Liang Hongxia Arrives

Before long, Lin Qing followed Yu Qiuyu to the gathering place, a pavilion on the east side of the Soul-Calming Office compound.

They went to a private room at the far end of the pavilion's third floor. Several tables stood inside, and every seat was already taken.

Lin Qing sat down and swept his gaze across the room. He spotted a few faces he had not expected to see, including Han Chong.

He remembered Han Chong had failed the selection. How had he come to attend the gathering? Lin Qing also saw several finely dressed young nobles who did not appear to be constables of the Soul-Calming Office.

Han Chong noticed him too. His gaze kept drifting over, full of provocation. Clearly, he still held a grudge over what had happened before.

If Lin Qing had not appeared out of nowhere, Han Chong would now be a member of the Corpse Collection Team.

Lin Qing ignored him completely and quietly drank his tea.

With the Rebirth Record, he was destined to become a powerhouse renowned throughout the land. There was no need to squabble with someone like Han Chong. That was what it meant to keep the larger picture in mind.

The gathering had yet to begin. People sat in small groups of three or five, talking, while others moved about making new acquaintances.

Lin Qing had thought that, since he kept a low profile and never showed off, no one would come looking for him.

To his surprise, before he had even finished his first cup of tea, someone approached.

"Hey, brother! Let's be friends. I'm Ma Ziye!"

The newcomer was a woman in a purple robe, with a ponytail and a saber at her waist. Her voice was husky, and she had the air of a wandering swordswoman.

At first glance, Lin Qing saw nothing especially remarkable about her. Then Yu Qiuyu, beside him, said, "Lin Qing, this is a young lady of the Ma Family."

Lin Qing was startled. The Ma Family was a great lineage second only to the Han Family, yet Ma Ziye dressed so simply. He took an immediate liking to her.

He did not dislike every child of a powerful family. Every group had good people and bad. Anyone who neither bullied commoners nor threw their weight around deserved respect.

"Hello. I'm Lin Qing."

"I know you. You're Yang Feng's disciple, right? That makes us fellow disciples. I study under Yang Feng too." Ma Ziye spoke with easy confidence. She dropped into a chair and poured herself a cup of tea.

"A pleasure to meet you," Lin Qing replied.

Suddenly, a discordant voice came from nearby.

"Hmph. What good is Talent? If your Yin Bone isn't up to scratch, you might as well give up now!" Han Chong seemed to be chatting with the person beside him, but he had deliberately raised his voice. The jab was plainly aimed at Lin Qing.

Lin Qing frowned slightly. Before he could speak, Ma Ziye snapped, "Han, what rubbish are you spouting? You filthy-mouthed cur, keep it up and I'll kick you right out!"

Han Chong's face darkened. He was about to flare up when a middle-aged man in blue robes, who was overseeing the gathering, rose to his feet.

"Quiet! There will be no more quarrels at this gathering. Let this be the last time!"

Han Chong and Ma Ziye both fell silent. Lin Qing felt rather pleased. Ma Ziye had said exactly what he was thinking.

"Thank you for standing up for me, Lady Ma!"

"It was nothing." Ma Ziye waved a hand.

The two began chatting. Ma Ziye treated strangers like old friends and had a refreshingly straightforward nature. They hit it off at once.

Lin Qing also learned the story behind the gathering. Because the Soul-Calming Office planned to move against the Yinyuan Sect next year, it was recruiting on a large scale. Some major powers in the inner and outer cities had been allotted places in the Reexamination. That was how Ma Ziye, Han Chong, and the other young nobles had gotten theirs.

Was it fair?

Lin Qing did not think so. But no system was perfect, and every era had its share of injustices. Like it or not, he had to put up with it.

Before long, everyone had arrived, and the gathering began.

The middle-aged man in blue robes first explained what the Reexamination would test.

"First, the Yin Bone. Those with a high-grade Yin Bone have a considerable advantage. As long as their Talent isn't too poor, they can be selected."

