Entering Rank

"I'm entering rank?!"

Li Rui stared at everything happening to him in disbelief.

Every one of these signs proclaimed that he had stepped into the Stone Skin Realm.

Jade Applied Skin, blood rushing to the crown!

He had kept his head down and diligently practiced the Eight Section Brocade. He never expected to break through to the Stone Skin Realm without even realizing it, as naturally as water flowing into a channel.

There had always been a saying in the Qinghe Martial Arts World:

"Three years for skin, ten years for bones, a lifetime for sinews."

It meant that an ordinary person needed at least three years to enter the Stone Skin Realm, yet Li Rui had taken merely one month!!

That speed was truly terrifying.

Even compared to the prodigies of those great sects, he would only surpass them, never fall short.

He now had a perfect life. It was not excessive for him to stand out a little, was it?

But precisely because of this, Li Rui had to guard his secret all the more carefully. He was already seventy and had never practiced martial arts before. Now that he had suddenly entered rank, anyone with eyes could see something was amiss.

If anyone learned that he possessed martial bones, disaster would surely follow.

He absolutely could not grow proud and complacent.

Possess ten parts, yet reveal no more than three or four to others—only then could one be considered to have entered the gate. If he could become like that Old Devil Han, then he would have truly entered the hall.

After entering rank,

the roads open to him became much broader.

The Great Yu Kingdom had been founded through martial prowess and placed immense importance on Martial Masters.

The best path, naturally, was to take the Martial Examination.

Learn both civil and martial arts, then sell them to the emperor's house.

To gather talented people from across the realm, the Grand Ancestor Emperor who founded Great Yu had established examinations to select scholars. The Martial Examination held equal standing with the civil examination. So long as one obtained the status of a provincial graduate, one could at the very least become a registrar—an Imperial Court official properly registered with the Ministry of Personnel.

Blessings without end.

With an official position, Li Rui would also have more time to seek immortals and inquire into the Dao.

Otherwise, even with a set of world-shaking martial bones, after another ten years he would ultimately turn into a handful of yellow earth, and everything would come to nothing.

"I'll ask Master to grant me this favor once spring comes next year."

In another three months, he would turn seventy.

According to Yu Kingdom law, slaves could be removed from the registry after reaching seventy and become commoners, as a demonstration of Filial Piety.

Though he had now entered rank and could shed his slave status simply by displaying his strength,

he was nearly seventy already. Others his age were long in the grave, while he had become a Martial Master. Saying it aloud would be far too shocking. If someone thought he had obtained Great Fortune, it might draw the covetous gaze of villains.

Not fearing thieves who steal, only thieves who keep thinking about it.

Li Rui had no desire to sleep with a blade under his pillow.

Even a Martial Master was still flesh and blood. One stab could still kill him. Therefore, no amount of caution was excessive.

"I've endured for decades already. Three more months won't make a difference."

After being tempered by the years, what Li Rui lacked least was patience.

"What fine horses!"

Li Rui stroked the four newly arrived Chestnut Horses in the stable and secretly praised them.

Their coats were pure, without a single stray hair, proof of excellent bloodlines. Purebred Dayuan Horses—tsk, tsk. Each one cost at least a thousand gold.

They also had another, more widely known name.

Blood-Sweating Horses!

As expected of Huaqing Sect disciples. They were truly lavish.

After raising horses for so many years, he had only ever caught a glimpse of such horses whenever Young Master Zhu returned home to visit family.

The next moment—

A clear voice rang out behind him.

"Strange. My Little Red has such an eccentric temperament and has always kept strangers at a distance. How has she become so affectionate toward a Groom like you?"

"Junior Brother Zhu, your residence truly has hidden talents everywhere."

When Li Rui turned around, he saw Young Master Zhu of the Zhu Family, Zhu Yue, standing some distance away with the three people from the Huaqing Sect.

"Young Master."

Li Rui turned respectfully toward him.

