Chapter 554: Chapter 142: Clumsy on the Outside, Skilled on the Inside Officers and soldiers are shield-mates! This is a treasure, an army marked by its tenacious history, and even more, a defense campaign worthy of being called great! The main general, Tian Han, was born in an ordinary peasant family. Due to poverty during his youth, he joined the army at an early age. He is down-to-earth and gentle with others. As his military feats accumulated, he became a leader and always bonded with his soldiers in the simplest ways. He trained and labored alongside his soldiers, earning their deep support and affection. During a time of foreign invasion, as the defending force, he resisted tenaciously, leading his troops bravely. He always insisted on campaigning for the civilians, prioritizing their livelihood and safety. He advocated for the idea of “strong military with the support of the people,” firmly believing that the strength of the military comes from the heart of the people. During their stationing, he also led his subordinates to do many practical things for the farmers, such as digging wells and ditches. Thus, the army he led, known as the Iron Guard, held high prestige among the common folk. Whenever war broke out, the civilians would voluntarily support his troops by providing food, shelter, and even coming forward to assist. The enemy was powerful, occupying vast territories. In multiple campaigns against foreign invasion, Tian Han always presented himself at the front line, unafraid of hardships. Irrespective of how dangerous the battle, Tian Han always led his soldiers in charge, commanding personally, leading by example. Eventually, in one fierce defensive battle, when the situation was critically dire, Tian Han fought alone, blocking a breach, and thus was subjected to numerous attacks and shot by a secretly launched poison arrow. His subordinates cried in pain, wanting to carry him away, yet he stopped them, saying: “I know this poison; there is no saving me! Let me stand a little longer, the enemy will be deterred because of me; it will buy you more time to breathe.” “General!” his subordinates cried in pain. Tian Han stood from dusk till nighttime. Seeing him persisting in the front line, the enemy dared not act rashly and chose to regroup. Tian Han fought with his life to the end. Though he died in battle, his troops’ morale soared to its peak! His soldiers vowed to avenge their main general, with their hometown right behind them, leaving no room for retreat. “With no general, the enemy will surely be emboldened tomorrow and launch a fierce attack. Perhaps…” one soldier suggested pretending that General Tian Han was still alive, which the others agreed upon. They then selected the strongest among themselves, dressed in Tian Han’s full armor, and fought as him till death. A few days later, this impersonator also died from severe wounds. Soon, they chose a third person to impersonate. After repeated impersonations, “Tian Han,” though weakening, continued to fight tenaciously. Regardless of the enemy’s poisonous schemes and ambushes, there was no sign of falling, keeping the enemy’s morale continuously low and unable to harness their full strength. The Iron Guard was few in number, but they relied on their peak morale, seasoned battle formations, and years of strategic advantages held in their position, staunchly blocking an enemy tens of times their number. The enemy’s commander cursed, having changed three main generals yet unable to break through this seemingly delicate defense. Even as the royal capital was tragically besieged, this frontline had yet to be breached. Army provisions were long depleted, so the Iron Guard resorted to eating horses, grass, and tree leaves. Their crossbow carts were worn out, and although the cannons were intact, they ran out of ammunition. With their water supply cut off by the enemy, they drank their own urine, holding their ground without retreating. As the battle reached its later stages, the enemy eventually realized the Iron Guard’s deception, discovering that the real Tian Han had died long ago. They were struck with extreme shock. For in their eyes, “Tian Han” was truly still fighting! An enemy veteran who deeply understood military strategy finally realized: “This armor has developed a spiritual nature. This spirit is not only forged by Tian Han himself but is also an infusion and unification of the spirit and will of this entire army!” “Our various detection methods, thoroughly reliable, were deceived because we were facing an army with an extremely refined spirit of will!” “Tian Han longed for someone to replace him, to lead the overall situation, to continue fighting. The soldiers, on the other hand, longed for ‘Tian Han’ to persist, to deter the enemy.” “Everyone’s thoughts were focused on this suit of armor, making its birth of spirit exceptional!” “We were all deceived.” “This is such a respectable army.” The old general sighed deeply. When the Iron Guard was reduced to just a dozen men, the enemy chose to stop clashing with this army. They abandoned trying to breach the defense, bypassing from both sides of the line instead. As they passed the hills, the enemy soldiers all saluted the uniform, even with a military salute! For this united, wholehearted army, even the adversaries developed a strong respect and admiration. And the very armor, worn by almost everyone in the army, was named—Officers and Soldiers as Comrades in Arms! Thereafter, this spiritually imbued treasure borne from the