Chapter 348

Scalding hot water poured from the showerhead, excellent fragrant soap lathered all over the body, using a snow-white towel to vigorously rub the whole body, rubbing the skin red, washing away the accumulated ash and dirt of these days until spotless.

A sharp whistle sounded, and Wu Tie together with the other Divine Martial Army officers lined up, naked, they marched out of the bathhouse and entered a passageway emitting intense white light.

The floor, walls, and ceiling were all cast from silver-white metal, seamless, with not the slightest gap.

Intense white light, as substantial as material, streamed from the four walls, shining on everyone.

The skin turned transparent, followed by muscles, blood vessels, nerves, internal organs, bones……

The whole body became transparent, and a powerful anti-evil force undulated in the white light; if anyone used a body-transformation art, under this white light they would surely be seen through.

Wu Tie swung his arms carelessly, head high and chest out, walking past this hundred-zhang-long passageway.

His current appearance, physique, and other bodily traits were all concocted for him by Wu Yu using secret arts, employing no transformation techniques at all.

Wu Yu could, at the essence level, transform people into various birds and beasts, and also turn a big tree or a small weed into gravel and earth; the power he wielded could be called terrifying.

With the Divine Martial Army's meager inspection methods, how could one possibly hope to find any flaw in Wu Tie?

Having easily passed the inspection passageway, at the exit the logistics auxiliaries had already prepared a brand-new Divine Martial Army standard uniform. After dressing neatly, he hung a long saber at his waist, fastened the newly issued storage bracelet on his wrist, Wu Tie glanced at a full-length mirror, nodded in satisfaction.

The Divine Martial Army's standard uniform is primarily dark blue, decorated with blood-red stripes, a form-fitting long coat, with a short cape at the back that is half-length and hangs one foot below the buttocks.

Majestic, handsome, clean, neat, not hindering movement in the slightest, and the material is superb, made of exotic silks, possessing considerable defensive power; Wu Tie lightly tugged at his sleeve, the defensive capability of this set of military uniform almost matches that of a set of heavy leather armor from the netherworld.

Aside from the uniform he wore, the storage bracelet also held five spare sets of standard uniforms with matching boots and socks, etc.

Each set of standard uniform is equivalent to a set of finely forged heavy leather armor engraved with defensive runes, and all expenses are covered by the Divine Martial Army, requiring Wu Tie to spend not a single copper coin.

The might of the Great Jin Divine Nation can be seen in this small sample.

Just look at the netherworld: even the Wu family's warriors, a set of leather armor is often an heirloom passed down for who knows how many generations……

Wu Tie exhaled and shook his head.

The Divine Martial Army officers who underwent inspection together with Wu Tie all had grim faces, hardly anyone spoke or joked; after changing clothes, they gave a brief greeting to familiar comrades, then left with a somewhat defeated air, heads lowered.

In the battle at Demon-Suppressing City, the Divine Martial Army fought in a bewildering way, lost in a muddled fashion, and for no clear reason added a record of defeat and capture, of being exchanged for release, to their own files……

Everyone was listless, completely wilted.

In the past, if they returned victorious, after the camp was put in order, these officer-level lower-ranking military officers would surely call friends to go drink a few cups, even go to the pleasure quarters to find some fun.

But this time…… nobody had the interest.

No one greeted him, and Wu Tie was happy to be at ease; he patted the hilt of the saber hanging at his waist, and like the other officers, with a grim face and drooping head, he walked out in silence.

Lin Huo brought Wu Tie's personal guards and was already waiting outside.

Wu Tie looked at Lin Huo and the others, shook his head, waved his hand: 'Never mind, you don't need to follow me this time…… go back to your homes, tell your families you're safe…… damn it, what kind of fight was this？'

Lin Huo and the others also wore frustrated expressions.

After taking a deep breath, Lin Huo still wanted to persuade Wu Tie to bring a few personal guards along for attendance, but Wu Tie insisted they go home to rest; Lin Huo and the others, too, had their spirits scattered by this bewildering defeat and bewildering capture, so they accepted Wu Tie's order and left the camp one by one, listless.

The Divine Martial Army's main camp had a barge reserved for officers.

Presenting his identity token, stating his native place, and following orders, he boarded a twenty-zhang-long barge; Wu Tie waited in the cabin for about a quarter of an hour, then the barge rose lightly into the sky, drawing a white trail as it flew eastward.

Having flown three hundred li from the camp, in the high sky ahead, four intricately shaped round crystal piles suddenly burst forth with vast radiance.

Among the four round crystal piles, a light curtain with a diameter of a thousand zhang lit up, within which faintly could be seen green mountains and clear waters, with cities and fields appearing.

The barge plunged headfirst into the light curtain.

Wu Tie felt the familiar spatial fluctuation; recalling the information provided by Xi Bubai, he couldn't help but feel a jolt of shock.

