Apex War God

“Shake the status quo with the barbarian tribes, shock the imperial court and the ordinary people, gain political power, and change the world!”

How domineering and amazing these words sounded. But how many people could actually do this?

Yang Wu was not a fool. He could discern the meaning of these words. He also understood that Xun Rui was right. Clenching his fist tightly, he said, “I will definitely be able to achieve these things one day, but I am afraid that day will take too long to arrive. I beg Teacher to give me some guidance!”

Yang Wu had changed his manner of address from “Senior Xun” to “Teacher,” a clear indication that his regard for Xun Rui in his mind had changed entirely.

“Hehe, you think too highly of me. I am a tactician, not a martial arts expert. I can plot gains and losses for the near future. I can strategize your affairs for a hundred years. But I have no idea how to help you gain political power!” Xun Rui smiled with wise, old eyes.

“Then, I implore Teacher to plan my affairs for the coming year,” Yang Wu replied. He had set a goal for himself to not only cast off his convict status within a year but also return to Royal City and reestablish the Yang Clan’s social status.

One year might seem like a very short time, but Yang Wu was very confident due to the Supreme Nine Profound Art and the Dragon Turtle Sea Flipping Art. Of course, there was also Sooty.

These days, it just stayed by his side and had not taken out any aged herbs or spiritual pills. However, he believed Sooty had its own reasons for doing so. Perhaps as long as it was willing, it could bring him those aged herbs and spiritual pills at any time.

“Your foundation in the martial arts is good. You have also accumulated enough Scarlet Steel Rock. You just have to survive in the Death Legion, and you can have an unfettered life. It wouldn’t be too late to form a plan later. Why are you in such a hurry to accomplish them in a year?” Xun Rui asked.

Yang Wu took a deep breath and replied, “I can afford to wait, but my parents and younger brother cannot!”

“What a loving, filial son! Then, I will draft a plan for you for the coming year,” Xun Rui said with a look of appreciation.

After that, he opened his wine gourd and took a sip. Only then did he say with a look of high spirits, “The world believes that this Wild Tactician wrote the Twenty-four Volumes on An Opinion Piece on the Nation’s Disastrous Mistakes to mislead and harm people. They do not understand the principle of using strong medicine to cure a stubborn disease. Your own affairs are a bit smaller than those of a nation, but the basis is the same. You offended the nobility. That is your first crime. You caused your parents to lose their noble title. That is your second crime. Your third one is that you caused your younger brother to lose his top scholar title. If you do not resolve these three crimes, you will never find peace. However, the root of the three crimes is actually the first crime. With your current strength, survival is difficult; it will not be easy to clear your name. Although you have accumulated fifty tons of Scarlet Steel Rock, you will die in the Death Legion. The imperial clan will never let you live well. Even the girl shielding you won’t be able to do anything.

“You could have followed my initial advice. You would accrue enough contributions to become a commander in three years and a junior general in five years. In ten years, you would be a lieutenant general in the Barbarian Suppression Army. You could return home in glory and be granted the title of a marquis. The imperial court would not dare to find trouble with you then, and the imperial clan would definitely give you a satisfactory way out. But if you want to attain these ten years’ worth of achievements in just one year, it will undoubtedly be even more difficult than ascending to heaven. Well, since you have decided on one year, you must be prepared to work hard—and risk your life. That means always being at the vanguard of the cannon fodder and becoming a warlord of death. If you can do it, you will certainly achieve great things.”

In high spirits, Xun Rui elaborated on the plan. He seemed ten years younger, unlike the way he was before.

What a wise man! Yang Wu could not help praising Xun Rui in his heart.

If Xun Rui could hear Yang Wu’s praise, he would grin from ear to ear for many days and nights.

“Vanguard of the cannon fodder and warlord of death?” Yang Wu murmured.

“That’s right. The Death Legion consists of prisoners and functions to charge recklessly and break through enemy lines. Battles against the barbarians are basically a way of sending the prisoners to their deaths. Those who survive are either crippled or insane. Very few remain intact. However, more than ten years ago, a true ‘warlord of death’ appeared—someone who fully comprehended the Death Dao and became a King. So to intimidate the barbarians, the imperial court made him a marquis with the authority to kill first and report later!” Xun Rui told him calmly.

“The Death Warlord of the top ten!” Yang Wu exclaimed in surprise.

The Xia Dynasty had ten powerful Kings. The Death Warlord ranked third among them, and no one could rival him in the Death Dao. Even after twenty years, he was still famous.

“Yes, that’s him!” Xun Rui responded with a nod. “For others, becoming a General in one year already made them a genius. The word difficult cannot cover the challenge of becoming a warlord of death. That Death Warlord was in the Death Legion for ten years before becoming one, killing his way in the path of a warlord. For you to achieve it in just one year would be as difficult as ascending to heaven. I advise you not to take that path. It would be safer to take things step by step,” Xun Rui suggested.

Yang Wu said with a look of determination, “Since this is the quickest path available, I will have to take it even if it leads to the gates of hell. The other paths will take too long, and I’m afraid they cannot wait that long.”

