That arrow had boosted his proficiency by a huge margin.
Chen Sanshi was thoroughly satisfied.
If he were to face someone like Song Wu again, there'd be no need for a drawn-out battle—one arrow would be enough to end it.
It was worth every bit of the fifty taels of silver he'd spent.
After that, he left the forge and went to the apothecary to buy medicine.
As his cultivation realm rose, his need for medicinal supplements only grew stronger.
Every martial stage had its corresponding herbs.
For example, Blood-Replenishing Soup was useless once one reached tempering bones, and even the Nourishment Soup's effects were minimal. The only effective remedy now was the Bone-Nourishing Soup—each set of herbs cost ninety-eight taels at market price, twice as much as Nourishment Soup.
Even when purchased through the garrison, it still cost fifty taels of silver per batch.
And the medicinal baths? Two soaks cost one hundred taels.
Chen Sanshi had once thought that having a little over two hundred taels made him fairly wealthy, but in truth, he was still nothing more than a poor man in the eyes of the world.
The price of these materials wasn't without reason—partly because of their rarity, as many required decades of cultivation to mature.
But more than that, martial arts were a path of ascension—a ladder to climb beyond one's birth.
If commoners could easily rise to power, how would the nobles maintain their status? Resources in the world were limited; the powerful would never willingly share them with those below.
It wasn't impossible for the poor to rise—but the price was a hundredfold, even a thousandfold higher.
To train at a martial hall meant swallowing humiliation. To serve in the army meant staking one's life. Every step was paved with hardship.
"If I run out of silver, I can exchange merit points," he muttered, "but with the war still some time off, I can't just sit idle."
"I need a way to earn money."
"Hunting tigers and black bears won't cut it—they're not exactly roaming in herds. Catching a rare beast would be better."
According to Travels Across Mountains and Rivers, Tiger Head Mountain had once been home to seventeen or eighteen species of rare beasts.
Now, only two or three remained—the White Deer being one of them, and another being an old ape said to mimic humans and wield weapons. That creature hadn't been seen in over twenty years.
Still, it was a lead.
Especially since Chen Sanshi possessed [Tracking and Hiding]; what others couldn't find, he might.
Though Tiger Head Mountain was vast, its resources were already quite depleted.
He'd heard that in Liangzhou—where the Eight Garrisons were stationed—the mountain ranges stretched endlessly, teeming with rare beasts and untold numbers of fierce predators.
It seemed he had yet another reason to go to the Eight Garrisons.
Staying stuck in a backwater like Poyang County meant his path would end at tempering organs—there were no higher resources to progress further.
"Wang Zhi said the Flag Officer Selection is happening soon," he recalled. "I need to raise my strength quickly."
Gritting his teeth, Chen Sanshi spent a fortune—one hundred taels—to order two sets of Bone-Nourishing Soup.
"Sir!"
Just as he was about to head back for a meal, Wang Li came running up to him. "Sir, a large group of villagers from Poyang County are outside the garrison—they're demanding to see you."
"See me?"
Chen Sanshi frowned. "What for?"
"Our Thousand-Household Division has extra funds and plans to recruit new soldiers to fill the ranks," Wang Li explained. "Plenty of people showed up, but they all insist on meeting you first."
"They said they've lived their whole lives without ever seeing an officer who still cares about his old neighbors after getting promoted—and especially not one who killed those martial hall bastards right in the street."
"How many came?"
"Over one hundred people!"
"So many?"
Chen Sanshi immediately followed him out.
At the entrance to the garrison, a recruitment booth was completely surrounded by a crowd.
Zhao Qiao, Wu Da, and Zhuang Yi were among them.
And it wasn't just people from Swallow-Edge Village—many came from neighboring villages as well.
"Sir, your name's spread all over Poyang these last few days!"
Xu Wencai's eyes shone with excitement. "I haven't even started writing the report yet, and this many showed up—it's a golden opportunity!"
"Quiet!"
Hundred-Household Officer Luo Dongquan stood at the booth, hand resting on his blade, shouting at the noisy crowd. "I said line up and register one by one! His Excellency will make arrangements afterward!"
"We'll join the army, sure—but only under Shi ge'er!"
Wu Da stood at the front, voice booming. "Let us in to see him!"
"This isn't his decision!"
No matter how loudly Luo Dongquan barked, it was no use. The roar of the villagers nearly drowned him out.
