Third-floor stairwell.
Cang Yulong's gaze swept over the mottled wall plaster and dilapidated stairs.
He glanced again at the cabinet that nearly filled the hallway and the shoes scattered about in disarray. A hint of displeasure flashed through his eyes.
He turned and cast a faint glance at City Mayor Wang Jiannan and Martial Arts Association President Chen Mingyuan, who were following behind him.
"Governor, this is also the first time we've learned about Student Li Ziyu's living conditions. The city has already prepared a four-hundred-square-meter villa as part of his reward. He can move in with just his luggage!"
"As for the dispute between Li Ziyu and his neighbors, I'll resolve it personally!"
Before Cang Yulong could say anything, Wang Jiannan hurriedly wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and replied.
He had never expected the governor to come personally. He had only received the news that morning.
Only after seeing Cang Yulong nod slightly did Wang Jiannan finally let out a sigh of relief.
Chen Mingyuan also secretly wiped away a bead of cold sweat.
The group arrived at Li Ziyu's door and gently knocked. The door was slowly opened by Li Ziyu.
Inside the room.
Li Ziyu picked up a kettle and poured cups of plain water for Cang Yulong and Chen Mingyuan, who were sitting on the sofa.
He didn't know either of them.
However, when he had just opened the door, he had recognized the other man in the white shirt from television.
He knew that man was the mayor of Xujiang City.
The mayor was currently waiting outside the door, without even the qualifications to enter.
From this, it was clear that the backgrounds of the two people sitting on the sofa were absolutely extraordinary.
Cang Yulong accepted the cup and took a sip.
He then set it on the coffee table and smiled at Li Ziyu.
"Hello, Student Li Ziyu. Let me introduce myself. I'm Cang Yulong, Governor of Su Province. The gentleman beside me is the president of the Xujiang City Martial Arts Association."
"Hello, young friend. I'm Chen Mingyuan, president of the Xujiang City Martial Arts Association."
As Cang Yulong introduced him, Chen Mingyuan smiled and nodded at Li Ziyu.
Li Ziyu was stunned when he heard this.
Good heavens!
No wonder he had felt such a powerful aura from the man before him, with an extreme sense of danger radiating from head to toe.
No wonder even the mayor of Xujiang City could only wait outside the door.
So it turned out that the Governor of Su Province had come in person.
The governor of an entire province.
He was a true authority who controlled the political power of an entire province—a frontier overlord.
It was no exaggeration to say that in Su Province, if the governor stamped his foot, the entire province would tremble three times.
Moreover, Great Xia had stipulated that one had to be a Level Six Martial Artist to qualify as the governor of a province.
In other words, the burly middle-aged man sitting on the sofa in his home was a genuine Level Six Martial Artist!
A solemn look flashed through Li Ziyu's eyes.
"Young friend, I imagine you should know the purpose of my visit. I never expected that our Su Province would produce the National Martial Arts Examination Champion."
Cang Yulong sighed with emotion. While Li Ziyu was sizing him up, he was likewise sizing up Li Ziyu.
A trace of admiration flashed through his eyes.
As expected of the National Martial Arts Examination Champion.
That surging vitality, blazing like a flame, was far beyond what he himself had possessed at that age.
Moreover, when Li Ziyu had seen him, not the slightest trace of unease or nervousness had appeared on his face.
That composure was extraordinary as well.
He was a prodigy.
Cang Yulong had made up his mind.
"First in the nation?"
Li Ziyu was slightly surprised by Cang Yulong's words.
Yesterday, he had been focused solely on sleeping and hadn't had time to check the rankings.
Although he had expected to rank highly, he had never imagined that the result would be first in the nation.
To be honest, it had exceeded his expectations somewhat.
But after thinking about it, Li Ziyu accepted it calmly.
He had killed so many Fierce Beasts in the Martial Arts Exam grounds and had even challenged that Level 2 Fierce Beast alone.
Adding to that his solid vitality and three Peak Level martial techniques, it made sense that he had taken first place in the National Martial Arts Exam.
"I came this time on behalf of Su Province to reward you, Student Li Ziyu."
Cang Yulong glanced at Chen Mingyuan.
Chen Mingyuan understood immediately and hurriedly took several items from his person.
Cang Yulong accepted them and placed them on the table.
Li Ziyu looked over.
There was a red property deed, a bank card, and a cool-looking silver longsword.
Cang Yulong then introduced them:
"A detached villa in Guanjiang Mountain Villa, Xujiang City."
"Five million Great Xia Coins."
"And a Level 3 Asma Alloy weapon that I'm giving you privately."
When he mentioned the Level 3 Asma Alloy weapon, Li Ziyu's eyebrows instinctively lifted.
Cang Yulong noticed the detail. Thinking that Li Ziyu had some other request, he smiled and said:
"You can choose whatever style of weapon you like. Or, if there's a weapon you favor, you can send me a picture, and I'll have someone custom-make it for you."
"No, it's just that I find the weapon I'm using now quite handy."
Li Ziyu glanced at the items on the coffee table and sighed.
What a lavish gift.
He knew Guanjiang Mountain Villa. It was a famous wealthy district in Xujiang City.
Everyone who lived there was a high-ranking official or prominent figure.
Although Xujiang City wasn't a major city and its housing prices weren't especially high,
a villa in a location like Guanjiang Mountain Villa—nestled against the mountains and water, yet secluded amid the bustle—
would be worth at least ten million for a detached unit.
And they had simply given it to him.
There was also the Level 3 Asma Alloy weapon.
To buy a weapon above Level 3, one had to go to a major city like Demon Capital or Capital City. He had never even seen one for sale at the Precious Martial Pavilion.
But he knew the price. It was also worth more than ten million!
Compared with the property and weapon, the five million Great Xia Coins he had once thought he could never earn in his lifetime seemed insignificant.
However, Li Ziyu felt that the War Blade he was currently using was quite handy as well. It was not only hard but also very sharp.
He vaguely felt that it became easier to use the more he wielded it.
When he had used this weapon to hack apart the Level 2 Fierce Beast, it hadn't let him down.
"Oh? I wonder what level the weapon you're currently using is. If you don't need another weapon, I can replace it with a battle technique and give that to you instead," Cang Yulong said.
"I don't know its exact level either. It's in my room. I'll go get it."
Li Ziyu told the two men and turned back into the room, picking up the longsword placed beside his bed.
To be honest, he was curious about the weapon's level as well.
When he had bought it, Tang Xuan had said that it was an ordinary weapon.
But after using it for so many days, Li Ziyu felt that the weapon was anything but ordinary.
Most importantly,
when he had first brought the weapon home, the blade had been covered in rust.
After he had killed so many Fierce Beasts, the blade had actually become somewhat newer than before. The rust covering it seemed to have flaked away a little as well.
Li Ziyu examined the blade, then carried it out of the room and handed it to Cang Yulong.
"Governor Cang, this is my blade."
"Hmm... Let me have a look."
Cang Yulong accepted it with one hand and held it before his eyes, examining it carefully.
Li Ziyu noticed that when Cang Yulong saw the blade, his brows unconsciously drew together with faint gravity.
After a moment, Cang Yulong lowered the blade and looked up at Li Ziyu with a solemn expression.
"Student Li Ziyu, you truly don't need to replace your weapon. This blade of yours is a Level 3 peak weapon!"
"And it's also a rare ancient weapon!"
Before you continue