Loyalty and Melee

Gao Mian withdrew her gaze from below the platform and said without concealment, "I think Carpenter Su is quite promising. He has a steady temperament and fine craftsmanship. He would be a good seedling for the Martial Academy."

A chill flashed through Shan Xiongqing's eyes, though he smiled. "Madam has a sharp eye. Then during the melee later, we should send two more men to keep an eye on him. I'm just afraid Carpenter Su's little frame won't hold up."

The refined man beside them, dressed in a moon-white robe and waving a folding fan, chuckled. "Brother Shan, broad daylight, and your hands still cannot stay idle for even a moment."

"Chai Er, what the hell does it have to do with you? Waving a fan in the dead of winter—have you lost your mind?" Shan Xiongqing shot back.

Ignoring the jab, Chai Nian continued, "This time, I'm afraid another promising youngster with superior bones won't be going to your Shan Family?"

"And your Chai Family has one?"

With a curl of his lips, Chai Nian snapped his fan shut and tapped it against his palm. "Tie Niu, come up and greet everyone."

A burly man answered the call and stepped onto the platform, cupping his fists in salute.

"Tie Niu has superior bones. He has practiced martial arts for just over half a month and has already entered Blood Condensing. With such progress, have any of your households ever seen the like?"

"Half a month?!"

Eyes on and below the platform immediately converged on him.

"Your Chai Family really found a treasure?"

"Little brother, would you be willing to come visit my Rong Family?" Yu Lian, the Rong Family's young lady, invited him with a smile.

Tie Niu merely lowered his head without a word.

"He merely relied on new medicine to advance quickly," Shan Xiongqing sneered.

"Brother Shan, the new medicine on our side is progressing rapidly. Yet you cannot even pry open a woman's mouth? Why not focus on enjoying yourself and let me deal with the remnants of Cloud-Striding Martial Hall for you?" Chai Nian pressed his advantage.

"My woman is mine to deal with." Shan Xiongqing snorted coldly.

The armored general also spoke. "The battle at the front has stalled. Great Jing's Cloud Mist Sect has been secretly obstructing us. Cloud-Striding Martial Hall is said to be one of its branches. If we can find a method to counter them from their martial arts, it will be a great merit. We cannot afford delays."

"Exactly. Old Shan, everyone ought to contribute to this matter." The others chimed in one after another.

They all want a share of my credit. Shan Xiongqing snorted inwardly. His hand unconsciously tightened, making the maid beside him cry out in pain, her lovely face turning pale.

He said icily, "Captain Wei, I was the one who uncovered Cloud-Striding Martial Hall. I have my own plans. Begin the Loyalty Test and see whether we can fish out any remnants."

Groups of elderly people, weak women, and children, linked together by ropes, were shoved into the arena. They were the families of Cloud-Striding Martial Hall, each dressed in rags and wearing frightened expressions.

The examiner shouted, "The Loyalty Test begins now! Great Liang, the superior nation, granted you a path to live, yet you dared plot rebellion. You deserve severe punishment! Within half an incense stick's time, step forward and humiliate these criminals' families. Your loyalty rank will be judged according to your actions!"

"This..."

The arena instantly erupted in uproar.

Watching the trembling women and terrified, sobbing children, no one dared move at first.

The examiner roared, "You will not act? Could it be that you are rebel accomplices as well?"

As soon as he finished speaking, someone finally forced himself forward. He shut his eyes, lightly kicked one of them, and cursed under his breath, "Little bastard!"

Someone stepped up, spat on them, muttered a curse, then hurriedly backed away.

Someone seized a woman by the hair and slapped her twice, though his face had gone faintly pale.

Yet there were also those who grinned viciously and tore at a young girl's already ragged clothes, drawing shriek after shriek.

The Jing People watching from outside the arena saw this miserable sight. Some closed their eyes, unable to bear it, while others covered their faces and left.

Su Yuan did not move. He merely took out paper and brush and began sketching on the spot.

The lines raced beneath his brush, outlining the Liang People on the platform laughing and chatting while the captives below suffered miserable humiliation, curled up in despair. The contrast was shocking to the eye.

[Painting: 443/2000 (Complete)]

After finishing the painting, he presented it.

"Boy, I recognize you. I liked that Yun Xu portrait of mine immensely. This painting is good too. Next time, make one more open and aboveboard?" The examiner actually recognized Su Yuan. Seeing the captives' wretched expressions leap vividly from the page, he gave a broad stroke of his brush and awarded him an upper rank.

Su Yuan had not expected to receive an upper rank merely for a painting. Raising his eyes, he saw the madam on the platform give an almost imperceptible nod and understood.

He also saw Tie Niu anxiously looking around on the platform, seemingly searching for someone.

Better not let him worry. Su Yuan lowered his head and quickly withdrew.

Everyone was discussing among themselves. "What rank did you get?"

"I only gave them a light push. I got a lower rank," Xu Tian said.

"Me too," Xu Di said gloomily.

Most of those present had received lower ranks. Their consciences had not yet been extinguished, and they could not bring themselves to be cruel.

"But it seems that as long as you did something in the Loyalty Test, you could pass. It only tested your attitude," someone consoled them.

"Brother Su, what about you?" Xu Tian asked then.

Before Su Yuan could answer, someone suddenly said, "He got an upper rank! I saw it!"

"An upper rank?!" Hearing that, everyone took a step back in unison, their eyes full of suspicion and alarm.

"What did you do?"

"I only made a painting." Su Yuan frowned.

"Impossible! I personally saw someone violate a male captive in public before getting an upper rank. How could you get that rank by merely painting?" someone questioned.

