Chapter 6, Reinforcements

Baru sighed, glancing at Lei, who lay paralyzed on the ground, exhausted to the point of unconsciousness. He slightly softened his tone and said, "Alright, you all take this young brother away to rest properly. What a pitiful young man, experiencing his first battle and witnessing all his comrades being wiped out. If it were me, I wouldn't be able to bear it either. It's commendable that he had the courage to turn back and vow to take down Karlin in front of the enemy's army. Hehe, this kid may seem a bit weak, but he certainly has a strong spirit deep down." What a pitiful young man, experiencing his first battle and witnessing all his comrades being wiped out. If it were me, I wouldn't be able to bear it either. It's commendable that he had the courage to turn back and vow to take down Karlin in front of the enemy's army. Hehe, this kid may seem a bit weak, but he certainly has a strong spirit deep down.

The Black Iron Knight roared: "Nonsense, what power could possibly destroy such a magnificent city? You, you, you must be lying." Yet everyone knew that Lei was telling the truth; he was not lying. When they arrived at the ruins of the 'Iron Blood Fortress', everyone would rather believe they had taken a wrong turn and ended up in another destroyed city than accept that this was merely the 'Iron Blood Fortress'.

Immediately, another heavy blow struck Lei on the head, and then the knight replied in a deep voice: "My lord, I confirm that he has lost consciousness"

The three private military leaders exchanged glances, their eyes gleaming with cunning. One of them, who appeared somewhat plump, rubbed his belly and said with a smile, "Well, little brother, tell me, they say they want to occupy the Xilihang Province, is that right?"

Swish, swish, swish, hundreds of long spears appeared in front of Lei's path, and the surrounding troops watched Lei with heightened vigilance, fearing that he might harm even a single hair on Karlin's head. Karlin looked at Lei with curiosity and asked in confusion, "Kid, why did you call me? Do you really want to submit to me? But I won't accept you, because you are my captive. This way, I can become a Black Iron Tier 1 Knight; I can't have you as my attendant"

Even though the soldiers around looked like tough men, upon hearing Lei's words, they all trembled slightly. The Black Iron Knight shouted, "You are talking nonsense, how could that be? 'Iron Blood Fortress' is the second most magnificent city on the continent, how could it possibly be destroyed? You, you, you must be lying." He kicked heavily at Lei's thigh.

Karlin muttered, "Lei? I remember now, he's the one who almost disfigured me. His archery skills are quite impressive. It seems I will need to wear armor from now on; safety first, safety first. If I were to die, the beauties of the imperial capital would surely weep in sorrow. With no one to comfort them, they would undoubtedly drive their husbands out of the house."

Lei felt as if he were in a dream, his entire spirit no longer under his own control. How could his feeble mental strength compare to the mental power cultivated by a high-level mage through decades of meditation? He had completely succumbed to control.

Karlin's complexion looked a bit grim, and he muttered, "Indeed, serving in the military is not a pleasant affair. In the capital, who would dare to issue such threats to me? If there were, I would have long asked my father to take care of them... Sigh, such situations only occur on the battlefield, I suppose"

He closed his eyes and let out a long breath. When he opened his eyes, three sharp long swords were already pointed at his throat, heart, and lower abdomen. A dozen tall soldiers, with fierce expressions and clad in silver armor, were staring at him. A first-tier knight in black iron was menacingly wielding a riding whip, assessing the fleshy parts of his body.

Lei, somewhat awkwardly, steadied himself on the saddle, staring intently at Karlin, and said word by word: "Karlin?"

Lei struggled to rise, while Shabo looked at him with evident impatience and shouted: "What are you getting up for? Are you wasting my time? But then again, you are a soldier, so perhaps I should show you a bit of respect. Alright, listen carefully. The method for cultivating internal energy is to mobilize the breath within your body, allowing it to circulate continuously through several main meridians. By exercising your body, you can accumulate more energy within, making that internal energy stronger. This is the greatest principle of cultivating fighting spirit."

Lei nodded in a somewhat understanding manner, while Shabo continued to shout: "Now, I will tell you what those meridians are. In the future, you just need to circulate that stream of energy continuously within the meridians. Also, you must train your body diligently; otherwise, you will be overwhelmed and killed by the gradually strengthening internal energy, and that will not be my concern."

After receiving the request from the bodyguards, Lei was almost dragged into the central military tent by several soldiers, being thrown heavily onto the ground.

