Level Up in Martial World

Lu Zhen continuously tapped into his mental energy, directing it from his consciousness to his head. He skillfully maintained the boats' stillness in the water, countering the occasional small tide that formed.

His crimson eyes emitted a radiant blue glow, giving them a mesmerising and striking appearance.

The soldiers' eyes widened in astonishment as they observed Lu Zhen's actions, their gaze shifting between him and the boat. Strength was the most revered quality among these battle-hardened soldiers, and witnessing such a display only heightened their motivation and loyalty towards Lu Zhen.

The five captains exchanged glances as they watched Lu Zhen effortlessly hold the boat in the water while standing off-shore. A mixture of awe and curiosity coloured their expressions.

"It seems that my eyes were not playing tricks; he is undoubtedly a second-stage martial artist," remarked the bald man with a sigh. The confirmation of Lu Zhen's prowess left a profound impression on the onlookers.

"No, he should be stronger than the average second-stage martial artist, considering he can tap into his mental energy so easily," the blue-haired man said with a terrified expression on his face.

"Well, even better, then. We are gonna have an easy war this time," the bald man chuckled.

"True," the blue-haired man replied, scanning the boat carefully for any movements from the river underneath.

Although they were peak third-stage martial artists, revered by these soldiers who were martial trainees, they were nothing compared to a second-stage martial artist.

What was the second-stage martial artist for the family? They were the grand elders, the main pillars of the family after the ancestor. Each grand elder was a terrifying figure capable of wiping out a small family with a swipe of their hands and fighting thousands of people all at once.

In war, they were akin to a hidden force that could turn the tides with just their presence.

Although the gap between peak third-stage martial and second-stage martial might seem like a single step, the last step was the most difficult for many, even for Lu Zhen; it was undoubtedly very hard, even with all his cheats.

If you neither have enough talent nor resources, you might never be able to cross that step even after reaching old age.

Although they might seem young, that is only because of their martial power and taking some paste to maintain their youth; they were almost all at the age of sixty and above. Even Lu Wi, who was considered a genius and has been training for decades since her childhood, is in her forties right now.

And the older you get, the fewer chances of advancing through your realm. That was the reason they became captains in war: to fight for resources and get a chance to enter the second-stage martial realm.

"What was the young master's age again?"

"I think it was twenty."

"No, it is nineteen," Li Jiao said with twinkling eyes as she looked at Lu Zhen with lustful eyes.

All the captains had a mixture of expressions when they heard this.

Lu Zhen ignored these people as he kept the boat floating in the river.

Time passed as the boat remained still without attracting any aquatic sea beasts. Sensing this, Lu Zhen heaved a sigh of relief.

"Alright, we can get on the boats," he beckoned everyone to put the boats in the water as his eyes glinted with fierceness.

"You must paddle with these," Lu Zhen gave everyone very long sticks to row the boats with. "Remember, since you are going against the tide at a diagonal angle, you must be very fast."

"Yes, young master," all of them said with a roar.

"Good," he nodded his head.

As he moved his crimson pupils, the two boats came back to the land.

Lu Zhen felt his body strained just from moving these boats. "The mental energy isn't practical right now to use in fights," he sighed as he jumped up directly, taking the largest boat.

"All of you climb your assigned boats."

"Yes, young master."

The soldiers all climbed up the boats.

There were a total of twenty boats, and one boat could house at least two thousand people.

The army of Lu Zhen consisted of forty thousand people, but among them were not only soldiers; there were also lower ranks of individuals considered cannon fodder, mortals physically stronger than ordinary people but not exceptionally powerful. They were mostly trained in various techniques, similar to military-trained personnel in Lu Zhen's previous world.

In reality, there were around ten thousand martial trainees, still a formidable number. However, among these trainees, only five were commanded by third-stage martial artists, highlighting the significant gap in strength.

As everyone gradually climbed aboard the boats, Lu Zhen coldly commanded, "Let's go."

His crimson eyes shimmered with a blue light as he controlled the boats, guiding them into the river.

"Now, paddle!" Lu Zhen ordered nervously, halting his use of mental energy.

Instantly, hundreds of soldiers began paddling the boats with lightning-fast speed, pushing against the river's current in a diagonal arc to reach the other side.

The water beneath them roared, and the soldiers displayed their synchronised efforts, creating a formidable sight. The soldiers' strength and determination echoed through their synchronised movements as they fought against the powerful current.

Lu Zhen felt a bit nervous, attempting to conceal his aura as much as possible. His body was already soaked in cold sweat as he gazed down at the water.

"Hey, young master, what happened to you?" a soldier, who was closest to Lu Zhen, asked with a concerned expression.

"Nothing, just go and help your brothers."

"Yes, young master." The soldier saluted him before going to row the boats.

"This should be enough motivation for them..." Lu Zhen thought with a sly smirk for a brief moment before his expression turned expressionless again. The river's strong current added to the tension in the atmosphere as the soldiers paddled with determination with fire burning in their eyes full of vitality.

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