Huang Muheng's Warning

Jiang Jiang seemed to remember something and asked softly, "Huang Muheng, could the five families you mentioned be the founding meritorious families of the Yan Kingdom?"

Huang Muheng nodded.

After getting her answer, Jiang Jiang said quietly, "Brother Ming, don't offend them. I heard those families are extremely protective of their own."

A flicker passed through Huang Muheng's eyes as he looked at Jiang Jiang in confusion, then withdrew his gaze.

Neither Zhou Ming nor Jiang Jiang noticed the change in his expression.

"Mm. As long as they don't provoke me, I naturally won't go looking for trouble with them," Zhou Ming said with a smile.

He knew that aristocratic families with such transcendent status undoubtedly controlled forces beyond imagination.

The network of relationships between them was like the roots of a century-old tree, entrenched in one region and intertwined in every direction.

"Brother Yuxi, do not compete for first place in the Martial Examination. Aristocratic families may tolerate commoner prodigies, but they will never tolerate a commoner prodigy possessing a War God divine ability. You must know that divine ability talents can also be stolen!!"

A Voice Transmission entered Zhou Ming's ears.

In an instant, his pupils contracted sharply, and his mind shook violently.

"Brother Zhou, rest assured, I haven't told anyone else about this. But you should keep a close eye on your two beauties."

Zhou Ming looked at Huang Muheng, who wore a faint smile.

He transmitted his voice, "Since divine ability talents can be stolen, then why..."

Before he could finish, Huang Muheng waved his hand and said, "Brother Yuxi, we're family. There's no need to be so formal."

After hearing that, Zhou Ming knew it was merely an excuse. Huang Muheng did not wish to speak, so he would not press him.

It was enough for him to know that Huang Muheng would not harm him.

Otherwise, since Huang Muheng knew he possessed a War God divine ability, he could have simply called upon his family's ancestor to act.

Jiang Jiang, seated to the side, glared at Huang Muheng. "What nonsense are you talking about? Who's family with you?"

Huang Muheng raised his wine cup and smiled. "My apologies, Miss Jiang. I misspoke."

Jiang Jiang rolled her eyes at him.

Several days later, the ship sailed on.

Zhou Ming stood at the bow, watching the outline of a city slowly emerge at the horizon.

He stretched his back and muttered, "We're finally almost there."

Over the past few days, through everyone's conversations, he had learned quite a bit of information.

The three kingdoms of Yan, Zhao, and Chu.

The Yan Kingdom was the largest and most prosperous, so its strength was also greater.

No matter which prefecture it was, geniuses and monsters sprang up like bamboo shoots after rain. Every year, new talents emerged.

A Fifth Grade at eighteen like him was rare, but not unheard of.

Zhou Ming knew that others were the true monsters. His fake bone age did not count.

As for the power structure of the Imperial City, apart from the five aristocratic families with transcendent status, there were also quite a few first-rate aristocratic families, each with a Second-Rank Celestial in residence.

Beyond that, there was one academy, two martial halls, and three escort agencies.

The one academy referred solely to the Imperial City Martial Academy, while the two martial halls were the Wind Spirit Martial Hall and the Blazing Sun Martial Hall.

The three escort agencies referred to three escort companies.

But none of those forces interested him.

What interested him most was the Vast Sea Divine Court.

This force was located within the Imperial City of the Yan Kingdom. It was a courtyard, shrouded in mystery.

The entire courtyard was covered in a layer of white mist at all times, making it impossible for anyone to investigate.

Only an old man in black robes stood at the entrance, day after day for hundreds of years.

Yet he never stopped outsiders from entering the courtyard.

Those who entered either vanished without a trace, or emerged with their memories forever frozen at the moment before they entered.

When Zhou Ming first heard this information, he had been deeply shocked.

He would definitely have to see such a mysterious place for himself someday.

There must be an opportunity here!

At noon, Huang Muheng looked at the checkpoint ahead and smiled. "Once we pass through it, we'll have entered the Imperial City."

Zhou Ming had noticed the checkpoint long ago.