Lei Daidai thought: "I have been unconscious for a day and a night? Then, where am I now?"

The cavalry dispatched by Baruch to convey urgent military intelligence encountered several knights from the Vante Empire on the way, and thus, this cavalryman vanished without a trace, along with his urgent military message...

The bruised and battered Lei was finally dragged to the Silver Wolf Legion's camp, which was situated far from the ruins of the "Iron Blood Fortress," by the riverside where the camp was established. In addition to a Silver Wolf flag fluttering in the air, three other banners were also waving. Lei, having no knowledge of the imperial heraldry, was unable to discern which three lords' private legions had arrived.

In the hearts of the people of the Vante Empire, the "Iron Blood Fortress" is the pride of their entire empire, a symbol of their military strength that has not waned. How could it possibly be so easily destroyed? Moreover, at the scene, there wasn't even a single larger brick to be found. Aside from the countless corpses scattered on the ground, there was nothing else, making it impossible to associate the place with the once magnificent city that stood there.

Lei's expression darkened. Drawing upon the fragments of information he had heard within Karlin's army, he dryly twitched the corner of his mouth and forced out a few words: "Our entire army has been annihilated. The people of the Smart Empire used deceit; they buried a large number of magical crystals and something called gunpowder within the 'Iron Blood Fortress,' blowing the entire castle to pieces"

The person fell silent for a moment, seemingly astonished that Lei could still speak. He could not help but let out a soft snort and said in a tone of pride: "Of course... this time we are putting forth our utmost effort to attack your Vante Empire. Lord Carlin is recognized as a genius in our country, and under his leadership, annihilating a civilian force like yours is nothing."

The Black Iron Knight paused for a moment and asked, "You are riding the military horse of the Shimate Empire, and the ration pack you are using also bears the mark of the Shimate Empire. Who exactly are you?"

A private military group leader shouted impatiently: "That's how it is. The 'Iron Blood Fortress' is too solid; no one can destroy it head-on. So they resorted to tricks to seize the fortress and achieved their objective, then they retreated. To prevent leaving the fortress in our hands, they blew it up. That's how it is, isn't it?"

The surrounding smart officers consciously filtered out the term 'His Majesty Karlin'; they dared to swear to the divine that they had never heard this term in their lives

Within the palace of the Vant Empire, His Majesty Shagru finally shared a chamber with the Empress half a month after her coronation. In the preceding half month, the beautiful Lady Green had completely bound Shagru to her waist, leaving no room for him to escape. The Duke of Green had already arrived in the imperial capital with his entire family, yet Lady Green did not even go to meet him

Seeing Lei's face filled with panic, Shabo felt an immense satisfaction. He laughed and said, "Just now, if I had made even a slight miscalculation, your head would have been blown to the sky. Fortunately, my control over strength is quite good, right? Haha... Let me tell you, don't think that everyone can cultivate fighting energy; only those with exceptionally strong bodies can do so. This is also why the Vante Empire stipulates that only knights of the mid-Bronze rank and above can cultivate fighting energy. It is only at the level of a Bronze Knight that they have the ability to control the rapidly increasing internal energy within their bodies; otherwise, their bodies would collapse."

Baru shouted, "Are you blaming me? Blaming me for not rescuing you sooner? Have you forgotten that if we had arrived a day earlier, it would have been us entering the fortress? Do you wish for our elite legion to be completely annihilated? Hmph... I suspect you are not telling the truth. Someone, please summon Mage Meiko."

No one spoke anymore, and a large hand reached out, striking Lei's head sharply. That authoritative voice whispered, "Kid, behave and don't move around, or you'll be dead. Hmph, if you dare to mention Lord Carlin's conferral of your title, I will definitely kill you, understand? Such matters are a disgrace to us knights. Damn it, why weren't you killed on the battlefield?" Hmph, if you dare to mention Lord Carlin's conferral of your title, I will definitely kill you, understand? Such matters are a disgrace to us knights. Damn it, why weren't you killed on the battlefield?

Shabo furrowed his brows, hesitated for a moment, and murmured: "Lord Karlin has presented me with a difficult problem. The method I use to cultivate fighting energy is one of the most sophisticated techniques in the empire; how can I possibly teach it to this young man?"

