At Eighteen, in Moon Drinking Pavilion, Like a Lackey

"Sorry, sorry, this official came late—hic!"

Lin Wenzheng cupped his hands in apology as he let out a wine belch.

Song Kangyuan's expression darkened slightly, as though he had lost face before Qian Songyuan.

A trace of disdain flashed through Qian Songyuan's eyes, but he still said, "Lord Lin is a man of temperament. No matter, no matter. Please, take a seat."

Zhang Tianyang, who followed behind Lin Wenzheng, was expressionless, but Han Zheng could sense that he probably wished he could stab Lin Wenzheng to death right then.

The relationship between the imperial court and the martial sects had never been particularly harmonious.

Chivalry used martial force to defy prohibitions.

Those wandering heroes were never tolerated by the imperial court, much less a major sect that dominated a region like the Cangshan Sword Sect.

Lin Wenzheng himself did not feel embarrassed, but Zhang Tianyang, as a member of the Demon Extermination Division, felt utterly humiliated.

If he did not need to conceal his Demon Extermination Division identity right now, Zhang Tianyang would definitely have thrown Lin Wenzheng out.

Song Kangyuan clapped his hands and called for the dishes to be served.

One exquisite delicacy after another was brought in. Some of them were things Han Zheng had not even eaten in his previous life.

Grain prices had risen within Black Stone County, yet it did not stop these great figures standing at the peak of the county from living in fine clothes and feasting on rich food.

Everyone flattered Qian Songyuan, praising the Cangshan Sword Sect to the heavens.

Chief Clerk Lin in particular was incomparably excited.

He had always wanted to send his son out of Black Stone County. He could not let his son waste his entire life in a small county town.

He had never expected not only to send Lin Qing into an outside sect, but into a top-tier Shannan Dao sect like the Cangshan Sword Sect!

Watching the attitudes of this group, Zhang Tianyang felt only sorrow.

Chief Clerk Lin was an imperial official, yet all he thought about was sending his disciple into a sect.

For a martial sect like the Cangshan Sword Sect to travel outside and recruit disciples, gathering talented heroes under its banner—such a thing would have been a major taboo in the early years of Great Zhou.

A sect gathering talent so brazenly—were they trying to rebel?

But what about now? No one had cared about such things for a long time.

People like Chief Clerk Lin would even rush to send their own outstanding disciples into sects rather than have them serve the imperial court.

As the County Magistrate, Lin Wenzheng showed not the slightest sensitivity toward this matter. Instead, he kept raising cups in toast, as if he had come solely to drink.

At that moment, Shen Chengshan, the Shen Family patriarch, raised a cup to Qian Songyuan and said, "Elder Qian, you have taken two disciples from Black Stone County into the Inner Sect this time. Would you mind taking one more?"

Qian Songyuan smiled. "Of course I would not mind. My Cangshan Sword Sect welcomes talent far and wide. The more, the better."

Shen Chengshan pulled Shen Conghai over from the side and had him stand.

"He is a direct descendant of my Shen Family, Shen Conghai, younger brother of Shen Congyun, the foremost member of Tiangang Sect's younger generation. He entered the Xiantian Mortal Transformation Realm not long ago.

"I ask that Elder Qian examine his Talent and Aptitude as well, to see whether he may join the Cangshan Sword Sect."

Shen Conghai was older than both Han Zheng and Song Tianqing, appearing to be around twenty-four or twenty-five.

Entering the Innate Realm at such an age could still be considered outstanding, but given that he was born into the Shen Family and was even a direct descendant, his age and cultivation were somewhat lacking.

Moreover, Han Zheng noticed that Shen Conghai had initially looked delighted while Shen Chengshan introduced him.

Yet when Shen Chengshan first mentioned Shen Congyun, then stated that he was Shen Congyun's younger brother, Shen Conghai's expression instantly darkened, and he forced a smile.

