Purgatory

As far as the eye could see, three or four dozen bodies lay sprawled across the small pearl-drying ground in the center of Pearl Village.

Some wore the mismatched garb of mountain bandits, others the short jackets of the Sea Shark Gang or the uniforms of county yamen runners. But most wore the tattered clothes of ordinary Pearl Households.

These Pearl Households had been driven from their homes by the bandits and gathered on the pearl-drying ground. Then, when the two sides suddenly erupted into a fierce battle, they were swept into the fray, helpless fish caught in a pond with nowhere to flee.

Blades had no eyes, stray arrows flew everywhere, and amid the shockwaves of warriors fighting to the death, they were as fragile as grass.

Hearing the outside fall completely silent, Chen Father and Chen Mother waited anxiously in the back room. Their son still hadn't called for them, so they helped each other toward the door, trembling with every step.

When they looked past Chen Yue's shoulder and saw the carnage on the pearl-drying ground, they were struck as if by lightning. Their bodies trembled uncontrollably, and Mother Chen clapped both hands over her mouth.

Among the Pearl Households' corpses, their bodies twisted and spattered with blood, were faces they knew all too well!

There was Uncle Zhang, who had still been sorting fishing nets with them at the docks yesterday. There was Sister-in-law Liu, who had borrowed fishing line from them a few days ago. She lay on her back in the muddy ground not far away, her eyes still wide open, staring at the gray sky, one hand seeming to clutch something tightly...

"Zhang... Brother Zhang... Sister Liu..." Chen Father murmured in a trembling voice, unable to believe it.

Yesterday, they had been living, breathing people, still fretting over how to make ends meet. In the blink of an eye, they lay soundless in this filthy mud.

And the only reason they had lost their lives was that they'd been unlucky enough to stand at the heart of the storm, easily crushed by a tiny aftershock of its towering waves.

Chen Yue stood quietly where he was, his eyes grave and dark.

This was the truth of the world, laid bare in all its bloody horror. Without strength, you were an ant. The mountain bandits saw you as property they could plunder at will, the Sea Shark Gang saw you as a beast of burden they could squeeze dry, and the authorities saw you as a number they could sacrifice at any moment.

"I have to grow stronger. Stronger still!"

The thought seared itself into Chen Yue's heart like a branding iron. Only by gaining enough strength to fight back could he carve out a sliver of hope and a measure of dignity for himself and those he cared about in this dog-eat-dog world.

By the time the sky had brightened, the Sea Shark Gang and the county yamen had already cleared away their own dead and wounded. They withdrew with several captured bandits and their spoils, leaving behind a village full of devastation and Pearl Households overcome with grief.

The survivors emerged from their homes one by one, like lambs still trembling with fright. In fear and trepidation, they searched the pearl-drying ground for their loved ones' bodies, trying to identify them.

Before long, heart-wrenching cries rose one after another, filling the entire village and mingling with the lingering stench of blood to form a scene like hell on earth.

Chen Father and Chen Mother silently joined those helping out, assisting families they knew in gathering up the bodies. Their faces were marked by deep, numbed sorrow.

Over the days that followed, Pearl Village slowly restored the semblance of order amid a grief and oppression so heavy it seemed to smother all sound.

The Sea Shark Gang made a token effort to increase its daytime patrols, and its exploitation of the Pearl Households seemed to ease somewhat, at least for the time being.

Chen Yue focused on nothing but cultivation, devoting nearly all his time to it. The Mountain-Climbing Art cycled without pause. He could feel his blood and qi growing more vigorous by the day, the foundation of his Skin Refining Realm becoming ever firmer as he steadily advanced toward a higher level.

At last, the day of the County Examination arrived.

Chen Yue rose before dawn. He changed into coarse clothes and swallowed a few inferior pearls with some water.

Before leaving, he looked at his parents' worried faces and said quietly, "Father, Mother, I'm heading to the county seat now. Tidy things up at home. Once I see the Broker, I'll have him bring you into town for a few days under the pretext of a yamen summons. No matter how the County Examination goes, you'll be safer in town than here."

Chen Father and Chen Mother nodded. Mother Chen seemed about to say something; her lips moved, but in the end, she only straightened her son's collar, which wasn't even crooked.

Chen Father patted his son on the shoulder, his eyes filled with conflicting emotions: worry and hope.

Chen Yue made up an excuse and left Pearl Village. In less than half an hour, the familiar outline of Hepu County had appeared in the distance.

After entering the city, Chen Yue first found a secluded spot and took the inferior pearls from his stomach, then washed them carefully.

The pearls were only mediocre in quality, but at least he had several of them. He found a small shop he'd never visited before and exchanged them for three taels and two mace of silver.

With the money tucked away, he headed straight for Donkey Market Alley.

The Broker had only just opened for the day. Seeing Chen Yue arrive right on time, he couldn't help wearing a shrewd smile.

Chen Yue didn't waste words. He set three taels of silver on the table.

The Broker weighed the silver in his hand, then smiled with satisfaction. "All right, young brother, you're straightforward. Leave your parents' matter to me. By this afternoon at the latest, a yamen runner will bring documents to Pearl Village and take them into town, where I'll arrange a safe place for them to stay. You just focus on your exam."

He paused and cupped his hands. "The County Examination is today. I wish you victory from the very first step and success with a single gallop!"

"I'll take your good wishes." Chen Yue cupped his hands in return. Without another word, he turned and strode toward the county yamen.

The usually solemn county yamen gates were now surrounded by a surging crowd of well over a hundred people.

They gathered in groups of three or five, talking in low voices or limbering up. The air was thick with a jumble of excitement, nerves, and apprehension.

Chen Yue quietly made his way to the edge of the crowd and stood in an inconspicuous corner, his gaze calmly sweeping over those around him. This was the first obstacle on his path to changing his fate.

About half an hour later, the county yamen's central gate creaked open. Several yamen runners filed out and stood stiffly to either side. A man who looked like a clerk stood on the steps and called out in a drawn-out voice, "It is now the hour of the Dragon! All martial candidates, line up for verification of your identity documents, then enter!"

The crowd stirred and began lining up as instructed.

Chen Yue took the examination guarantee document the Broker had prepared for him from his robe and moved forward with the line. After the yamen runners and a clerk checked his papers, he passed through the county yamen gates without a hitch, crossed the front hall, and entered the spacious training ground behind it.

The training ground was paved with blue bricks. A raised platform stood on the east side, with tables and chairs set out for the county magistrate and examiners.

Dozens of black stone weights of various sizes had been arranged neatly in the center of the training ground. These were the implements for the first test: stone weights. From what Chen Yue had learned in advance, the County Examination had two rounds.

The first round tested strength. Candidates had to lift a stone weight of the prescribed heft to qualify for the next round. This tested their strength and weeded out those with too weak a foundation.

The second round tested combat skills, and took place on a temporary fighting platform erected on the west side of the training ground.

Candidates had to fight two matches in a row: one bare-handed, one with a weapon. They could choose a saber, spear, or staff. Winning either match counted as passing the County Examination and qualified them to take the higher-level Prefectural Examination.

As for the archery, policy essays, and other events that had been part of the examination in earlier years, they had long since been abolished for various reasons. The Martial Examination now placed ever greater emphasis on real combat ability.