Provincial Examination (2)

Did I need to fight for a place in the Top Three, or could I only aim for the Top Three?

In the Qi Family's side room, Qi Yu suddenly asked this question.

He had seen through it. The family had made arrangements.

His martial examination this time was merely one move in the family's game of chess.

The family was not using him. It was simply that he had acted too spoiled and reckless in the past, so they had not dared let him know too much.

Since he was a chess piece, then... he wanted to understand how he ought to move, rather than act recklessly.

Victory or defeat, success or failure—all could serve as the objective.

Compared to fighting... understanding what one fought for, and how far one should fight, was more important.

Qi Zhao said, "Naturally, the higher the ranking, the better. It's just that those two were truly difficult to match... Hence, we came up with the plan to fight for the Top Three."

Qi Yu was silent for a while before suddenly saying, "If I make the Top Three, Grandfather may indeed develop the thought of cherishing talent. But there are only so many resources. Will the Second Branch really loosen its grip? Will it really be willing to divide up part of the Poison Water Army and Herb Gathering Pavilion, those two enormous slices of the pie?

"Cousin, I need to make sure of one thing. You wouldn't happen to be... counting entirely on Grandfather and Second Uncle changing their minds and considering our overall interests, would you?"

Qi Zhao slowly shook her head. Then she studied her younger male cousin with a solemn expression and said, "Cousin, we aren't that naïve.

"Just go take the examination. Do your best to fight for a high rank.

"Third Uncle once said that those who busied themselves with petty schemes would find it difficult to draw a mighty bow...

"Once one's thoughts became muddled, glancing around after drawing one's sword, wavering and indecisive, it was difficult to recover a martial artist's pure desire to win. But when two opponents met on a narrow path, only the brave could win.

"A great power always needed martial artists like that to serve as the tip of its sword. It also needed petty people with tangled thoughts, who could stir up the winds and clouds in the sinister depths of hell, to serve as the sword's body.

"Cousin isn't skilled in martial arts, Third Uncle is gravely wounded, and my father has been sustaining his body with martial arts and lost his will to fight long ago. But none of us is willing to go downhill, and none of us is willing to lose what should have belonged to us...

"So let us watch you charge forward without hesitation from within hell."

After saying this, she suddenly glanced at Qi Yu's resolute eyes and smiled. Then she pulled a ring from her robes and held it out.

The ring was stained with blood...

"What is this?"

"If... you really end up facing Zhen Ke'ai, and feel that you can't defeat him, turn this ring over and show him its other side. The moment he sees this ring, he should stop attacking."

Qi Yu pushed the ring back.

He had checked his opponent's information in advance, and he could even see his combat power. If he still ended up at the point of "begging for mercy with a ring," then it would already be over.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Thunderous drums suddenly exploded across the sky.

The originally noisy training grounds abruptly fell silent.

It was time to enter the martial examination grounds.

Qi Yu put down the booklet, straightened his clothes, rose to his feet, and strode out of the side room.

After he left, Madam Liu and Qi Zhao continued chatting intermittently about their schemes in the Qi Family's side room.

Although Song Xue, who was accompanying Madam Liu, did not want to eavesdrop, the side room was only so large. How could she possibly fail to hear them?

The more she listened, the more shocked she became...

Were these really things they could discuss in front of an outsider like her?

Madam Liu was an old hand at this sort of thing. Sensing Song Xue's unease, she suddenly sighed. "The Third Branch is in such a predicament now. I've made Miss Song laugh."

Song Xue hurriedly said, "Auntie, no, no. My father often thinks of the friendship he shared with Third Master back then. If Third Master's family is in trouble, my father surely won't stand by and do nothing."

Madam Liu said quietly, "I know that Miss Song and Yu'er were once betrothed as children. It's just that even if you married into our family now, you still wouldn't be able to enjoy a life of comfort."

With that, she took a small red sandalwood box from her sleeve.

The instant the box opened, crimson light flowed within. A plump, glistening vermilion-red fruit lay quietly on the brocade, its skin still coated in a sheen as moist as morning dew.

"The Vermillion Flame Fruit!"

Song Xue froze.

The Vermillion Flame Fruit was the core medicinal ingredient used to make Crimson Flame Powder. One Vermillion Flame Fruit could produce ten packets of Crimson Flame Powder.

