Making a Move

After obtaining his token, Lu Changsheng led Fang Qing and Fang Tao through the crowd and soon arrived before the three enormous cauldrons.

Quite a few martial artists had already gathered around them. Most had only just stepped into the Skin Refining realm.

There were also people from prominent families and powerful clans, dressed in fine brocade and splendid robes, carrying themselves with imposing bearing.

With Lu Changsheng's Copper Skin realm cultivation, he would have ranked among the very best.

However, he had always been exceedingly cautious and had not revealed it to anyone.

This time, he only planned to lift the eight-hundred-pound cauldron.

As long as he could join the Demon Suppression Department and achieve his goal, that would be enough.

Presumably, word of his participation in today's selection would spread soon enough.

With only a little speculation, the Three Rivers Gang would be able to pinpoint him directly.

But they would discover him sooner or later anyway. Once he joined the Demon Suppression Department and had this great mountain behind him, they would have to hesitate for fear of breaking the rat's vessel while trying to catch it.

It would be nearly impossible for them to deal with him openly.

The Demon Suppression Department's deterrent power was still exceedingly frightening.

As long as the Great Zhou Dynasty had not fallen, no one would dare stroke its tiger's whiskers at such a time.

Since it was not yet time for the selection, Lu Changsheng's group waited quietly in the square.

As time passed, martial artists and spectators arrived one after another.

The entire plaza grew increasingly lively.

Conversation and laughter filled the air from every direction.

Soon, it was noon.

Warm sunlight spilled across the plaza, making the vast bluestone paving slabs gleam brightly.

At that moment, three middle-aged men descended from the platform.

The tall man in the center shouted, "The time has come. The Demon Suppression Department selection ceremony officially begins."

"Everyone, follow the numbers on your tokens and step forward in order to lift the cauldrons. Anyone who can raise a cauldron above their head will have a chance to join the Demon Suppression Department..."

Gao Yunming swept his gaze around, and the entire venue immediately fell silent.

The three men had served as Yellow-rank Demon Suppressors for over twenty years and possessed deep seniority. Several Deputy Hall Masters had selected them to preside over today's ceremony.

Everyone lined up according to the numbers on their identity tokens, preparing to test their strength.

Lu Changsheng saw that his number was twenty-three, placing him right in the middle.

More than forty people had come to participate in today's selection.

Such selection opportunities were held once every year and had continued for many years.

It seemed the Demon Suppression Department was not so peaceful internally either.

Lu Changsheng pondered in secret.

Over the years, great numbers of martial artists had joined the Demon Suppression Department, yet it had never seemed to reach capacity.

The Demon Suppressors presumably had many thorny matters to handle. Otherwise, their losses would not be so great that they needed to recruit people every year.

But he had already made his decision, so naturally he could not withdraw now.

He could only make careful plans later.

As Lu Changsheng pondered, the first martial artist stepped forward.

He was a young man with long arms and a conspicuous hooked nose.

The man handed his identity token to Gao Yunming, then walked to the twelve-hundred-pound cauldron.

Clearly, he disdained to challenge the eight-hundred-pound cauldron.

"Up."

He planted his feet apart as though roots had sunk into the earth, wrapped both arms around the bronze cauldron, and heaved upward with explosive force.

The enormous cauldron slowly rose, and before long, he lifted it above his head.

With his entire body exerting force, his face had flushed bright red.

"Passed."

Gao Yunming nodded indifferently.

The man's face immediately lit up with joy. He released his grip, and the cauldron crashed against the bluestone floor with rolling thunderous booms.

Someone had succeeded in the challenge on the very first attempt, leaving everyone present full of envy.

The ordinary commoners watching nearby had stars in their eyes, while quite a few women boldly cast coquettish glances at the man.

As the man left, the martial artists behind him began stepping forward in succession.

Quite a few succeeded in their challenges, and the venue became increasingly lively.

There were also those who tried to muddle through, yet could not even lift the minimum eight hundred pounds, naturally drawing scorn from others.

Everyone who passed on the field had challenged the twelve-hundred-pound cauldron.

Time passed.

Soon, it was the turn of a brocade-clad young man standing before Lu Changsheng.

The young man appeared to be in his twenties. His face was gloomy, and his eyes were like those of a venomous snake.

He was Li Yunhua, an outstanding young talent of the Li Family.

As one of Changping County's powerful clans, the Li Family stood alongside the Wang, Chen, and Zhu Families. Their influence had been deeply rooted in the region for centuries.

