Late at night, An Chenyu stroked the man's body by her side with a trembling voice, "Song, Xiegu County in the north has been sacked by the barbarians."

"The city should have been sacked a while ago, but in order to prevent panic, this information was suppressed."

"Now it can't be contained anymore, it's going to get out, and the Prefectural City is under lockdown because they believe that once the news spreads, everyone will flee."

"Song, it looks like our suspicions were confirmed."

"This Ghost Tide is on an unprecedented scale."

"Many Northern Barbarians must have come down."

"The Six Towns can't hold them back either."

"It's an avalanche, the sky is falling."

Miss An was incredibly calm outside, as though even if the sky fell, she wouldn't be startled, which was very reassuring."

But at this moment, her whole body was shaking, and the nerves on her forehead were twitching non-stop."

Song Cheng leaned against the backrest, legs spread apart, allowing Miss An to lie in his arms. His hands gently massaged Miss An's scalp, helping her to relax, while saying, "Sister An, how long do you think it will be before the barbarians are at our gates?"

An Chenyu had long pondered this question and after thinking for a moment said, "The Prefectural City is difficult to attack, and with three major powers present, the barbarians won't come immediately. But they'll come sooner or later."

Song Cheng said, "Do you also think that it wasn't the barbarians who killed the Ma Family?"

An Chenyu fell silent, then nodded and said, "It was just the three major powers killing the chicken to scare the monkey."

"With the Ma Family dead, it cuts off the thoughts of other families in the city who might want to sneak away."

"But I can't be completely certain."

"After all, I've read some historical records, and according to those books, the Northern Barbarian demon beast cavalry often use their mobility to raid deep into enemy territory, cutting off their supplies or retreating personnel."

"So, it's not entirely impossible."

Song Cheng asked, "Has Hanping Prefecture ever been breached by the barbarians in history?"

An Chenyu shook her head but added, "It's just that the scale of the Ghost Tide has never been this large before."

Song Cheng inquired, "Sister An, do you think Hanping Prefecture will be able to hold?"

After pondering for a long time, An Chenyu said, "The Dashang Dynasty is not limited to the Prefectural City. After the Ghost Tide subsides, those with foresight would have reacted... so help will come from other places, even the Imperial City may send a general to lead the troops north."

Song Cheng said, "But Hanping Prefecture is the territory of Shanhe Martial Arts Hall, White Camel Estate, and Pearl Mountain Taoist Temple; why would other forces help?"

An Chenyu replied, "These forces are intertwined and not isolated. Whether the Shanhe Martial Arts Hall, White Camel Estate, or Pearl Mountain Taoist Temple, it's highly likely they have connections to the upper echelons of power."

"These major forces, made up of local powers and Imperial City forces, together form a colossal entity."

"And these colossal entities have a tacit agreement, allowing the smaller powers and families to develop without interference, so that to the common people, it seems like a unified dynasty."

"In fact, very few people in Hanping Prefecture know that the real controllers of the Prefectural City and the surrounding eighteen counties are Shanhe Martial Arts Hall, White Camel Estate, and Pearl Mountain Taoist Temple."

"Therefore, other forces will definitely provide support because they will not tolerate the loss of land."

Song Cheng said, "The population is very important, the land and the grains are important... but people will gradually realize that livestock and demon beasts are just as important."

"The barbarians have clearly understood this point, which is why they only take women, grain, and livestock."

"They don't even want cannon fodder because cannon fodder consumes grain."

"And on the battlefield, the disparity between the strong and the weak is too great, cannon fodder... doesn't even have any value."

Before Song Cheng crossed over, he had read in history books about how "barbarians would force the commoners to attack cities first," but in the world before he crossed over "the gap between people wasn't that big," but in this world... the difference between the strong and the weak was very clear.

While pondering, he deftly massaged Miss An's forehead, bridge of the nose, eye sockets, and cheeks...

An Chenyu also regained her composure through their conversation.

"Song, what do you think we should do?"

"We lack sufficient information to make a decision."

