Lingzhi seemed to sense his brother’s thoughts. He sighed softly and said, "Back when I was studying at the Imperial Academy, I was no different from those spoiled sons of the nobility. Our favorite pastime was posturing and feigning elegance. But everything changed when I went north to our family’s foundation, the Chakna Territory. I experienced the local culture, and it’s far more direct and open than the Imperial Capital. The atmosphere is better, too. The people there are simple, kind, and very straightforward. They swear, drink from large bowls, and eat huge chunks of meat. Even the local nobles and gentry have a style similar to mine, and everyone thinks that’s just how things should be, not strange at all. Besides, when it comes to soldiers on a battlefield, you can’t expect them to have a civilized chat with the enemy."

As Ling Xiao listened to his brother’s sincere and unexaggerated description of life in the north, a feeling suddenly swelled in his heart. ’Having a brother like him... it’s a wonderful thing!’

The two found a small, clean tavern. The owner seemed not to expect his humble establishment to ever welcome two guests who were so obviously of high status, and he greeted them in a flurry. Lingzhi said gently, "There’s no need to be so nervous, owner. Just treat us as ordinary customers." He then turned to Ling Xiao with a smile. "I never let my men harass civilians."

With such distinguished guests, the tavern owner personally went into the kitchen. Before long, he had prepared several small dishes. Lingzhi ordered a plate of sliced meat and a pot of warmed wine. The wine was fragrant and a little cloudy—a grain wine home-brewed by farmers. To Lingzhi, it was far better than the rare vintages the nobles drank.

"Heh heh, this wine is good stuff. It’s not easy to grow grain in the north, so wine is very expensive. A cup of grain wine like this costs just one copper coin here in the Imperial Capital, but up north, it can sell for a hundred copper coins—that’s ten Silver Coins. Heh, can you believe it?"

Ling Xiao had been rather sensitive about money lately, so he immediately asked, "In that case, couldn’t someone get rich just by transporting and selling wine?"

"Transporting it?" A scornful look crossed Lingzhi’s face. "The northern terrain is treacherous, travel is difficult, and bandits are rampant. Even for a northern hegemon like the Bauhinia Clan, their caravans need a large escort every time just to guarantee their safety. Who else would have that kind of courage?"

Ling Xiao froze, not asking any more questions. There was no reason for his brother to lie. It seemed the Lanyue Empire wasn’t the peaceful paradise that the nobles in the Imperial Capital made it out to be, where one could leave their doors unlocked at night.

"So, Brother, your sudden return...?" Ling Xiao hadn’t heard anything about Lingzhi’s return beforehand and found his sudden appearance strange. Plus, Qin Jian was also from the north and clearly an old acquaintance of his brother’s. He wondered if their simultaneous return to the Imperial Capital meant something had happened in the north.

Beyond the northern border of the Empire lay a vast expanse of unclaimed territory, an area almost a third the size of the Empire itself. Neither the Lanyue Empire nor the Zichuan Empire had any intention of occupying it. The land was barren, the temperature remained low year-round, and most importantly, it was home to a large population of the Beast Race.

Unlike the Beastman of the southern Penzes Swamp, who had not appeared before humans for centuries, the northern Beastman constantly harassed the Empire’s border!

This had nothing to do with the narrative of peace and prosperity promoted during the Empire’s annual Blast Flame Lion King festival. The common people could never imagine that on their own country’s northern border, the Beast Race posed a constant threat to the Empire’s security.

On this point, the Zichuan Empire and the Lanyue Empire had long ago reached a consensus: at all costs, they would not allow the Beast Race to take a single step across the border.

Thus, while there had been minor conflicts between the two great empires over the years, their stance on this major front was surprisingly aligned, much to the disappointment of the other nations eagerly awaiting a misstep.

Lingzhi took a sip of wine, smacked his lips, and said, "Haven’t you heard? In about a month, the Imperial Capital is hosting an elite military tournament. It’s open to everyone across the Empire, both official soldiers and private forces. Anyone who places in the top thirty will have a chance to be ennobled! But the most tempting prize is for the top ten—they can win an Earth-level Sword Skill and the title of Baron..."

Here, Lingzhi glanced at Ling Xiao and laughed. "But then, not everyone is as lucky as you, getting appointed a Viscount just like that!"

Ling Xiao gave a faint smile. No one knew the real reason he had been ennobled. It was simply a transaction between him and the old King. The old King, grateful to Ling Xiao for curing his illness and eager to win the young man over, had pushed aside all opposition from the great families to grant him the title. ’There’s no need to explain any of this, though.’

Lingzhi continued, "Honestly, I wasn’t planning on coming back. But then I heard about all the incredible things you’ve done, haha, so I couldn’t help but come see you for myself. I’m a bit worried. The situation in the south isn’t looking good, and I imagine this tournament has something to do with the Beast Race. It seems... after being quiet for so many years, the Beast Race is starting to get restless again."

Having experienced the Beast Race invasion firsthand, Ling Xiao had a very direct understanding of their power. In terms of physical prowess, the Beast Race was far superior to humans. Some powerful Beastman were not much weaker than human Great Sword Masters or even Mad Sword Masters. Their only real weakness was their lack of organization and discipline. If they could ever achieve the strict discipline of a human army, then... they would become an absolutely terrifying force.