After a long time, Lei finally finished recounting all his experiences since joining the army, even expressing his deepest desire to return home and tend to the fields. Mei Ke, with a slight sheen of sweat on his forehead, nodded in satisfaction, withdrew his mental energy, and released Lei onto the ground. He then said: "Indeed, everything is true. Hey, Karlin? A mage so young, yet able to command the army of the Smart Empire, seems to possess considerable ability. However, at just over twenty years of age, his magical power is unlikely to be very strong."

Lei trembled all over; his innate disposition of being uncompetitive, gentle, and modest was, in fact, a rather timid temperament. After being glared at by Baru, he was intimidated once more. He stammered as he recounted everything that had happened to him.

In the midst of whispered voices, Lei endured several punches, nearly breaking his ribs. The carriage gently moved forward, and Lei heard a few people beside him mocking him: "However, the knight he has been sealed as offers him no benefits at all... Lord Carlin truly has a temper like a child; one should not play too recklessly. With the leather armor on this kid, three silver coins would be enough to redeem him. Surely, the lord does not lack this small amount of money?"

Baru frowned: "What were they doing when you left?"

At that moment, Lei, in a state of confusion, galloped over three hundred meters before hurriedly turning his horse around and racing back towards Karlin and the others

Shabo cast a fierce glance at Lei and commanded, "Alright, this kid is quite clever. I initially thought it would take three days to teach him, but he has already learned the method of cultivating fighting energy. Keep him here and give him a bag of dry rations. The rest time is sufficient; we need to be on our way."

Thunder hesitated for a moment, contemplated for half a day with the books, shook his head and said: "I don't know, from the flat ground, their camp is very large, and I cannot see the end of it."

The Black Iron Knight looked at Lei with suspicion and shook his head, saying: "Are you one of our soldiers? Then where is your armor? Where is your weapon? Why are you riding the enemy's horse? Also, what exactly happened at the 'Iron Blood Fortress'? Or should you tell me, where has the 'Iron Blood Fortress' gone?"

Several soldiers pushed him onto the horse, and then kicked the horse's rear, sending it galloping northward with him. While Shaboke and the other knights were still eager to continue mocking Lei, Karlin had already appeared beside them like a ghost, exclaiming in astonishment: "Heavens, my first prisoner has actually been let go like this. Your methods are truly unreliable... It saddens me greatly, but after all, it is wartime, and I can understand the danger of keeping an enemy soldier within our ranks... Well, I will deduct your pay for next month."

Lei was momentarily taken aback. Suddenly, he noticed the badges on the soldiers' uniforms: a silver wolf's head roaring towards the sky, with a background pattern of three powerful weapons—knife, axe, and sword—intertwined. He couldn't help but exclaim in delight: "Heavens, you are soldiers of the Empire! You have finally arrived! Oh, why couldn't you have come just one day earlier? If you had arrived just one day earlier, we would have..."

The commander of the Silver Wolf Legion, Lord Baruch, holds the rank of General in the Empire, the honorary title of Grand Knight, and is esteemed as a Count of the Empire. He possesses formidable strength at the fifth tier of gold and is currently discussing matters with the commanders of three private legions inside the tent

Lei furrowed his brow and said in confusion, "They seem to be retreating. I vaguely heard them say they are retreating, but I don't understand why. They actually blew up the 'Iron Blood Fortress' and then retreated. I really don't know why. They also mentioned wanting to occupy the Xili Province, but..."

Shaboke's right hand formed a fist, and in the terrified gaze of Lei, his entire fist seemed to swell to twice its size. A circle of fiery red energy emitted a whistling sharp sound that enveloped his fist. Shaboke smiled proudly, bent down, and struck Lei's head with a punch. With a loud 'bang', Lei's entire body was lifted about a meter off the ground, then heavily crashed back down, his already swollen head hitting the ground again, nearly knocking him unconscious.

Meike remained silent, murmuring a few words under his breath. A whirlwind suddenly lifted Lei, drawing him closer. Meike revealed a triumphant smile, and two beams of green light suddenly flashed in his eyes, piercing through Lei's gaze. He asked, word by word, "Alright, repeat your experience once more."

