"As for the provincial examination in August, I won't be taking part this time."
"I'll sit for it at the next provincial examination."
Wei Tu thought to himself.
In the short term, it would be difficult for both his Health Cultivation Technique and Tiger Crane Double Form Fist to make any major progress or breakthroughs.
It was different from the dao examination.
The Provincial Martial Arts Examination was far more brutal. Not only did this year's Martial Scholars take part, but Martial Scholars from previous years did as well...
Among those older Martial Scholars were hidden dragons and crouching tigers. They might not be any weaker than some Martial Graduates.
Even if Wei Tu participated in this Provincial Martial Arts Examination, it would be difficult for him to achieve a good ranking.
Rankings were tied to appointments as local military officers.
He only had one chance.
But if he waited three years before taking it again.
By then, he would have practiced the Health Cultivation Technique for over five years and would surely enter the Qi Sensing Realm. With the support of the Inner Cultivation Martial Way, he could hope to seize a place in the top ten of the Provincial Martial Arts Examination.
Five days later.
Qing Feng Prefecture.
Inside the Martial Examination Hall, atop the arena platform.
"Wei Tu of Qing Feng Prefecture."
"Deng Sandao of Tong Lin Prefecture."
Wei Tu and the martial master opposite him clasped their fists in salute and announced their names to each other.
After the salute, the two walked to the weapon racks beside them and selected weapons that suited their hands.
"What fierce Saber Techniques." The moment Deng Sandao took the Nine-Ringed Saber from the weapon rack, Wei Tu strode forward and charged straight at him, like a ferocious tiger lowering its body and sprinting through the mountain forest.
As he rushed forward, the three-foot-seven-inch black saber in his hand swung into a fierce semicircle, slashing horizontally at Deng Sandao's shin.
At the sight, Deng Sandao's eyelids twitched. He hurriedly retreated two steps, opened the distance, and raised his saber to block.
The two blunt sabers collided in an instant.
The impact numbed Deng Sandao's right hand, but he used the force to his advantage. He lowered his body and rolled toward Wei Tu's left, thrusting the Nine-Ringed Saber held against his chest upward at a slant. Its tip pointed directly at the weak point of Wei Tu's left leg.
However—
Wei Tu seemed to have anticipated this long ago. Without dodging, he flipped like a kite turning over and leaped into the air. His saber form changed again, and he danced gracefully over the water like a white crane.
The saber techniques derived from the Tiger Crane Double Form Fist possessed not only the tiger's ferocity, but also the white crane's nimble grace.
After dozens of exchanges.
Deng Sandao made one careless mistake and failed to react to the change in Wei Tu's saber techniques. Wei Tu caught the opening and kicked him off the platform.
"His Saber Techniques have improved again since the county examination and prefectural examination."
Below the platform, Wei Fei, who came from the same county as Wei Tu, frowned secretly at the sight, uncertain whether his guess from the county examination had been correct.
To attain such mastery of Saber Techniques in two months—he found it a little hard to believe.
At the same time.
Elsewhere.
On the raised platform south of the Martial Arts Examination Arena, the purple-robed official seated among a group of crimson-robed and green-robed officials smiled and nodded as he watched the splendid fight between the martial masters below.
"This year's dao examination has drawn martial masters of a higher standard than the previous few years."
The purple-robed official sighed.
"This is all thanks to your achievements after taking office in Shannan Dao, Governor Wang. If not for your urging the prefectures and counties to select martial masters and focus on cultivating them..."
"Shannan Dao would not have such flourishing martial traditions today."
The crimson-robed official at his side flattered him.
The Zheng State ruled over two capitals and thirteen daos.
Shannan Dao was one of them.
And the "Governor Wang" he spoke of was the second-rank governor in charge of Shannan Dao's military and civil affairs.
Even within the Zheng State, he counted as a man of high rank and great authority, a true court official.
"I think I can claim only thirty percent of this credit. The other seventy percent belongs to Wu Yun Tower..." Governor Wang glanced at the crimson-robed official beside him, a faint smile appearing at the corner of his mouth. "I heard that several Martial Scholars selected in the last dao examination were not appointed to official posts, but instead entered Wu Yun Tower and became its inner disciples?"
