Foot Archery

Huo Shan swept his gaze over the grounds. Sure enough, many faces were familiar. The Martial Examination's County Trial was held once every three years, so the martial artists of Big Stone County took this trial very seriously. Anyone of the right age registered in the county eagerly answered the call, whether they were martial arts school disciples, escort guards, disciples of prominent lineages, household guards, or even independent martial artists returning from elsewhere. Of course, those who knew their own strength was too poor gave up and merely accompanied their teachers to watch the excitement. Eligibility also had to be verified; those who were overage, had the wrong household registration, or had committed crimes could not apply.

What surprised Huo Shan somewhat was that the chief examiner seated on the reviewing platform was not the county's own County Magistrate Cheng, but a full-bearded military official wearing a Civil-Martial Robe. It seems this must be Xu Commandant. Since arriving from Prefecture City, Xu Commandant had kept a low profile and made no public appearances. Who would have thought he would become the chief examiner? County Magistrate Cheng was the deputy examiner. There were also eight examiners and several official assistants.

Many martial masters looked surprised to see Xu Commandant serving as chief examiner instead of the county magistrate. Zhao Feng's expression remained calm. When Xu Commandant had suddenly been appointed here, he had already sensed there was more to it. Now he felt all the more relieved that he had not joined that Patrol Squad.

"The atmosphere and scale of this County Trial are different," Eldest Senior Brother Shi Mao murmured to himself.

He had participated in a County Trial three years earlier. That one had clearly been neither as solemn nor as highly regarded as this one, and there had only been three examiners.

Huo Shan nodded at his words. It seemed the rumors that the Imperial Court intended to sweep away the old, usher in the new, and put officialdom in order had not come out of thin air.

Just then, three gong strikes rang out across the drill grounds. An examiner rode into the center and loudly announced the rules for the first test, Archery and Horsemanship. "All candidates, listen! For Foot Archery, each person gets ten arrows. Six hits constitute a pass, and eight or more earn an excellent grade. For mounted archery, each person gets six arrows and must hit a moving target from a galloping warhorse. Three hits constitute a pass, and five earn an excellent grade. Any arrows not fired within the time limit count as misses! Devices that assist your draw or aim are forbidden. Anyone who violates this rule will immediately be expelled from the examination grounds!"

The several hundred candidates answered in a thunderous chorus. A Foot Archery range had already been marked out on the western side of the drill grounds. Fifty paces beyond the shooting line, thirty vermilion wooden targets stood in a row. Their bull's-eyes were about four inches in diameter, which was actually quite large.

"Most martial masters aren't particularly good at the first test, Archery and Horsemanship. Keep a relaxed mindset," Huo Shan told his disciples.

Even failing both mounted archery and Foot Archery would not eliminate a candidate from this test. They would receive an overall score, which would then be combined with the results of the second test, the arena bouts, for a final assessment.

If everyone performed poorly, they would effectively still be standing on the same starting line.

By then, the soldiers had brought over thirty standard one-shi horn bows and placed them on the tables.

The several hundred candidates received numbered tags and went up to shoot in batches.

Zhao Feng said nothing, his gaze fixed on the range. At fifty paces, he was confident in both Foot Archery and mounted archery; neither presented much difficulty. But things were different for most of the other martial masters.

He watched several rounds of shooting. Whether they possessed bright strength or hidden force, most failed. Few passed, and those who earned an excellent grade were as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns.

Most martial artists outside the military focused on cultivation, gate breakthroughs, and fist techniques. They paid little attention to Archery and Horsemanship, and aside from a few children of prominent lineages and wealthy households, most lacked the means to practice regularly.

Yet Archery and Horsemanship was a tradition of Great Yan's Martial Examination. It was said that Great Yan's founding emperor could pierce a willow leaf from a hundred paces with his mounted archery, so the Archery and Horsemanship test he had established had never been abolished.

Soon it was the Huo Family Martial Arts School's turn. Third Senior Brother Wang Yu drew the first lot to go up. Of his ten arrows, only three hit the bull's-eye. The others either missed the target entirely or struck its edges.

"Fail!" the supervising official declared coldly.

