Chapter 509: Mu Lan: “Husband!”
Du Tiechuan was a Soul Formation–level cultivator who specialized in military strategy and served as one of the Grand Generals of Liangzhu Kingdom.
He possessed an innate talent—Iron Wall.
This innate talent allowed a cultivator to greatly enhance their own defense for a short period of time, becoming as immovable as a wall of steel. However, while using this talent, the cultivator could not move and had to remain rooted to the spot.
Because of such a significant drawback, the Iron Wall talent had always been rated as inferior.
An inferior innate talent seemed unworthy of someone like Du Tiechuan.
However, what was truly powerful had never been innate talents, magical treasures, or cultivation techniques. What was truly powerful had always been the cultivator themselves.
Any innate talent was merely an opportunity.
How one grasped that opportunity and excavated the hidden value within it had always differed from person to person.
Judging by the result, Du Tiechuan had firmly seized that opportunity and unearthed an enormous treasure from it!
He developed his innate talent and elevated it into a divine ability.
Even after advancing, the Iron Wall divine ability still appeared rather ordinary compared to other divine abilities. It had few scenarios of use and limited practical value.
Yet in Du Tiechuan’s hands, with the Iron Wall divine ability as the core and combined with his primary cultivation technique, he created an entire series of military arts.
Among them, Iron Flow Across the Plains was the most powerful and the most famous.
Once this technique was unleashed, it empowered the soldiers, drastically increasing the entire army’s weight and defense. Their strength and offensive momentum fused into a single unstoppable force, accelerating continuously and becoming faster and faster. In the end, the army transformed that terrifying momentum into an incomparably devastating attack.
Its might resembled a raging tornado, capable of shattering mountains, splitting seas, and sweeping across heaven and earth with unstoppable force.
The army surged forward like a torrent of steel, crushing everything in its path, sweeping aside all opposition, and expanding the nation’s territory!
Any obstacle standing before the army would be smashed apart and ground into dust. Even powerful individual cultivators who attempted to oppose it would have to face tens of thousands of steel-like beasts, a force almost impossible to resist.
This was Du Tiechuan’s trump card—his ultimate killing move. When used properly, it could determine the outcome of an entire war.
After the vanguard army became trapped and the situation remained unclear, Du Tiechuan dispatched four armies deep into Thousand Peaks Forest while secretly assigning powerful cultivators to escort them.
After probing the enemy’s true strength, he spent an enormous sum of resources to rapidly construct the Dragon Shadow Nine Pillars Parade Platform.
Each army was inspected in rotation so that while Du Tiechuan tempered these forces, he could also select the most suitable army to execute the Iron Flow Across the Plains Military Art.
After the first military review, many generals had already guessed Du Tiechuan’s intentions.
That same day, Marshal Du issued a clear Military Order, explaining the next plan—he would spend nine days conducting five rounds of military reviews. The armies that endured until the fifth round would become the main force and execute the Iron Flow Across the Plains Military Art to launch a full-scale assault on Thousand Peaks Forest.
For a time, the entire army erupted with discussion about this military art.
Past battle records had already completely proven its terrifying power.
It could be said that this was Du Tiechuan’s unique ultimate technique!
“We must join it! Every time Iron Flow Across the Plains has been used, it resulted in a great victory—without a single exception.”
“To personally participate and experience this famous military art would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for those cultivating the path of military strategy.”
“We absolutely must join! Once the war begins, the main army will be empowered by Iron Flow Across the Plains and will be nearly impossible to shake. The remaining side armies will become targets for the enemy’s concentrated attacks and turn into cannon fodder.”
The soldiers were not fools. After discussing it, they quickly understood the situation.
The dozen or so armies in Woodwheel Town would all be selected or eliminated through this inspection.
Those chosen would receive the military art’s empowerment. Not only would their safety be guaranteed, but their military merit would also be assured.
The armies eliminated would generally follow behind the main force when advancing, placing them in extremely dangerous circumstances. The enemy was not stupid—they would avoid the strong and attack the weak.
Especially since the forces of Thousand Peaks Forest were merely a regional alliance. Although they possessed several standing armies, they lacked the veteran iron armies built by the national strength of a kingdom and tempered through repeated wars.
The Thousand Peaks Forest coalition army was not skilled in frontal assaults. When facing the main force empowered by Iron Flow Across the Plains, only a fool would attempt to fight head-on.
Therefore, their reaction was almost certain—they would launch full-force attacks against the other armies.
Only by quickly destroying those forces could they recover some advantage, and then after Iron Flow Across the Plains ended, they would seek an opportunity to fight the Liangzhu Kingdom’s main army again.
