A Figure Destined to Become a Dragon

The entire arena fell silent as a heavily armored woman with corded muscles strode toward them.

Heads turned. She was so fierce that before she even arrived, a savage aura struck them head-on, making their bodies tense and filling them with fear.

"This is Lady Ran Hongxia, an officer of the Prefectural City Soul-Calming Office!"

Ran Hongxia swept her gaze across the crowd and announced, "Let's begin. When I call your name, step forward and perform the Eight Strikes of the Spirit Snake. Those with high-grade Yin Bone go first."

"First, Fang Xiang of the Evil-Exorcism Team!"

A sharp-chinned young man emerged from the crowd and performed the Eight Strikes of the Spirit Snake before Ran Hongxia.

Ran Hongxia sat in a large chair with her legs crossed and propped on the wooden table in front of her, looking entirely at ease.

"High-grade Yin Bone, but only Minor Mastery. You're still far from good enough. Next!"

The moment Fang Xiang finished his routine, Ran Hongxia delivered her verdict.

Disappointment showed on Fang Xiang's face, but he could say nothing. He turned and returned to the crowd.

Many people breathed a sigh of relief. High-grade Yin Bone gave a considerable advantage, but aptitude and Talent were two different things. Fang Xiang's Talent was clearly ordinary. After half a year as a Constable, he had made little progress.

"Next, Wang Dong!"

"Next, Liu Sanming!"

Martial Artists stepped forward one after another, but Ran Hongxia's verdict was the same for all of them: unqualified. Her expression barely changed from beginning to end. Not one of them stirred the slightest ripple in her heart.

"Next, Han Chong!"

At his name, Han Chong stepped forward and performed the Eight Strikes of the Spirit Snake. Ran Hongxia looked somewhat impatient.

"A hopeless lot, every one of you. Is there no one in all of Jiangyin County worth my attention? Medium-grade Yin Bone and Minor Mastery in the Eight Strikes of the Spirit Snake, yet you dare come up here and make a fool of yourself? Pang Tong, if I see another one like him, this examination ends immediately."

Han Chong's face turned ugly. He had not expected Ran Hongxia to speak so bluntly, grinding his dignity into the floor.

Pang Tong frowned as well. He had not expected Ran Hongxia to be so difficult to please.

In truth, Han Chong had no right to take part in the examination. Pang Tong had slipped several Han Family disciples in to curry favor with the family. He had figured they might as well try their luck—what if one passed?

It had happened before. The examiners had usually turned a blind eye, and few had lost their temper.

"The fault is mine. I was careless in screening the candidates." Pang Tong apologized in a low voice, then turned and swept the crowd with a cold gaze. "You heard her. If you lack the strength, withdraw on your own. Don't offend Lady Ran's eyes!"

"Your Ladyship, may I ask what standard we must meet to pass this year?" someone ventured.

"I have two places to offer. If you're under twenty-five with high-grade Yin Bone, you need Major Mastery in the Eight Strikes of the Spirit Snake. With medium-grade Yin Bone, you need Perfect Mastery in the Eight Strikes of the Spirit Snake. With low-grade Yin Bone, you need either Hidden Strength or mastery of several kinds of force.

"Only those who meet these standards are eligible for me to choose. If none of you qualify, I'd rather take no one. Understood?" Ran Hongxia said impatiently.

The entire arena went quiet. Those requirements were indeed harsh. Most people shook their heads, feeling they had no hope.

Seeing their reactions, Han Chong felt much better. So he was not the only useless one; they were all useless.

"You heard her! If you qualify, step forward!" Pang Tong shouted.

As soon as he spoke, one man stepped out first: Li Ping.

"Li Ping, twenty-nine, medium-grade Yin Bone. To catch my eye, you'll need to have mastered at least two kinds of force or reached Hidden Strength." Ran Hongxia glanced at the documents on the table, which recorded detailed information on each candidate.

"I've reached Hidden Strength," Li Ping said firmly.

"Then begin."

Li Ping immediately began his routine, striking with both fists and feet. His movements were sweeping and forceful, domineering and fierce.

Lin Qing did not recognize the martial art, but he heard people nearby whispering that Li Ping was performing the Eighteen-Route Vajra Fist, a method that could indeed cultivate Hidden Strength.

At one point, a muffled thud rang out as Li Ping drove a fist forward, stirring a gust of wind. Then he slowly exhaled and ended his routine.

"Finally, someone worth looking at. Hidden Strength before thirty—you barely meet the requirements." Ran Hongxia flicked her hand, sending a gleaming silver token flying into Li Ping's grasp.

"Thank you, Your Ladyship!"

The crowd looked on with envy and respect. Reaching Hidden Strength before thirty demanded exceptional Talent. Even across Jiangyin County's history, few had managed it.

"Who else? Step forward!" Ran Hongxia called.

After a moment's thought, Lin Qing walked out of the crowd.

"My name is Lin Qing. Please judge my performance, Your Ladyship."

Han Chong's heart jolted when he saw Lin Qing step forward. Could Lin Qing have reached Hidden Strength? Or has he mastered two kinds of force? Impossible. The brat must be mad. His Talent can't be that good!

Nothing would be harder for Han Chong to accept than Lin Qing passing the examination. The two had already become enemies after several clashes. If Lin Qing went to the Prefectural City and soared into the heavens, would Han Chong not be finished?

Behind Ran Hongxia, Pang Tong frowned as well.

Lin Qing was Yang Feng's disciple, and Yang Feng was Cheng Yannian's trusted right-hand man. That naturally placed Lin Qing on the opposing side. Pang Tong did not want to see him rise.

He had heard that Lin Qing possessed low-grade Yin Bone and had thought nothing of him, assuming he would fail this year's selection. There would be time to deal with him next year. But Lin Qing's move had taken him by surprise.

Has the brat gone mad? Or is he a true martial arts prodigy? Pang Tong wondered.

"Begin. Don't disappoint me!" Ran Hongxia said.

Lin Qing immediately began his routine. He had two options prepared. First, he would show his Transcendent Realm Eight Strikes of the Spirit Snake. If that won Ran Hongxia's approval, all the better. If not, he would perform the Mysterious Yin Bone-Scrambling Hand as well.

Though the Mysterious Yin Bone-Scrambling Hand had originated in the Yinyuan Sect, its low barrier to entry meant many people in the martial world practiced it. The imperial court would not punish him for it.

Lin Qing soon completed the first eight moves. Ran Hongxia yawned. She could see that his forms were precise and flowed smoothly from one to the next. He had reached Perfect Mastery, but that was nothing to surprise her. She wanted to see what gave him the confidence to win her approval. A Hidden Strength martial art? Or multiple kinds of force?

She thought he would move on to another martial art after those eight moves. Instead, Lin Qing kept going, performing moves she had never seen before. Yet they flowed so naturally from the first eight that the whole routine seemed born as one.

Ran Hongxia jolted, her pupils narrowing. Is this the Transcendent Realm?

She had seen much of the world and knew there were realms beyond Perfect Mastery: first Limit-Breaking, then the Transcendent Realm. Anyone who reached either had to be a martial arts prodigy found only once in ten thousand.

Such people could refine martial arts and push the martial path forward. Even she had only heard of them, never seen one.

Could this little pond called Jiangyin County have produced someone destined to become a dragon? Ran Hongxia's expression turned grave. She stared at Lin Qing, studying every move for fear she had seen wrong.

The others in the Martial Arts Arena were baffled. They had no idea what Lin Qing was doing.

"Isn't the Eight Strikes of the Spirit Snake only eight moves? What's he doing after that? It looks convincing enough," Han Chong said, just as puzzled as the rest.