Promotion Assessment

"Damn!"

Jun Wushang stood frozen as if struck by lightning, then punched Wei Qing on the shoulder. "You finally came to your senses, damn it!"

"I told you long ago—the Wei family, apart from Uncle Wei Yuan, is full of wolves that swallow people whole without even spitting out the bones!"

The white funeral banners in the Mourning Hall fluttered without wind, reflecting Wei Qing's chilling smile. "Knowing it now... isn't too late."

Jun Wushang's pupils suddenly constricted.

"Wait..." His Adam's apple bobbed violently as he stared at Wei Qing as though looking at a monster. "You... broke through to Eighth Rank?"

Wei Qing lightly stroked his saber sheath, smiling without smiling. "Your reaction speed makes me wonder whether the Heavenly Realm Division's assessment..."

"Was watered down?"

"Bullshit!" Jun Wushang proudly puffed out his chest. "I got in on my own strength, alright?"

"By the way, that poisonous woman Liu Ru has already reported news of your death to the Heavenly Realm Division." His voice carried bone-piercing cold. "I know exactly what she is plotting—she wants Wei Lin to take your place as an Intern Warden."

A cold smile curled across Wei Qing's lips. "But she is destined to be disappointed."

Just as the two were preparing to return to the Heavenly Realm Division, a chaotic set of footsteps approached from afar.

Chen Dong, the Head of Guards, hurried over with several servants. The instant he saw Wei Qing, his entire body stiffened as if struck by lightning.

"Y-Young Master? You... you're alive?"

"What? Commander Chen seems rather surprised to see that I'm alive."

"N-No, I wouldn't dare..."

Chen Dong lowered his head in panic, fine beads of sweat seeping from his forehead.

"Wouldn't dare..."

Before he could finish speaking, a crisp slap rang out!

Chen Dong had not even seen how Wei Qing moved before he flew backward like a kite with its string cut, crashing heavily into a blue-brick wall ten meters away.

As bricks and stones shattered, he spat out a mouthful of blood and slid to the ground like a heap of mud.

Chen Dong's pupils shrank abruptly as he stared at Wei Qing in disbelief.

He clearly saw Qi Force circulating around Wei Qing's body, faintly forming a vortex.

"An Eighth-Rank Martial Artist," Chen Dong said in shock.

The other guards trembled in both legs, fear filling their eyes.

Wei Qing stood where Chen Dong had been moments before, slowly shaking out his hand as though he had just touched something filthy.

"If my father had not taken you in back then, you would have starved to death on the streets." His voice was calm, but every word was a blade. "And this enormous Wei Estate would never have allowed a mere Ninth-Rank Martial Artist like you to serve as Head of Guards."

"Is this how you repaid him?"

A flicker of struggle and guilt crossed Chen Dong's eyes. Lowering his head, he said, "I failed the master... Whatever punishment Young Master wishes to impose, I will accept it."

"Good." Wei Qing's voice was cold. "Everything my father gave you, I will take back on his behalf today."

"From this day onward, neither of us owes the other anything."

"Young Master!" Chen Dong suddenly raised his head, finally realizing what Wei Qing intended to do. He cried out in terror, "No—"

But before he could finish—

Bang!

A heavy fist smashed brutally into his dantian. Qi Force erupted with a soft hiss.

Chen Dong's entire body shook violently. The Internal Energy he had painstakingly cultivated for years burst out like floodwaters breaching a dam, leaking away madly and vanishing completely in the blink of an eye.

"No... Don't... My cultivation..."

Wei Qing looked at the others. "Kneel here."

"Before I return, whoever dares to stand up—dies!"

The guards went pale. Their knees slammed into the ground with a series of thuds as they knelt in a straight line.

Heavenly Realm Division.

"Madam Liu, for Wei Yuan's sake, this is the only time. There will not be a next!" A trace of displeasure flashed through Zhou Cang's eyes.

"Thank you, Lord Zhou."

Seeing that he had relented regarding the arrangements for Wei Qing's corpse, Liu Ru's suspended heart finally settled.

"I wonder about my son joining the Heavenly Realm Division?"

