Chapter 195: Training Camp

In the great desert, lone smoke rises straight; the long river's setting sun is round.

Southern Zhan Continent, West Ding Kingdom, Shaha Desert.

Here there is no water, no vegetation, no living things.

This is a place even flying birds refuse to visit.

It is said that this place was once one of the main battlefields of the ancient Immortal-Demon War.

Immortal-Demon War, mountains collapsed and earth split.

Endless yellow sand, boundless and limitless.

Originally a lush, spirit‑aura‑filled immortal mountain treasure land, it became an uninhabited zone.

For thousands of years, few have set foot here.

Yet in recent years, the dead‑silent Shaha Desert has become extraordinarily lively.

First, someone piled sand into walls and built a city at the desert's center.

Next, large and small airships of all kinds descended, carrying supplies.

Afterwards, cultivators gathered here and killing cries shook the sky; from far away one could smell a strong killing intent emanating from the city.

This is Shaha Military City, a desert city, a border military city.

As the training base for the Volunteer Immortal Army of Southern Zhan Continent, Shaha Military City is divided into four major districts.

East District is the training camp, where new recruits are trained.

South District is the living camp, where new recruits live and rest.

West District is the logistics camp, where Shaha Military City stores its supplies.

North District is the administrative camp, where the training base's leaders and instructors work.

Today, the South District of Shaha Military City will welcome the thirty‑second batch of new recruits.

Fang Shiwen stood at the logistics camp gate, leading two people as they hauled a cart of vegetables and fruit to the living camp's mess hall.

His gaze fell on the central plaza outside the camp.

Above the plaza, a huge huge airship was slowly descending.

On the airship's wings were painted a pair of fiery red phoenix‑bird patterns.

Fang Shiwen's eyes lingered on the airship.

This is an airship from Southern Yue State; the phoenix‑bird pattern is the emblem of the Southern Yue Immortal Alliance.

Not long ago, Fang Shiwen also arrived at Shaha Military City aboard such an airship.

The airship steadied in the plaza's center, and its deep‑blue shield slowly opened.

Heads crowded on the airship.

An elder of the Immortal Alliance stood at the prow, loudly directing the new recruits to jump down the ship's side.

The new recruits jumped down one by one.

They chatted and laughed, as if they had just arrived at a hotel after a pleasure trip.

Below the airship, a tall and imposing camp instructor with a dark face loudly directed the new recruits to fall into formation.

Fang Shiwen smiled.

Each batch of new recruits resembles a flock of head‑bobbing, clamoring ducks.

But even the most clueless troublemaker, after three months of recruit training, will transform into a qualified soldier.

Fang Shiwen shook his head, turned and prepared to leave.

As he turned, he stopped again.

In his view, a pale‑faced, listless youth in white robes drifted down from the airship.

Zhang Xingyu? How did he also come to become an immortal soldier?

Zhang Xingyu was the last to jump down from the airship.

Along the way, he kept his eyes closed, nurturing his spirit.

A month ago, after reading Meng Ruyan's letter, he went to Nanhua City to enlist in the Volunteer Immortal Army.

As a student of the proper‑lineage Nanhua Immortal Academy, his enlistment review went very smoothly.

After receiving a thousand low‑grade spirit stones as a settlement fee, he stayed another half month in Nanhua City.

During that half month, bored, he opened the second page of the Slay Immortal Sword Manual.

Flipping the pages was simple, yet this again plunged him into agony worse than death.

On the second page was also drawn a peculiar rune.

The moment he saw that rune, Zhang Xingyu lost all consciousness.

Above the Divine Sea, a sword light flashed into existence out of nowhere.

The sword light was like a cage.

Zhang Xingyu's divine soul was instantly locked inside the cage.

Then his world fell into utter darkness.

As if nothing existed at all.

Not a glimmer of light, only endless darkness.

Not a breath of wind, only silent stillness.

His divine soul drifted in the void.

He knew neither time nor place.

This cannot continue.

If you run into trouble, consult the System.

The divine soul called out to the system, but the system remained silent.

