The next day, at 9:30 AM.
Just as the Wang family guard was about to knock on the door, his hand raised mid-air.
The door suddenly opened from the inside.
Tang Wen emerged, yawning and looking utterly exhausted, leaning against the wall as he stepped out.
The two guards exchanged glances, recalling their own mornings after a night at the brothel.
It didn't seem fake!
This man was completely worn out!
One of them tentatively asked, "Commander Tang Wen, how did you find the Wang family's Golden Bell Shield technique? Quite profound, isn't it?"
Tang Wen shook his head and sighed, "How would I know? All I know is that it's incredibly draining."
With that, he walked past them, head bowed, trudging away from the Wang family.
Watching his retreating figure, the guard chuckled, "The Wang family's defensive technique isn't so easy to master!"
Returning to his quarters at Flame Camp, Tang Wen collapsed into bed and slept.
The next day, as the caravan departed from Five Families City, Tang Wen was still yawning repeatedly.
Seeing him in this state, Commander Qian and Commander Li didn't ask too many questions.
They simply let him rest in the carriage.
The caravan sped off, heading home.
What they didn't see was a woman dressed in snow-white robes standing atop the city wall. The southern breeze lifted her sleeves, making her look like a celestial being descending from the heavens.
She watched Tang Wen and his group until they disappeared from sight.
"My daughter, I was wrong about the martial contest for marriage. From now on, you can marry whoever you want!"
"Father! Unless I reach the Transcendent level, I'll never marry!"
"Ah, well said! Such ambition!" the Zheng Family Head praised half-heartedly, while inwardly cursing Tang Wen.
That boy, he's caused so much trouble!
He left without even saying goodbye, breaking my daughter's heart!
What a scoundrel!
Golden light, golden light, endless golden light!
Tang Wen opened his eyes to see the roof of the carriage.
It was just a dream.
The day before, in the Wang family's secret chamber, he had focused his mind to comprehend the Contemplation Method.
Unexpectedly, the first fifteen minutes of the Visualization Diagram were filled with nothing but golden light, endless golden light.
An ordinary Martial Master would likely exhaust their mental energy after just ten minutes of viewing.
Each time he tried to comprehend it, he had to start again with the golden light.
Then his mental energy would deplete, and he'd have to rest and sleep.
It was a vicious cycle.
Fortunately, Tang Wen's mental energy was abundant, and he patiently endured a full fifteen minutes of golden light before finally reaching the main content.
At that moment, he realized it wasn't that the creator of the Contemplation Method was testing his descendants.
Rather, without immense mental energy, it was impossible to master the Golden Bell Shield.
Coincidentally, Tang Wen's mental energy was even more formidable than his inhuman physique.
This defensive technique required a Martial Master to use their mental energy to concentrate their vital energy into specific parts of their body, turning those areas into formidable shields.
For example, focusing vital energy on the chest would naturally turn the chest muscles into a steel-like color.
The defensive power far surpassed that of steel.
Tang Wen was delighted to discover that this technique wasn't restricted by location—he could practice it anytime, anywhere!
He spent the entire night practicing in the Wang family's secret chamber.
That's why he was so exhausted when he left in the morning.
Moreover, the moment he mastered the "Golden Bell Shield," his skill "[Iron Body Skill, Proficient (18/3000)]" was forcibly merged.
But the good news was that as soon as he learned the Golden Bell Shield, it absorbed a large amount of experience from the "Iron Body Skill," skipping the beginner level of 500 experience and the novice level of 1000 experience.
He directly reached the mastery level.
[Meditation Martial Art: Golden Bell Shield, Mastery (91/3000)]
Hmm!
Tang Wen rolled up his sleeves and skillfully visualized his strength. With full exertion, his entire right arm turned pitch black.
He made a strange expression. Back in Wujia City, he had never used his full strength.
He never expected that using his full strength would result in this appearance.
It looked like a scene from a certain anime!
Armament Hues?
