The God of Heavens

Chapter 233 Training Successful, A Small Test of Skill
The next day.

"Your Highness, Commander Shi has sent someone to deliver the roster of new recruits." Xiao Dezi came in carrying a stack of documents.

Lin Yu unfolded the document and examined it closely. Most of the new recruits came from Yunzhou, while a few were convicts exiled from various prefectures. Among them were quite a few troublemakers, and even a few were disciples of martial arts sects who had been conscripted for violating the law.

“Interesting.” He lightly tapped a name with his fingertip.

"Ye Han, formerly a disciple of the Qinghe Sword Sect, was exiled to the army for injuring someone in a private fight."

As I was reading, a commotion suddenly broke out outside the courtyard.

"Your Highness! This humble general, Zhao Hu, has been appointed as your deputy general by Commander Shi's orders!"

Lin Yu looked up and saw a burly young general standing in the courtyard, bowing with clasped hands. The man had piercing eyes and slightly bulging temples, clearly indicating that he was a skilled martial artist.

"Commander Zhao, please come in." Lin Yu closed the roster. "How much do you know about this batch of new recruits?"

Zhao Hu grinned: "They're all tough nuts to crack! Especially those few江湖人 (jianghu people), who dare to talk back to the instructor just because they know a few kung fu skills."

"Oh?" Lin Yu stood up. "Let's go outside and give them a pep talk. This battalion has five hundred men. I have to integrate them into a cohesive unit as quickly as possible, otherwise we'll suffer a lot in battle."

The commander-in-chief has ordered me to wipe out the dozens of bandit groups entrenched in Yunshan within a month.

Yunshan Mountain in northern Yunzhou is the most treacherous and dangerous place within a radius of hundreds of miles. The mountains are like tigers crouching and dragons coiling, with peaks and valleys crisscrossing, and are shrouded in clouds and mist all year round.

The mountains are densely forested and covered with underground rivers, and are also shrouded in miasma. Thick fog often shrouds the mountains, and strong winds howl, so even experienced hunters dare not venture too far.

The rugged terrain and complex topography made Yunshan a natural haven for bandits. They built strongholds and camps relying on the natural defenses, appearing and disappearing unpredictably, robbing and plundering, causing great harm to passing merchants and surrounding villages.

Yunshan is only a hundred miles away from the capital of Yunzhou. Taking advantage of their familiarity with the terrain, the bandits often raid the surrounding villages and towns, plundering valuables before disappearing into the mountains. The capital has sent troops to suppress them many times, but they always get lost in the misty forests and return empty-handed.

On the training ground of the Green Camp, the entire battalion of several hundred men had arrived and lined up. However, Lin Yu frowned after taking a look.

Five hundred new recruits stood sparsely, their ranks crooked and disorderly. Several burly men in the front row stood with their arms crossed, their faces full of disdain.

Having grown accustomed to elite troops, Lin Yu now felt a surge of the word "rabble" when he looked at this group of soldiers.

One of the men in blue stood out; he had a sword at his waist and dared to defy military regulations by carrying a weapon privately!

“That’s Ye Han,” Zhao Hu said in a low voice. “He’s been here for half a month and has already injured three instructors.”

Lin Yu walked calmly to the command platform.

"Line up!" Zhao Hu shouted.

There was no reaction from the audience.

Ye Han even scoffed, "A greenhorn like me, does he even deserve to lead troops?"

A cold glint flashed in Lin Yu's eyes, and he suddenly leaped off the platform—

"boom!"

Amidst the rising dust, he stood before Ye Han, the two no more than three feet apart!
"I've heard your swordsmanship is quite good?" Lin Yu said calmly. "Take one of my moves, and if you can stand, I'll grant you the privilege of joining the army with a sword."

Ye Han was furious and drew his sword to stab!

The sword flashed, its cold light swirling; the figure moved swiftly and agilely, as light as a fluttering butterfly, yet with the ferocity of an eagle hunting a rabbit. Without a doubt, he was a top-tier martial artist!
A cold glint flashed like lightning, aimed straight for the throat!
Lin Yu neither dodged nor evaded, until the sword tip was three inches from his throat, then suddenly joined his fingers like a knife and lightly slashed—

"Qiang!"

The steel longsword snapped in two!