"Wu Yun Tower has been quite active in Qing Feng Prefecture. Does Prefect He happen to know anything about this?"
He asked.
"This matter... this matter... this subordinate truly does not know..." Hearing Governor Wang's questioning, cold sweat seeped from Prefect He's brow, and he immediately shook his head in denial.
In truth, as the prefect of Qing Feng Prefecture, the capital prefecture of Shannan Dao, he knew a little about Wu Yun Tower.
It was only that Wu Yun Tower, as a sect, was beyond the government's control and had taken in numerous martial artists...
Since ancient times.
Heroes had used martial strength to defy the law.
Wu Yun Tower's existence was a provocation and threat to the Zheng State's government. If he admitted that he knew of Wu Yun Tower, he would be acknowledging that he had governed his jurisdiction poorly and was suspected of negligence.
"Very well. Since Prefect He does not know, I will not press you further." Governor Wang shook his head and turned his gaze back to the arena platform where the martial contest was underway.
"This subordinate does have a method to gather some intelligence on Wu Yun Tower..." Hearing Governor Wang's words, Prefect He's heart tightened, and he hurriedly added this sentence.
"What method?"
Governor Wang narrowed his eyes and looked toward Prefect He—he was broad and powerfully built, with a square face and a short beard beneath his chin. Having practiced martial arts as well, he carried himself with an imposing air when he looked at others, possessing the majesty of one who need not rage to inspire fear.
This was the official authority he had cultivated over many years!
"Since Wu Yun Tower likes inviting Martial Scholars from previous years to join its sect, we can likewise tempt Martial Scholars of decent aptitude with great benefits, have them join Wu Yun Tower... and gather intelligence for us..."
"Martial masters are loyal to their sovereign and devoted to their country. They should know how to choose..."
Prefect He pondered for a moment before speaking.
Loyalty to sovereign and country was the great righteousness, and there were also the temptations of official rank, fame, and profit. He did not believe these Martial Scholars would choose to betray the government and plunge headfirst into an organization like Wu Yun Tower.
"This is also a workable method." Governor Wang nodded slightly, stroked his short beard, and approved Prefect He's proposal.
Martial sects of the jianghu had always been the court's thorn in its flesh. If he could eliminate Wu Yun Tower, the great martial sect that had entrenched itself in Shannan Dao for many years, it would count as one of his accomplishments during his tenure in Shannan Dao.
After taking part in the dao examination's martial contest, Wei Tu returned to the Shan Family and waited for the Martial Examination Hall to release the rankings.
He was confident in his results in this martial examination. He believed that even if his ranking in this dao examination failed to enter the top ten and make him a first-class Martial Scholar, he could at least become a Second-class Martial Scholar.
After all, he had ranked sixth in the martial examination of Qing Feng Prefecture's prefectural examination.
As the capital prefecture of Shannan Dao, Qing Feng Prefecture was a place where elites gathered. Whether in civil examinations or martial examinations, the number and quality of scholars produced by Qing Feng Prefecture stood head and shoulders above the other prefectures.
For three consecutive sessions, the Martial Arts Examination Top Scholar of the dao examination had been claimed by martial artists from Qing Feng Prefecture.
"Young Master Wei, yamen runners and clerks from the prefecture have come. They're waiting in the reception hall and want to take you to the Prefectural Yamen..."
On the final day before the rankings were announced, at dusk, Dan Yangong knocked open Wei Tu's door, his face full of anxiety.
Since ancient times.
Commoners feared officials.
The yamen gate faced south; without money, even if you had reason, do not enter.
Even those with reason had to fear it by several degrees.
Much less Wei Tu, who was "without reason," with a dirty stain beneath his backside.
This time, clerks from the Prefectural Yamen had summoned Wei Tu... ordering him to go to the Prefectural Yamen... There was a great chance that it was not good news...
Dan Yangong feared that Wei Tu's cheating during the county examination had come to light at last, which was why the Prefectural Yamen had sent people to the Dan Residence to seize him for "questioning."
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