3: at all costs

Breakthrough Gene Fluid is a kind of medicinal agent that helps a martial artist break through a bottleneck after entering it. After consumption, there is a certain probability of breaking through the current bottleneck.

Xun Xiuyuan obtained it through a lottery, but it was useless to him.

Left Guard Bai Lingxiao led the two towards Yuncheng Pass. He didn't think much after hearing Xun Xiuyuan's question.

"A sixth-grade Breakthrough Gene Fluid costs about 10 million per dose on the market, but it's often out of stock. I've had enough money saved for over a year, but I haven't come across any stock."

"Your body hasn't reached the peak of the sixth-tier yet, has it? Your talent is so good; you reached the sixth-tier at such a young age. There's no need to rush to buy that item. Perhaps you can break through with your own potential."

Upon hearing Left Guard Bai Lingxiao's answer, Xun Xiuyuan immediately felt more confident.

Soon, the three arrived at the entrance of Yuncheng Pass.

Although Xun Xiuyuan had a vague impression of Pingcheng Pass in his memory, seeing Yuncheng Pass directly still gave him a huge shock.

The city walls, dozens of meters high, were entirely constructed of steel. The pass entrance was a giant gate over ten meters tall, with city walls extending infinitely to the left and right.

The entire Yuncheng Pass resembled an enormous steel beast prostrate on the ground, its entrance like a gaping maw.

When Gongsun Yuan saw Left Guard Bai Lingxiao returning with Bai Xiaoou, a huge weight was lifted from his heart. Bai Xiaoou was the most talented student in this batch, and if anything had happened to her, it would have been a significant loss for Yuncheng Pass.

Gongsun Yuan's gaze fell upon Xun Xiuyuan, as if he had seen a ferocious beast, and a fierce aura rushed towards him.

This was the innate ferocity Xun Xiuyuan carried from two years of slaughter in the mountain range.

Seeing Gongsun Yuan look at him, Xun Xiuyuan grinned, his dark skin contrasting with his bright white teeth.

Left Guard Bai Lingxiao ignored Gongsun Yuan and instead addressed the other students and teachers, saying, "The other ten students are likely dead. You don't need to wait any longer. A sixth-tier Azure Wolf King appeared in the trial area."

Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent, utterly speechless. How could a sixth-tier exotic beast appear in the outer reaches of the Exotic Beast Mountain Range?

After saying this, Left Guard Bai Lingxiao immediately led Bai Xiaoou and Xun Xiuyuan into the City Pass and headed towards the city.

Upon entering the city, it was like stepping into another world.

Outside the Pass, there was desolation, bloodshed, and exotic beasts roaming freely.

Inside the Pass, there was prosperity, harmony, and a constant emergence of geniuses.

The city within the Pass didn't greatly impact Xun Xiuyuan; it was similar to the bustling metropolises of his previous life, very prosperous.

What differed from his previous life was the presence of many steel buildings interspersed throughout.

Upon arriving at Zuo Wei Camp, Left Guard Bai Lingxiao arranged for someone to lead Xun Xiuyuan to wash up and instructed Bai Xiaoou, "I have to go out for something. After he showers, you can take him to eat, shop, and buy clothes, whatever you like. Just don't let him leave. Wait for me to return."

Left Guard Bai Lingxiao spoke quickly and left immediately after finishing.

The Pass Lord of Yuncheng Pass, Bi Qing, was the highest-ranking martial artist in Yuncheng Pass, an eighth-grade Innate Realm expert.

Upon receiving communication from Legion Commander Commander Xiahou Zhen, he arrived at the Legion Headquarters conference room.

When Bi Qing arrived, four people were already seated in the conference room: Legion Commander Commander Xiahou Zhen, Political Director Chief Administrator Ling Xiaotian, Left Guard Commander Left Guard Bai Lingxiao, and Right Guard Commander Right Guard Hei Su.

After Bi Qing took his seat, he asked calmly, "What's the matter? Has another beast tide formed?"

Commander Xiahou Zhen looked at Left Guard Bai Lingxiao: "Lingxiao, you tell him. You were in such a hurry."

Left Guard Bai Lingxiao faced Bi Qing: "Pass Lord, today I encountered a sixteen-year-old sixth-tier martial marquis, who is currently at Zuo Wei Camp. His destination is Pingcheng Pass."

This simple sentence made the four people present feel their scalps tingle.

Bi Qing remained relatively calm, while Commander Xiahou Zhen and Chief Administrator Ling Xiaotian had already stood up.

