Elsewhere,
When Wang Sheng returned to the old residence, several people were quietly searching for something beneath the cover of night.
At last,
They found a trace on a wall near a collapsed courtyard.
The mark was the unique message method of the Heavenly Mandate Cult.
"Liu? Someone surnamed Liu killed them."
"We just don't know which Liu Family. Keep looking for clues. The small family marked for extermination couldn't possibly have brought down four Bright Force experts. Another force must have intervened."
"Hmph, in this tiny Ershui City, who can withstand the armies of the Heavenly Mandate Cult? Once we uncover the truth, whichever Liu Family it is, they will be the next target for extermination!"
The self-proclaimed members of the Heavenly Mandate Cult resumed their search of the area.
Early the next morning,
Wang Sheng slept a little longer before getting up and washing under the care of two women.
He still had no idea that he had invisibly dug a massive pit for the Liu Family.
Before Wang Sheng had even entered the martial academy, he heard people throughout the streets and alleys discussing last night's fire.
All manner of baseless rumors sprang up everywhere.
Many commoners spoke of it with lingering fear written across their faces. Some had even begun considering whether they should hurry and leave Ershui City.
A moderately wealthy household had been exterminated, its decades of accumulated estate burned into ruins.
Though it did not count as a truly great household, the Yu Family had been prosperous and well-off, with a certain reputation.
Yet such a sizable family had been wiped out overnight. Not one of the sixty-five members of the Yu Estate had survived!
Such a horrific case spread throughout Ershui City in a single night, leaving everyone anxious and uneasy. All the important figures were watching the matter closely as well.
Some frowned. It was already an autumn of chaos and turmoil, and now a family extermination had occurred. It did no good for the morale of either the people or the army!
When Wang Sheng entered the Zhao Family Martial Arts Academy, he found that many people there were also discussing which demonic figure from the martial world had come to Ershui City and committed such a grave crime.
Since Zhao Jie had not arrived yet, Wang Sheng went to a corner by himself to familiarize himself with the Great Tablet Shattering Hand.
Ge Xiaogu still did not know Fang Mingguang was dead, so he only dared nod at Wang Sheng in greeting and did not dare speak to him.
Li Hu, Wei Yu, Luo Zhengwen, and the other Bright Force disciples had also gathered together, exchanging information to see whose family had news related to the extermination case.
Many people of the martial world had caught the scent of something extraordinary from this family extermination.
Chaos had already begun to show itself across the realm. The city's experts had formed the Martial Alliance, and the authorities and martial artists were cooperating. At a time when experts had gathered and security was at its tightest, this incident had happened anyway. It was no different from provoking both the Martial Alliance and the authorities.
Thus, whoever dared employ such methods was definitely no ordinary person.
After a while,
A shrill, ingratiating voice suddenly rang out in the courtyard. "Senior Brother Wu, when are you going to achieve Bright Force? We've been waiting to eat at Thousand Cranes Tower on your tab."
"Hahahaha..."
"Don't worry, it'll be within the next two days. I can already feel force circulating within my body, but I can't maintain it for long. Give me another two days to temper myself, and I'll make it."
The moment Wu An entered the martial academy, he was met with the flattery of numerous disciples.
The other Bright Force Martial Artists all had their own little circles. Ordinary people could not simply join them just because they wanted to.
Thus, many ordinary disciples wanted to seize this opportunity to curry favor with Wu An, hoping he would pull them up in the future.
"Junior Brother Li, how are you doing?"
Wu An looked at Li Chaodong with a broad smile.
What a petty villain drunk on success!
Li Chaodong cursed inwardly. If Wu An had not become the Dan Family's son-in-law and received their vast supply of resources, how could he have been on the verge of advancing to Bright Force so quickly?
Still, Wu An was clearly about to achieve Bright Force.
Li Chaodong did not want to make an enemy of a future Bright Force Martial Artist either. Faced with Wu An's teasing, he could only smile and shake his head. "Still no good. I can't catch up to Senior Brother anymore."
They had entered the academy in the same batch. Usually, they called each other junior brother and refused to yield to one another, always competing for superiority.
Now that Li Chaodong had softened and called him senior brother, Wu An immediately nodded with narrowed, smiling eyes, feeling deeply pleased and at ease.
"Li Chaodong has caved. Among these entry-level disciples now, who else can be my opponent?"
"The path to Bright Force truly is difficult beyond measure. Only I have risen above the rest!"
Wu An thought smugly, his spirits rising higher. He had even begun entertaining a few visions of the future.
After all, entering the martial path meant being chosen one out of dozens! Reaching minor accomplishment in martial arts and stepping into Bright Force meant one out of more than ten initiates. The difficulty was several degrees greater than one in a hundred!