Beside them, Pang Feiyan, daughter of Pang Heihu of the Black Tiger Gang, secretly made an encouraging gesture toward Shen Conghai. Her eyes shone as she looked at him, clearly harboring considerable affection for him.

Yet Shen Conghai did not notice her at all. He merely looked at Qian Songyuan with expectant eyes.

Han Zheng stroked his chin. He seemed to understand Shen Conghai's mindset somewhat.

With a genius older brother pressing down on his head, being compared to him from childhood onward—it would be strange if his mentality had not gone wrong.

"Could this be Shen Congyun of Tiangang Sect, who received the true inheritance as soon as he entered the Inner Sect and cultivated one of Tiangang Sect's Four Great Divine Qis, the North Star Ice Soul Divine Qi, within a month?"

Tiangang Sect and the Cangshan Sword Sect were both top major sects of Shannan Dao, belonging to the Five Families Seven Sects.

Thus, they knew clearly about every outstanding disciple in each other's ranks.

"Precisely."

Shen Chengshan was slightly proud.

The East City Song Family was a branch of the Heavenly Saber Song Family, but the West City Shen Family had no such deep roots to trace back. They were merely a martial arts family in a small county town.

Only in Shen Congyun's generation had they truly stepped out of that small county town and gained renown in the martial world.

"Then I must have a good look."

Qian Songyuan grasped Shen Conghai's wrist, sending a thread of true qi into his body.

Examining one's aptitude and talent was actually very simple. It meant observing the speed at which true qi circulated and grew stronger within one's body.

With the same thread of true qi traveling through the body, some people could only double it after one full circulation, while others could increase it a hundredfold, even a thousandfold.

You might need a year of bitter cultivation to break through, while another could do so in a single day. The gap between aptitudes and talents was that enormous.

A martial artist's strength could not be judged entirely by Talent and Aptitude. One also had to consider temperament, comprehension, perseverance, opportunity, practical combat ability, and many other factors.

But those things were too elusive. Only Talent and Aptitude were the most tangible, and they were also the standard by which major sects and aristocratic families selected disciples.

After a moment, Qian Songyuan released his hand and carefully chose his words. "As expected of Tiangang Sect's Shen Congyun's younger brother. His Talent and Aptitude are naturally not bad.

"However, since his brother is an Inner Sect true inheritor of Tiangang Sect, this old man believes he would be better suited to joining Tiangang Sect, where his own people could look after him."

The moment he heard this, Shen Chengshan understood what was going on.

Shen Conghai's talent was mediocre—so mediocre that he did not even qualify to enter the Cangshan Sword Sect's outer sect.

The Innate Realm cultivation he had built up through medicinal baths and spirit pills was simply not worth their notice.

Qian Songyuan had only said he was better suited for Tiangang Sect to give the Shen Family face.

But put another way, both were Shen Family disciples. If Shen Conghai truly had decent talent, he would likely have gone to cultivate at Tiangang Sect long ago. Why would he still remain in Black Stone County?

Shen Conghai could not even force a smile now. His face instantly turned incomparably ugly.

Afraid that he might say something inappropriate, Shen Chengshan hurriedly expressed his thanks, then pulled him down to sit.

Pang Feiyan moved close to Shen Conghai and comforted him, "Brother Hai, do not lose heart. We will not go to this Cangshan Sword Sect.

"They cannot recognize treasure. In the future, we will definitely be able to join an even stronger sect."

Shen Conghai waved a hand impatiently and ignored her.

He could not even enter the Cangshan Sword Sect, so what was there to say about an even greater sect?

At this time, Guo Kai also pulled Guo Mingyuan over as he eagerly came forward.

"Elder Qian, could you please see whether my son is fortunate enough to join the Cangshan Sword Sect?"

Examining one was no different from examining two, and Qian Songyuan did not resist.

But after looking, Qian Songyuan said directly, "The martial path is filled with hardships and dangers. This old man advises you not to let your son cultivate martial arts. Spending this life as a wealthy man would be quite good as well."

