"Reporting to you, My Lord," Zhang Han replied with a composed expression. "Compared to my brothers, I am a bit stronger and have already stepped into the Houtian Sixth Layer."

With the same resources and training time, Zhang Han was already a whole level stronger than the others.

Perhaps this was his Martial Arts Talent.

"The Cultivation Technique you are learning is an Inner Strength one, primarily focused on cultivating your Inner Strength. By augmenting it, you can gain immense strength and instantly unleash tremendous power," Zhao Feng said gravely. "But strength is, after all, just strength. It requires skillful application, not mere brute force.

"A great battle is imminent. Today, I will teach you a Martial Technique."

Upon hearing this, eagerness immediately appeared on their faces. "We thank you, My Lord."

Zhao Feng didn't waste any words. He turned around, looking towards a blue stone sculpture several zhang away. Then, he clenched his right hand into a fist, and invisible True Qi instantly imbued it.

He threw a punch.

"Explosive Fist!" Zhao Feng shouted.

A wave of fist energy shot through the air.

BOOM!

The blue stone sculpture was instantly shattered by the blast.

Witnessing this, all five men, including Zhang Han, had looks of reverence on their faces. Such power was completely beyond their reach.

After the strike, Zhao Feng turned back to the five of them.

"This Martial Technique is called Explosive Fist, a Yellow-rank, Mid-Tier Martial Technique. The name might not sound impressive, but once mastered, it can concentrate your entire body's strength into a single point to unleash several times your normal power. With Inner Strength augmentation, it can also cause an instantaneous burst of several times your normal Inner Strength," Zhao Feng explained.

He opened his Faction Panel and transmitted the technique to the five men. In just an instant, a new Martial Technique appeared within each of their Seas of Consciousness.

"Thank you, My Lord, for bestowing this technique upon us!"

Zhang Han and the other four bowed excitedly.

Just then, a faint sound came from the side of the Military Council Hall.

"Who's there?" Zhang Han's expression hardened as he shouted toward the source of the noise. The trusted aides on duty immediately converged on the location.

Zhao Feng, however, remained calm, a faint smile on his lips. With his spiritual power already surpassing two thousand, he had, of course, already detected the person lurking in the shadows.

"Don't move! It's me."

Tu Sui's voice called out, and he quickly stepped forward, his face still etched with astonishment.

Clearly, Tu Sui had also witnessed Zhao Feng shatter the stone sculpture with a single punch from afar. Such a feat was simply not humanly possible.

"General Tu Sui?"

Zhang Han and the others looked at Tu Sui, their guards instantly up. The Martial Dao Power was their Lord's secret. Only his most trusted confidants were permitted to practice it, yet now an outsider had seen it.

"I knew you would come," Zhao Feng said slowly, looking at Tu Sui.

Earlier that day on the Dianjiang Platform, Zhao Feng had openly told Zhang Han and the others to meet him in front of the Military Council Hall that evening. Tu Sui had naturally overheard this. If Tu Sui was clever, he would realize Zhao Feng had done it intentionally. It revealed that Zhao Feng intended to recruit him. Compared to Chen Tao or Zhao Tuo, Zhao Feng had observed Tu Sui for several months and saw him quite clearly: a man who valued loyalty and possessed Martial Arts Talent.

Tu Sui looked on, still in shock.

"So, what are your thoughts?" Zhao Feng asked with a slight smile.

After composing himself, Tu Sui immediately knelt before Zhao Feng. "I, Tu Sui, wish to serve under the General's command," he said earnestly. "I pray the General will accept me."

He was a clever man and understood Zhao Feng's intentions at once.

"I accept your pledge of allegiance," Zhao Feng replied with gravity.

He then immediately checked Tu Sui's loyalty value: 78 points.

That could already be considered loyal. It seems the life-saving favor had a significant impact on him.

"From this day forward, you are one of my men, just like Zhang Han and the others," Zhao Feng declared solemnly.

"Thank you, My Lord," Tu Sui bowed at once.

"What you just witnessed is called Martial Arts. Cultivating it grants power beyond the imagination of ordinary people," Zhao Feng said gravely.

"My Lord," Tu Sui's eyes filled with reverence. "Could this be the Strength of the Immortals?"

Before him, Zhao Feng's figure seemed to grow immense in his heart. For Tu Sui, the scene of shattering stone from afar had completely overturned his understanding of the world.

"You could think of it that way," Zhao Feng said with a faint smile.

"I beseech you, My Lord, to bestow this technique upon me! I swear to serve you to the death," Tu Sui said respectfully.

"Since I have accepted you, I naturally intend to pass on a technique. However, now that you are under my command, you must first understand one thing: from this day forward, your life is mine.

"Even when faced with the authority of the king, I come first. Do you understand?" Zhao Feng said, scrutinizing Tu Sui's expression.

"Your subordinate swears fealty until death," Tu Sui replied, kowtowing deeply.

He naturally understood that this was a tremendous opportunity; if he missed it, it would never come again.

"Good." Zhao Feng nodded and, without hesitation, imparted the Intermediate Internal Skill of the Houtian Realm to Tu Sui.

When a new Cultivation Technique suddenly appeared in his mind without any physical contact, Tu Sui's gaze towards Zhao Feng grew even more reverent.

"The path of Martial Arts is a secret known only to my most trusted followers. Without my command, no one is to speak of it to outsiders," Zhao Feng said seriously.

"Your subordinate understands," Tu Sui nodded vigorously, his mind reeling in shock.

"Zhang Han," Zhao Feng called out.

"Your orders, My Lord," Zhang Han responded immediately.

"North of Wei City, about fifty li away, there is a place called Hongze Crossing. Have you heard of it?" Zhao Feng inquired.

"I have," Zhang Han nodded, then elaborated, "The crossing has been abandoned. The currents there are turbulent, and many merchants lost their lives attempting to pass through, which is why the crossing point was moved to Wei City, as well as to BeiweiCity in the territory of the state of Wei."

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