Eye-Catching

Judge's Office, Assessment Courtyard.

People gradually filed inside.

They were all Silver Bell Guards, and every one of them emanated an aura at the Profound Embryo level.

Without reaching the Profound Embryo realm, one was not qualified for promotion.

The chief examiner had yet to appear, and the atmosphere in the courtyard was rather relaxed.

Those who knew one another conversed in low voices.

"Yang Feng and those other three have received their punishment."

"They are to be expelled from the Judge's Office, so there is naturally no need to imprison them. Thus, they only received fifty disciplinary strokes."

Zhou Baishan grinned.

"Fifty strokes?"

Zhao Hong was slightly taken aback.

Zhou Baishan said quietly, "The disciplinary rods are no simple matter. They are all specially made and infused with an extremely violent force. With Yang Feng and the others' strength, even with astral qi protecting their bodies, they could not withstand ten strokes. After fifty strokes, I heard they were flayed and mangled, with no telling how many bones broken. They fainted on the spot."

"They will need to lie in bed for at least several months. Without precious healing medicine, it may even affect their martial cultivation."

"They fled before battle, and they are all scions of prominent families. The Enforcement Guards were looking to make an example of them, so they showed no mercy. With this matter exposed, the Yang Family's reputation has suffered greatly. The descendants of other prominent families will also have to restrain themselves."

"Excellent."

Zhao Hong was extremely satisfied with this punishment.

"By the way, be careful around that fellow. He is also from the Yang Family."

Zhou Baishan suddenly gestured toward a corner with his eyes.

Zhao Hong shifted his gaze slightly.

He saw a young man in white conversing quietly with several others, unaware of what was happening here.

Zhao Hong nodded faintly and committed the man's appearance to memory.

About half an hour later.

A middle-aged man entered the courtyard, a golden bell hanging from his waist.

A Golden Bell Guard.

Yet his aura was exceptionally powerful.

The moment he entered the courtyard and let a trace of it leak out, it instantly overwhelmed everyone present.

The murmurs vanished at once, and everyone's expressions turned solemn.

"My name is Li Nan. I am the chief examiner for your promotion to Golden Bell Guard."

"There is no assessment mission for this promotion. As long as your strength and merits are sufficient, you may become a Golden Bell Guard."

"The fact that you are here means you have already accumulated enough merits. Only your strength remains to be verified."

Li Nan swept his gaze around and spoke concisely.

As soon as he finished speaking, he walked directly into the building, then emerged carrying a pile of metal blocks a foot wide and several feet long. He placed them in the open space.

These metal blocks were entirely bluish-green and looked like some kind of stone.

"These are Azure Gold Stone Bars. They can withstand the force of a perfected Profound Embryo."

"The strength assessment is very simple. One punch each. If your fist mark sinks three inches into the stone, you pass."

Just as he said.

The assessment process was indeed extremely simple.

"First, Zhang Yan."

Li Nan called out a name.

One person stepped forward and cupped his fists slightly toward Li Nan. Then, with a flick of his sleeve, he drove down a punch.

Bang!

A fist mark roughly four inches deep was left in the blue stone bar.

"Pass. Take this token to the Internal Affairs Office to collect everything due after your promotion." Li Nan tossed Zhang Yan a simple wooden token, signifying that he had passed the assessment.

Those whose names were called afterward stepped forward one after another.

Zhao Hong noticed that nearly everyone's fist marks were around three inches deep. None exceeded four inches.

No one was foolish enough to go all out and expose their true strength.

"Yang Ye."

Upon hearing the name, Zhao Hong looked sideways.

The young man in white stepped out at once.

So his name is Yang Ye.

He remembered the name.

"Zhou Baishan."

"Zhao Hong."

When it was Zhao Hong's turn, he walked before the stone bar, mobilized his astral qi, and threw a punch.

Bang!

More than three inches.

"Pass."

A flicker of surprise flashed through Li Nan's eyes.

A slight commotion also arose among the people who had not yet left.

"He only has Blood Astral cultivation?"

"He does not look very old, but his strength is formidable."

Whispers reached Zhao Hong's ears, but his expression did not change.

Once he made a move, even if he restrained himself, the difference between Blood Astral and Profound Embryo was obvious enough that it could not be concealed.

But he did not care about that.

He took the token and retreated to the back.

Yang Ye glanced at Zhao Hong, a glint flashing through his eyes.

Before long, the assessment ended.

Zhao Hong and Zhou Baishan left the courtyard together.

