Chapter 18: The Duty of the Personal Guard! When the Master Falls, the Guard Perishes!

Recovering his senses, Zhu Ying continued to extract the martial arts techniques he had obtained. All three were graded techniques.

It was important to know that the difference between an ungraded technique and a graded one was immense, not only in martial arts but also in weaponry. Once a technique or weapon was graded, its power increased significantly. The grades began at the Yellow Tier, followed by the Profound, Earth, and Heaven Tiers.

"The Frenzied Saber Technique is fierce and domineering; quite good."

"The Divine Arrow Chain, once mastered, allows for rapid, continuous firing, enabling me to unleash my full strength to the limit."

"The Mountain-Crushing Fist can also fully exert my own power, even multiplying it several times over."

"Excellent."

After extracting these three techniques, Zhu Ying was even more satisfied. Without a doubt, these were not ordinary skills; they required dedicated practice to improve. And on the battlefield, there was no better place for such training.

"The Precious Carved Bow."

Zhu Ying proceeded to extract it. A black-gold longbow appeared in his hands. Just by holding it, he could clearly feel its substantial weight. As he gripped it, the attributes of the Precious Carved Bow appeared before his eyes:

Precious Carved Bow: Yellow Tier, Mid-grade! Possesses armor-piercing properties; the greater the strength applied, the greater the power unleashed!

"As expected of a graded bow. Now I no longer need to worry about snapping it," Zhu Ying smiled.

Next, he extracted the refined steel saber. A long saber intended for cavalry combat appeared in his hand. The hilt was made of iron, while the blade was forged from refined steel, emitting a sharp, cold gleam. Just by grasping it, Zhu Ying knew this steel saber weighed fifty to sixty catties.

"This is a good haul."

"With these weapons and techniques, I will be much safer on the battlefield," Zhu Ying thought, feeling deeply satisfied.

"Right, the Authority Official Seal."

Zhu Ying recollected himself, immediately thinking of the seal condensed by the system interface. When he was a Junior Banner Officer, this seal had already proven quite useful. Despite the fierce fighting, all ten soldiers under his command had survived, even though they were raw recruits. Their survival in such a major battle was clear evidence of the seal's influence.

"Host has been promoted to [Thousand-Household Officer]. You may now condense the Thousand-Household Authority Seal. Proceed?" the interface prompted.

"Condense," Zhu Ying replied without hesitation.

A Junior Banner Officer commanded ten men, providing bonuses to combat power and morale. A Thousand-Household Officer would surely command greater authority. If he could enhance the combat prowess of his entire force, it would be even more beneficial for his career advancement. After all, once promoted to a Thousand-Household Officer, individual kill counts became negligible; one had to achieve major military feats to rise further. Individual combat was no longer the key; commanding troops to victory was the foundation. Thus, Zhu Ying was well aware of the significance of this seal.

The next moment!

[Thousand-Household Official Seal]: Command a thousand soldiers, increasing their combat power, morale, and stamina by sixty percent.

"As expected, it rose by five levels, increasing combat power from ten percent to sixty percent."

"These effects will all be reflected on the battlefield," Zhu Ying thought to himself.

Regaining his composure, he told himself, "Next, I must focus on my training and wait until tomorrow to take command of the cavalry battalion."

He began practicing the [Hardened Body Technique], starting his daily mandatory training. The night passed quickly.

The next morning, Zhu Ying concluded his night of training. He donned his battle armor and strapped on his saber. He now possessed the stature of a Thousand-Household Officer, appearing distinctly different from the ordinary soldiers.

Stepping out of his tent, Liu Lei was waiting outside with fifty men.

"Reporting, Thousand-Household Officer."

"Personal Guard Commander Liu Lei reports with fifty guards, awaiting your orders."

Liu Lei led the salute, bowing deeply.

"Greetings, Thousand-Household Officer," the fifty personal guards knelt in unison.

"This... this is the nature of power," Zhu Ying mused, feeling a wave of emotion.

"Rise," Zhu Ying said with a solemn expression.

"Thank you, Thousand-Household Officer," the guards replied in unison.

Liu Lei stepped forward and handed a scroll to Zhu Ying. "Reporting, sir. This is the roster of the personal guards."

"Good." Zhu Ying nodded and took the roster.

Just then, footsteps approached. Chen Heng appeared, flanked by his own guards, heading toward Zhu Ying.

"General Chen," Zhu Ying said, stepping forward to welcome him.

Chen Heng waved his hand, signaling there was no need for formalities. "Are the guards selected?" he asked with a smile.

"Yes, General. This is the roster," Zhu Ying replied, handing the document to him.

Chen Heng took it without looking, instead walking toward the assembled guards with a stern expression.

"Everyone," Chen Heng stared at the guards and spoke loudly. "Do you understand the duty of a personal guard?"

"Reporting, General," Liu Lei replied loudly. "As personal guards to the Thousand-Household Officer, it is our duty to protect his safety at all costs."

"Correct." Chen Heng nodded, then added, "The duty of a guard is bound to the life of the officer they serve. On the battlefield, the guard is the one who blocks the blades for their master! That is your responsibility. Zhu Ying is your commander; if he dies in battle, none of you shall live! Do you understand this?"

Chen Heng’s voice carried a warning. The term "personal guard" was more than just a title. Once they assumed this role, their lives were no longer their own; their primary purpose was the protection of their superior. This was a safeguard provided by the Emperor to his generals. In the chaos of war, the survival of the commander was the key to victory. The guards existed to protect that life. If the commander died while they remained alive, it was a dereliction of duty punishable by death.

"We understand," the fifty soldiers, including Liu Lei, shouted in unison.

"Of course," Chen Heng added, "as personal guards to a Thousand-Household Officer, you will receive a higher rank of pay. This is what you are entitled to."

After settling the affairs of the guards, Chen Heng turned to Zhu Ying. "Thousand-Household Officer Zhu, follow me to the cavalry battalion."

"Yes," Zhu Ying nodded immediately.

A short while later, guided by Chen Heng, they arrived at the encampment of the First Cavalry Battalion.

"Welcome, General Chen."

Upon Chen Heng's arrival, the cavalry battalion had already gathered. However, the force, which once numbered a thousand, was now reduced to six or seven hundred, a clear result of yesterday’s heavy fighting.

"Let me introduce you," Chen Heng said, gesturing to two officers. "These are the Deputy Thousand-Household Officers of the cavalry battalion, Zhang Wu and Fan Qing."

He then gestured toward Zhu Ying. "This is the newly appointed Thousand-Household Officer, Zhu Ying. From today on, he shall command the First Cavalry Battalion."

"Greetings, Thousand-Household Officer Zhu," Zhang Wu and Fan Qing bowed in unison.

Although they noticed Zhu Ying was quite young—many years their junior—this was the Hongwu era, where one could not ascend without military merit. Moreover, Zhu Ying's name had already spread throughout the camp. Zhang Wu and his colleague had heard of his reputation.