Before Ye Han could react, an invisible force struck his chest, sending him flying three zhang away!
The whole place was dead silent.

The unruly recruits all stared wide-eyed—the masters of the Azure Crane Sword Sect couldn't even withstand a single move?!

Lin Yu stood with his hands behind his back, his voice calm and unhurried: "Under my command, abide by my rules. Those who disagree can challenge me now."

No one answered.

Five hundred new recruits knelt on one knee and shouted in unison, "Greetings, Commander!"

The roar was like thunder, sending dust flying across the training ground.

Lin Yu nodded in satisfaction, then raised his hand and waved: "Bring it up!"

Amidst the curious gazes of numerous soldiers, Shen Tiezhu, accompanied by several personal guards, carried a massive box studded with copper nails onto the drill ground. With a resounding crash, the box hit the ground, and the lid was flung open—

The dazzling silver light dazzled everyone's eyes!

"hiss--"

A collective gasp filled the drill ground. The box was piled high with exquisitely crafted silver ingots, each bearing the mark of the Imperial Mint of Yujing, gleaming alluringly in the morning sun.

"They're all Yujing coins! Pure silver! Two coins can be exchanged for three Northern coins!" a knowledgeable soldier exclaimed.

Lin Yu grabbed a handful of silver coins, letting them slip through his fingers, their clinking sound seeming to strike the hearts of everyone present. His voice suddenly rose: "I came from Yujing for military merit and titles! You've followed me day and night in training and fighting bravely; you'll reap the rewards!"

He slammed the silver coins back into the box: "Even if you die in battle, I will take care of your families!"

These words boomed in the soldiers' ears like thunder. Under the Great Qian military system, when an ordinary soldier died in battle, the compensation was siphoned off at every level, and the family was lucky to receive ten taels of silver. And this prince had actually made such a promise in public!
"From today onwards, I will train three times a day and have meat with every meal!"

These words ignited the drill ground. Five hundred soldiers cheered wildly, the roar almost lifting the tents. In an era when ordinary soldiers could only afford meat once every three days, eating meat at every meal was something they couldn't even dream of! Lin Yu raised his hand and gestured, abruptly stopping the cheers. All the soldiers stared intently at his every move, their eyes burning with fanatical fervor.

"Zhao Hu!"

"Your subordinate is here!" Zhao Hu stepped forward, sword in hand.

"Give each person two silver coins to weigh down their money bags!"

"Order!"

When the heavy silver coins actually landed in their hands, the recruits' fingers trembled. Some bit them, some wiped them repeatedly, and many more had tears welling up in their eyes. These two silver coins were enough for their families in the countryside to chew on for half a year!

Lin Yu stepped forward, his voice like the clang of metal: "This is just the beginning! Follow me, earn merit, and kill enemies, and you'll be rewarded with precious swords, armor, gold, and silver—as much as you want!" His gaze swept across the entire area like lightning: "I don't care about money, but don't you care about your lives?!"

"I'll die for you, sir!!"

Zhao Hu was the first to draw his sword and point it towards the sky. Five hundred steel swords were drawn simultaneously, their cold light reflecting in the sun!
A month later.

On the drill ground, five hundred soldiers stood in neat rows. They wore uniform leather armor, carried standard-issue swords at their waists, and their eyes were sharp as eagles. Compared to the undisciplined recruits of a month ago, they had undergone a complete transformation!
Lin Yu stood with his hands behind his back, surveying this nascent elite force with satisfaction. Under his generous rewards and Zhao Hu's rigorous training, these soldiers had undergone a complete transformation.

"Sir, continuing this training won't be very effective," Zhao Hu said in a low voice. "It's time to draw blood."

Lin Yu nodded slightly: "The bandit suppression mission will commence tomorrow."

That night, the camp was brightly lit. Lin Yu, along with his trusted confidants Zhao Hu and Ye Han, carefully planned the route to suppress the bandits, ensuring that supplies, fresh water, medicine, and other logistical necessities were readily available.

"Blood Blade Stronghold has been entrenched in Red Cloud Ridge for many years. Its leader, 'Bloody Hand Butcher,' is a master of innate martial arts, and he commands three hundred desperate outlaws," Ye Han said, pointing to the map. "The key to this battle is a swift victory; otherwise, we'll be bogged down in a prolonged struggle in the mountains."

