Testing Begins

The very next morning, Chen Lin bid farewell to his parents and headed for the War God Temple in the inner city.

At the gate of the inner city, Chen Lin presented his identification issued by the Lieyang Martial Arts School, which allowed the city guards to let him in.

Entering the inner city, the number of pedestrians on the streets was much lower compared to the crowded outer city. Everyone was dressed in fine clothes, with rosy complexions, presenting a completely different demeanor than the people of the outer city.

The roads in the inner city were not only wide but also paved with carefully chosen materials. Uniform blue flagstone slabs stretched to the horizon, appearing very clean and orderly.

On both sides of the road, trees provided shade, shops lined the streets, and occasionally, black-armored guards marched by in formation, maximizing the sense of comfort and security.

To be honest, at this moment, Chen Lin felt that the gap between the inner and outer cities, separated by just a city wall, was as vast as the difference between clouds and mud, like two different worlds.

This gave Chen Lin even greater motivation to improve his strength.

The War God Temple was located in the center of the inner city, directly facing the Nanqing City Lord's Mansion across the street.

Its location also indicated the War God Temple's status in Nanqing City.

The power structure of this world bore some resemblance to China's Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods.

The headquarters of the War God Temple and the Martial Academy were situated in the core region of the continent. To the east of this region lay Yan State, to the west was Wei State, to the south were Jin State and Zhao State, and to the north was Qi State.

These states, under the coordination of the two major martial artist powers, the War God Temple and the Martial Academy, formed a relatively close alliance of human forces.

Under normal circumstances, the War God Temple and the Martial Academy only dealt with monster beasts and rarely interfered in the internal political affairs of the five states.

It was precisely because of these two martial artist powers' detached behavior that they held an extraordinary position among the forces of the human alliance.

After walking for two quarters of an hour, Chen Lin arrived at the square in front of the War God Temple.

Looking at the grand hall, which was as tall as a twelve-story building and where giant birds occasionally soared into the sky, Chen Lin said with a slight sigh, "This is the War God Temple, presided over by the number one martial artist in the world! It truly looks magnificent."

"Young man, are you here to participate in the War God Temple's entrance test?" The leader of the black-armored guards patrolling the entrance, seeing Chen Lin gazing at the War God Temple behind him, immediately stepped forward to ask.

"Yes, I am Chen Lin, a student from the Lieyang Martial Arts School in the outer city. I'm here to participate in the War God Temple's entrance test." Chen Lin once again presented the identification issued by the Lieyang Martial Arts School.

"You're quite young! How old are you now?" the black-armored guard leader asked curiously while carefully examining Chen Lin's identification.

"I just turned eighteen this year!" Chen Lin replied truthfully.

"Eighteen?" The black-armored guard leader glanced at Chen Lin in surprise, then chuckled, "Impressive! An eighteen-year-old Martial Master, this is my first time seeing one. Good luck!"

"I'll take your good words!" Chen Lin replied with a smile.

"Go right in! There should be quite a few people inside already. You can talk with them more once you're inside; it won't hurt!" Zhou Hui waved his hand, pointing towards the entrance of the War God Temple behind him.

"Thank you!" Chen Lin cupped his fists in thanks and then strode into the War God Temple.

As soon as Chen Lin entered the grand hall of the War God Temple, a well-behaved maidservant immediately approached him attentively and said in a gentle voice, "Sir, are you here to participate in the Monster Exterminator selection?"

Chen Lin nodded upon hearing this, "That's right. What should I do?"

"Please follow me, sir!" After speaking, the maidservant led Chen Lin through a long corridor and then to a vast training ground paved with black basalt.

Currently, more than a dozen young martial artists were scattered around the training ground in small groups.

Chen Lin's arrival immediately drew the attention of many.

"Look, another martial artist participating in the selection. He looks so young! Whose descendant is this talented?" Two people who were chatting in a group couldn't help but whisper among themselves when they saw Chen Lin's youthful face.

Chen Lin had no intention of striking up a conversation. They were not familiar with each other, and as fellow test-takers, they were more or less competitors. Forcing a conversation might just be annoying, and it was really unnecessary.

