Jiang Jiang seemed to remember something and asked softly, "Huang Muheng, could the five families you mentioned be the founding meritorious families of Yan Kingdom?"
Huang Muheng nodded.
Having received her answer, Jiang Jiang said in a low voice, "Brother Ming, don't offend them. I heard those families are the most protective of their own."
A flicker passed through Huang Muheng's eyes as he looked at Jiang Jiang in puzzlement, then withdrew his gaze.
Neither Zhou Ming nor the other 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 clans with such transcendent status undoubtedly controlled forces beyond imagination.
The web of connections between them was like the roots of a century-old tree, entrenched in one region and crisscrossing in every direction.
"Brother Yu Xi, do not compete for the Martial Examination's top spot. The great clans may permit the existence of commoner prodigies, but they will never permit a commoner prodigy to possess a War God Divine Ability. You must know that divine ability talents can also be seized!!"
A Voice Transmission entered Zhou Ming's ears.
In an instant, his pupils shrank sharply, and his mind was violently shaken.
"Rest assured, Brother Zhou, I have not told anyone else about this. But you must keep a close eye on your two beauties."
Zhou Ming looked at Huang Muheng, who wore a smile at the corner of his lips.
He transmitted his voice, "Since divine ability talents can be seized, then why..."
Before he could finish, Huang Muheng waved his hand and said, "Brother Yu Xi, we're family. No need to stand on ceremony."
After hearing that, Zhou Ming knew it was merely an excuse. Huang Muheng did not wish to speak of it, and he would not press further.
It was enough for him to know 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 ancestor to act.
Jiang Jiang, seated nearby, shot Huang Muheng a glare. "What nonsense are you saying? 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 continued onward.
Zhou Ming stood at the bow, watching the shadow of a city slowly emerge on the horizon.
He stretched his back and muttered, "We're finally almost there."
Over the past few days, through everyone's idle chatter, he had learned much information.
Yan Kingdom, Zhao Kingdom, and Chu Kingdom.
Yan Kingdom was the broadest 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, with new talents emerging every year.
A Fifth Grade martial artist with an eighteen-year-old bone age like him was rare, but not nonexistent.
Zhou Ming knew that others were the true monsters. His counterfeit bone age did not count.
As for the distribution of forces within the Imperial City, aside from the five great clans with transcendent status, there were also many first-rate clans, meaning clans 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 escorts referred to three escort agencies.
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 Yan Kingdom. It was a courtyard, mysterious beyond compare.
The entire courtyard was shrouded 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, remaining there day after day for hundreds of years.
Yet he never stopped outsiders from entering the courtyard.
Those who entered either vanished without a trace from then on, or emerged with their memories forever frozen at the moment before they entered.
When Zhou Ming first heard this information, he was greatly shaken.
He would definitely have to see such a mysterious place for himself someday.
There had to be some opportunity waiting there!
At noon, Huang Muheng looked at the checkpoint ahead and said with a smile, "Once we pass through the checkpoint, we'll have entered the Imperial City."
Zhou Ming had noticed the checkpoint long ago.
Looking at this majestic giant city, he felt the weight of history rush toward him.
The city walls stood over thirty zhang high and stretched so wide that their end could not be seen, built from enormous blocks of bluestone.
Zhou Ming had seen plenty of hundred-meter skyscrapers, but 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 this must have consumed.
Even if martial artists possessed the strength of a thousand jin, this was certainly not something that could have been built in a short time.
After passing through the gate, the sight of Yan Kingdom's Imperial City unfolded before them.
Lofty towers that pierced the clouds stood scattered everywhere.
The streets were broader than those of prefectural cities.
After disembarking, Jiang Jiang told Zhou Ming that she was going to find Li Mu, then walked away without looking back.
Huang Muheng smiled. "It seems Brother Zhou's beloved would rather spend time with her own sister than with you."
Zhou Ming glanced at him but said nothing.
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 departed.
In their eyes, Zhou Yuxi, a commoner prodigy, was naturally one of their own, even if he was not close to them now.
But there was no denying that they belonged to the same camp.
After the five left, Huang Muheng frowned deeply 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 take a look around on my own."
In the blink of an eye, Zhou Ming vanished into the crowd of people disembarking and heading in 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 Yang Shuo got off the ship, he sneered. "Oh? Huang Muheng, why didn't you invite your Brother Zhou to go to the Martial Academy with you?"
Shen Chong immediately tugged at him and whispered, "Say less."
At that moment, Qing Prefecture's number one on the Earth Ranking walked over to Huang Muheng's side. Looking at the crowded mass of people ahead, he said, "In the Imperial City, keep your distance from him."
Huang Muheng slightly raised his eyes and said blandly, "Jiang Jun, how I, Huang Muheng, conduct myself is none of your concern."
With that, Huang Muheng merged into the crowd and left directly.
"Enough, A'Jun. Huang Muheng still can't let go of what happened back then. There's no need to persuade him," Qing Prefecture's second-ranked Earth Ranking expert said.
Yang Shuo put one hand on his waist and chimed in, "Exactly, Brother Jun. Why bother with him? Once he gets taught a few lessons, he'll learn how to behave."
Jiang Jun turned around and fixed Yang Shuo with a sharp gaze.
"Yang Shuo, great clans are great clans, but remember this: Huang Muheng is the face of our Qing Prefecture. With that mouth of yours, during your coming days in the Imperial City, you'd better think your words through in your head before opening it."
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 settle down for a while."
Seeing that Yang Shuo still wore a sour expression, Wu Yuan grabbed him by the collar and pressed their foreheads 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 lightly, "Got it. I'll watch my words and actions 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 understood this brother he had grown up with too well. He had heard such words countless times, yet his brother had never once followed through on them.
Shen Chong stepped forward and threw an arm around both of them. "Enough, enough. What are you making a fuss over? Until the Martial Examination begins, the three of us aren't going anywhere. We'll stay in the Martial Academy."
Before you continue