Class A Division Servant!

Body Tempering fourth-grade!

A display of strength!

This time, Lin Guanhuo hadn't held back.

After all, the test results affected his treatment and benefits.

The Demon Suppressing Division had the final say in Blackwater City, and it was also an upright, reputable organization. Lin Guanhuo didn't need to worry about anyone harboring ulterior motives toward him.

At that moment, when everyone saw the results, the entire Apprentice Plaza erupted in an uproar.

"1,230 jin of strength?!"

"The Force Measuring Pillar... is it broken?"

The clerks responsible for recording the scores exchanged glances, thinking the Force Measuring Pillar had malfunctioned.

They hurried over, and even had someone throw a couple of punches at it. The pillar didn't budge, and it was working perfectly.

"Instructor..." One of the clerks looked up at Zhou Cang on the platform, then said, "The machine isn't broken."

1,230 jin!

The real deal—a Body Tempering fourth-grade martial artist!

"Good! Well done, lad!"

Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap!

Zhou Cang was stunned for just a moment before enthusiastically applauding.

Caught completely by surprise, he didn't know what to say for a moment. All he could do was praise him twice.

"That's the first time I've seen Instructor Zhou Cang lose his composure like this..."

"He found a real gem. This year we've got a genius like Lin Guanhuo, and another like Shen Yifan. If you were the instructor, you'd be excited too!"

"Lin Guanhuo's always been so low-key. Who'd have thought he was a hidden genius?"

The crowd buzzed with discussion.

Then, under countless watchful eyes, Zhou Cang walked over to Lin Guanhuo.

Zhou Cang's eyes were sharp as torches. At a glance, he could tell that the qi and blood within Lin Guanhuo were abundant and pure.

It was nothing like the strength gained through pills or crooked methods.

In other words, Lin Guanhuo was a genuine fourth-rank martial artist.

Actually, fourth-rank martial artists weren't uncommon in the Demon Suppressing Division. You could even say they were everywhere.

Lin Guanhuo's fourth-rank strength wasn't the point.

What mattered was his talent—and his future.

Lin Guanhuo was only eighteen!

And Zhou Cang had looked into his background. Before this, Lin Guanhuo had been no more than a White Servant at the County Office. Orphaned as a child, he'd been recognized for his talent by people from the Demon Suppressing Division, who had recommended him here.

He had no family backing whatsoever. He'd relied entirely on himself, carving out a path in the Martial Dao through sheer grit!

With talent like this, if he was properly cultivated, his future would be immeasurable!

For all they knew, the Lin Guanhuo standing before him might become the Demon Suppressing Division's next Gold Badge Walker!

At that moment, Lin Guanhuo remained calm. He merely cupped his hands in a slight bow, neither servile nor arrogant.

When he stepped down from the platform, the expressions of all the apprentices changed. Some looked envious, others astonished.

But most of all, they looked up to him.

"Senior B-Brother Lin..."

Just then, a waft of fragrance drifted over.

Li Miaomiao, the popular beauty among this year's apprentices, had appeared beside Lin Guanhuo at some point.

Her pretty face wore a sweet smile she'd never shown before.

She clasped her hands behind her back and leaned forward slightly, looking utterly charming.

"Um... I just passed the assessment too, but I'm still not very good at some of the techniques. I was wondering if, sometime in the future, I could ask Senior Brother Lin to... tutor me privately?"

At her words, the male apprentices nearby turned red-eyed.

That was Li Miaomiao! Shen Yifan had been in the spotlight just moments ago, and she hadn't been this forward with him.

But now, she was practically throwing herself at Lin Guanhuo!

So that was the allure of strength?

Lin Guanhuo merely replied, "I'm busy lately."

Two simple words, bluntly ending the conversation.

The smile froze on Li Miaomiao's face.

Watching Lin Guanhuo walk away, she bit her lower lip, her small fists clenched.

But then, after a moment's thought...

Hmph. He must be shy...

She speculated to herself.

After all, she'd heard Lin Guanhuo was a loner from a poor background. Faced with a beautiful woman showing interest, he was bound to feel embarrassed.

"It's fine. We're in the same division, so there'll be plenty of opportunities." A glint of determination flashed in Li Miaomiao's eyes.

Not far away,

Shen Yifan watched the scene, feeling somewhat dejected.

He'd originally wanted to compete, but after seeing that terrifying figure of 1,250 jin, then seeing Li Miaomiao fawn over Lin Guanhuo,

he finally understood that he and Lin Guanhuo weren't even on the same level.

"Congratulations, Brother Lin."

Shen Yifan took a deep breath and cupped his hands toward Lin Guanhuo.

At that moment, he was thoroughly convinced.

"All right."

On the raised platform,

Zhou Cang put away his smile and returned to his usual stern demeanor.

He announced loudly, "Lin Guanhuo, you've passed the assessment! You're registered as a Class A Division Servant, with a monthly salary of seventy taels!"

