Testing Begins

Early the next morning, Chen Lin bid farewell to his parents and headed for the War God Temple in the Inner City.

At the Inner City gate, Chen Lin presented the identification issued by Lieyang Martial Arts School before the city guards allowed him inside.

Once inside the Inner City, Chen Lin found far fewer pedestrians than in the relatively crowded Outer City. Every one of them wore fine silks and luxurious clothes, their faces rosy with health—a completely different air from the people of the Outer City.

Not only were the Inner City's roads broad, but their materials were also far more refined. Uniform bluestone slabs stretched to the edge of sight, looking exceptionally clean and orderly.

Lush trees shaded both sides of the road, while shops stood row upon row. Black-armored guards occasionally marched past in formation, filling the place with comfort and security.

To be honest, Chen Lin felt that the Inner and Outer Cities, separated by only a single wall, differed as greatly as clouds and mud, like two entirely different worlds.

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

The War God Temple stood at the center of the Inner City, directly across the street from Nanqing City's City Lord's Mansion.

Its location alone displayed the War God Temple's status within Nanqing City.

The power structure of this world somewhat resembled the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods in Chinese history.

The headquarters of the War God Temple and the Martial Arts Academy lay in the continent's central region. To the east was Yan State, to the west Wei State, to the south Jin State and Zhao State, and to the north Qi State.

Under the coordination of the War God Temple and Martial Arts Academy, these powers had formed a relatively close Human Alliance.

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

It was precisely because these two martial organizations stood apart from worldly affairs that they held an extraordinary position within the Human Alliance.

After walking for half an hour, Chen Lin arrived at the plaza before the War God Temple.

Looking at the towering temple building, a full twelve stories high, with enormous birds occasionally soaring into the sky, Chen Lin sighed softly. "So this is the War God Temple, guarded by the greatest martial artist under heaven. It truly looks magnificent."

"Young man, are you here for the War God Temple's entrance test?" Seeing Chen Lin continuously studying the War God Temple behind him, the leader of the patrolling black-armored guards immediately stepped forward and asked.

"Yes. I am Chen Lin, a martial student from the Outer City's Lieyang Martial Arts School. I came to take the War God Temple's entrance test." Chen Lin once again took out the identification issued by Lieyang Martial Arts School and showed it to him.

"You look quite young, young man. How old are you now?" The black-armored guard leader carefully examined Chen Lin's identification as he asked curiously.

"I just turned eighteen this year," Chen Lin answered truthfully.

"Eighteen?" The black-armored guard leader looked at Chen Lin in surprise, then said with a cheerful laugh, "Impressive! This is my first time seeing an eighteen-year-old Martial Master. I wish you good luck!"

"Then I'll borrow your auspicious words," Chen Lin replied with a smile.

"Go on in! There should already be quite a few people inside. Once you enter, talk with them more. It won't hurt!" Zhou Hui waved his hand and pointed toward the War God Temple entrance behind him.

"Thank you." After clasping his hands in thanks, Chen Lin strode into the War God Temple.

The moment Chen Lin stepped into the War God Temple's main hall, a sweet-looking maid immediately approached him with great tact and asked gently, "Young master, are you here to participate in the Demon Purifier selection?"

Chen Lin nodded. "That's right. What should I do?"

"Please follow me, young master!" After speaking, the maid led Chen Lin through a long corridor and arrived at a vast training ground paved with black basalt.

At that moment, more than a dozen young martial artists stood scattered across the training ground in groups of two or three.

Chen Lin's arrival immediately drew quite a few gazes.

"Look, another martial artist here for the selection. He looks so young! Which family produced such a formidable descendant?" Two people chatting in one group could not help whispering when they saw Chen Lin's youthful face.

Chen Lin had no intention of going over to strike up a conversation. They were strangers to one another, and as fellow test-takers, they were competitors to some extent. Forcing conversation might only annoy people. There was no need for it.

As time passed, more than a dozen people arrived at the training ground one after another. Among them was someone Chen Lin remembered quite well.

