Ultimate Technique

Archer Bureau training ground.

Hu Wancheng stepped onto the high platform, his sharp gaze sweeping below.

The entire grounds held their breath.

"Cough, cough, cough."

Seeing that the time was about right, Hu Wancheng cleared his throat before announcing loudly:

"The annual martial assessment for Route Division posts, originally scheduled for year's end, begins today!"

The words had barely fallen when the entire grounds erupted.

After a while, Hu Wancheng extended both hands and pressed downward.

The grounds instantly fell silent again.

"The Commander has spoken!"

"For this annual assessment, the written test is abolished. No seniority, no years of service. Martial skill shall determine rank, and rank shall determine position!"

Those words completely ignited everyone's emotions.

"All squad leaders, captains, banner captains, and patrol guards must participate!"

"Winners rise in rank, draws retain their posts, losers are demoted!"

Captain Hu's words stirred up a thousand waves.

The crowd below instantly boiled over with discussion, and many people's breathing abruptly quickened...

The Route Division system had strict hierarchies; ordinarily, advancement was exceedingly difficult.

The higher one climbed, the harder it became!

One could practically only grind through seniority, years of service, and merit—or else compete in connections and see whose backing was harder.

Now, determining rank and office through martial skill was equivalent to giving every low-ranking archer a chance to soar to the heavens in a single step.

Lu Li stood at the very end of the squad leaders, his posture calm and steady, his gaze fixed straight ahead, though ripples stirred within his heart.

He had heard that once one became a banner captain, one could be assigned five personal guards. Those five guards had fixed posts and could remain at one's own residence.

If he succeeded, not only would the Lu Residence shine with reflected glory, but his younger concubine-aunt and the others would also gain another layer of protection.

Moreover, banner captains did not have to patrol the streets. From then on, he would only need to report for roll call on time, receive twenty taels of salary each month, and have plenty of free time.

Thoughts raced through Lu Li's mind. Even if he entered the Martial Lecture Hall in the future, this position would bring him nothing but benefits.

He would do it!

"Form groups of ten. Each squad leader will first lead the nine archers under him and compete to determine the new squad leaders!"

After the briefing ended, discipline below the platform remained strict as each squad leader led their archers into a circle.

Lu Li looked at the nine men before him. Aside from Niu Lai, Ma Liu, and Wang Boxing, the remaining six had only been assigned that morning. He did not recognize a single one of them.

The nine men were likewise assessing Lu Li.

His bearing was calm and settled, his Divine Intent restrained within, his stance without a single flaw. The nine of them felt tremendous pressure in secret.

Wang Boxing and the other two had long since ceased to find it strange. A few days ago, Lu Li had suddenly become so thin he looked like a skeleton, yet now his bearing appeared even more upright and imposing. They had privately experienced Lu Li's Bagua Fist long ago and knew clearly how vast the gap between them was, so naturally they had no further ideas.

"Cough, cough."

Lu Li cleared his throat and spoke first:

"My three old subordinates can sit this out. As for you six, will you take me on one after another, or all together?"

The six men immediately gaped in shock. They exchanged glances, then looked toward Wang Boxing and the other two, before finally raising their eyes to Lu Li.

One man stepped forward and cupped his hands toward Lu Li.

"This subordinate is Deng Jiuzhong. The other five can sit this out; they have yet to break through the gate. I have been at Gate-Breaking for two years and am now nearing my second Skin Tempering. I am willing to test Squad Leader Lu's fists and feet."

Lu Li stepped forward, smiling as he nodded to indicate that Deng Jiuzhong could make his move.

"Ha!"

With an angry roar, Deng Jiuzhong drew his blade and swept it sideways.

Lu Li planted his feet, spreading out the Hidden-Blade Intent of Rest-Step Hidden Blade, then used Shifting Steps, Changing Shadows...

Deng Jiuzhong swung three times in succession yet could not even touch the edge of Lu Li's clothing. In the end, Lu Li knocked him down with a single punch.

The remaining eight stood dumbfounded.

Half an hour later.

Captain Sun looked at the three banner captains before him and sighed repeatedly. He had relied on the Zhao Family's connections, one of the Four Great Lineages, to obtain the position of captain only three years ago.

He himself had only tempered his skin once. Twenty years had passed without the slightest progress. Practicing martial arts had merely been his family's arrangement.

He did not enjoy martial arts; he found it exhausting. What he loved were young ladies—delicate, beautiful young ladies...

What he loved even more was holding a delicate, beautiful young lady late at night and gazing at the stars in the night sky.

"You three can settle victory and defeat among yourselves. Whoever wins will take this captain's token."

Just as Lu Li steadied himself, his eyes shifting as he waited to see who would strike first, the other two began fighting before him.

The two were evenly matched. After the time it took half an incense stick to burn, they still could not determine a victor. Lu Li simply entered the battle himself, fought one against two, and ended it in less than a quarter hour.

