"Violation notice?" Chen Xu's expression shifted slightly as he immediately searched for news related to Martial Dao.
"Qinghe Commandery Martial Arts Academy Tournament officially begins."
"Another brilliant achievement! Tiansheng Province's top Martial Dao expert placed in the top three of the Great Abyss Martial Dao Battles."
"Eleven-year-old girl becomes the disciple of Great Abyss's number one Martial Dao expert. Her future is promising!"
After watching several battle videos of so-called commandery-level and even provincial-level number one Martial Dao experts, then looking up related information, Chen Xu shook his head with a soft sigh.
Just as he had expected, the publicly known Martial Dao had no realms such as [Martial Form].
There were only First Stage Martial Artists through the highest, Ninth Stage Martial Artists. They were collectively known as professional Martial Artists, with Amateur Martial Artists ranked beneath them.
Among the publicly known Martial Dao practitioners, there were differences between the number one in a commandery, the number one in a province, and even the currently acknowledged number one Martial Dao expert in the world, but the gap was absolutely not as vast as heaven and earth.
Chen Xu estimated that with his current strength, claiming the title of number one in a province would not be a problem at all.
The next day.
"Is Mr. Chen here?" A timid-looking man dressed in Martial Pavilion attire gently knocked on the rust-covered iron gate.
"What is it?" Chen Xu emerged from the house wearing a coat. He had discovered that, because of the changes in his height and build, he could no longer fit into any of the previous owner's clothes.
Hearing Chen Xu's voice, the man hurriedly said, "I'm Deputy Pavilion Master Ling's new secretary. You can call me Xiao Yu. I'm here today to deliver your VIP card. If you need anything in the future, you can contact me."
Even though the door had not opened, he held the card out with both hands and bowed as he offered it over.
Creak.
The old rusty iron gate opened. Secretary Yu's gaze flicked over the other man's legs, wanting to see just what distinguished a powerful Martial Artist from an ordinary person.
Chen Xu took the VIP card and the postcard beneath it. After glancing over them a few times, he held them in his hand. "Secretary Yu, I happen to need something. I don't have any clothes that fit anymore. Could I trouble you to make a trip for me?"
Secretary Yu raised his head slightly. Seeing Chen Xu in oversized shorts and a coat, it felt as though something inside him shattered with a crash.
"Of course. Please wait a moment." Secretary Yu forced a smile. He had longed for Martial Dao, but because of his constitution, he had been unable to enter this field. He had always admired all those powerful Martial Dao practitioners.
His efforts to join the Martial Pavilion had been precisely so he could get closer to those people he admired.
Yet today...
After taking a few steps toward the city district, he seemed to remember something and respectfully said, "Academy Master Chen, Deputy Pavilion Master Ling asked me to tell you that the Martial Pavilion Inspector from above will arrive today. He wishes you success in officially obtaining the title of academy master today."
Chen Xu nodded to show that he understood, then turned back and closed the iron gate.
Outside Jinning Train Center.
Passersby occasionally glanced at the man towering like an iron pagoda. When they saw the medal on his chest, expressions of reverence unconsciously appeared on their faces.
"Deputy Pavilion Master Ling, thank you for coming to receive me. I am deeply honored."
Not far away, a group of two men and one woman strode over briskly. The leader clasped his fists, forcing a trace of a smile onto his cold face.
"Inspector He, what are you saying? Provincial capital inspectors have always been of equal rank to commandery Deputy Pavilion Masters. It is only proper for this pavilion to welcome you. Even if the entire Martial Pavilion had come out to receive you, it would not have been excessive."
Inspector He repeatedly waved his hands. "I am not worthy of having the Pavilion Master personally come to receive me."
Ling Xiangshan motioned for the attendants behind him to open the car door and invited the three of them inside.
"The welcoming banquet has been prepared. Please."
"Please."
The vehicle drove smoothly. He Tao leaned against the sofa and accepted a sheet of paper handed over by the female disciple beside him.