Shen Conghai was Shen Congyun's younger brother, so Qian Songyuan gave him some face and spoke more tactfully.

But Guo Kai was merely some county-town nouveau riche. Qian Songyuan would not save him any face, directly stating that someone like Guo Mingyuan was simply unfit to cultivate martial arts.

In an instant, Guo Mingyuan's face became even uglier than Shen Conghai's.

Li Jingzhong stood up at this time and said, "This is Han Zheng, a disciple of my Zhenwei Martial Arts School. He had no martial arts foundation before, yet he entered the Innate Realm in less than a year. His comprehension is certainly not poor."

Qian Songyuan glanced at Han Zheng's age and asked in surprise, "He truly entered the Innate Realm within a year? Without resources such as medicinal baths to aid him?"

Chen Baiqing beside him said, "I can testify to that. Every medicinal bath in Black Stone County passes through my Shenghe Hall.

"Brother Han only used one medicinal bath before breaking through to the Innate Realm. Before that, he had no external aid."

"Let this old man have a look."

Qian Songyuan immediately became interested.

For someone of commoner birth to break through to the Innate Realm at this age was no easy feat.

He had not expected such a tiny place as Black Stone County to be a crouching tiger, hidden dragon, producing so many young disciples with decent talent.

Han Zheng extended his hand for the other man to examine.

He was not worried that Qian Songyuan would discover that he had cultivated other techniques, or notice anything abnormal within his body.

Testing talent merely meant having true qi make one circuit through the body; it did not probe deeply. Once it entered deeply into a martial artist's acupoints and meridians, resistance would immediately arise.

After a moment, Qian Songyuan released his hand and frowned slightly.

"To speak frankly, your talent can only be called ordinary. Very ordinary.

"Among ordinary martial artists, it may be considered average, but in my Cangshan Sword Sect, it is of the lowest grade. You do not even qualify to enter the outer sect.

"Do you have practical combat experience?"

Li Jingzhong said from the side, "He does. Han Zheng's practical combat ability is very strong. While in the Houtian Realm, he escorted merchant caravans and even killed a Pig Demon at the Houtian Late Stage."

Qian Songyuan nodded. "Then that explains it. Martial artists improve their cultivation quickly in the early stages to begin with, and fierce battles can stimulate the acupoints and meridians, aiding breakthroughs.

"Breakthroughs are especially swift in life-and-death struggles, though this is limited to the Houtian and Innate Realms.

"Talent and Aptitude are not about the present, but the future."

When Song Tianqing heard that Han Zheng had actually broken through to the Innate Realm, his face filled with shock.

After becoming the Song Family heir, he no longer lacked resources such as medicinal baths, yet he was still one step away from the Innate Realm. How could Han Zheng possibly be faster than him?

Only after hearing Qian Songyuan's explanation did he feel balanced again.

"Thank you for your trouble, Elder Qian."

Li Jingzhong pulled Han Zheng back down and said in a low voice, "Do not lose heart. Though martial paths differ, who can say for certain what the future holds?"

"Rest assured, Teacher. Something like this cannot shake me."

Han Zheng did not care in the slightest.

Talent?

Talking about talent to someone with cheats—Han Zheng almost wanted to laugh.

After the aptitude tests were finished, everyone resumed exchanging cups and toasting one another.

Qian Songyuan was quite skilled at handling people. He praised the disciples of every family one by one, not even leaving Han Zheng out.

He said that although Han Zheng's Talent and Aptitude were lacking, his comprehension was good, and that he might even surpass his teacher in the future.

He also praised Li Jingzhong's teaching ability, saying that two of his disciples qualified to enter the Cangshan Sword Sect, while another would be considered a capable hand in the martial world.

The others joined in with praise and flattery, though it all fell upon Lin Qing and Song Tianqing.

Han Zheng, meanwhile, seemed like a transparent man, silently eating his food.

At eighteen, in Moon Drinking Pavilion, he was like a lackey.