I bit into a roasted fish, the savor flavors from the heavy season that storm my taste buds. This can be considered the best meal I had in a few weeks. I finished my meal slowly then turned to the map. We covered hundreds of miles but other than the great number of fish we caught. We still haven’t picked up any condense signs of metal deposits.

I could only hope that it was further out or we would cross an island first. I walked out of the cabin to the morning rays and looked at the rookies sparing. Qin Shun and Zexi were showcasing their leadership skills and keeping their rookies in good shape.

I turned to Gao Jian who was the only one from her squad practicing. Which made me look bad but if they died, they died. They weren’t people I wanted to invest heavily in to begin with.

“Squad Leader Jian, come over here.”

Gao Jian paused in her movement before hesitating a moment. I made my desire to sleep with her apparent but I haven’t neglected my job as her Captain at all. So what’s with this look of hesitation?

She walked over and saluted me. Showing the respect and the fact that she only saw me as a Captain. Tsk, tsk.

“Has your squad mastered the formation? Also, why aren’t they also out here practicing?”

There was an odd look that crossed her face for instance then she shrugged.

“I ordered them to be out here but the Zhou’s apparently rank higher than military commands and use the fact they have a Minister and General as fathers as a way to usurp authority.”

I tilted my head for a moment then started walking down the stairs towards the downstairs lobby. I noticed the dipshits sitting around a table playing cards while the vets looked on with amusement.

If the Crown Princess wasn’t right here, I would have attacked and killed all of them in a heartbeat. Minister for a daddy? A general for a daddy? Those fuckers were still in the Nascent Soul realm. The strongest force was the Lord Prefecture of the Southern Zhou region. He was merely a void prying realm. Wasn’t significant in the grand scheme of things, definitely not to the point where they could ignore military standards.

Some of the Vets upon seeing me went to attention, saluting.. The fuckers at the table took a moment to realize the rowdy hall went silent except for them. They rose and saluted but the two Zhous had a kind of smug look on their faces.

“All Rookies are out there training under the gazes of squad leaders. Picking up essential knowledge to be utilized against demons who have body superiority. Yet, I walked out of my room and saw everybody but the squad under me practicing. This…”

I ran hand down my aggrieved face. I paced back and forth before looking at Gao Jian.

“This ruins any reputation I managed to establish before the Crown Princess of the Great Tian Dynasty. This makes me look like a clown. A clown that can’t even get his own squad in order. So how can I effectively govern a company? How can I lead such a prestigious group into routing the enemy one time after another? How can I lead such a prestigious group into killing sixteen void realm demonic experts? It’s undeniable that I am young and inexperienced…”

I licked my lips and stomped my foot. Looking at the heavens while raising both hands in defeat gestured.

“It’s undeniable that I will have some setbacks. Some ups and downs. Some flaws that need to be straightened out with the sacrifice of many men. This is basically a fact, a law almost. To be honest, I think that I haven’t experienced enough bloodshed. I think right now, I must first go through a baptism so that I may lead my company to the greatness they know they can reach. Men, let me ask you. Do you think I am inept?”

I cup my ear while gazing at these fucking rookies.

“No, Captain!” The vets roared.

“Men, do you think I am inexperienced?”

“No, Captain!”

“Then men, if I am not inept, not inexperienced. What the fuck am I that my own squad is slacking off playing cards while the sun burning?”

There was only silence.

I turned to the fucking jokes of the day. My anger was at the point that I had to tap the butt of my saber. I really wanted to draw it.

“What about you rookies? Do you think I am inept? Do you think I am inexperienced? Do you think I am in the wrong? That wars are fought with tongues and playing cards? That you can just skip training days and still be elite soldiers that will trample all under the heavens? Let me know something so I can understand where I went wrong?”

They looked at each other then all turned to Zhous who looked at each other. The male steps back but only a golden core. It was obvious he was going to push the blame on Nascent Soul and daughter of a General.

Zhou Wuhan gritted her teeth and stepped forward.

“We were going to train when the sun set…”

I backhand her into her group before she could finish bullshitting me.

“I don’t give flying monkey balls why you weren’t training. I just want ot know, do I look fucking stupid to you?”

The rookies looked at each other as Zhou Wuhan held her face, anger burning within her black eyes. They shook their heads and I chuckled.

“Get your stupid ass on deck immediatedly.”

I turned and marched up to the deck. I walked into my cabin grabbing extra unbreakable braided steel chains. I walked out and those fuckers lined up looking like they were going piss themselves.

“In the military, there is a thing called order and rules. When you have the lowest dumbbell, break that order. Bad shit happens. Now it's against the rules set by a Martial Emperor to kill you bloody bastards. To be honest, if the Crown Princess wasn’t here, I would have taken those penalties. It is better than having burdens on my team. Staining the excellent reputation and status these elders built up with their blood, sweat, and steel.”

I dropped the steel chains and grabbed Zhou Wuhan by her hair before she could react. I wrapped a chain around her and tied it tight before threw her overboard. Then I tied the end to the pillar and went after the next.

They tried to fight back. Hahah, they really tried to fight back.

