On the arena.
Clang
A blade descended, and as it clashed with staff, the powerful collision created an invisible shockwave.
Centered around the two combatants, the dust beneath their feet trembled and was pushed outward by an unseen force, spreading in all directions.
At the same time.
Yuan Fei was suddenly flung out of the arena.
Below the arena, those standing close to the stage instinctively covered their ears.
As the shockwave spread, a ringing sound filled their ears.
"So strong!!" The man overseeing the assessment was visibly shocked, his face filled with disbelief.
Even though he was a sixth-rank martial artist, ranking among the top two of the four commanders, he was still utterly astonished by Jiang Ning's strike.
The power of that strike far exceeded the limits of an eighth-rank martial artist.
Even an ordinary seventh-rank martial artist would struggle to withstand such a blow without suffering serious injury.
Under Jiang Ning's strike, Yuan Fei was sent flying several meters before crashing into the crowd.
"Jiang Ning has become the top among more than a dozen captains, claiming the position of deputy commander?"
"Incredible! None of us expected Jiang Ning to rise against all odds and become the strongest."
"Indeed! Truly unbelievable! But this is what a true martial arts prodigy looks like. Real prodigies always defy expectations and shatter common perceptions!"
"How enviable! From today onward, we'll have to address Jiang Ning as 'sir'!"
"That's right! At such a young age, Jiang Ning obtained an eighth-rank official position with real authority. His status is now comparable to that of a county magistrate. He's truly risen to prominence in a single step!"
"..."
Witnessing the scene in the arena, the crowd couldn't help but exclaim in awe, shock, and amazement.
The expressions on their faces varied, but all were filled with astonishment.
On the other side.
Zhao Hu, seeing this, couldn't help but feel a pang of regret. He regretted provoking Jiang Ning earlier.
Quietly, he retreated into the crowd, disappearing from Jiang Ning's line of sight.
At this moment, he only wanted to minimize his presence.
On the viewing platform.
Lin Qingyi's initially stunned gaze turned into a smile.
"This little guy, how many more surprises can he give me?"
"After only three months of martial training, he's invincible among eighth-rank martial artists and has mastered blade intent. How strong will he become in the future? I dare not even speculate!"
At the same time.
Lin Jia'er, seeing Jiang Ning standing alone in the arena with his blade, felt an overwhelming sense of regret.
If she had known Jiang Ning would reach this level, she would never have rejected her aunt Lin Qingyi's matchmaking proposal.
"I wonder if there's still a chance to make amends. After all, I'm quite attractive," Lin Jia'er murmured to herself, lost in thought.
Below the arena.
Slap
Wang Jin smacked his thigh hard. Since it was summer and he was wearing thin clothing, the slap rang out clearly.
But at this moment, he ignored the pain, his face filled with joy.
"How about my disciple? Isn't he amazing?!" he said, laughing as he turned to Yu Yuan beside him.
Yu Yuan's face was filled with envy.
Seeing Yu Yuan's expression, Wang Jin laughed even harder, feeling immensely proud.
For a master, there's no greater joy than having a disciple who surpasses them.
And to have a disciple like Jiang Ning, who has shown such legendary talent, was beyond his wildest dreams.
Wow
Golden Card
That was the thought running through Wang Jin's mind at this moment.
On the arena.
After unleashing his full power in that strike and sending Yuan Fei flying out of the arena, securing his victory, Jiang Ning finally sheathed his blade.
Then, he turned to the man overseeing the assessment.
As he turned, his gaze swept across the entire field, briefly passing over the central viewing platform.
There, Hong Minghu and Gongsun Yu's expressions were visible to him.
"Everything should be fine," Jiang Ning muttered to himself.
He hadn't forgotten that halfway through the assessment, someone had appeared beside Hong Minghu.
Someone from the Medicine King Valley.
Based on Jiang Ning's speculation, this person was undoubtedly a high-ranking core member of the Medicine King Valley.
Most likely, news of Liu Qingsong's disappearance had reached the valley, prompting this high-ranking member to come.
This person's presence here, in Jiang Ning's mind, meant that they had tracked something down.
Although Jiang Ning didn't know how they had managed to trace it here.
But he also hadn't forgotten that this world was vastly different from his previous one. Here, martial saints could dominate the world for eight hundred years.
Before the Great Xia Dynasty, there were even legends of immortals, gods, and demons.
So this world might have had methods and abilities beyond his understanding.
