One Dao Fruit a day, starting with the Dragon Taming Technique.

When Xu Guang met Li Qian, he felt that this man was extraordinary, but for some reason, he felt a slight discomfort when he got close to him. "Greetings, Young Master Li."

Li Qian smiled and said, "Brother Xu, please don't be so polite. These days, in order to break through to the Dark Force realm, I have been searching for treasures to replenish my Qi and blood. Yesterday, my subordinates said that Brother Xu sent two Chicken Blood Flowers, which helped me a lot. I was thinking of expressing my gratitude, but I didn't expect to find out that we actually have quite a history. Please sit down."

Li Qian was also quite surprised by Xu Guang.

After returning that day, he had someone investigate Xu Guang. With the Li family's connections in Shuocheng, Xu Guang's past experiences were laid out on his desk in less than half an hour.

In half a year, he went from a street thug to a martial arts master, and even defeated a military officer in the same realm in public.

Putting everything else aside, just based on this martial arts talent, he felt it necessary to befriend him.

As for the dirty dealings between the prefectural governor's office, the military governor, and the imperial guards, what does that have to do with these two young men?

Xu Guang smiled and sat down.

"Young Master Li, please feel free to speak. Uncle Du instructed me before I came that I will do my best to help."

Li Qian smiled slightly, but instead of answering Xu Guang's question, he asked, "Brother Xu, do you think the Great Qian Dynasty is stable now?"

Xu Guang thought about it carefully for a moment, "It's more stable than before. I've been in the camp for half a year and haven't been on the battlefield yet."

"Yes, since Emperor Chang died nineteen years ago, war has raged on the six borders, and the military governors of various towns have become powerful and independent. Li Zhen, the military governor of Hedong, formed his own army and swept across three prefectures. Later, the four prefectures joined forces to suppress Li Zhen. The Prince of Liang came to the capital to defend the emperor, deposed and killed Emperor Li, and supported Prince Qian Liu as emperor, changing the era name to Fulong. The world has been in complete chaos."

Brother Xu, do you know why this so-called stability exists?

Li Qian asked softly.

Xu Guang narrowed his eyes. The reason was obvious: wasn't it because of the sudden appearance of something extraordinary like demons?

"Yes and no. The appearance of demons is a bad thing, but for some people it is also a good thing. There are many demons in the Central Plains. From the extraordinary event of the appearance of demons, some martial arts that are much stronger than the current external and internal martial arts have been discovered. The ceasefire among the vassal states is just another level of arms race."

Li Qian's voice was very soft, as if it carried a certain fear.

The fear of unknown forces makes demons inherently ferocious; if someone could master the methods of demons, their terror would surpass that of demons themselves.

Xu Guang fell silent; Li Qian's words contained a great deal of information.

A supernatural power associated with demons, capable of overturning the martial arts of the world.

At the same time, he was also wondering if the dragon-taming technique he was practicing could also be considered a method related to demons.

To ordinary people, how are the many dragon transformation supernatural powers any different from the methods of demons and monsters?

"Ever since I learned this news from my grandfather, I have been trying to befriend martial arts geniuses, hoping that a new path will emerge one day and our Shuofang Prefecture will not become a fish on the chopping block. I wonder if Brother Xu would be willing to join us?"

Xu Guang narrowed his eyes, finally understanding Li Qian's purpose.

They formed a small, private organization to recruit martial arts geniuses and subsequently cultivate extraordinary powers related to demons and monsters.

After a moment of silence, Xu Guang said, "Thank you for your high regard, Brother Li. But I wonder what responsibilities I will have if I join this group?"

Li Qian said with a smile, "There's no need to take on any responsibility. From the moment you join, we'll just share our martial arts training experience. I have a martial arts school in the city. Brother Xu, you can come and exchange ideas when you have time in the future."

Upon hearing this, Xu Guang immediately rejected the idea in his heart.

Since ancient times, what is free has always been the most expensive. Li Qian's words are simple, but the early part involves martial arts cultivation experience, and the later part involves the cultivation method of the new path. Such a big pie, yet it is free.

Xu Guang did not believe that Li Qian's purpose was just that—to exchange and research the so-called "new way" of martial arts.

"I apologize, Young Master Li, but as a member of the Imperial Guard, I am bound by military duties and cannot participate in these matters."

Li Qian smiled nonchalantly, "That's a pity."

Xu Guang got up to take his leave, and Li Qian did not say anything.

But after Xu Guang left, the smile on Li Qian's face vanished instantly, replaced by a strange look of contemplation.

"The yamen soldiers?"

With the emergence of a new road, how long can this so-called government army remain in power?

If you're unwilling today, but want to join tomorrow, you'll need to make sacrifices...

……

After Xu Guang left, Du Changwei, who was waiting outside, quickly arrived with his men. Seeing that Xu Guang was unharmed, he breathed a sigh of relief. "Are you alright?"

"It's nothing, we just talked about some simple things, we'll talk about it when we get back."

Upon hearing this, Du Changwei knew that this was not the place to talk.

Du Zhong had been waiting for the two of them to return.

Li Qian's identity should not be underestimated. The Li family is deeply rooted in Shuocheng and is considered one of the most prestigious families in Shuocheng since the beginning of the reign of Emperor Fulong.

