A veteran of the frontier army, after marrying a wife, fought his way through the northern border.

"Thank you, village chief."

Luo Yunxiao weighed the money in his hand; there were five taels of silver in the cloth bag.

It's a bit less, but better than nothing.

The celebratory banquet will begin at 5 PM, and there will be another hour to go.

After thanking the village chief, Luo Yunxiao returned home.

Everyone he met on the street greeted him with a smile.

They kept calling him a great hero, or Master Luo.

This includes the villagers who used to mock him for being a bachelor.

When I got home, I saw that the house was piled high with eggs, wild vegetables and more than ten kilograms of millet that the villagers had sent me.

"Husband, the village chief's expression was a bit off just now. I'm afraid he's having an affair with the Beggars' Gang."

Su Yunshang, being meticulous, voiced her concerns.

"Oh? How so?"

Luo Yunxiao was somewhat puzzled.

"Six months ago, the Beggar Gang massacred Shiwa Village. The local villagers resisted fiercely, and Wang Tu, in a fit of rage, slaughtered half of the villagers."

They burned down the rebels' houses and threw their bodies into the village well, forcing the entire village to relocate.

There were also twelve women from Luwei Village and Liushutun; half of them were raped by Wang Tu and his men, and the other half were sold to Tartar tribes beyond the Great Wall, their fates unknown.

Su Yunshang analyzed.

These past few days, she and Yushang have been washing clothes by the river, and they've heard many other village women talk about the bad things the beggars had done.

Luo Yunxiao then began to realize what was happening.

Why has the Beggar Gang been so ruthless towards other villages for the past two years?

Those who resist shall be killed without exception.

However, the raid on Chenjia Village was only a nighttime attack, and they managed to seize a small amount of grain.

Some villagers and guards were injured.

They didn't kill anyone, nor did they set the village on fire.

"You mean the village chief and Butcher Wang are having an affair?"

"Yunshang is just guessing. I can tell that the village chief wants you to kill Li Haishan, and even hopes that you two will die together."

Qin Hongxiu added.

"No, you two shouldn't think so badly of people."

Besides, even if Li Haishan comes to retaliate, I have no reason to fear him with my strength.

"In case the village chief has a secret relationship with Wang Tu, he might exchange some kind of price for the peace of Chenjia Village."

You killed Wang Tu. Isn't Zhao Dezhu worried that Wang Tu will reveal his secret to you before he dies?

In case you know the inside story and inform the county magistrate, or if you implicate Li Haishan after his arrest.

Then he is a traitor, and according to the law, he should be executed.

Luo Yunxiao then remembered that Wang Tu did indeed have something to say before he died.

But before he could finish speaking, he thrust his spear into the man's throat, ending his life.

"That's enough. Wang Tu has been executed and there's no way to prove anything. We'll deal with whatever comes our way, there's nothing to be afraid of."

Luo Yunxiao seemed indifferent.

The three women fell silent. An hour later, Li Dachui sent someone to call Luo Yunxiao to join them for a meal.

During the meal, village elders Li Dachui and Zhao Dezhu successively toasted him.

After the banquet, everyone went to the village ancestral hall to express their gratitude to their ancestors for blessing their descendants and wishing the villagers continued good fortune.

Tell the ancestors about Luo Yunxiao's heroic deeds.

That evening, Zhao Dezhu and Li Dachui discussed how to word the document.

After it was finalized.

Zhao Dezhu wrote overnight, describing in great detail how Luo Yunxiao suppressed the bandits.

However, the documents were manipulated to make no mention of Li Haishan, a remnant of the Beggar Gang, remaining in his stronghold.

It was said that the main force of the Beggars' Gang had been wiped out, the bandit leader Wang Tu was dead, and the bandit problem had been eliminated.

He worried that the county government would find out he hadn't eradicated the problem completely and would hold him accountable for his incompetence.

He stuffed the document into an envelope and handed it to Li Dachui: "Dachui, you're not good with words. Tomorrow, when you arrive at the county government with this document and Wang Tu's head, just say what's written on the document. Don't say anything else."

Old Luo has done a great service; the county magistrate will surely reward him, and we'll benefit from it too.

Before dawn the next day, Li Dachui, carrying documents, put Wang Tu's head in a wooden box and sprinkled it with lime to prevent decay.

He led two bodyguards and drove a donkey cart to the county government office.

Luo Yunxiao and Su Yushang shared a room last night and made love until midnight.

They only let her go after Su Yushang begged for mercy in a low voice.

He felt that since his lifespan had been extended and his physique had been strengthened, and he had also learned the art of combined cultivation.

With his extraordinary physique, having three wives would be just right.

If he advances to the rank of martial arts master in the future, even three wives wouldn't be enough to keep him busy.

As long as we control the duration a bit, my wife can still handle it.

At breakfast, Luo Yunxiao noticed that his appetite was increasing.

Half a month ago, when I was old and frail, a bowl of millet rice was enough for each meal.

Now I need to eat three large bowls of rice at each meal to feel 70% full.