“We must do everything possible to squeeze into the main army.”
“We absolutely cannot be eliminated. Once the war begins, the situation will become extremely unfavorable for us.”
“The difference in treatment is like heaven and earth.”
With this understanding, many well-connected generals began making moves on the very night Du Tiechuan officially issued the Military Order.
However, all attempts at influence ended in failure.
Du Tiechuan had long prepared for this. Only he alone could decide the selection results—no one else participated.
Some extremely influential officers directly requested an audience with him, yet even the Mechanism Princess was coldly rejected by Du Tiechuan.
“I govern the army with strict discipline. All of you must abide by Military Discipline.”
“If I take the lead in breaking it, how can I command the entire army?”
Du Tiechuan spoke with righteous conviction.
When this attitude spread widely, his reputation rose sharply.
Two days later, the entire army conducted the second military review.
This time, Ning Zhuo felt much less burdened and no longer suffered as he had before. However, most others reacted poorly. Many soldiers in the Three Generals Camp collapsed midway and fainted on the spot.
According to the arrangement of the Parade Platform, soldiers of different cultivation levels endured different levels of inspection pressure.
Ning Zhuo was a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator, so he endured a Foundation Establishment–level inspection.
If the inspection had tested his combat strength, realm, or mana, he would have passed easily. The problem was that the inspection focused on his personal defense and the strength of his physical body.
That was why the first experience had been so uncomfortable.
“But this time is much better!”
“Many Foundation Establishment cultivators also fainted.”
“The reason this changed is because I borrowed the Fetal-Breath Spirit Vessel.”
The cultivation shortcut accidentally developed by Sun Lingtong had become something Ning Zhuo liked more and more the more he used it—almost addictively so.
After this round, only a little over sixty percent of the Three Generals Camp managed to pass. Nearly forty percent of the soldiers were eliminated.
“Our army was only recently formed, and the recruits vary greatly in quality. Having so many eliminated is actually quite reasonable,” Ning Zhuo comforted the three generals.
Guan Hong stroked his beard and said somewhat enviously, “Red Flower Camp performed very well. Hardly anyone was eliminated.”
Ning Zhuo shook his head. “If this trend continues, they will also have large numbers eliminated.”
Sure enough, by the third military review, Red Flower Camp also suffered heavy eliminations. More than half of the Three Generals Camp could not finish the entire inspection, making the scene extremely embarrassing.
Even the Barbarian-Demon Army performed far better than them.
That army had been destroyed once before and rebuilt not long ago. It had then been used as a pawn to probe the military strength of Thousand Peaks Forest, suffering considerable losses in the process.
However, the barbarian tribes and demon cultivators possessed natural advantages in physical strength compared to human cultivators.
The performance of the Three Generals Camp was nearly at the very bottom.
This caused the three generals Liu Er, Guan Hong, and Zhang Hei to lose considerable face, while also making them feel a strong sense of crisis.
“What method can quickly increase physical body strength?”
“There are only two rounds of military reviews left.”
“The key issue is that each round’s difficulty increases drastically. If this trend continues, I’m afraid none of the armies in Woodwheel Town will qualify.”
“Has Du Tiechuan always had such high standards in the past?”
The three generals’ anxiety and questions were also widely discussed among the soldiers.
Some people familiar with the inside information did exist.
From the mouth of Du Tiechuan’s Deputy General, a secret forbidden technique spread throughout the army—Iron Skin Flesh Armor Art!
When this demonic technique was used, the process was extremely painful. The cultivator had to peel off their own skin and fur, exposing the muscles entirely before putting on armor.
Under this demonic technique, the armor would fuse with the flesh and blood, merging into one entity.
The armor would replace the skin.
As a result, the cultivator’s defense skyrocketed, and their physical body quality increased dramatically, achieving a leap-like improvement.
However, such rapid gains naturally came with many drawbacks.
For example, prolonged maintenance would corrode the cultivator. This corrosion would gradually worsen—initially affecting only the physical body, but later influencing the cultivator’s temperament and mental state.
After all, it was a demonic art. Most demonic arts, when cultivated deeply, would twist a cultivator’s normal mind.
However, these drawbacks only manifested after a long time.
For now, with a great war approaching, if this method could ensure one joined the list of armies empowered by Iron Flow Across the Plains, then the survival rate on the battlefield would become extremely high.
And surviving the battlefield meant considerable military merit—perhaps even rapid promotion.
With such calculations, even a fool knew what to choose.
The overwhelming majority of soldiers chose to take the gamble!
For a time, demand for full-body heavy armor across the entire army skyrocketed and rapidly climbed to an astonishing level.
Many generals immediately sought out the Quartermaster.