Zhou Xue and two bright strength disciples followed. Unsurprisingly, all of them failed.

The one who surprised Zhao Feng somewhat was Eldest Senior Brother Shi Mao.

Seven of his arrows actually struck the bull's-eye, earning him a pass.

"Your eldest senior brother has taken the Martial Examination more than once, and he's practiced archery for years. A result like this is no surprise," Huo Shan said with a smile from beneath the sunshade.

Chu Fan went up next. Only four of his ten arrows struck the bull's-eye, so he failed. Although everyone's results were much the same, Chu Fan was, after all, Big Stone County's youngest hidden force martial artist. He had also slain Flying Centipede single-handedly and been publicly commended throughout the county by the magistrate. Thus, when his result came out, many strange looks turned his way. So he had a weakness too.

Chu Fan's face flushed. Having been placed on a pedestal for so long, he deeply disliked the feeling of defeat.

Huo Shan was not surprised. After all, Chu Fan devoted most of his energy to Stance Training and practicing his fist techniques, only practicing archery in his spare time. His failure was no surprise. But as long as he secured a good placing in the arena bouts later, he could still make the list.

Wei Yuan went up next. He had actually been practicing archery all along, and had put himself through intensive training recently, clinging to a slim hope of passing.

Yet after ten arrows, he had scored only five hits. "Just a little short." He returned to Zhao Feng's side, looking somewhat helpless.

"Junior Brother Zhao, just stay calm when you go up. Even if you fail, it's nothing. Everyone's in the same boat," he added, consoling Zhao Feng.

Soon the draw called Zhao Feng up.

There will be more uncertainties in the second test, the arena bouts, so I have to get a good result in Archery and Horsemanship. That will give me a safer margin. After all, he had only recently entered hidden force. If he ran into veteran hidden force martial artists from major martial arts schools or prominent lineages in the second test, he could still lose. Thus, he needed to score more points in the first.

Zhao Feng picked up a horn bow and stood at the starting line. He set his feet shoulder-width apart, his left foot slightly forward and his knees slightly bent. His left hand held the bow steady while three fingers of his right hooked the string. His gaze locked onto the bull's-eye fifty paces away like a hawk's.

He nocked an arrow and slowly drew the bow. The muscles of his arms bulged, their contours sharply defined beneath his coarse-cloth training clothes. The string drew back into a full moon, and the bow trembled slightly, giving off a low hum.

Whoosh! The first arrow tore through the air, its head whistling sharply as it buried itself precisely in the center of the bull's-eye, scattering vermilion wood chips.

Zhao Feng immediately pulled out a second arrow and repeated the motions of nocking, drawing, and aiming.

His rhythm was as steady as Mount Tai. Every draw carried even force, and every release was crisp and decisive. Like meteors chasing the moon, the arrows flew toward the bull's-eye one after another.

"A hit! Another hit! He hit it again!" As five consecutive arrows struck the bull's-eye, the surrounding candidates could not help bursting into cheers. Though they were his rivals, their applause was heartfelt.

At the edge of the drill grounds, Xue Xiangling was looking around when a burst of cheering from the Foot Archery area caught her attention. Her gaze shifted and settled on that valiant-looking young man.

"Why is it him?" Xue Xiangling said in surprise.

Zhao Feng is taking the Martial Examination too? A mere bright strength martial artist like him? He really doesn't know his own limits.

She had come today partly to cheer on her elder brother, and partly to observe the performances of the young hidden force experts she favored. One of them might well be her future husband.

Then she focused her gaze and saw that Zhao Feng had already hit the bull's-eye five times in a row. Surprise rose in her again.

Is this luck, or...

Just then, Zhao Feng nocked another arrow and drew his bow again.

"Junior Brother Zhao only needs one more hit to pass!" Wei Yuan said.

Whoosh! In the blink of an eye, the sixth arrow flew out as well. Thunk! It struck the bull's-eye squarely.

"He's passed!" Huo Shan and Wei Yuan both breathed a sigh of relief. Although Huo Shan did not believe Zhao Feng could make the list, an outstanding performance would still bring considerable honor to both him and the martial arts school.