"Little hero, would you like to try the Thousand-Catty Tripod? No one's tried it yet," a minor official nearby asked with a smile.
Shen Pan shook his head and stepped back.
He actually had some chance of lifting the tripod, but he didn't think it was worth forcing himself just to show off.
His results so far were already more than enough.
Not long afterward,
a man stepped forward. After the customary bow to the County Magistrate, he walked straight past all the stone locks on the ground and stopped before the Bronze Tripod.
Without another word, he gripped its two legs with both hands and let out a shout as he hauled it up!
The Thousand-Catty Tripod didn't merely budge; he lifted it straight over his head, setting off a wave of astonishment.
Not every year did someone manage to lift the Thousand-Catty Tripod at the county examination. This year, at last, there was one.
"Candidate number 327, Xu Hong! Thousand-Catty Tripod lifted overhead!" the minor official bellowed, his voice brimming with excitement.
A man who could shoulder a tripod was a true strongman!
"What do you think of him?" Tao Heng asked again from his high seat.
"He has four hundred strands of Internal Breath. Unfortunately, he's already old, so his future in martial arts is limited. If he knows a little military strategy, he might lead a troop and serve as a junior officer," Tao Jinyi said, his expression unchanged.
In the eyes of outsiders, Xu Hong was a wonder who had lifted a thousand-catty tripod. But to someone with his abilities, a Thousand-Catty Tripod was no different from a toy.
He cared more about the candidates' potential, and how far they might go in the future.
At that, Tao Heng's eyelids drooped again.
After a while, when the sun was high overhead, Zhao An finally heard his name.
He didn't think much of it and went straight to the Bronze Tripod.
Since he'd decided to take the martial examination, he had no interest in hiding his abilities. Having strength but still concealing it, acting all coy and hesitant, simply wasn't his nature.
"Are you going to lift the tripod?" the minor official asked.
Zhao An didn't answer. He reached out and gripped one of the Bronze Tripod's legs, settling his hips and lowering his shoulders. His waist arched like a great bow, and his stance was as steady as a boulder.
He exerted himself in a sudden burst. His body didn't sway, and his hand shot up as if raising a flame to the heavens. In the blink of an eye, he had lifted the great tripod over his head.
The tripod swayed overhead, then steadied and remained still.
Naturally, this sight set off another uproar.
"Master, master, look!" Outside the Martial Arts Arena, a servant gaped and cried out.
"What is it?" The head of the household looked over. His expression froze too, his face filling with shock.
"Who... who is that?"
"Oh!" On the high platform, County Magistrate Tao Heng sat up straight as well, pointing with interest toward Zhao An.
"Jinyi, what about him?"
"He lifted the tripod too, but he swung it up with one arm. That kind of strength should catch your eye."
Tao Jinyi narrowed his eyes, a glint flickering within them. He nodded. "This boy has extraordinary strength, and there are signs that he's trained in hard-body techniques. His palms are thick; he must be well-versed in fist and palm arts. His arm strength is indeed formidable.
"With the half-path of Internal Breath he possesses, lifting a thousand-catty object with one arm is no surprise. The younger generation is truly fearsome. If fate favors him, this boy will achieve great things in martial arts!"
"Since coming to Lianjiang County, this is the first time I've heard you praise someone like that." Tao Heng chuckled, his gaze also appraising Zhao An.
Not far away, Shen Pan watched Zhao An, who looked like a living overlord. He drew a deep breath, his expression still resolute; Zhao An's performance hadn't shaken him.
He knew all too well how formidable Zhao An was, and he also knew that Zhao An was bound to shine today.
He had no intention of competing with Zhao An in this county examination. He had only one goal: to make the list and give his mother a better life.
Thud!
After holding it up for a few breaths, Zhao An set the tripod down. He followed the principle of lifting and setting down gently, so the impact wasn't heavy.
His effortless display of strength made plenty of sharp-eyed spectators realize that the young man still had strength to spare!
"Candidate number 793, Zhao An! Thousand-Catty Tripod lifted overhead with one arm!" Only then did the minor official shout, making sure everyone present remembered Zhao An's name.
"What a little tyrant!"
"This boy is extraordinary. I've watched the county examination for years, and I've never seen anyone lift that great tripod with one arm."
"That's terrifying! One punch from him could bring down a wall! If it landed on someone, it'd probably punch a huge hole right through them..."
"With strength like his, how can the other candidates compare? He's certain to be our county's top martial candidate this year!"
"Not so fast. Great strength doesn't mean he'll win an actual fight, and there's still military strategy to be tested."
"..."
Even after Zhao An stepped back, the commotion and chatter around him didn't die down. Countless gazes remained fixed on him; no one cared much about the other candidates still taking their turns.
Once the stone-lifting event was over, all the candidates ate the food they'd brought with them for a simple lunch on the spot.
That afternoon, each candidate chose a weapon and demonstrated their martial skills, brandishing blades and spears as they went.
The subcategories included weapon proficiency, fist and footwork, martial arts mastery, archery, and more.
Each event had its own examiner. The best performance earned a first-grade rating, a good one a second-grade rating, an average one a third-grade rating, and a poor one a fourth-grade rating.
Besides these, Martial Masters also had an additional test to assess the strength of their Internal Breath.
Compared with the straightforward stone-lock lifting that morning, the afternoon's examinations were much more involved. They went on from midday until evening before finally ending.
Zhao An naturally chose a saber for the weapon event. After performing a set of Fierce Tiger Blade Art at the grandmaster level, he received a first-grade rating for weapon proficiency without question, along with another first-grade rating for martial arts mastery.
For the next event, fist and footwork, Zhao An performed Silver Snake Hand at the perfected level and earned a first-grade rating.
Even in archery, the event he was least skilled at, he still earned a first-grade rating. After all, what he called "least skilled" only meant compared with his other events.
Compared to all the candidates, he was still outstanding.
There was no helping it. With enough preparation and a large number of Soul Slaves assisting him, it was hard for him not to be well-rounded.
As for Internal Breath, its depth had now reached five hundred and fifty strands, so naturally, he earned a first-grade rating there too!
It was late at night before all the candidates had been assessed.
The first day of examinations had finally come to an end.
Zhao An casually found a corner to lean against and rest.
Neither the civil nor the martial examination allowed candidates to leave the grounds. Anyone who went out would be considered to have withdrawn.
So quite a few people had brought not only two days' worth of food, but also a straw mat to lie on, with the sky as their quilt.
As for the County Magistrate, he'd left early.
He had to watch the martial examination, but he also needed to visit the civil examination grounds and make an appearance.
Of course, the martial examination was entertaining to watch. The civil examination was rather dull, so he spent most of his time at the Martial Arts Arena.
The night passed without incident.
With officials and their runners making rounds, all the candidates rested obediently. No one caused trouble in the night.
The second day would continue with the policy essay examination, followed by the final martial contest!
Before you continue