132: Martial Arts Test (Part 1)

The tenth day of the ninth month, at the third quarter of the Hour of the Rabbit.

The commandery seat's Drill Ground was once again bustling with people.

After yesterday's literary exam, nearly twenty percent of the over six hundred candidates had been directly eliminated due to crude answers or cheating.

The remaining four hundred and eighty-plus people were now gathered on the east side of the Drill Ground, re-forming their ranks according to yesterday's literary exam candidate numbers.

The center of the Drill Ground had been divided into three distinct areas.

In the northern area, ten pitch-black stone cauldrons were lined up in a row.

The smallest was half a person tall, while the largest stood a full eight feet high. Their bodies were heavy, engraved with ancient beast patterns, and they gave off a matte blue-black sheen in the morning light.

A wooden sign stood beside the cauldrons, inscribed with the four characters "Thousand-Jin Cauldron Test." Small characters next to it marked the weight of each cauldron: five hundred jin, eight hundred jin, one thousand two hundred jin, one thousand eight hundred jin, two thousand five hundred jin... all the way to the last one, which was strikingly labeled "three thousand eight hundred jin!"

The middle area was a winding path about fifty zhang long and only three chi wide.

Dozens of wooden stakes stood on both sides of the path, connected by thin strings with countless copper bells tied to them.

The ground was covered in fine sand, with some irregular protrusions faintly visible. A wooden sign was inscribed with "Wind Chasing Path," requiring candidates to pass through at top speed without touching any copper bells.

The southern area was the most complex, with over ten iron chains as thick as a bowl's mouth crisscrossing each other about two zhang off the ground, their ends fixed to tall wooden frames.

The iron chains were not stationary; controlled by mechanisms, they would shake and rotate irregularly. Below the chains was not solid ground, but a deep pit covered with a thick layer of straw.

A wooden sign was inscribed with "Iron Chain Array," requiring designated movements like doubling back and shifting positions on the chains, testing balance, agility, and endurance.

On the viewing platform, the dignitaries were already seated.

The Commandery Governor sat at the head. To his left were Ling Feng and the Deputy Commander of the Po Jun Mansion, while to his right was the Supervising Eunuch, Eunuch Cao. The heads of the three great clans and the masters of various martial arts halls were lined up in order.

Today, Eunuch Cao had changed into a dark red Python Robe embroidered with gold, still fiddling with that string of Dark Jade Prayer Bead in his hand. His indifferent gaze swept across the candidates below, finally lingering on Chen Linsheng for a moment before moving on.

"The first stage of the martial exam tests skeletal Foundation, movement agility, and endurance resilience," Chief Examiner Judge Li ascended the high platform, his voice reaching the entire field. "The three trials will be conducted separately, each with a time limit of one incense stick. Scores will be recorded by the proctors and evaluated comprehensively. Now, draw lots to determine the testing order!"

Officials brought forward the lot cylinder, and the candidates stepped up one by one to draw.

Chen Linsheng drew "Group C, Number 7," placing him in the middle batch, giving him plenty of time to observe the performance of those before him.

"Group A candidates, take your positions!"

Twenty candidates stepped out and walked toward the three testing areas.

Thousand-Jin Cauldron Test area.

In front of the first five-hundred-jin stone cauldron, a lean and sturdy man took a deep breath, settled into a horse stance, gripped the cauldron's ears with both hands, and shouted, "Heave!"

The stone cauldron left the ground at his command, was lifted past his chest, and after holding steady for three breaths, was set down with a "boom." The man panted, sweat appearing on his temples.

The proctor recorded: "A-3, five hundred jin, pass."

Subsequent candidates tried one after another. Most stopped at the one-thousand-two-hundred-jin cauldron, while a few could lift one thousand eight hundred jin. When a nine-foot-tall man with knotted muscles walked up to the two-thousand-five-hundred-jin cauldron, all eyes focused on him.

The big man's expression was solemn, his blood and qi surging throughout his body, and his skin took on a bronze luster. He let out a low growl, the muscles in his arms bulging, and his blue veins coiled like pythons!

"Heave—!"

The stone cauldron slowly left the ground, one inch, two inches... until it was waist-high. The man's arms trembled, his face turned red, and after barely supporting it for three breaths, he set it down heavily, making the ground shake.

"A-17, two thousand five hundred jin, excellent!" the proctor announced the result loudly.

On the viewing platform, several martial arts hall masters nodded slightly. To be able to lift two thousand five hundred jin in the Flesh Refining Realm was already natural Divine Power.

Yan Chen stood in the Group B waiting area with his arms crossed, a cold sneer on his lips. Today, he had changed into a dark red martial outfit with gold-thread flame patterns embroidered on the cuffs and lapels. His aura was more condensed and heavy than during the Hidden Dragon Banquet, and there was a faint sense of heat waves rising around him.

After nearly a month of secluded cultivation in the Earth Fire Cave, he had clearly gained much.

Wind Chasing Path test area.

