Wei Tingyu was stunned the moment he saw the state of the System's military camp.
Good grief! This is basically capital to start a rebellion!
Then again, it made sense. After all, the Marquis of Jining was still living under another's roof. Since he, Wei Tingyu, was a transmigrator and now possessed a golden finger (cheat ability), it would be a waste not to shake the world in this lifetime!
Let's be real—just the thought of regularly entering the palace to kowtow to the emperor made modern-minded Wei Tingyu nauseous.
If kowtowing had to exist as a ritual, then he'd rather be the one receiving the kneels, standing at the top where all bowed before him!
But for now, the system military camp's level was too low, and only the most basic "peasant rebel" units could be recruited. In other words, a rebellion wasn't possible just yet—not with this level of strength.
Money wasn't an issue anymore. Thanks to the profits from selling perfume and the dowries from his three wives and concubines, Wei Tingyu could easily gather tens of thousands of peasant troops.
The problem was—warfare based on overwhelming numbers and suicidal swarming was far too brutal. He didn't want to throw away lives needlessly, even if those troops were just system-generated units.
Moreover, if he failed, everything would be for nothing. It was better to bide his time, build strength in secret, and rise when the time was right.
He checked the system upgrade requirements and found that higher levels unlocked access to stronger military units.
Eventually, elite feudal armies like the Three Thousand Battalion and Xuanwu Guard could be recruited directly with silver!
Of course, the cost was outrageous.
For example, an elite Xuanwu Guard, boasting a terrifying 5-star combat rating, required 1,000 taels of silver per soldier!
But when he thought about it—armor, weapons, horses, and the cost of training a battle-hardened veteran—it wasn't that unreasonable for the system to charge that much.
Naturally, such purchases only applied to regular soldiers. Martial arts masters like the Silver Shadow Guards couldn't be recruited that way—they could only be acquired through gacha draws and gift packs...
Fine! The top priority now is to make more money and upgrade the military camp. The time to shine would come soon enough!
With determination burning in his heart, Wei Tingyu switched over and opened a hidden achievement gift pack he had received.
[Intermediate Minor Rejuvenation Pill ×1]
(Increases internal power by 10 years upon use!)
[Whirlwind Blade Technique ×1]
(Grants instant mastery of the Whirlwind Blade Technique upon use!)
[Basic Internal Energy Powder ×1]
(Can be given to others; grants 2 years of internal power upon use.)
Upon seeing the rewards, Wei Tingyu grinned from ear to ear.
He didn't hesitate for a second—he immediately used the Intermediate Minor Rejuvenation Pill and Whirlwind Blade Technique. In an instant, his internal energy tripled, skyrocketing to the equivalent of 15 years of cultivated power!
At this point, his internal energy alone could rival the heads of mid-tier martial sects from classic wuxia tales.
And with Purple Mist Divine Art boosted by such deep reserves of internal power, its might would only be greater—this was more than a simple level-up; this was a 1+12 multiplier leap!
Now that he'd also mastered the Whirlwind Blade Technique, Wei Tingyu was even more pleased.
Before, he only had strong internal energy and lacked external martial arts techniques. If he encountered an enemy, all he could do was blast them with raw internal force. But now, with this blade technique, he had both internal and external cultivation—a true dual-practitioner.
This was a massive win!
However, what truly excited him wasn't his own power-up—after all, even before this, Wei Tingyu was practically unmatched in this world. This just took him from "invincible" to "ultra-invincible."
What once took ten moves to win could now be handled in two or three.
The real treasure here was that Basic Internal Energy Powder—because it marked the first time the system granted an item that could be used by others!
This would be hugely useful in training up loyal and powerful subordinates.
For Wei Tingyu, who already had 15 years of internal power, taking this powder would be meaningless—it'd maybe add two or three months to his energy, not even worth mentioning.
But if given to the right person, it could create a powerful subordinate fully loyal to him. No longer would he need to personally handle every sticky situation.
Especially those 18 Silver Shadow Guards—while obedient, they were system-generated and stiff-minded. They were great for brute force, but not suited for flexible problem-solving.
He needed capable people now more than ever—and he already had the perfect candidate in mind.
"Big Sister Zhao, don't you think this flower is beautiful?" In the garden of the marquis' estate, Miao Ansu had spotted a particularly vibrant peony. She tugged Dou Zhao over in excitement.
"It's lovely," Dou Zhao smiled, raising an eyebrow. "If you wore it in your hair, I bet the marquis couldn't take his eyes off you!"
"Big Sister Zhao! Don't tease me!" Miao Ansu blushed instantly, pouting and tugging on her friend's hand like a spoiled child.
The two girls were close in age, and this kind of interaction showed just how much Ansu had come to truly see Dou Zhao as her real big sister.
Wei Tingyu was walking nearby, leisurely accompanying his wives and concubines on a garden stroll. Watching the two women chatting and laughing, he turned to the one beside him, Zhao Zhangru, and asked:
"Why aren't you with them enjoying the flowers?"
"Marquis, you know I don't care for flowers," Zhangru pouted. Even after becoming a concubine in the marquis estate, her love for martial arts hadn't waned. Flower appreciation simply wasn't her style.
Of course, this didn't affect her bond with the other two girls. Everyone had their own preferences, after all.
"In that case, how about learning martial arts from me?" Wei Tingyu looked her up and down. Seeing her restless demeanor, he asked directly.
"Yes, yes, yes!" Zhangru's eyes sparkled. She had long dreamed of becoming his disciple. One of the reasons she'd agreed to become his concubine was to learn martial arts from him!
Now that the marquis had brought it up himself, she was overjoyed and agreed on the spot.