Four days later.
"The rankings are out."
"The rankings are out!"
Cry after cry spread throughout Qing Prefecture City.
Zhou Ming and Jiang Jiang stood before the ranking board. As more and more people crowded in around them, the two were squeezed out of the throng in no time.
"Damn, why is the top-ranked one from Jinzhou?"
"This year, Qing Prefecture has thrown its face away."
"You can't say that. We'll only know who the dark horse is after the Six-Prefecture Grand Tournament, when the final battle takes place in the Imperial City."
"Exactly. The Six-Prefecture Grand Tournament is when our Qing Prefecture Earth Ranking fighters make their move."
The crowd buzzed with discussion, and even Zhou Ming began looking forward to it.
Though he already knew he was first, seeing his own name written at the very top of the ranking board still put him in an excellent mood.
Who didn't want to be number one?
Jiang Jiang tugged at him from beside him and pointed to the right.
Zhou Ming looked at those people, an inexplicable glint flickering in his eyes.
At that moment, Huang Muheng stepped out from that small group and reached Zhou Ming's side in just a few strides.
"Don't worry. Although you're from Jinzhou, you're representing Qing Prefecture right now. The noble family descendants don't have much hostility toward you for the moment. I just came to look at the rankings with you."
After chatting for a while, Zhou Ming learned Huang Muheng's purpose and told Jiang Jiang to head back first.
Then, he followed Huang Muheng to the Qing Prefecture government office.
The moment Zhou Ming entered the main hall, he discovered that, including Huang Muheng beside him, all ten of the Earth-Rank Martial Ranking's top ten were present. Three of them could even be considered old acquaintances.
The other nine must have been the second through ninth place finishers of Qing Prefecture's Martial Examination.
At that moment, the atmosphere in the hall was somewhat subtle.
The positions of these people vaguely divided them into two camps.
As the two groups watched them enter the hall, one of the old acquaintances spoke up.
"Huang Muheng, why aren't you coming over here? What are you standing beside him for?"
Huang Muheng smiled. "Yang Shuo, where I stand is none of your damn business."
Zhou Ming swept his gaze over both sides and casually found a chair to sit in.
He knew there was conflict between noble families and commoners, but he had not expected that conflict to be laid bare even outside the Martial Academy.
"Brother Zhou, congratulations."
Several commoner geniuses who had risen through the Martial Examination greeted Zhou Ming.
Zhou Ming smiled and nodded. "Likewise, likewise."
He secretly thought, What, was my temperament really so obvious at a glance?
Huang Muheng also sat beside him and nodded amicably at those commoner geniuses, yet not a single one of them paid him any attention.
He did not get angry, merely sitting there quietly.
Before long.
The Qing Prefecture governor, dressed in an official robe of the Yan Kingdom, entered the main hall.
Zhou Ming knew they had come today to receive their tokens of identity.
Those who placed in the top ten of the provincial Martial Examination could receive specially made jade plaques from the imperial court.
Besides certifying one's identity and status, these jade plaques also symbolized all manner of privileges.
Zhou Ming turned the jade plaque he had been issued over in his hand.
It felt cool to the touch, and the material was excellent.
"The rules for this year's Martial Examination have changed at the last minute. The Six-Prefecture Grand Tournament will also be held in the Imperial City. You must all arrive in the Imperial City within ten days. Those who are late will have their examination slots voided."
After handing out the jade plaques, the governor gave this instruction and left.
Once everyone in the hall had departed, Huang Muheng smiled. "Brother Yu Xi, shall we set off together tomorrow?"
Zhou Ming promptly agreed.
He was unfamiliar with the place. Having someone to lead the way would be perfect.
Besides, with Huang Muheng's noble family background, they would not run into any blind fools along the way. It would save them some trouble.
After parting ways, Zhou Ming happily returned to the courtyard.
"What has you so happy?"
"Li Mu went to the Imperial City. You were still gloomy yesterday, but today I brought you good news. The Six-Prefecture Grand Tournament is being held in the Imperial City."
Jiang Jiang said in surprise, "Really?"
