Martial Exam

Crackle! Crackle!

As the red firecrackers rang out one after another, the martial exam officially began.

Yellow Snake County was the sole county town within a hundred li, encompassing twelve mountains and twenty-seven villages.

It was responsible for hosting this martial exam and selecting one hundred martial scholars across the four ranks of A, B, C, and D.

More than a thousand disciples had entered this selection. Most were at the Bright Force stage, while Dark Force practitioners made up only a tenth of them.

After all, besides the martial arts halls gathered in the county town, there were also many Scale Python heroes, mountain bandits, and woodland outlaws.

Having honed themselves into capable fighters, they naturally wanted a stage upon which to display their skills.

Standing in the vast martial exam grounds, one could see warriors packed together as densely as trees in a forest—yet talent abounded among them.

Here, bone structure was not the absolute deciding factor in whether one could pass.

The exam consisted of three events: strength, Hunting, and arena matches.

Strength naturally tested one's power and the richness of one's qi and blood. Hunting was a special feature of the exam because Yellow Snake County possessed one of the Ten Thousand Mountains.

A thousand people would enter the Ten Thousand Mountains, and their scores would be based on how much silver they could earn from their catches.

The arena matches were the final stage every martial artist understood well. They accounted for more than forty percent of the score, with opponents chosen through lots and numbered draws in an absolutely fair format.

The three events were scheduled to last ten days.

Broken Mountain Martial Arts Hall entered the venue under the lead of Lin Hu and Liu Mingze. When disciples from the surrounding martial arts halls saw the two of them,

their hearts immediately began to pound, and their expressions tightened. It was not simply because they feared the pair's exceptional bone structure.

What they truly worried about was whether the two had learned some secretive, high-level martial arts during their time at Dragon-Elephant Academy.

If that was the case, then encountering them in the final battles would greatly increase the risk of failing the exam.

The two strode forward with the bearing of dragons and tigers, brimming with momentum and looking down on everyone around them. If anyone dared to watch them in secret, their faces would immediately darken, and a single glare would make the onlooker's scalp go numb.

However, when everyone saw Chen Jingshu and Chen Jingyun behind them,

their hearts stirred with springtime desire. Even the scions of great families from Yellow Snake County's inner district could not help but feel their blood race.

Feelings of admiration rose in their hearts.

Of course, besides keeping an eye on Broken Mountain Martial Arts Hall, everyone also turned their attention to its rival, Scale Python Martial Academy.

In recent years, Scale Python Martial Academy had been rising like the sun at noon. This time alone, it had sent seven Dark Force practitioners to the martial exam.

The Dark Force disciples of those old-established martial arts halls had either already passed the exam or gone off to seek their own paths.

Thus, whether in personnel or sheer presence, Scale Python Martial Academy stood a head above the rest.

At the very front stood Scale Python Martial Academy's chief disciple, Lin Zhennan, and second disciple, Xiao Xiangbei. Third among them was Duan Xu, the cousin only Duan Xuan recognized.

Xiao Xiangbei and Lin Zhennan had remained at Dark Force for more than two years, tempering their qi and blood until it was incomparably abundant.

Under the tutelage of Scale Python Martial Academy's master, Jiang Zhongkun, the fat on Duan Xu's body had turned into slabs of muscle. He was tall and brawny, with a fierce, Baleful Intent upon his face.

Simply standing there, he would make even Zhang Chen retreat three paces.

"Hmph. I heard Broken Mountain Martial Arts Hall produced another Dark Force martial artist not long ago. He seems to be called Duan Xuan. Do any of you know him?" Xiao Xiangbei asked disdainfully.

The other disciples shook their heads. Duan Xu sneered. "I know him. He's that useless trash from my eldest uncle's family.

"We entered martial arts halls at the same time. He went to Broken Mountain, while I came to Scale Python.

"I have A-grade bone structure, while his is merely ordinary B-grade bone structure.

"Master accepted me as his final disciple, while he is nothing but an ordinary disciple.