However, the combined effects of those ten packets could not compare to a single Vermillion Flame Fruit.

That was because the Vermillion Flame Fruit contained too much heat. After being left on the ground for a day, its juice would dry up on its own and turn into dried fruit. Once the dried fruit was ground and made into Crimson Flame Powder, its efficacy naturally could not compare to that of a Vermillion Flame Fruit overflowing with juice.

Thus, a fresh Vermillion Flame Fruit was an extremely precious medicine for Eighth Rank martial artists, especially those stuck just before the Seventh Rank. It was priceless and impossible to buy, mostly growing in blessed wildlands and perilous places of utter danger. It was exceedingly rare and could only be obtained through luck and opportunity.

Madam Liu pushed the box in front of her and said, "Of the Qi Family's secret Ten Directions Field, only one plot remains in our family's possession. This is the Vermillion Flame Fruit produced by that field. It is extremely beneficial for nourishing the heat within an Eighth Rank martial artist. It was picked only half an hour ago, so you should take it as soon as possible. If you wait any longer, much of its medicinal power will be lost."

With that, she rose again and bowed. "Thank you, Miss Song, for taking care of Yu'er these past few days."

Song Xue hurriedly stood up and repeatedly said, "Auntie, I didn't do it for the Vermillion Flame Fruit. I didn't do it for any benefits..."

Madam Liu's eyes gleamed like candles as she pressed, "Then what did you do it for?"

Song Xue was momentarily speechless. The answer in her heart was naturally clear: she had already harbored feelings for him, and after seeing how he had changed, how he had become ambitious and outstanding, she had naturally fallen for him...

But even thinking about saying such words made her embarrassed. How could she possibly voice them?

Madam Liu suddenly smiled. "Then... how about we take this Vermillion Flame Fruit as an engagement gift for now?"

An engagement gift?

Song Xue's mind buzzed. Her face revealed surprise, and then she bit her lip. As she lowered her eyes, a hint of delight appeared on her face.

At the examination grounds...

The examinees gathered toward the center from all directions and each took an examination token.

The examination tokens were handed out randomly. Their numbers followed the sequence "Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu, Hai," which also meant that the examinees were divided into twelve smaller examination grounds.

The number of people in each examination ground depended on the number of participants.

For example, if there were twelve hundred people, the "Zi" series could be numbered from "Zi One" to "Zi One Hundred."

But if there were that many people, the martial examination might be held over two days.

Today, there clearly weren't that many. Mount Wei City had not produced twelve hundred Eighth Rank martial artists in three years.

Qi Yu looked at his bronze token. It read "Yin Six."

He swept his gaze over the Yin-series examinees. There were thirty-two in total. By a rough estimate, there were nearly four hundred Eighth Rank martial artists.

The Eighth Rank belonged to those with a solid foundation, something they could reach after polishing themselves a little...

But the Eighth Rank was an enormous bottleneck. It was the process of refining the explosive blood heat within the body into force. This process... required not only practice, natural talent, and comprehension, but also external aids to accelerate it. Thus, the numbers plummeted. Perhaps only one young Seventh Rank martial artist could be forged from several dozen Eighth Rank martial artists.

Otherwise, one could slowly endure the hardship, diligently practice every day without the slightest slackening, and achieve success by middle age... but by then, it would be too late, and further advancement would be difficult.

At this moment...

On the command platform, the chief examiner slowly rose to his feet. He swept his gaze over the crowd below and called out, "With spring's harmony and bright scenery, the Dragon Gate stands high and wide.

"You all bear seven-foot bodies and harbor hearts that yearn for the martial path. Today is precisely the time to test your edge.

"Since you have come to take the examination, you should know to act within your limits and stop once the point is made. Strictly observe the examination rules. If anyone cheats... they will be punished without mercy!"

He paused briefly.

"Begin the examination!"

As the final two words fell...

The minor officials called the names, and the examinees began entering according to their numbers.

Qi Yu was sixth in line.

He watched the examinees ahead.

The first round was drawing the hard bow and lifting the stone lock.

Perhaps because they had taken the differences in martial arts and strength into consideration, they had flexibly divided the tests into a "primary" and a "secondary" category.

The first examinee seemed to be from some martial hall in the eastern part of the city. The data "18~26" floated above his head. He chose the "hard bow" as his primary test.