Chen Yu belonged to a branch family of the Chen Clan, just like Chen Lin. Four years ago, he had entered the intermediate division of Nanqing Martial Academy. His martial talent was not particularly strong, but he was hardworking and diligent, with an unyielding spirit.

"Chen Lin?" The man glanced at Chen Lin and called out uncertainly.

"Brother Yu." Seeing Chen Yu take the initiative to greet him, Chen Lin hurriedly went over as well.

"It really is you? Why are you here?" Chen Yu's lean face was filled with astonishment.

"I came to take the War God Temple's entrance test," Chen Lin replied with a smile.

"Good man! As expected of the Chen Clan member with the greatest talent for martial arts. You've got promise!" Chen Yu immediately praised him.

"Hahaha, someone who couldn't even get into a martial academy wants to join the War God Temple? You're dreaming with your eyes open!" A man with gloomy eyes, pointed lips, and a thin mouth mocked Chen Lin.

"You bastard Duan, stop spouting bullshit! My brother's talent is so high—how could he possibly fail to get into a martial academy?"

Chen Yu retorted furiously, his expression sincere and entirely without pretense.

"Quiet!" A cold shout carrying immense pressure came from nearby.

The people chatting separately across the training ground immediately turned toward the voice. They saw a middle-aged man wearing a fitted black brocade jacket, with two crimson-gold copper coins hanging from his waist. After sweeping his gaze across the crowd, he said, "My name is He Yanjun, a Rank 8 Monster Exterminator of the War God Temple. All of you, follow me. The selection is about to begin. Remember to behave yourselves. The Head Instructor of our Nanqing City War God Temple will also be here to watch today's selection test, so you'd better be honest."

"Yes!"

Whether it was the gloomy-eyed young man, Chen Lin's indignant cousin Chen Yu, or the others who had been quietly conversing, all hurriedly answered respectfully.

"The Head Instructor of Nanqing City's War God Temple?" Chen Lin's heart stirred at those words.

One had to know that the War God Temple only accepted elite martial artists, and even its weakest members possessed the strength of a Martial Master.

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

"A Martial King-level martial artist... How many demonic beasts would I have to kill?" Chen Lin could not help sighing inwardly.

The group passed through corridors and hallways before arriving in a great hall.

The moment he entered, Chen Lin's eyes were immediately drawn to a middle-aged man with silver hair cascading over his shoulders.

"They're here? Then begin," the middle-aged man ordered imperiously as he looked at Chen Lin and the others.

Everyone felt their hearts tighten. Even if He Yanjun had not introduced the man's identity, merely seeing the three crimson-gold copper coins hanging from his waist was enough for Chen Lin and the others to roughly guess who he was.

Sure enough, He Yanjun introduced him at once. "This is our War God Temple's Head Instructor, Instructor Lu Cheng!"

"Greetings, Instructor Lu!" Chen Lin and the others hurriedly clasped their hands in salute.

"Mm." Lu Cheng merely nodded in response and said nothing further.

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

"First, Duan Xiang." He Yanjun said indifferently, "Heh, a man from the city guard army coming to take the War God Temple's assessment. Interesting!"

Chen Lin, standing below, could not help revealing a faint smile.

The War God Temple was an organization guarded by humanity's strongest expert. It had always upheld the principle that soldiers should be elite rather than numerous. Unlike the Martial Arts Academy, which followed the broad public martial academy route, its standards for evaluating Demon Purifiers were exceptionally high and strict.

Thus, the identity of a War God Temple Demon Purifier earned respect in any prefectural city. Furthermore, the War God Temple allowed its members to come and go freely and did not care about their backgrounds. So long as one was willing to accept missions and kill demons, the War God Temple welcomed them all.

As a result, the title of War God Temple Demon Purifier was highly sought after by martial artists from martial academies, martial clans, the Merchant Alliance, and the military alike, serving much the same purpose as an impressive résumé at a famous company.