The three legion commanders were anxious; if the Province of Silih were to be occupied, the imperial capital would surely issue orders for their lords to mobilize troops to assist the imperial army in driving away the forces of the Smart Empire. In that case, wouldn't they be at a significant loss

The high-ranking knights of the Smart Empire around them wore a peculiar smile, nodding in agreement with Shabo's words. In their minds, Lei was merely a trivial fellow to be entertained, a pitiful creature who had retained his life solely due to Karlin's eccentric temperament, and thus not worthy of serious consideration. Shabo cleverly navigated Karlin's orders, and these knights were quite approving of his approach; after all, he was just a commoner, merely a source of amusement for Lord Karlin. Why bother teaching him the true techniques of combat energy?

Before long, an elderly wizard clad in a black robe strode in confidently. His wizard's badge, like Karlin's, was the highest rank, a Diamond Dragon badge. However, the highest-ranking wizards of the Vant Empire, if they were to come to the Smart Empire, would at most only be at the level of Diamond Dragon ranks three to five, and it would be impossible for them to wear a badge with seven olive leaves.

Baru cast a disdainful glance at the three legion commanders and inwardly cursed, "These local lords should all go to hell. As their legion leaders, aren't you all their relatives? If it weren't for your status as high nobility, how could you possibly possess the Golden Fifth-Order Knight insignia? Hmph..."

Le raised his head, and Barou was a slender figure draped in a light purple cloak, with a peculiar sword that was no longer than three feet but as wide as a palm resting by his side. His pair of yellowish eyes radiated a cold light, appearing quite shrewd. The other three private legion commanders were significantly inferior in presence compared to Barou. Although they were also esteemed as Golden Fifth-Order Knights, their strength seemed to be far below that of Barou, rendering them rather unremarkable.

Rei was roughly lifted by several soldiers and heavily slammed onto a cart transporting supplies, after which several ropes were tied around him. In the darkness, it seemed that someone had also struck him hard in the ribs a few times; from the sensation of the impact, it appeared that the assailant was wearing metal knuckles, likely a knight clad in armor. Rei could faintly hear a few people whispering: "This kid is really lucky, having been granted the title of a high-ranking family knight..."

The three legion commanders nodded nonchalantly, for Lei was an ordinary citizen, and there was no need to be concerned about angering the high officials of the imperial capital because of him

Carlin nodded, while the other knights, especially the royal guards led by Shabo, all shouted in unison: "How bold, daring to directly address the lord's name." Several hot-tempered knights had already drawn their long swords, ready to charge and knock Lei off his horse

When Lei awoke again, the sky was already bright. Shabo, the captain of Karlin's personal guard and one of the few high-ranking knights in the Shimat Empire capable of engaging the Vante Knights in combat, stood before him with an impatient expression, his heavy iron-booted foot pressing down on Lei's chest

Lei licked his lips and asked in a low voice, "Have all the people been killed?"

Karin smiled with malicious glee, nodding repeatedly as she said, "Good, very good, um, listen carefully."

With a sound of "puff," it resembled the noise of a fist striking a person's cheek. A commanding voice reprimanded in a low tone: "Shut up, do you want to die?"

Baru respectfully stood up and bowed: "Mage Meike, this soldier has been released from the enemy. What he has said is indeed rather strange, and the actions of their commander are truly perplexing, resembling those of a child... May I ask if you have any means to ascertain the truth of his words?"

Thunder answered loudly: "My lord, I am Thunder, the archer of the temporary 17th Legion of the Sirih Province, directly under Team Leader Lord Klaus."

The three legion commanders rolled their eyes and ignored Baloo's complaints. In their private legions, aside from the most elite portion that was well-fed and well-cared for, it was common for the other ragtag troops to lack armor and weapons. The funds had all been diverted to support their mistresses, which made it difficult for them to empathize with the feelings of Baloo and the other elite officers of the empire towards their soldiers.

Balu lowered his head to look at the map on the table in front of him, and after a long while, he whispered, "You, are you the one called Lei? Hmm? Can you tell me, since your entire army has been annihilated, where have you been these past two days?" After speaking, Balu's eyes widened, and a glimmer of cold light seemed to penetrate directly into Lei's heart.

Karin smiled and murmured a few words; those with keen hearing seemed to catch phrases like: "You could buy another pearl earring." However, they quickly dismissed it, convinced they must have misheard, certainly.

Karin smiled again: "Well, alright, alright, as you wish, may I ask your name?"

As he trembled, every muscle in his body convulsed, his teeth chattering with a 'clack clack' sound. He asked, "But, but why do you have to kill so many people? Why do you have to kill them all? Why?"

