With the rise of my family, I can summon the Daoist Soldiers' Nest.

As soon as Lin Ye's figure disappeared under the corridor, the atmosphere in the front hall became lively. The stewards looked at each other, and the awkwardness that had accumulated earlier because of the young master's sudden return and hasty departure now turned into low murmurs of discussion.

"Since Ye'er has given the order, we will do as he says." Seeing everyone discussing quietly, Lin Ye's mother put down her teacup and broke the silence with a gentle yet firm voice.

"The family is currently short-handed and lacks resources, so it's impossible to do anything big right away. Let's start with the resources the eldest son brought back, so that everyone has something to do and something to look forward to, and that's how we can unite people's hearts. When we're busy, we'll have something to look forward to."

Her words were like a reassuring pill.

Lin Qiang immediately nodded in agreement, "I also think the young master's arrangement is appropriate. As the saying goes, 'Haste makes waste,' and given our family's current situation, no matter how ambitious we are, we have to take it one step at a time."

First, we need to cultivate the spiritual plants well, let the clansmen practice martial arts more, and produce more third-rate martial artists. This is the real foundation for our confidence.

As for the horse farms that were seized and the shops that were closed in the county town… I know everyone is furious, but right now we're outnumbered and weak. This matter needs careful consideration; we should wait until we've established a firm foothold before discussing it further.”

Lin Tie also chimed in in a muffled voice, "Young Master is right. My blacksmith shop is in dire need of help, and this 'Mountain Patrol Craftsman' has arrived just in time! Getting the job done right now is better than anything else."

"Alright, then we'll do as the young master says!" everyone said in unison.

"Then everyone should get busy. The clansmen are waiting for you." Seeing that everyone had reached a consensus, Lin Ye's mother's eyebrows relaxed, and she stood up and patted the corner of her clothes.

Lin Ye practiced the Shadow Spear technique in the backyard for two hours until his arms were sore and numb and sweat beaded on his forehead before he put down the spear and stood up.

Two "Rock Toad Guards" squatted at his feet, their bulging cheeks still covered in grass clippings—presumably they had casually plucked weeds from the corner of the yard while guarding the gate. He stretched his limbs and paced around the fortified village with his soldiers, wanting to see what was happening with his clan.

As soon as I turned the corner of the corridor, I felt that the atmosphere in the fortified village was different from yesterday.

Yesterday, when the clansmen met, there was a mixture of joy and confusion.

Today, however, one can hear the clanging of hoes striking the ground, the laughter of women washing clothes, and even the old men sunbathing by the wall stroking their beards. Their vibrant energy is like spring grass sprouting from the frozen earth, exuding an upward vitality.

Lin Ye's heart stirred slightly, and he strolled up to the lookout tower of the fortified village.

Looking out from the railing, one can see a patch of freshly turned soil on a barren slope not far away, glistening with moisture. About twenty tribesmen are bent over tilling the land, while five or six young men dressed in the attire of the Sword Sect laborers shuttle back and forth, pointing out the key points of planting.

He strolled down from the observation platform and walked over casually. By the edge of the field, several old farmers were surrounding a sword sect servant, asking him all sorts of questions. Seeing him approach, they hurriedly straightened up and bowed, saying, "Young Master!"

"No need for formalities, what are you chatting about?" Lin Ye smiled and helped the elderly farmer at the head of the group to his feet. The farmer was about forty years old, with calloused hands and fresh mud still clinging to his trouser legs. He was the "family member who knows how to farm" that his mother had mentioned yesterday.

"The spiritual plants that the young master brought back are really good!" The old farmer rubbed his hands together and smiled.

"I heard from the Sword Sect that although this 'Iron Wire Grass' is a low-grade spiritual plant, it can be harvested in a year. By then, my son can use it to make medicinal wine for martial arts practice."

Before, I dared not let him practice too much, afraid of tiring him out and damaging his energy. Now, with this herb, he can finally relax a bit!

The woman next to her picked up the conversation, still clutching a handful of corn kernel seeds in her hand.

