83: Chapter 83 Military Camp

The night was silent.

Ye Jing had both of his sons come to the study.

He said to his two sons, "Xuaner, Yier, after this conscription, you will face other Cultivators. Remember, you must never reveal that you are Cultivators."

Seeing this, Ye Xuan nodded solemnly, "Father, don't worry. I will use the Breath-Holding Method to hide my status as a Cultivator!"

Ye Yi also nodded, "Yes, Father. I've already mastered the Breath-Holding Method. Just as you said, once it's used, no one will know we are Cultivators unless they have a Foundation Establishment cultivation level."

This Breath-Holding Method was a basic method for hiding one's cultivation level found in the Qi Induction Mantra. Once used, unless a Foundation Establishment Cultivator performed a forced search, they wouldn't be able to tell the strength of one's cultivation.

Ye Jing nodded and said, "That is for the best. Yier, how is your Snow Eagle?"

He was asking about the life-bound Spirit Beast Ye Yi had contracted. Seeing this, Ye Yi said, "Xiao Yu's Spiritual Qi has become increasingly abundant lately. I have already taught it a method to restrain its aura. Ordinary people will only see it as a common eagle that understands human nature; they definitely won't realize it's a Essence Spirit."

A hint of approval flashed in Ye Jing's eyes. "Good. This conscription to the border involves a long and dangerous journey. Having Xiao Yu by your side provides an extra layer of protection."

"It is extremely fast. If you encounter an invincible danger, it shouldn't be a problem for it to carry you both to safety."

Since Ye Yi was now at Qi Refining Level 2, the Snow Eagle had also grown significantly stronger. It could control its body size, so carrying two grown men was no issue.

Speaking of this, Ye Jing took out two palm-sized wooden boxes from his robe and handed them to Ye Xuan and Ye Yi respectively. "Inside these is a concentrated liquid I made from crimson blood fruits. It can quickly heal a Cultivator's injuries. There is also a Communication Talisman inside, which you can use to contact me if anything happens."

These Communication Talismans were drawn by Wu Guiyun. She had followed the simple runes described in the Qi Induction Mantra, tracing them herself and then infusing them with Spiritual Qi.

This also led Ye Jing to discover that his eldest daughter-in-law had a special talent for runes. However, her cultivation was only at Qi Refining Level 1, so drawing just a few Talismans would completely drain her Spiritual Qi.

Ye Xuan and Ye Yi received the wooden boxes with both hands, saying in unison, "Thank you, Father!"

Ye Jing waved his hand, his expression becoming increasingly grave. "This conscription is unusual. The enemy countries at the border have Cultivators backing them. You must never try to be a hero; remember that preserving yourselves is the most important thing!"

"If you encounter trouble you can't handle, don't try to tough it out. Use Xiao Yu's speed to escape, and I will find a way to meet you!"

His gaze swept across his two sons' faces as he said slowly, "Letting you join the army this time is also a good opportunity for experience. But don't think I'm being naggy—the army is a mixed bag. You must learn to read people's hearts and not trust others easily."

"Yes, Father. We've taken it to heart."

The next day, Ye Xuan and Ye Yi left home and headed toward the edge of the village.

A crowd had gathered at the village entrance to see people off, every face marked by sadness without exception.

Wu Guiyun, Liu Xianglan, and their children also looked reluctant to see them go. Ye Tianhao and Ye Tianyao watched their father and uncle with reddened eyes.

Seeing this, Ye Xuan waved his hand. "Haoer, Yaoer, take good care of your younger siblings. Wait for us to return after winning glory!"

After saying that, he turned his head, not daring to look into his family's eyes, fearing that if he looked any longer, he wouldn't want to leave.

Their father hadn't come; he disliked this kind of sentimental parting the most.

Going to the battlefield this time, no one could say for sure if they would return alive.

The conscription captain at the village entrance was a man with a fleshy, scarred face, a long saber at his waist, and sharp eyes.

Followed by several soldiers, he counted the numbers and then ordered the young men to follow.