"I never expected him to luck into a breakthrough to Dark Force, but so what? No one in that martial arts hall values someone like him. He is no different from air. What real skills could he possibly learn?

"He had enough sense not to participate in this martial exam. Otherwise, I would definitely cripple his bone structure and make him useless trash for the rest of his life!"

Duan Xu had already investigated the matter of his family not sending money to the martial arts hall. It was Duan Xuan who had interfered and caused all his plans to fall through. He now wished he could tear Duan Xuan into eight pieces.

Senior Brother Lin Zhennan patted Duan Xu on the back. "Take the exam properly and earn a ranking. Bring honor to your family and ancestors.

"As for that clown who did not even dare enter the competition, he will never again be qualified to bark before you.

"When the time comes, we martial brothers will join hands and cripple that thing, just as we crippled Zhang Chen.

"If that still does not vent your anger, Junior Brother, you can stand beside us and watch Duan Xuan howl and beg for mercy."

Duan Xu cackled. Coming to Scale Python Martial Academy had truly been the right choice. His senior brothers and sisters treated him like family, far better than that poor, shabby Duan Family.

Then a lewd glint curled at the corner of his eyes.

Thinking of his young aunt Duan Xin, who possessed peerless beauty, he decided that once he returned, he would have her, then sell her into a brothel for a large sum of money.

At the same time, at Broken Mountain Martial Arts Hall,

only Liu Tie and the other servant disciples who had just broken through to Bright Force, or had yet to do so, remained behind to guard the place.

However, the letter Zhang Chen had delivered for Chen Feng had worked. A martial artist at the middle Dark Force stage had been sent over from a martial arts hall in the distant county town.

His thoughts matched Duan Xuan's. He wished to temper his qi and blood and train diligently in martial arts.

He planned to take the martial exam for the second time next year.

Thus, he had been sent to Broken Mountain Martial Arts Hall in Yellow Snake County.

The martial arts hall treated him to good food and drink, while he sat inside his room, neither leaving through the front door nor stepping past the inner gate, showing no interest whatsoever in matters outside.

Liu Tie, having just stepped into Bright Force, was at the height of his excitement, bounding about with boundless energy.

After several disciples held him down and "beat" him up, he finally ran into the room with a face full of dust and ash.

Duan Xuan was inside, looking after Zhou Ye and Zhang Chen. Zhou Ye was conscious, but his external injuries were severe. The slightest movement would split his flesh and cause blood to seep out.

Zhang Chen, meanwhile, had yet to regain full consciousness. Yet with his vigorous qi and blood, together with the potent medicine Chen Feng had left behind, his wounds healed extremely quickly, while his tendons and bones gave off crackling sounds.

Duan Xuan assumed a fist stance and slowly practiced his punches, step by step.

"Senior Brother Duan, I finally learned the second move of Broken Mountain Fist."

Liu Tie carefully pushed open the door.

Just as he was about to raise his voice, Duan Xuan clamped a hand over his mouth and dragged him aside.

He quietly walked over to the two senior brothers, pulled a huge face, and said, "What kind of rotten rules are these for the martial exam? They sent Master and the others off into the deep mountains.

"They cannot come back until the competition ends.

"And if they come back, they cannot enter the exam grounds.

"What a pain.

"Senior Brother Duan, how strong is that Dark Force expert Master invited? Is he even stronger than you?"

Duan Xuan shook his head. "Senior Brother Li Meng has been at Dark Force for more than a year. His qi and blood are full and abundant, so he should be at the middle to late Dark Force stage.

"I only entered Dark Force a few months ago. I cannot be mentioned in the same breath as him."

"A middle to late Dark Force expert? Impressive, impressive.

"Even if that fellow who goes around challenging martial arts halls comes, I suppose we have nothing to worry about now."

Suddenly, a disciple rushed over in great haste.

The main gate was flung open, startling Liu Tie. "What happened? Did someone come to provoke us?"

"What are you talking about? Senior Brother Duan, someone outside is looking for you. It's urgent. Come quickly and take a look."