Chapter 5: Understand the Attribute Panel! Open the Treasure Chest!

At that moment, a notification appeared on the panel: “Granted the rank of Junior Banner Officer, awarded one common treasure chest.”

“Another treasure chest,” Zhu Ying’s face lit up with delight.

Before long, Wei Quan, Commander of the Thousand-Strong Unit, concluded the awards for the soldiers who had distinguished themselves in the campaign.

“This bandit suppression mission is temporarily concluded,” Wei Quan announced loudly. “All soldiers, return to camp and rest well.”

The thousands of troops then dispersed toward their respective barracks.

“Zhu Ying, you really are something. On your first campaign, you killed five enemies and even beheaded the bandit leader.”

“Didn’t expect it. You look so gentle and weak, but when it comes to fighting mountain bandits, you’re fierce.”

“Just over two months in the army and already a Junior Banner Officer—your future’s boundless.”

A group of soldiers familiar with Zhu Ying congratulated him warmly.

“Thank you,” Zhu Ying replied with a cheerful smile.

Naturally, many new recruits looked at Zhu Ying with envy. After all, all the new soldiers in the Thousand-Strong Unit had enlisted together, and now Zhu Ying had been promoted ahead of them. Although it was just the rank of Junior Banner Officer, it was still an official position.

Back in the barracks.

“Zhu Ying,” Liu Lei said with a smile, “from now on, you’ll be the Junior Banner Officer here. These ten new recruits will be under your command.”

“Understood,” Zhu Ying replied immediately.

Within the barracks, Zhu Ying removed his armor, placed his sword and bow on the weapon rack.

The ten new recruits eyed him nervously. Before the bandit suppression, they had all been equals, but now Zhu Ying was their direct superior, and they felt somewhat uneasy.

“What are you all standing there for? Do what you need to do. I’m not going to eat you,” Zhu Ying joked with a smile.

“Rest well now; who knows when the next bandit suppression will be.”

Seeing their awkwardness, Zhu Ying chuckled, then lay back on his bed and closed his eyes to rest, though his mind remained focused on the panel.

—

“Attribute Panel.”

With a call, the panel appeared.

Host: Zhu Ying
Age: 13
Strength: 190 points [One point equals one jin of force]
Speed: 156 points [Higher value means faster speed]
Stamina: 102 points [Higher stamina means stronger defense and faster injury recovery]
Endurance: 101 points [Higher endurance means more energy and vitality]
Spirit: 104 points [Higher spirit means clearer mind]
Lifespan: 88 years, 32 days
Storage Space: 1 cubic meter

“All attributes exceed 100 points. Awarded one common treasure chest,” the panel notified again.

“I understand the attribute values now,” Zhu Ying reflected.

“Normal people’s attributes fluctuate between eighty and one hundred. Strength varies by individual. A fully grown adult male at eighteen should have strength above one hundred. I’m only fourteen, so there’s some difference compared to adults.”

“This time, at least, my strength has increased by nearly a hundred points.”

“When killing bandits, each bandit randomly grants twenty attribute points, while looting their bodies yields one to five points, with lifespan granting more.”

Zhu Ying studied his attribute panel closely.

After grasping the panel’s details, he refocused.

“Three treasure chests.”

“I wonder what treasures they hold?” Zhu Ying said with curiosity.

Then he commanded, “Open all treasure chests.”

“Host command: Open all common treasure chests.”

“Obtained Yellow-Rank Superior Skill [Horizontal Conditioning Technique].”

“Obtained [Refined Steel Blade].”

“Obtained [Mastery of Horsemanship].”

Three notifications appeared in quick succession.

“Skill?” Zhu Ying’s heart skipped a beat upon seeing the first reward.

Having lived two lives, the previous one in a modern world where cultivation techniques were just fiction, it was astonishing to actually find one in a treasure chest.

“Extract skill,” Zhu Ying said without hesitation.

In an instant, the [Horizontal Conditioning Technique] was infused into his consciousness.

Horizontal Conditioning Technique: Training for one day increases strength, stamina, and endurance by 10 points each.

“This technique is powerful. Training one day grants 10 points in three attributes—ten days is 100 points, a hundred days is 1,000 points, and a year is 3,650 points. Even just training at night could yield one to two thousand attribute points annually.”

“Training for several years, I’d be invincible,” Zhu Ying thought excitedly.

—

If he had thousands of strength points, what could a single punch accomplish?

Could even the city gates withstand his blows?

And stamina and endurance would increase similarly.

Especially endurance—he could rival a hundred people overnight.

“I’m going to be rich.”

“Shen family.”

“Shen Wansan, Shen Rong.”

“Prepare your necks for me.”

“My grandmother once helped you, saved the Shen family, allowing you to become great merchants in the Ming dynasty. Yet you never repaid that kindness. Instead, you schemed to have me enlisted in the military and sent to the most chaotic frontier, hoping I’d die suppressing bandits.”

“If you wanted to break the engagement, fine, I’d only scold you. But to try to kill me? I will never forgive the Shen family.”

Mentioning the Shen family, Zhu Ying’s heart filled with hatred.

Since he was eight, he had lived with his grandmother and steward in Beiping Prefecture, settling down there.

They had moved to Beiping because of an old connection with the Shen family and a marriage arranged with Shen’s legitimate daughter.

Shen Wansan had four daughters; the first three were married off, leaving only the fourth.

But merchants were greedy.

The Shen family had found a better match for the fourth daughter, Shen Yan’er.

Naturally, they looked down on Zhu Ying’s humble background.

To ensure the marriage proceeded, they conspired with local officials in Beiping to register Zhu Ying in the military, forcibly enlisting him and sending him to the most dangerous frontier in Daning Prefecture, hoping to get rid of him.

But things had changed now.

Their attempt to ruin Zhu Ying had instead empowered him.

He could absorb attributes, cultivate skills, and become the world’s only cultivator.

Zhu Ying’s future was bright.

As for the Shen family, he would never let them off.

—

“Train diligently. Hurry up and become stronger.”

“It’s the twentieth year of the Hongwu era. According to historical records, Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang should soon launch an attack against the Northern Yuan. As Daning Prefecture is a border region, and we belong to its garrison, we will likely be sent to the battlefield.”

“Once on the battlefield, it won’t be as simple as suppressing bandits.”

“I must grow strong quickly to gain rank and power.”

Zhu Ying thought to himself.

“Extract horsemanship,” he said, returning to his commands.

Unlike the skill transmission of the cultivation technique, this horsemanship skill was a complete legacy, directly infused into his consciousness, granting him perfect mastery.

…