Chapter 28

On the once bustling and brightly lit street, a troop of black-clad cavalry slowly entered the wide main road.

The number of cavalry was not large, at most thirty riders.

But these thirty riders were all clad in black leather armor.

The cavalry were muscular and tall, with the circumference of their exposed arms almost twice that of an average adult man.

Each of them wore a black headscarf, with a quiver of longbows on the side of their horses and a massive saber on their back.

The warhorses they rode were each taller than a man. Like their riders, they were clad in leather armor, snorting heavily and standing tall and strong.

As the thirty-odd riders passed, everything around them fell silent, as if a mute button had been pressed.

Everyone was intimidated by the imposing presence of the black cavalry.

The most eye-catching was the man at the front of the cavalry.

He had a handsome face, a broad back, and a bear-like waist, clad in black general's armor made entirely of metal. His warhorse was also clad in black metal armor.

His black hair was tied up high, and he did not wear a helmet. He was no more than thirty years old, with a slight smile on his lips as he rode at the front.

The most impressive thing was the nearly two-meter-long black war spear on his back.

The war spear was as thick as a child's arm, clearly very heavy.

Yet, he carried it as if it were nothing, and his warhorse moved with a light and easy gait.

If it weren't for the heavy thud of the ground with each step, which was much louder than the other warhorses, people might have thought he was carrying a fake.

"This man... is Hong Daoyuan!" Cheng Shaojiu whispered in admiration from the second floor of the Hundred Flowers Pavilion, by the window.

"Truly extraordinary!"

Not just him, but everyone who saw him had the same feeling.

"The Tiger of Feiye, truly lives up to his name!"

The man in blue at the next table also praised, but unlike Cheng Shaojiu's simple admiration, his tone carried a hint of heaviness.

Wei He also had the same feeling.

Just by looking at that massive war spear from a distance, one could imagine the incredible destructive power it would cause when wielded.

The thirty-odd black cavalry moved with a similar and consistent gait, exuding a formidable presence. It was as if a black mist surrounded them, causing everyone around to keep a wide berth, afraid to get too close.

"That war spear is named Dixin, personally crafted by Hong Daoyuan. It weighs 312 stones and is made of a special alloy using a unique forging technique, making it incredibly sharp."

An unknown old man in white also came to the window and looked down, explaining in a deep voice as Hong Daoyuan's troop passed by.

Wei He was shocked.

Having practiced and trained for so long, he naturally knew how heavy a stone was.

In this place, a stone referred to the weight of a stone of rice, which he had tested and found to be about 150 pounds in his previous life.

And 312 stones... that was over 312 pounds... a metal spear over 150 kilograms.

When swung, the combination of human strength, horse power, and the weight itself would create a terrifying killing force!

"Amazing!!"

"Old Yang, you truly have great insight!"

The surrounding people drew in a sharp breath and then flattered the old man a few times.

The old man in white stroked his long beard, his eyes deep.

"A few years ago, I saw the Tiger of Feiye, Hong Daoyuan, once. Back then, he did not have such a formidable presence, but now he is even more imposing... The Tiger of Feiye, truly lives up to his name!"

Cheng Shaojiu whispered to Wei He.

"That's Old Yang Zhen, a famous mechanical engineer in the inner city, with deep expertise in mechanical arts. Be very careful not to offend him easily."

Wei He nodded.

He收回视线，再看下方的洪道元，黑骑兵马队已经慢慢远去了，消失在内城七家盟的核心街区中。

显然是有专人引着进去面见城守大人去了。

众人见没得看的，也纷纷散去。

老阳震和那邻桌的两个神秘男女也起身离开，酒桌上菜肴一点未动。

看得魏合皱眉，太浪费了，既然不吃为什么还点这么多。

“走了。”程少久匆匆吃了点，便也起身带着魏合结账离开。

两人后续去了乐坊听曲，可惜魏合毫无兴致，脑海里一直回想着洪道元和那些黑骑兵的强悍威势。

程少久见他没兴趣，也不强求，随便玩了玩，便起身乘车返回。

两人坐在程家的马车里，放下车帘，相对而坐。

“程哥，那洪道元到底有多强，你知道么？”魏合问出自己一直在心里的疑惑。

“听说过一些。”程少久回忆了一下，沉声道，“我以前听我伯父提过。洪家堡当初和一耳盗匪交手时，就是这洪道元一马当先。

此人乃是洪家麒麟，天生神力，皮肉坚固，练的洪家堡家传十九路横山枪，把一门本来只是寻常的枪法，硬生生练出了恐怖威势。”