"You're that Carpenter Su! I've heard of you. You specialize in female carvings, humiliating and playing with women. Could it be that you also..." Someone recognized him, their tone filled with disgust.

Su Yuan's expression darkened as he prepared to explain.

"He's that petty scoundrel! The original owner of that Yun Xu portrait was once his benefactor, yet he could even sell out his benefactor. Everyone, keep away from him!" Seeing an opportunity, Wang Er immediately shrieked.

For a moment, everyone avoided Su Yuan as though he were a viper or scorpion, swiftly moving away with nothing but contempt in their eyes.

Su Yuan cast Wang Er a cold glance, then said to the Xu Brothers, "Come over and protect me."

The two inwardly cried misery, yet could only shuffle closer. The three of them immediately became an isolated island.

When the two looked at Su Yuan again, their expressions were complicated.

They had never expected this carpenter to be so vicious in secret.

"This misunderstanding is only growing deeper." Su Yuan sighed. Perhaps this was the price of climbing upward.

At that moment, Tie Niu pushed through the crowd and came over, his eyes reddening. "Brother Yuan, you lied to me."

He had just learned that Su Yuan had already sold himself to the Shan Family.

"Tie Niu, I only didn't want you to worry," Su Yuan said gently.

"Brother Yuan, don't take part in the melee. It's too dangerous. Come with me." Tie Niu reached out to pull Su Yuan away.

"I have to take part. I have to practice martial arts. Trust me." Su Yuan held his arm firm, and he was only tugged a little.

Tie Niu froze. He was already a Martial Warrior, yet he could not pull Su Yuan?

After a moment of silence, Tie Niu released him.

Su Yuan softened his tone. "Tie Niu, I'm fine. Why are you with those young masters? Didn't you need the Martial Assessment?"

"I became a Martial Warrior," Tie Niu said quietly.

"A Martial Warrior?!"

It had only been half a month. He had actually become a Martial Warrior already?

"Brother, you opened up too?" Su Yuan stared wide-eyed.

Tie Niu scratched his head. "Brother Yuan, be extremely careful during the melee later. I'll go find some people to protect you."

Su Yuan nodded, recalling the force he had just resisted.

My strength is actually no weaker than a Martial Warrior's? This time, I'm secure.

Whether anyone else helped him was no longer the crucial point.

In this melee, he would ultimately have to rely on himself. The Martial Assessment concerned his future; who knew what intentions outsiders harbored?

At that moment, the examiner ordered all those with inferior bones to gather at the melee grounds.

The Xu Brothers, who had watched everything unfold, asked, "Brother Su, that Martial Warrior was...?"

"My younger brother, Tie Niu. Superior bones, a Martial Warrior in half a month." Su Yuan spoke calmly as he headed toward the testing ground.

"A Martial Warrior in half a month!" The brothers exchanged horrified looks and hurried after him.

"Brother Su, let us protect you from here on!"

All those with inferior bones were herded into a circular field, enclosed by low earthen walls.

The examiner announced loudly, "Soon, fierce horses and hunting bulls will be released into the field. You must evade and contend with them within. If you cannot endure, you may climb over the wall and escape, which will count as elimination. Once only half remain in the field, the Martial Assessment will be passed."

The moment his words fell, the fence burst open with a bang, and tall, fierce horses and several powerful bulls charged out.

These cattle and horses seemed to have accumulated a bellyful of resentment. Their eyes were bloodshot, their snorts heavy, and they rammed anyone they saw.

One person failed to dodge in time and was gored through the chest by a bull's horn. The moment he fell, the chaotic iron hooves trampled him into pulp.

"Run!" The crowd exploded, scattering in every direction for their lives.

A large man, confident in his strength, turned back and seized a white bull's horns with both hands. With a furious roar, he exerted his force and actually stopped it.

But a black horse charged in from the side, reared up, and kicked him down. In the blink of an eye, he vanished beneath hooves.

Someone's courage shattered. He scrambled and crawled toward the earthen wall, climbing over it to escape.

What Martial Assessment or future could matter more than one's life?

"Brother Su, what do we do?" The Xu Brothers could not even keep up with Su Yuan and were left behind.

As a fierce horse bore down on them, Xu Di cried out in panic, "Brother! Brother Su, save me!"

"Let's topple it together!" Xu Tian shouted urgently, turning to throw himself at the black horse.

But the black horse leaped into the air, its iron hooves stomping down from above.

At the critical moment, Su Yuan turned back. With one hand each, he yanked the two aside, then reached out and grabbed the flying tail. Borrowing the force to lunge forward, he twisted sideways and barely evaded the descending hooves.

Gripping its mane tightly with one hand, he used the momentum to flip onto its back. His legs clamped around the horse's belly. No matter how the black horse bucked and jolted, he kept his body low and held it firmly under control.

Having escaped death, the brothers repeatedly thanked him. "Thank you for saving us, Brother Su!"

"Cut the nonsense. Find a way to each control a horse, or we won't be able to hold out long," Su Yuan shouted.

"Yes!"

Others in the field also employed every method they could. Some imitated Su Yuan and tried to tame the cattle and horses.

Others formed small groups to hunt the cattle and horses, piling their corpses into walls to block the charges.

Riding the black horse, which was gradually becoming tamer, Su Yuan swept his gaze across the field. Yet he saw several other riders closing in around him.

Wang Er had already tamed a fierce horse. Seeing Su Yuan alone, he immediately rode over. With him taking the lead, several others also moved in to surround Su Yuan.

"Wang Er, you came at just the right time." Su Yuan had seen through his malicious intent as well.