Chapter 34: Being Drafted

Inside the Martial Arts Hall, the newly admitted Dao Academy disciples had all arrived.

Xu Jin had also arrived. He looked around and felt slightly strange; in the Star Pointing Academy, senior brothers who had performed Star Pointing in previous years were very common, but recently, not a single one could be seen.

Clang!

With a sound of an iron cane hitting the ground, Ning Yuchan, with her dress fluttering, landed gracefully. Her veil was suddenly blown up by the wind, which was quite stunning.

The group of disciples were all expectant.

But Ning Yuchan didn't speak; she was also waiting on the side, which made Xu Jin even more puzzled.

In the Dao Academy, there were few people who could make the Chief Ning Jiaotou Ning Yuchan wait.

Is it not about cultivation?

Suddenly, a blood-red light fell from the sky, like a blood-colored lightning.

After landing, the group of students was suddenly awestruck: Supervisor Tian Zhang.

Blood Butcher Tian Zhang.

"Evil cultivators are running rampant in the Prefecture City recently. For your safety, starting from today, the Dao Academy is sealed inside and out; outsiders are not allowed to enter, and no one is allowed to leave without an order. Those who violate the order will be beheaded!"

A single word "behead" made all the disciples awestruck.

"Evil cultivators are running rampant. To enhance your self-protection ability, starting from this moment, you will undergo emergency actual combat training."

"Ning Yuchan, Luo Kexing, you two take my six personal guards to conduct practical training and distribute martial equipment. If there is any damage, the Medicine Hall will treat it."

"Understood!"

"From this moment on, you are all drafted into the Great Chen Jin Shan Dao Academy Star Patrol Guard Reserve Team and implemented under military management."

"Those who are unwilling, be expelled from the Dao Academy immediately; you can stand out now!" Tian Zhang glared at the group of newly admitted Dao Academy disciples.

The group of Dao Academy disciples were all scared by Tian Zhang's momentum; no one dared to speak.

Of course, everyone wasn't stupid.

Even if they were slightly unwilling, they only dared to think about it in their hearts.

They didn't dare to express it.

Luo Geng in the ranks looked at his Second Uncle Luo Kexing on the side of the stage, trying to get some instructions from his Second Uncle's eyes.

Luo Kexing, however, looked straight ahead without any expression.

He, a Flag Master who was recuperating at home, could be pulled out, so what expression could he have?

After Tian Zhang's murderous gaze scanned the whole field for three seconds, he said, "Since no one has any objections, execute it immediately."

With a wave of Tian Zhang's hand, with a clatter, miscellaneous workers moved over a large pile of martial equipment.

Very quickly, Xu Jin and the others received their equipment.

A set of standard leather armor for the Star Patrol Guard with a neck guard; although

If it were before breaking through to the first layer of Meal of Mist, wearing this would still be very strenuous for Xu Jin to move in.

Now, wearing it with the cultivation of the second layer of Meal of Mist, it is effortless.

He feels that even if it were heavier, it would still be fine.

Weapons are different; below the second layer of Meal of Mist, everyone gets a standard long saber and a wooden saber for training.

Above the second layer of Meal of Mist, one chooses for oneself.

"Ning Jiaotou Ning, I just broke through to the second layer of Meal of Mist. What weapon do you think I should choose?" Xu Jin asked for advice while collecting his equipment.

Since Ning Yuchan can be the Chief Ning Jiaotou, she must have had real combat experience; her advice should be correct.

Having broken through to the second layer of Meal of Mist, Xu Jin feels that his tempered right arm is more lethal than weapons like the long saber, and not knowing what to choose, he asks Ning Yuchan for advice.

"It seems you have remained diligent these past few days!"

Ning Yuchan is not the least bit surprised by Xu Jin breaking through to the second layer of Meal of Mist.

If he could go from Star-Dotting to the first layer of Meal of Mist in seven days, then breaking through to the second layer of Meal of Mist in another five days is not surprising.

