Super System in the Early Tang Dynasty

Two years—time flies.

Since the King of Yanqi sent envoys to the court two years ago, the northwest has been unsettled.

Gaochang has always been arrogant, disregarding the Tang Dynasty and blocking the vital northwestern Silk Road! Recently, the Western Turkic Khaganate suffered another major upheaval: the wise and prudent Dulu Khan died, and his younger brother succeeded him, becoming the Western Turkic Khagan Zhilishi. Zhilishi Khan, upon assuming power, was like a sharp sword, leaving rivers of blood in his wake!

The frontier was suddenly filled with a grim atmosphere! In the Central Plains, conscription and soldier training also began!

On this day, Wang Erlang, who should have been reading, walked into Li Xingzhi's courtyard. Li Xingzhi was enjoying tea and reading at the stone table in the courtyard.

"Have you thought it through?" Li Xingzhi looked at the "boy" in front of him, who looked to be fifteen or sixteen years old but was actually no more than ten, because of that strange cave. He asked with a serious expression.

"I've made up my mind!" Wang Erlang looked at Li Xingzhi with a firm gaze and a resolute tone!

“I always thought you would study, pass the imperial examinations, and maybe even become the top scholar and come back to work, but I never expected you to choose this path! Now, can you tell me why?” Li Xingzhi paused, then added, “Is it because of what happened two years ago?”

"My parents died at the hands of bandits. I thought I had forgotten, but then those barbarian horses trampled Chang'an! Seeing that woman and child, I realized I had never forgotten the great hatred that killed my parents! I don't want to be a weak scholar; I want to be a general who kills enemies on the battlefield! From now on, if I see any thieves, bandits, or barbarian robbers, I will kill them one by one!!"

Li Xingzhi looked at the boy in front of him and sighed inwardly. He had thought that the boy was a child who knew nothing, but he had grown up so much in the blink of an eye. Moreover, the scene of his parents being murdered was so deeply imprinted in his young heart!

“An eagle must eventually fly; you can’t stay hidden under my wings forever!” Li Xingzhi said, a complex emotion welling up inside him. When they were together, he was the older brother, but more than that, he played the role of a father. Only now did he realize that the fledgling eagle had to leave the nest and spread its wings! “Get up early tomorrow; I’ll take you to see someone!”

***

Two years is enough time for a boy to grow into a grown man!

Xue Rengui, ever since he received the two martial arts manuals from Li Xingzhi, treasured them like precious gems. He traveled all the way home, determined to practice martial arts diligently, make a name for himself, and never again let his uncles and elders laugh at him for being ignorant and looking down on his Xue family lineage!

Whether it was the "Wild Bull Prajna Skill" given to him by the mysterious youth that was truly a miraculous skill, or whether he himself had exceptional talent, although his muscles and bones were solidified, after several months of arduous practice, his strength greatly increased, and he actually entered the realm of the skill! As a result, he practiced with more and more energy and more and more enjoyment, and spent his days practicing the divine skill recklessly!

As his strength increased, the side effects of his superhuman abilities also emerged—as his skills deepened and his strength grew, he could now eat the equivalent of seven or eight strong men's meals in one sitting!

The Xue family was just an ordinary family; how could they possibly support such a powerful tiger? Less than a year after he returned home, everything in the house, inside and out, had been pawned to buy food. His beautiful wife was bedridden due to overwork, and his one-year-old child was thin and weak. When he finally came to his senses, he was filled with desolation! Just then, he heard that the imperial court was recruiting soldiers, so he made preparations at home and headed straight for Luoyang!

Before joining the army, there was one more person he needed to consult!

***

Outside Luoyang City, on Mount Beiman.

The mountain is covered with lush vegetation, utterly desolate. Occasionally, a gust of wind blows the leaves open, revealing the grave mounds and tombstones below, a sight that chills the heart!

At the foot of Mangshan Mountain, a blanket of white snow stretched out, and the magnolias were in full bloom! A gust of wind rustled the petals, making them dance like maidens, a truly delightful sight! Their vibrant energy rose majestically! Against the backdrop of the desolate landscape beside them, they exuded a breathtaking beauty!

However, in the eyes of those around, this patch of magnolias, no matter how beautiful, was a sinister place. Countless people had perished because of her beauty, and so, from some point onward, no one dared to approach it anymore!

However, today two fearless individuals arrived, leading their horses slowly into the magnolia grove! Surprisingly, the two seemed to know the way well, turning left and right, and soon arrived at the clear pool in the grove. There was only a thatched hut by the pool, but it did not seem lonely under the cover of magnolias and the pool!

"Guests have arrived, why is there no host to greet them?"

Suddenly, Li Xingzhi's ears twitched. He heard a whooshing sound from the edge of the forest, and a massive halberd came crashing down on him!

Li Xingzhi smiled slightly, and without any visible movement, a crisp sound rang out, and a spark of fire flashed across the heavens and earth—it turned out that a flying knife had been attached to the black giant halberd. The knife was no more than three and a half inches long, and its entire body was silver-white, completely disproportionate to the towering giant halberd!

The giant halberd trembled and was deflected by such a small throwing knife. As the giant halberd trembled, the throwing knife turned into silver powder and fell down, scattering silver light in the air!

Looking at the flashing silver light in the air, Li Xingzhi couldn't help but sigh inwardly. His skills were still lacking! If he had mastered the art of throwing knives, even a small knife made of ordinary iron like this wouldn't have been so easily damaged!

"Excellent! I never imagined that someone in the world could withstand my halberd strike with a throwing knife! Although you were very skilled with throwing knives before, I, Yan, never thought much of it! But today, seeing your strike, so upright and honorable, it's far superior to those lesser-known weapons! I, Yan, must say—I admire you!" As soon as a bold voice fell, an eight-foot-tall man emerged from the forest—clad in coarse linen, barefoot, with a black halberd gleaming coldly, and white hair like fresh snow! What a valiant warrior! Though the white hair was unusual, it seemed ordinary against the burly man's physique.

Just as Li Xingzhi was about to speak, the ears of the three people in the forest twitched – someone else was coming!

"I haven't seen the sun in this forest for years, but it's suddenly bustling with activity today!" he said, nodding to Li Xingzhi and heading to greet him with his halberd.

Li Xingzhi knew how much Yan Qixing valued these Mulans, so he didn't mind and followed along.

Meanwhile, Xue Rengui, after searching through the chilling Beiman Mountain, finally entered the Magnolia Forest that Yan Qi had mentioned. Once inside, he walked straight ahead, and what initially seemed like a small forest stretched endlessly before him! When he tried to turn back, he found no way out, only an eerie, silent, and chilling silence all around him! Even with his extraordinary courage, he was terrified, remembering the old folks' tales of being lost in a maze of ghosts!

He stood there, looked around, opened his mouth wide, and was about to call out to the owner of the place when suddenly, footsteps came from ahead...

Li Xingzhi followed Yan Qixing into the forest. Soon, they saw a man holding a sword, watching them warily. The man had a full beard and a burly build, but his clothes were filthy and tattered, making him look like a refugee; yet, judging from his aura, he was like a crouching tiger, exuding a menacing presence!