What a mighty Great Jin Divine Nation: those crystal piles floating in the air are each a colossal spatial teleportation gate, set up specifically for these long-distance voyaging barges. With these gates, the barges can easily cross tens of thousands of li, millions of li, even hundreds of millions of li.

It is precisely because of these widespread teleportation gates across the world that the vast, boundless Great Jin Divine Nation can effectively govern all under heaven.

The barge trembled slightly and shot out from the teleportation gate on the other side.

A sailor in white clothes on the ship shouted loudly: 'Qingyu City has arrived, Qingyu City has arrived, those who wish to return to Qingyu City may disembark.'

Several officers dressed like Wu Tie rose, saluted the officers inside the cabin with clasped hands, stepped out of the cabin, turned into flowing light, flew out of the barge, and swiftly rushed toward a city below.

The barge traveled several hundred li, after leaving the airspace above the city, another teleportation gate radiated light, gradually unfolding ahead.

After shuttling back and forth seven or eight times, the sailor finally shouted: 'Huachong City has arrived, Huachong City has arrived, those who wish to return to Huachong City may disembark.'

Wu Tie stood up, silently saluted the other officers in the cabin with clasped hands, his body flickered onto the deck, then he turned into flowing light, shot up several dozen zhang, made a turn, and swiftly rushed toward a city nestled among the surrounding mountains.

On this barge, only Wu Tie was to disembark at Huachong City.

In the high sky, only Wu Tie's solitary streak of flowing light plummeted from a height of a hundred li.

Wu Tie happened to be in a position to look down, surveying the entire terrain of Huachong City.

Huachong City spans 120 li east-west at its widest and 42 li north-south, surrounded by encircling mountains; not far away lies a vast mountain lake, with green mountains and clear waters, its scenery beautiful as a dream.

In the mountains and forests surrounding Huachong City, the special product is the spirit insect known as the Blue-tailed Spirit Scorpion; the molt and feces of the Blue-tailed Spirit Scorpion during its growth happen to be the necessary nutrients for a spirit herb called the Blue-pattern Scorpion Herb.

Thus, in these mountains and forests, where the Blue-tailed Spirit Scorpions congregate, the Blue-pattern Scorpion Herb grows abundantly and of high quality.

The venom of the Blue-tailed Spirit Scorpion can strengthen blood and qi and greatly replenish vital energy; it is a primary ingredient in refining the superior spirit pill known as the Golden Body Pill. Meanwhile, the leaves of the Blue-pattern Scorpion Herb are highly toxic and are a main component of several secret poisons used by the Great Jin Divine Nation's military for poison arrows.

Yet the roots of the Blue-pattern Scorpion Herb are a top-tier detoxifying spirit medicine; in the Great Jin Divine Nation's military's standard detox elixir, the roots of this herb are also an indispensable main ingredient.

The Great Jin Divine Nation maintains an enormous military, and there is huge demand for the Golden Body Pill that tempers the flesh, as well as for various poisons and detoxifiers, etc.

Huachong City enjoys a natural geographical advantage; merely capturing Blue-tailed Spirit Scorpions and gathering Blue-pattern Scorpion Herb each year yields a profit overflowing the basin.

Moreover, the surroundings of Huachong City are nothing but towering mountains and rugged ridges, with huge numbers of fierce beasts and spirit birds, and abundant rare mountain products, so the townsfolk live quite well. This is an extremely prosperous city, and also the ancestral home of the Huo Xiong family.

Wu Tie plummeted rapidly from the high sky.

On the city walls of Huachong City below, several cultivators of the Chonglou Realm had already raised their heads to look toward Wu Tie.

According to the regulations of the Great Jin Divine Nation, Wu Tie activated his evasion light and landed at the gate of Huachong City.

Several city defense soldiers whose cultivation did not reach the Sensing Mystery Realm stepped forward a few paces and, from afar, repeatedly saluted Wu Tie: 'Lord Huo Xiong, you have returned?'

Huo Xiong is a person of reserved character, not talkative, giving off a somewhat cold impression.

Wu Tie emulated Huo Xiong's demeanor, gave a low grunt, nodded, took out his officer's token and waved it, then strode into Huachong City.

The city defense soldiers behind Wu Tie performed a gazing salute, their expressions solemn, daring not to show the slightest negligence.

In Flower Insect City, every year thousands of children join the Divine Martial Army's Martial Training Hall.

But those who truly manage to struggle out of the Martial Training Hall and smoothly enlist in the Divine Martial Army number only about a hundred each year.

After joining the Divine Martial Army, one who can rise from the lowest-rank third-rank miscellaneous soldier, accumulating military merit to exchange for resources, break through to the Life Pool Realm, and even attain the rank of Colonel, is absolutely a top-notch famous figure in a small place like Flower Insect City.

In the hearts of these low-cultivation city defense army soldiers, Huo Xiong is undoubtedly a heroic figure.

Furthermore, Huo Xiong's family, the Huo Family, is a military household, and indeed an old military household.

