Prefectural Yamen Visitors

"As for the provincial martial arts examination in August, I won't be participating in this session."

"I'll wait for the next provincial examination before taking it."

Wei Tu thought to himself.

In a short period, his Health Cultivation Technique and Tiger Crane Double Form Fist would find it difficult to achieve significant progress or breakthroughs.

It was unlike the Dao Examination.

The provincial martial arts examination was more brutal, not only featuring the Martial Scholars of the current session but also those from previous years…

These older Martial Scholars were hidden talents, not necessarily inferior to some Martial Graduates.

Even if Wei Tu participated in this session of the provincial martial arts examination, it would be difficult for him to achieve a good ranking.

Rankings were directly related to the appointments of local martial officials.

There was only this one opportunity.

But he would wait three years before taking the examination again.

By then, he would have practiced the Health Cultivation Technique for five years, inevitably entering the Qi Sensing Realm. With the added benefit of internal martial arts cultivation, he could aim for a top ten ranking in the provincial martial arts examination.

Five days later.

Qing Feng Prefecture.

Inside the Martial Examination Hall of the Martial Arts Examination Arena, on the competition stage.

"Wei Tu of Qing Feng Prefecture."

"Deng Sandao of Tong Lin Prefecture."

Wei Tu and the Martial Master opposite him cupped their fists in greeting, exchanging names.

After the salutations, they each walked to the weapon racks beside them to select suitable weapons.

"What fierce saber techniques." Just as Deng Sandao picked up the Nine-Ringed Saber from the weapon rack, Wei Tu stepped forward and charged at him, like a fierce tiger lunging through the forest.

As he charged, the three-foot-seven-inch black saber in his hand swung into a sharp semicircle, slashing horizontally towards Deng Sandao's shins.

Seeing this, Deng Sandao's eyelids twitched slightly. He quickly retreated two steps, creating distance before holding his saber to block.

The two unsharpened sabers instantly clashed.

Deng Sandao's right hand went numb from the impact, but he used the force to lower his body and roll to Wei Tu's left. The Nine-Ringed Saber he held stabbed upward diagonally, its tip aimed at the weak point of Wei Tu's left leg.

However—

Wei Tu seemed to have anticipated this. Without dodging or evading, he performed a swallow's flip, soaring into the air. His saber techniques shifted again, resembling a white crane gracefully dancing on the water's surface.

The saber techniques derived from the Tiger Crane Double Form Fist possessed not only the ferocity of a tiger but also the agility of a white crane.

After dozens of exchanges.

Deng Sandao, caught off guard by the change in Wei Tu's saber techniques, missed his reaction. Wei Tu seized the opening and kicked him off the stage.

"His saber techniques have improved even further since the county and prefectural examinations."

Below the stage, Wei Fei, from the same county as Wei Tu, frowned as he watched this scene, wondering if his earlier guess during the county examination had been correct.

To achieve such mastery in saber techniques within two months, he found it hard to believe.

At the same time.

Elsewhere.

On a high platform south of the Martial Arts Examination Arena, a purple-robed official, seated among officials in crimson and green robes, watched the exciting fight between the Martial Masters below with a smile, nodding.

"This year's Dao Examination, the Martial Masters participating in the martial arts examination are significantly stronger than in previous sessions."

The purple-robed official sighed with emotion.

"This is all thanks to Governor Wang's tenure in Shannan Dao. If not for Governor Wang's supervision of the selection and cultivation of Martial Masters in all prefectures and counties..."

"Shannan Dao would not have the flourishing martial arts scene it has today."

A crimson-robed official beside him flattered.

Zheng State was divided into two capitals and thirteen daos.

Shannan Dao was one of them.

And the "Governor Wang" he mentioned was a second-rank Governor overseeing the military and civil affairs of Shannan Dao.

Even within Zheng State, he was a high-ranking and powerful individual, a true court official.

"I believe I can only take credit for thirty percent of this achievement; the other seventy percent belongs to the Wu Yun Tower..." Governor Wang glanced at the crimson-robed official beside him, a faint smile on his lips, and said, "I heard that several Martial Scholars selected in the last Dao Examination were not appointed to official positions but instead joined the Wu Yun Tower and became their inner disciples?"

