The Foremost Person of Cloud River Martial Arts

"Isn't it just that our East River martial arts students can't beat the ones from Cloud River?

Our East River Province doesn't have fewer Grandmasters than Cloud River, does it?" Wang Hui asked.

"Grandmaster martial artists are big shots in every province; how would we common folk know?

The martial arts competition between the three provinces of the River Basin I mentioned refers to the Three-Province Martial Tournament, held between the leading figures of the younger generation of the three rivers.

Looking back twenty years, the first place in every Three-Province Martial Tournament has been Cloud River Province. East River and West River have lost for so many years that even if they weren't convinced at the start, after all this time, they've naturally come to accept it."

"Damn it, are the leading figures of our East River's younger generation really that useless?"

"It's not that we're useless. On the contrary, those who can join the Provincial Youth Genius Group, how could their strength be poor? They are all geniuses, it's just that the geniuses in Cloud River Province are even more genius than the ones in our East River Province."

Just as Meng Jing and Wang Hui were talking, the airship suddenly flashed a red light.

The airship's smart computer began a forced frequency lock to broadcast a notification.

"Inspection ahead. Please have passing airships land in an orderly fashion and accept inspection at the boundary marker."

Hearing the airship suddenly play this announcement, Chen Lie couldn't help but stand up.

"What's wrong?"

Meng Jing said, "We've crossed the provincial border. There are checkpoints at the border specifically responsible for inspecting airships from other provinces."

Wang Hui couldn't help but say, "Our East River Province doesn't have checkpoints to inspect airships from other provinces, do we?

Cloud River is just a small place, yet they have so many rules."

Despite saying that, Meng Jing echoed Wang Hui while maneuvering the airship to descend slowly, parking it outside the provincial border checkpoint.

There weren't many people going to Cloud River Province at this time. Meng Jing and Wang Hui got off the airship and went to line up, while Chen Lie stood at the very back.

Before long, Wang Hui and Meng Jing had passed the inspection, and it was Chen Lie's turn.

The inspector asked, "Name."

"Chen Lie!"

"Show your Blue Star Citizen ID."

Chen Lie nodded and recited his citizen ID number.

The inspector recorded Chen Lie's information and then said, "Alright, go to the big screen ahead and study the Cloud River legal regulations for ten minutes, then you can leave."

Chen Lie walked forward and saw a massive screen of nearly a thousand inches from quite a distance away.

At this moment, a stunningly beautiful girl in a martial arts uniform with a high ponytail was demonstrating martial arts on the screen.

"The path of martial arts is like a journey, and we are all travelers.

Where the heart points, the body follows."

On the screen, the girl's beautiful face revealed determination; she was heroic and spirited, her voice crisp and clear.

In less than a minute, the screen clip ended, and a line of text appeared.

"The number one youth martial artist of Cloud River Province, Ji Lingxuan."

Chen Lie walked behind Wang Hui and Meng Jing and heard Wang Hui's exclamation.

"This girl is so pretty, but why is she on the big screen at the provincial border? Having money at home definitely wouldn't get you there. Could it be that her dad is the Provincial Governor?"

As soon as Wang Hui finished speaking, he was overheard by a staff member of the provincial border checkpoint walking nearby, and the staff member immediately stepped forward.

"Kid, what did you just say? Say it again if you dare?"

Wang Hui was startled and turned back, asking in confusion, "What did I say?"

"What did you say? I'm warning you, be careful what you say.

I see you're young, so I don't want to lower myself to your level.

Do you know that the person on the screen just now is the number one martial artist of our Cloud River Province's younger generation?"

"W-what's the matter?" Wang Hui stammered.

"Ji Lingxuan is the spiritual pillar of martial arts for the youth of Cloud River Province. Her martial arts journey has inspired millions of her peers in Cloud River.

Do you believe that even if your blood energy value were multiplied by one hundred, it wouldn't even reach a fraction of Ji Lingxuan's?

Try saying what you just said again after entering the province, and see if you don't get a beating?"

"This... I was just joking, it shouldn't be that serious, right?" Wang Hui was at a loss.

"Not serious? Ji Lingxuan came from humble beginnings and hacked her way through thorns to get where she is today.

My daughter was able to enter the Elite Class largely because Ji Lingxuan's martial arts journey inspired her.

Do you know that your words have tarnished the martial will of the number one youth martial artist of Cloud River Province!"

Seeing that the situation was taking a turn for the worse, Meng Jing immediately stepped forward to smooth things over.

"Sorry, sorry, big brother. We are from another province, from a small place, and don't understand your province's reverence for martial arts.

He is just a high school senior, used to speaking without thinking. Please don't lower yourself to his level."

"Speaking without decorum is a sickness that needs treating; otherwise, once he enters society, he'll have a hard time of it!"

"Yes, yes, I'll find time to give him a special treatment," Meng Jing replied with a fawning smile.

Seeing this, the staff member said nothing more and turned to leave.

"Damn it, is that Yunchuan guy sick in the head? He's got no relation to the girl on the screen, yet he's acting all righteous!"

Seeing the staff member move away, Wang Hui couldn't help but wipe his sweat and mutter under his breath.

Meng Jing said, "Didn't you hear him say his daughter got into the Elite Class because of Ji Lingxuan's inspiration? Getting into the Elite Class at Yunchuan Martial Arts High School is much harder than getting into our Elite Class in East River Province. It's only natural for him to defend the number one young martial artist of his province. Also, Wang Hui, you really need to fix that habit of speaking without thinking."