Copper bells chimed softly, and fine sand flew.

A thin candidate darted into the path like a civet cat, dodging left and right with an agile figure.

But just past ten zhang, he accidentally stepped on a hidden protrusion. His figure stalled slightly, and the corner of his clothes rang a copper bell.

"Ding-ling—"

"A-9, touched bell once, time fifteen breaths, pass." The proctor recorded.

Subsequent candidates each displayed their Movement Techniques. Some wove through like swimming fish, others leaped like clever apes. The fastest was a disciple of a great clan who specialized in Movement Techniques; he didn't touch a single bell the entire time and finished in just nine breaths, drawing a round of soft gasps.

Mu Qingxue stood quietly in the Group C queue, her water-blue long dress spotless. Her gaze swept over the Wind Chasing Path, her expression calm, as if those ingenious obstacles were not worth mentioning.

Iron Chain Array test area.

The "creak" of swaying iron chains and the muffled thuds of candidates falling could be heard from time to time.

A candidate had just jumped onto an iron chain when he stumbled a few steps due to an unstable center of gravity. After barely steadying himself, his foot slipped while performing a shifting movement, and he fell into the straw pit below with a cry. Although uninjured, he had failed.

"The iron chains sway without any pattern; it requires an extremely high sense of balance," Lei Hao whispered beside Chen Linsheng. "What's more troublesome are those designated movements—one-legged spins, hanging upside-down flips... Damn, just looking at it makes me dizzy."

Chen Linsheng nodded slightly, but his gaze was fixed on the swaying rhythm of the iron chains. With his perception from Tracking Perfection, he could vaguely capture the subtle patterns of the mechanism's drive. Though not complete, it was enough to predict most of the changes.

The Group B test began.

Yan Chen strode toward the Thousand-Jin Cauldron area, directly bypassing the first few and stopping in front of the third one, the one-thousand-two-hundred-jin cauldron.

He did not act immediately but took a slow breath. Crimson true energy rose around him, and the surrounding air distorted slightly.

His hands gripped the cauldron, his waist and back bent like a bow.

"Heave!"

Before his shout faded, the stone cauldron had been steadily lifted above his head! The movement was clean and efficient, making the heavy weight look light, without even any extra trembling.

He set it down and walked toward the one-thousand-eight-hundred-jin cauldron.

He lifted it easily again.

In front of the two-thousand-five-hundred-jin cauldron, Yan Chen paused briefly and slapped the body of the cauldron with his right palm, producing a muffled hum. Then, with both palms gripping the ears, his waist and horse stance became one.

"Boom—"

The stone cauldron left the ground, passed his chest, then his head, steady as a rock.

He set it down after three breaths, and fine cracks appeared in the blue bricks on the ground.

The proctor shouted, "B-2, two thousand five hundred jin, excellent! Do you wish to challenge the three-thousand-jin cauldron?"

Yan Chen did not answer and walked straight toward the giant cauldron labeled "three thousand jin."

The entire field held its breath.

This cauldron was black all over, its legs as thick as elephant legs, its belly round and heavy, and its surface carved with the ferocious shape of a Bixi. Just looking at it brought a sense of overwhelming pressure.

Yan Chen stood firm, and the crimson true energy around him began to burn like fire, faintly forming a distorted phantom of a blazing sun behind him.

The muscles in his arms bulged, and it was as if magma were flowing under his skin. His palms were as red as branding irons; the moment they gripped the cauldron's ears, they actually made a "chi" sound, as if scorching the stone cauldron.

"Blazing Sun True Energy fully unleashed..." On the viewing platform, the Blazing Sun Martial Arts Hall Master narrowed his eyes, the hand stroking his beard tightening slightly.

"Ha—!"

Yan Chen exhaled and shouted, his arms suddenly lifting!

The three-thousand-jin giant cauldron rose at his command!

One inch, two inches... though the speed was slower than before, it was still steady. The cauldron passed his knees, waist, and chest, finally being pushed above his head with all his might!

The muscles in his arms were as tight as iron, his veins bulged, and heat waves steamed around him. The blue bricks beneath his feet actually turned faintly red and began to soften!

One breath, two breaths, three breaths!

"Boom!"

The giant cauldron hit the ground, smashing out a shallow pit. Yan Chen withdrew his stance, his chest heaving slightly and fine sweat seeping from his forehead, but his eyes were bright with a blazing Battle Intent.

"B-2, three thousand jin, outstanding!" The proctor's voice rose, filled with amazement.

Enthusiastic discussions broke out on the sidelines.

"Three thousand jin! Even a Middle Stage Jiaojin Realm expert is probably only at this level, right?"

"Young Hall Master Yan's strength has indeed surged after his secluded cultivation!"

"With this kind of power combined with Blazing Sun True Energy, who would dare to face him head-on in actual combat?"

Yan Chen turned back to his rank, his gaze sweeping over Chen Linsheng in the Group C queue, his provocative intent self-evident.