Captain Zhang looked at the ten captains before him. Only three were newcomers. His expression remained calm and composed.

"You seven probably do not wish to challenge me, do you?"

The seven nodded firmly.

Captain Zhang had already tempered his skin seven times two years ago. Rumor had it that he was not far from the second stage.

"Very good."

Having received the expected answer, Captain Zhang continued asking:

"And you three?"

After hesitating for a moment, the remaining two cupped their fists and withdrew. Becoming captains had already satisfied them completely.

Only Lu Li remained standing in the middle of the grounds.

"Hm?"

Captain Zhang's eyes darkened slightly as his sharp gaze fell upon Lu Li.

"You wish to challenge me?"

"Captain Zhang, this subordinate Lu Li wishes to seize this rare opportunity."

Lu Li cupped his fists in explanation, his eyes burning with fervor.

He did not provoke him with words, merely expressed his thoughts plainly.

A challenge was a challenge; there was no need to sour their relationship. He had come to expand his connections, not make enemies. Besides, he had no grievance with Captain Zhang to begin with.

The remaining nine captains unconsciously held their breath. They wanted to see how this new captain would embarrass himself, and even more so how Captain Zhang would fly into a rage.

"Make your move."

Captain Zhang's gaze was slightly cold, his tone carrying a faint warning.

Lu Li revealed an exceptionally standard smile and said lightly:

"Captain Zhang, please go first."

The disdain in Captain Zhang's eyes abruptly vanished. Lu Li's composure made him realize that this youth might truly have some skill in his hands.

"Clang!"

As Lu Li's words fell, Captain Zhang drew his saber, lowered his waist, and stepped forward. What he used was precisely the superior Raging Wind Cleaving Mountain Technique of the Route Division office.

Captain Zhang's saber movements were heavy, fierce, and unyielding. Every slash carried a sharp shriek as though it were splitting the air.

With his long saber held level, the first stance of Raging Wind Cleaving Mountain came crashing down!

Lu Li shifted slightly to the side with Instant Step, avoiding the saber's true edge. He sank into a Resting Step, drew his own saber, and the aura around his body returned to silence in an instant.

The Hidden-Blade Intent shone forth as Lu Li remained calm and self-possessed.

Captain Zhang's strike missed. He turned his wrist, and the second stance swept horizontally at Lu Li's waist, sealing off his lateral movement. After Lu Li evaded it, the third slash followed close behind, chopping in reverse at his lower body, heavy and powerful.

Three heavy strikes came in succession, saber shadows filling the sky as cleaving force trembled through the air. Yet Lu Li always moved through the gaps in the saber momentum, his silent Hidden-Blade defense watertight, leaving Captain Zhang unable to harm him in the slightest.

Captain Zhang's expression grew increasingly grave, while his saber momentum became increasingly ferocious. He no longer held back.

After more than a dozen consecutive slashes failed to break through, Captain Zhang's eyes suddenly sharpened. He unleashed the killing stance of the mountain-cleaving saber, "Mountain-Rending Heavy Cleave," gathering all of his Primordial Unity Force upon the blade's edge.

One slash descended through the air.

This killing move was originally not meant to be used against a colleague, but Lu Li's evasive footwork had dodged Captain Zhang to the point of frustration. He wanted to end the battle quickly and preserve his position.

The remaining nine captains were shaken by that saber technique descending from the sky. In secret, they wondered whether Captain Zhang would show mercy if Lu Li could not withstand this move.

"Void Silence Returning Wind."

Just as the saber momentum was about to fall, Lu Li bent his knees and stepped down, then leaped. His single saber flicked upward from the shadow at his waist and ribs.

The saber light was extremely faint, extremely cold, extremely brief.

"Clang!"

A crisp collision rang out.

Captain Zhang only felt that the force transmitted through his saber was not fierce, yet was unbelievably heavy.

This was precisely the secret art of Rest-Step Hidden Blade—the first saber strike Lu Li had mastered, Void Silence Returning Wind. Using the inner side of his saber's spine, Lu Li lightly pressed against the back of Captain Zhang's saber and twisted.

One twist, one press, one sink.

Captain Zhang's hand suddenly went light, his saber blasted away. At the same time, he was tightly locked down by the Primordial Unity Force contained within a complete, flawless saber momentum.

Captain Zhang staggered half a step, then abruptly raised his head to look at Lu Li.

Victory and defeat had been decided.

Dead silence filled the grounds below.

It had been too fast. No one had seen clearly how Lu Li had drawn his saber.

On the high platform, Captain Hu's eyes gleamed brilliantly. He nodded faintly, several traces of appreciation in his gaze.

Captain Zhang stood stunned for a long while. Finally, he gave a bitter smile and cupped his hands toward Lu Li.

"I have painstakingly trained the Raging Wind saber technique for three years, yet I could not break your defensive momentum. I admit that I am inferior."