My strength increases by one percent every day; I can destroy stars with my bare hands.

Half a month has passed since Li Xuancang became a squad leader.

The border was calm for a time, but everyone knew that this was only a temporary peace.

The barbarians could return at any time, and the monsters in the deep mountains roam freely, ready to launch a sneak attack at any moment.

Li Xuancang has fully recovered and has even made further progress.

After becoming a corporal, he gained access to information that was previously difficult to obtain.

What he valued most was matters of cultivation.

Reaching the Body Tempering Realm means becoming a cultivator.

A single punch can deliver hundreds of pounds of force, and he can easily kill more than a dozen people with his bare hands.

"I should now be comparable to the early stage of the Body Tempering Realm, and I should be able to fight a low-level demon like the Demon Dog head-on."

Li Xuancang silently assessed his own combat strength. If he were to encounter a demonic hound now, he would definitely not be as pathetic as he was last time.

After the Body Tempering Realm comes the Bone Forging Realm, Blood Coagulation Realm, and Qi Condensation Realm... Each realm is divided into early, middle, and late stages.

According to the information he gathered, Battalion Commander Wang Xuanshan was a Bone Forging Realm expert.

Zhao Changlin, the Hundred-Man General, is in the late stage of the Body Tempering Realm, only one step away from the Bone Forging Realm.

According to the previous regulations of the Great Yan Dynasty, only those in the early stage of the Body Tempering Realm could serve as squad leaders, those in the middle stage of the Body Tempering Realm could serve as platoon leaders, and those in the late stage of the Body Tempering Realm could serve as centurions.

However, the Great Yan Dynasty had suffered countless losses in years of war, and the requirements for squad leaders and platoon leaders had been lowered.

However, the requirement of having more than 100 generals remains unchanged.

It was precisely for this reason that Li Xuancang was able to be promoted exceptionally.

Three days later, Li Xuancang received a military order.

He was ordered to lead five soldiers deep into the mountains and forests outside the border to conduct routine patrols, clear out scattered monsters, and guard against the presence of barbarian scouts.

Five of his men, fully armed, stood waiting outside the camp.

All five were veterans of the border region, having endured years of fighting and witnessed mountains of corpses and seas of blood, yet their eyes still harbored an instinctive fear of demons.

"Squad Leader."

The five people bowed in unison.

Li Xuancang, clad in scale armor and wielding a long spear, exuded an even colder and more composed aura than ever before.

His gaze swept over the five people indifferently, his voice not loud, but carrying an undeniable authority.

"When patrolling the mountains, each person should perform their duties and be alert to any movements around them."

"If you encounter any barbarian scouts, kill them on the spot."

"If you encounter a low-level monster, do not panic. Follow my orders."

After giving a brief instruction, Li Xuancang strode forward.

Five soldiers followed closely behind, standing in formation and ready, as they stepped into the rolling, desolate mountains and forests.

The forest was shrouded in thick fog, and the air was filled with a faint scent of demons and earth.

The closer you get to the deep mountains, the stronger the demonic aura becomes, and eerie beast roars can be heard from time to time, sending chills down your spine.

Throughout the journey, the veterans remained on edge, gripping their weapons, glancing around nervously.

"Sergeant, this forest is not safe. In previous years, patrol teams often disappeared without a trace, mostly dragged away and eaten by monsters..."

Veteran Zhou Xing, his face covered in scars, spoke in a low voice, unable to hide his panic.

The others echoed this sentiment, their faces turning pale.

They were able to fight barbarians, but they were terrified of demons and evil spirits.

Li Xuancang did not stop walking, his tone remained calm.

"Low-level monsters are nothing more than having sharp claws and teeth and being slightly stronger. As long as we are careful, we can handle them."

This was his first time leading a mission, and he couldn't let the danger stop him here.

He was ambitious and wanted to climb the ladder, so he had to risk his life.

The daily accumulation of 1% power allowed his physical body to steadily improve, making him perfectly capable of handling low-level demonic beasts.

