Tonight, the Frogs Were Especially Noisy

Martial Hall rear courtyard:

Zhao Wuji wore a grave expression as he quietly told Zhao Hongxiu the news he had just learned.

"The Great Figure in charge of the Martial Academy has been replaced."

"The Martial Academy is going to undergo reforms."

Zhao Hongxiu looked utterly bewildered.

What did this have to do with her?

"This year, the Martial Academy is expanding enrollment to over two hundred people."

Zhao Hongxiu said happily, "That's wonderful. Ordinary people will have a better chance of entering the Martial Academy."

"As long as our Martial Hall gets a few more students admitted, business will improve in the future."

Zhao Wuji nodded, then shook his head.

"At noon, all the county's powerful nobles and Fortified Village masters summoned our Thirty-Six Martial Arts Halls to a meeting to discuss this matter."

"Each of the Thirty-Six Martial Arts Halls gets two fixed slots."

"They occupy a hundred slots."

"Therefore, ordinary people still only have a little over twenty slots."

Zhao Hongxiu... was delighted.

The powerful nobles and Fortified Village Disciples had actually invited the Martial Halls to participate in this matter?

"Looks like our Martial Halls have finally stepped into the same social stratum as them."

Zhao Wuji said with a grave expression:

"If we want those two slots, we must choose one master among the Fortified Villages and noble households."

Zhao Hongxiu's eyes widened, and she sneered:

"Heh... they want us to be their dogs?"

Zhao Wuji nodded.

Zhao Hongxiu sneered. "I will never be their dog."

"I'll fight for a Martial Academy slot myself."

Zhao Wuji was pleased inside, but his expression remained grave.

"The Martial Academy's Preliminary Exam has also been reformed. This time, disciples from the previous class of the Outer Court will fight the newcomers."

Zhao Hongxiu frowned.

The older Outer Court disciples might have few resources, but after cultivating for a year, they would have opened at least one hundred and eighty Iron Sinews. Some might even have Copper Sinews.

If they encountered someone exceptionally gifted, they might have already begun forging Iron Bones or Bronze Bones.

How were they supposed to fight?

Zhao Hongxiu fell silent.

Seeing this, Zhao Wuji extinguished some of his little schemes and resigned himself. "The Martial Hall has two slots now."

"Choose someone, grant him a favor, and once he enters the Martial Academy, have him support you a little."

Zhao Hongxiu was silent for a moment before saying:

"If that happens, can ordinary people still enter the Martial Academy?"

Zhao Wuji said disappointedly, "Three thousand taels of silver for one slot, or sign a Servant Contract."

Zhao Hongxiu gave a bitter smile. "Is there no other way?"

"There is no other way!"

"This reform... is awful."

At the training ground, Shi Tiezhu led a group of young men and women in cultivation.

"Hey! Ha!" Their momentum was imposing.

Everyone was striving to get admitted.

In a corner:

"Croak, croak." The sound of a toad rang out.

Chu Qing was on all fours, like an oversized toad.

The croaking came from his abdomen.

With every sound, a strange vibration rippled through his entire body.

His chest and belly swelled, while the muscles on his back writhed.

"This Toad Skill tempers the major sinews in these two areas."

"That way, I can train the major sinews throughout my entire body."

"Others can only train the major sinews in their limbs."

"I just don't know how many major sinews this Toad Skill can help me cultivate."

Chu Qing cared greatly about the Toad Skill.

Because:

This technique had a suffix—secret transmission.

He did not know what secret transmission meant, but it was definitely stronger than Mantis Fist.

Croak!

Croak!

Chu Qing carefully sensed the changes in his body.

The major sinews in his chest and back wriggled.

His flesh and blood trembled.

His five viscera and six bowels trembled.

"Mantis Fist can only train the major sinews of the limbs."

"The Toad Skill actually tempers flesh, bones, and even the five viscera and six bowels?"

"Is this the mystery of a secret transmission?"

Chu Qing was suspicious.

In martial cultivation, one trained the major sinews first, then the bones, then the five viscera, six bowels, and flesh, and finally the skin and hair.

There were martial arts for Tendon Training and techniques for training bones.