With a smile on his face, the Quartermaster told them that the military equipment issued by the Royal Capital had already been distributed. However, there was indeed a batch of heavy armor reserved as backup to replace casualties among heavy infantry.
The generals’ eyes lit up. They immediately began bribing him and expressing strong intentions to purchase.
The Quartermaster then quoted an astonishingly high price.
This instantly scared away many people. Some blunt generals even cursed him for being too greedy.
The Quartermaster remained unshaken and firmly insisted on the price. He even said, “Gentlemen, the number of heavy armors is limited. First come, first served. As the quantity decreases, the price will only rise higher.”
With that simple sentence, the situation immediately changed.
Many wealthy generals stepped forward to purchase first, forcing others to follow. Soon arguments broke out among the generals, and fierce bidding erupted.
“What? There’s also a limit per army?” One general tried to buy everything but was stopped.
The Quartermaster spoke calmly.
“Generals, please do not make things difficult for me.”
“There are only this many sets of full-body heavy armor. It’s impossible to sell them all to one person or a single army.”
“Otherwise, I would have trouble explaining to my superiors.”
He spread his hands helplessly before adding, “Of course, you can also choose not to buy.”
The generals looked at each other.
Soon some gritted their teeth and said bitterly, “Fine. We’ll buy!”
The number of heavy armors was limited, and each army’s quota was also limited—far from enough to cover their full troop numbers.
Even so, the armor was still snapped up rapidly.
Because scarcity increased value, the price of the remaining armor rose higher and higher until it reached a level many could no longer afford.
When Ning Zhuo learned about this while cultivating inside the Fetal-Breath Spirit Vessel, it was already too late.
Liu Er anxiously dragged him along and hurried to meet the Quartermaster.
After hearing the price, Ning Zhuo’s eyes widened. Wasn’t this practically robbery?
Liu Er’s face turned pale.
“I’ll buy it,” Ning Zhuo said after thinking for a moment, immediately making his decision.
He gritted his teeth and spent nearly half of his assets, purchasing four hundred sets of full-body heavy armor on the spot.
Light armor was also available for sale. However, experienced Deputy Generals had already explained that only heavy armor could fully unleash the forbidden technique’s power and give a chance to pass the inspection.
Even slightly inferior half-body heavy armor would not suffice, let alone light armor.
The Quartermaster was shocked by this and stared at Ning Zhuo repeatedly.
News of Ning Zhuo spending a fortune quickly spread and caused heated discussion.
Liu Er was deeply moved. His previous resentment completely vanished.
“The Strategist has sacrificed so much. Liu Er will remember this forever!”
Ning Zhuo said, “Unfortunately, it’s still not enough to equip the entire army.”
The two returned to the Three Generals Camp. Just as they were about to enter, Mu Lan descended from the sky.
She stared at Ning Zhuo.
“Husband, I heard you just bought four hundred sets of heavy armor?”
Liu Er’s expression changed drastically.
The word “husband” struck him hard.
He immediately looked at Ning Zhuo with a tense expression, wanting to speak but hesitating.
A trace of resentment rose again in his heart, but what he felt even more strongly was fear.
At that moment, Liu Er was deeply worried that Ning Zhuo might change his mind.
Ning Zhuo rubbed his nose and smiled bitterly.
“General Mu Lan need not do this. If you want to buy some heavy armor, I can also sponsor part of it.”
Mu Lan was not satisfied.
“Even if I use up my entire quota, the number of heavy armors I can buy still won’t cover my whole army. Therefore, Husband, I still need some of the heavy armor in your hands.”
“Well…” Ning Zhuo suddenly found himself in a difficult position.
Mu Lan shook her head, her attitude firm.
“My Red Flower Formation requires elite soldiers to form and operate properly. Losing even a portion of them will have a huge impact on my army.”
“Liu Er.”
“Your Three Generals Camp can simply recruit more soldiers if you lose some.”
Recently, Mu Lan had also been troubled by this issue.
She had learned about the forbidden technique earlier than Ning Zhuo, but she lacked the funds to purchase the armor.
Ning Zhuo’s displayed wealth this time truly shocked her. She had never imagined that this big-headed young man was actually so rich.
If she had known earlier, why would she have worried so much?
For the sake of her Red Flower Camp, Mu Lan threw caution aside and directly addressed Ning Zhuo as “husband.” This stirred excitement and commotion among the camp soldiers. They repeatedly glanced between Mu Lan and Ning Zhuo while communicating intensely through spiritual sense.
On one side was the determined Mu Lan.
On the other side was Liu Er staring at him anxiously.
Ning Zhuo suddenly found himself caught in an extremely difficult choice.