The New House

An hour later, Song Chen was led to the martial hall's back courtyard by an old man dressed in a gray robe.

He had come to see the house the martial hall had arranged for him.

"This way, please."

The old man was very respectful, though there was a hint of curiosity in his voice. He had just heard about the fight at the practice grounds. This eighteen-year-old young man had actually fought Steward Wang to a draw.

After passing through several moon gates, the view suddenly opened up.

A quiet residential area came into view.

Blue bricks and dark roof tiles, a small bridge over flowing water, and several three-story buildings stood in a pleasing arrangement among the trees.

A faint floral fragrance drifted through the air, occasionally accompanied by the sound of birdsong. It felt like a world apart from the bustle outside.

The old man explained, "This is the residential complex for the families of our Divine Dragon Martial Hall members."

"The residents are core members of the martial hall and their families. You needn't worry about security. Several Third Rank Martial Artists are stationed here on rotating shifts, and the guards at the entrance are all certified Martial Artists. Even the hall master lives here most of the time."

Song Chen nodded and followed him inside.

Along the way, they passed several Martial Artists in training clothes. When they saw the temporary pass on his chest, they looked at him curiously.

But when they noticed the old man's respectful attitude, their expressions shifted to surprise and respect.

The old man stopped in front of a three-story building.

"We're here."

Song Chen looked up.

It was a standalone building, with two osmanthus trees planted by the entrance.

The building had three floors, each with large floor-to-ceiling windows. Sunlight streamed inside, making it especially bright.

The old man opened the door and led him in.

"This building has five hundred square meters of floor space. The first floor has a living room, kitchen, and dining room. The second and third floors have bedrooms and training rooms. There are small courtyards at the front and back where you can grow flowers or practice."

The living room on the first floor was huge, at least seventy or eighty square meters, and the floor-to-ceiling windows looked out onto a lush green lawn.

All the furniture was brand-new, and a faint woody scent filled the air. The kitchen was fully equipped, and the fridge was even stocked with food.

"The martial hall prepared all this?"

Song Chen was a little surprised. He hadn't expected the martial hall to build such a traditionally styled home right in the bustling city center.

The old man smiled. "It's standard for core members. If you have any special requests, just let us know."

Song Chen went upstairs to take a look.

The second floor had four bedrooms, each with its own bathroom.

The third floor was even more impressive. The entire floor was one huge training room. The floor was covered with specially made alloy plates, and the walls were carved with spirit-energy arrays designed to absorb impact.

Various training equipment stood in one corner, along with a separate shower room.

He stood in the middle of the training room and looked outside through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

The entire residential complex was visible below.

In the distance, the Inner City's high-rises stood close together. Farther still, the city wall wound across the landscape like a giant dragon. The setting sun streamed inside, bathing the entire space in gold.

"Are you satisfied?" the old man asked from the stairway.

Song Chen nodded. "Very."

He pulled the core member badge he had just received from his pocket and pinned it to his chest.

The badge was dark gold, engraved with a soaring divine dragon and the tiny words "Song Chen."

From today on, he wasn't alone anymore.

He had the martial hall backing him and a safe home for his parents to live in.

But he also knew this was only the beginning.

Song Chen took out his phone and called his parents.

The call connected almost immediately, and Li Xiuying's voice came through. "Son, we're out walking around the park. It's so beautiful here!"

Hearing his mother's excited voice, Song Chen's lips curved slightly upward.

"Mom, the house is all set. When you've had enough fun, just come back. I'll send you the address. You can handle the move yourselves."

Li Xiuying paused. "Move? You're not coming back?"

"I still have a few things to do. The Martial Arts College Entrance Exam starts in ten days, so I'm going out for some intensive training."

"More intensive training? You're going outside the city again?" Worry crept into Li Xiuying's voice.

"Yeah, just one last time. It'll be over once the exam's done."

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end before Song Zhengye's voice came through. "Go ahead, and be careful."

"Dad, you and Mom take care of yourselves, too. Try to get the move done soon. Don't worry about spending money."

After hanging up, Song Chen took a deep breath.

The Martial Arts College Entrance Exam was ten days away.

It was this world's equivalent of the college entrance exam, but a hundred times more important than the one in his previous life.

Your score on the Martial Arts College Entrance Exam determined what university you could attend, what cultivation resources you'd have in the future, and even how far you could go.

The gap between a top university and an ordinary one was wider than the gap between a person and a dog.

He had to take it—not just to get into university, but also to claim the rewards.

The top ten contestants in the Martial Arts College Entrance Exam would receive generous rewards: Blood Vitality Potions, cultivation techniques, weapons, and even the chance to cultivate in a secret realm.

These were resources you couldn't normally buy, no matter how much money you had.

But his current strength still wasn't enough. Great Xia had so many talented people; he needed to get stronger.

At the very least, he had to break through to Second Rank before the exam and shore up some of his weaknesses.

He left the building, exited the residential complex, and headed straight for the city gate.

Along the way, he encountered plenty of Martial Artists.

Some had just returned from outside the city, covered in blood. Others were hurrying out, while still more were trading Crystal Cores by the roadside, bargaining nonstop.

But whenever he passed, everyone looked at him.

No, they were looking at the dark gold badge on his chest.

"A core member of the Divine Dragon Martial Hall?" someone exclaimed quietly.

"So young? A core member?"

"Is that the Sky Thunder Blade who fought Wang Tieshan to a draw?"

"I heard he's only eighteen..."

The crowd automatically parted to let him through.

Some nodded to him, some looked envious, and others came right up and greeted him respectfully with clasped fists.

Hearing the comments around him, Song Chen paused, then nodded and continued on his way.

This feeling... was a little strange.

Before, nobody gave him a second glance when he walked down the street.

Now, whenever people saw the badge on his chest, they automatically made way for him.

Was this how people treated the strong?

He had to admit, it felt pretty good. Fame and fortune.

He reached the city gate.

When the soldiers on guard saw him, they immediately stood at attention and saluted.

"Sir Song Chen, are you leaving the city?"

Song Chen was momentarily stunned. He was a sir now?

But he quickly recovered and gave a slight nod. "Yes, I'm heading out."

The soldier glanced at the sky, hesitating. "Sir, you're leaving the city alone..."

"It's fine."

The soldier didn't dare say anything more and immediately waved him through.

Song Chen passed through the city gate and entered the Wilderness.

Another hour later, Song Chen stood before the ruins of Evergreen City. He stared at the sight in front of him, stunned.

The road was blocked.

It wasn't an ordinary roadblock. Several three-meter-high alloy fences stretched across the road, covered in warning lights. Their red and white flashes were especially glaring in the gathering dusk.

Beyond the fences, countless workers in matching uniforms were busy. Some were putting up temporary structures, others were laying pipes, and still others were operating small construction machines to level the ground.

Farther away, more than a dozen small spacecraft hovered above the ruins.

A huge cage hung beneath each spacecraft. The cages were covered in black cloth, but faint, low growls could be heard coming from inside.

What was going on?