"As the mistress just said, this 'Jade Sprout Rice' is a third-rate spiritual plant. After it matures, besides being handed over to the sect, the rest can be distributed to the clan. If any young master takes a liking to a boy and he gets to eat this rice, he might be able to break into the third-rate category in a couple of years! That would be a truly glorious thing for the family!"

"A third-rate martial artist?" Another middle-aged man scratched his head and laughed, but a trace of sorrow flashed in his eyes.

"I dare not think about it, I dare not think about it. As long as he can do more for the family and the young master, that's enough. I heard that Brother Lin Qiang is selecting people to learn sect secrets. I wonder if my rascal will be selected. If he can learn a few moves, he can work harder on the farm in the future!"

"Don't worry." Lin Ye patted the old farmer on the shoulder. "The selection of sect secret manuals values ​​those who are willing to endure hardship. As long as the children study diligently, I will personally oversee it."

The farmers' eyes lit up, and they bowed repeatedly, saying, "Thank you, young master! We will definitely go back and tell our children not to let you down!"

Lin Ye followed the clanging sound of wooden objects towards the training ground, where he saw two teenagers wielding wooden swords and slashing at each other.

Although his swordsmanship was immature, it carried the unique characteristics of military swordsmanship: "fast, ruthless, and accurate." It was the family's unorthodox "Garrison Soldier Swordsmanship," which consisted of three moves widely circulated in the Northern Han army: parry, thrust, and sweep.

This sword technique relies on brute force for power, lacks skill, and is easy to expose flaws. However, it is a life-saving skill for lower-ranking soldiers who "don't have the opportunity to practice advanced techniques."

"Young Master!" Lin Qiang called out loudly as he put away the roster he was holding when he saw him coming over.

"This is the last group, a total of 18 people, the oldest is 28 and the youngest is 15. Six of them are not up to par, and the others are not good enough."

We've tested strength; now let's look at actual combat. The five with talent are Lin Hu, Lin Shi, and the others. Although Lin Yi is also a mediocre martial artist, he's older, 28, and hasn't broken through to the third rank, so his potential might be lacking.

These six mediocre ones are going to learn the "Bone Forging Technique" and the "Mountain Splitting Saber." With the "Bone Forging Technique" and the jade sprout rice you brought back, as long as they're willing to work hard, who knows, one of them might be able to break through to the third rank!

Of the remaining 12, none of them are martial artists yet. I plan to teach them the "Fierce Tiger Fist" and the "Mountain Splitting Saber." Our Lin family ancestors followed the path of the military, known for its fierce and powerful techniques, so these fist, foot, and saber techniques will suit them well.

Lin Ye watched the boy sweating on the field, his wooden sword swinging with a spirit of "wanting to survive and becoming stronger".

He nodded: "Uncle Lin Qiang has made proper arrangements. Once the corn rice is ripe, we'll prioritize using it for the children practicing the 'Bone Forging Technique.' We're not looking for quick results; we'll focus on establishing a solid foundation first."

Seeing that the competition was over, and that the boys in the arena, though panting, still gripped their wooden swords tightly and their eyes shone, Lin Ye stepped into the arena and announced loudly:

"I'm very happy to see everyone competing! Right now, the family is in dire need of rebuilding, and we all need to give our all. Our uncles and elders are getting older and can no longer handle many things, so the burden of the family now falls on our shoulders."

He looked around, his gaze sweeping over the young faces of Lin Hu, Lin Shi, and others.

"When I returned from the Sword Sect, I passed through Gongchang Prefecture, where monsters roamed freely, bandits were everywhere, people were displaced, and fields were barren."

We can currently live peacefully within our fortified village, but if we want to develop, we must venture out of the village. Now that we've planted spiritual plants, we need to send people to patrol and protect them, preventing them from being coveted by demonic beasts and petty villains.

"The Northern Xiongnu cavalry are eyeing us covetously. Although we are still some distance from the front lines, who can guarantee that they won't burn and kill their way all the way to Xiang County like they did five years ago?" Lin Ye paused.

"Moreover, should we just let the blood debt from five years ago go? No! We must practice martial arts and become stronger! Only in this way can we protect our family's foundation, develop our family, and avenge our grievances!"

Therefore, I hope that everyone can continue to practice martial arts diligently with Uncle Lin Qiang as they do today, and contribute to the family as soon as possible. I will also come to test everyone every now and then to see how much progress you have made.”