"His cultivation meets the requirements, and according to the Heavenly Realm Division's rules, he also meets the conditions for inheritance."

At those words, the smile at the corner of Wei Lin's lips was nearly impossible to suppress.

The Heavenly Realm Division had two ways of admitting additional members.

The first was the Inheritance System. Whenever a Guardian Envoy died, their descendants could inherit their place in the Heavenly Realm Division. If they had no direct descendants, one person could be selected from the clan to inherit it.

The second was the Recruitment System. Every year, the Heavenly Realm Division held examinations throughout the prefectures of Great Zhou and admitted those who passed the assessment.

A smile reached Liu Ru's eyes as she gave a light cough.

"Thank you, Uncle Zhou."

Wei Lin hurried forward and bowed.

But Zhou Cang raised a hand to stop him. The Earth-rank Warden's face was stern as his knuckles tapped the desk. "Within the Heavenly Realm Division, address people by their positions."

"Someone."

"Here."

Wei Qing, who had just arrived outside the door, hurriedly stopped the Guardian Envoy on duty and stepped onto the threshold.

Zhou Cang's body suddenly stiffened. The document in his hand fell to the floor with a slap as he slowly raised his eyes, his hawk-like gaze locking tightly onto the figure at the doorway.

Crack—

The teacup in Liu Ru's hand crashed to the floor, shattered porcelain and tea splashing across her skirt.

Wei Lin collapsed limply to the floor. A pale yellow stain slowly spread beneath his trousers as the finger he pointed at Wei Qing trembled uncontrollably. "A ghost... It's a ghost..."

"If you're not dead, then get in!"

Zhou Cang's tone was as severe as ever, but a nearly imperceptible trace of gratification flashed through his eyes.

"The threshold of the Heavenly Realm Division is not for you to step on."

Wei Qing froze at those words, and for a moment, he seemed to return to his past life—

The Dragon Team Chief Instructor had been the same way.

Always wearing a stern face and speaking the harshest words, yet secretly watching over every team member's safety.

Seeing this, Liu Ru swiftly gathered her emotions. Her eyes reddened as tears welled within them, and she hurried toward Wei Qing. "Oh, Qing'er, it's wonderful that you're alright. If your father knew..."

"Pah, pah, pah. Listen to that mouth of mine—it truly shouldn't have said that."

Liu Ru raised her hand as if to slap herself, but the hand she had lifted stopped in midair. Turning her head, she called out, "Lin... Oh dear, what is wrong with you, child?"

"Look at you, acting so disgracefully!"

"Qing'er, Auntie will take him back right now and have your Second Uncle teach him a proper lesson. You get busy first."

Liu Ru hurriedly helped Wei Lin to his feet, and mother and son fled the inner hall as though escaping for their lives.

Jun Wushang frowned slightly. "You're just letting them go like that?"

"Letting them go?" Wei Qing chuckled softly, a cold gleam flashing through his eyes. "Don't you think... killing them with one stroke would be letting that family off too easily?"

Jun Wushang's eyes lit up at once. "Hehe, don't forget to call me when the time comes."

Zhou Cang silently watched Wei Qing, a trace of gratification flashing through his gaze.

The current Wei Qing gave him the feeling of having shed his mortal frame and exchanged his bones.

From Jun Wushang's scattered remarks, he had already understood what had happened.

—For Wei Qing, this was instead a good thing!

On the path of a martial artist, needless mercy would only become a fatal weakness.

Now that Wei Qing could cut away this indecisiveness, he would surely walk farther down the road ahead.

"You need not worry about news of your father either. Lord Tantai has gone personally. There should be word before long."

"For now, go complete your Promotion Assessment."

Zhou Cang pulled a black scroll from the files beside him and flung it toward Wei Qing. "This one."

Wei Qing's cultivation naturally could not escape Zhou Cang's eyes, so he immediately arranged an assessment mission for him.

"Yes."

Wei Qing caught the scroll with his right hand.

"According to intelligence, demons have appeared near Fuyun Town in Qingcheng. Their overall strength has been assessed at the initial stage of Eighth Rank."

"Your assessment mission is to go to Fuyun Town and kill it."