"I think so too, let's just wait and see." The unflappable Miss An sighed and then flipped over, hooking her arms around the youth's neck, "Song, stop massaging, come down."

Song Cheng shrank into the covers.

Rolling over and over.

Suddenly, Song Cheng said, "Cultivation techniques of other families..."

"Never mind, I'll figure out a way myself."

No matter how chaotic the situation was, getting stronger could not be delayed. He had to find a way to acquire the martial arts or sect techniques of other martial arts halls or minor sects—be it force methods, power techniques, anything was fine.

Caught off guard by this abrupt "casting interruption," An Chenyu couldn't help but "fiercely" bite him, then used the momentum to flip on top.

The casting continued...

The casting succeeded...

The casting critical hit...

The night was hot and intense...

...

...

The panic of the lockdown didn't cause a great stir; it was like the calm before a storm.

Five days passed in a blink.

After taking seven "Soul Strengthening Pills," Song Cheng felt that his Divine Soul had grown significantly stronger and he was always in high spirits.

At that moment, he sat in front of the Scripture Pavilion, grinding the rusty knife under the sunlight, with rust falling like drizzle, mixed with clear water and turning yellow.

Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind; he grabbed the knife and went to a secluded area. The Gang Qi unique to the "Peak of Form Realm" vigorously entered the rusty knife.

With a flick of his fingers.

Rustle, rustle, rustle...

All that was left of the rust had flown off.

The youth ran his fingers over the blade.

Smooth, sharp—it was a good knife for killing.

At this moment, his stats had changed to "124~248."

When he first got the rusty knife, it was only "119~236."

'I'm still short of 26 points of minimum strength, 44 points of maximum strength from that individual at White Camel Estate.'

'Then, it's time to add points.'

Song Cheng glanced at his panel:

...

[Points to Add: 112]

[Realm: Yellow Level Grade B]

[Cultivation Technique]

Flying Wheel Force (Yellow Level Grade C) (Perfection (30/64))

Cleave Force (Yellow Level Grade C) (Entry Level (1/8))

...

Recently, he had attempted to practice cultivation techniques on his own. After all, "training from a higher level to a lower level" is quite straightforward, but these days he had only managed to advance Cleave Force from uninitiated to Entry Level and had pushed the progress of "Flying Wheel Force" forward by 1 point.

It's not easy to create a new force method.

Now, he was ready to "intensively cultivate" for a surge.

'34 points, "Flying Wheel Force", cultivate.'

In an instant, a mysterious feeling welled up.

The Mysterious Turtle Hard Force completely fused with the Flying Wheel Force, connecting also with the Cleave, Stretch, and Absolute Forces, becoming one and the same.

New information emerged:

...

[Cultivation Technique]

True Form of Xuanwu (5 Forms) (Yellow Level, Grade B) (Perfection))

Cleave Force (Yellow Level, Grade C) (Entry Level (1/8))

...

'The technique of Four Forms has become the Five Forms.'

'Although "Xuanwu Style Two" remains unchanged, the originally slightly flawed Jiao Mountain seems to have become more perfect.'

With a long blade held across, the young man lowered his left hand as the "Mechanical Shield" slid out from his sleeve, turning into a shield with a single thought.

The Five Forms of Gang intertwined together, with the Hard Force and the spiral horizontal force of the Flying Wheel entwining around the shield, while the Cleave, Stretch, and Absolute Forces attached to the long blade.

The Five Forces turned into Five Gang, circulating around the youth's body, making him a fortress-like existence, capable of both offense and defense.

Song Cheng glanced at the data.

133~266.

'Continue.'

The youngster took a quick look at the remaining 78 points.

'55 points, "Cleave Force", cultivate.'

For a short while...

"Cleave Force" achieved Perfection.

The information changed again.

...

[Cultivation Technique]

True Form of Xuanwu (5 Forms) (Yellow Level, Grade B) (Perfection))

Xuanwu True Force (6 Forces) (Yellow Level, Grade C) (Perfection)

Strength: 139~278!

He was now not far from that person from White Camel Estate with "145~280".

In other words, Blind Song himself was nearly reaching the ceiling of combat power in the Prefectural City.

