Bang, bang.
Three drumbeats suddenly rang out.
"Everyone, the contest for First Incense officially begins now!"
As soon as the words fell, a group of powerful constables strode onto the platform, each carrying a Stone Lock of a different weight.
As the Stone Locks were set down, the platform trembled slightly.
From left to right, they weighed one thousand jin, one thousand five hundred jin, two thousand jin...
The heaviest Stone Lock weighed a full five thousand jin. Two constables had carried it up together.
This was the first test.
Strength.
The contestants could choose a suitable Stone Lock and lift it.
The more times they lifted it, and the heavier the Stone Lock they lifted, the higher their score would be.
Compared with the tests that followed, however, the first one was only an assessment, meant to determine whether the contestants had any chance of claiming First Incense.
Its influence on the final results was negligible.
As the constables called out names, more and more Martial Artists stepped onto the platform. They each chose a suitable Stone Lock and began lifting.
"Wang Er, one thousand jin, three times."
"Li San, one thousand jin, five times."
"Zhang Si, one thousand five hundred jin, twice."
Watching the contestants on the platform, the crowd could barely muster any interest. Everyone knew the real show was still to come.
"Next, Li Si."
At the sound of that name, He An's expression instantly turned solemn.
He had learned a little about this man from Sun Wangxian.
Only seventeen years old, he was a junior official registered with the Town Martial Division and a Half-step Muscle Condensing Realm Martial Artist.
Such strength, at such a young age.
If nothing unexpected happened, he would certainly Enter the Ranks one day.
Meng Cao always kept him by his side, and regarded him as his successor.
In short,
he was exceptionally strong!
With an air of arrogance, he strode onto the platform.
The crowd knew his background too. When they saw him take the stage, they all watched him curiously, eager to see what he would choose.
"Young Master Li, which one will you pick?"
"Three thousand jin!"
Li Si answered slowly.
In an instant,
the crowd's excitement soared.
After watching so many one-thousand- and one-thousand-five-hundred-jin lifts, how could they not go wild when someone suddenly chose a three-thousand-jin Stone Lock?
Most importantly,
even a Muscle Condensing Realm Martial Artist would feel a little uncertain about lifting this three-thousand-jin Stone Lock.
"That boy just loves showing off," Meng Cao said with a shake of his head and a laugh.
Master Li waved a hand. "How is that showing off? He has the strength for it, so there's no need for him to be overly modest."
"Still, it's all thanks to Brother Meng's excellent teaching!"
"Not at all. Youngster Ning is just as impressive. I'm sure he'll amaze everyone when he takes the stage later."
The two began showering each other with praise.
Standing to one side, Ning Yuan's eyes flashed with fierce determination. "Three thousand jin? Then I'll lift three thousand five hundred when I go up. No one's going to outdo me!"
At that, Zuo Ying felt a little uneasy. "Three thousand jin, and he's not even eighteen. Is he even human?"
Seeing his expression, Wei Yangyun gave a wry smile. "Ying Er, don't be afraid. There's naturally a difference in strength between men and women, not to mention that he practices Tong Bei Quan."
"Three thousand jin is nothing difficult for him."
Zuo Ying put on a brave front. "Who's afraid? It's only three thousand jin. When I go up, I'll lift a three-thousand-jin Stone Lock too. I refuse to believe it."
"If he can lift it, why can't I?"
Wei Yangyun: "..."
On the platform,
Li Si slowly walked toward the three-thousand-jin Stone Lock.
He An watched intently and murmured, "At a glance, he can definitely lift a three-thousand-jin Stone Lock. The only question is, how many times can he manage?"
Li Si took a deep breath and grabbed the Stone Lock's handle. His muscles bulged all over in an instant.
In the next moment, the Stone Lock slowly rose.
"Up!"
Li Si gave a low shout, unleashing all his strength.
The three-thousand-jin Stone Lock shot upward. He held it aloft, suspended in the air for three seconds.
The Stone Lock crashed back down, kicking up a cloud of dust.
"Good!"
A deafening cheer erupted from the crowd.
Li Si wasn't finished. After taking a deep breath, he placed his right hand on the Stone Lock again.
Sure enough,
he lifted it once more.
But by now, sweat poured from Li Si's forehead, and his muscles no longer looked as powerful as before. He had clearly exhausted his strength.
"Li Si, three thousand jin, twice."
So far, this was the best result. Even so, Li Si seemed dissatisfied.
"Lord Meng, I've let you down." He lowered his head like a child who had done something wrong.
Meng Cao consoled him. "Go rest for now. The contest later is what matters most. You've already exceeded my expectations."
Li Si nodded.
"That boy's gotten this strong already? He can lift a three-thousand-jin Stone Lock twice?" Sun Wangxian was clearly surprised by Li Si's performance.
He An said nothing.
Three thousand jin might already be impressive for other people.
But he reckoned that with his current realm and his Perfection-level Yi Jin Jing, a four-thousand-jin Stone Lock would be no problem.
Even a five-thousand-jin Stone Lock might be within reach!
After Li Si, several more people took the platform. They were indeed stronger than the earlier contestants, but none matched Li Si's result.
So for now, Li Si still had the best score.
Then,
"Next, Ning Yuan!"
The crowd's interest rose again.
As Master Li's personal disciple, he wasn't as famous as Li Si, but his strength was certainly not to be underestimated. Master Li had always raised him like a son.
"Lord Wei, how strong is this fellow?" Zuo Ying asked.
Wei Yangyun shook his head. "I don't know much about him. I only know that he practices Five Tiger Fist, an extremely fierce and powerful martial art."
"If nothing unexpected happens, he should be no weaker than that Li Si we just saw."
Zuo Ying's face fell.
"Why are they all so freakishly strong?!"
Seeing this, Wei Yangyun quickly tried to reassure him.
"Ying Er, you're not bad either. Compared to them, you're the youngest, yet your strength isn't far behind theirs."
"Truth be told, you're the most talented of them all."
At that, Zuo Ying naturally grew confident again. "That's right. I'm the most talented. One day, they'll all fall at my hands."
Hearing his name called, Ning Yuan slowly walked onto the platform.
"Three thousand jin!"
As he announced his choice, the crowd erupted once more.
He approached the Stone Lock and slowly gripped it with his right hand.
"Get up!"
He gave a low shout.
The veins on his forehead bulged. The three-thousand-jin Stone Lock seemed as light as cotton in his hand; he lifted it with ease.
As he lifted the Stone Lock again and again, everyone held their breath.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Before you continue