Though he was only in his twenties, he was clearly quite formidable.

Ordinary martial artists lacked resources and found it difficult to reach such heights.

Li Yunhua handed his token to the examiner, then strode confidently toward the eighteen-hundred-pound cauldron.

With only a slight exertion of both hands, he raised the cauldron directly over his head, where it remained steady in the air without trembling in the slightest.

Li Yunhua remained calm and composed, looking utterly relaxed.

"So strong."

The martial artists stared at him with reverence written across their faces.

His strength had already far surpassed sixteen hundred pounds. Otherwise, he could not have looked so effortless.

Who would have thought that he possessed such strength while only in his twenties?

Children of great families truly were not people they could compare to.

Lu Changsheng watched him, his gaze shifting slightly.

By his estimation, this man might also have reached Copper Skin, roughly on par with himself.

He too could easily lift that sixteen-hundred-pound cauldron.

After reaching the peak of Skin Refining, his strength was around two thousand pounds.

Of course, he felt that he was still far from his limit and had ample room to improve.

Even the point-addition option after Iron Cloth Shirt on the Attribute Panel was still gray.

He intended to join the Demon Suppression Department first, then slowly explore it further.

"Clang..."

A moment later, Li Yunhua easily set the cauldron down. With a smug expression, he headed toward the back, followed by several men dressed as servants.

"Passed."

Gao Yunming called out loudly, then recorded it with his brush.

The others took the field one after another.

Very soon, it was Lu Changsheng's turn.

"Changsheng, good luck."

Seeing this, Fang Qing hurriedly called out encouragement.

There was a trace of expectation in her eyes.

"Brother Changsheng, you can definitely do it."

Fang Tao, standing beside her, was equally full of confidence.

Lu Changsheng smiled faintly, then walked forward.

He handed his identity token to Gao Yunming before heading straight toward the eight-hundred-pound cauldron.

His information was likely already lying on the desks of all the major powers. Apart from the Attribute Panel, nothing about him could be considered secret.

As a commoner cultivating Iron Cloth Shirt, a martial art without a medicinal bath method, being able to forcibly break through and lift an eight-hundred-pound cauldron already made him extraordinarily gifted.

If he were to surpass expectations by lifting twelve hundred pounds, or even sixteen hundred pounds, even a fool would know there was something fishy about it.

When that time came, he likely would not be able to explain himself clearly.

Even if some people assumed he had encountered some great opportunity, it would be hard to prevent others from setting their sights on him. That would only bring endless trouble knocking at his door.

That ran completely counter to his goal of cultivating steadily and peacefully, so naturally he would not be so unwise.

However, his choice left the many martial artists behind him stunned.

They had not expected someone to challenge the eight-hundred-pound cauldron.

"I know this man. He cultivates that self-torturing martial art, Iron Cloth Shirt..."

"That martial art without a medicinal bath method? Another madman!"

The martial artists began whispering among themselves.

When they looked at Lu Changsheng, their gazes immediately carried a hint of pity.

Of those who had forcibly cultivated it in the past, not a single one had met a good end.

The best possible outcome was becoming a lackey for some prominent family or powerful clan.

Martial cultivation methods were extremely important and could not be changed carelessly. If techniques conflicted, one would inevitably be left with lasting ailments.

Furthermore, the Iron Cloth Shirt circulating outside lacked any medicinal bath method, so its practitioners could only rely on powerful clans and prominent families. Over time, some Iron Cloth Shirt practitioners had lost their backbone. This was no secret.

The martial artists of the four great families also revealed strange expressions.

Li Yunhua's face was filled with mockery.

To their families, these ordinary martial artists who had stimulated their potential were the finest "consumables."

Even some of Lu Changsheng's neighbors revealed looks of disbelief.

When Lu Changsheng had gone to register, they had already harbored suspicions, but they had never expected him to truly step forward and take the challenge.

In their eyes, Lu Changsheng, this good-for-nothing dandy, had actually cultivated martial arts and achieved something, which none of them had anticipated.

Even if Lu Changsheng failed to lift the cauldron this time, he had still gained the possibility of becoming a martial artist.

Everyone thought this to themselves.

Fortunately, many had merely distanced themselves from Lu Changsheng rather than offended him, and quite a few neighbors secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Otherwise, offending a martial arts expert was not something ordinary people like them could bear.