"Second, cultivation level. Anyone under twenty-five who has reached Hidden Strength can pass even with a low-grade Yin Bone."

"Third, Talent. If you possess several kinds of force, it won't matter if your Yin Bone is poor and your cultivation level low."

The man rattled on at length. Only that first part was truly useful to Lin Qing; the rest was rather vague.

"Lin Qing, have you brought Eight Strikes of the Spirit Snake to Perfect Mastery?" Yu Qiuyu asked.

"I have," Lin Qing replied.

"Good. But with your low-grade Yin Bone, your chances this year are uncertain," Yu Qiuyu said.

"Brother Lin, you have a low-grade Yin Bone? That's a shame. But don't worry. I've heard of rare medicines that can improve the quality of one's foundations," Ma Ziye said consolingly.

The latter half of the gathering turned back into a chance to make friends. Many people exchanged information or traded valuable items. Lin Qing had nothing to trade, so he did not take part and left early.

Back at the Corpse Collector courtyard, he saw Yang Feng practicing martial arts alone in the Martial Arts Arena.

He was about to go over when someone called out from a distance.

"Yang Feng! There are a few bodies to deal with at the Cremation Ground. Get over there!" The speaker was the newly appointed Constable Chief, whom Pang Tong had transferred from the Evil-Exorcism Team. He was tall and thin, with bulging eyes, and his high-and-mighty manner grated on the nerves.

"I'll go right away." Yang Feng nodded.

Lin Qing felt a surge of discomfort at the sight and immediately went over.

"Master, I'll help you. Pang Tong has the whole Soul-Calming Office in his grip now. Why don't you move out? It can't be comfortable living here."

Yang Feng nodded slightly, his bearing steady. "I'll move out in a few days. The Reexamination is tomorrow. How far have you progressed with Eight Strikes of the Spirit Snake?"

"It has reached Perfect Mastery," Lin Qing said.

"Mm. But your Yin Bone is low-grade. Perfect Mastery in Eight Strikes of the Spirit Snake alone may not be enough. If you don't pass this time, don't lose heart," Yang Feng told him.

Many geniuses sailed through life, only to be struck by a sudden setback and never recover.

"Don't worry, Master. If I get in, I'm fortunate; if I don't, that's my fate. I can take it." Lin Qing smiled.

"You do have far more composure than others your age." Yang Feng nodded, then suddenly sighed. "Whatever happens, give this Reexamination everything you have. If you don't pass, there's no telling what next year will bring."

Lin Qing understood how serious the situation was. At this rate, he might not even get a chance to take the assessment next year. Pang Tong would likely find every way he could to obstruct him.

Clop, clop, clop!

At noon the next day, a carriage stopped outside the gates of the Soul-Calming Office. The curtain lifted, and a burly woman leaped down.

"Lord Ran has arrived!" someone called out.

Pang Tong, Yu Muqing, Shen Cheng, and the other leaders of the Soul-Calming Office had long been waiting at the gate.

"Lord Liang, please come inside." Pang Tong bowed slightly.

Liang Hongxia carried a heavy hammer on her shoulder and had a blade of grass between her teeth. She opened her mouth and spat it out.

"Have some good food and wine prepared for me. I'm hungry."

"Yes."

Ran Hongxia strode into the compound. Pang Tong and the others were secretly shaken. A fierce aura rushed toward them like a beast from the wilds, setting their hearts pounding.

That a woman could possess such a physique and such strength was truly astonishing.

That afternoon.

Lin Qing and the others received orders to assemble quickly at the Martial Arts Arena. Han Chong, Ma Ziye, and other children of great families were already there, along with talented young elites from the inner and outer cities' leading powers.

Lin Qing even spotted his neighbor Li Ping in the crowd.

Amid the hushed chatter, a loud cry rang out, and the entire arena fell silent.

"Lord Liang has arrived!"