"Brother Zhao Hong."

A voice called out from behind them.

Zhao Hong paused and turned around, his expression immediately becoming rather strange.

It was Yang Ye.

He actually called me brother?

"My name is Yang Ye, of the Yang Family in the prefectural city."

"Brother, you possess Profound Embryo battle strength despite having Blood Astral cultivation. That is truly impressive."

"Now that you have been promoted to Golden Bell Guard, if you are interested, you may learn more about my Yang Family."

Yang Ye was extremely enthusiastic, pride evident on his face. "My Yang Family has been established in the prefectural city for many years. We even have experts in the Radiant Dawn and Indestructible realms. Even if you are not interested, making a friend and gaining another connection is not a bad thing."

Zhao Hong's mouth twitched.

He is trying to recruit me?

What the hell.

It seemed this fellow still did not know the situation.

Seeing how enthusiastic Yang Ye was, Zhao Hong even wanted to tell him on the spot, I have an irreconcilable blood feud with your Yang Family, just to see how splendid his reaction would be.

But that was clearly unwise.

Since they were already locked in an irreconcilable feud, he did not care about offending one more member of the Yang Family.

However, if Yang Ye learned the truth, he would immediately bear a grudge and create needless complications.

"Thank you for your kind offer, Brother Yang. I will certainly consider it carefully." Zhao Hong smiled faintly.

"Good. If you make up your mind, come find me anytime. I am staying temporarily in House Twenty-Seven, District B."

Yang Ye did not continue pestering him. If Zhao Hong agreed, that would naturally be excellent. Even if he refused, it did not matter. The Yang Family was vast and powerful, and did not care about one or two promising talents.

As Yang Ye walked away, Zhou Baishan could not help letting out a strange laugh.

"That Yang Ye, heh heh."

"If Yang Feng and Yang Erhe saw that, they would probably vomit blood."

"I thought you were going to mock him on the spot."

Zhou Baishan looked regretful, as though disappointed at missing the spectacle.

Zhao Hong was speechless. He was not a child.

"There was no need."

"Come on. Let's complete the promotion first."

The two headed toward the Internal Affairs Office.

Upon arriving at the Internal Affairs Office, they presented their tokens and handed over their original silver bells.

After the martial artist inside completed the registration, he brought out a golden bell, the method for refining it, a Golden Bell Guard token, and other items.

"Your merits have been recorded."

"Upon becoming a Golden Bell Guard, you may exchange for one Profound Embryo art free of charge. You have seven days. After that, the offer expires. The exchange area is next door."

"Thank you."

Zhao Hong cupped his fists in thanks, put away his things, and walked over to Zhou Baishan, who was waiting outside.

Only now had he truly become a Golden Bell Guard.

A monthly salary of three hundred taels.

Five Embryo-Nurturing Pills.

The two went straight next door.

Zhou Baishan reminded him, "If you cannot make up your mind right away, there is no need to rush. You have a full seven days."

Zhao Hong's heart stirred.

Seven days. There is no need to rush. I can look around first.

This was the place where merits could be exchanged.

An old man tossed down two thick volumes. "Inside are the Profound Embryo arts that newly promoted Golden Bell Guards may exchange for free. Once you have chosen, tell this old man."

Zhao Hong accepted the volume Zhou Baishan handed him, then went to the side and began reading through it carefully.

One technique after another was listed, followed by two brief lines of description.

Three-Turn Foundation-Nourishing Art

Astral Refinement and Qi Condensation Method

Sudden Rain Qi-Gathering Diagram

Tiger Fiend Seal

Zhao Hong was dazzled by the selection. It could only be said that the Judge's Office truly lived up to its reputation. Even the Profound Embryo arts alone exceeded his expectations.

The volume was thick, with countless methods encompassing all manner of paths.

It truly would not be easy to choose a suitable one in a short time.

As he skimmed through the pages, Zhao Hong glanced at the other newly promoted Golden Bell Guards and discovered that they had all made their choices after only a brief look.

Clearly, they had a thorough understanding of their own cultivation paths and had already prepared what type they wanted to choose before coming.

"A Profound Embryo art does not necessarily have to be related to the martial arts I cultivate."

"The key is still dragons and tigers."

Dragon Tendon and Tiger Bones were his foundation.

For the moment, he had no intention of forcing himself to make a choice, so he casually flipped through the pages.

Suddenly.

Zhao Hong's gaze sharpened.

"Hmm? Embracing Origin Dragon-Tiger Seal."