“Greetings, General September!”
Upon seeing this person, Lin Chen hurriedly clasped his hands in a salute.
“Lin Chen, no need to be so formal with me. These two must be the geniuses Marshal Lin selected from Tianfeng City, right? Alright, leave them to me. You should get back to your work—I know you’re a busy man.”
General September said with a smile.
“Very well. But General September, Marshal Lin said there’s no need to give them any special treatment. You understand, right?”
Lin Chen thought for a moment before saying.
“Marshal Lin is as strict as ever.”
General September shook his head with a wry smile.
Lin Chen smiled, gave a brief salute to Ling Xiao and Ling Yixue, then turned and left.
“You two, I’m one of the Twelve Tiger Guard Generals. We’re named by the months, so I’m September. You can just call me September—no need to address me as General.”
September was straightforward and cheerful, a personality Ling Xiao found quite likable for making friends.
“I’m Ling Xiao!”
“Ling Yixue!”
Both introduced themselves.
“Good. Follow me. I’ll take you to collect some daily supplies, then to your quarters. Along the way, I’ll explain the rules of the Hidden Dragon Camp.”
September didn’t waste words and led Ling Xiao and Ling Yixue straight towards the storeroom.
On the way, he explained the basic rules of the Hidden Dragon Camp.
The rules were actually quite simple.
First, leaving the camp required an application at least seven days in advance, and permission had to be granted.
Second, there was no equality here—only fairness. Everything had to be earned through your own efforts; no one would help you.
Third, since the Hidden Dragon Camp was a place for training martial artists, sparring and fighting weren’t just allowed—they were encouraged. However, the condition was that no one could be killed or severely maimed.
Finally, ganging up on others or bullying the weak was forbidden. All sparring and fights had to be mutually agreed upon.
From these four rules, it was clear that the Border General’s Mansion offered much better protection for weaker martial artists than the Ling family did.
Because being weak now didn’t mean staying weak forever, protecting such people would earn their gratitude, and they’d be more willing to help in the future.
On the other hand, ignoring them would breed resentment, which would eventually lead to trouble.
In comparison, Ling Xiao preferred the second rule: everything had to be fought for, not handed out as charity. This made things much fairer and gave martial artists more motivation.
After collecting two sets of standard training uniforms from the Hidden Dragon Camp, September led Ling Xiao and Ling Yixue to their quarters.
“Considering the difference between men and women, the communal dorms in the Hidden Dragon Camp have a separate row for girls. So, Miss Yixue, you don’t need to worry about sleeping or bathing arrangements.”
September pointed at the rows of dorms as he explained.
“The food in the communal dorms isn’t bad, but it’s not great either—just enough to fill your stomach. Since there are so many people, the instructors can’t guide you individually. It’s usually group instruction, and you figure things out on your own. The instructors here are at most peak Seventh Level Martial Vein masters.”
“Also, each month, you’ll get one hundred taels of silver, ten Gang Qi Pills, and one low-grade spirit stone.”
“The food for the single rooms is much better—nutritionally balanced with plenty of options. Plus, each person gets individual guidance from an Eighth Level Martial Vein master.”
“Each month, you’ll receive ten thousand taels of silver, one hundred Gang Qi Pills, and ten low-grade spirit stones.”
“As for the three standalone courtyards, it’s even better. As long as it’s something you can find and afford in Yunkong City, you can eat it. You can also come and go from the camp freely—the first rule doesn’t apply to them, though the other three still do. Most importantly, they get personal guidance from Ninth Level Martial Vein masters, and even one-on-one instruction from Marshal Lin himself.”
“Each month, they receive ten thousand taels of gold, one thousand Gang Qi Pills, and one hundred low-grade spirit stones.”
Perhaps because Ling Xiao and Ling Yixue were brought by General Lin Ze, September was very patient with them, explaining the basics of the Hidden Dragon Camp in detail.
“The gap is huge! So, if I want to move to a better place, do I just challenge someone directly?”
Ling Xiao asked.
“Exactly. Lower-tier disciples can challenge higher-tier ones, and the opponent must accept unless they’re injured or sick. If you want a specific single room, challenge its occupant. Same goes for the courtyards.”
September nodded.
“Got it. Thank you, General September.”
Ling Xiao understood, but for now, he wasn’t in a rush to challenge anyone. It wouldn’t be too late to act after he’d familiarised himself with the place.
Though he was very interested in the rewards for higher-tier disciples, Ling Xiao wasn’t reckless.
He didn’t yet know the exact strength of those in the single rooms or courtyards. Challenging someone rashly and losing could affect his future path as a martial artist.
“Quick, someone’s challenging the captain of the Tenth Squad!”
Just as Ling Xiao and Ling Yixue were about to head back to their dorms to rest, things suddenly got lively nearby.
“What’s the captain of the Tenth Squad mean?”
Ling Xiao asked September curiously.
“There are ten single rooms, representing the ten outstanding geniuses of the Hidden Dragon Camp. They’re also the captains of the camp’s ten squads. Whoever occupies a room becomes the captain, and the people below have to follow their orders.”
September explained, “The three courtyards belong to the overall captain and their deputies. As you’ve probably noticed, the middle courtyard is a bit better than the two on either side.”
“And you are?”
“Oh, I’m sort of an overseer, responsible for supervising the Hidden Dragon Camp. These kids lack experience, so they need someone seasoned to keep things in check.”
September replied with a smile.
“Right, I’ve told you everything you need to know. You’re on your own now. But I suggest you go check out the commotion—it’ll help you get a sense of the general strength of the camp’s martial artists. It’ll make challenging them easier later.”
“Thanks for the advice, General September. Feel free to go about your business—we’ll be fine.”
Ling Xiao clasped his hands in thanks.
“Good then.”
September smiled and left.
Ling Xiao and Ling Yixue didn’t head into the dorms. Instead, they carried their training uniforms and went straight to watch the excitement.
This was the first fight they’d witness since arriving at the Hidden Dragon Camp, so they had to pay attention and not miss it.
The single rooms were a fair distance from the dorms, but both walked quickly and arrived before the fight started.
“Tut-tut, this is going to be interesting. Zhang Yuan’s only been here three days, and he’s already challenging the captain!”
There were plenty of onlookers, mostly dorm disciples.
“You can’t underestimate this Zhang Yuan. He’s only sixteen and already a peak Sixth Level Martial Vein martial artist. His talent is incredible.”
“They say he’s refined his sword intent to ninety-nine percent—just a hair away from forming a one-percent broken sword soul.”
“No wonder he’s so cocky. But the ten captains aren’t pushovers—they’re tough to beat.”
Ling Xiao observed the dorm disciples closely. As he’d suspected, most were above the Fifth Level of Martial Veins, with quite a few at the Sixth Level.
There were even several at the peak of the Sixth Level.
No wonder it was the Hidden Dragon Camp. Any one of these martial artists could go to Tianfeng City and compete for the title of one of the Four Young Masters.
Good thing he’d left. Staying in a well would’ve kept him from seeing the whole sky.
Ling Xiao felt a pang of emotion.
