone has their own secrets.

Lao Liang was an extraordinary figure who had roamed Jingzhou's martial world in his youth, formally apprenticed to learn arts, and served in the War Corps earning military merit.

Reduced to being the Physical Education Teacher at Old Factory Street Subsidiary School in Hengzhou, there must be a story behind this.

Letting the dejected recall their moment of glory is an act of tearing open wounds.

"Pretty good. I probably need seven to fifteen days of 'Digestion Period'."

The wrinkles on Lao Liang's face smoothed out. For a strong person, to watch helplessly endure a near "omnipotent" powerful body gradually decaying day by day, trapping a originally resolute soul in a weak body, is actually a great torment.

Otherwise, there wouldn't be so many full-time professionals who stepped onto the Path, ultimately willing to kneel beneath the Chaos Pillar, running errands for it, acting as claws and fangs.

Survival and becoming stronger is the instinct of any life.

Even the Martial God is no exception.

Hearing Lao Liang say this, Qin Shi breathed a sigh of relief; as long as this thing works, that's enough.

Restoring a bit of strength is another matter. As long as that lame leg can be healed, it wasn't in vain.

"Young."

Lao Liang's complexion was ruddy, laughing heartily:

"When I was young, I basked in the light of my Master and Master Uncle; in old age, I can still bask in the light of my Disciple. This lifetime, Heaven has not treated me poorly. Come over, I have something to say to you."

The squatting master and disciple stood up; Qin Shi swept the broken Medicine Pot into the Broom, then sat before Lao Liang.

"I wanted to pass this to you earlier. You should know a bit, your Master here, I used to be a soldier in the Fourth War Corps, did alright."

Lao Liang swallowed Half Blood Flower, like a fifty-year-old man taking a Tonic, spirited, speaking with full vigor.

"Hundred Forms Refining Momentum is Hong Sheng's True Disciple art; my Master Uncle said this belongs to late-stage methods, the better the Zizhi, the higher the level, the greater the power exerted.

I'm single-minded, for decades day after day, only refined one or two Heart Momentums. After joining the War Corps, I happened to learn 'Soldier Conquers Combat Method', only then making up for shortcomings."

Remembering Lao Liang's identity introduction, that string of meritorious decorations, Qin Shi couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth.

His own Master was too humble; unless he committed some great error Qin Shi didn't know about.

Perhaps Lao Liang was an Instructor Level figure with Golden Spike Shoulder Insignia!

"'Soldier Conquers Combat Method' was created by Qin Shuai, an entry-level Jiao Xue Cai Liao for the army, especially the Fourth War Corps, almost everyone knows it."

Lao Liang introduced:

"Its content is simple and unadorned: just constantly circulate life force, forming 'Qi Cyclones' within the body, covering all parts of the Mortal Body, serving to nourish and consume."

Lao Liang demonstrated while speaking; after swallowing Half Blood Flower, his physical condition improved greatly, no longer bearing a huge burden as before.

Exhale! Inhale!

Qin Shi carefully sensed; as Lao Liang activated Soldier Conquers Combat Method, all over his body it was as if stars lit up, emitting soft Blood Light, fist-sized Qi Cyclones slowly activating, swallowing and absorbing surrounding loose Energy Factors.

The atmosphere of the entire room was stirred, surging!

Pity the City District space was too stable; the dispersed Energy Factors were too thin, unable to provide Lao Liang a suitable Cultivation Environment.

"Deep accumulation!"

Qin Shi roughly counted; Lao Liang had fully opened sixty-two Qi Cyclones, respectively covering the Trunk and Four Limbs.

With the rhythm of every breath, boiling life force would be like a thread, threading through many Qi Cyclones, completing the Great Unity of the flesh.

"It's just that this method isn't quite right!"

Qin Shi sat opposite Lao Liang; Soldier Conquers Combat Method was like a War Ship's energy furnace, extremely squeezing the Mortal Body's flesh and blood, even having a reckless, brutal feel!

The body was like a richly reserved Oil Field, constantly being mined, recklessly drawing out strand after strand of Blood and Qi from Tendons and Bones, Skin Membranes!

"Your thought is correct. The creator of Soldier Conquers Combat Method is Qin Shuai; he considered everything. The Zizhi of the vast majority of people cannot adapt to powerful Inheritances."

Lao Liang opened his eyes, slowly saying:

"So He Lanchan's 'Void Meditation Method' waited long, only to welcome a successor like you. The lower the Threshold, the higher the popularity; destined to be unable to provide other things, such as faster Cultivation Speed, more efficient energy conversion..."

Qin Shi expressed understanding; to get more satisfactory Value Bonuses, one must improve one's Attributes to reach the standard.

