Wen Liang

Wen Liang

In the blink of an eye, six days passed.

That day, before the sky had even begun to brighten, Mengyin City was already bustling with activity. The boys who were going to take the Martial Child Assessment got up early, some nervous, some excited, all of them eager to show what they could do.

"Son, come eat! Mom made your favorite braised pork." A plump mother called out loudly.

In the courtyard, a boy was repeatedly striking a wooden training dummy. Thud, thud, thud—the dummy shuddered with every blow. Hearing his mother's voice, he stopped, grabbed the towel hanging nearby, wiped his face a few times, then tossed it over the clothesline.

"Mom, eating something so greasy first thing in the morning can give you indigestion." Seeing the fragrant braised pork on the table, the boy couldn't help looking troubled. The Martial Child Assessment was today, and he didn't want anything to go wrong.

"Don't talk nonsense. Indigestion? This braised pork's been stewed until it's falling apart. It's easy to digest. You've got the Martial Child Assessment today. If you don't eat some meat, where will you get the strength? Hurry up and eat!" His plump mother glared at him.

The boy scratched his head and sat down. He dug into the fragrant braised pork, taking big mouthfuls.

"Dad, don't worry. I'll get good results in today's Martial Child Assessment. I won't let you down." The boy's clothes were patched, but his expression was solemn.

"Come on, I believe in you. Do your best and get good results. Your mother will be smiling down on you from the underworld." The dark-skinned, middle-aged man reached out with a rough hand and gently patted his son's shoulder.

The boy nodded firmly.

As soon as the sun rose, people from every direction began converging on the square in Mengyin City. The Martial Child Assessment wasn't held at the Martial Child Academy, but here in the square. It was an annual event, a grand festival. The people of Mengyin City cared far more about the assessment than they did about Ancestor Worship Day.

When Zhang He and Fatty Tang reached the square, the sea of people before them startled them.

"I used to watch other people take the Martial Child Assessment and think it was just a spectacle... Now that it's my turn, I'm finally nervous." Fatty Tang patted his chest. He looked around, then suddenly grinned. "So many people! Have they all come to witness the glory of this peerless dark horse? Oh, my, I'm embarrassed. Where are all the girls? Wipe your eyes and watch your big brother show off!"

Fatty Tang struck a very cocky pose.

Beside him, Wang Dachui said nothing. He only clenched his fists tightly. Today—today was the day he'd show them all that he, Wang Dachui, was no mediocrity!

Looking at the sea of people, Zhang He felt not the slightest trace of the nerves surrounding the Martial Child Assessment.

"Your strength already puts you among the best of all the Martial Children. There's no need to be nervous. Just keep a level head. Dachui especially—you don't need to worry about what might happen. Just stay calm and do your best." Zhang He said this to Fatty Tang and Wang Dachui, then glanced around. "Come on. Let's check in and collect our numbers first."

Anyone taking the Martial Child Assessment had to check in and collect a number before they could participate.

A long line had already formed at the number-collection desk.

As soon as Zhang He and the others arrived, some people in line spotted them. One of them immediately spoke in a mocking tone.

"Hey, isn't that Wang Dachui? Is he here to check in and take the Martial Child Assessment?"

"Even a salted fish can have dreams. We shouldn't look down on him. Sure, Wang Dachui taking the assessment is like a toad dreaming of eating swan meat, but... letting him try once and giving up might be for the best. Then he can learn from the humiliation and work harder, just like his lame dad, and become a proper blacksmith, right?"

Wang Dachui's face darkened. He clenched his fists. The two lived not far from his family and ran a general store. Their family was fairly well-off, and they bought the kitchen knives and other things Wang Dachui's father forged. At the Martial Child Academy, the two of them had always considered themselves a cut above Wang Dachui, and would regularly make sarcastic remarks to put him down.

Their cultivation levels hadn't been that different from Wang Dachui's. But the final month before the Martial Child Assessment was the most crucial period. The Martial Child Academy handed out large amounts of Body Tempering Liquid to help the Martial Children cultivate and break through. Wang Dachui had been driven out of the academy and couldn't get any Body Tempering Liquid, while the other two had used it to break through to the Skin Tempering Realm.

After that, they looked down on Wang Dachui even more. So when they saw him arrive, they couldn't help sneering at him to make themselves feel important.

"Damn, whose dogs got loose? Someone let two mutts out!" Fatty Tang came over, picked his nose, then flicked a lump of greenish-black snot at the pair. "Hell, I didn't get enough breakfast, and now you've got me riled up. I might as well butcher you and make a dog-meat hotpot."

The two boys' faces changed at once.