Three bows had been placed on the weapon rack. From bottom to top, they were the Eight Force, Ten Force, and Twelve Force bows.

The examinee seized the bow in the middle without hesitation.

To pass the martial examination, one had to choose at least the middle level for one's "primary examination event."

The hard bow was not something used by ordinary hunters. Its bow body was dark brown and made of red sandalwood, with layer upon layer of ox horn pressed onto it. Its arms were as thick as a child's, and its bowstring was tanned from the sinews of cattle.

The examinee drew a deep breath. The muscles in his arms instantly tensed, and white blood-qi faintly rose from his body. After settling into a horse stance, he gripped the bow's handle with his left hand and hooked the string with three fingers of his right. He exhaled and shouted in a low voice...

"Open!"

Crack...

The bowstring moved in response and opened halfway. His face had already reddened, and both arms trembled slightly.

"Open!!!"

The examinee continued roaring.

With that shout, the bowstring opened farther, until it was fully drawn.

The minor official stared intently.

After drawing it fully, one had to maintain the position for the time it took to breathe once to count as a success.

The examinee felt as though a year had passed in a day. The bow body let out a creaking groan as his trembling arms held it, and his face had already flushed crimson.

After one breath, his strength gave out and he released the bowstring. It snapped back into place with a twang, jolting him into stumbling backward, and the web between his thumb and forefinger split open.

Next came the stone lock lift.

The stone locks weighed five hundred, six hundred, and seven hundred pounds.

After hesitating repeatedly, the examinee still chose the "six hundred pounds." After all, only Second Class, Middle Grade counted as passing.

The first round tested nothing but brute strength. If he could not even obtain Second Class, Middle Grade in this round, then in the second round he would have to risk fighting for the "Grade A" result. Only then could his combined score pass.

A moment later...

The minor official of the Yin examination ground announced, "Yin One, White Ape Martial Hall, Yu Kai, Second Class, Middle Grade."

Then more names were called in succession...

"Yin Two, Iron Fist Martial Hall, Zhao Changpeng, Second Class, Middle Grade."

"Yin Three, Shi Family, Shi Yong, Grade A, Middle."

A broad-faced man clenched and raised his fist. His face was flushed from his surging blood-qi, but excitement shone on it.

Obtaining Grade A, Middle in the first round meant that even if he only achieved Second Class, Lower Grade in the second round, he would still pass!

And everyone knew that the first round was not difficult. The difficult part was the second round.

Very soon...

It was Qi Yu's turn.

On the high platform, Second Branch Madam Peng Wenhua narrowed her long eyes slightly, her cold gaze pinning the figure below to the spot.

She watched her eldest nephew slowly walk onto the examination platform. She watched his palm pass over the strong bows below and slowly press onto the very top of the weapon rack. When he picked up that Twelve Force Bow, a trace of mockery appeared on her face.

Qi Yu did not use his heat.

He casually took down the Twelve Force Bow and tested it slightly. His knuckles settled against the bowstring, his posture relaxed, and then, amid the chaotic examination grounds, he casually drew it.

The bow formed a full moon and creaked.

After waiting two breaths, he slowly eased the bowstring back, placed it on the rack, and then continued toward the stone-lock area while the minor official stared at him in dumbfounded disbelief, having even forgotten to record the result.

He walked straight to the seven-hundred-pound stone lock. Still without using his heat, he merely bent one knee slightly and hooked all ten fingers beneath the stone lock's base. Then he straightened his body and lifted the seven-hundred-pound stone lock above his head.

Two breaths later, he gently set the stone lock back in its original place without stirring even the slightest speck of dust.

The previously clamorous Yin-group examination ground abruptly fell silent.

An uproar of barely suppressed astonishment erupted below the platform.

"He didn't use his heat!"

"Who is he?"

"He didn't use his heat. He relied purely on his physical body to draw the Twelve Force Bow and lift the seven-hundred-pound lock. If he had used it... how terrifying would that be?"

"How is that possible?!"

Crash!!

Inside the Second Branch's side room, the purple-bronze incense burner was swept violently to the floor, scattering incense ash in all directions.

Peng Wenhua's face was covered in frost. "It seems the First and Third Branches still have quite a few good things... Good steel should be put to the blade's edge. They actually used those resources to feed that wastrel. They truly have no sense of the bigger picture!"