"Now, Lin Hu, you six martial artists, attack me together. Let me see how good you are in actual combat."

As he spoke, Lin Ye took a wooden spear with its tip covered from the weapon rack. "All of you six, come at me. My spear skills are already quite good; I can handle you."

Upon hearing this, Lin Hu and the other six exchanged glances, grabbed wooden longswords from the weapon rack, and walked steadily toward Lin Ye.

Judging from their appearance, all six of them were armed with knives.

Lin Ye sighed inwardly: After all, it was a small family. Five years ago, a large number of the able-bodied men died in battle, and the skills that required long-term honing, such as swordsmanship and spear fighting, were lost. Now, only the "Garrison Soldier's Knife Technique" remains, which is a simple, practical, and quick-to-learn knife technique.

"Young Master, please enlighten us!" The six men shouted in unison, their wooden swords slicing through the air as they attacked together. Two men on the left parried and blocked with their spears, while two men on the right thrust and stabbed, and Lin Hu and Lin Yi swept aside in the middle, attempting to encircle them with sheer numbers!

Lin Ye used his already mastered Cloud Steps and unleashed the Shadow Spear. The spear moved like a nimble snake emerging from its hole, striking first!

He aimed for a gap before the six men surrounded him, and with a precise touch of his spear, struck the wrist of a boy on his left. With a "crack," the wooden sword fell from his hand and landed on the ground. The boy cried out in pain and staggered backward.

"So fast!" Lin Qiang couldn't help but exclaim from the sidelines.

Lin Ye, however, did not linger in the fight. He lightly touched the ground with his toes and moved about using his Cloud Step technique, wielding his spear and forcing the two men on his right to parry with their swords. He took the opportunity to close in on another boy, and the tip of his spear struck his elbow with a "ding," causing another boy to stagger back from the battlefield.

Just as Lin Ye turned to leave, Lin Yi seized the opportunity and swung his wooden sword horizontally with the force of his spin.

"Swish!" Lin Ye's arm was slashed, and his sleeve was torn open. Although the flesh was not injured, it stung painfully.

"That kid Lin Yi has actually mastered the Garrison Soldier's Sword Technique!" Lin Qiang was both surprised and delighted.

Lin Ye frowned, but showed no sign of panic. He took a deep breath, and his marksmanship changed abruptly: he no longer simply moved around, but instead used the speed and accuracy of the Shadow Piercing Spear to strike directly at weaknesses.

Lin Hu was the strongest, and every swing of his knife was powerful and heavy, sending wood chips flying as he struck the spear shaft.

Lin Ye did not take the blow head-on. He feinted with the tip of his spear to lure the opponent into a full-force slash. When the opponent's old strength was exhausted and new strength had not yet been generated, Lin Ye pressed down with the shaft of his spear, knocking the wooden sword away and placing the spear tip half an inch in front of the opponent's throat.

Lin Yi's swordsmanship was the most refined, with his sweeping and thrusting attacks coming at tricky angles. Lin Ye used the Cloud Step to circle behind him, the tip of his spear passing under his armpit and striking the soft flesh on his side. Lin Yi groaned and dropped his sword, admitting defeat.

Seeing this, the remaining two lost their spirits. Lin Ye either used his spear to pierce their wrists or swept their knees with the spear shaft. In less than ten moves, they were all defeated.

The arena fell silent instantly, save for the heavy breathing of the six men. Lin Ye stood there, gun sheathed, his arm throbbing slightly.

Looking at everyone, Lin Ye thought to himself, "Logically speaking, five second-rate martial artists should be able to hold off one third-rate martial artist. Yet, the six members of the family were easily defeated by me, who isn't even considered a top expert among the third-rate. This shows that the family's martial arts are indeed far inferior to those of the sword sect."

"Not bad! Lin Yi's swordsmanship is complete, Lin Hu is brave and daring, and the rest of you are also courageous. But remember, encirclement requires tacit understanding, and you should also leave room for contingencies."

"Alright, now Uncle Lin Qiang will lead them in practicing martial arts. From now on, you will spar with me every three days to check your progress."