My eyes flashed with killing intent and dragons appeared around me blocking their flimsy attacks before devouring them whole. I turned to the two left that didn’t raise their hands. Fan Wen and some other skinny scholar.

“Don’t you want to resist?”

They didn’t say anything. The scholar even picked up a chain and tied it securely around his body before jumping overboard. This action cooled down my rage and I turned to Fan Wen and Gao Jian.

“Put it on yourselves and jump overboard. You have ten seconds.”

Fan Wen rushed to grab him, tying it half-assed. I wave my hand and a red light shoots out, securing the chain around his body. He rushed to the ship rail and jumped. I turned to Gao Jian who looked as if she wanted to argue.

“You failed to alert a senior member to the fact that we had rebellious traitors in our midst. What if we were under attack and they chose to defect to the enemy? Would you take responsibility for the deaths they could cause? Like you are failing to take responsibility for being a responsible Squad Leader?”

Gao Jian's lips tightened and she picked up the chain and tied it to her waist. She walked to the edge and jumped over.

I turned to the rest of the crew with a smile.

“So, we got plenty of time to increase your personal strength. Any nascent soul realm wants to spar? Or have any questions?”

Several raised their hands. Even the Golden cores raised their hands. I laughed and stretched.

“Okay, Ma Wu, what’s your question? Or do you want to spar?” I flexed my mighty arms.

Ma Wu cleared his throat and took out an axe.

“I remember you saying that techniques that can be used with an axe can be used with a sword but how come I can’t improve the power of my axe when I return to it?”

I thought about it for a brief moment as I watched him swing it about then I realized I had no idea what the fuck kind of techinques went with an axe. Yeah, yeah, I seen people cleave shit but isn’t there like a whole comprehensive thing to wielding axes?

“Pass me your axe.”

Ma Wu tossed it over and I caught it while walking to the bow of the ship. I jumped up onto the railing and crouched down as the wind assaulted me.

Gripping the thick staff in my hands, I brought it back behind me and then down like I was trying to chop wood. I felt the resistances of the wind give way and this was only my bodily strength.

I lifted the axe up and infused it with a red light from the shaft to the double bladed head. I sliced down once again and the ocean was split and the ship rocked as it dropped down and picked up a bit of speed.

“Wait.. how much power is he exerting with that basic move? Plus his form is so bad? Does he think he is chopping wood?”

Qin Shun was the only one who would utter such stupidity. When I glanced back he had a mocking look and his arms cross like he was challenging me yet again.

Aye, I need to teach this boy a lesson.

I turned back around and condense the red light to only one side of the blade. When I swung again, there was a thunderous roar that erupted as the ocean spit much deeper than before. So deep in fact that our ship tilted downward.

I glanced at Qin Shun smugly as we all looked at the smooth ocean wall that looked frozen in shock. Cough, I think this is the moment that I didn’t use my brain cell. Haha, the walls came crashing down and the deck was almost washed clean.

Had we not been Nascent soul experts who could turn our qi into ropes that tied to the mast. We might have been sent overboard and ended up in a really bad situation.

The ship rocked back and forth as it steadied itself on the face of the disturbed oceanfront.

“So.. I think the power in cleave isn’t all that bad.”

I climbed up to my feet and tossed the axe back to Ma Wu who was staring open mouth. He caught it and walked to the deck wall. Climbed up the railing facing the west instead of north like I did.

Everybody bust out laughing when he chopped down and the most he did was cause ripples in the ocean’s face.

“How did you..”

I pulled out my saber and the red light went up the blade.

“Imbued it with your Qi, condense your Qi only the edge of the blade. This next part is tricky, if you can’t comprehend the concept of explosion then you won’t achieve the same result. But I think power can accomplish the same thing.”

When I casually waved the saber at the ocean, the power erupted out and geysers erupt into the air. Almost twenty feet high.

“You can do it without the concept but it won’t be as powerful. In other worlds, what you would then be exerting is your bodily and qi strength. However, at most, you will exert sixty to seventy-five percent of your overall power.”

Qin Shun raised his hand.

“Why is it that when we buy weapons, they have inscriptions that say they can increase our strength by twenty, forty, seventy, hundred percent? Are they scamming us? Or is it that we are missing something?”

A few other voices agreed with Qin Shuns. I tapped my chin and head up my saber.

“This saber can increase my strength by forty to fifty percent but what you ignore is. You are using ten percent of your strength for speed of the strike. Another ten percent to control the blade direction and then you aren’t counting the force that is lost due to your technique or lack of familiarity with the technique.”

I casually wave the blade and you could hear the wind being sliced in half. “I also forgot, wind resistance takes off another ten percent. So if you think about it what the sword is actually enhancing isn’t all the strength you can exert but that strength that manages to make it through the blade and to the target.”

Hou Yu caught on the quickest.

“What he is saying is that the power you can exert through your techniques is the power that will be amplified by the sword inscription. However, swords, axes, and spears are all external power and thus you can’t exhibit your fullest strength due to external factors playing on the items.”

Exactly.

The crowd nodded their heads and looked expectating at me. God damn, Hou Yu. Perfect assistant.