Immediately after, Karlin climbed onto the grain cart in a sluggish manner, sighing as he said: "Ah, sitting in a cart is so comfortable. For a graceful magician like me, riding a horse is simply a torment... Well, come over here, everyone. I will now tell you the specific next step of the plan... This kid has indeed fainted, hasn't he?"

Baru cautiously said: "Although Karlin may not be very strong, his way of doing things truly makes it difficult for me to guess. As for that kid Lei, he might just be doing it for fun, but why did he choose to retreat? Is it possible that destroying the 'Iron Blood Fortress' is their ultimate goal?"

Baru pondered for a moment and suddenly snorted coldly: "In fact, these young men are not bad. Although they lack any combat capability, what were we doing while they fought for our Vante Empire? My journey to the imperial capital has been delayed for various reasons, but what about you all? It seems you are stationed at the borders of your territories with your legions, watching helplessly as these five hundred thousand soldiers perish, including over a hundred thousand young men just like that little brother from earlier... esteemed lords. It seems you are stationed at the borders of your territories with your legions, watching helplessly as these five hundred thousand soldiers perish, including over a hundred thousand young men just like that little brother from earlier... esteemed lords. ... ...

Baru let out a sigh and said, "Enough, stop asking. Our mission is simply to defeat the enemy. In the face of uncertain circumstances regarding the enemy, we cannot recklessly pursue them; perhaps their retreat is just another ruse, and they are certainly lying in wait for us to chase after them... Well, I have already reported the situation here to the Imperial Capital. I believe the elite Imperial Legion will soon arrive, and at that time, we will no longer have to fear the forces of the Smart Empire"

Karlin's gentle voice rang out: "Oh, you bastard, how dare you tell this guy my battle plan... Well, since everyone is dead anyway, there's no need to keep it a secret anymore. Duke Green, after all, is actually a good person... Hehe." Karlin, not knowing where he got a wooden stick, struck it heavily on Lei's head, knocking him unconscious... Hehe. Karlin, not knowing where he got a wooden stick, struck it heavily on Lei's head, knocking him unconscious

Lei licked his lips and asked in a low voice, "So, how exactly does one cultivate fighting spirit?"

Another legion commander, upon seeing Kaliev being reprimanded, immediately chuckled with glee and asked, "So, Lord Barou, this fellow has mastered the cultivation method of fighting spirit. How shall we deal with him? He is but a lowly commoner."

Baru snorted coldly: "How many troops do they have?"

Baru quickly asked: "What kind of person is their commander, Karlin? How old is he? If he is a wizard, what rank of wizard is he?"

Reagan did not have time to think and quickly replied: "Karin is probably in his early twenties at most. When he came to our camp, he was still a Phoenix Mage, but I heard those mages refer to him as Elder or Senior. I don't know how strong he really is." Ray was on the verge of tears.

Lei shot a fierce glance at Karlin once more, hurriedly turned the horse's head, and galloped away on horseback with great effort. Observing his movements, it was evident that he was not skilled at riding; he struggled significantly to maintain his balance in the saddle.

The man chuckled lightly and said: "Kid, you are too naive. Our goal is the entire Silihang Province, and then we will advance to attack the heart of your empire. As long as we can weaken your local power, we are naturally willing to do so. After eliminating these young men, our rule over the Silihang Province will be much safer in the future... If we were to massacre these people after occupying the entire province, it might provoke the anger of the entire continent. However, your lovely lord has delivered you right to us. I even suspect that the charming Duke Green is one of our dispatched spies."

Khalif was stunned and at a loss for words

His body had been secretly struck several times by those jealous knights, and the soldiers who bound him were far from gentle. Coupled with the two heavy blows to his head, his body was extremely weak. As he struggled to rise from the ground, his hands and feet felt weak, and his whole body trembled with frailty, devoid of any strength. However, a strange thing occurred. From the spot where he had just been hit by Shaboke, a faint yet resilient stream of energy slowly rose from a mysterious place in his lower abdomen. After circulating around his body, it gradually warmed him up, and he began to feel a slight resurgence of strength.