"Fatty Tang, who are you calling a dog? Looks like you're itching for a beating!" One of them, a boy wearing a well-fitted Martial Child uniform, glared and raised his fist, ready to charge. Seeing that things were about to turn ugly, someone beside him immediately grabbed his companion. "Don't let these two good-for-nothings get to you. If someone reports you for fighting before the Martial Child Assessment, you'll be disqualified on the spot."

The boy who had been about to attack immediately calmed down. Getting disqualified from the Martial Child Assessment over two good-for-nothings would be unbelievably stupid!

He glared at Fatty Tang and said coldly, "You're lucky today. Once the assessment's over, you'd better get lost. If I see you again, you'll find out what I'll do to you!"

"Oh, my, my little heart's beating a mile a minute. I'm terrified!" Fatty Tang said mockingly. "But they say a dog that bites doesn't bark. You two bark so much, you must not bite. Why are you glaring? Come over and bite me if you've got the guts." Fatty Tang pulled faces, taunting the pair.

Their faces turned livid. Damn it!

"Hey, look! Isn't that Wen Liang?" Suddenly, the crowd surged. The Martial Children in line whipped around and looked to one side.

A carriage had stopped not far away. A dashing young man in a black robe stepped down from it. His skin was fair, his swordlike brows arched, and his eyes sparkled like stars. His long black hair was neatly tied behind his head, and his thin lips and brisk, confident bearing gave him an air of clean-cut heroism.

The moment he appeared, several Martial Children from wealthy families lit up and hurried over to surround him.

"He reached the Brute Force Realm years ago. I heard he's been traveling and training all these years, searching for a breakthrough. Now that he's back, he must have broken through."

"Does that mean he's reached the True Martial Realm? Good heavens, he's so young and already at the True Martial Realm. Now that's a real genius! It's enough to make a person sick with envy."

"Look at the way he walks—so mighty and imposing! Tsk, I can't believe I get to take the same Martial Child Assessment as him. What an honor. When Wen Liang becomes a pillar of the kingdom, I'll be able to tell my children that I was his classmate."

Several lovestruck girls gazed at Wen Liang, their eyes shining.

"He's so handsome! Look at his eyes, so beautiful, like black gemstones sparkling in the light. Ah, they're absolutely captivating!"

"I heard Wen Liang still isn't engaged. Hehe, I wish he were my boyfriend."

"If I could marry Wen Liang, I'd even be willing to be his concubine. He's so handsome! I'd thank the heavens if my future husband had even half his bearing."

Seeing Wen Liang over there, Zhang He couldn't help feeling inferior to the handsome young man. Wen Liang also had an air of pride without arrogance. He wore a faint smile whenever he spoke to people, and he was on a completely different level from those rich young masters. Beside him, the wealthy boys, dressed in finery and dressed up to the nines, looked more like obnoxious upstarts.

Zhang He suddenly understood. "The Wen Clan has been an aristocratic family for hundreds of years. Wen Liang comes from a family like that, so he's a true scion of an old house. The likes of Zhao Feng are just spoiled brats."

"I may be handsome, but even I have to admit that Wen Liang is devastatingly good-looking." Fatty Tang drooped his head. "My girls have all gone starry-eyed over him. Sigh, he's stolen all my thunder. It's infuriating."

Hearing Fatty Tang's words, Zhang He smiled faintly.

"Zhang He, Wen Liang is your biggest rival in this assessment. So, are you confident?"

A clear, bell-like voice rang out. Zhang He turned around and saw Lian Yunbi in a white Martial Child uniform, smiling at him. People said that a woman looked her prettiest dressed in white. Lian Yunbi already had a striking figure, and now, in her well-tailored white uniform, she looked as proud as a plum blossom. Her shapely curves were also enough to make anyone's nose bleed. Wang Dachui was all right, but the moment Fatty Tang saw Lian Yunbi, his mouth fell open and his eyes lit up. He was just short of drooling.

Zhang He smiled faintly. "If it's a contest of looks, I can only admit defeat."

Lian Yunbi covered her mouth and giggled. She couldn't help rolling her eyes at Zhang He. "You really know how to talk. Judging by how confident you look, you clearly don't take Wen Liang seriously. I truly wonder where you get all that confidence. You should know that Wen Liang has already broken through to the True Martial Realm. To reach the True Martial Realm at his age makes him one of the rarest talents in all of Western Chu Kingdom."

Zhang He thought to himself, As luck would have it, I'm one of those rare talents too.

"Yunbi, it's been a long time. How have you been?" A clear, warm voice rang out. After Wen Liang spotted Lian Yunbi, he actually walked over in quick strides. A faint smile rested on his handsome face, making him seem to glow. Any man standing in front of him would inevitably feel inferior. The ordinary Martial Children from common families could only look at Wen Liang with admiration.