In a border region like Shuocheng, there are no large, continuous families like the four surnames and five clans of the Central Plains that have lasted for hundreds of years. In Shuocheng, it is common for so-called prestigious families to rise and fall in the next year.

The Li family has enjoyed nearly twenty years of prosperity, which speaks volumes about their background.

Xu Guang told Li Qian everything, big and small, from the moment he met him.

Du Zhong frowned, occasionally lifting his pipe to take a puff.

"How much of that so-called new path did Li Qian tell you?"

Xu Guang shook his head, "He only said it was a method comparable to demonic magic."

Du Zhong frowned even more deeply.

They had received news about the so-called new road, but many in the Ya Army thought it was just the Central Plains people playing tricks to intimidate the demons in the territory. Otherwise, why are Shengjing and Yongdu, which are full of demons, still in the hands of demons?

People are always unwilling to believe what they don't want to believe, unless a truly new master is presented to everyone, then they will believe it.

"Let's leave it at that."

Du Zhong didn't ask any more questions.

"Practice martial arts diligently. Strange things are happening more and more in this world. True strength comes from personal power."

Xu Guang nodded.

……

The city was becoming increasingly chaotic due to the incident involving Lord Fukuyama. The soldiers and officers were becoming more and more unscrupulous during their patrols, forcibly breaking into the homes of ordinary people.

If it's just a matter of forcing your way in, that's fine, but some people take advantage of the intrusion to start robbing and stealing.

Chaos is rampant.

The soldiers stationed in Shuocheng were mostly locals. After the officers from the South City Police Station broke into the home of a relative of one of the soldiers, the situation quickly spiraled out of control.

The soldiers were furious, and some soldiers even led their troops to storm the police station and broke the officers' arms and legs.

The governor's office sent people to investigate. The officials said that the military officers' families were taking advantage of the military officers' current entry into the city to force women into prostitution. They broke in not because of Lord Fukuyama, but simply to investigate the matter.

This was no longer a simple conflict, and Governor Sun Yinglong urgently summoned the two generals to discuss how to resolve the matter.

……

When Xu Guang received this news, he couldn't help but frown. If this matter wasn't handled properly, given the nature of the military, they would most likely wipe out the entire organization.

When the enemy soldiers entered the city, they brought endless calamity.

Du Zhong urgently summoned Xu Guang, "Xiao Guang, you should already know about what's been happening lately, right?"

Xu Guang knew that Du Zhong was referring to the conflict between the military officers and the constables.

In fact, ever since the day the soldiers beat up the officers, relations between the two sides had become tense. Even when Xu Guang went out to patrol the streets and encountered officers, they were always in a bad mood.

"There's more to this than meets the eye. Someone's stirring things up. You've always been steady, so I'm not worried. But Changwei has been reckless since he was little. I'm worried he might be instigated and storm the police station..."

Du Zhong's tone was filled with worry; given Du Changwei's personality, this was not impossible.

Du Changwei is a bold and generous man who always believes in putting righteousness first. In a moment of impulsiveness, he could very well become a victim of this conflict.

"It just so happens that some strange creatures appeared in the medicinal fields outside the city a few days ago, and we need someone to lead troops there. How about you... take Changwei with you to the outside of the city?"

Du Zhong's tone carried a hint of embarrassment.

He didn't tell Du Zhao about this.

But for Du Changwei's sake, they had no choice but to temporarily put their daughter and Xu Guang in a difficult position.

Upon hearing this, Xu Guang's heart stirred slightly. Outside the city?

He had been intending to investigate Madam Lu's background, and now he had an excuse.

"Does the Fang Army also have medicinal herb fields?"

Du Zhong nodded. "The Jiedushi's office has cultivated land in many cities of Shuofang Prefecture. Otherwise, where do you think the military corps, outer camps, and outer garrison troops get all those secret medicines needed for their cultivation?"

The Daqian army was generally divided into the central army, the outer garrison army, the outer camp army, and the prefectural army.

As the name suggests, the Central Army was subordinate to the Great Qian Dynasty.

The outer garrison troops were mostly dispatched by the imperial court to suppress various waterway trade routes and manage many strategic passes and fortresses. They were once elite troops, but after the Six Border Rebellion, the central government was in turmoil and stopped paying military salaries, which led to the infamous Outer Garrison Rebellion.

The military governor of Yazhou was the first to win over the troops stationed outside Wuhai Pass and pay them their salaries on behalf of the imperial court. Later, the military governors of various regions responded one after another, resolving the unrest in the outer garrisons. Naturally, the troops stationed outside the outer garrisons sided with the various military governors.

The outer camp army refers to the army under the command of the military governor, which is the foundation for the military governor to suppress the territory and deter the border.

The Yajun (衙军) originated from the Waiyingjun (外营军) and was the most elite army under the Jiedushi (节度使). They were kept in the prefectural government offices, hence the name Yabing (衙兵). Their treatment surpassed that of the central Imperial Guards, and the entire territory of a prefecture was used to support the Yajun.

The Fujun (府军) were armies maintained by local officials using local finances to protect the city. However, since local finances could not support the army, Fujun soldiers mostly worked as farmers during peacetime and served as soldiers during wartime.