Lin Yu tapped the map lightly with his fingertip: "We'll set off at midnight tomorrow and head straight for the central army!"

At dawn the next day, five hundred elite soldiers quietly set off.

The sun blazed fiercely, turning the soil on the official road white, and billowing dust rose from the horses' hooves. Lin Yu rode Huo Roman, his mane billowing like fiery clouds, while Zhao Hu, Ye Han, and others rode Yunmeng Wuxue, all divine steeds capable of traveling a thousand miles a day.

"Red Cloud Ridge is just ahead," Zhao Hu said, squinting as he gazed into the distance. "Beyond this thirty-mile stretch of dense forest lies the Blood Blade Stronghold's lair."

The official road gradually disappeared, replaced by a winding dirt road that plunged into the dense, dark forest. The forest was eerily silent.

Lin Yu raised his hand to stop the group, his eyes flashing with a sharp light: "It's too quiet."

"kill!"

Knowing they had been exposed, the bandit leader leaped from the bushes, followed closely by the other men in black. Their crossbows were all aimed at Lin Yu, and the clicks of their triggers filled the air—

"Whoosh whoosh!"

Arrows rained down like locusts!

"A series of crossbows?!" Zhao Hu exclaimed in shock.

This weapon, issued only to the elite troops of the imperial court, is worth a hundred gold coins and is extremely rare. It can fire five arrows in a row, and even a master of innate martial arts would find it difficult to escape unscathed!

A cold glint flashed in Lin Yu's eyes, and the long sword at his waist was suddenly drawn!

"Chong-"

The blade flashed like a wheel, forming a silver barrier around him. Arrows struck the blade screen, breaking and falling to the ground, none managing to get close!
"Here you go!"

Lin Yu sheathed his sword and switched to his bow, instantly drawing the Xuan Tie Treasure Bow to its full extent.

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

Arrows flew like meteors, each one piercing the throat of a crossbowman with pinpoint accuracy. Ten men in black fell to the ground one after another, their eyes still frozen in disbelief.

"Zhao Hu leads the team in a steady advance! Ye Han, follow me to behead him!"

Before he finished speaking, Lin Yu had already soared into the dense forest like a roc spreading its wings. Ye Han hurriedly used his lightness skill to follow, only to see that wherever Lin Yu passed, the bandits fell like wheat being harvested, with none able to withstand a single blow!
After venturing a hundred feet deeper, a burly, bare-chested man suddenly emerged from the forest. His face was covered in scars, and he wielded two blood-red curved blades, grinning maliciously, "Little brat, I've been waiting for you for a long time!"

"Bloody Hand Butcher?" Lin Yu sneered, "That saves me the trouble of looking for you."

"Uh-huh!"

The Blood Blade Chieftain wielded his twin blades, unleashing a blood-red aura seven or eight zhang long from their blades! Wherever they passed, ancient trees as thick as a person's embrace snapped in two, leaving smooth, mirror-like cuts.

"Canglang Returning Wind Palm!"

Lin Yu neither dodged nor evaded, but thrust out both palms, causing the surrounding air to violently tremble like a raging sea!
This technique is a superior martial art recorded in the "Book of Creation," and Lin Yu has already mastered it to the eighth level. Wherever the palm wind goes, the airflow forms a visible vortex, as powerful and unstoppable as an underwater current!
"boom--"

The sword energy collided with the palm wind, producing a deafening explosion. The Blood Blade Chieftain was horrified to discover that his sword energy had vanished without a trace, shredded inch by inch by the vortex-like airflow!

"boom!"

Lin Yu unleashed his final punch, the compressed air exploding with a deafening roar. The Blood Blade Chieftain was struck dumb; his twin blades shattered, and he was sent flying like a rag doll, crashing through three large trees before collapsing to the ground, his bones and muscles completely broken!

"Impossible." Blood Blade Chieftain bled from all seven orifices, unable to understand why he couldn't even withstand a single move.

Lin Yu flicked his wrist, lifted the limp chieftain, leaped onto a treetop, and roared with all his might, "The bandit leader has surrendered! Those who surrender will not be killed!"

The roar was like thunder, causing leaves to fall from trees within a hundred feet radius. The bandits in the forest looked up and saw their chieftain's mangled corpse, and were instantly terrified.
(End of this chapter)