The line was long, mostly made up of commoners in coarse clothing. Ye Jing, hidden in the crowd, watched his two sons until the group disappeared, then turned to leave.

The march was more arduous than imagined. Every day they set out before dawn and didn't camp to rest until the sun set in the west. The path they traveled was mostly desolate mountain roads, where scattered bones could occasionally be seen.

Every time the army rested, they would conduct drills. All the conscripted soldiers were issued a set of armor and military uniforms at that time.

Once they put on the military uniforms, the captain ordered them to burn all the clothes they were wearing to prevent anyone from disguising themselves and deserting.

A few days later, the group finally arrived at the border military camp. The camp was massive, with flags fluttering and a lingering scent of blood in the air.

The captain lined up the recruits, preparing to assign them to units.

A general in armor approached, followed by several personal guards. The captain quickly stood up straight and gave a military salute: "General Wang!"

The general nodded slightly and whispered a few words to the captain. The captain immediately shouted to the recruits below, "Ye Xuan and Ye Yi of Liu Village, step forward!"

Seeing the general call their names, Ye Xuan and Ye Yi stepped forward.

The general's gaze was like a torch, sweeping over the two of them with a hint of scrutiny in his voice. "So you are Ye Xuan and Ye Yi from Liu Village?"

Ye Xuan didn't speak. Seeing that this general held a high rank and was a stranger, he figured the less said, the fewer mistakes made.

A smile touched the corner of the general's mouth as he looked at the two sturdy men with great appreciation. "I am a Vice General of this camp, surnamed Wang. I have heard of the Ye family of Liu Village and know you two have some skill. You shall follow me."

Hearing this, both Ye Xuan and Ye Yi looked surprised.

However, the Ye family had expanded into jade and other businesses over the years; it wasn't too surprising that a prominent figure might know of them.

The fact that Ye Xuan and Ye Yi were noticed by the general as soon as they arrived at the camp caused envy to appear on the faces of the other recruits.

The general led the two of them toward the depths of the military camp.

The further they went, the cleaner and more orderly the tents became. Ye Xuan and Ye Yi could even sense the presence of Spiritual Qi inside.

The two brothers exchanged a look and understood; there were Cultivators here.

Vice General Wang pointed to a tent ahead and said to Ye Xuan and Ye Yi, "You will stay here. Tomorrow morning, I will arrange for someone to explain your duties in the army.

Remember, now that you are here, your identity is that of my soldiers. You must obey all military orders and are not allowed to act without authorization!"

After Vice General Wang left, Ye Xuan and Ye Yi entered the tent. It was filled with men whose faces bore fierce expressions—clearly veteran soldiers who had spent years at war.

One of the soldiers, with a scar on his face, looked at Ye Xuan and Ye Yi with disdain and spat, "I don't know which of General Wang's eyes is blind, assigning a recruit here!"

The soldiers in this tent were all General Wang's trusted men who had survived life-and-death situations to reach their positions. Seeing two newcomers easily placed on equal footing with them, they were naturally dissatisfied.

"Yeah, who knows where these kids came from? They probably don't even know how to hold a blade!"

"Tsk tsk, I heard they're from Liu Village!"

"From Liu Village? People from there live in the deep mountains and old forests; they've probably never even seen what a soldier looks like. They'll likely wet their pants in fear!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the other veterans in the tent burst into laughter, their contempt impossible to hide.

Ye Yi was naturally impulsive. Being mocked like this, his fists clenched tightly, his knuckles cracking as he prepared to retort.

Beside him, Ye Xuan stepped forward and said coldly, "Who we are will be proven on the battlefield!"

At those words, Scarface, who had been the first to mock them, stood up abruptly. He was already a First-Stage Martial Artist, so he naturally feared nothing.

He reached out with a hand as large as a cattail leaf fan to grab Ye Xuan's shoulder, his tone fierce. "Kid, you're pretty arrogant! Today, I'll teach you how you should behave in this camp..."

But before the soldier's hand could touch Ye Xuan's shoulder, it was firmly caught by another hand.