Wu An's lofty ambitions and self-satisfaction were therefore only natural.
"Master Zhao has arrived!"
A shout came from outside the gate.
All the disciples in the courtyard immediately stopped what they were doing, stood where they were, looked toward the courtyard gate, and raised their hands in a cupped-fist salute.
Until Zhao Jie's figure appeared,
The many disciples lowered their heads and bowed in unison, shouting together, "Greetings, Master!"
"Mm!"
Zhao Jie looked at the upright disciples, each one brimming with vigor and imposing spirit, and revealed a faint smile. These were his foundation amid these troubled times.
At that moment, some disciples noticed something was off.
Normally, Zhao Jie would tell them to train on their own.
But Zhao Jie had not spoken, and they did not dare move.
Immediately afterward,
A burst of footsteps sounded from outside the gate.
Then a group of women dressed in skirts actually walked in from outside.
All the male disciples in the courtyard immediately widened their eyes, their gazes fixed directly upon those women. Their previously calm hearts now felt as though they had been scratched by cats, unbearably itchy!
These women were not necessarily all stunningly beautiful, but every one of them had a slender figure and carried herself with graceful, capable poise. At a glance, they were clearly unlike ordinary women, possessing a distinctive charm.
Moreover, these male disciples trained in martial arts all day, and female disciples were scarce within the courtyard. It was no wonder so many of them lost themselves.
"Cough, cough! Restrain yourselves!"
Zhao Jie cared most about his reputation. Seeing some male disciples stare with their eyes ready to pop out, drawing soft laughter from the women, he could not help but reprimand them in a low voice.
"These are disciples of Qingshui Martial Academy. For certain reasons, our two academies will temporarily merge and train together. They will be living next door from now on. None of you are permitted to disturb them. Violators will be expelled from the school and have their martial arts crippled."
Zhao Jie explained briefly.
"We are the ones troubling you, Dean Zhao!"
At that moment, a woman wearing a thin veil and a white dress entered the martial academy with the support of a maid.
The strongest person in a martial academy was called its dean.
"Head of Academy He, you are too polite! We should be watching out for one another!"
Zhao Jie looked at the woman in white, a trace of amazement and regret faintly surfacing in his eyes.
After a while,
After Zhao Jie arranged for Li Hu to coordinate with and look after the disciples of Qingshui Martial Academy, he was about to enter the inner courtyard with Head of Academy He to discuss important matters.
Wang Sheng spotted his chance and immediately stepped forward.
While they were discussing matters, they certainly could not be disturbed over ordinary affairs.
So if he did not report it this time, he would have to wait until tomorrow to receive his reward and cultivation method. If something happened tomorrow as well, then it would be the day after tomorrow.
At a time like this, delaying one day meant wasting one day.
"Reporting to Master, this disciple achieved minor accomplishment in martial arts last night, generated force, and advanced to Bright Force. I ask Master to inspect it!"
Wang Sheng first performed a cupped-fist salute, then flicked his hand slightly. A faint explosive crack rang out, and force fluctuations visibly spread through the air.
Zhao Jie had initially been about to frown and rebuke Wang Sheng, but upon seeing that Wang Sheng had become a Bright Force Martial Artist, his brows immediately relaxed, and a smile could not help appearing on his face.
Having a disciple achieve Bright Force in front of Head of Academy He truly brought Zhao Jie glory!
At the same time,
All the other disciples in the courtyard, who had just been about to begin training, stopped moving. The area fell silent as each of them looked over, some shocked, some gloomy, some delighted!
Wang Sheng,
That junior brother with a Low-grade Physique, a poor background, and the least favorable prospects, who had only barely entered the martial path recently,
Had actually become a Bright Force Martial Artist!!!
Without a sound, he had surpassed several batches of senior brothers who had entered the martial path far earlier.
The turmoil in many people's hearts was far greater than the shock shown on their faces!
No one had expected that among these entry-level disciples, Wang Sheng would be the first to produce a Bright Force disciple.
This result lay beyond far too many people's expectations.
"Wang Sheng! Bright Force!"
"You deserve to die!!!"
Wu An stood stunned for a long while before reacting. He was already grinding his teeth in fury, roaring and howling madly in his heart.
He stood there with his face flushed red, his features slightly twisted, eyes glaring in rage, fists clenched tight. Even as his nails dug into his flesh, he seemed to feel nothing.
He had built up momentum for so many days, only for Wang Sheng, whom he had never thought worthy of notice, to seize it just like that!
He had only been two days away!
Everyone had believed he would be the first to achieve Bright Force, and that the Bone Strengthening Pill was his.
But Wang Sheng's appearance had slapped Wu An across the face again and again, causing him to lose tremendous face.
Some people had already begun whispering about Wu An, delighted to watch him make a fool of himself.
Before you continue