He shook his head, drew his sword with his left hand, and lightly slashed.
Clang!
There wasn't even a scratch on his right arm.
Tang Wen increased his strength slightly and tried again.
The black right arm held firm.
Until he added thirty percent of his strength.
The sharp blade finally left a white mark on his arm.
It's worth noting that thirty percent of his strength was almost equivalent to a Martial Master's explosive strike.
Tang Wen was both shocked and delighted: "No wonder that Young Master Wang, with the physique of a second-tier Martial Master, could withstand Black Fang's peak Martial Master's visualization burst and only suffered minor injuries! So that's how it is! Now, I can do it too! And with my physique, the defensive effect must be even better!"
This was a huge gain!
It was worth exposing my strength and fighting Black Fang.
But it wasn't all good news.
As the saying goes, the greater the power, the greater the consumption.
The black right arm only lasted for two minutes, and Tang Wen felt that his mental energy was already more than half depleted!
They were still on the road, and danger was still present.
He quickly dispersed the energy, and his right arm returned to its original color.
Tang Wen stepped out of the carriage and took over the shift from Commander Qian.
He led the team forward.
Five days and nights passed in a flash, [Meditation Martial Art: Golden Bell Shield, Mastery (91→141/3000)]
Half practicing and half resting, the Golden Bell Shield skill increased by 50 experience points.
Promotion was still a distant prospect.
"We're home!"
The merchant caravan's scout cheered.
Familiar scenes appeared before their eyes.
Everyone was eager to return home and suddenly quickened their pace.
Half an hour later, Tang Wen met General Zhou and recounted the entire journey from start to finish.
Including participating in the martial arts competition to win a bride and helping the Zheng family deal with Black Fang from the Black Mountain Battalion.
General Zhou didn't seem to care much, only hinting to him: Avoid women before reaching the Transcendent level.
After reporting, he first returned home.
The three women, along with Xiao Taozi, warmly welcomed him.
The fresh and lively Xiao Taozi, taking advantage of her young age, rushed over and hugged Tang Wen's leg.
Tang Wen also liked this pretty little girl. He handed the luggage, gifts, jade bracelets, earrings, and other items to the three women, freeing his hands to pick up the little girl.
After a lively moment, he took a comfortable bath.
After his sister Tang Tang returned home and they had a sumptuous dinner.
Tang Wen left home and went to the palace again.
News spread quickly in the camp.
Qian Dong, who was on duty, saw Tang Wen and smiled, reaching out to put his arm around his shoulder: "You've done some big things in Wujia City! Tell me, is that young lady from the Zheng family more beautiful than your Commander Zhou?"
Tang Wen teased him back: "That day when the caravan brought the Hu girls, I saw your eyes almost popping out of your head. So? How many did you take home?"
After some banter, Tang Wen stated his purpose. Besides secluding himself in the palace, he also wanted to study the Mountain-Cracking Cannon Fist Visualization Diagram.
The palace also had a copy of the Visualization Diagram.
"Easy, have a drink with me! I'll apply for it for you!"
The two of them, arm in arm, went to the kitchen.
The chef saw Qian Dong coming with a wine gourd and casually prepared some dishes for them with pig ears, hand-cut mutton, and peanuts.
As a gesture of gratitude, the master poured half a bowl of Sweet Potato Wine from his Wine Gourd and drank it.
As they drank and chatted, Tang Wen shared his travel experiences.
Qian Dong listened with great interest, as he was still relatively young.
Youth always yearns for poetry and distant horizons.
However, due to the inconvenience of travel and the presence of his beautiful wives and concubines at home, with nightly revelries, Qian Dong had not yet acted on his desires.
From Qian Dong, Tang Wen also learned of a significant event.
During the days they were away, a King-level powerhouse had come to the camp!
The Silver Wolf King.
But it had not come to plunder the camp or cause trouble.
Instead, it had come to discuss cooperation.
Yes, a wolf, taking the initiative to seek cooperation with humans!
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