Then she eyed Zhou Ming suspiciously and said, "That means I should be happy. What are you so excited about?"
Zhou Ming gave a mysterious smile and said nothing, turning around and heading straight back to his room.
Jiang Jiang was utterly puzzled.
What was this guy so happy about?
After being together for so long, even when his cultivation had broken through, she had never seen Zhou Ming this happy. The smile on his face simply would not fade.
Early the next morning, Zhou Ming brought Jiang Jiang to the docks.
Zhou Ming stared at the enormous ship before him, his eyes widening.
Was this what rich people were like?
Half an hour later.
Zhou Ming stood on the deck, watching Qing Prefecture City vanish behind him.
"Brother Zhou, Brother Zhou, stop looking! Come drink!"
Tables had been firmly secured to the deck.
The tables were laden with food and wine.
Looking at the two groups, distinct as the waters of the Jing and Wei Rivers, Zhou Ming felt somewhat helpless.
He had thought that traveling with young masters would not only spare him some trouble, but also provide a more comfortable journey.
Now, the comfortable experience was there, but the trouble had not been avoided.
Still, he had seen what these young masters were capable of.
They had actually gotten everyone from Qing Prefecture participating in the tournament aboard the ship.
Zhou Ming brought Jiang Jiang back to their own designated table.
The moment they sat down, a sarcastic voice drifted over.
"Our Qing Prefecture Martial Examination's number one always has a beauty by his side, wherever he goes."
Zhou Ming looked up and smiled. "Yang Shuo, if your strength were even a fraction as good as your mouth, you wouldn't have been slapped by me."
Laughter immediately erupted all around them.
Yang Shuo's face turned livid as he glared fixedly at Zhou Ming. "Don't get smug. Someone will deal with you at the tournament."
At those words, a trace of doubt surfaced in Zhou Ming's eyes.
Could there really be another expert?
That could not be possible. A Fourth Grade fighter was truly a bit too far beyond the line.
At that moment, Huang Muheng sat down before him with a wine cup in hand.
"Brother Zhou, once you reach the Imperial City, you must act with utmost caution. Those noble family descendants in the Imperial City are a pack of bastards. They're not good people—strong, narrow-minded, and when you beat the little one, the old one comes running. Shameless to the bone."
"Damn it, Huang Muheng, which side are you on? Is that how you talk about your own people?" Yang Shuo rose to his feet and shouted angrily.
Though he had not dealt much with the noble families of the Imperial City, they were all noble family descendants. Huang Muheng was one too. Why was he so openly belittling his own people?
Huang Muheng turned around, his gaze unfriendly. "Yang Shuo, if you're not strong enough, keep your mouth under control. As for taking sides or not taking sides, I advise you not to stick your nose into this either. Don't wait until the day General Yang has to swallow his pride and plead for mercy on your behalf."
Just as Yang Shuo was about to speak, Shen Chong and another person once again joined forces to seal his mouth shut.
One of the commoner geniuses spoke up. "Brother Huang, does that mean you belong to the Neutral Faction?"
Huang Muheng rose to his feet, swept his gaze around, and said calmly, "The conflict between noble families and commoners has existed since ancient times. Setting aside the countless factions on both sides, I will say only this: martial artists must contend, but they must also know their own limits."
For a moment, everyone fell silent.
Zhou Ming slowly closed his eyes.
Originally, he had only thought this was a conflict between commoners and noble families.
But after hearing Huang Muheng's words, these waters were far from as shallow as they appeared.
Ignoring everyone else, Huang Muheng sat at Zhou Ming's table.
With a solemn expression, he said, "Brother Yu Xi, remember this: there are five great families in the Imperial City that you must not offend."
"They are the Feng, Chen, Dong, Chu, and Qian families."
"These five great families hold transcendent status. Even the Empress fears them to some extent."
Zhou Ming asked curiously, "What, are these families stronger than your Huang Family?"
Huang Muheng froze.
He truly had not expected the other party to use him as the comparison.
He smiled bitterly. "Brother Yu Xi, my family ancestor is indeed a Second-Rank Celestial, but I have only one such ancestor. Their families have more than one."
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