This is very reasonable!

"But Qin Shuai was a heaven-born genius; those Martial Gods shining in the Star Sea, the Inheritances they created all gathered their own heart's blood and experience, like Cloud palaces, magnificent and grand, yet unapproachable. But Qin Shuai took another path, thinking human potential is endless, through training and development, condensing Life Yuan Qi!

Every ten strands of Life Yuan Qi can open one Qi Cyclone, helping absorb Energy Factors; the Threshold is extremely low.

This isn't even the strongest point of Soldier Conquers Combat Method; its strength lies in not having no future. As long as your life force is strong enough, you can endlessly open Qi Cyclones, strengthening the Mortal Body."

Worship and admiration rose in Lao Liang's eyes; as a practitioner of Soldier Conquers Combat Method, he fully felt the breadth and boundlessness of this Path.

"To a certain extent, the reason New Dongxia's troop growth is so fast that it can support the Great Expedition's massive consumption, the Soldier-Expedition Combat Method deserves the credit."

"What's the price?"

This question popped into Qin Shi's mind.

His Life Force Development had some minor achievements, and his understanding of the Martial Path could be called profound.

Looking out across the vast Star Sea, there is absolutely nothing perfect.

"Defects, or rather drawbacks, there are two."

Lao Liang sighed:

"First, just like walking the Old Martial Arts path, it indeed produces the objective fact of over-exploiting the Mortal Body, hollowing out potential, resulting in premature aging and shortened lifespan cycles. Because of this point, in New Dongxia's fifth millennium, Ying Shuai proposed abolishing the army-wide promotion of the Soldier-Expedition Combat Method, and it passed the vote of the other Marshals.

Currently, only the Fourth War Corps, which has always been on the Borderlands front line, still maintains the tradition."

It seems among Dongxia's Nine Marshals, they aren't always in step.

Qin Shi thought silently.

From the Spiritual Resonance in the Ruined Temple, and the bits and pieces of information learned, one could roughly judge this.

Although Qin Shuai's words carry great weight, the old man rarely actively uses a decisive, one-word-final communication style; he is willing to step back, even concede "interests" concerning himself.

"And the second?"

Qin Shi's thoughts diverged slightly, then quickly gathered back.

"The Soldier-Expedition Combat Method has no concept of Perfection."

Lao Liang smiled bitterly:

"This is a road with no end. Ten strands of Life Yuan Qi condense, open a Qi Xuan, then keep doubling……"

"Exponential growth?"

Qin Shi clicked his tongue; he did a quick calculation: assuming the Soldier-Expedition Combat Method has ten thousand layers, the final amount of Life Yuan Qi required would far exceed the total number of atoms in the Universe, simply impossible to measure conventionally.

Good thing Qin Shuai dared to think it — who could actually walk this road through?

The old man himself might not have reached the ten-thousand-layer realm either?!

This thought flashed by, and Qin Shi raised a new question:

"Teacher Liang, since there are so many practitioners of the Soldier-Expedition Combat Method, do you know who pushed it to the highest level?"

He was very curious — which big shot had such perseverance and determination, made up their mind to deadlock with the Soldier-Expedition Combat Method?

"During the Great Expedition period……"

Lao Liang hesitated, but finally spoke that name.

"The Fourth War Corps' Deputy Commander, Qin Yue. According to statistics, before that rebellion occurred, he was already very close to the six-thousand-layer Soldier-Expedition Combat Method."

So the Deputy Commander is called "Qin Yue".

Qin Shi pondered, just now recalling that in the Spiritual Resonance, Qin Shuai indeed called him A-Yue.

"Six-thousand-layer Soldier-Expedition Combat Method?"

He immediately marveled; Lao Liang's Professional-level strength amounted to only sixty-some Qi Xuan total.

Hard to fathom how much Value Bonus a six-thousand-layer Soldier-Expedition Combat Method could provide that Deputy Commander.

Blowing up a small asteroid with one punch should be no problem, right?

Qin Shi strained his meager imagination, guessing at those powerful existences.

After all, he hasn't yet reached the end of the path, cannot contact higher-level scenery.

"However, Deputy Commander Qin Yue was stripped of Dongxia Citizen status and all rights. Generally when people discuss this, they don't count him."

Lao Liang added.

"The officially recognized data is Jiang Wanli, who rose unexpectedly during the Great Reclamation Movement; although he never served in the Fourth War Corps, he still chose to mainly cultivate the Soldier-Expedition Combat Method, has already broken through 5,428 layers, titled Half-step Martial God. He is now a Commander, garrisoned at Gouchen Ancient Star."

All fierce people!

Qin Shi couldn't help but become interested.

