Divine Power!

At the beginning of the Shen hour that afternoon, Xie An arrived at Blood Ridge Black Market with his face covered.

As soon as he neared the canyon entrance, he saw Zhang Lin hurrying toward him from far away.

"Old Brother, you finally came."

Recently, Xie An had always come here at dusk. After all, that was when the black market had just opened. Today, Xie An had deliberately arrived early, coming at the beginning of the Shen hour, yet he saw Zhang Lin looking so anxious that he instinctively thought something had gone wrong.

"Did something happen?"

Zhang Lin said, "Not exactly. Something came up. I wanted to inform you ahead of time, but I never knew where to find you, Old Brother."

Xie An also grew uneasy. "Something came up?"

Xie An had always been cautious. Just for an enforcer from White Feather Hall, he had secretly investigated and familiarized himself with the man for several months. Now that everything had finally been negotiated, he could not have trouble arise at the very last moment.

The martial world was treacherous. For someone like Xie An, a nobody with no backing, it was especially difficult to feel secure.

Only after Zhang Lin explained did Xie An understand the general situation:

An enforcer was the lowest-ranking manager in Tiger Wolf Gate. Although the position was minor, Tiger Wolf Gate took it very seriously. By convention, the Examination Hall had to send someone down to assess the abilities of a newly appointed enforcer in person.

The Examination Hall established by Tiger Wolf Gate was somewhat similar to the Office of Merit Evaluation under the Imperial Court's Ministry of Personnel. It was specifically responsible for assessing officials' merits, faults, and performance, recording the results in the archives, and ultimately using them as the basis for promotion, transfer, retention, dismissal, or punishment.

Tiger Wolf Gate had modeled its Examination Hall after the Imperial Court's. Clearly, it also wanted to ensure that the promotion of its managers had a proper basis and was fair. The sect's leader harbored ambitions of making the sect truly great.

Originally, the person sent by the Examination Hall was only an enforcer surnamed Zhang, an acquaintance of Zhang Lin's. They had already exchanged greetings, so it would have been enough to go through the motions.

However, because of Zhang Biao's death, the Examination Hall had tightened its review and assessment of White Feather Hall's personnel promotions. It had actually sent an elder of considerable standing, surnamed Tang.

Elder Tang was strict and stubbornly rigid. He had a poor relationship with both Incense Master Wei and Zhang Lin, and he could not be swayed by reason or persuasion.

That created a variable.

After listening carefully, Xie An was not too alarmed.

He had originally planned not to rely entirely on personal connections to rise. For some time now, he had been working himself to the bone cultivating, precisely to deal with unfavorable circumstances.

Although an accident had occurred, Xie An felt the problem was not serious.

"Thank you for telling me, Brother Zhang. I know what to do."

Zhang Lin was deeply remorseful. "This is my fault for failing to handle things properly. I thought we would only have to go through the motions. I never imagined that someone as important as Elder Tang would come personally, forcing you to show your real ability, Old Brother."

"Brother Zhang, you're too polite. If you hadn't recommended me and vouched for me, I probably wouldn't even have had this opportunity. By the way, is this Elder Tang truly that remarkable?"

"Of course. Elder Tang's position in the Examination Hall is no lower than the hall master's. Although he is rigid, he is upright and appreciates talent. If you can earn Elder Tang's recognition, Old Brother, your future will truly be boundless."

Xie An paused slightly and said no more.

Seeing that Xie An showed no resentment and instead remained calm and composed, Zhang Lin thought even more highly of him. He said, "Elder Tang is already waiting inside. I'll take you in. The assessment will mainly consist of lifting strength and actual combat. Your lifting strength should be fine, but as for actual combat..."

As he led Xie An into the canyon, Zhang Lin briefed him on the many details and points to note regarding the assessment.

Before they knew it, they had arrived at the elegant little courtyard in the black market.

The moment he entered, Xie An felt a solemn atmosphere sweep over him.

An elegant, middle-aged scholar wearing a black traditional gown sat beneath the eaves in a grand chair. Behind him stood a burly man nearly two meters tall, carrying a saber. Even in the snow, the man wore only a thin jacket over his upper body, revealing slabs of bronze-colored muscle. The saber in his hand was over five feet long, and its imposing might was intimidating.

Even from ten meters away, Xie An could feel the powerful aura radiating from the man.

"Elder Tang."

Zhang Lin led Xie An to the middle of the courtyard and clasped his hands toward Elder Tang, his attitude exceedingly deferential.

Xie An also clasped his hands and called, "Elder Tang." When he raised his head and glanced at the elder, he discovered that the man's bearing bore three parts resemblance to Tang Qingfeng, whom he had encountered before, though he was somewhat younger.

Could they both be people from Tang Family Fort?

