Chapter 118: Others

“Dragon-Shaped Qi Flow Map!”

Li Rui’s fingers paused as he flipped through the booklet.

He had been searching for the Dragon-Shaped Qi Flow Map; the Heavenly Alliance’s main headquarters did have one, but the requirements were too high—only someone at deputy leader level or above qualified.

The army was different.

It recognized only military merit.

Any treasure in the Seven Armories could be exchanged for, as long as you earned enough merit, with no restrictions.

Just what I needed.

“But it requires five medium merits.”

According to Annan Army regulations.

Merits are divided into three tiers: small, medium, and large.

Leading the charge, breaking formations, slaying officers, and seizing banners are the most well-known merits, but the Annan Army isn’t a frontier force and doesn’t fight many battles, so they redefined merits based on actual conditions.

For example, finishing first in daily training earns one small merit; ten small merits can be exchanged for one medium merit, and ten medium merits for one large merit.

For instance, Li Rui’s previous slaying of a demonic beast counted as one medium merit.

Li Rui frowned.

The Qi Flow Map is extremely valuable, let alone the rare Dragon-Shaped Qi Flow Map.

He manages grain rations and can approve ordinary low-level martial techniques.

For a Qi Flow Map of this level, only officers above garrison commander rank are eligible to allocate it.

“But at least it’s feasible.”

Opportunities to earn merit in the Annan Army are plentiful; five medium merits aren’t out of reach—it’s still possible.

After finishing the inventory of today’s incoming martial techniques.

The sky outside the window was pitch black.

Li Rui closed the booklet and stepped out of the Dingzi Armory.

He hadn’t walked far.

He saw Ge Hong standing nearby: “Brother Ge?”

Li Rui quickened his pace.

Ge Hong gave a faint smile: “I heard a new tavern opened in Xincheng—decent enough. Want to join me for a drink?”

Li Rui noticed Ge Hong was troubled and nodded:

“Read all day—I’m exhausted. Let’s go.”

The two agreed instantly.

The tavern Ge Hong mentioned wasn’t far—it stood on a street one li outside the camp.

“Owner, bring two jugs of warm wine.”

Ancient wine was mostly yellow wine; anyone who’s drunk it knows it tastes better when warmed, unlike white wine.

Moments later.

The waiter swiftly brought two jugs.

Ge Hong poured himself a cup, tossed it back, and grimaced: “Damn it, Pan Xiang’s got a few bratty Zhang kids who can fight—he went all out in today’s sparring, and my men all got C-rank.”

Li Rui knew who Pan Xiang was.

A subordinate of Garrison Commander Feng Yu.

Rumor had it he recently recruited several Zhang family members—they’re strong fighters.

Many of Ning Zhongtian’s men had suffered losses.

But the Annan Army never forbade sparring within camp; it even encouraged it to foster martial spirit. Fists and feet don’t recognize enemies—so long as no one dies, no one intervenes.

All of Ge Hong’s men received C-rank in today’s sparring.

His own evaluation as squad leader would be affected.

Naturally, he was frustrated.

Li Rui also took a sip and comforted him: “Isn’t the officer sparring coming up in a few days? If your men can’t win, you step in and knock them all down.”

Ge Hong’s eyes lit up.

“That’s true.”

His men were assigned—he had no control over their quality.

Even though he’d once been a martial arts school master, training them still took time; but as for personal combat skill, he was confident he could make Wei Xiang beg for mercy.

Thinking of this,

much of his inner frustration dissolved.

He raised his cup again. They’d been close since their days at the Qinghe Branch; now sharing the same situation, they grew even closer.

They chatted idly.

The topic turned to Qi Flow Maps.

“Dragon-shaped?”

When Ge Hong heard Li Rui was compatible with the Dragon shape, he was momentarily speechless.

Condensing Qi into form isn’t better the higher the rank.

It’s a luxury disease.

The higher the rank, the more resources it demands, the more expensive the Qi Flow Map—it’s a money pit. For wealthy heirs, it’s nothing; for those with thin means, it’s unaffordable.

Li Rui said: “I saw a Dragon-Shaped Qi Flow Map in the Armory—called the Flying Dragon Soaring in Heaven Map.”

Upon hearing this,

Ge Hong’s mouth twitched: “Flying Dragon Soaring in Heaven.”

=9+book_bar

He added: “The Flying Dragon Soaring in Heaven Map is the most widely circulated Dragon-shaped Qi Flow Map, but very few can master it. Li Lao-ge, can you guess why?”

“Hard to practice?”

Ge Hong nodded: “Yes. This map demands extremely high true qi—ordinary true qi struggles to follow its path successfully. Even if mastered, power increases by only ten percent—it’s utterly mediocre, so few bother.”

Li Rui understood.

No wonder other precious Qi Flow Maps require at least two large merits, while the Flying Dragon Soaring in Heaven Map only needs five medium merits—equivalent to half a large merit.

Ge Hong mused: “Five medium merits… Li Lao-ge, a few days ago on patrol, I killed two demonic beasts—that’s two medium merits. You received the Emperor’s imperial plaque—can apply for two medium merits too.”

“If you need them, I’ll lend you my two medium merits.”

“The Flying Dragon Soaring in Heaven Map isn’t that rare—Ning my lord can approve it. I heard Garrison Commander can pre-advance merit. Why not ask him?”

Li Rui’s eyes brightened.

As grain officer, he knew the merit rules well.

Killing demonic beasts, receiving imperial rewards—these could all be converted into merit.

Garrison commanders could allow pre-advancing one medium merit.

He hadn’t expected Ge Hong to be so generous, offering to lend him two medium merits.

“Thank you, Brother Ge.”

Ge Hong waved his hand: “I don’t need them right now. If you really cultivate true qi and become a Willow-Tendon Martial Master, you’ll have to look out for me.”

Li Rui laughed heartily:

“Then those two merits of yours are already a profit.”

Ge Hong laughed too.

He’d always known Li Rui was trying to cultivate true qi through a Qi Flow Map, hoping to break through before death.

Even if he didn’t believe it possible,

as a friend, he’d help however he could.

What if it actually worked?

The next day.

Li Rui went to see Ning Zhongtian.

“Pre-advance merit?”

Ning Zhongtian raised an eyebrow. When he learned Li Rui wanted to pre-advance merit to buy the Flying Dragon Soaring in Heaven Map, he chuckled.

“An old steed still dreams of a thousand li—approved!”

He waved his hand and granted Li Rui’s request to pre-advance one merit.

Not because Li Rui was his subordinate—he simply wanted to see how a seventy-year-old man could cultivate true qi at eighth rank.

That was quite a curiosity.

“Thank you, Lord Ning.”

Li Rui hadn’t expected things to go so smoothly—Ning Zhongtian handed over the token without hesitation.

With Ning Zhongtian’s token in hand,

he returned to the Dingzi Armory.

Though he was the grain officer of this armory, he still had to complete all formalities—otherwise, if a Ministry of War inspector found out, it would become a capital offense.

After completing all procedures, he successfully obtained the Flying Dragon Soaring in Heaven Qi Flow Map.

He unrolled the scroll.

A sinuous green dragon was vividly painted upon it.

(End of chapter)