15: Chapter 15 I'll make you steal Li Yuan's opportunity!

With the River God of Langhe dead, the officials at Yingyang Pass finally had something to report to the imperial court.

It was a good thing they hadn't reported earlier and had waited a bit.

Though Lord Shu Fanzheng had died, he had at least slain the River God of Langhe.

The imperial court would certainly still find fault, and might even hand out punishments.

But as a border general, Liu Shengyong felt he had done well enough.

After the River God of Langhe's death, he brought his children and his cousins' children back to the City Lord's Manor in Yingyang Pass.

His second son, Liu Weihe, should have been training at Qianqiu Mountain.

However, at the beginning of next month, in Lingshan Kingdom to the northeast of Yingyang Pass, there would be a grand competition for young Disciples from the Jin Kingdom and the Shun Kingdom.

Lingshan Kingdom was a tiny country sandwiched between major powers; it could only try to please and maneuver between both sides.

When neutrality was needed, its role became apparent.

The competition hosted in Lingshan Kingdom was called the Autumn Grand Competition.

Da Shun and the Jin Kingdom would each send ten young Martial Artists under the age of thirty to participate.

It was held every two years, and each Martial Artist could only participate once.

So while it seemed only ten Martial Artists participated, neither the Shun Kingdom nor the Jin Kingdom would send out all their Prodigies in a single year.

If they did that, the results for that year would look good.

But in the following years, there was no telling how badly they would lose.

Winning or losing the Autumn Grand Competition wasn't just about saving Face.

Both the Jin Kingdom and the Shun Kingdom would prepare a vast amount of cultivation resources.

To be specific, these cultivation resources were enough to cover the annual expenses of a large Sect like Qianqiu Mountain.

This year, the Shun Kingdom's side of the Autumn Grand Competition was being managed by Qianqiu Mountain.

The City Lord's second son, Liu Weihe, was also set to participate in this grand competition.

Since his father was the City Lord of Yingyang Pass and the path to Lingshan Kingdom passed through here, he had returned home early to rest and reunite with family.

When the time came, he would simply join the Qianqiu Mountain team as they passed through.

Since there was still time, City Lord Liu assigned a task to Liu Weihe, planning for him to work alongside Li Yuan to collect the corpses of the soldiers who had sacrificed their lives for the army.

In the City Lord's Manor, City Lord Liu announced this at the dinner table.

Everyone was stunned when they heard the news.

The status of a Corpse Collector in the army was not high, and people often avoided them due to superstitions.

Those in the City Lord's Manor had always thought City Lord Liu favored his second son the most.

But seeing that he wanted Liu Weihe to be a Corpse Collector, they all began to have doubts.

His eldest son even had a barely perceptible smile on the corner of his mouth.

Seeing the expressions on everyone's Faces, City Lord Liu began to explain.

"To join the army as a general, one must seek merit. Though you are practicing martial arts at Qianqiu Mountain, you will eventually take over my position.

Yingyang Pass holds countless dangers, but the resources available here are also inexhaustible.

Becoming a Corpse Collector may seem lowly and without merit, but it is actually more effective for winning the hearts of the troops.

When I push for your promotion in the future, it will be much smoother, and I won't lack reasons to elevate you."

After City Lord Liu finished his explanation, the faint smiles on his other children's Faces vanished.

This clearly showed he valued him even more, as he was paving the way for Liu Weihe.

Liu Weihe frowned, then nodded in agreement.

It was clear that he was still somewhat dissatisfied with this arrangement.

Being a Corpse Collector didn't sound good when spoken aloud.

How could it be as exhilarating and prestigious as leading troops into battle and achieving great military feats?

A Corpse Collector could only sneak and crawl onto the battlefield with great care after the fighting had subsided.

It was true that this position allowed people to see one's hard work.

But was there really a chance to earn actual merit?

The meal was eaten absentmindedly, and Liu Weihe's dissatisfaction was clearly seen by City Lord Liu.

After dinner, City Lord Liu called him to the study.

He then told Liu Weihe all of his recent suspicions.

"Father, do you mean that a mysterious expert has taken an interest in a Corpse Collector in the army?"

Liu Weihe's frown deepened; he felt his father was talking nonsense.

How could a mysterious expert suddenly appear?

And even take an interest in a minor Corpse Collector in the army?

Facing his son's doubt, City Lord Liu remained calm.

"Weihe, that day during the martial talent test, that heaven-grade ninth-rank talent potential wasn't your result, was it?"

City Lord Liu suddenly brought up the events of that day.

Hearing this, Liu Weihe's expression instantly became flustered.

"I didn't want to expose you in front of others. Those who want to achieve great things must indeed learn to tell some lies.

Keeping a straight Face and making lies sound like the truth—you actually did very well.

That heaven-grade ninth-rank result was likely the work of a mysterious powerhouse.

Currently, Li Yuan has already encountered them twice while out collecting corpses.

Whether that powerhouse has taken an interest in Li Yuan is hard for me to say.

But regardless of whether they have, if you go with him on the corpse collection missions, you'll have a chance to perform in front of that powerhouse.

If Li Yuan truly has such an Opportunity, I want you to seize it!"

City Lord Liu spoke with determination; he wanted his excellent second son to seize the powerhouse's attention!

This mysterious powerhouse was likely extremely skilled in movement techniques, and their strength far surpassed that of the River God of Langhe.

If Liu Weihe could gain their favor, the benefits would be endless.

At this moment, Liu Weihe finally understood his father's painstaking efforts.

"Since Father is paving the way for me like this, I will not disappoint you.

I will definitely outshine a mere minor Corpse Collector!"

Liu Weihe spoke with the certainty of an oath.

Hearing this, City Lord Liu thought for a moment and added a few more words.

He wasn't certain if Li Yuan actually had such an Opportunity.

It was more likely that he didn't.

So what Liu Weihe needed to do wasn't just to surpass Li Yuan, but to show his own excellence.

These words made Liu Weihe even more convinced.

Comparing himself and competing with a minor Corpse Collector felt far too beneath him.

After resting at the City Lord's Manor for the night, City Lord Liu took Liu Weihe to the military camp at dawn the next day.

During these days, the Jin Kingdom had been very quiet.

The Yingyang Pass side had occupied several key strategic locations from before.

Those Magical Artifacts used for harming enemies were all moved to the front lines to take advantage of the geography.

In this world, the advance of the front lines mainly depended on whether war Magical Artifacts could occupy core positions.

By controlling those Magical Artifacts, an ordinary soldier could display the offensive power of a sixth-rank or even seventh-rank Martial Artist.

Of course, Magical Artifacts were cumbersome, and their effectiveness was still far below that of a true sixth or seventh-rank martial arts expert.

During these days, Li Yuan had familiarized himself with all the techniques he had obtained from the River God of Langhe.

Compared to his Disciple Jiang Qian, the River God of Langhe's understanding of the Langhe Breath-Hiding Art and Langhe Cloud-Treading Steps was much more profound.

His Disciple Jiang Qian's martial experience could be completely ignored.

Additionally, Li Yuan had briefly tried out the methods for disguise and poison-making.

Without a doubt, they were all feasible.

However, being in the military camp, he wasn't very free to try these things out.

More importantly, he was preparing for a Breakthrough to the eighth-rank Realm.