Hmm.

Elder Tang picked up the teacup on the small table and took a light sip. Then he glanced at Xie An's covered face and said coldly, "You are the old man Wei Dian mentioned in his letter?"

His voice was not loud, and the question seemed casual, but paired with those sharp eyes, it exerted immense pressure.

Xie An answered with utmost respect, "That is indeed me."

Elder Tang did not care that Xie An had covered his face. After all, many people concealed their identities while managing affairs in a dangerous place like the black market. It was nothing unusual.

However, if he passed the assessment later, Elder Tang, as an elder of the Examination Hall, would still personally verify his appearance. If he failed, there would be no need for that extra step.

But when Elder Tang saw Xie An's head of white hair, a trace of disappointment flashed through his eyes. "Although my Tiger Wolf Gate has only established itself in Qingwu County for thirty years, it is still a renowned sect. Anyone who wants to become a manager must possess the strength of someone who has just entered the Bronze Skin Realm. This is not a position someone can muddle into merely because they have been recommended."

At this point, Elder Tang glanced at Zhang Lin. "If this man's strength differs greatly from what was stated in the letter, Zhang Lin... I will have to record a demerit against you."

Zhang Lin's body trembled. He hurriedly clasped his hands and said, "Rest assured, Elder Tang. The person I recommended definitely has solid strength. I have the sect's interests at heart and harbor no selfish motives."

Elder Tang nodded in satisfaction. "If the person you recommended truly has ability, I will naturally record your merit in recommending talent to the sect. Tong Shan, begin."

"Yes, Elder."

The nearly two-meter-tall burly man immediately carried five stone locks of different sizes out from the corner. "Elder Tang has always been fair when assessing newly appointed managers. These five stone locks weigh four hundred, five hundred, six hundred, six hundred and fifty, and seven hundred catties respectively. Choose one. Lift it above your head with one arm and hold it there for three breaths."

Xie An nodded at the burly man, then walked over to the stone locks and examined them one by one. In the end, his gaze settled on the final two.

Six hundred and fifty catties was the weight Xie An had previously estimated he could lift.

After all, he had no precisely measured stone locks at home to test himself with. But Xie An felt that lifting six hundred and fifty catties with one arm would not be a problem. If he pushed himself, he could even try seven hundred.

Ordinarily, Xie An was not the sort of person who liked to stand out.

But this time was different.

The one who had come was Elder Tang, whose standing was comparable to that of the Examination Hall's hall master. Zhang Lin had reminded him beforehand: if he could earn Elder Tang's recognition, his future prospects would be limitless.

Therefore, Xie An felt this was a rare opportunity to display himself.

He had to seize it with all his might.

To advance or retreat as needed, to bend and stretch when necessary—that was what a true man did.

There was no need for anyone to say it aloud; Xie An had already sensed what everyone was thinking. They simply felt that he was an old man and probably not much use.

Thinking of this, Xie An felt he had even more reason to go all out.

He walked to the seven-hundred-cattie stone lock and first gripped its handle, familiarizing himself with the feel.

Hmm?

This sight astonished everyone around him.

Zhang Lin had previously seen the masked old man Xie An shoot Zhang Wei and Lu Wei to death. Seeing him draw and fire repeatedly with one finger, he had initially judged that Xie An's lifting strength was around four hundred catties. And now he was going to lift seven hundred?

Even Tong Shan was startled. He instinctively felt that this old man was far too ambitious. It was impossible.

Even Elder Tang turned his head slightly. Holding the tea bowl in one hand, he lifted the lid with the other and gently stirred the tea leaves, reminding him unhurriedly, "Just do your best. Don't force yourself. If you injure yourself because of this, my Tiger Wolf Gate will not be responsible."

Clearly, Elder Tang also did not believe that the old man before him could lift seven hundred catties. He was afraid the man would strain himself, so he offered the kind reminder.

Even for a martial artist at the great accomplishment stage of the Bronze Skin Realm, six hundred catties was more or less the limit. If they forced themselves, they could easily twist their waist or tear the ligaments in their arms. In severe cases, they might even crush their spinal bones.

"Thank you for the reminder, Elder Tang."

Xie An thanked him, then spread his feet and sank into a horse stance. His right hand clenched around the stone lock's handle, and he suddenly exerted force. The stone lock paused at waist level for two breaths before Xie An abruptly hoisted it above his head.

Xie An stood ramrod straight, the stone lock held high and steady above his head.

Tong Shan and Zhang Lin both widened their eyes at the same time.

Whoosh!

Elder Tang could no longer remain calm. His body, which had been leaning against the chair back, immediately sat bolt upright. His deep, solemn eyes burst with an extraordinary light, and he was utterly shocked.

This old man is over fifty, yet he possesses such divine strength!