According to the hierarchy of the Great Jin Divine Kingdom, beneath the imperial clan are the noble aristocrats; beneath those great clans are the military households, and beneath the military households are the ordinary civilian households. As military households, they enjoy more resources and possess special rights far surpassing those of civilian households.

The Great Jin Divine Kingdom gives special favor to military households, for example: if a military household has a justifiable excuse, they can slay a civilian household on the street without bearing any responsibility.

Ordinary civilian households wishing to have their family promoted to military household must at least have five consecutive generations serve in the military, accumulate a certain amount of military merit, with one generation's military rank reaching at least ninth-grade colonel, or three consecutive generations reaching first-grade officer, before they can become a military household.

Walking forward along the wide street paved with heavy stone strips for over ten li, people continually stepped out from the shops along the way, showing a trace of reverence and also a trace of humility as they greeted Wu Tie.

"Lord Huo," "Master Huo," "Big Brother Huo"...

Wu Tie merely put on a face, lightly nodding in acknowledgment to those who greeted him.

After walking over ten li, at the crossroads ahead, Wu Tie turned to head west.

The west, the position of the Geng Metal White Tiger, represents slaughter and killing. The regulations of the major cities of the Great Jin Divine Kingdom are the same; military households within the city all gather in the western part.

In the west, there is a dedicated inner city wall that encloses an area six li long and five li wide.

Entering from the eastern inner city gate, those residing in the various dwellings within this area are precisely the military households of Flower Insect City.

Wu Tie had just entered the city gate, not knowing how the news had spread, when the doors of the households on either side of the street silently opened; old men, women, and children stood quietly on the thresholds, smiling, their gazes complex as they looked at Wu Tie.

There was a bit of panic, a bit of unease, a bit of fear, but more so anticipation.

Wu Tie stopped his steps, looking at those military household family members standing in the doorways; he fell silent for a moment, nodded, then shook his head.

"Everyone, rest assured: in that battle over three months ago on the Three Kingdoms Battlefield, about eighty percent of our Flower Insect City brothers were assigned to the Divine Martial Left Army. The Left Army served as the reserve in that battle and did not engage."

"Those brothers assigned to the Divine Martial Right Army... are probably all gone."

"This time the battle losses have been heavy; the officials of the Military Department may be tallying the casualty list... as for the subsequent pensions and other matters, they will likely be issued after a while."

Wu Tie clasped his fists in a salute to the family members on both sides of the street, lowered his head, and walked toward the Huo Family residence amidst the gazes of countless people.

Laughter came from many courtyards.

These were the family members whose fathers had been assigned to the Divine Martial Left Army; upon learning that their fathers had not participated in that supposedly devastating battle three months prior, everyone let out a sigh of relief.

Meanwhile, from some courtyards came suppressed sobbing.

Those people were the family members whose fathers had been assigned to the Divine Martial Right Army.

Huo Xiong belonged to the Vanguard Battalion of the Divine Martial Right Army, and he said that the fathers of Flower Insect City in the Divine Martial Right Army were probably all gone—and indeed they were.

The military of the Great Jin Divine Kingdom is enormously large, and the superiors have too many affairs to attend to.

Sometimes, the death information of fallen soldiers takes two or three years, or even over ten years, to be sent back home.

Those fellow villagers and comrades who survived the battlefield and returned alive are the only channel through which family members first receive news of their men.

The crying came in waves, but the sobbing soon ceased.

As military households of the Great Jin Divine Kingdom, while they enjoy various privileges, they have also mentally prepared themselves for death at any moment.

Such is the world…

The Huo Family, among the military households of Flower Insect City, is also considered one of the oldest-established groups.

Thus the Huo Family residence lies at the center of the military households' inner city, a large mansion with multiple halls and courtyards; behind it is a training ground covering dozens of mu, and there is also a sizable livestock pen raising dozens of swift, ferocious beasts as mounts.

When Wu Tie arrived at the gate of the Huo Family manor, the black door adorned with a blood-colored beast-head ring swung open; Huo Xiong's father and several uncles, already dressed in military uniforms, stood in a row at the entrance.

"Ah Xiong, you're back!" Huo Xiong's father, Huo Hu, though under fifty, was missing a hand and a leg, blind in one eye; especially his Dao foundation was damaged and his essence blood depleted, making him look at first glance like a centenarian on his last breath, aged beyond recognition.

Merely seeing 'Huo Xiong,' he still smiled exceptionally brightly.

"Father, I'm back!" Wu Tie's heart twitched slightly; he knelt on the ground and knocked his head loudly before Huo Hu.

"This time I expect to stay at home for a few more days..." He pursed his lips, furrowed his brow: "I fought a battle for no reason, lost a battle for no reason... feeling utterly stifled. The superiors above have given us an extended leave."

Huo Hu stared blankly, then hopped out the door and, using his one arm, helped Wu Tie up.

"Lost? As long as the person is unharmed, it's fine; coming back is good!"