However, what truly consumes time in the Meal of Mist Realm are the fourth and fifth layers.

For the fourth and fifth layers, the time to temper the legs is more than three times that of tempering the arms.

"On the battlefield, survival comes first.

If you are different from the rest, you will inevitably attract the enemy's attention or even become their priority target.

My advice is that you should still choose the long saber.

Saber techniques are the fastest to pick up.

There are still a few days left; use the fastest time possible to finish tempering your left arm," Ning Yuchan said with her head lowered.

Ning Yuchan's voice is ordinary, but it makes Xu Jin suddenly feel a sense of dread.

He caught several keywords.

"Survival comes first."

"There are still a few days left."

Even if Ning Yuchan is not among the top power-holders of the Academy, she is one of the few closest to them.

A few days left?

Does this mean that they, these newly promoted Academy disciples, are going to the battlefield in just a few days?

Xu Jin is horrified.

What on earth has happened?

Why must they, these novice disciples who have never seen blood, go to the battlefield?

Xu Jin tries to get more information from Ning Yuchan, but after saying this, Ning Yuchan remains silent.

Xu Jin knows that he has only one choice.

Hard training.

The things taught next further confirm Xu Jin's thoughts.

Tian Zhang's six personal guards teach a set of saber techniques evolved from the Five-Dou Killing Fist, called the Five-Direction Killing Saber; all moves are derived from the Five-Dou Killing Fist, so all disciples pick it up quickly, but the difficulty lies in real combat application.

Fighting methods and killing methods are different.

Moreover, killing methods basically cannot be practiced alone; they must be practiced through sparring.

The progress in the afternoon is fast, starting with an hour of attacking the vital points of straw dummies.

After one hour, they enter two-person sparring.

Xu Jin's sparring partner is Song Ye, a disciple from the Middle Academy.

Both put on full armor and hold iron-wood sabers.

At first, it is just simple contact, but the cursing of the six patrolling personal guards rings out.

"Did you bastards not eat? My hand when touching a woman's breast has more strength than your hand holding a saber!"

"Use your full strength to hack at the opponent first! Then look for variations!"

"The person in front of you is the enemy who killed your father, the lecher who slept with your wife, the villain who dug up your ancestral grave; use every possible means,

kill him!

Use the saber in your hand to kill him!

Stab his balls if you have to!" The six personal guards' filthy language has an inexplicable infectious power, making many youths roar crazily as they charge at each other.

This makes Ning Yuchan, Luo Kexing, the newly dragged-in Ning Jiaotou Mr. Gan, and Ning Jiaotou Zheng from the Forging Hall feel a massive headache, not daring to let their attention wander for even a second.

These veterans who survived a hundred battles dare to teach anything, and these greenhorns who have never seen blood dare to listen to anything.

Some of them go straight for the opponent's eyes and lower vital areas.

It is enough to give them a headache.

Although it is military management, if they really injure eyes or other vital parts, they cannot be cured.

Commandant Tian Zhang, however, holds a handful of rice grains, his gaze patrolling to check for gaps.

Training troops is one thing, but training them into cripples is not his goal.

"Ah!"

Song Ye, opposite Xu Jin, lets out a roar, charges at Xu Jin with his saber, and slashes.

Xu Jin, however, retreats extremely calmly, turns, and counters with a slash.

A wooden saber strike lands on the back of Song Ye's head, causing Song Ye to scream and fall to the ground on the spot.

It is fortunate that he has a helmet protecting him; otherwise, he would definitely be bleeding.

Song Ye is somewhat unconvinced and crawls up, "Again!"

Charging again, Xu Jin suddenly lowers his body, strikes Song Ye's left leg with his wooden saber, and knocks him to the ground again; before Song Ye can crawl up, Xu Jin's saber is already resting on Song Ye's throat.

Several times in a row, Song Ye is knocked to the ground by Xu Jin.

