Assessment

The assembly call sounded.

The new batch of soldiers arrived one after another and lined up neatly on the Training Ground.

Not long after.

Xiang Tingchun appeared first, clad in Chainmail with a saber hanging at his waist. Close behind him came a civil official in formal robes.

Xiang Tingchun wore no expression as he walked straight onto the high platform.

He swept his gaze across the crowd before speaking slowly in a deep voice. "Those who have cultivated blood qi, step forward!"

Of the thirty-eight men, Chen Sanshi alone took a step forward.

A trace of surprise surfaced on Xiang Tingchun's placid, ancient-well-like face. He ordered, "Send out a Squad Leader to spar with him. Let me have a look."

"Xu Bin, step forward!"

Wang Zhi raised a hand and pointed at someone. "Follow the rules. You'll use the Blood Refinement Initiation realm as well, though you may employ your techniques as you please. Spar with Chen Sanshi!"

Xu Bin, who had been abruptly chosen at the edge of the Training Ground, froze for a moment before stepping out.

He looked at Chen Sanshi, his expression somewhat complicated.

Over the past few days, this fellow villager of his had truly stolen all the limelight.

First, several Hundred Household Commanders had competed for him in public.

Then, he had cultivated blood qi in a mere six days.

Six days!

Back then, Xu Bin had only barely crossed the line into becoming a Warrior Recruit. As for how long it had taken him to cultivate blood qi, he had long forgotten the exact number!

In any case, he had spent several years in the Military Camp before finally muddling his way into becoming a Squad Leader.

If this kid performed well today, he might be promoted directly to Squad Leader!

Such boundless prospects.

Yet on the very first day the other man had enlisted, Xu Bin had shown him no friendly face.

Even worse, for some reason, he had been selected to conduct the assessment himself.

"What are you standing around for? Begin."

Xiang Tingchun urged, "Use blood qi of the same realm and go all out. It will be a good chance for me to see whether you martial officers have made any progress in your skills."

"Old Xu."

"I heard this man is your fellow villager. Don't go easy on him."

"..."

Several banner officers and Hundred Household Commanders chimed in from the side.

They had often heard recently that a genius had come to the garrison, and they had long wanted to see what he was made of.

Following the instructions, Xu Bin drew forth a wisp of blood qi.

The amount of blood qi could be controlled.

At Blood Qi Initiation, there was one wisp. At proficiency, there were two wisps. At minor accomplishment, it spread throughout all four limbs.

Maintaining only one wisp of blood qi meant suppressing one's realm to the initiation stage.

But saber techniques had been accumulated over years and years, and were difficult to restrain.

In theory, if the two fought, he held an absolute advantage.

Even so, Xu Bin still felt slightly nervous.

Lord Thousand Households was personally watching and had spoken those words.

That meant if Xu Bin lost publicly to a newcomer, his future would be more or less finished.

On the other hand, if he could display some thunderous methods and catch the Thousand Households' attention...

His childhood ambition had been to one day achieve merit on the battlefield. Unfortunately, he had been born in Poyang County, where he did not even have a chance to kill enemies.

Without Cultivation Resources, he had been stuck at the Blood Refinement realm for so many years that he could scarcely see any hope of advancement.

Today, however, was an opportunity.

They were both fighting for their own futures. He was unwilling to sacrifice himself to help someone else.

So there was absolutely no way he would go easy on him.

He only hoped this younger brother introduced by his father would not blame him.

"Sanshi, if I hurt you, don't blame me."

Xu Bin drew his saber. The three-foot blade emitted a cold gleam beneath the blazing sun.

"Officer Xu, please, come at me."

Chen Sanshi raised his spear and stood ready in stern formation.

Ever since he had begun practicing martial arts, he had never properly crossed hands with anyone.

He could take this chance to test exactly what level he had reached.

"Good. Watch the saber!"

Xu Bin suddenly struck.

His body bent slightly as he dragged his saber forward, his eyes sharp as a wild wolf that had gone hungry for days before finally seeing flesh and blood. In just two breaths, he reached the youth's side, and the Wild Goose Feather Saber swept horizontally.

At the same time, a glint of cold light flashed ahead.

In the space of a thought, that cold glint became a spear tip, rapidly enlarging in Xu Bin's pupils.

The later mover struck, yet arrived first;

The saber was short and the spear was long—the way of long weapons!

"What a fast spear!"

How could Xu Bin dare continue attacking? One more half-step forward, and before his saber could hit the other man, he would likely be pierced through first!

He abruptly halted, intending to use his saber to chop through the spear shaft made of white waxwood.

Chen Sanshi clearly would not give him that chance. He withdrew the spear three inches, united waist and stance, channeled blood qi into his right arm, and, with the posture of "block and seize," slammed the spear tip into the saber's edge.