Zhang Xingyu was very disheartened.

But he knew he couldn't be like that.

To regain the light, he must break this dark world.

But how to break it?

The divine soul made an attempt.

It turned into a long spear, wanting to pierce this dark sky.

The spear exerted all its strength, but the darkness was boundless.

It transformed into a flying sword, wanting to stab through this dark sky.

The flying sword flew far away, but darkness stretched on, darkness connected to darkness.

Really can't get out?

No, I don't believe it.

The divine soul roared in the void.

He compressed himself into a cannonball.

The cannonball exploded.

Zhang Xingyu lost consciousness.

By the time he opened his eyes again, ten days had passed.

He was dragged out of the inn by someone and thrown onto a flying vessel bound for Sha Ha Military City.

"Hurry up, stand still. You're just dawdling!"

The mighty instructor kicked Zhang Xingyu's butt.

Zhang Xingyu staggered, almost falling to the ground.

Holy crap!

You muscular guy dare to kick me.

With your appearance, I curse you to never find a girlfriend for life.

Zhang Xingyu silently cursed in his heart while ending up at the back of the line.

"Listen up, you bastards. I'm Ji Re, your future chief instructor. No matter where you come from, as long as you're in this recruit camp, you must follow the camp's rules."

"In the recruit camp, there are two rules you must follow: first, you must obey the instructor's words; second, you must carry out the instructor's arrangements."

"What lousy rules, isn't it just obeying the instructor in everything?" Zhang Xingyu muttered to himself.

Beside him, a handsome guy timidly asked, "What if the instructor's arrangement is wrong?"

The muscular instructor kicked his butt again, then replied, "If the instructor's arrangement is wrong, please follow the second rule."

After the muscular instructor finished his lecture, several other instructors stepped forward and introduced themselves one by one.

After the introductions, logistics personnel came forward and issued each person a set of standard recruit equipment.

Zhang Xingyu glanced at the equipment and sneered.

"What recruit equipment? It's clearly a pile of junk."

"Look, what are these things?"

All are made from first-rank demon beast hides.

First-rank magical artifact helmet, first-rank magical artifact armor, first-rank magical artifact pauldrons. First-rank magical artifact greaves, first-rank magical artifact leather boots.

These things, any random flying sword could cleave them in one strike.

Despite the disdain, everyone still changed into this junk.

Although the equipment's rank is low, its advantage lies in its flashy appearance.

After everyone put on the equipment, they all became mighty and imposing.

In the barracks, Zhang Xingyu turned around in front of the mirror, then silently sat down on a stool.

Having good equipment is equivalent to having an extra life.

Unfortunately, Zhang Xingyu's equipment is no good.

He was secretly calculating in his mind.

In terms of attack, aside from the Wishful Sun-Shooting Bow, my main reliance is the flying sword.

The fire dragon can unleash one ten-thousandth of the power of the Slay Immortal Sword Technique.

However, that one ten-thousandth is still extremely formidable.

For those below Golden Core stage, without top-tier equipment, the fire dragon can basically kill them in one move.

Of course, the attack method is still too single.

His Dao technique attack power is basically zero.

Since I started cultivating, I haven't learned any powerful offensive Dao techniques.

In terms of defense, Zhang Xingyu's weakness is also very obvious.

High-defense Dao techniques, none.

Top-tier clothing, none.

High-defense magical treasures, none.

Even the high-rank talismans he used to casually toss away, he doesn't have a single one on him.

Speaking of talismans, he thought of the beautiful teacher Huo Lingwu.

In the area of talismans, Huo Lingwu once placed great hopes on him.

Unfortunately, these past few years, he has never touched a talisman.

The intermediate talisman crafting manual that Huo Lingwu threw to him is still lying quietly in his storage ring, asleep.

Ashamed!

I'll definitely get a severe scolding from her.

I was just thinking about the beautiful female teacher when a sharp whistle sounded in my ear.

Immediately after, a thunderous shout came from outside the door from the muscular instructor: 'Emergency assembly!'