Just then, the giant screen began broadcasting the laws and regulations of East River Province.

Ten minutes later, Chen Lie and the other two boarded the airship again.

Meng Jing piloted the airship toward the Divine Sense Master Association of Yunchuan Province.

Along the way, Wang Hui and Meng Jing were much quieter, and Chen Lie did not speak either.

After departing from the Yunchuan provincial border, nearly an hour passed before the airship arrived at the designated location.

Meng Jing maneuvered the airship to land.

As soon as the airship touched down, Chen Lie stepped out and checked the time, noting that it was just past nine o'clock.

Ever since the invention of airships on Blue Star, even two provinces separated by thousands of kilometers could be reached in just over an hour.

Looking around, Chen Lie discovered that the landing site was a vast, empty plaza, and directly opposite the plaza stood a magnificent, massive building with a set of signs above it.

The twelve large red characters, "Blue Star Divine Sense Master Association, Yunchuan Province Branch," stood out prominently.

"We've arrived at the Divine Sense Master Association!"

Wang Hui stepped off the airship and immediately spotted the building across the plaza.

"I'm going to get my Divine Sense Master certification. Are you two coming?"

Chen Lie turned back to ask Wang Hui and Meng Jing.

"Of course, it'll be good to see what it's like," Wang Hui said.

Meng Jing nodded as well.

"Then let's go together."

Chen Lie nodded and walked toward the Divine Sense Master Association across the plaza.

The lobby of the Divine Sense Master Association was sparsely populated.

After entering the lobby, Chen Lie went to the information desk.

"Hello, I'm here to certify my status as a Divine Sense Master."

The woman behind the counter lifted her head, then quickly lowered it again.

"Have you awakened your Divine Sense? You want to certify as a Divine Sense Master?"

Chen Lie replied, "I have already awakened it."

The woman behind the counter tore off a form and handed it to Chen Lie.

"Fill in your personal information, then go to that counter over there to pay a deposit of 20,000 Star Dollars for the Divine Sense test."

"I have to pay a deposit?"

Chen Lie took the form and asked, puzzled.

He had checked online before coming, and the entire process for Divine Sense Master certification shouldn't cost a single Star Dollar.

"Don't talk nonsense. Without a deposit, who's going to test your Divine Sense for free?"

The woman behind the counter said impatiently.

Seeing this, Chen Lie said nothing more. He borrowed a pen from the counter, found a table, and sat down to fill in his personal details.

After finishing, Chen Lie took the form to the adjacent counter, paid the 20,000 Star Dollars, and received a serial number.

The person at the counter took Chen Lie's information form and said, "Use this serial number to go to the second floor for the Divine Sense test."

Chen Lie nodded and brought the serial number to Wang Hui and Meng Jing.

"I'm going to the second floor to test my Divine Sense. Are you coming?"

Wang Hui stood up and said, "Of course, we'll go with you to take a look!"

Thus, Wang Hui and Meng Jing followed Chen Lie to the entrance of the second floor.

As soon as they reached the entrance, two security guards blocked their path.

"Stop. This is a restricted area of the Divine Sense Master Association; unauthorized personnel are not allowed to enter."

Chen Lie took out his serial number and said, "I'm going to the second floor to test my Divine Sense."

The two security guards looked at Chen Lie's serial number and said, "You may enter, but those two cannot!"

Chen Lie looked back at Wang Hui and Meng Jing, saying, "You two just wait for me on the first floor."

"Alright!"

Wang Hui and Meng Jing nodded and returned to the lounge area on the first floor.

Chen Lie, meanwhile, walked straight up to the second floor.

Not long after Chen Lie had left, two more people entered the service hall of the Divine Sense Master Association.

The newcomers were two young girls, one older and one younger.

The two girls walked up to the service counter together.

"Hello, we would like to take the Divine Sense test for Divine Sense Masters."

The woman behind the counter looked up, her expression immediately turning solemn.

"Please wait a moment, I will go process your serial number.

Please show me your personal information."

"It is my younger sister who is taking the Divine Sense test; just give her a form and let her fill it out herself."

"Very well."

The woman behind the counter found a pen, tore off a form, and handed it to the younger girl standing outside the counter.

The girl spent about two minutes filling out her personal information at the counter before handing the form back to the woman.

The woman went to the adjacent counter, retrieved a serial number, and handed it to the two girls.

"Please go to the second floor and use this serial number to test your Divine Sense."

The two girls nodded and headed up to the second floor together.

At that moment, a young staff member at the neighboring counter asked, "Sister Hua, why were you so eager this time? And why didn't you collect their deposit?"

"Are you blind? That older girl just now is named Shen Miaowei.

She awakened her Divine Sense at only sixteen, and passed the Apprentice Divine Sense Master examination at seventeen.

She has been designated as the successor to the Yunchuan Shen Family.

Have you never heard of the Yunchuan Shen Family? They are the ones who founded the Lingfeng Group.

With a background like that, even if you were ignorant and failed to recognize her status, it would be one thing not to be overly attentive, but if you dared to extort twenty thousand Star Dollars from her, do you believe you wouldn't be ordered to pack your bags and leave by the higher-ups the very next day?"