Though they'd expected it, the words "Class A" and "seventy taels" still caused an uproar.

A Class A Division Servant was the highest rank among the Demon Suppressing Division's servants. One step further,

and he'd be a Badge Walker.

"Those who didn't pass can leave. Go back and train hard. You can try again next month."

Zhou Cang waved his hand.

The apprentices who'd been eliminated could only leave the Martial Arts Arena, their faces filled with envy and frustration.

The vast plaza was left with only a small group of apprentices who'd passed the assessment: Lin Guanhuo, Shen Yifan, Li Miaomiao, Zhao Ming, and a few others.

"Congratulations to you all."

Zhou Cang looked at the new blood and said solemnly, "From today onward, you can consider yourselves true members of the Demon Suppressing Division. As the first group to pass the assessment with distinction, you'll receive a greater share of the division's resources."

A little while later, a middle-aged man arrived at the apprentices' Main Courtyard.

"Steward Liu." Zhou Cang nodded to the newcomer, then introduced him. "These are this year's first new Division Servants."

The man called Steward Liu wore a long gray robe and looked like a civil official.

"Thank you for your hard work, Instructor Zhou."

Steward Liu smiled and returned the greeting. His gaze swept over the group before he said, "Everyone, your new quarters have been arranged. You have half a quarter of an hour to pack your belongings."

The apprentices who'd passed then returned to their dormitory and packed their luggage and personal belongings.

After saying goodbye to Instructor Zhou, the group followed Steward Liu and left.

At that moment, the sun was setting, and Zhou Cang was the only one left in the Apprentice Plaza.

Among this year's newcomers were not only the unexpected genius Lin Guanhuo, but also promising talents like Shen Yifan and Zhao Ming.

"In recent years, local powers like Luohe Martial Arts School, the Xu Family, and the Blood Spear Sect have produced one talented youngster after another... Some of their juniors are exceptionally formidable."

"Especially the young lady of Luohe Martial Arts School... She's already entered the Bone Forging Realm. These major powers have been biding their time, but behind the scenes, they're doing everything they can to cultivate the next generation."

"What these lineages hope for is nothing more than one of their young ones becoming a Bright Sun Talent, so they can contend with the Demon Suppressing Division for control of all Blackwater City..."

"Our Demon Suppressing Division absolutely cannot fall behind them!"

Zhou Cang walked along, muttering to himself.

Just then,

Clop, clop, clop, clop, clop!

The sound of horseshoes came from behind Zhou Cang. He froze at the sound and turned around.

At that moment, a convoy was slowly emerging from the Inner Courtyard. The carriage at its head was pitch-black, its cabin forged from black iron.

Three fine horses clad in scale armor radiated imposing might.

Behind the carriage followed dozens of guards. Every one of them wore a mask and black clothes, their strength impossible to fathom.

"Black Armored Guard?"

The sight startled Zhou Cang.

The Black Armored Guard were elite protectors of the Demon Suppressing Division. Every one of them was at least a Martial Master, and they served the division's most powerful figures.

"Could that be... the Commander?" Zhou Cang finally realized who it might be and immediately bowed slightly toward the convoy.

It wasn't only Zhou Cang. Near the Demon Suppressing Division's entrance, instructors, Division Servants, and Badge Walkers all dismounted or bowed.

The person inside that carriage was clearly someone of lofty status.

But then,

the convoy came to a stop near Zhou Cang.

"Stop."

A hand reached out of the carriage window and gave a small wave.

The curtains hid the interior. Only a few blurred silhouettes could be seen seated inside.

"Zhou Cang."

A middle-aged man's voice came from within the carriage. "How are this year's newcomers?"

Zhou Cang shuddered and hurried forward.

He stopped beside the carriage window, bowing even lower as he replied respectfully, "Reporting to the Commander, we do have a promising young talent this year."

"His name is Lin Guanhuo. He's only eighteen, yet he's already a fourth-rank martial artist. Both his temperament and talent are among the very best."

"Oh?"

The voice from within the carriage held a little more interest. "From the way you describe him, he sounds like someone worth nurturing."

The man speaking was Ye Nantian, Commander of the Blackwater Demon Suppressing Division!

He was also the number-one expert in all of Blackwater City.

Countless times, when demons had invaded, Ye Nantian had shouldered the burden of defending all of Blackwater City alone, sparing its people from devastation.

He was a revered figure throughout the city.

"Very well."

Ye Nantian said calmly, "I'll inform the Deputy Commander to keep an eye on him. If he truly is an uncut jade, then the Demon Suppressing Division certainly won't let his talent go to waste."

"Yes." Zhou Cang cupped his hands.

"Let's go."

Ye Nantian waved his hand.

The wheels rolled, and the black convoy set off once more.

Surrounded by a large escort of Martial Masters, it disappeared at the end of the street.