I almost cried tears.

“Right, so if you want to exploit the gap that exists between you and nature then you must comprehend the laws of nature. These concepts and laws aren’t all that hard to learn. You can utilize your environment to find insights into other elements, other ethereal concepts.”

I waved my hand and two rolls of fire rushed towards each other just like how the water rushed to fill in the gap after being sliced open. The water underneath it turned to steam that rose into the air and I smiled at my accomplishment.

“Techniques shouldn’t just copy the look but the power of the thing they are imitating. This is the whole essence behind it all.”

They looked at each other then pulled out their swords, jumping onto the railing and slicing downward. I walked among them giving small advice here and there.

**

“Do you think it is that easy to grasp concepts?” The Crown Princess asked.

“It’s not easy for ordinary people but for a genius it's not hard as long as they have insight and stimulation. However, people can’t just skip steps like a freak can. They will probably end up learning how to exert force which will increase their overall combat power..” an old man said while grooming his beard.

The Crown Princess looked at her best guard.

“What is his chance of beating Captain Quinn with his sword intent?”

The old man chuckled, “He doesn’t stand a chance. It would be like sending a Core formation Expert to fight a Peak Stage Golden Core Expert.”

The Guard Captain snorted but the old man went on.

“Imagine this. A swordsman with sword seed has the ability to be unrival among his peers who can only exert maybe fifty percent of their strength through skills. The swordsman would be able to exert over ninety percent of his ability during the Nascent and early stage of Void Prying realm. However, force is just superficial usage of a concept and someone able to comprehend a concept no matter whether its one of the major or minor laws will have the ability to exert hundred percent or more of their ability. And this is where the showy techniques come into play that can change to the power dynamics.”

The Crown Princess rubbed her chin and glanced at the Captain.

“So why hasn’t he advanced to the Void Prying realm yet? He surely has the foundation and knowledge advantage.”

The old man chuckled once again.

“Because he is strengthened and exploring his full potential. He is still young, young as in not even fifteen yet.”

The Crown Princess spun around, her mouth falling open as she looked at the old man with disbelief.

“Impossible!” both the Crown Princess and Guard Captain yelled out.

The Old man rolled his eyes and stroked his beard.

“Do you think I would waste my breath lying to you, two pups?”

The Crown Princess flushed with embarrassment. She cleared her throat and looked back at the group showing signs of quickly mastering a technique under continuous motivation of their Captain.

“No wonder my grandpa wanted me to watch him. He’s hoping I would pick up this genius for our clan.”

The Old man snorted, “He had more expectation that you would be motivated by this young man and surpass your peers. Not worry about scheming. Even I don’t have any lick of hope that you can seduce or pull this young man under your umbrella.”

The Crown Princess just smirked and turned to her left where a young woman in a dress sat veiled while staring off at the sea.

“But I have a secret weapon and what do you mean I can’t seduce him? I’m one of the top five beauties in the Great Tian Dynasty.”

The old man didn’t rebuke this but merely gestured with his eyes at the Captain flirting with Cui Rong so openly.

“She is just a commoner compared to me.” Crown Princess huffed.

The woman turned and spoke for the first time.

“He is saying your flat in the chest, barely round at the bottom, your curvy feature is of a skinny girl. While the young boy likes women with more meat on their bones. In conclusion, he won’t end up liking you for nothing more than a friend.”

The Crown Princess bit her lip while rage danced within her eyes.

“Do you think I won’t put you back in the dungeon? Huh, huh!”

The woman turned back to the sea but there was a smile in her eyes. The Crown Princess rolled her eyes and half gestured at Captain Quinn.

“Now that you are done joking. How do you think we can persuade him to invest his future with me?”

The Guard Captain gripped his sword hilt but said in an even voice, “Why do you need to persuade him at all? He is still in his prefecture Military for decades. Just transfer him under yourself. After he sees what benefits he can gain from being under you, he will of course stay.”

The Crown Princess looked at her Guard Captain as if he was a moron. “What benefits? He is an Alchemist and his understanding of formations should be at a high level. What benefits can I provide a Grade Five alchemist that he can’t earn on his own? Even if you excuse that he might not be able to get a lot of ingredients due to his status in the military. He is still accomplishing enough merits to get on my Grandfather radar. He doesn’t need to suck up to me like you do for scraps of leftovers.”

The Guard Captain jaw tensed and his face flushed with red anger. The old man smiled upon witnessing a conflict between a spoilt noble and a spoilt Princess.

“Song Lingxin has a point. Right now he's in the military and it is easy to reassign him. He’s about to become a void realm expert and his needs will increase. He’s a genius and he can very well make your trial that much easier. Roping him in while he’s young isn’t that hard. He, like anyone else, likes fame, women, and wealth. All things that are easily provided and you should speak to him before he comes across something that can give him a big enough opportunity that he can ignore us and seek backing with someone much smarter than you.”

The Crown Princess sighed and looked at the Guard Captain giving her angry eyes. She huffed and turned away from him. Heading down from the top floor of the luxury building that houses the Captain quarters, meeting room, and now the guest room for the Crown Princess.