At the age of eight, he impersonated the orphan of a military officer and went to the martial world.

Chapter 46 Master Ouye

Those constables in Songshi Town had personally witnessed Zhang Yuan's ruthless skill on the battlefield, moving like a fish and killing with every strike.

Knowing that he was a direct disciple of Master Zheng and a prized student of Counselor Chen, they were flattered and overwhelmed by his offer of help, and quickly said, "Oh dear, how could we trouble Young Master Zhang! No, no, not at all!"

"It's alright, it's a good opportunity to stretch my muscles." Zhang Yuan said, bending down and picking up several heavy, thick-backed machetes.

It felt cold and heavy to the touch, and a chilling aura mixed with blood and rust washed over you.

The moment his fingers touched the hilt of the knife, his mind trembled slightly, and several blurry and fragmented images suddenly flashed into view!

Those were scenes of different defeated soldiers practicing chopping and hacking under the scorching sun or in the freezing wind.

The movements, whether fierce or cunning, contain the most direct and practical battlefield sword techniques.

Then, several more scenes appeared: spear thrusts, shield parries, and coordinated advances and retreats of small teams...

Although they are not systematic, they are all fragments of military formation coordination honed by these veteran soldiers in countless battles, and are closest to instinct!

【Ding! 】

[Experience weapons imbued with the killing intent of soldiers, gaining scattered insights into military formations and battlefield tactics (swordsmanship, spearmanship, basic teamwork)!]

[Military formation comprehension slightly improved!]

really!

Zhang Yuan was secretly delighted.

These weapons, soaked in blood and stained with the resentment of countless dead souls and the spirits of soldiers, were practically mobile arsenals for him, who could absorb the "evil intent" within them!

Although fragmented, the quantitative change was enough to trigger a qualitative change. His understanding of military formations and his grasp of the flow of power and changes in the energy during battle became more comprehensive and profound through these diverse insights.

While helping the yamen runners sort and stack the weapons, he silently absorbed and digested this "nutrients," his movements steady and powerful, not at all like an eight-year-old child.

Before they knew it, most of the weapons in the warehouse had been moved.

"Whose doll is this?"

A slightly hoarse but powerful voice rang out at the warehouse door.

The crowd looked in the direction of the sound and saw an elderly man in plain clothes standing there, with white hair and beard but an unusually robust and muscular build.

His face was ancient and simple, his skin was dark and shiny, and his large, calloused hands had large knuckles. His eyes, in particular, shone brightly when they opened and closed, as if they could see into people's hearts.

The old man frowned as he watched Zhang Yuan bending down to move an iron spear. He then scolded the head constable beside him, "Nonsense! This child is so young, his bones haven't even fully developed yet. These weapons from the battlefield are teeming with killing intent!"

"Ordinary people will feel dizzy and lightheaded for days after touching it; if attacked by its malevolent energy, they will at least suffer from headaches and fever for three to five days and be mentally confused!"

"It's serious; he might live a muddled life forever! How could you let him touch these ferocious creatures!"

The head constable in charge of the warehouse was startled by the old man's shout and quickly leaned close to the old man's ear to explain in a low voice.

The old man listened, his expression shifting several times, from astonishment to disbelief, finally settling into a complex sigh: "Eight years old and dared to draw his sword and kill... Zhang Zhenshan... is he the boy from the Zhenshan family? Alas, what a pity..."

When he looked at Zhang Yuan again, the sternness in his eyes had faded, replaced by the kindness and deep regret of an elder looking at a younger generation: "You're Zhang Zhenshan's son? Good, good... It's rare to find someone so young with your father's spirit and courage!"

The head constable hurriedly introduced him to Zhang Yuan: "Young Master Zhang, this is Master Craftsman Ou Ye from the 'Hundred Refinements Workshop' in the west of the city! He is the foremost and only master craftsman in Fengming County capable of forging and repairing ordinary-grade weapons!"

"All the weapons in the county yamen's armory must be inspected and maintained by Master Craftsman Ou Ye. Your father, Lieutenant Zhang, honed his skills and tempered his character in Master Craftsman Ou Ye's shop when he first entered the world of martial arts!"

"Speaking of which, you should call me Master!"

Zhang Yuan's heart skipped a beat. He quickly put down the iron spear in his hand, bowed deeply to the old man, and said respectfully, "This humble one, Zhang Qingyang, greets Master Ouye!"

Master craftsman Ou Ye stretched out his large, fan-like hand and patted Zhang Yuan's slightly thin shoulder heavily. The force was solid but not hurtful, and his eyes were full of reminiscence: "Good boy, get up."

"Your father... he was only a few years older than you back then, and he was as stubborn as a mule! To toughen his body and hone his meager inner strength, he stubbornly refused to leave my shop and swung an iron hammer for three whole months!"

"Hey, the sword and knife blanks he ruined could probably be piled up to a small mountain! His hands were covered in blisters, not a single patch of good skin... but this kid just gritted his teeth and didn't utter a sound! He was a good prospect, what a pity..."

He seemed unwilling to dwell on the past, and changed the subject, laughing heartily, "Would you like to give it a try? Come to my Hundred Refinements Workshop when you have some free time in a few days!"

"This old man has a crude method for strengthening muscles and bones and tempering blood and qi. It's rough, but it works! I'm passing it on to you, so you don't disgrace your father's title of 'Mountain Guardian Tiger'!"

Zhang Yuan's eyes lit up immediately!

Zheng Chaoyang's Rock-Solid Qi Qi-guiding method is indeed exquisite, but if it is complemented by the unique body tempering method of his father's old friend, the master craftsman, it will definitely make his already extraordinary foundation even more solid!

Without hesitation, he clasped his hands in a fist and bow again: "Thank you, Master! I will certainly pay you a visit to seek your guidance!"

Master craftsman Ouye nodded and turned to examine the weapons.

After bidding farewell to Master Craftsman Ou Ye, Zhang Yuan walked out of the warehouse.

Just as they arrived at the entrance of the county government office, they met Chen Wenyuan coming out from inside.

Chen Wenyuan handed a heavy cloth bag to Zhang Yuan, his face showing a hint of approval: "Qingyang, this is your reward for fighting on the front lines this time, totaling one hundred taels of silver."

"The county magistrate greatly admires your courage and bravery in the face of danger, and has given you an extra twenty taels, which are included here. Take this and go back to rest well."

One hundred taels of silver is considered a generous reward.

"Thank you, Teacher Xie. Thank you, Magistrate Xie." Zhang Yuan took the cloth bag. It felt heavy in his hand, and the sharp edges of the silver ingots were clearly visible through the cloth.

One hundred and twenty taels of silver was a huge sum for an ordinary farming family, enough for the survivors of Zhangjiazhuang to live comfortably for a while.

He carefully tucked the cloth bag into his bosom.

With the silver and the promise from Master Craftsman Ou Ye in his heart, Zhang Yuan felt a little relieved and embarked on his journey home.

The setting sun cast a long shadow of him, and the streets were becoming increasingly deserted.

However, as he turned a quiet street corner, not far from the Zhang family's courtyard, a thin figure suddenly stumbled out of the alley across the street.

It was one of the beggar boys who had helped him find Wang Ziteng before!

The boy was covered in injuries, with several new bruises on his face, his clothes were tattered, and blood was trickling from the corner of his mouth.

When he saw Zhang Yuan, a glimmer of hope mixed with despair burst forth in his eyes, and he shouted with all his might:

"Young Master Zhang! Run! The Black Tiger Gang... the Black Tiger Gang wants you! Run!"