However, for Lei, he was already deeply captivated; concepts such as meridians and vital energy were entirely new to him. Lei was a clever young man; although he had not received formal education, he was quick-witted and soon memorized the foundational techniques taught by Shaboke. Shaboke laughed heartily: "Good, very good, my task is complete; your future cultivation will depend on yourself... Hmm, you might think this is of little use, but the techniques of fighting energy were all invented by our predecessors. If you are so capable, then create your own method of cultivating energy." Shaboke laughed heartily: "Good, very good, my task is complete; your future cultivation will depend on yourself... Hmm, you might think this is of little use, but the techniques of fighting energy were all invented by our predecessors. If you are so capable, then create your own method of cultivating energy."

Baru furrowed his brow and said: "Well, what he has mastered is merely the preliminary method of cultivating fighting energy. As you all know, what use is that? Aside from training someone with immense brute strength, what else is its purpose? Don't we all begin to practice the profound fighting energy of our respective families once we have accumulated a certain amount of internal energy in our bodies? This method of physical training can be left to him to refine... I intend to incorporate him into my Silver Wolf Legion. Do any of you have objections?"

Lei's doubts grew deeper. Although he was very afraid of Baru, he still mustered the courage to ask, "Sir, may I ask why you have only just arrived? If you had come a day earlier, we would not have suffered such a terrible defeat."

Lei gasped in pain, his whole body tensed up. He raised his neck, and inadvertently brushed against the sword's edge, causing a cut to open on his skin, from which blood slowly began to seep out. Lei was so frightened that his entire body stiffened, standing straight on the ground. He shouted loudly: "My lord, I swear, I swear, everything I say is true. They blew up the entire castle."

Lei shook his head and said gloomily, "Kalin, we are enemies. Should I show respect to an enemy? I swear, I swear by my mother's soul, Kalin, I will kill you. I must personally take your life... You have killed all my companions, all my friends." The deep-seated hatred emanating from Lei made Shaboke's heart twitch. At this moment, there was no trace of the weak demeanor that Lei once had; he was clearly a wounded beast.

The three legion commanders cursed inwardly: "Just a mere hundred thousand commoners, damn it, do you think being a count in the imperial capital makes you so great? We are counts too..."

Lei struggled to turn his head, and then looked at the two-meter-wide, four to five-meter-deep pit on the ground with an incredulous expression. Sha Bo smiled triumphantly and said, "Kid, do you understand now? Continuously enhancing the internal energy within your body and releasing it in an instant when needed, that’s the power of a sudden explosion... I only used fifty percent of my strength, hahaha, this strike can rival the effects of advanced magic." Continuously enhancing the internal energy within your body and releasing it in an instant when needed, that’s the power of a sudden explosion... I only used fifty percent of my strength, hahaha, this strike can rival the effects of advanced magic.

The knights around them gaped, unable to speak. A month's pay was a trivial matter, but on what grounds could Karlin withhold their money? If anyone were to be penalized, it should be Shaboke, as all the ideas originated from him

Shabo shook his head and suddenly delivered a punch to Lei's abdomen. Lei was taken aback and let out a scream that he could not control. However, he soon realized that the punch had no force behind it, and his face turned red with shame for showing cowardice in front of the enemy. He was unwilling to remain on the ground, subjected to Shabo's condescending gaze, so he struggled to get back up.

Kalin shrugged his shoulders, turned around casually, and walked towards the camp with a smile, saying: "Thunder? That's a nice name, but only ordinary folks like you would come up with something like that, right? Well, well, I will still be in the Smart Empire's army for the next few years. If you get the chance, you can kill me. If I retire in the future, you can come find me in the imperial capital of the Smart Empire. Alright, that's it. We are about to set off; it seems that your capital's direct military corps is quite close now.

Shabo grinned and said: "Kid, are you awake? Alright, according to my master, Lord Carlin's orders, I am here to teach you about the knowledge of fighting spirit. Remember this: the so-called fighting spirit is the breath that is triggered within a warrior's body, which, after undergoing a special training method, can explosively unleash powerful strength in an instant, just like this."

Several soldiers brought a horse over, and on the horse was a bag of dry rations

These soldiers are fundamentally unable to accept this reality; psychologically, they cannot come to terms with it. Therefore, although they are fully aware that Lei is speaking the truth, as they escort him to the rear command, they still beat him with fists and kicks, nearly knocking him unconscious.

The knights around burst into hearty laughter, with several bronze knights nearly doubling over in amusement. They found it exceedingly entertaining that Lord Carlin had actually set a ransom of one hundred gold coins for a leather armor worth merely three silver coins. Their Lord Carlin was truly amusing. Moreover, he even accompanied this with a fine warhorse; aside from Carlin, no one else in the entire Smart Empire could commit such an absurd act.

