The Four Great Powers in Town (Please keep reading~) (1 / 2)

"Yes, I just acquired a Body-Tempering Art. I do need those things."

Zhao Er nodded in acknowledgment. They were precisely what he had come for, and now that he knew they really had some, he naturally wanted to get his hands on them.

"That's easy enough. We have to dispose of it anyway. How about this? I'll leave instructions later to have the Iron Dregs taken to the village by cart whenever they clear them out. You just need to find somewhere to store them."

Ning Mu did not ask Zhao Er much about his Body-Tempering Art. After a little thought, she made her decision, even sparing him the journey back and forth by arranging for someone to deliver the cultivation art straight to his home in the village by cart.

"Then I'm sorry for the trouble, Sister-in-law."

Zhao Er immediately nodded and accepted. He neither brought up money nor indulged in excessive pleasantries.

In truth, Zhao Er held his sister-in-law Ning Mu in considerable respect. How could he not? Whether in her dealings with people or her handling of affairs, she left nothing for anyone to criticize.

Zhao Er also knew his sister-in-law's temperament, so he did not bring up payment. Besides, there was hardly any way to put a price on these things.

"It's no trouble. We have Iron Dregs to cart away every three to five days anyway. It just means having someone travel a little farther, nothing more. We happen to be clearing some out today. Come to the smithy with us and introduce yourself to them."

Seeing that Zhao Er did not mention money, Ning Mu was not offended. Instead, her smile grew even warmer.

As she spoke, she headed outside with Zhao Da, apparently unwilling to waste even a moment.

"If things get difficult at home, remember that you can come to the County Town and find your elder brother at any time."

On the way, seeing that neither brother seemed inclined to speak, Ning Mu took the initiative.

"Yes, I will."

Zhao Er nodded, then thought for a moment before asking:

"Sister-in-law, I heard there's a Grand Exam at the end of the year. Is that true?"

"Yes. I never expected you to become a martial artist so quickly, so I hadn't mentioned it. I might as well tell you about it now."

Ning Mu had not expected Zhao Er to learn of it so soon. But remembering that he was now a martial artist, and thinking of those three Golden Silk Nets, she felt it necessary to explain the situation in the County Town to her brother-in-law:

"The Grand Exam is held once every three years. Its main purpose is to select talented martial artists suited to the prefecture's government and the Clear Source Sect. Any martial artist under twenty-four can enter."

"To encourage more talented martial artists to participate, the top three receive direct admission to the Government Martial Academy and the Clear Source Sect, becoming Outer Sect Disciples without taking an entrance test."

"Those in the top ten can go to the Prefectural Seat to take the Outer Sect Disciple assessment. Anyone who passes can also become an Outer Sect Disciple, but receives fewer benefits."

"Besides those admission places in the prefecture, the factions behind the top ten candidates also receive rewards from the County Town. These include, but are not limited to, tax exemptions and larger shares of certain profits.

"So every Grand Exam is a major event for the entire County Town. Every faction pours all its strength into training its young disciples, making the competition fiercer with each exam."

Ning Mu first gave him a detailed explanation of the Grand Exam.

"Can anyone enter the Grand Exam?"

Zhao Er had not expected a single examination to have such far-reaching implications. In the past, he might not have been interested.

But after hearing Dian Zhang say today that the County Town was a pond too small to nurture a true dragon, he had begun paying attention. From what his sister-in-law said, this was a chance for a fish to leap through the dragon gate.

"Anyone under twenty-four who can perform a Power Throw with a two-stone boulder three times can enter. But in previous exams, everyone in the top fifty had reached the Great Completion of Bone Tempering. The top ten were even at Sinew Transformation, the Third Realm, and had cultivated at least one martial art to major accomplishment."

This time, it was Zhao Da who answered.

Zhao Er knew that two stone amounted to roughly three hundred and sixty jin in this world. He could barely lift a boulder that heavy now. The Power Throw Zhao Da mentioned meant throwing it above his head, then catching it, three times in succession.

Someone in the Blood Condensation Realm could not manage such a feat. It required the Bone Tempering Realm.

"The competition will be even fiercer this year. They say the Qian Family's second young master has already broken through to Sinew Transformation, the Third Realm. Spurred on by him, the Green Mountain Merchant Association, the Martial Arts Hall Alliance, and the Red Tiger Gang are all scouring everywhere for resources and pouring everything into training their candidates."

Ning Mu added this from beside them.

Apparently noticing that Zhao Er was unfamiliar with these factions, Ning Mu explained further:

"In Ningjin Prefecture, the government and the Clear Source Sect stand side by side. All the factions in the surrounding county towns follow their lead.

"And here in our County Town, four great powers control the entire town's lifeblood: the Red Tiger Gang, foremost among the gangs; the Green Mountain Merchant Association, foremost among the merchant associations; the Qian Family, foremost among the lineages; and the Martial Arts Hall Alliance, foremost among the martial arts halls."

"Yes, I understand."

After listening, Zhao Er nodded.

He now had a rough understanding. Power here was controlled from above, layer by layer. This preserved the interests and stability of those at the top while ensuring competition among those below.

The four great powers' rivalry over the Grand Exam's top three places made that clear.

"If you can break through to the Bone Tempering Realm before the Grand Exam, you'd best choose a faction to join before entering. It won't just give you protection. You're young, so even if you don't place this year, as long as you stand out enough, you won't have to worry about cultivation resources for the next three years."

Seeing that Zhao Er seemed interested in entering the Grand Exam, Ning Mu offered him some advice.

"Yes. Thank you for the reminder, Sister-in-law!"

Zhao Er immediately understood what Ning Mu meant. Any martial artist under twenty-four could enter the Grand Exam, and he was only eighteen this year. Even if he failed to place this time, three years of diligent cultivation would give him a chance to break through to Sinew Transformation, the Third Realm.

Even if the breakthrough carried risks, there would certainly be factions willing to invest in him, betting that he could make it through safely.

"We're here. I'll have the workers prepare a cart now. You can ride it home, too."

Talking as they walked, the three soon arrived at the Ning Family Smithy.

The smithy's Iron Dregs had already been packed into burlap sacks and piled together. They only needed to have a worker prepare the cart, load it, and set off.

With Ning Mu, the Ning Family's eldest young lady, present, the entire process went without the slightest hitch. In roughly half an hour, a cart loaded with two large burlap sacks of Iron Dregs left the smithy, carrying Zhao Er with a worker driving.

Iron Dregs was not iron sand, after all, and weighed much less. It had also been a long time since the last rain, so the cart made good speed along the main road.

The afternoon sun was still high when the cart reached the village entrance.

The worker helped unload the large sacks, drank just one bowl of tea, then drove the cart back toward the County Town.

Zhao Er gave his parents a brief explanation, then dragged one of the large burlap sacks into the Side Room. He could no longer wait to cultivate the Nine-Turn Golden Armor Art.

He wanted not only to enter the Grand Exam, but even more to seize the heaven-sent opportunity Dian Zhang had spoken of.