Li Xuancang continued forward, and although Zhou Xing and the others were afraid, they dared not disobey orders and hurriedly followed his pace.

After traveling several miles, a low roar suddenly came from the rocky valley ahead.

Immediately, a foul, demonic stench assaulted my senses.

"There's a demon!"

The crowd stopped abruptly, a chill running down their spines. They instinctively huddled together, gripping their weapons tightly.

Ahead, at the dark, overgrown cave entrance, a shadowy figure could be seen moving about, its scarlet eyes gleaming in the darkness.

"Be careful, it's a Black-backed Demon Wolf. It has thick skin and venomous fangs, and is several times more ferocious than a demon hound."

Upon seeing the demon clearly, everyone's expression changed drastically; the demon wolf before them was even more difficult to deal with than the demon hound.

"It's a Black-spine Demon Wolf! We're doomed, our team can't possibly stop it!"

Several veterans turned pale, contemplating retirement, their legs trembling slightly.

When encountering a monster of this level, the only option for a small patrol team is to run for their lives.

The group was not only panicked, but also resented Li Xuancang. If he hadn't ignored their advice and continued to venture deeper, they wouldn't have been in such a dangerous situation.

"Awoo!"

The Black-Spine Wolf slowly emerged, its body thick and strong, its black fur like needles, and a row of jet-black bone spurs protruding from its back, exuding a fierce aura.

It bared its teeth, drool dripping from its mouth, and stared intently at the six people.

"Don't panic."

Li Xuancang shouted, stopping the five people who wanted to retreat.

His spear tip gleamed coldly as it pointed directly at the demon wolf, his eyes filled with solemnity.

"How can we outrun a demon wolf in the mountains? If we don't want to die, we'll have to fight it to the death."

Li Xuancang's words were like a wake-up call, instantly waking the fearful group.

They desperately wanted to escape, but how could they outrun the speed-destroying demon wolves? Their only chance of survival was to fight them head-on.

"The sergeant is right, let's fight the demon wolves."

Zhou Xing roared, dispelling his fear, and gripped his spear tightly, ready to fight to the death.

The others also calmed down, gripped their weapons tightly, and stared intently at the relentlessly approaching wolf.

The group formed a defensive formation, with Li Xuancang standing alone in the most dangerous position, facing the ferocious demon wolf.

"Aww!"

Sensing the provocation, the wolf unleashed its ferocity and roared to the sky.

With its four claws pushing off the ground, it transformed into a black shadow, accompanied by a foul-smelling, demonic wind, and pounced forward.

The sharp wolf claws gleamed coldly, capable of tearing through the armor of ordinary soldiers with a single strike.

Several soldiers felt their hearts leap into their throats, their palms drenched in cold sweat.

Just as the demonic wolf was about to pounce on him, Li Xuancang unleashed his full power, his muscles bulging and bulging high.

An explosive force surged through his limbs and bones, his skin and flesh taut, and his blood and qi surged violently.

Without dodging or avoiding, he held the gun in one hand and slammed it horizontally.

"Bang!"

A dull, loud bang exploded.

The sturdy gun barrel slammed into the side of the demon wolf's head. The immense force sent the wolf's massive body flying, crashing heavily into a pile of rocks, sending shards of stone flying.

"This, this..."

Li Xuancang shot the demon wolf away with a single spear thrust, leaving Zhou Xing and the others dumbfounded, their eyes filled with disbelief.

They knew Li Xuancang was strong enough to severely injure the demon hound at the cost of his life, but they didn't expect him to be this strong, sending the even stronger demon wolf flying with a single shot.

"Has the corporal broken through a breakthrough recently?"

The group's eyes shone brightly, guessing that Li Xuancang had become a cultivator during this time; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to shoot the demon wolf away with a single spear thrust.

Thinking of this, the group was thrilled. With Li Xuancang leading the way, they were sure they could turn danger into safety this time.