"Sixteen years old? Sixth-tier? Are you sure?" Bi Qing slowly asked.

Left Guard Bai Lingxiao quickly recounted what had happened today: "When I arrived, I only saw him protecting my daughter, with the corpse of a sixth-tier Azure Wolf King lying nearby. Afterward, I asked my daughter, and she confirmed that he killed it alone."

Bi Qing stood up, walked to the conference room window, and said leisurely, "Keep him in Yuncheng Pass at all costs. Old Ling, you go talk to him. Any conditions he asks for can be agreed upon."

Chief Administrator Ling Xiaotian nodded.

They all knew what a martial artist with such talent meant to a City Pass.

After showering, Xun Xiuyuan looked at himself in the mirror. He was 185 cm tall and quite handsome. After washing, he wasn't as dark, revealing a healthy bronze complexion.

Bai Xiaoou looked at the clean Xun Xiuyuan, her heart pounding intensely. This younger brother was very handsome.

Bai Xiaoou remembered her father's instructions: "Are you hungry? Shall I take you to eat?"

Xun Xiuyuan shook his head, saying he wasn't very hungry. He wanted to buy a train ticket first, and also a communicator, a communication device similar to a mobile phone.

As he spoke, he took out a second-grade Breakthrough Gene Fluid: "Is this enough to exchange for a communicator?"

Bai Xiaoou looked at the light blue Breakthrough Gene Fluid, knowing it was second-grade because the colors of Breakthrough Gene Fluids differed for each grade.

"You really are a rich young master. This item's market price is 150,000. Do you think it's enough to exchange for a communicator?"

"Oh, then I'll exchange for two." He planned to prepare one for his mother.

Bai Xiaoou rolled her eyes at Xun Xiuyuan: "Do you want to get a haircut?"

Xun Xiuyuan said indifferently, "Whatever, where can I get it cut?"

Bai Xiaoou said nothing and directly led Xun Xiuyuan to a barbershop inside the military camp.

Looking at his buzz cut, Xun Xiuyuan felt as if he had returned to his military life in his previous world.

Stepping out of the barbershop, Xun Xiuyuan saw Bai Xiaoou walking towards him from a distance.

Bai Xiaoou took out two communicators and handed them to him: "These are military communicators, they have better signal."

"Thank you!" He reached out, took them, and put them in his pocket, then handed the bottle of second-grade Breakthrough Gene Fluid to Bai Xiaoou.

"This is for you. You can use it."

Bai Xiaoou looked at the handsome man in front of her, and her unruly heart started pounding again.

She took the gene fluid Xun Xiuyuan handed her and stammered, "Oh! Oh! Okay! Thank you!"

Her voice became softer and softer as she spoke.

Soon, Xun Xiuyuan became familiar with the communicator's operation, which was very simple. He then successfully borrowed money from Bai Xiaoou to buy a train ticket to Pingcheng Pass.

The train was tonight, so there was no rush.

Bai Lingxiao arrived at Zuo Wei Camp with Political Director Chief Administrator Ling Xiaotian.

Knowing that Xun Xiuyuan was eating in the cafeteria, the two went straight to the cafeteria.

Xun Xiuyuan was eating when someone suddenly sat opposite him, with fair skin and a refined demeanor.

"You continue eating. Don't mind me. I'll wait for you!" Chief Administrator Ling Xiaotian said.

Xun Xiuyuan smiled and nodded, continuing to eat. Bai Lingxiao and Bai Xiaoou greeted him and then left the cafeteria.

"I am Chief Administrator Ling Xiaotian, the Political Director of Yuncheng Pass. I heard your destination is Pingcheng Pass?" Chief Administrator Ling Xiaotian asked directly after seeing Xun Xiuyuan had finished eating.

"Yes, my mother is most likely in Pingcheng Pass, and I want to go find her."

"What is your relationship with the Xun Family of the Flying Eagle Guards in Pingcheng Pass?"

"I am also considered a Xun Family member, but currently, I have no relationship with them."

Chief Administrator Ling Xiaotian nodded and directly extended an invitation: "On behalf of Yuncheng Pass, I invite you to join Yuncheng Pass. What do you think? You can name your conditions."

He didn't care where he settled down in the future; he only needed to consider his mother's opinion.

For the past fourteen years, his mother had suffered too much and endured too many grievances for the original owner of this body. After the memory fusion, that gratitude could not be erased.

"I need to consult my mother's opinion. If she agrees, then I don't mind."

Xun Xiuyuan replied calmly.