"Bah! If she wasn't my master's half-sister, I would have taught her a lesson!" Ma Xiaomai couldn't help herself and spat at Duan Xinyan's back.

"What are you talking about?" Ma Fuquan put his big hand on his shoulder. "A good man doesn't fight with a woman. Let her say whatever she wants. It won't cost you a piece of meat."

"Daddy is right. I won't bother with her. She's already a mother, but her temper hasn't changed at all. She's still as annoying as before!"

"Let's not talk about her anymore. Daddy has a good news for you." Ma Fuquan briefly explained the Five Poison Formation to him and told him that he would be responsible for breaking through the Earth Gate Formation. Ma Xiaomai was so happy that a layer of oiliness appeared on his dark red face.

"Dad, brothers fight like tigers, and fathers and sons fight together. Take me with you to break the earth gate formation. Together we can ensure that nothing goes wrong!"

"What's up, kid?" Ma Fuquan flicked his finger at his forehead and asked with a smile, "Are you hungry? If you are, I'll make you something to eat. Eat and have a good rest. I'll talk to you about some serious matters tonight."

Several years of military life have tempered Ma Xiaomai. Although he is not yet calm enough, as the eldest son he must shoulder the responsibility of the family. Therefore, Ma Fuquan decides to tell him his origins. In this way, if he suddenly returns one day, Tian's family can rest assured that Ma Xiaomai will help and take care of him.

Compared to the past, Ma Xiaomai has indeed made progress. In the past, he would have chased Ma Fuquan to find out what was going on. He couldn't sleep at all without getting to the bottom of it. The military camp is indeed a melting pot, the best place to train and cultivate men.

Ma Xiaomai and Qiaofeng also brought a lot of things, which were all northern specialties given by Xu's mother Cao to Jian Ning and his wife, Xu Dali and the other two. There was also a letter from Cao and Xiuqin to Qiaofeng to Xu Dali. Xiuqin's second child was a boy, who was three months younger than Erlangzi's daughter Chuntian, and could already run around the yard.

Xu Dali, a burly man, squatted on the ground and cried bitterly after reading the letter. He has never gone back to Xing'an County since he came there.

He misses home, his children, his wife and his mother.

"Be patient for another year or two. When the war is over, no matter where my husband is transferred, you should go and bring them over first. Then the family can be reunited and you won't have to worry about them." Jian Ning said.

"Thank you, ma'am. I'm fine. I just feel a little sad after reading the book. Little Shitou has never seen his father since he was born. I'll be fine after a while."

"Well, we're going into battle the day after tomorrow. Don't overthink it. Remember what my husband said and focus on breaking the formation first. That's the most important thing right now!"

As soon as Jian Ning finished speaking, Dabao and Duan Yu came to report the news. Ding Youtian and Qin Yifan went to the camp after breakfast. There, the two of them had worked with several generals to set up the Five Poison Formation. Dabao and Duan Yu were ordered to come and inform them to go to the camp.

"Dad, I'm not hungry or thirsty. I'll go and take a look too." Ma Xiaomai became alert when she heard that. She hugged Dabao with one hand and Duan Yu with the other, looking full of energy.

"Okay, let's go together."

When Jian Ning and the others were changing clothes and on their way to the camp, Ma Xiaomai heard Duan Yu say that Pei Zhe was challenging them in front of the camp every day and cursing Yan Chao for being a coward. She was so angry that she jumped up immediately and shouted that she wanted to meet Pei Zhe, but was scolded by both Ma Fuquan and Jian Ning.

"Military orders are as heavy as mountains. The Marshal has expressly forbidden anyone from going out into battle. Have you been wasting all these years in the barracks? Don't you understand this? If you're still so impatient, you don't have to come with us. Rest for a night and then go back to the north. I have nothing more to say to you!"

"No need to go back to the North. Once you enter the military camp, the most important thing is to obey military orders. If you can't obey military discipline and orders, go back and help your mother brew wine! There are many generals in the camp. Do you think that you can be invincible just because you learned some martial arts and stayed in the military camp for a few years? From now on, don't say you are my apprentice. I can't raise an apprentice like you. Take off your armor as soon as possible and don't embarrass us here!"

As soon as Ma Fuquan and Jian Ning said this, Ma Xiaomai immediately wilted. He was just hot-blooded and yelled a few words out of anger.

"Father, Master, I was wrong just now. Father and Master were right. Not to mention the other generals, Father and Master are many times stronger than me. How could I be the one to speak out and shout? I truly know I was wrong. Don't chase me away. I promise to obey military orders and never do it again."

Jian Ning glanced at him, then his eyes flicked to Duan Yu, startling him so much that he unconsciously shrank his neck. He was emotional when he told Ma Xiaomai just now that Pei Zhe had challenged his father by name, and he and Ma Xiaomai were both at the age of a newborn calf who was not afraid of a tiger, so he was holding back a lot of anger. He wanted to instigate Ma Xiaomai to take the lead in causing a scene, but Jian Ning's glance deflated him.

His elder sister was so formidable. He had seen everything that happened during the competition yesterday, so how could he dare to get angry? He also honestly admitted his mistake. "Don't blame him for being reckless. I instigated him when I talked to him. I also know I was wrong, and I won't do it again."

"It has nothing to do with you. A man is responsible for his own actions. I am the one who doesn't know how high the heavens are and how deep the earth is. What does it have to do with you?"

Ma Fuquan snorted, "You're quite a gutsy kid!"

When they arrived at the camp, Ma Fuquan pointed at Su Muyun and patted Ma Xiaomai on the chest. "You two are the same age. Open your eyes and watch me carefully, so that you can understand what it means to be better than others. With your talent, you need at least five years of hard work and study to catch up with his current skills. But I believe that you are not a coward. If you work hard for me, in time, you can at least be on par with him, not just surpass him. Do you have the confidence?"

Ma Xiaomai puffed out his chest and said, "Yes! It must be!"

"Good job! I believe you!" Ma Fuquan punched him on the shoulder.

In the evening, after finishing the formation-breaking drill, Ma Fuquan said hello to Jian Ning and Ding Youtian. He wanted to take Ma Xiaomai to the cave where the weapons were hidden to tell him the truth. Since it was also related to Jian Ning, he naturally had to ask their opinions first.

Jian Ning and Ding Youtian both agreed. Another 100,000-strong army was stationed at the foot of Jiguana Mountain. The hillside was filled with flags and bright lanterns, and the Wuyi Camp was also stationed there.

Ma Fuquan first took Ma Xiaomai to Wuyi Camp and arranged him under the command of the cavalry commander Du Yuhou. After giving him some instructions, he took him to the cave on the mountain.

"Follow me, don't wander around. Your uncle has set up a Qimen Dunjia at the entrance of this cave." Ma Fuquan first led him into the cave to inspect the modern weapons. Ma Xiaomai immediately recognized the XL that Jian Ning had given him. "This belongs to my master!"

He was about to reach out to take it when Ma Fuquan stopped him.

After viewing the weapons, Ma Fuquan called him out and said, "Look up at the night sky. If I tell you that there is another, even countless, night sky beyond this one, with the sun and moon alternating just like this one, and different people living under each sky, would you believe it?"

"I believe it!" Ma Xiaomai said loudly.