Having received Han Qin's praise, Zhu Yue was in high spirits.

"Old Li, you've done well. I recall you'll be turning seventy in a few months, won't you?"

"Yes, Young Master."

Zhu Yue secretly congratulated himself on his good memory. "In a few days, I'll tell Father to raise your allowance."

"Thank you, Young Master."

Li Rui wore a fawning expression.

These young masters from wealthy families were foolish and rich. So long as they were happy, they threw money around by the handful. He had merely been praised a few times by that Huaqing Sect disciple, yet the allowance that had not risen for over a decade was increasing for the first time in history.

The greater the household, the more concerned they were with saving face.

Zhou Hu could not help urging, "Senior Brother, we should set out quickly. We can't let that traitor get away."

"Indeed."

Han Qin nodded unhurriedly.

"Junior Brother Zhu, why not bring this old Groom along? We'll need someone to watch the horses."

Upon hearing the Huaqing Sect disciple's words,

Li Rui's heart tightened.

He had just heard the word traitor. Clearly, these people were going to hunt down that traitor.

But Zhu Yue gave him no chance to refuse. "Senior Brother Han is indeed thorough in his considerations. Old Li, come with us."

"Yes."

Li Rui could only agree helplessly.

His current identity was still that of the Zhu Family's Groom. He had no right to refuse. If Zhu Yue became enraged and punished him, he would not be able to bear it; being beaten to death was entirely possible.

Besides, he would only be watching the horses on the outskirts. There should not be any danger.

In the mountain forest outside the city.

"Honored High Masters."

A middle-aged man in a deep blue official uniform saw Zhu Yue and the others ride over and quickly stepped forward to greet them.

"Captain Liu, you've worked hard."

Zhu Yue swung down from his horse like a light swallow, his movements graceful and crisp.

The Zhu Family wielded considerable influence in Clear River and had deep ties with the authorities. That was why they could mobilize more than a dozen constables to help search for clues.

"It was no trouble. An herb gatherer saw that thief hiding in an abandoned temple halfway up the mountain."

Captain Liu pointed into the forest.

Upon hearing that they had found the traitor's whereabouts, Zhu Yue became even more delighted.

Zhou Hu rubbed his hands together. "That brat injured a fellow disciple and stole Elder Ma's secret art, enraging Elder Ma terribly. Otherwise, he would never have been willing to offer four Blood Transformation Pills as a reward."

At the mention of the Blood Transformation Pills, the smile on Zhu Yue's face widened further.

A single Blood Transformation Pill greatly benefited one's cultivation. It was worth a thousand gold, and the key was that it could not be bought even at a price.

If he obtained a Blood Transformation Pill, his progress toward breaking through to the eighth rank would greatly increase, saving him at least a year of bitter training.

Han Qin spoke. "Junior Brother Zhu, climb the mountain from the south. Junior Brother Zhou, take the north. Junior Sister Jiang, take the west."

"Captain Liu, I'll also have to trouble you to lead your men in surrounding that abandoned temple once we engage him, so he cannot escape."

"Good!"

Captain Liu nodded, secretly praising the Huaqing Sect disciples for being different. Their considerations were thorough, and their deployment airtight. That man would be unable to escape even if he sprouted wings.

The group discussed their strategy.

With nothing to do, Li Rui tied the four Blood-Sweating Horses of the Huaqing Sect disciples to wooden stakes. The moment he turned around, his gaze happened to collide with that Huaqing Sect girl's.

Along the way, the group had not avoided speaking in front of him.

Thus, he knew that this Huaqing Sect girl was called Jiang Yan.

Jiang Yan showed no interest whatsoever in the details of the pursuit. Instead, she had been secretly observing Li Rui.

Only after Li Rui noticed her did Jiang Yan turn her head away.

Li Rui was even more puzzled.

What exactly had she taken a liking to in him?

The next moment—

A line of small text appeared before his eyes.

Gained the appreciation of a Sect Noble Daughter, Achievement +2