[I curiously asked my father, Zhou Dashu, about the cultivation and deeds of the Black Cloud City Lord.]
Zhou Dashu's face was full of reverence, "The City Lord is a Raising Troops Realm Martial Artist of the Second Heaven, wielding Spiritual Weapons, capable of destroying cities and breaking mountains, with a lifespan of two hundred years."
Destroying cities and breaking mountains? Weapons?
I showed a look of yearning and continued to ask, "What are Spiritual Weapons?"
Zhou Dashu warned me not to aim too high and to first become an Entry-level Martial Artist with steady progress. In the entire Black Cloud City, there are only three Raising Troops Realm Martial Artists.]
[Raising Troops Realm Martial Artist? What about Third Heaven Martial Artists? Mountain collapsing and sea splitting? I now finally understand why this place is called 'Three Heavens of Martial Arts.']
[The skin, bones, flesh, and blood of that toad Exotic Beast were sold for a good price, and the tail, which is the organ for using 'Superpower,' was traded by my father in a nearby city for seven Tier One Spirit Seeds called 'Cyan Jade Spirit Seeds.']
[He treasured them immensely and handed them to me for safekeeping.]
[This Cyan Jade Spirit Seed, consuming one, means no need to eat for seven days, nurturing the body and unlocking potential, greatly enhancing the chance of becoming an Entry-level Martial Artist.]
[I know that Entry-level Martial Artists would feel intense hunger without consuming Spirit Seeds, and I dared not refuse my father's goodwill. I secretly gave these milder 'Cyan Jade Spirit Seeds' to my younger brother, Zhou Qingshan.]
[My younger brother Zhou Qingshan's health improved significantly and was no longer so afraid of the cold.]
[Elder Mo gave a knowing nod on seeing this and soon suggested to Zhou Dashu that I go to the 'Black Cloud City Martial Arts Hall' to study, saying I had exceptional root bone with the potential to become a 'Samurai.']
[I know what status 'Samurai' holds since it is the limit of the First Heaven, with strength surpassing ten thousand, and can occasionally enter the 'Limit State' I experienced when I first reached Entry-level. In Black Cloud City, such a person is formidable, even capable of becoming a Commander-in-Chief who guards one side.]
[My father Zhou Dashu was thrilled upon learning his eldest son had the 'potential of Samurai,' and that night he slaughtered a sheep and threw a feast.]
[The next day, my father led a guard team to escort me to Black Cloud City, along with Elder Mo.]
[Under Elder Mo's arrangement, I apprenticed to a seemingly ordinary Martial Artist with the surname Gu.]
A small courtyard.
Master Gu stood with his hands behind his back, looking calm, "As your Master, I have methods to train Warrior Techniques, proficient in arranging battle arrays, able to become a Soldier Master, commanding armies to roam the world."
"I won't learn, I won't learn," I refused on the spot, "Master, do you have a Raising Troops method to reach the Second Heaven?"
I had long been blinded by 'destroying cities and breaking mountains,' and had no interest in battle array techniques or roaming the world. My focus was solely on methods to break through to the Second Heaven.
Master Gu shook his head, "The Raising Troops method is within!"
"You cannot not learn!"
I did not understand his meaning.
He continued on his own:
"Three hundred years ago, the founder of Zhao Country and three hundred heroes left the ancestral land together to pioneer a new world here, fighting bitterly, opening up seventy-two cities in the mountains and spirit veins."
"Thereafter, the seventy-two City Lords led their armies, trained soldiers, comprehended true intent, and raised Spiritual Weapons, gathering the strength and spirit of warriors together to form the 'Hundred Feet Battle Spirit,' which could collapse mountains and split seas, defying heaven and earth—this is Soldier Master!"
"A Soldier Master guards one side, repels the Hundred Races Demons, and allows the tribe to grow strong, with talents emerging, which leads to Zhao Country's current prosperity."
"This Raising Troops method, you must learn!"
Form a Hundred Feet Battle Spirit? Defy heaven and earth? What's this Heaven and Earth?!! This is what Second Heaven Raising Troops is meant to be?
I nodded, "I must learn!"
Elder Mo and Master Gu's identities were obviously extraordinary, at least they were descendants of the seventy-two Soldier Masters, hence their enemies must also be of the same level.
As a disciple, I was naturally obliged to share my teacher's worries; I was eager to progress.
"Master, whose City Lord are we under? Who is the enemy?"
"City Lord?" Master Gu raised an eyebrow, "If you insist on enemies...there's only Saint King Zhao Tianji of Zhao Country."
"Saint King?"
"Yes, outside, they call us Red Flame Traitors!" Master Gu's tone was remarkably relaxed.
Red Flame Traitors?
I knew it.]
[Master Gu said the Flesh Heaven of the First Heaven is the foundation of ten thousand, and taught me an unnamed Pile Skill for me to cultivate in the 'Martial Arts Hall.' He would send people with High-tier Spirit Seeds every few days, and I began to continuously excavate the body's potential.]
