Chapter 017: Earth Immortal

“Captain Long, you’ve worked hard. I heard you’ve been personally treating the wounded.”

Xu Rong’s face was solemn. 

He was clearly a man of few words and even fewer smiles; in fact, he rarely socialized with his colleagues.

While others were ignorant of his true capabilities, Long Tian knew exactly who he was.

This was a military genius capable of handing Cao Cao a crushing defeat, nearly killing him in battle.

Had Xu Rong survived, history would undoubtedly have recorded his name among the great generals.

“These are brave men. These wounded soldiers will eventually become veterans, the most indispensable part of any army.” 

Long Tian replied, shaking his head. 

He glanced at Xu Rong, his eyes flashing with a sudden thought. 

“General, you seem to have an injury yourself. Might I examine it?”

“Very well.” 

Xu Rong nodded and invited him into the main tent.

In truth, Xu Rong’s injuries were merely superficial cuts. Long Tian simply applied some medicine and bandaged him up.

“The wounds aren’t deep. With my family’s ancestral medicine, you’ll be healed in a day or two. Rest now, General. We’ll talk again tomorrow.”

“My thanks, Captain!” 

Xu Rong rose to see him off, watching Long Tian depart before returning to his military affairs. 

Though their exchange was short, a deep bond had formed despite their brief acquaintance. 

Practical men had no need for empty chatter.

Cleaning up a battlefield was no simple task. Long Tian stayed by Xu Rong’s side, observing him as he issued orders.

Learning from a renowned general, even through mere observation, held great value. 

Xu Rong seemed to sense Long Tian’s intent, occasionally offering brief explanations for his actions.

Recovering equipment, burying the dead, counting the survivors…

Each task seemed simple, yet each held layers of expertise.

They assessed equipment damage, sorted them by unit patterns, and decided what to melt down for reforging.

For two days, Long Tian spent his mornings studying strategy with Xu Rong and his nights healing the wounded to gain experience.

He was constantly on the move, and his efforts did not go unnoticed; Xu Rong’s favor toward him began to steadily rise.

In any organization, practical individuals are always welcome.

The difference lies in status: without it, one is merely a tool to be commanded; with it, one is cultivated as a talent.

[Ding! Level Cap Reached.]

Long Tian wiped the sweat from his brow and took a deep breath, silently clicking the confirmation on his class advancement panel.

[Ding! Advancement successful. Current Class: Saint.]

[Trait Gained: Earth Immortal.]

[Recipe Unlocked: Perfect Restoration Pill.]

—

Name: Long Tian

Class: Saint (Sub-class: Light Cavalry)

Stats: 

• Attack: 1000
• Defense: 800
• Magic Attack: 700
• Health: 1700
• Mana: 1350
• Reputation: 40

Experience: 

• Technical: 100
• Agricultural: 30
• Industrial: 20
• Construction: 0
• Astronomy: 0
• Geography: 0
• Immortal Arts: 0

Traits:

• Marching: Movement speed of the commanded unit increased by 100%, ignores terrain obstacles.
• Earth Immortal: You no longer suffer from illness, your lifespan extends to three hundred years, and injuries heal significantly faster.

Skills:

• Ultimate Skill (Cross Slash): Gains Rage with each kill and hit. Can be activated when at least forty Rage points are accumulated. Each Rage point deals 1% of max HP damage. 

All rage points are consumed upon activation.

Spells:

• Life Healing: Heals a single target within 10 meters, restoring twice the caster’s spell attack value as HP. Costs 5 MP.
• Vajra Protection: Dispells all negative status effects from friendly units within a 20-meter radius and grants immunity to further negative effects (Stun, Bleed, Burn, Poison, Oxygen Depletion, Freeze, Chill).
• Silver Moon Frostbloom: Heals allies within 20 meters using lunar essence, restoring HP equal to twice your Spell Attack. Cost: 50 Mana.
• Diagnosis: Utilize profound medical expertise to treat the injured or ill.
• Alchemy: Craft potent pills and elixirs. Recipes must be collected by yourself.

Current Recipes: Marching Pill, Burning Knife Liquor, Perfect Restoration Pill.

—

Long Tian felt his body undergoing a subtle transformation. 

He felt rejuvenated, as if all fatigue had vanished.

The Earth Immortal trait was already proving its worth.

In this era, where many died of simple infections or illnesses, being immune to disease was the ultimate insurance.

The army soon reached Jincheng Commandery, where they joined Dong Zhuo’s main force to launch an assault.

The siege was brutal. As the core commandery city of Xiliang, Jincheng’s ten-meter-high walls made it an arduous target to breach.

After half a day of fighting, morale was plummeting. 

The soldiers were exhausted from consecutive days of marching and combat. 

Dong Zhuo watched his retreating troops, his brow furrowed in a dark scowl. 

“Wenyou, do you have a plan?”

Li Ru shook his head.

In a siege like this, there were no shortcuts. You either gave it your all or surrounded the city and waited.

But none of that was an option.

Prolonging the siege risked enemy reinforcements, which would leave them cornered.

This was a gamble for a quick victory.

“There is no other way but to storm it. The local clans in Jincheng are all related to the rebel Bian Zhang. They’ve slaughtered every outsider; deceiving them into opening the gates is impossible.”

This only made Dong Zhuo more furious.

He lashed his whip at the air, the sharp cracks sending shivers down the spines of those nearby.

“Damn it! The first man to reach the top of that wall will be rewarded beyond his wildest dreams!”

[Ding! Quest Triggered: Unstoppable Valor.]

• [Quest: Unstoppable Valor. Prove your strength and earn Dong Zhuo’s absolute recognition to pave your way to greatness.]
• [Objective: Climb the city walls and slaughter enemy soldiers to clear a path for the main army.]
• [Reward: Companion System]

Long Tian paused. The Companion System?

What did conquering a city have to do with getting a wife or a companion?

Was the System “drunk”? Regardless, he didn’t care. Any reward was a good reward.

Though he didn’t have his own private army yet to utilize the [Troop Cultivation Talent Tree], he knew this was his moment.

Long Tian stepped forward and cupped his fists.

“General, I volunteer to lead the charge! Grant me a contingent, and I swear to breach those walls!”

“Good! Little Tian is truly a son of Xiliang! I’ll give you a thousand elites!”

Dong Zhuo was overjoyed.

In siege warfare, even peerless generals avoided the frontlines, a single pot of boiling water or even a well-placed rock could fell even the most formidable warrior.

It was no longer a matter of martial prowess; it was a completely unequal battlefield.

Most had no reason to gamble their lives for such meager glory, but Long Tian was different.