How marvelous!

What a pleasant surprise!

Why?

Song Cheng thought about it and soon came to a conclusion:

Although he hadn't reached their realm, his foundation was solid. Others only mastered one or two forces, while he had five or six. Most people practiced the techniques of a single weapon, but he practiced with two.

Song Cheng felt a slight increase in his sense of security.

Cleave Force is a vertical force, moving from top to bottom. Limbs, torso, legs—all possessed this flowing force, which was an important link for the spiral horizontal force of the Flying Wheel to transition from defense to offense.

If Hard Force made the skin hard, resistant to blades and spears,

Then the horizontal spiral force of the Flying Wheel caused one's clothes to stick and fall,

Therefore, Cleave Force would make clothes cling before bringing one to their knees.

With the Six Forces entwined around him, Song Cheng felt his understanding of the "Force Realm" deepen further, far surpassing a moment ago.

"Force", put simply, is the flow of power.

And flow requires the opening of "river channels".

These "channels" are formed by various factors including breathing, flesh and blood, sinews and bones, and inertia.

Invisible on regular days, yet the moment one exerts power, it appears immediately.

Such opening is quite arduous, not only needing concerted effort in cultivation, consuming demon beast meat for endurance, but also requiring guidance to prevent mispractice.

However, the Six Forces had already formed a "net of force" around his body.

No matter what other force he cultivated, it was just adding a "tributary channel" into this "net of force".

Perhaps with another Force Method, he wouldn't need to enhance his abilities through points; he could completely rely on his own cultivation, advancing a thousand li in a single day.

'I must find a way to acquire some new Force Methods.'

After some thought, Song Cheng planned to see the situation; if all else failed, he intended to replicate the approach used in Shanghe County, making a direct "visit" to the local Martial Arts Hall.

...

...

While Song Cheng was pondering, a commotion suddenly erupted in the front courtyard.

Soon after, a steward from the An Family came rushing in. Upon reaching the Scripture Pavilion, he exclaimed, "Everyone, a government officer is here from the Magistrate; he wants to see you all!"

After speaking, the steward also looked at Song Cheng and said, "Son-in-law, the government officer has come, saying he wants to meet every family's martial artist. Even those who only know a bit of farmhand martial arts must go."

Seeing that Song Cheng did not move, the steward urged anxiously, "Son-in-law, they're already standing at the door."

Inside the Scripture Pavilion, Zhao Hua was the first to dash out, approaching Song Cheng and asking, "Big brother, what do you say?"

Song Cheng said, "Meet them."

Zhao Hua nodded in agreement.

Meanwhile, the other martial artists and the An Family's experts also came out one after another.

Upon reaching the front gate, the government officer read out the Magistrate's orders.

In short, due to the special circumstances, the Government Office wanted to recruit heroes from the people to join forces against the Northern Barbarians.

As for the benefits:

First, they would be paid in silver;

Second, based on military merit, official positions would be given directly;

Third, the strong individuals from Shanhe Martial Arts Hall and White Camel Estate would come to select the gifted disciples to join their Sects. Even those not exceptionally talented, as long as they had sufficient military merit or passed certain tests, could also join these two major powers.

Having relayed this, the government officer added, "You may know little about Shanhe Martial Arts Hall and White Camel Estate, but I tell you, this is an extremely rare opportunity, a once-in-a-millennium chance.

Fortune comes to those who seek it amidst danger. Will you live a life of mediocrity as lifelong family retainers and guards, or will you seize the chance to stand in a position even higher than your family patriarchs? It all depends on the choice you make today."

After finishing, he cast a glance at the steward beside him and at Miss An, who had just arrived, and said indifferently, "The Magistrate has ordered that if a martial artist desires to go, no one shall obstruct them. If there is a deed of sale, that deed shall also be voided. If anyone disobeys or acts in bad faith..."

The government officer huffed coldly, then looked towards the martial artists and said, "Those who wish to join, stand behind me.

Those who haven't decided, come to the Government Office within seven days.

After seven days, no more will be accepted!"

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