Volume 1, Chapter 45: Breaking Through Two Realms in Succession!

A woman's intuition is always frighteningly keen.

At the time, Zhang Muyang and Wu Kexiong had gone carousing in the pleasure quarters simply because he wanted to physically strengthen himself. After all, Zhou Tong was a battalion commander, while he was merely a centurion; the gap in their strength was far too vast.

Who could have anticipated that Su Ying would suddenly propose consummating their marriage?

He had just finished with Li Ping'er less than the time it takes to burn half a stick of incense—could he still manage?

Feeling thoroughly insecure, Zhang Muyang lowered his voice and said, "Su Ying, I'm covered in sweat and quite filthy. I'll go wash up."

"I'll help you."

"No, no need!"

Startled, Zhang Muyang hastily refused.

If she were the one washing him, what if she noticed something amiss?

He quickly fetched a basin of water and retreated to a shadowy corner to wipe himself down quietly.

Sitting on the heated brick bed, Su Ying fixed him with a pair of startlingly bright eyes that seemed capable of piercing through everything. She said coldly, "Fidgeting over there won't save you. You can't escape tonight."

"Escape? Who's escaping!"

Could a true man ever drop the ball in a matter like this?

Hardening his heart, Zhang Muyang climbed onto the bed.

The result...

Before he could even lie down, he was pushed flat onto his back by Su Ying.

She truly was the daughter of a military household!

She was entirely different from the fiery Han Li, the gentle Yang Wenxiu, and the shy Yang Wenjuan. Independent by nature, she acted solely on her own impulses, exuding an innate dominance and initiative as if she were the one in control tonight.

The moment their skin touched, both of them shuddered.

Ah...

Su Ying could not help letting out a very soft moan, quickly biting her lip as she anxiously glanced toward Bai Zhi at the far end of the bed.

Bai Zhi's breathing was even; she appeared to have been fast asleep for a long time.

Fortunately, he hadn't made a fool of himself.

Finding it rather strange, Zhang Muyang asked in a low voice, "Su Ying, this is your first time. How do you know about all this?"

"Can't a person read and learn?"

Su Ying's cheeks instantly flushed crimson. Embarrassed and annoyed, she struck him lightly before rolling over and diving beneath the covers.

At that very moment—

Ding!

That familiar system prompt rang out once more with a booming resonance in his mind:

[Physique: Elite Soldier (Upgraded to Level 2)]

[Current Number of Wives: 5 (Yang Wenxiu, Yang Wenjuan, Han Li, Li Ping'er, Su Ying)]

[Current Status: Stamina 6.0 (Upgraded to 8.0)]

[Martial Arts +1 (Derived from Su Ying's ancestral saber technique)]

[Cultivation Realm: Late Flesh-Refining Stage (Upgraded to Early Bone-Refining Stage, then to Mid Bone-Refining Stage!)]

[Strength: 1,600 catties (50% bonus brings it to 2,400 catties, equivalent to the mid Meridian-Refining stage)]

Crack!

A tiny yet exceptionally crisp snapping sound echoed from deep within his bones.

It was as if a frozen river had suddenly shattered!

Every inch of his bone structure was being violently washed and reshaped by a torrential surge of power. A sensation of soreness, numbness, and tearing pain spread outward from his bone marrow, and fine beads of sweat instantly broke out across his forehead.

Zhang Muyang clenched his teeth, marshaling every ounce of his focus to guide the surging, flood-like Qi and blood within his body, fiercely battering against the barrier of the Bone-Refining stage!

He knew not how much time had passed when a tearful voice broke him out of his trance: "Brother Muyang..."

Zhang Muyang snapped his eyes open to find that dawn had already broken.

Bai Zhi was standing beside the bed, the skin around her eyes dark and bloodshot, her face filled with anxiety and worry.

"Brother Muyang, you're finally awake."

Wiping the corners of her eyes, Bai Zhi asked, "What happened to you and Sister Su? You just sat there like that all night, completely unresponsive. You scared me to death."

Su Ying?

Zhang Muyang glanced at Su Ying and saw that she, too, was sitting cross-legged beside him. Faint wisps of blood Qi swirled around her, and the crisp sound of popping tendons and bones emanated from within her body like cascading firecrackers.

She was actually using this surge of energy to break through as well!

Hiss...

A wave of profound shock washed over Zhang Muyang.