Yang Wu did not care about his life, but his parents and little brother might not be able to afford the wait. Besides, that little Snot-Nosed Bug far away was still waiting for him. In three years, he would definitely reach the peak he was now looking up to and reunite with his family with a beauty in tow.

“There are thousands upon thousands of paths, but only one is suitable for you. Since you have already chosen, you had better forge ahead. At the end of the path of death, you will see the light!” After that, Xun Rui said no more and headed down the mountain with wobbly steps.

Yang Wu bowed deeply toward Xun Rui’s back, and when he looked up, he could no longer see the old man’s figure.

At nightfall, Yang Wu sat alone on the summit, looking out into the darkness. From time to time, he could hear wolf howls coming from the prison’s perimeter, but his mind was very calm.

He recalled the torture he had gone through when he arrived at the prison, then how he had mysteriously obtained the Supreme Nine Profound Art and the Dragon Turtle Sea Flipping Art, also gaining Sooty, a dog spirit, by his side. All this contributed to regaining his self-confidence, improving his cultivation to the Warrior Realm, and giving him the strength of a General. He had defeated the prison bosses and accumulated fifty tons of Scarlet Steel Rock. He could leave this terrible place anytime; however, there were Skinny Monkey and Xiaoman. He had promised to take them with him. He did not want to go back on his word, but his time was limited. He wavered momentarily.

Since Yang Wu came from a noble background and experienced many hardships, he was already very wise for his age. It was not in his nature to be indecisive like this, but he valued friendship and righteousness. This was deeply rooted in his bones. He did not want to break his promise to anyone.

“Then, let’s collect one hundred more tons of Scarlet Steel Rock for them!” Yang Wu said while looking into the quiet moonlight.

Right then, he made a firm resolution in his heart.

Although he dearly wanted to leave the prison, he did not feel right leaving those two behind.

Suddenly, a shadow appeared in the dark sky. Yang Wu’s heart shook with fright. The Supreme Nine Profound Art immediately circulated at its maximum as he prepared to attack that shadow, forming a dragon head with one hand and a turtle flipper with the other. He lamented in his heart, I did not expect to die like this!

However, before he could attack, Sooty barked from his shoulder. Woof! Woof!

The bark was not loud, carrying only a few meters, and no one would have cared. Nonetheless, the shadow was already falling fast from the sky. Dropping heavily on the ground on all fours, it whimpered, Awoo…

Yang Wu stared at the figure with wide eyes, his mind struggling to catch up. He thought with surprise, Did this viscount’s domineering aura shock this Wolf King into kneeling like this?

The young man had overthought. In reality, Lang Jie was not looking at him but at Sooty on his shoulder.

Woof! Woof! Sooty glowered with its small eyes and barked again like it was saying something to Lang Jie.

Lang Jie nodded repeatedly, just like a big harmless dog.

Yang Wu finally understood that this outcome had nothing to do with him. He glanced aside at the puppy and said, “Sooty, it came here to see you, right?”

Sooty nodded cleverly, wagged its tail, and rubbed against Yang Wu’s ear as if proud to take the credit.

“Then, does it listen to you?” Yang Wu asked because he could see that Lang Jie had a deferential attitude toward Sooty, just like meeting a ruler.

Sooty responded with another nod.

Yang Wu was delighted and immediately said, “Then, let it stay as a mount.”

When he was very young, Yang Wu greatly admired those experts who could subdue sapient spirits to use as mounts. Riding astride a powerful mount and dashing down the road, full of vigor and confidence, would make many beautiful women fall for him.

It was just that sapient spirits are sentient beings. Since subduing them required a strong combat prowess—as well as a fateful opportunity—making one submit was very difficult.

Most sapient spirit mounts were raised and trained from infancy. Those mounts were not inferior in spiritual intelligence, but they had lost some of their wildness.

There was a Wolf King right in front of Yang Wu, and he wanted it to be a mount. If other people knew, they would scold him, saying, “You are delusional!”

However, if they saw what happened next, their jaws would drop to the ground in shock.

“Lang Jie is willing to be your mount!” Lang Jie spat out the words.

Yang Wu gaped, completely dumbfounded.

He was just kidding, but this Wolf King actually took it seriously. He was at a loss as to what to do.

Woof! Woof! Sooty barked again, giving Lang Jie a disdainful look. The Wolf King was so scared that it just continued kneeling, not daring to make another sound.

Yang Wu finally recovered his senses. He confirmed that this Wolf King was very afraid of Sooty. He wondered doubtfully, Could Sooty be the heir of the wolf race’s leader?

But, no matter how he looked at it, Sooty did not look like a wolf at all, devoid of any resemblance.

Just then, the Wolf King spat out something. Yang Wu’s eyes widened, and he exclaimed, “Is… Is this a Wolf Companion Blood Crystal?”

A Wolf Companion Blood Crystal was an energy crystal condensed by a Wolf King when it broke through. It contained vast energy and could be called a King Class object.

Just as Yang Wu said those words, Sooty ran over and swallowed that fist-sized Wolf Companion Blood Crystal in one gulp. Yang Wu felt a pang at the sight.

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