"Chen ge!"
Zhuang Yi, sharp-eyed as ever, spotted him first.
Chen Sanshi walked up and said calmly, "Have you all thought this through?"
"War's coming soon. Following me means risking death."
"Brother," Zhuang Yi said firmly, his face still bruised. "If we don't fight, we'll die anyway! If not for you, we'd already be dead at the hands of those martial hall beasts."
"That's right!"
Zhao Qiao also spoke up. "I've already talked it over with my family. Winter's coming soon—if we don't enlist, we won't survive. At least in the army, there's food and pay. And since we're here, of course we all want to serve under you."
"I want to train in martial arts too!" Wu Da clenched his fists tight. "One day, I'll kill those bastards myself!"
"As long as you've all thought it through."
Chen Sanshi paused, then said, "But I'm only a Flag Officer right now. I can take, at most, forty men under my command. Tell everyone to line up and register properly—don't make a mess of it."
As soon as he said that, the crowd that hadn't listened to a single word from Luo Dongquan earlier suddenly quieted down and began lining up in neat order.
Seeing this, Luo Dongquan's brow furrowed deeply.
But that wasn't all.
When the quota filled up, more people started shouting from the back of the line.
"Say it clearly—we'll only serve under Flag Officer Chen from Swallow-Edge Village!"
"Ridiculous!"
Luo Dongquan's face darkened. "He's just a Flag Officer. He can command at most fifty people."
"So what if it's a few more?"
"Yeah, what's the problem?"
"If that's not enough, then just promote him!"
"You think promotions are something you can hand out by shouting?"
Luo Dongquan sneered. "The army has its rules. You peasants from the countryside—stop making a scene here!"
"To hell with you!"
A hot-headed villager cursed loudly. "If you look down on us farmers so much, then why post those notices everywhere begging us to enlist?"
"Who even are you, huh? Jealous we're joining Flag Officer Chen and not you?"
"Get out of the way!"
"..."
"Enough!"
Luo Dongquan roared, yanking his blade from its sheath. His voice boomed like thunder. "If you want to enlist, then follow the rules! Otherwise, get the hell out of my sight!"
"What are you doing?!"
Seeing the gleam of a killing blade, fear spread through the crowd. The villagers stumbled back in alarm, no longer daring to speak.
"We knew it!" someone shouted from the back. "You officials never see us as human!"
"Yeah! That talk about pay is probably a lie too. Everyone knows the army's been short on wages for years!"
"Let's go! Leave!"
They really started to turn away, no longer wanting to sign up.
Chen Sanshi glanced at Luo Dongquan helplessly.
What could he do?
After all, he was only a Flag Officer.
He didn't care much about how many men he personally commanded, but with this kind of attitude, the Thousand-Household Division would never reach full strength.
"Everyone—wait a moment!"
A clear voice cut through the tension.
Thousand-Household Xiang Tingchun suddenly appeared, stepping in front of the villagers who were about to disperse.
A warm, almost out-of-place smile appeared on his face. "I give you my word—your pay will never be delayed. In fact, it will only get higher!"
No one answered.
It was clear the villagers didn't believe him.
After all, the Thousand-Household Division of Poyang had existed for hundreds of years—and its reputation had been rotten for nearly as long.
Xiang Tingchun continued, "And I can promise this as well—you'll all serve directly under Flag Officer Chen's command. How about that?"
At those words, the villagers who had been about to leave froze in place.
"Thousand-Household Sir?"
Luo Dongquan's face tightened. "A single Flag Officer commanding over a hundred men—doesn't that violate army protocol?"
"Rules can always be adjusted."
Xiang Tingchun waved his hand casually. "We're in a time of need. Flexibility is a virtue."
He turned toward Chen Sanshi. "Flag Officer Chen, I'm putting this recruitment fully in your hands."
"Yes, sir."
Chen Sanshi cupped his hands in salute.
He then oversaw the registration himself, helping the villagers press their handprints one by one onto the enlistment rolls.
When everyone had signed up, he led them all to the martial training grounds, arranging them neatly into ranks before calling the roll to confirm the headcount.
Just then, a familiar ripple passed through his mind.
A glowing panel appeared before his eyes.
[Skill: Commanding Troops (Uninitiated)]
[Progress: 0/100]
[Effect: None]