Chapter 28: Promotion

Returning to his military tent while the day was still young, Qin Jue immediately began to study the "Iron Bone Technique." As the final volume, the technique stated its method for tempering bone quite plainly: Gather energy into the bones, and refine strength into the marrow. By mobilizing the energy in his dantian and circulating it through his body, he was to condense that energy into his skeletal structure, allowing his strength to penetrate deep into the marrow to achieve the effect of strengthening his bone power.

It sounded simple, yet it was far from easy. The process required a precise ratio between energy and strength. Too much energy and not enough strength would make it difficult to bolster bone power; too much strength with insufficient energy would cause the bones to collapse under the pressure, damaging one's very foundation.

Qin Jue decided to test it out. He found a relatively quiet patch of open ground, cleared his mind, and took a deep breath, sinking the energy into his dantian. Soon, he felt a scorching heat. He immediately called upon his vitality, guiding that energy to circulate through his body while drawing upon his total physical strength. As the process unfolded, both energy and power began to impact his bones.

"Crunch!" Qin Jue could clearly hear the crisp sound of his bones straining under the force. However, the impact lasted only a moment before dissipating.

"Both the energy and the strength were too weak," Qin Jue noted as he opened his eyes. Since it was his first attempt, he could not gauge the correct ratio and would have to experiment slowly. He composed himself and continued.

Several hours passed until the hour of the boar, but an exhausted Qin Jue still hadn't found the right balance. He let out a long sigh and wiped the sweat from his forehead. This final volume of the "Iron Bone Technique" was significantly harder than the previous three; it seemed he would have to take his time. Fortunately, he could allocate points once he reached the entry level, so he wouldn't need to spend an excessive amount of time on it. Casting a glance at the night sky, he ended his training for the day.

The next morning, the troops assembled. Qin Jue led his squad to the meeting point. Along the way, he encountered other squad members who bowed and greeted him respectfully. Even some of the captains were deferential. Everyone in the battalion knew that Qin Jue had made significant contributions during the Lishan bandit suppression and was highly likely to be promoted. Even without a promotion, his battlefield performance alone was enough to earn him the respect of his peers.

Chen Xi approached with his own squad and ran into Qin Jue. Chen Xi’s expression flickered, and he pursed his lips before cupping his hands in a salute. "Captain... Qin!" Though they were both captains, Chen Xi knew the gap between them was insurmountable, and the jealousy he once felt had long since dissipated. He now only hoped that Qin Jue would not hold any hostility toward him.

Qin Jue nodded slightly and led his squad to the assembly point. Shortly after, someone approached to inform him that the colonel had ordered him and his squad to stand in the front row. The front of the battalion was typically reserved for the colonel’s direct subordinates, and the first row was the most elite among them. The implication behind this instruction was self-evident. Seeing this, Chen Xi felt a surge of complex emotions before quietly moving into the middle of the ranks.

Once everyone was in formation, Wu Mi finally arrived, followed by a group of martial artists from the prisoner camp. The Qingfeng Stronghold had absorbed the Lishan bandits, swelling their ranks, and all units were receiving reinforcements. Wu Mi arranged the captives to the side, scanned the crowd, and announced, "From today, our battalion will be expanded to 500 men!"

The troops reacted with surprise and delight. A larger force meant greater combat effectiveness and significantly improved survival chances on the battlefield. "Furthermore, according to military planning, our company will now have four Military Commanders!" Wu Mi continued.

With the expansion, the structure of the ranks would change. The crowd was curious: there had previously been only one Military Commander, so who would the other three be? Many eyes turned toward Qin Jue in the front row. If anyone in the battalion was qualified to be a Military Commander, it was certainly him.

As expected, Wu Mi announced the first selection: Qin Jue. Qin Jue’s expression remained calm, as if he had anticipated it. He stepped forward to stand before Wu Mi, facing the men, and was met with widespread reverence.

Next, Wu Mi announced the second commander—a veteran who had been with the battalion since the Qingfeng Stronghold days and had performed well during the Lishan campaign. However, compared to Qin Jue’s merits, he paled in comparison. In the military, merit was everything; seniority meant little. If not for the fact that this man held some prestige and had performed adequately, many might have deemed him unworthy.

As the second name was revealed, the men grew curious about the third. The veterans of the same era as the second commander waited in anticipation, wondering if it might be them.

"Xu Panyue!"

The name shocked the entire assembly. Many looked confused; no one recognized the name. Was he an outsider? The next moment, a man walked out from the prisoner group and took his place among the Military Commanders.

"What is going on? Why a prisoner?"
"Is this a mistake? What right does he have to stand there?"
"Colonel, we object!"

The soldiers erupted into an uproar, expressing their dissatisfaction. The veterans were particularly incensed. Why should a prisoner, who had done nothing, take a position they had bled and fought for in vain?

"Do you wish to rebel?!" Wu Mi’s brow furrowed, his eyes widening as he roared like a bell. The crowd trembled, and everyone instinctively ducked their heads in silence. "If you were more qualified than him, do you think I wouldn't have made you a commander?" Wu Mi asked coldly, his demeanor radiating unquestionable authority.

Everyone hung their heads in silence. They knew their colonel’s temper all too well, and they trusted he would not show favoritism. Yet, accepting a prisoner as a commander remained difficult. Wu Mi had no desire to explain further. Xu Panyue’s ability was more than enough for the position, and it was with his help that the Qingfeng Stronghold had managed to recruit martial artists from other smaller strongholds without effort.

Seeing no further dissent, Wu Mi continued, "The four commanders are set. You have half an hour to choose which party you wish to join." He then looked toward the prisoners. "That goes for you as well."

The crowd stirred. Within seconds, squads began rushing toward Qin Jue. It was obvious that among the four, Qin Jue had the most potential. As people moved, others followed, all aiming for Qin Jue. In their eyes, he might not be the strongest yet, but his potential was unmatched. Joining him was a safe bet. Even a large number of prisoners chose Qin Jue, having witnessed his prowess in battle.

As for the other three, the strongest commander also attracted some, though he capped his quota at forty. The veteran commander also drew some support. In contrast, almost no one chose Xu Panyue, save for those who knew they wouldn't be picked by the others. Throughout this, Xu Panyue remained calm, showing no emotion.

The imbalance in numbers caused Wu Mi to frown again. "Consider your own worth carefully! Each commander is limited to one hundred men!" With limited spots, the best were chosen first. In the end, Qin Jue’s unit consisted of the finest soldiers in the battalion outside of Wu Mi’s direct command, while Xu Panyue’s unit ended up being the exact opposite.