As the soldiers watched, stunned, Uncle Fu unfastened his shirt and stripped it off. He was bare to the waist, his upper body emaciated and frail; it would not be an exaggeration to call him skin and bones. But that wasn’t what truly shocked them. What shook the soldiers to their core were the countless, crisscrossing scars that covered his body!

One in particular, running diagonally from his left shoulder all the way down to his abdomen, was the most terrifying. It looked like a giant centipede clinging to Uncle Fu’s withered frame—absolutely gruesome!

Uncle Fu slowly turned around. His back, though covered in the wrinkles of old age, was completely free of scars!

"Back in my day, I never once showed my back to the enemy! Can any of you say the same? Who here has more scars than me?" Uncle Fu’s voice held no hint of a boast, but was tinged with sorrow. "You kids... when I was fighting and dying on the battlefield, none of you were even born! A warrior’s soul? Tsk, tsk. You lot think that just because you’ve fought a few battles and killed a few Beastmen, you have the right to claim you possess a warrior’s soul? What is a warrior’s soul...? There are many ways to explain it. A will of steel, an indomitable spirit. Strict discipline, brutal training... But in my opinion, none of that is what’s most important. The most important thing is to obey orders! Ling Wu!"

"Sir!"

A fanatical gleam lit up Ling Wu’s eyes. It was the kind of look reserved for someone he respected with all his being. Previously, he had only ever looked at Lingzhi that way, but today, he was utterly shaken by this old man. ’The old man’s strength is clearly unfathomable, yet his body is covered in so many scars. What does that imply?’ Ling Wu was no common, reckless soldier; he could tell that most of the scars had been left by standard-issue weapons. Combined with the old man’s imposing presence, it was clear such an aura could only have been forged through many years of military service.

"And do you think... you obeyed your orders?" Uncle Fu slowly put his shirt back on, methodically fastening the buttons one by one, from top to bottom.

"No, sir! I am not convinced. I may be the commander of a private army, but I, too, long to win glory and build a legacy, not play house while babysitting some useless fop!" Ling Wu stood ramrod straight, his gaze fixed forward, showing no fear of the handsome young man who was now approaching.

"Heh. Calling the Young Master a useless fop... you’ve got some nerve. Fine. This old man will give you an opportunity. I’ll ask the Young Master to have a match with you, just so you can’t say I’m bullying you all!" Uncle Fu said nonchalantly, then turned and bowed respectfully to Ling Xiao.

"Young Master, it appears you’ll need to give them a little demonstration to earn the respect of these soldiers who think so highly of themselves."

Ling Xiao smiled faintly and nodded. He genuinely admired these tough-as-nails men, but admiration was one thing; it didn’t mean he wasn’t irritated. ’Big Brother really left me with a difficult test. He wants to see if I can tame this band of unruly grunts, does he?’

Ling Xiao smiled at Ling Wu. Ling Wu snorted and said grudgingly, "Ling Wu greets the Third Young Master!"

"Save it." Ling Xiao waved a dismissive hand, unconcerned. "You can make the first move," he said nonchalantly. "You’ll lose in a single exchange!"

"You!" Ling Wu was so furious he nearly choked. ’This little punk! Does he think I’m a baby?’ Just as he was about to fly into a rage, he remembered Lingzhi’s words: "He’s my brother. Following him is the same as following me!"

Glancing at the old man standing nearby, Ling Wu sighed in resignation. "Third Young Master, I am a Tier Three Great Sword Master..."

"Fine. Make your move," Ling Xiao said, his expression impassive.

’Fine, you asked for this.’ Ling Wu ground his teeth in fury, wanting nothing more than to slap this damned little punk to death. He kept his steel sword in its Sword Scabbard, merely holding it as he said, "I insist, Third Young Master. You first!"

Ling Xiao spread his hands. "If I make the first move, you won’t even get a chance. So, you go first!"

Ling Wu’s fury boiled over into a laugh. He nodded and said, "Then please, Third Young Master, draw your weapon."

"Against you, my bare hands will be enough!" Ling Xiao replied with a grin that begged to be punched.

Ling Wu was driven into a near frenzy. ’I don’t care if I get blamed by the Captain or get a beating from that old man,’ he thought, ’I have to teach this arrogant little punk who doesn’t know his place a lesson!’

Only the three girls who had stepped out of the carriage secretly shook their heads in resignation. They felt a pang of worry for the large soldier, hoping he wouldn’t be too humiliated.

Ling Wu swung his steel sword, still in its Sword Scabbard, in a powerful, diagonal sweep from top to bottom, aiming for Ling Xiao. The move was heavy and powerful, with no fancy flourishes—perfectly befitting a soldier’s practical style.

The sheathed weapon whistled through the air. Ling Wu wasn’t holding back much with this strike; he planned to send Ling Xiao flying and vent some of his damn frustration.

In that split second, he caught sight of the terrifyingly strong old man standing calmly to the side, not a trace of worry on his face. Ling Wu hesitated for a fraction of a second, but the feeling was quickly overwhelmed by the impending satisfaction of venting his fury.

"HAH!"

With a faint smile, Ling Xiao neither dodged nor retreated, but charged straight forward to meet the blow. The soldiers near Ling Wu who had a clear view couldn’t help but gasp. They were all thinking the same thing: ’This kid has a death wish! I hope the Captain goes easy on him. If the Chief finds out his little brother got thrashed, he’ll definitely take it out on us!’

Ling Wu was also momentarily stunned, but the weapon in his hand didn’t pause in the slightest, continuing its sweep toward Ling Xiao’s shoulder. This was something Lingzhi himself had taught them. ’A fight is a fight. Can you expect the enemy to show you mercy on the battlefield?’