Chapter 472: The Warrior Returns
Wanli Dragon was once again coiled around Ning Zhuo’s waist.
Most of the spoils of war within had already been sold off, in exchange for heaps of spirit stones that now filled several cabins.
As of now, Ning Zhuo no longer needed to worry about the cost of Wanli Dragon traversing the void—
He was incredibly wealthy!
Sun Lingtong, still small in stature, sat cross-legged on the ground, wearing the Soldiers Sharing One Helm.
The oversized helmet rested atop his tiny head, its rear half covering much of his upper back, highlighting the comical contrast between the two.
Sun Lingtong’s physical foundation was far stronger than before.
Though the helmet was heavy, he could easily support it with his head.
While supporting the helmet, he flipped through the military manual Gao Sheng’s Testament.
The manual was severely damaged. Without any grounding in military arts, Sun Lingtong could recognize the words, but making sense of them together proved challenging.
The deeper he read, the more profound the strategies became. Misunderstanding even a single word could lead to wildly different conclusions.
The worst part was that the book contained many gaps—missing words, phrases, even entire passages.
As a military treasure used in actual combat, it was excellent. But as a textbook, it was a true torment to study.
But the current situation was different from before—Sun Lingtong had put on the Soldiers Sharing One Helm!
As he flipped the pages, his spiritual sense dove deep into the manual, and his eyes became unfocused as he slipped into a state of insight.
In a trance, he became a common soldier. Burdened and slow of foot, he let out a loud fart during a night ambush—alerting the enemy and ruining the mission.
Then, he became a small unit leader. Hot-tempered and impulsive, he lost his patience even after reaching the enemy’s side, charged too early, and blew the element of surprise. The enemy reacted and withstood the assault.
Then, he became the commanding general. Hesitant and overly cautious, even after identifying a prime moment to strike, he couldn't bring himself to commit fully. When he finally did, the enemy had already stabilized, and it was too late.
From all this, Sun Lingtong gained a deep understanding.
“To pull off a successful ambush, a soldier must hide their presence; a unit leader must restrain their urges; a general must be decisive! At the moment of ambush, one must go all in, hold nothing back. Only then can the ambush reach its full potential.”
A full two hours passed before Sun Lingtong slowly opened his eyes.
His spiritual sense nearly depleted, he set the helmet down and stood up, raising his brows at Ning Zhuo with a proud expression, clearly having gained much.
“I’ve comprehended a battle formation called Thieving Breeze Formation.”
“This formation allows soldiers to march quickly, as if stepping on the wind. At the same time, it hides their presence.”
“With concealment and disguise, one can get close to the enemy, then launch a sudden full-scale ambush!”
“Like a breeze brushing the face, stealing the enemy’s life. It’s especially effective when the enemy is asleep!”
After sharing his insight, Ning Zhuo looked doubtful. “That’s it?”
He had thought there would be a wealth of information to glean, but in the end, it was only one formation.
Sun Lingtong stroked his chin and analyzed, “Gao Sheng’s Testament is too damaged—reading it normally makes it hard to understand.”
“My own military knowledge is practically nonexistent, which only made things worse.”
“As for the power of the Soldiers Sharing One Helm, it lets the wearer gain the experiences of all the soldiers who’ve worn it before.”
“When combined with the manual, it tailors the experience to fit my own temperament and preferences, guiding me to the most suitable outcome.”
“Clearly, that outcome was the Thieving Breeze Formation.”
Ning Zhuo nodded repeatedly in agreement.
Sun Lingtong’s field experience was even broader than Ning Zhuo’s.
And his analytical thinking was sharp. Just one attempt, and he had grasped the truth.
“Little Zhuo, you give it a try too,” Sun Lingtong suggested. “I already tested it for you, so there shouldn’t be any danger.”
“Big Bro, thanks a lot,” Ning Zhuo had long been curious. Before even entering the military camp, he mimicked Sun Lingtong’s posture—sitting cross-legged and delving into the manual.