Clang—

A crisp sound of weapons colliding rang out.

The Wild Goose Feather Saber trembled and hummed without end.

The Plum Blossom Spear shook even more violently.

Both men retreated several steps at once.

But for a long weapon, opening the distance meant gaining the advantage!

Xu Bin had only just steadied himself when the Plum Blossom Iron Spear stabbed toward him again. He had no choice but to block with his saber once more. Fortunately, after practicing martial arts for many years, this level of intensity was not much of a problem for him. He could withstand it.

But everyone had practiced the Basic Soldier Spear Technique.

Why was Chen Sanshi's spear so much faster and fiercer than ordinary?

And there was the blood qi.

Though both were using a single wisp of blood qi, Xu Bin had condensed his for years. No matter what, his should have been stronger.

Yet in that frontal clash, he had not held any advantage in strength at all. He had only barely gained the slightest upper hand through his experience with the saber.

Strange indeed!

Xu Bin's face lost its luster, and he worried that he had damaged the impression he made on Lord Thousand Households.

The saber technique in his hands grew increasingly sharp and vicious, each slash driving at vital points as he tried to exhaust the other man's blood qi this way.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

The sound of metal crashing rang without pause, while yellow dust filled the Training Ground.

Chen Sanshi retreated continuously to preserve the range advantage of his long weapon.

"Damn it."

Wang Zhi could not help swearing.

He had thought that since Xu had introduced Chen Sanshi to the Military Camp, he would deliberately call him out. But this bastard was actually going for real?

He would see how to deal with this blind fool afterward.

Xiang Tingchun, however, narrowed his eyes slightly and watched with considerable interest.

"Good fight!"

The soldiers watching nearby also began cheering.

Clang—

Another clash of metal and iron.

Chen Sanshi had nearly been caught. At the critical moment, he held his breath and spun the spear in a flourish, barely forcing the vicious wolf that had nearly closed to his body back beyond seven paces.

Xu Bin truly had served in the army for many years.

After several exchanges, his arms were numb, his shoulders ached, and sweat wrapped his body and face.

Only his blood qi remained sufficient.

He could still keep going.

It was rare to find someone to spar with. His spear technique proficiency was rising at breakneck speed, so he had to cherish the opportunity.

"Again!"

Xu Bin slashed one stroke after another, his eyes beginning to redden.

This was already the eighth exchange, yet he still could not take him down!

Since he had already offended him, he might as well offend him to the very end.

No matter what, he could not become a useless man in the Thousand Households' eyes!

He showed no mercy. The Wild Goose Feather Saber continuously tore through the air, truly like a wild wolf charging recklessly about, using every possible means to bite its prey.

He intended to wear the other man down faster through hard clashes and seek out an opening.

Yet as time passed.

Xu Bin gradually sensed that something was wrong.

On the surface, the spear-wielding youth had been defending all along.

But his blood qi had never run dry!

Instead, Xu Bin's own blood qi was being steadily consumed and was nearly depleted.

"How could this be?!"

Astonishment appeared on Xu Bin's face.

Impossible!

This kid had only just cultivated blood qi. Another ten exchanges, and he would surely be spent!

With that thought, his saber technique became even more violent.

But reality was completely different from what he had imagined.

After another ten exchanges, more than half of his blood qi had been consumed, yet Chen Sanshi still had not lost!

The kid looked as though he were panting and about to collapse, yet he always managed to hold on at the critical moment. His endurance was terrifying.

Clang!

With Xu Bin's blood qi nearly exhausted, his speed slowed and his strength weakened.

At that very moment, the offensive and defensive positions reversed. The Plum Blossom Spear completely shifted from defense to attack!

One block, one seize, one thrust—every essential of spear technique was executed by Chen Sanshi with steadiness, precision, and ruthlessness. Coupled with blood qi, the attacks came crashing forward like a violent storm. One moment of carelessness, and Xu Bin's head would be pierced wide open.

Now it was Xu Bin's turn to sweat profusely.

His blood qi gradually dried up in the fierce battle, and the hand gripping his saber began to cramp. He forgot about attacking—or rather, he no longer had any chance to attack. All that remained in his eyes were flashing cold gleams and a dancing red tassel.

This was impossible.

Chen Sanshi had only cultivated blood qi recently. How could his endurance be so astonishing?

Several times, Xu Bin nearly mobilized his remaining blood qi and brought out the strength of Blood Refinement Proficiency, but he knew he had already lost.

Five years!

Five years of practicing martial arts, yet he could not surpass someone who had practiced for half a month by relying on skill alone!

Clang—

In a daze, his attention wandered. The Wild Goose Feather Saber in his hand was knocked away, and the sharp triangular spear tip followed immediately after, stopping before his throat.

"Officer Xu, you let me win!"