He felt cultivating the Soldier-Expedition Combat Method was like participating in some "speed race", comparing who clears more levels faster.

"Teacher Liang, I'm not afraid! My potential is deep, and I have the New Life Stage feedback after breaking the Limit, perfectly suited for the Soldier-Expedition Combat Method!"

Qin Shi actively requested, planning to challenge this "track".

"I was going to teach you anyway. Military training materials have high confidentiality; only the Soldier-Expedition Combat Method is unrestricted. You're approaching the Professional Realm's Hundred Point Threshold; with your strength, crossing it won't be hard."

Lao Liang, rich in experience, imparted the key points:

"But the step from Amateur Level to Professional Level, the Old Era Martial Arts World calls 'Leaping the Dragon Gate'. How to leap has many particulars. The Hundred Point Threshold breakthrough is a single eruption of all your early accumulations; it must be treated with utmost caution.

The Soldier-Expedition Combat Method exploits potential, just right to push you up another notch; I suggest opening around twelve Qi Xuan before considering entering the Professional Realm."

Qin Shi also found it reasonable; the Professional Realm is the second stage of the Martial Path, equivalent to a brand new Heaven and Earth.

Over the next few days, besides eating at home and keeping Eldest Sister Qin Xiao and Youngest Qin Lan company, he basically came here to Lao Liang's place to comprehend the Fourth War Corps' "General Teaching Material", the Soldier-Expedition Combat Method!

"No wonder Teacher Liang said this is a road with no end in sight. Qin Shuai really intends to make things difficult!"

On the fifth day, Qin Shi finally opened a sea-eye-like Transparent Qi Xuan at three inches below the navel, where the Life Seed took root.

By rights, with his profound accumulation and Mortal Body that broke the Fourth Great Limit, condensing ten strands of Yuan Qi should have been easy.

But actually practicing the Soldier-Expedition Combat Method, Qin Shi understood — this is not a brainless method of simply piling up Yuan Qi quantity.

"Every strand of Life Yuan Qi must be squeezed out from inside the Tendons and Bones and Skin Membranes, fused and interwoven, like ten silk threads twisted into a hemp rope, exceptionally tough."

Qin Shi pondered secretly:

"When the Qi Xuan finally opens, it feeds back into the Tendons and Bones and Skin Membranes, penetrating deep inside. If ordinary methods raise one layer by adding a bit of Attribute, then the Soldier-Expedition Combat Method comprehensively improves everything from Agility to Constitution to Strength.

The price is large consumption, slow breakthrough……"

After completing the first layer of cultivation, he found Lao Liang.

In the open space in front of the Dormitory Building, the latter was also exercising to digest the Half Blood Flower, and said with a light smile:

"You probably don't know much about the various War Corps when you were young. In Dongxia's Military Department, there's always been the saying: 'The Fourth War Corps produces buckets.'"

"Meaning, the High-ranking Officers and Elite Warriors our Fourth War Corps sends out have practically no Shortcomings whatsoever, fully capable of undertaking many different tasks with varying Emphases."

Bucket soldiers?

This name that sounds rather funny at first hearing is actually a manifestation of the Fourth War Corps' strength.

"For instance, the Seventh War Corps prefers to maintain Large-scale Organization; they often show Outstanding Performance in Joint Deployment Large-scale Operations."

"And the Ninth War Corps garrisoning the He Xie Star Region has yet another style. In Dongxia's Early Period Great Expedition Expansion Campaign, they were practically spoken of in the same breath as the Fourth War Corps as models!"

"The Ninth War Corps' fierce soldiers have very strong Adaptability; no matter how severe the Pollution Level of the Xing Qiu they Arrive on, they can maintain Combat Capability. I once Participated in a 'Great Competition' between War Corps; their tactical variations were also rich, especially fond of Edge Cutting, using Spear Tip Formation to Flexibly Disperse and launch Insertion Attacks."

"That time we suffered a Heavy Loss, Nearly Lost."

When Lao Liang mentioned the Seventh War Corps, he didn't say much, but when speaking of the Ninth War Corps, he didn't stint on praise and admiration.

Between War Corps, there are gaps too.

Qin Shi looked at Lao Liang's attitude and felt the various War Corps should have a complete Disdain Chain.

But fortunately, the Fourth War Corps clearly sits at the Top Layer.

"Teacher Liang, how's your Dao Injury recovery coming along?"

After chatting about the cultivation curriculum, Qin Shi asked with Caring.

"Seven or eight out of ten is there."

Lao Liang touched that left leg which had been lame for many years and had now Recovered, suddenly Sudden Ejection, Kick Qin Shi!

Violent Airflow like a River being dragged, Sky Covering Sweeping over!

(Chapter End)