He never could have imagined that consummating his marriage with a wife already at the Bone-Refining stage would yield such massive gains. Not only had he broken through two consecutive realms himself, but he had even propelled Su Ying forward in her advancement!

Clenching his fists tightly and feeling the surging, boundless power within his body, he smiled and said, "Don't worry, we're fine. We just had a breakthrough in our cultivation."

"That's good then."

With a slight blush on her pretty face, Bai Zhi whispered, "I... I'll go outside to fetch some firewood."

With that, she lowered her head and practically fled the room.

The room was tiny.

Since he and Su Ying had been making such a commotion while Bai Zhi was lying right beside them, how could she possibly have slept? She simply hadn't dared to move, pretending to sleep in silence until her entire body grew stiff.

Enduring and enduring still, she had finally turned over quietly and peeked through her eyes to see Zhang Muyang and Su Ying sitting cross-legged on the bed, their auras churning as they clearly entered a state of deep cultivation.

One hour!

Two hours!

When full daylight arrived and neither of them showed the slightest sign of waking, she had truly been terrified out of her wits.

Snap!

Suddenly, a slight, crisp sound erupted from within Su Ying's body, resembling the bursting of a river embankment.

In an instant, her extraordinary meridians were pierced through by her surging Qi and blood like a bamboo split wide. The intense pain of the breakthrough transformed into an incomparable wave of euphoria, rushing forward like a mighty river emptying into the sea.

Su Ying slowly opened her eyes, her gaze burning brightly as she stared unblinkingly at Zhang Muyang.

"Wife, you... you broke through?"

"Husband!"

Su Ying flew into Zhang Muyang's arms, tears of excitement streaming down her face. "I broke through! I've broken through to the Meridian-Refining stage! The Meridian-Refining stage!"

Gently patting her back, Zhang Muyang chuckled, "Well? Do you realize the benefits of consummating our marriage now?"

"I want it again..." Su Ying buried her face in the crook of his neck, muttering softly.

"Stop messing around, Bai Zhi will be back soon."

"I don't care."

Having finally tasted the profound sweetness of it all, the young woman pushed Zhang Muyang back down onto the bed once more.

At that exact moment—

Tap, tap!

An urgent knocking sounded at the door.

Bai Zhi rushed inside, crying out, "Brother Muyang, Sister Su, you... Ah? Please tidy yourselves up quickly, Deputy Commander Wu is here."

Without pausing for a breath, Bai Zhi turned and ran back out, standing firmly to guard the doorway.

Wu Kexiong?

What was he doing here at this ungodly hour?

Quickly straightening their garments, Zhang Muyang and Su Ying stepped out and cupped their fists in salute. "Deputy Commander."

"What kind of mischief are you two grown men getting up to, locked in a room together early in the morning? If we hadn't gone whoring together last night, I'd almost suspect you of having a penchant for other men."

Grumbling, Wu Kexiong pulled a small oil-paper parcel from his tunic, tossed it to Zhang Muyang, and said irritably, "Here, take it! You little bastard must have a death wish to challenge a battalion commander. It took no small effort for me to get my hands on this packet of Blood-Refining Powder; this is all I can do to help you."

"Many thanks, Deputy Commander."

"Thanks my foot! If you can't beat him, just surrender—saving your life is what matters, you hear me?"

"Yes."

"Alright, I won't waste any more of your time. Get to your cultivation; roll call at the parade ground is coming up shortly."

Waving his hand, Wu Kexiong turned and strode away.

Challenging a battalion commander?

Su Ying and Bai Zhi stood dumbfounded, completely clueless as to what had happened.

Zhang Muyang had no choice but to recount the wager he had made with Zhou Tong.

"You... you're completely out of your mind!"

"He's a battalion commander! A master at the Meridian-Refining stage! You're only at the Bone-Refining stage—how could you possibly challenge him?"

"I'm at the Meridian-Refining stage now, I'll go in your place!"

Angry and anxious, Su Ying clenched her fists.

So what if he was at the Meridian-Refining stage?

Zhang Muyang smiled faintly. "Have you forgotten that you were defeated by my hands yesterday? Do you really have so little confidence in me?"

"But..."

"This battle, I must fight personally."

Slowly tightening his grip on the hilt of the Cold-Feather Saber at his waist, Zhang Muyang burned with a fierce battle intent as he uttered each word with absolute conviction: "Zhou Tong's head—I will sever it with my own hands!"