But he had never heard of a technique that cultivated several parts at once.

This Toad Skill seemed to have done exactly that?

"But... why isn't it displayed in the Profession Slot?"

"Is my realm too low, and my progress too small, so it isn't showing?"

At that moment, his expression suddenly changed slightly.

Then he dashed off to the rear courtyard to take care of personal business.

A little later, he returned and continued cultivating.

Croak!

Croak!

Half an hour later, his stomach rumbled.

After taking care of personal business again, Chu Qing was delighted.

The Toad Skill had actually made him expel so much filth.

"Could the secret transmission of the Toad Skill mean—cleansing filth and improving aptitude?"

Unfortunately, he had stolen this technique.

He did not dare ask Senior Disciple Brother and could only guess on his own.

Croak!

Croak!

After cultivating for a while longer, Chu Qing's expression changed slightly.

Croak!

He opened his mouth and spat out a mouthful of black phlegm.

The next moment, he felt his breathing become even smoother.

"What a fine technique!"

Chu Qing was overjoyed.

Late at night:

Setting aside whether this technique could truly improve aptitude.

The fact that it alone could expel the filth from his body was enough.

Croak!

Croak!

Chu Qing became even more addicted to training.

Chest and back Iron Sinews +0.1

Fewer and fewer people remained on the training ground.

In the end, only Shi Tiezhu and a handful of others were left.

At that moment:

Zhao Hongxiu appeared, dressed in red.

Her arrival seemed to add a streak of light to the pitch-black training ground.

"Shi Tiezhu, come with me."

Shi Tiezhu froze for a moment, his heart racing. Could it be that Heaven saw how hard I worked and fell for me?

He was truly excited.

It was only natural for a young man to admire a woman.

Especially when Zhao Hongxiu was so beautiful.

A short while later, the two stopped.

Under the night sky, a gentle breeze drifted by.

A faint fragrance slipped into Shi Tiezhu's nostrils.

He secretly inhaled deeply. It smelled wonderful.

Croak!

Croak!

The two remained silent.

Silence was tonight's young man and young woman.

After a long time, Shi Tiezhu racked his brains and said:

"Senior Sister... tonight, the frogs are especially noisy."

The croaking abruptly stopped.

Zhao Hongxiu froze for a moment, then said calmly:

"Shi Tiezhu, I want to sign a contract with you."

Shi Tiezhu... was bewildered.

Did courting and romance require signing a contract too?

Seeing Shi Tiezhu's bewildered face, Zhao Hongxiu secretly sighed and repeated the news about the Martial Academy reforms.

"With your talent and diligence, if it were last year, you would have had a high chance of passing the Martial Academy Preliminary Exam."

"But... this year, you definitely won't get in."

Shi Tiezhu clenched his fists and said hoarsely, "Senior Sister, is there no other way?"

"There is no other way!"

Shi Tiezhu gritted his teeth, straightened his backbone, and rasped, "Why?"

The slots had been few before, but ordinary people had still had a chance to soar into the sky in a single leap.

But now, to enter the Martial Academy, one either needed three thousand taels of silver or had to become a dog.

Even Zhao Hongxiu could not produce three thousand taels of silver.

Much less him.

Shi Tiezhu felt stifled and wanted to cry.

"Think it over."

Zhao Hongxiu turned to leave.

Shi Tiezhu suddenly said, "Senior Sister, I... I'll listen to you."

Zhao Hongxiu nodded. "Good. Once we enter the Martial Academy, if we join hands and work for them, things will be easier too."

"Mm..."

Zhao Hongxiu left.

Shi Tiezhu stood there for a very, very long time.

His straight back sagged, like a dog whose spine had been broken.

In the corner:

Chu Qing's expression was ugly.

"Heh... cutting off the possibility of ordinary people rising from the roots?"

"Looks like I still had to keep working hard."

"Twenty-two Iron Sinews were not enough to enter the Martial Academy."

"One hundred and eighty Iron Sinews, or even those taking the Copper Sinew Iron Bone assessment?"

"I... feared nothing!"

"Whoever stood in my way of entering the Martial Academy, I would make them die."

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