[I cultivated all Non-stream True Skills with 'Lifebound Character: Martial Saint' in the Martial Arts Hall to perfection.]
[In one year, my skin became Unbreakable like Vajra, in two years my bones turned golden, in three years saint's blood, in four, each of my five viscera produced supernatural qualities, and this time I activated Source Blood, grew to three zhang tall, with red hair, golden eyes, and a fissure appeared on my brow.]
[Master Gu was satisfied, "What celestial human form you possess, you have surpassed the Crimson Flame Ancestor in Flesh Heaven."]
[But I can feel… my body hasn't reached its limit. Skin refining and flesh tempering, bone forging and blood exchange, five viscera and six bowels, seemingly no visible progress, but still… the forty-eight trillion cells comprising this body.]
[I comprehended the Pile Skill 'Sumeru Dragon Elephant.']
[At sixteen, Master Gu finally began to teach True Skill, as he is the last generation Red Flame Commander, possessing the seven Upper Grade True Skill Inheritance of the Red Flame Lineage, thirty-seven Middle Grade True Skills, all able to ignite 'Heart Fire' to extreme sublimation, forging Lifebound Spiritual Soldiers, and ascending to the Second Heaven Mind Heaven.]
[I was the Martial Arts Hall's model student, knowing that learning one Lower Grade True Skill makes one a Raising Troops Realm Martial Artist, where mastering a Middle Grade True Skill 'raising troops' can make one a City Lord, whereas raising troops with Upper Grade True Skill can sweep across the world.]
[I am a Martial Saint! I want them all!!]
[Master Gu was very displeased, lectured me once, greed consumes more than it can chew.]
[It's okay, my teeth are good, I strongly request Master to let me safeguard the Crimson Flame Inheritance, I absolutely won't be greedy!]
[I received a beating, temporarily restrained myself to first practice one Upper Grade True Skill since my younger brother Zhou Qingshan had talked about 'Journey to the West' a few times, I chose to cultivate 'Red Ape Demon Suppression Divine Will Battle Technique.']
[At seventeen, bad news came from the White Bear Territory, father Zhou Dashu encountered a beast attack in the mist, resulting in heavy casualties among his uncles, with his old ailments flaring up as his life neared its end, I hurried home and only saw him for the last time.]
[I quietly told him that I had already become a "Samurai," and my father, Zhou Dashu, was relieved, instructing me to take care of everyone before he passed away.]
[Mother was devastated by this blow and soon died of grief, with only one thing she couldn't let go of before her death: my brother Zhou Qingshan's health. The "Purple Sky Innate Skill" I left behind could only barely keep him alive, as Zhou Qingshan's body was too difficult to cultivate.]
[Elder Mo said that to completely solve my brother Zhou Qingshan's illness, there are two ways: first, training until he becomes a "Samurai," which would naturally cure him without medicine; second, obtaining a "Creation Spirit Pill" that even mortals can consume.]
[Elder Mo's meaning was very clear.]
[At eighteen, I let my brother Zhou Qingshan inherit the lordship of White Bear Territory. Then, I left White Bear Territory with Master Gu, traveled eight hundred li through the mist, and arrived at another major city in Zhao Country.]
[The two biggest difficulties in Raising Troops are: first, igniting the "Heart Fire" for ultimate sublimation, which is extremely dangerous and if unsuccessful, means death; second, the resources required to forge lifebound spiritual soldiers can be described as terrifying.]
[The Upper Grade True Skill I cultivated requires one hundred thousand jin of silver, one hundred jin of gold, and countless high-tier spiritual materials to forge spiritual soldiers.]
[Red Flame has only gathered seventy percent of the resources.]
[Master Gu instructed me to command the "Eight Hundred Red Flame Soldiers" and then pointed ahead at the "Flying Cloud City," saying, "You go to kill the demon city lord there and take the last thirty percent of resources."]
[This is a test, also a pledge of loyalty.]
[The Red Flame Traitor was once one of Zhao Country's two Pillar of Heaven and Earth, suppressing three races with one army. Only because the Red Flame Commander accidentally discovered Moon Worshiping Demon People causing trouble in the court, and spirit seeds can only be grown in the core of spirit veins, extremely rare.
Moon Worshiping Demon People use "humans" as spirit seeds.
How is this different from the "Cannibal Beast" in the mist? Moon Worshiping Demon People harvested the "Human Spirit Seeds" recklessly, causing ten rooms to be empty in each land of the spiritual vein, endangering the foundation of the Human Race.
Red Flame Commander was furious, raised his troops, slaughtered five cities, and killed three hundred thousand Moon Worshiping Demon People.]
[Saint King Zhao Tianji knew about the matter with the Moon Worshiping Demon People and ordered the Red Flame Commander to return to the capital to report. Seizing the opportunity, Saint King Zhao Tianji used the "Celestial Destiny Divine Artifact" to kill the Red Flame Commander, allowing the Three Great Alien Race Great Demons to attack. Without the Commander holding the fort, the hundred thousand Red Flame Army fell apart, and the leaders of the Seven Veins suffered heavy losses.]