"The Wu Yun Tower has a significant presence in Qing Feng Prefecture. Does Prefect He know about this matter?"

He asked.

"This matter... this matter... your subordinate truly knows nothing..." Prefect He, hearing Governor Wang's questioning, broke out in a cold sweat on his forehead and immediately shook his head in denial.

In fact, as the Prefect of Qing Feng Prefecture, the capital of Shannan Dao, he had some understanding of the Wu Yun Tower.

It's just that the Wu Yun Tower sect wasn't under the control of the government, and it took in many martial artists…

Since ancient times.

Heroes break the law with their martial arts.

The existence of the Wu Yun Tower was a provocation and a threat to the Zheng State's government. If he admitted to knowing about the Wu Yun Tower, it would be tantamount to admitting his poor management of his jurisdiction, making him appear derelict in his duties.

"Never mind, since Prefect He doesn't know, then I won't press further," Governor Wang shook his head, his gaze returning to the martial arts arena on the training ground.

"This subordinate does have a way to gather some intelligence on the Wu Yun Tower..." Hearing Governor Wang's words, Prefect He's heart tightened, and he quickly added this sentence.

"What way?"

Governor Wang narrowed his eyes and looked at Prefect He. He was burly, with a square face, a short beard under his chin, and had practiced martial arts. When he looked at people, he exuded an imposing aura that made one's heart pound, as if he were angry without being angry.

This was the official presence he had cultivated for many years!

"Since the Wu Yun Tower likes to invite past Martial Scholars to join their sect, we can also use significant benefits to lure talented Martial Scholars to join the Wu Yun Tower... to gather intelligence for us..."

"Martial Masters are loyal to the sovereign and patriotic; they should know how to choose..."

Prefect He pondered for a moment and said.

Loyalty to the sovereign and patriotism were the cornerstones of righteousness, coupled with the temptation of official positions, fame, and fortune. He didn't believe these Martial Scholars would choose to betray the government and plunge headfirst into an organization like the Wu Yun Tower.

"This approach is also a method," Governor Wang nodded slightly, stroked his short beard, and agreed with Prefect He's words.

Jianghu sects had always been a hidden danger to the imperial court. If the Wu Yun Tower, a great martial arts sect that had been entrenched in Shannan Dao for many years, could be eradicated, it would be considered a political achievement for him as an official in Shannan Dao.

After participating in the Dao Examination's martial arts competition, Wei Tu returned to the Dan Residence to await the results from the Martial Examination Hall.

He was confident in his performance in this Martial Arts Examination. He believed that even if his ranking in this Dao Examination wasn't within the top ten, making him a first-class Martial Scholar, he would at least become a second-class Martial Scholar.

After all, he had ranked sixth in the Martial Arts Examination during the Qing Feng Prefecture's Prefectural Examination.

And Qing Feng Prefecture, as the capital of Shannan Dao, was a place where elites gathered. Whether it was the civil or martial examinations, Qing Feng Prefecture produced the best quantity and quality of scholars among all prefectures.

The top scholar of the Dao Examination's martial arts competition had been consecutively won by martial artists from Qing Feng Prefecture for the past three sessions.

"Brother Wei, there are yamen runners and clerks from the prefecture who have arrived. They are waiting in the living room and want to take you to the prefectural yamen..."

On the last day of the results announcement, in the evening, Dan Yangong knocked on Wei Tu's door, his face filled with anxiety, and said.

Since ancient times.

The common people feared officials.

The eight-character yamen opens to the south; those with justice but no money should not enter.

Even those with justice were somewhat fearful.

What's more, Wei Tu was "unjust," and his background was not clean.

This time, Wei Tu was summoned by clerks from the prefectural yamen... to go to the prefectural yamen... there was a very high probability that it wasn't a good thing...

Dan Yangong worried that this was a consequence of Wei Tu cheating in the County Examination, which led to the prefectural yamen sending people to the Dan Residence to apprehend him for "questioning."