"With a skilled commander, the Beast Race would indeed be terrifying!" Ling Xiao also took a big gulp of wine, only to start choking. He had forgotten this body was still a teenager’s and coughed for a good while. Lingzhi came over, patting him on the back as he laughed.

"Haha, I forgot you shouldn’t be drinking yet. Take it slow. This stuff will make you choke if you drink it too fast." After Ling Xiao settled down, Lingzhi returned to his seat. "Those beasts are truly fearsome," he said. "I’ve had my fair share of dealings with them over the years. The group you encountered down south... I suspect they were part of a battle the Beast Race uses to weed out its weakest members."

"Hmm?" This was the first time Ling Xiao had ever heard such a theory, and he couldn’t help but cast a questioning gaze at Lingzhi.

"The Beast Race lives in harsh conditions, but they’re highly fertile. Many Beastman have several offspring at once, and it’s impossible for all of them to become Elite Warriors. Those with average strength become a burden to the race. They have enormous appetites—the Beastman Warriors in particular eat a huge amount at every meal. Supporting them requires vast quantities of grain and meat. Meat is one thing, but grain... that’s not so easy to get. So, every few years, the Beast Race does something like this. Ostensibly, it’s to plunder human wealth, but in reality, it’s a way to cull their weaker members. Those who survive and return are, by definition, strong and powerful. This allows the entire Beast Race to maintain its formidable momentum!"

Lingzhi’s understanding of the Beastman was incredibly deep. After graduating from the Imperial Academy, he had gone to the Ling Family’s northern fief to lead soldiers and had since fought in no less than a hundred battles, large and small, against the northern Beast Race. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

"Then why haven’t the southern Beast Race attacked the Lanyue Empire in all these centuries?" Ling Xiao asked, voicing his confusion.

"First, for centuries we’ve maintained a powerful garrison in the south! Those beasts are afraid that if they come out, even their Elite Warriors won’t make it back. Second, there are two other countries to the south, Fez and Mendira, whose national power is far weaker than ours. The other side of the Penzes Swamp borders those two nations. When they go out for plunder, they’re not going to come knocking on our door."

Lingzhi’s explanation cleared up many of Ling Xiao’s lingering questions. ’As expected of a top student from the Imperial Academy, forged by years in the army,’ he thought. The Lingzhi of today was already a competent commander. His future accomplishments would likely be no less than their father’s, General Ling Tianxiao.

With this in mind, Ling Xiao smiled and said, "Father must have told you, right? I’m no longer a Celestial Vein Master. But I did get my hands on something that can increase a person’s strength. You can take it, improve your power, and then enter the tournament. I bet no one will be able to surpass you!"

Lingzhi smiled. "You should keep something like that for yourself. I brought five hundred men back with me this time. You’re still young and don’t yet understand the dangers. The biggest threat in the south isn’t the Beast Race—that’s just something people use to scare themselves. The ones you really need to watch out for are the Southern King and the City Lord of Penzes. Your appointment there is tantamount to driving him out. As the City Lord of Penzes City for many years, his accumulated wealth and local connections are far beyond what you can match. Moreover, the man has Royal Family blood and has cooperated with the Southern King for many years; their relationship is bound to be close. If you go there without sufficient power, you’ll definitely be taken advantage of. I can’t spare any more men, but these five hundred are the absolute elite of our family’s Tiger Roar Assault Team. They’re encamped outside the city right now, waiting for you to take them when you leave."

"H-how can I accept this? If you give them to me, Brother, what will you do?" Ling Xiao was well aware of the countless hardships Lingzhi had endured to train the soldiers of the Tiger Roar Assault Team. It had taken him years of gradual replacement and refinement to transform what was once a private force barely considered third-rate into the elite unit it was today. Losing one-sixth of his men in one go would be a tremendous blow to the Tiger Roar Assault Team’s overall strength.

"What do you mean you can’t? Come on, Third Brother, don’t be so hesitant. What’s mine is yours, isn’t it? No need to be so polite with your big brother! You keep that item of yours. You’ll need trusted subordinates, so give it to them. As for me," Lingzhi said, his face filled with pride, "I might not look overwhelmingly powerful, but if any of those people think they can beat me... heh, it won’t be an easy task!"

"If you won’t accept it, Brother, then I won’t accept the five hundred men!" Ling Xiao declared, his tone firm and decisive. Lingzhi was right. They were brothers, and that single bond surpassed everything else.

Lingzhi paused, stunned for a moment, then raised his wine bowl. "Fine. It seems my third brother has grown up. Haha, we men of the Ling Family are all fine sons!"

Ling Xiao clinked his bowl against Lingzhi’s and drained it in one go, feeling exceptionally lighthearted.

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At 10 AM tomorrow, Xiaodao will begin a mass release. See the previous free Chapters for details. In short, as long as I see all your amazing support, I’ll get super hyped and explode with Chapters! If you still have monthly passes, don’t hesitate to vote! (To be continued. If you want to know what happens next, please visit www.qidian.com. More Chapters, support the author, support official reading!)