The gazes of several personal guards fall on Xu Jin more and more.

Xu Jin has also learned a few tricks.

Xu Jin discovers that he is not necessarily more brilliant in saber technique than Song Ye.

It is mainly because he has killed people before and seen blood, so he is much, much calmer.

When he strikes, he is not panicked at all.

He responds with composure.

After being slashed to the ground seven times in a row by Xu Jin, Song Ye crawls up dejectedly, looking depressed.

This is not sparring; this is being bullied.

"You are no match for him; go find someone else to practice with, I'll take over." Tian Zhang's personal guard, Niu Gui, pushes Song Ye aside.

This Niu Gui is broad-shouldered and thick-waisted; he stares fixedly at Xu Jin and suddenly says, "Seen blood?"

Just as Xu Jin hesitates on how to answer, Niu Gui lunges like lightning and stabs Xu Jin in the chest with his saber; a massive force is transmitted, and even with leather armor protection, Xu Jin is sent flying and falls to the ground.

"Distraction during wartime means death; again!"

Spit!

Xu Jin spits out a mouthful of blood-tasting saliva, grips his saber with both hands, and stares fixedly at Niu Gui opposite him.

The long saber slashes down; Xu Jin parries, but it is a feint; Xu Jin uses too much force, and after a stumble, he is already slashed to the ground.

"You must reserve three-tenths of your strength when striking; if you don't reserve strength, if you don't die, who will? Again!"

This time, Xu Jin reserves strength, but is directly knocked over by the personal guard Niu Gui with a full-strength slash.

"There is no regret once the saber is out; if there is hesitation when striking, if you don't die, who will? Again!"

"Reserving strength refers to body strength, not saber strength."

Xu Jin pauses; this time he does not strike immediately but starts to think.

After a while, Xu Jin strikes again, only to be knocked to the ground again.

More than a dozen times in a row, Xu Jin is knocked down more than a dozen times.

There are various reasons, but most cannot escape the need for powerful force and swift agility.

"You have a body full of Star power but don't use it; are you stupid?" Niu Gui scolds.

"Although you are holding a standard long saber that cannot transmit Star power, mobilizing Star power can make your waist and arm strength explode manifold; try to integrate Star power into your attacks," Niu Gui says.

With the next strike, Xu Jin slashes out with an extremely sharp sound of breaking air.

Niu Gui takes a look and says, "You practice alone for now; I'll come back later to spar with you."

The training only lasts for one hour before many disciples are wailing and unable to get up from the ground.

But they are met with the scabbards of the six personal guards.

Whipping them indiscriminately.

Whipping them until they crawl up like rabbits.

Two hours later, when many are whipped, they no longer have the strength to crawl up.

Xu Jin is also drenched in sweat.

Even with Star power support, training all afternoon in armor has reached his limit.

"Training over, everyone, come over to collect your elixirs."

To Xu Jin's surprise, not only is everyone given a Blood-Replenishing Pill, but they are also given a Spirit-Awakening Pill.

This is equivalent to giving away eight taels of silver directly; for over seventy people, it is quite a heavy investment.

Xu Jin swallows it directly; the elixir turns into heat and spreads, and he feels he has recovered a bit of strength.

"Brother Jin, what do you think the Academy is doing? It is said that this has never happened before?" Qian Xiaohu approaches during dinner.

"I don't know."

Xu Jin shakes his head, "But you had better not stop your evening lessons, and take the Spirit-Awakening Pill; if you have extra silver, buy more Spirit-Awakening Pills. These few days, we must seize the time to improve our strength."

"Brother Jin, is something big going to happen?" Qian Xiaohu whispers.

"Hard training it is; no matter what happens, more strength means more chances to survive."

"I understand." Qian Xiaohu nods heavily.

Actually, Xu Jin also wants to know what Tian Zhang is trying to do by training them like this.

(End of chapter)