程少久现在回想伯父描述的情景，还是心潮澎湃。

他面上露出一丝震动，继续道。

“据说那场遭遇战中，洪道元一枪硬生生震废了一耳盗匪的两名得力大将。然后两枪砸死了一耳盗匪最喜爱的异种战马。

一耳盗匪差点被活活震死在马背上，骑着的异种战马都被四条腿砸断，跪倒在地。简直强得让人发指！”

“……这军中的武将，厉害的都这么强么？”魏合忍不住问道。

“武将军队也要分什么势力，若是大家族大派蓄养的兵卒，实力和一般的兵卒差距非常大。

至于武将，很多武将也有帮派出身，武师出身，各不相同，这些我也只是听我大伯说过，其余细节也不清楚。

反正，你想想就是，如果军队武将不强，城里三帮二派不早就乱套了？”

魏合了然，是这个理。

他们交点钱就能获得练功的机会，那些武将们自然也不会差，肯定是更好的功法，更好的衣食住行，更好的气血法。

一个个强得变态，也算正常了。

“据说洪家堡有一黑风骑，云从龙虎生风，就是为的飞业之虎洪道元所设，最次也要是气血突破过一次的人才有资格申请加入。非常强悍！”程少久赞叹道。

“这趟是长见识了。”魏合也深有感触。

原本以为自己练功如此，也算是小有实力，今日一见，才知道为什么大家都这么忌惮洪家堡。

不过这些说白了距离他还太远。

只是这是第一次，他真正见识到了，什么是精锐军士。

“不过你也别多想，实在没法突破，以你的才智，就算不练武，也能闯出一番事业。这点我是相信的！”程少久安慰道。

他知道最近魏合开始准备突破关卡了。但这一关卡艰难无比。而以魏合的潜力……

“大不了，来镖局你我兄弟齐心，日后绝不会弱于我大伯他们！”程少久正色道。

“我明白的。”魏合点头，心头一暖。

不过他也听说，程少久不止对他一个人这么说过，永和镖局现在拉了不少他的所谓好友死党，大部分都是吃干饭，气得他爹和大伯够呛。

两人回到自家，此后连续数日，都没有丝毫懈怠，终日苦练磨皮，提升气血。

只是程少久终究是耐不住的性子，没过一月，便又开始出去内城浪了。

但魏合却不同，被那一晚的见闻刺激后，他闷头苦练，一心想要突破更高一层。

这个世界武力值差距有点太大了。

那洪道元的恐怖如果是真的，没有吹牛，那就真是凶悍无比，有万夫不当之勇。

他若是在其面前，就是一枪就废的垃圾。

好在他自身的气血只差一点点就圆满，他如此苦熬磨砺，又过了两个多月，终于，将最后一点气血彻底圆满。

如此，破境珠和自身气血同时圆满，魏合也终于能正儿八经突破关卡。

不过他并不急着马上突破，若是能尝试着自己突破，那就能节省一次破境珠的积攒。

这样一来留到下一阶段使用不是更好？

正好，之前提到过的对拳活动，也在这时开始。

郑老带着实力最强的三个弟子，大师兄赵宏，萧然，以及第三的程少久，一起去了内城。

魏合只是普通牛皮层次，还差得远。便和其他师兄弟一样，留在院子里。

只是他此时也没什么心思去参加对拳，而是闷头埋在突破这一关上。

不只是他，院子里和魏合一样气血圆满的，有四人，四人也是和他一样，疯狂地每天锤炼自己，试图尽快突破关卡。

一旦突破，这地位瞬间就完全不同了。石皮层次才算是真正的精锐了。

“据说在对拳的时候，萧然气血圆满了！马上能开始冲击铁皮了！！”忽然一个低声道打断了魏合的全神贯注。

他正低头一下接一下地磨皮拳头，听到这个消息，也是心神一动。

萧然之前才突破石皮几个月，现在居然就气血圆满了……当真不可想象。

不过魏合心如止水，恢复心情，继续苦练。

他气血破境珠全满，此时随时可以破境，只是他不甘心罢了。

人总有点侥幸心理，觉得光靠自己，说不定能行。

可惜，连续数天来，他疯狂地苦练，依旧丝毫没有起色。

不只是他，其余气血圆满的师兄弟们，也是如此。

这一关卡卡了太多太多人。

程晴已经在这一关卡了好几年，程少久也在这一关卡了几年才破，要是这么容易就能破开，也不会筛选出这么多弟子。

“魏师兄，不要着急，这一关我听我爹说，最少也需要半年一年才有可能。”欧阳庄在一旁忍不住劝慰道。

“就算你一辈子突破不了也很正常，很多人都是这样。实在没法突破，就只能去先做其他事了。”欧阳庄一张嘴说出来的话相当欠打。

也就是魏合知道他不是故意的，而是真心在劝他。

他慢慢放慢动作。

“我已经满十八了，两年内过不了这关，气血就会下滑。时间不多。”他淡淡道。