battlefield fell into obscurity. Sometimes, the treasure would be worn by distinguished generals; at other times, due to its inconspicuous appearance, it would be overlooked and only worn by ordinary soldiers; occasionally, it fell into the possession of those who recognized its value. Time and war marked it with countless signs of damage. Because its birth was so extraordinary, it was difficult to repair! What used to be a complete set of full body armor had long been scattered by the fates. Therefore, what Ning Zhuo saw Lu Hongtu take out was just a helmet. The helmet was sturdy in appearance, without any unnecessary decorations, and its simple lines outlined an elegant and solemn battle helmet. Its overall shape was slightly hemispheric, with a wide face that could effectively protect the wearer’s face and neck. Unlike traditional battle helmets, its design appeared somewhat bulky, yet it did not lack a deterrent power. The top of the helmet tilted slightly backward, resembling a phoenix about to spread its wings, symbolizing the spirit of origin, soldiers united, advancing successive ranks, regardless of how many times they die, they could “rebirth” again! The main material of the helmet was ancient fine iron, which after several times of smelting and forging, showed the luster of ancient bronze, slightly carrying the breath of time sedimentation. The surface of the helmet had many scratches and dents, scars from battles, witnessing countless times of steadfastness and sacrifice. There originally was lining inside the helmet, but too much time had passed, and the lining had completely disappeared. Ning Zhuo’s gaze was captivated. This rare military treasure was very suitable for him at the moment. Ning Zhuo pondered for a moment and said in a hoarse and assertive voice: “This method of trading is indeed good. But if I am to lend the ‘Gao Sheng’s Legacy,’ I must have the final say. In other words, even if the survival of Thousand Peak Forest is at stake, if I deem the timing inappropriate, I will not lend it!” Ning Zhuo deliberately said this to garner negotiating leverage for the upcoming negotiation. Even Sun Lingtong felt this condition was excessive. If the “Old Monster in Stone” deemed it inappropriate, then he could simply not fulfill the contract. However, Lu Hongtu narrowed his eyes, falling into deep thought. After a moment, he actually nodded and smiled, indicating agreement! “Okay, I agree to this condition.” Ning Zhuo, Sun Lingtong:?! Until the contract was signed by both parties, both of them were still somewhat dazed. “What exactly is going on?” “Lu Hongtu is so easy to talk to?” “More than being easy to talk to, it’s simply foolish!” “No, that’s not right, there must be something we’re overlooking.” Lu Hongtu, carrying a large amount of military equipment, flew as a beam of light toward the main gate of the Six Cave Sect. “This time, the body of the ‘Old Monster in Stone’ has completely lost the charm of Divinity Transformation.” “Impressive!” “This indicates that he very likely has completely assimilated and taken control of his power, subsequently fully disguised himself at the Nascent Soul Level.” “However, he is still very cautious, not wanting to reveal himself too early in front of the Ginseng Whisker Dragon King, to prevent being seen through.” “So, he did not even meet Lord Long, only communicating with me.” “This old monster, with his far-sighted strategies, intends to use me as a bridge to form an alliance with the Dragon King’s forces to jointly resist the mighty army of Liangzhu Country!” “Then, to gradually fulfill his plans…” “Unlike the Ginseng Whisker Dragon King, he stands alone without forces serving him. Thus, he wishes to support me.” “On one hand, I and the Dragon King have long held grudges. From a certain perspective, the Dragon King was our once common enemy.” “On the other hand, he wishes to win me over through the transaction of spoils of war and military equipment, laying the groundwork for his future conflict with the Dragon King.” “Very well, very well.” “Old Monster in Stone, I had underestimated you before.” “You really are inwardly astute but outwardly simple, very strategic indeed!” At this thought, Lu Hongtu’s lips curled slightly into a smile. “Hmph!” “With such caution, the Old Monster in Stone probably intends to contend with the Ginseng Whisker Dragon King for the territory of Thousand Peak Forest.” “Whether it’s from the nature of the Ten-Thousand-Year-old Earth Essence or the extremely high value of Thousand Peak Forest, it implies that there will be a fierce contest between the two Divinity Transformation stages.” “After repelling the forces of Liangzhu Country, my Six Cave Sect might be able to profit between the two sides.” “Based on my current relationship with both sides, there is great potential in this.” “Good, very good!” Sun Ning and his companion did not immediately return by the same route. They were both made anxious by Lu Hongtu’s peculiar demeanor. After all, the opponent was at the Nascent Soul Level, and Ning Zhuo’s Divine Power Life Thread couldn’t reach above his head. “Could he have already discovered that we are impostors?” With this doubt, the “Old Monster in Stone” deliberately made several big rounds in Thousand Peak Forest. After confirming there was no one following, Sun Ning and his partner then crawled into a cave, collected the Stone Ball, and returned to Canglin Immortal City using the Ten-Thousand-Li Travelling Dragon.   Source: Webnovel.com, updated on N𝘰vgo.co