He became a soldier, escorting masses of civilians during a retreat. The burden caused the entire army to be wiped out, himself included.
He became a unit leader, unwilling to abandon the injured in his unit. While dragging them during retreat, he was caught and killed by the pursuing enemy.
He became a general, reluctant to suffer casualties. He refused to abandon any part of his forces, constantly deploying reserves. But in the latter half of the battle, with no backup troops left, the front line collapsed after a single breach—resulting in complete defeat. Ning Zhuo, as the general, perished as well.
Thus, Ning Zhuo comprehended a military art—Total Annihilation by Sacrificing Comrades!
Once invoked, this technique allowed a soldier’s flesh and soul to be sacrificed as materials, transferring temporary power to the remaining troops.
The more comrades who died, the stronger the boost to the survivors’ combat strength.
When Ning Zhuo opened his eyes, visibly exhausted, Sun Lingtong curiously asked, “Little Zhuo, what did you gain?”
Ning Zhuo: “……”
He stayed silent for a moment before finally saying, “I comprehended a military art.”
Sun Lingtong pressed further, “What art?”
“It must align with your nature and preferences—something perfectly suited to you.”
Ning Zhuo: “……”
Big Bro, if you hadn’t said that, we could’ve stayed friends!
Seeing Ning Zhuo’s long silence, Sun Lingtong became too curious to wait. “Oh come on, Little Zhuo, just tell me!”
Ning Zhuo finally nodded and forced himself to say, “This technique is called… The Warrior Returns Art!”
“What does that mean?” Sun Lingtong was confused.
Ning Zhuo muttered softly, “As the saying goes, ‘The wind is bleak, the Yi River cold; once the warrior goes, he returns no more.’”
“This military art makes the warrior return.”
“When comrades fall in battle, their remaining power is transferred to those who survive.”
“Though the warrior dies, their lingering strength supports their comrades in continued battle.”
“I really like this technique—it fully expresses my understanding of the brutality of war. War is perilous and vicious, and I cherish peace!”
“At the same time, this art reflects my belief that ‘sacrifice must have meaning—the greater the value, the more worthwhile the sacrifice.’”
“Beyond that, it also embodies my resolve and courage: to never yield, and even in death, leave behind strength to keep fighting!”
Sun Lingtong stared blankly at Ning Zhuo.
Ning Zhuo stood tall with his chest out, smiling at him with righteous dignity.
For a moment, Sun Lingtong was genuinely fooled, muttering, “It just feels… a little off.”
Ning Zhuo quickly said, “Ah, no need to overthink. Let’s head back.”
“Hm? Not going to keep studying?” Sun Lingtong asked.
Ning Zhuo shook his head. “For one, we’ve been gone too long—there might be a sudden development on Mu Lan’s side, so better to stay close just in case.”
“For another, if Gao Sheng’s Testament and the Soldiers Sharing One Helm really draw from our personality and preferences… though that point’s debatable—”
He quickly added that disclaimer before continuing, “Then, unless we truly master a formation or tactic, we’ll likely keep triggering the same kind of content.”
“If we don’t fully understand it, we’ll just end up with a bunch of similar insights.”
Sun Lingtong nodded, “That makes sense, that makes sense. Little Zhuo, you’re as brilliant as always.”
Ning Zhuo smiled, “Of course, that’s just a theory. But it’s easy to test—all Big Bro has to do is go and study again.”
Sun Lingtong nodded. “Of course I’ll do that.”
With that, Sun Lingtong remained in the Puppet Dragon, while Ning Zhuo, with the dragon coiled at his waist, returned to the Three Generals Camp.
Upon hearing the news, Liu Er immediately stepped out to welcome him.
Seeing Ning Zhuo smiling brightly, Liu Er’s smile became even more enthusiastic. “Seeing the strategist like a breeze in spring, you must have gained much this trip.”
Ning Zhuo cupped his hands in salute. “The family has granted me more authority—I can now provide greater support to the Three Generals Camp.”
Liu Er clapped in delight. “Indeed, great news! Strategist, please, come sit in my tent.”