Baru watched as several of his guards carefully helped Lei out, nodding slightly as he instructed: "When the young man wakes up, prepare a set of fine armor and weapons for him... That damned Duke Green, he is simply reckless. What use is it to have five hundred thousand unarmed recruits? He is utterly indifferent to human life. I must lodge a complaint with the Prime Minister about him; he clearly does not understand how to lead troops."

Although he did not deceive Lei, Shabo still took a shortcut. He taught Lei all the basic techniques that anyone who cultivates fighting energy would know, but did not reveal any of his unique methods. The consequence of this is that Lei may possess very powerful and pure internal energy within him in the future, but he will be unable to use it; essentially, this set of formulas is useless.

Shabo chuckled a few times and said, "Alright, I have completed Lord Karlin's task. Cultivating one's inner energy is actually quite simple. I can tell you that if no one guides you during your training, it is generally very difficult for ordinary people, I mean common folk and soldiers, to perceive the inner energy that already exists within them. However, in order to fulfill Lord Karlin's instructions, I have deliberately left a trace of inner energy within you, so you won't need anyone to guide you and can practice on your own."

Shabo felt a deep sense of shame: "I did not lie; this is indeed the greatest and most fundamental method for cultivating fighting spirit. Everyone who practices fighting spirit starts from this step; I did not lie. Oh God, forgive me, as a knight, I cannot deceive others"

Shabo frowned and said: "Lucky kid, this is your fortune. Although according to the adults' wishes, you should be detained for three days, given that it is a time of war, we will release you early. You have already been unconscious for a day and a night, which barely suffices for the detention period. Now get lost... Haha, to please our Lord Carlin, when you manage to earn a hundred gold coins, go to the imperial capital of the Smart Empire and find the residence of the First Prime Minister to redeem your armor. Haha."

Lei had been running north for half a day, and his buttocks and the inner thighs were nearly chafed raw. His muscles had become incredibly sore, and after his entire spine emitted an unpleasant creaking sound, he finally fell off the horse. He looked up to the sky and sighed, "Damn it, being a knight is indeed not an easy task. Oh God, how terrifying it is to ride a horse..."

Thunder clenched its teeth, squeezing out a single word from between its teeth: "Thunder"

Baru let out a few cold snorts, issuing several commands for the soldiers to tighten their vigilance, then lowered his head to study the map. He murmured, "In any case, their strength must exceed what we currently possess. My legion has only one hundred and fifty mages, and we cannot confront them head-on... Why are they retreating? Are they trying to deliberately confuse me? Right, they might be planning a surprise attack on me... Thunder, perhaps it is a toy for Karlin's amusement, or it could be intentionally left behind to mislead me... My legion has only one hundred and fifty mages, and we cannot confront them head-on... Why are they retreating? Are they trying to deliberately confuse me? Right, they might be planning a surprise attack on me... Thunder, perhaps it is a toy for Karlin's amusement, or it could be intentionally left behind to mislead me... What exactly is the situation?"

Lei was stunned. Isn't fighting spirit a very powerful martial art? Why is it ineffective? Creating a unique method for cultivating fighting spirit? Where does this come from? What does this guy, dressed in astonishingly magnificent armor, really mean? Lei felt that Shabo's words were somewhat ominous and incomplete.

Karlin stopped the angry knights and smiled, saying: "Little ones, an ordinary citizen cannot directly address the name of a noble. You must add a suffix, such as Lord Karlin, His Highness Karlin, Sir Karlin, or even His Majesty Karlin would be quite appropriate. Have the nobles of the Vante Empire not taught you these things?"

Faintly, there is a smaller voice chuckling: "The adult is indeed quite short on money. Did you not see that even a single coin from that fellow Shalin, the adult has to scheme to obtain? Hehe, we have spies embedded within the Vante Empire..."

Baru glared at the legion commander and said in a low voice: "Then, dear Lord Kaliev, may I ask why the Smart Empire's army does not occupy the 'Iron Blood Fortress' themselves? Given the number of their mages, if they were to seize the fortress, we would have no chance of reclaiming it. In that case, they would effectively occupy the entire Qingfeng Plain, along with the thousands of villages and farmlands on it"