As time passed, more than a dozen people arrived at the training ground. Among them was someone Chen Lin had quite a bit of information about.

Chen Yu, a distant relative from the Chen Clan like Chen Lin, had entered the middle division of the Nanqing Martial Academy four years ago. His martial arts talent was not very strong, but he was diligent and hardworking, with a spirit of never giving up.

"Chen Lin?" That person called out, a little uncertainly, after glancing at Chen Lin.

"Brother Yu," Chen Lin saw Chen Yu greet him first and quickly went to meet him.

"Is it really you? Why are you here?" Chen Yu asked, his slender face full of surprise.

"I'm here to participate in the War God Temple's entrance test!" Chen Lin replied with a smile.

"Good fellow, as expected of the most talented martial artist in our Chen Clan, you've got potential!" Chen Yu immediately praised him upon hearing this.

"Hahaha, someone who couldn't even get into the Martial Academy wants to join the War God Temple. He's dreaming!" a man with sinister eyes and thin lips sneered at Chen Lin.

"Damn it, Duan, shut your mouth. My brother's talent is so high, how could he not get into the Martial Academy?"

Chen Yu retorted angrily, his expression earnest, not faking it.

"Quiet!" a powerful, cold shout came from not far away.

Those in the training ground who were chatting idly immediately turned their heads. They saw a middle-aged man wearing a tight black brocade tunic and two crimson-gold copper coins hanging from his waist. He swept his gaze over everyone in the field and said, "My name is He Yanjun, a Rank 8 Monster Exterminator of the War God Temple. Follow me. The selection is about to begin. Remember, be well-behaved later. The Head Instructor of the Nanqing City War God Temple will also be watching today's selection test, so you'd best behave yourselves."

"Yes!"

Whether it was the sinister-eyed young man, Chen Yu, Chen Lin's indignant cousin, or the others whispering amongst themselves, they all quickly and respectfully responded.

"The Head Instructor of the Nanqing City War God Temple?" Chen Lin's heart stirred upon hearing this.

After all, as a War God Temple that only accepted elite martial artists, its members' strength was at least that of a Martial Master.

As the strongest combatant in the Nanqing City War God Temple, Chen Lin guessed that the Head Instructor's strength would be at least that of a Martial King.

"A Martial King-level martial artist! I wonder how many monsters I'll have to kill!" Chen Lin couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

A group of people walked through corridors and passages, arriving in a large hall.

As soon as they entered the grand hall, Chen Lin's gaze was immediately drawn to a middle-aged man with silver hair cascading over his shoulders.

"They're here? Prepare to begin!" the middle-aged man commanded, his voice stern as he looked at Chen Lin and the others.

Hearing this, Chen Lin and the others felt their hearts tighten. Even if He Yanjun hadn't introduced the man's identity, just a glance at the three red-gold copper coins hanging from the man's waist would have allowed them to guess his true identity.

As expected, He Yanjun began, "This is our War God Temple's Head Instructor, Instructor Lu Cheng!"

"Greetings, Instructor Lu!" Chen Lin and the others quickly cupped their fists in greeting.

"Mm!" Lu Cheng merely nodded in response, saying nothing more.

Seeing this, He Yanjun immediately took out a list and began the selection test.

"First up, Duan Xiang," He Yanjun said indifferently. "Heh, it's interesting that someone from the City Guard would come to our War God Temple for an assessment!"

Below, Chen Lin couldn't help but smile at this.

The War God Temple was a force guarded by humanity's strongest. It adhered to the principle of "soldiers aren't valued for quantity but for quality." Unlike the martial academies that followed a mass education route, the War God Temple had very high and strict standards for judging Monster Exterminators.

Therefore, a Monster Exterminator from the War God Temple was respected in any prefecture. Furthermore, the War God Temple allowed its members freedom of movement and didn't mind their backgrounds. As long as they were willing to take on missions and kill monsters, the War God Temple welcomed everyone to join.

This led to the position of a War God Temple Monster Exterminator being highly sought after by martial artists from martial academies, martial arts families, merchant alliances, and the military. It served a similar purpose to a resume from a well-known company today.