"Zhengxin Martial Arts Academy, Inquiry Martial Arts Hall, Chen Martial Arts Academy.
Those three are the martial arts academies undergoing testing for new academy masters?"
"Yes. These are the profiles of the three candidates. Please review them."
"Huang Bai, married, forty-seven years old. The previous academy master retired ten days ago and decided to have him succeed as the new academy master.
"Lin Qi, unmarried, with a younger sister at home, sixteen years old. He moved here from Peishui County the year before last and established a martial arts academy. Upon passing the assessment, he may become the first academy master of Inquiry Martial Arts Hall."
"Sixteen?" He Tao picked up a grape and placed it in his mouth. "I recall another candidate is only seventeen as well. Jinning Commandery has produced quite a few talents this year."
"Yes. The last candidate is the heir of Chen Martial Arts Academy—Chen Xu. According to the information we have gathered, he is not a member of the Chen family, merely an orphan taken in by the previous academy master out of kindness."
"Chen Xu..." He Tao recalled the phone call from Deputy Pavilion Master Xu while he had been on the train.
"Chen Xu of Chen Martial Arts Academy should possess the strength of a bottom-tier top-ten martial arts academy master in Jinning Commandery. I heard he is rather close to that fellow Ling Xiangshan. Try recruiting him first. If that fails, give him a warning.
"If he is willing to submit to us, we can swallow up a little more of the Refining Liquid allocation."
He put down the paper just as an attendant opened the car door. "Inspector He, we have arrived at Jinning Grand Hotel."
The moment he got out of the car, He Tao saw a middle-aged man around forty or fifty hurrying toward him.
"Inspector He, a pleasure, a pleasure. I am Huang Bai, acting academy master of Zhengxin Martial Arts Academy."
"Ohhh." He Tao drew out the sound, then nodded arrogantly. "So it is Academy Master Huang. A pleasure."
Huang Bai rubbed his hands together and, with lightning speed, slipped him a note before taking his leave.
He Tao's gaze swept over the words on the note, and his expression turned satisfied. This fellow knew what he was doing. He could ease up a little and let him pass later.
When neither of the other two academy masters appeared after that, He Tao's expression darkened somewhat.
They really were immature children who did not understand manners.
When the time came, they should not blame him for handling matters impartially and showing no mercy.
After three rounds of wine and five flavors of dishes.
Huang Bai bowed and scraped at the side, entirely lacking the bearing a Martial Artist ought to possess. From time to time, he poured wine for them, allowing the two disciples who had accompanied their master to experience what it felt like to be powerful people above others.
"In my opinion, aside from Academy Master Huang, those other two little brats who have not even grown all their hair yet want to pass the test? What a joke." The male disciple drained his cup, and Huang Bai immediately refilled it for him.
"You flatter me. In my opinion, as Inspector He's disciple, you are more than qualified to hold this inspector position." Huang Bai continued showering him with flattery. In order to successfully inherit the position of academy master, he had no intention of keeping his old face.
He knew his own strength. Passing properly and legitimately would be far too difficult, so it was better to fawn over these people and have them go easy on him.
"The information says Chen Xu's strength..." The female disciple wanted to object, but the male disciple immediately interrupted her.
"Junior Sister, you are simply too young. It must have been a recording error. Do you know what it means to be a top-ten martial arts academy master in a commandery? I think it has just been exaggerated too much.
"He would be lucky if his strength were close to the top ten. He does not even have any achievements to his name. Who knows how much money he wasted just to promote his illusory reputation."
"I have seen plenty of people like that. None of them are particularly strong, yet they make their own names sound earth-shaking. The atmosphere of the Martial Dao World has been ruined by people like them.
"If I get the chance to fight, I will definitely let that Chen Xu know the price of boasting nonsense.
"Top ten in Jinning Commandery?
"He is the biggest joke in Jinning Commandery!"
Huang Bai hurriedly chuckled foolishly in agreement. As for what he truly thought, only he himself knew.
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