He alone could almost eat as much as three wives combined.

After the meal, Su Yushang began to remove the tattered armor plates and repair the silver-patterned bright armor.

Su Yunshang continued to steam mountain jujubes, Solomon's seal, and other mountain products, and to research and produce medicines such as Baicao Xuming San (a traditional Chinese medicine formula) and Jin Chuang Yao (a traditional Chinese medicine for wounds).

Luo Yunxiao used a stone mill to aid digestion in the courtyard.

I switched hands back and forth, and suddenly I realized that 300 pounds wasn't so heavy after all.

Qin Hongxiu came outside and said loudly, "Husband, today I will teach you the basic techniques of the 'Border Defense Technique'."

This set of techniques was improved by my father when he was alive, based on his late-stage internal strength cultivation.

It is very suitable for martial artists with a foundation in martial arts to practice.

"Yes, my lady, that's exactly what I wanted to ask you."

So Qin Hongxiu began by explaining the general principles of "The Border Defense Manual".

He described it verbally while demonstrating.

"The first level of Qi sinking to the Dantian is the breathing method."

Inhale like a deep well, exhale like a broken string; gather your breath below your navel, and generate power from your waist.

"The bow is drawn to its fullest extent, the stake stands for a thousand years."

"Cultivating the first level not only strengthens muscles and bones, but also enhances the body's resistance to blows."

Before learning to hit, practice taking a hit.

Luo Yunxiao followed Qin Hongxiu's method of breathing exercises.

In less than 15 minutes, I felt a slight crackling sound coming from all my joints.

White mist billowed around him, and his body temperature rose rapidly.

When you inhale, you can draw your breath up to your heels.

Seeing the unusual phenomenon in Luo Yunxiao's body, Qin Hongxiu exclaimed in surprise, "Husband, you've broken through to the first level so quickly?"

She knew very well that even someone with a foundation in martial arts would need at least a month to master the first level.

Luo Yunxiao mastered it in less than an hour!

"I'm already at the mid-stage of the Warrior realm, and the sinking of Qi into my dantian is a natural progression. What's so strange about that?"

"Okay, the next layer is the energy gathering."

Strength flows through all four limbs, tendons are like bowstrings, bones are like iron beams, blood flows like a tide, and skin is as tough as sheep.

When Qin Hongxiu threw a punch, her muscles and bones resonated, and her entire skeleton emitted a deep humming sound.

Each punch and kick seemed imbued with true energy, making them unstoppable.

She gave a low shout and leaped onto the roof with agile movements.

As she fell, her clothes fluttered, as graceful as a startled swan.

Luo Yunxiao followed suit and performed the punches twice in a row.

Qin Hongxiu's eyes were full of praise, though she didn't say it aloud, she was amazed in her heart.

Every move was so smooth, as if she had learned it before.

When Luo Yunxiao practiced for the second time, he felt his blood and energy surging, his muscles and bones resonating, and his body feeling light.

He leaped more than ten feet into the air.

He landed without being red-faced or out of breath.

He felt that the more he practiced, the smoother it became, and he had a vague feeling that he was about to break through.

Sure enough, the system panel changed.

Host: Luo Yunxiao

Spouses: Su Yunshang, Su Yushang, Qin Hongxiu

Expected lifespan: 57 years

Combat Power: 100 points (Early-stage Martial Master, equivalent to the combat power of 20 late-stage Samurai!)

Innate Skills: Night Vision (30 zhang), Treasure Hunting (30 zhang), Combined Cultivation Technique (Level 1), Scout Intuition (100 zhang)

Technique: Border Defense Technique (Second Level)

Luo Yunxiao was secretly delighted.

The Border Defense Technique is indeed effective; it can even increase lifespan.

His combat strength has also increased to the early stage of Martial Master.

Except for the combined cultivation technique, all other innate skills have been enhanced.

It seems I'll need to practice more often in the future.

Qin Hongxiu stared at her man in shock.

Who exactly is my husband? Not only does he have a photographic memory, but his martial arts talent is also extraordinary.

"Not only have you mastered the second level, but you've also broken through to the Martial Master realm?"

Let me calm down.

"What's so strange about it? Is it that difficult?"

"The second level of the Border Defense Technique requires three months to master even for those with exceptional talent."

It's quite an achievement for the average person to train for a year.

But you can reach the second level within an hour.

If my father were alive, he would definitely admire you; at the very least, he would appoint you as a team leader.

Luo Yunxiao smiled slightly, pulled Qin Hongxiu into his arms, and their eyes met.

"I don't care about being a team leader, I just want to be your husband."

"Stay with me tonight."

"Be serious, Yunshang and Yushang are watching."

At this moment, Su Yunshang and her sister looked at the two people outside the house and whispered to each other.

Qin Hongxiu blushed and gently broke free from Luo Yunxiao's embrace.

Maintaining his distance, he smoothed his hair and said seriously, "That's enough for today. Once you advance to the late stage of Martial Master, I will teach you the third level of skills."

"Okay, I'll do as you say."