Given this, Jiang Ning had to consider the possibility that this high-ranking member of the Medicine King Valley had come for him.
That's why, at the critical moment, he had revealed his mastery of blade intent to the many powerful figures present.
This was to increase his standing in their eyes.
A martial arts prodigy would always attract those willing to invest in him and befriend him.
Just like how he had revealed his talent to Wang Jin, earning his respect and leading to everything that followed.
Later, Shen Congyun's high regard for him was partly due to Shen's personality and partly because Jiang Ning had earned his respect.
If Shen Congyun hadn't valued him so highly, even with Wang Jin's protection, the outcome of Cao Rong's attack would have been uncertain.
Today.
Facing this high-ranking member from the Medicine King Valley, even after securing the position of deputy commander and being on the verge of receiving an official eighth-rank title from the Great Xia Dynasty, Jiang Ning had to take extra precautions to ensure his safety.
He had no choice but to repeat his earlier strategy, adding more layers of protection.
"I hope it works," Jiang Ning thought to himself.
In his eyes, there were only two people he could rely on now.
One was the newly appointed prefect of Luoshui County, Hong Minghu.
Given his position, Hong Minghu's strength was undoubtedly extraordinary, possibly the strongest in Luoshui County.
Apart from him, there was only Lin Qingyi.
In Jiang Ning's eyes, Lin Qingyi remained an enigma.
From his interactions with her, he even suspected that Lin Qingyi's strength surpassed that of the late Shen Congyun.
The ease with which she controlled her internal energy was a testament to her prowess.
On the arena.
"Congratulations, Brother Jiang!" the man overseeing the assessment said with a smile.
Then he added, "I'm about ten years older than you. I hope you don't mind me calling you 'brother'?"
"Not at all," Jiang Ning replied with a smile.
The man, seeing Jiang Ning's response, smiled as well.
"Let me introduce myself properly. I'm Ye Qiu, as in 'one leaf falls, and the world knows autumn's arrival.'"
"I'm Jiang Ning. Pleased to meet you, Brother Ye," Jiang Ning said, cupping his hands in greeting.
"Haha, Brother Jiang, if you're free tonight, how about we grab a drink?" Ye Qiu laughed.
"Since Brother Ye has invited me, I can't possibly be busy," Jiang Ning replied.
Hearing this, Ye Qiu's smile widened.
Then, he took out a pure gold token from his pocket and handed it to Jiang Ning.
"Take this. When you have time, visit the Inspection Bureau and have your name engraved on the back of the token. From now on, seeing this token will be like seeing you in person."
"Understood," Jiang Ning said, accepting the token with a nod.
Seeing Jiang Ning take the token, Ye Qiu smiled again.
"This damn weather. Finally, we can wrap this up and go home to rest."
At this moment, Jiang Ning also jumped down from the arena.
He landed in front of Xie Xiaojiu.
"Earlier, you mentioned joining my team. Does that offer still stand?"
"Of course," Xie Xiaojiu nodded, her eyes filled with complex emotions as she looked at Jiang Ning.
Seeing Jiang Ning rise step by step, becoming the last man standing among more than a dozen captains and securing the sole position of deputy commander, she finally realized just how vast the gap between them was.
"Losing to him was no shame," Xie Xiaojiu thought to herself.
Seeing Xie Xiaojiu's nod, Jiang Ning also nodded slightly.
"In that case, once I've sorted out the Inspection Bureau's affairs in the next few days, I'll transfer you to my team."
"Yes, sir!" Xie Xiaojiu cupped her hands and nodded.
Seeing the woman before him bow her head, Jiang Ning felt a surge of satisfaction.
Having chosen the path of the Inspection Bureau, he naturally needed to plan carefully. He couldn't afford to have no one under his command.
Joining the Inspection Bureau wasn't about becoming a laborer.
His primary goal was still martial training. Breaking through in martial arts remained his ultimate pursuit.
The Inspection Bureau was merely a towering tree that could shelter him for now.
After all, the Inspection Bureau represented the Martial Saint, the imperial court, and thus the side of truth.
In any world, the truth was always in the hands of the few.
Those few were the ones who wielded absolute power.
Justice was no different.
Whoever had power held the truth and justice.
In this world, even though the Great Xia Dynasty was no longer at its peak, a starved camel is still bigger than a horse. Even in decline, the Great Xia Dynasty was not something any single force could contend with.
