Joining the Martial Hall

Divine Dragon Martial Hall stood in the most bustling district of the inner city, monopolizing an entire street.

Song Chen stood at the entrance, looking up at the vermilion gates towering fifteen meters high. Above them hung an enormous plaque bearing the four bold characters: "Divine Dragon Martial Hall." The strokes danced like dragons and serpents, its presence grand and imposing.

Two martial artists in matching uniforms stood at the entrance, one on each side like a pair of door gods. Both wore First Rank martial artist badges on their chests, their sharp gazes sweeping over passing pedestrians.

Song Chen walked over.

The martial artist on the left stretched out an arm to stop him. "Hold it. What are you here for?"

"To join the martial hall."

The two martial artists exchanged a glance and sized him up from head to toe.

The martial artist on the right laughed. "Join the martial hall? Kid, do you know what time it is?"

Song Chen shook his head.

"What date is it today?"

"The twelfth."

The martial artist on the left explained, "Then that's it. Divine Dragon Martial Hall recruits from the third to the seventh of every month. We don't accept visitors at other times. Come back on the third next month."

Song Chen frowned. The third of next month? That was more than twenty days away. By then, the Martial Arts College Entrance Exam would be over. How could he afford to wait that long?

"Can't you make an exception? I have something urgent."

The two martial artists laughed again.

The one on the right said, "Urgent? Who doesn't have something urgent when they come to join the martial hall? But rules are rules. Understand?"

The one on the left added, "Little brother, we aren't trying to make things difficult for you. Divine Dragon Martial Hall is the largest martial hall in Anning City. Countless people want to join. If everyone asked us to bend the rules, wouldn't it become a complete mess?"

Song Chen fell silent for a second. Then he raised his head and looked at the two martial artists. "I'm very strong. Can you make an exception based on my ability?"

The two martial artists froze for a moment. Then the one on the left burst out laughing, looking Song Chen up and down. "Very strong? Little brother, how old are you?"

"Eighteen."

"Eighteen? How strong could you possibly be? Early First Rank? Middle First Rank?"

The martial artist on the right laughed too. "Young man, I understand that you're in a hurry, but Divine Dragon Martial Hall doesn't lack First Rank martial artists. Come back next month and follow the process, all right?"

Song Chen did not move. He looked at the two martial artists, then suddenly released a trace of his aura. Just a trace—but it carried the killing intent he had accumulated through these days of slaughter.

The smiles on the two martial artists' faces froze.

They felt a chill. It was not the kind brought by the level of one's Vitality Value, but something only a person who had crawled out from mountains of corpses and seas of blood could possess. It was something that had seeped into the bones after killing countless alien beasts and witnessing countless brushes with life and death.

The martial artist on the left instinctively took a step back, while the one on the right had already placed a hand on his sword hilt. The instant that killing intent appeared, they could clearly feel that if the young man before them wanted to kill them, neither of them would survive. They had only ever felt that sensation from Third Rank martial artists.

"You..."

Song Chen withdrew his aura. "Can you make an exception now?"

The two martial artists looked at each other, their eyes filled with shock and uncertainty.

The one on the left swallowed and said quietly, "Wait here. I'll go report this."

He hurried into the martial hall.

The martial artist on the right remained where he was, watching Song Chen warily, though his attitude had completely changed. "Little brother... no, brother, that aura just now... how many alien beasts have you killed?"

Song Chen thought about it. "I didn't count carefully. Probably several thousand."

Several thousand? The man fell silent. He recalled that after joining Divine Dragon Martial Hall for three years, he had killed only a little over a hundred alien beasts in total. Yet this eighteen-year-old boy before him had killed several thousand? What kind of monster was that? And Song Chen did not look like he was lying. A person's aura would not lie.

Soon, the martial artist on the left ran back, followed by a middle-aged man.

The man was powerfully built and wore a black training uniform. A Second Rank martial artist badge was pinned to his chest. Song Chen could tell at a glance that this burly man was no ordinary Second Rank martial artist. His Vitality Value was likely above 90—a Peak Second Rank powerhouse.

The burly man walked up to Song Chen and looked him over. "You're the one Xiao Qi mentioned?"

Song Chen nodded. "My name is Song Chen. I want to join Divine Dragon Martial Hall."

The burly man stared at him for several seconds. "I hear you're very strong?"

"Not bad. I'm a little strong among those of the same rank."

The middle-aged man suddenly smiled, amusement flickering in his expression. "Kid, the killing intent you released earlier was indeed impressive. But killing intent is killing intent, and strength is strength. You can pile up time killing alien beasts, but that doesn't truly prove anything."

Song Chen said nothing.

The middle-aged man continued, "Strictly speaking, this isn't recruitment season, and I should tell you to return next month. But I admire your confidence. For that reason, I'll give you an opportunity."

Song Chen's eyes lit up. "What opportunity?"

The middle-aged man pointed at himself. "Defeat me, and I'll let you join."

The surroundings instantly fell silent. The two martial artists at the entrance sucked in cold breaths. Defeat him? That was Wang Tieshan, an administrator of Divine Dragon Martial Hall and a Peak Second Rank martial artist. This eighteen-year-old kid was supposed to defeat him?

Song Chen looked at Wang Tieshan and answered without hesitation. "All right. Then let's fight."

Wang Tieshan froze. He had assumed the kid would hesitate, make excuses, or say something like, "How could I possibly defeat you?" Yet Song Chen had agreed so readily?

Wang Tieshan's gaze changed. He studied Song Chen again, now with a touch more seriousness in his eyes. "Kid, do you know who I am?"

"No. But I just need to defeat you, right?"

Wang Tieshan stared at him for several seconds, then suddenly laughed. "Interesting. Come on, let's go to the training arena."

Divine Dragon Martial Hall's training arena was enormous, covering nearly half a football field. The ground was paved with specially made alloy plates, and tiered spectator stands surrounded it, capable of holding more than a thousand people.

Somehow, word had gotten out.

By the time Song Chen followed Wang Tieshan into the training arena, the stands were already packed. More than a hundred martial artists in all kinds of training uniforms—old and young, men and women—were whispering among themselves and discussing the matter.

"That's the kid? He wants to challenge Administrator Wang?"

"Eighteen? He's that young?"

"I heard he released killing intent at the entrance and scared the guards stiff."

"What use is killing intent? Administrator Wang is Peak Second Rank. A First Rank fighting a Second Rank means they're separated by an entire major realm."

"Just wait and watch him make a fool of himself."

"Huh, isn't that the Sky Thunder Blade? This kid is so fierce, yet he hasn't even joined the martial hall? This should be entertaining."

"What blade? Tell us more."

Song Chen swept his gaze over the stands, then suddenly froze. In one corner, he saw a familiar face.

Li Wei, his teammate during practical training. He had not expected her to be a member of Divine Dragon Martial Hall.

Li Wei had clearly recognized him too. Her eyes widened, her face full of disbelief. "Song Chen? Why are you here? Don't tell me you're the one challenging Administrator Wang?"

Then she suddenly recalled the rumors she had heard earlier, and an amusing thought leaped into her mind. She sprang to her feet and shouted, "Go, Brother Chen! Beat this Wang flat on his back! He always trains us like he's trying to kill us—teach him a proper lesson!"

The entire arena was stunned.

Song Chen rubbed his forehead helplessly. Why did she have to be so high-profile?