Looking at this magnificent giant city, he could feel the weight of history rushing toward him.

The walls stood more than thirty zhang tall and stretched endlessly wide, built from enormous blocks of bluestone.

Zhou Ming had seen plenty of hundred-meter skyscrapers, but the sight of a hundred-meter-tall ancient city still left his mind reeling.

Looking at the city walls that stretched beyond sight, he truly had no idea how much manpower and resources had gone into building them.

Even if Martial Artists possessed the strength of a thousand jin, this was certainly not something that could be built in a short time.

After passing through the gate, the Imperial City of the Yan Kingdom came into view.

Towering gatehouses that reached into the clouds stood everywhere.

The streets were broader than those of prefectural capital cities.

After getting off the ship, Jiang Jiang told Zhou Ming that she was going to find Li Mu, then left without looking back.

Huang Muheng smiled. "It seems Brother Zhou's beauty loves her own sisters more."

Zhou Ming glanced at him without saying a word.

At that moment, five commoner prodigies invited Zhou Ming.

"Brother Zhou, we plan to report to the Imperial City Martial Academy first. Would you like to come with us?"

After thinking for a moment, Zhou Ming shook his head and declined.

The five were not offended. After exchanging a few pleasantries, they left.

In their eyes, Zhou Yuxi, a commoner prodigy, was naturally one of their own, even if he was not close to them now.

There was no denying that they belonged to the same camp.

After the five left, Huang Muheng frowned and said, "Brother Zhou, you should have agreed to go with them."

Zhou Ming shrugged and turned to leave.

"Thank you for your hospitality these past days, Brother Huang. I'll look around on my own."

In the blink of an eye, Zhou Ming vanished into the crowd of people disembarking and arriving from all directions.

At that moment, nine people stepped down from Huang Muheng's giant ship.

These nine were precisely the top ten of the Qing Prefecture Earth Ranking.

After getting off the ship, Yang Shuo sneered. "Oh? Huang Muheng, why didn't you invite your Brother Zhou to head to the Martial Academy with you?"

Shen Chong immediately tugged at him and said quietly, "Say less."

At that moment, the first-ranked expert of the Qing Prefecture Earth Ranking walked over to Huang Muheng. Looking at the crowded stream of people ahead, he said, "In the Imperial City, keep your distance from him."

Huang Muheng raised his eyes slightly and said flatly, "Jiang Jun, how I, Huang Muheng, conduct myself is not something you need to comment on."

With that, Huang Muheng merged into the crowd and left.

"Enough, A-Jun. Huang Muheng still hasn't let go of what happened back then. There's no need to persuade him," the second-ranked expert of the Qing Prefecture Earth Ranking said.

Yang Shuo stood with one hand on his hip and chimed in, "Exactly, Brother Jun. Why bother with him? Once he gets beaten a few times, he'll learn how to behave."

Jiang Jun turned around and fixed Yang Shuo with a sharp gaze.

"Yang Shuo, aristocratic families are aristocratic families, but remember this: Huang Muheng is the face of our Qing Prefecture. That mouth of yours had better think carefully before speaking during our days in the Imperial City."

Yang Shuo's face darkened, and he remained silent.

After the others left, Shen Chong patted his shoulder and said, "That mouth of yours should stay quiet for a while."

Seeing Yang Shuo still wearing a sour expression, Wu Yuan grabbed him by the collar. Their foreheads pressed together.

Wu Yuan said word by word, "Remember, we grew up together. Don't make Shen Chong and me collect your corpse in the Imperial City."

Yang Shuo shoved him away, smoothed his clothes, and said flatly, "Got it. I'll watch what I say these days."

Tch.

So what if this is the Imperial City?

Who is my grandfather? Yang Zhengqi!

Who would dare kill me!

Wu Yuan stared hard at Yang Shuo. He knew the brother he had grown up with too well. He had heard such words countless times, yet his brother had never followed through.

Shen Chong stepped forward and threw an arm around both of them. "Enough, enough. What are you two making a fuss over? Until the Martial Examination begins, the three of us aren't going anywhere. We'll stay in the Martial Academy."