The Death Banner Battalion had only two duties on the battlefield. They either braced against an enemy charge or charged headlong into enemy lines, which made the shield wall and wedge formations their bread and butter.
They practiced them day, afternoon, and night, and over the next few months, the squad steadily improved.
During this time, Si alternated between training Zixuan and cultivating. However, his cultivation progressed at a frustrating pace. Even after three months, he remained stuck at the fourth tier of the Foundation Realm.
Unfortunately, slave troops were not permitted to leave the camp, nor were they allowed visitors unless one was willing to bribe the guards stationed to watch over them. Because of this, Si could not return to the graveyards, nor could he see Bao. He was isolated, but this was something he had already anticipated. That was why he had invested so much effort into strengthening Bao's foundation beforehand.
Eventually, the Battle of Kong'gong Pass drew near. It had been a total of eight months since his reincarnation, four spent in the graveyards of the Bi family and the rest within the Death Banner Battalion camp.
In that short span of time, he had raised his cultivation from the first stage of the Foundation Realm to the fourth. Not only that, he had become a five-man squad leader upon entering the Death Banner Battalion.
With constant physical training and improved meals, his physique had also changed. His body had filled out slightly, and he carried more weight than before.
At this point in his past life, he had still been among the graves, watching Bao's condition deteriorate day by day. Now, he would end the year upon the frozen front lines of Kong'gong Pass.
In every sense, the first year of his second life had been a vast improvement. He had no reason to complain.
Nirvana Radiance Year 25, 10th Month Day 3
"TODAY WE MARCH TO KONG'GONG PASS, NOT UNDER THE BI FAMILY BANNER ALONE, BUT UNDER THE BANNER OF THE YUNHE KINGDOM!"
Bi Xian's voice boomed across the field without effort. Even at fifty-eight, he still carried the presence and temperament of a seasoned warrior.
Clad in his signature black armor of the Bi clan, the old man held his head high as he mounted a gray fury stallion adorned in matching armor.
Before him stood a vast army of four thousand five hundred soldiers. Three thousand were elite Bi family troops, while the remaining fifteen hundred belonged to the Death Banner Battalion. Among the Bi forces were five hundred cavalry, one thousand archers, and fifteen hundred infantry. This was the full might of the Bi family.
As the highest-ranking officer of the clan, a three thousand-man commander and a second-rank military official within the Yunhe Kingdom court, Bi Xian believed it was his divine right to lead this campaign.
He believed this war would restore the Bi family's fortune and elevate them among the top families of Yunhe. Little did he know they were marching toward nothing but defeat in the snow-covered mountains of Kong'gong Pass.
"THIS IS NOT A WAR OF CONQUEST OR PERSONAL GAIN. THIS IS RIGHTEOUSNESS! THIS IS A WAR TO WASH AWAY THE STAIN UPON OUR SOVEREIGN WITH THE BLOOD OF JINSHAN BARBARIANS! THIS IS A WAR FOR THE HONOR OF YUNHE!"
RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
The roar of the Bi army shook the very air.
Si stood among his squad, silent like every other member of the Death Banner Battalion. They were not soldiers of the kingdom. They were slaves. Patriotism was not expected of them.
At that moment, a luxurious carriage rolled onto the field, bearing the banner of the Yunhe royal family. Six cavalry soldiers in dazzling azure armor escorted it closely.
Behind them rode an additional force of cavalry, numbering well over a thousand.
The carriage door opened, and a bald eunuch dressed in flowing green robes stepped out.
His hands were tucked beneath his sleeves, his eyes perpetually closed.
They were imperial soldiers of Yunhe, and that man was the chief eunuch of the royal palace.
In an instant, everyone dropped to their knees, fists cupped, heads lowered. Even Bi Xian hastily dismounted to kneel.
Only Si's movements were slightly delayed, just enough for him to catch a clear glimpse of the eunuch before lowering himself.
"Li Lianying…"
His eyes narrowed, his fists tightening.
This man was a pillar of power within the royal palace and the kingdom at large. Though over eighty years old, he had served two kings and possessed deep-rooted influence.
This old devil had been the first to sense Si's ambition after he rose to the position of Bi family patriarch through a bloody coup.
He had opposed Si from the shadows, pushing him into desperation and ultimately forcing the revolt of Yunhe. Even in his nineties, he had remained the greatest obstacle standing between Si and the throne. Only then had Si come to understand the terrifying might of a eunuch who had devoted his entire life to serving the royal family and cultivating power.
If not for this old monster's strength pinning him down at the crucial moment, how else could he have failed to save Lady Lian in her hour of greatest need?
In Si's eyes, this man bore responsibility for the death of his first love. It was a sin he could not overlook, even in a life where it had yet to be committed.
On the opposite side of the field, Si's delayed reaction did not go unnoticed.
Li Lianying observed the slave who had been slow to kneel, his gaze lingering for the briefest moment. With a single glance, he discerned Si's cultivation, yet found nothing about him worthy of further attention.
He dismissed him without a second thought and turned his focus back to the kneeling Bi Xian as he stepped forward.
Stopping just a few zhang away, Li Lianying drew out a golden scroll and raised it high for all to see.
"BI XIAN, ACCEPT THE ROYAL DECREE!"
Bi Xian immediately cupped his fists and lowered his head.
"Bi Xian of the Bi family accepts the royal decree!" he responded firmly.
Li Lianying gave a faint nod of approval, casting a brief glance at him before unfolding the scroll.
"COMMANDER BI HAS SERVED YUNHE LOYALLY FOR FOUR DECADES! FOR THIS, HIS MAJESTY BELIEVES COMMANDER BI IS WORTHY OF GREATER RECOGNITION!"
BUZZZ!
Bi Xian's head snapped up in shock, joined by many others across the field. Only Si remained unmoved. He had already anticipated this.
"BI XIAN IS HEREBY PROMOTED TO A FIVE THOUSAND MAN COMMANDER AND IS TO TAKE CHARGE OF TWO THOUSAND OF THE ROYAL FAMILY'S BLUE TIGER CAVALRY."
BUZZ!!!
Bi Xian's mouth fell open as disbelief flooded his features. His gaze shifted behind the carriage, locking onto the two thousand Blue Tiger cavalry stationed there.
They were to fall under his command?
Would that not bolster the Bi family's cavalry to a total of two thousand five hundred?
To think…
"TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN, MUCH IS EXPECTED. HIS MAJESTY AWAITS NEWS OF YOUR GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENTS ON THE BATTLEFIELD!"
Li Lianying's voice carried a faint, haughty edge as he spoke.
"BI XIAN, ACCEPT THE ROYAL DECREE!"
"BI XIAN ACCEPTS THE ROYAL DECREE!" Bi Xian answered without hesitation.
In the next instant, the Bi family army erupted into thunderous cheers, their excitement shaking the field.
At last, the declining Bi family was showing signs of revival.
How could they not rejoice?