[Subsequently, Saint King Zhao Tianji secretly sent "three million surplus population" to negotiate peace with the Three Great Alien Races.]
[Moon Worshiping Demon People ran rampant in all directions, utterly deranged, far beyond my imagination. Master Gu showed me firsthand the havoc caused by the Moon Worshiping Demon People, even angrier than old photos. Just one look made me physiologically uncomfortable, understanding why the Red Flame Commander was furious.]
[The Human Race, weak and struggling in the mist, became a great race by unity. Whenever the tribe grew, heroes would expand territories and establish nations to protect one region; this is the origin of Zhao Country.]
[The land of Human Race's spirit veins is insufficient for the survival of the tribe. As the Human King, one should take the lead to expand territories, which is the duty of the successive Human Kings.]
[The founding ancestor of Zhao Country, his dying declaration was mighty and has been passed down, "If future generations are unfilial, unfit for the position of Human King, all seventy-two City Lords can raise troops and replace him."]
[Saint King Zhao Tianji is just afraid of dying; he just wants Zhao Family's kingdom to remain forever, eliminating threats that can oppose the "Celestial Destiny Divine Artifact."]
[The world isn't foolish.]
[The Red Flame Traitor opposes only Saint King Zhao Tianji. Many city lords across regions secretly protect the Red Flame Remnant Army.]
[Flying Cloud City Lord is a Raising Troops Realm Martial Artist, with at least three thousand warriors; a frontal battle isn't beneficial. But he is not a "First Generation Soldier Master," his spiritual weapon comes from ancestors. Though relying on inherited spiritual weapon power to ignite "Heart Fire" and successfully raise troops, seventy percent of his strength relies on the spiritual weapon, weak himself.]
[I made up my mind and said overbearingly to Master Gu, "I'll take only ten people, and within half an hour, I can conquer the city and kill its lord!"]
[Master Gu was shocked.]
[Then, I selected ten warriors and quietly infiltrated the City Lord's Mansion, assassinated the demon Flying Cloud City Lord, cut off his head, looted the treasury, and left quickly before the army reacted. I took the head to meet Master Gu.]
[Master Gu shook his head at this act, showing a worried expression, "This isn't you, you're still missing a little."
"Missing a little what?"
"A little arrogance."
I didn't understand Master Gu's words.]
[Afterwards, I led the "Eight Hundred Red Flame" to transform into "Ten-zhang Battle Spirit" to slaughter Moon Worshiping Demon People, stirring storms everywhere with the "Celestial Body." After many battles, I opened the divine eye on my brow, and my body broke through again, able to resist ordinary spiritual weapons. ]
[Master Gu said my probability of igniting "Heart Fire" and raising troops successfully is only thirty percent.]
[How can someone with unprecedented aptitude like me have only a thirty percent success rate in igniting "Heart Fire" and raising troops?!!]
[Unless I choose to inherit someone else's spiritual weapon, but my cultivation will be limited by the spiritual weapon, never able to climb the peak of Martial Dao.]
[Saint King Zhao Tianji ordered all the dukes to hunt down the "Red-haired Ghost." Whoever takes the head of the Red-haired Ghost will be granted Top-Rank Spiritual Soldiers and conferred as City Lord!]
[City Lords across regions led their armies to encircle me, but with the "divine eye" that can see through mists assisting me, I was "commanding troops like a god" in the fog.]
[I was never caught by anyone.]
[At twenty, I prepared to once again attack the City Lord of Sanyang but encountered the encirclement of thirteen city lords. I led eight hundred Red Flame soldiers out of the siege, finally deep into the Mist Mountain Range, thinking I could escape safely.
At this moment, a red halo spread across the sky.
Within a ten li radius, the mist began to burn, the world turned into a sea of fire, and a huge bird slowly unfolded its wings within it, covering the sky and sun. Four beads gathered, leaving me nowhere to hide.
Suddenly, the four-eyed giant bird shot a crimson beam from its eyes, shining on me.
The celestial body that could resist ordinary spiritual weapons began to glaze under the divine light...
Before perishing.
I looked up, I knew that four-eyed giant bird, it was the Spiritual Weapon Flame Sparrow — crafted only by the seven great Upper Grade True Skills of Red Flame!
And able to unfold the "Spiritual Weapon Domain" to burn the mist, already at the level of founding seventy-two Soldier Masters.
First Generation Soldier Master!!
A tall figure slowly walked out from the sea of fire, amid raising their hand, the hundred-feet Flame Sparrow raised its head and let out a long cry, transforming into a crimson glazed long spear falling into her hand.
"The Red Flame Traitor wreaks havoc in all directions, seeking to destroy the thousand-year foundation of my race, must die!"
...