The day the Great Xia Dynasty collapsed would be the day the legendary Martial Saint passed away.
Once the Martial Saint was gone, the power that held absolute truth and justice would vanish.
The Great Xia Dynasty would no longer be able to maintain its absolute authority.
But until that day came, the Inspection Bureau, backed by the Martial Saint, was the most powerful institution in the Great Xia Dynasty.
Therefore, for Jiang Ning, this was the safest place, the most suitable environment for him to grow and develop.
But to achieve this, he needed a solid foundation within the Inspection Bureau.
He needed people under his command who would follow his orders and carry out his tasks.
This way, he could focus on honing his martial skills and continue to break through in strength.
Among the many candidates, Xie Xiaojiu, though not a captain, was stronger than many captains. She was a rare talent.
Thus, Jiang Ning held her in high regard.
Now, hearing Xie Xiaojiu address him as "sir" and seeing her respectful demeanor, Jiang Ning knew this matter was settled.
With that, he made his way to where Wang Jin was standing.
"Master, I didn't let you down," Jiang Ning said.
"I never expected you to come this far!" Wang Jin looked at Jiang Ning, his voice filled with emotion.
"All of this is thanks to your guidance," Jiang Ning replied with a smile.
"Don't say that," Wang Jin waved his hand. "I have some self-awareness. Your achievements are primarily due to your efforts. At most, I was just your guide."
Wang Jin sighed as he spoke, recalling everything that had happened over the past few months.
Seeing Jiang Ning reach this point, he couldn't help but feel a sense of unreality.
It felt like those events had happened long ago, but in reality, only a few months had passed.
At that moment.
An armored guard, gripping a sword at his waist, approached Jiang Ning and Wang Jin.
"Sir Jiang!" The guard cupped his hands and said, "The prefect requests your presence."
"So it's finally happening," Jiang Ning thought to himself.
He nodded. "Lead the way."
"Yes, sir!" The guard cupped his hands again.
Jiang Ning then turned to Wang Jin. "Master, the prefect has summoned me. I must go."
"Go ahead. But be careful," Wang Jin advised.
"Understood," Jiang Ning nodded.
As the drum sounded, signaling the end of the Inspection Bureau's assessment, the crowd around the arena began to disperse, and the various factions in the wooden stands also started to leave.
"Master, should we wait for Junior Brother Jiang?" Li Qing asked.
Wang Jin glanced at Jiang Ning's retreating figure and shook his head. "No, let's head back."
"Yes, Master," Li Qing replied.
On the viewing platform.
Lin Qingyi had come quietly and left just as quietly.
The others also began to disperse.
At this moment, Hong Minghu and Gongsun Yu were no longer on the viewing platform but had moved to a tent within the training grounds.
Inside the tent.
Hong Minghu sat with an imposing demeanor, while Gongsun Yu stood to the side.
After realizing that Hong Minghu's strength likely surpassed his own, Gongsun Yu became much more cautious and offered no objections to the current arrangements.
A moment later.
The sound of footsteps approached the tent.
He's here!
Hong Minghu's expression grew serious. He was deeply intrigued by Jiang Ning.
Jiang Ning's performance today had left him utterly shocked.
Even the prodigies he had seen on the Hidden Dragon Ranking paled in comparison to the impression Jiang Ning had made today.
"With that kid's performance today, he should be able to make it onto the Human Ranking of the Hidden Dragon Ranking, right?" Hong Minghu thought to himself.
The Hidden Dragon Ranking was divided into three tiers: Human, Earth, and Heaven.
The Human Ranking listed the top hundred martial artists under the age of thirty within a single prefecture.
Age didn't matter; only strength and skill determined one's position.
Even making it onto the Human Ranking was a tremendous honor.
After all, a single prefecture encompassed over ten counties and hundreds of towns.
In such a vast territory, the number of martial arts prodigies was immense.
To rank within the top hundred was a testament to one's extraordinary talent.
The Earth Ranking, on the other hand, listed the top hundred martial artists under thirty within an entire province.
Those who made it onto the Earth Ranking, even at the lowest position, were considered to have the potential to become grandmasters.
As for the Heaven Ranking, it encompassed the entire Great Xia Dynasty's nine provinces.
Those on the Heaven Ranking were often future grandmasters.
To achieve grandmaster status before the age of thirty showed just how difficult it was to make it onto the Heaven Ranking.
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