30: Chapter 30 Settling In

Lin Qing slowly walked to the stone lock marked with a thousand catties in the middle of the field, his calm gaze falling upon it.

This stone lock was polished from a single piece of bluestone, bearing a rough texture worn by time; it was the basic tool used by the Zhenwu Division to test the strength of new recruits.

Without the slightest hesitation, he immediately sank his waist and entered a horse stance, his legs firmly planted as his blood and Qi quietly circulated throughout his body. Then, he reached out his hands, firmly grasping the handles on both sides of the stone lock, his palms instantly meeting the cold bluestone.

"Rise!"

Lin Qing gave a low shout in his heart and exerted sudden force. His blood and Qi surged as power poured out through his arms.

But the expected sense of weight did not come. The thousand-catty stone lock was actually as light as an ordinary wooden stool, and he lifted it up with ease.

In that moment, Lin Qing was suddenly startled, realizing that he had a massive misunderstanding of his own strength.

He had always Cultivated diligently in the past and rarely truly fought with others. His only actual combat experience was killing three bandits outside the Black Market in Qingyang County.

At that time, he had only thought they were ordinary Loose Cultivators committing crimes. Relying on his Perfection-level basic martial arts, he had easily slain the three with exquisite Moves, never thinking deeply about their true strength.

But he did not know that those three had been able to commit crimes in Qingyang County for months, plundering over eight hundred taels of silver and staining their hands with countless lives; how could they be ordinary bandits?

They had always been cunning in picking their targets, only looking for ordinary people who had not yet entered the ranks of official Martial Artists. They believed they were certain to succeed against non-Martial Artists, yet they happened to run into an anomaly like Lin Qing.

Lin Qing's skeletal structure was different from ordinary people. Most ordinary people could spend their entire lives without reaching the Realm where blood and Qi were as dense as mercury, yet he had reached it easily just by Cultivating all First-Order Stance Trainings to Perfection.

Afterward, his Cultivation Technique had automatically operated day and night for over ten days, continuously refining his blood and Qi before he slowly achieved a Breakthrough to the First-Order Martial Artist Realm.

Although he had only recently broken through to become a First-Order Martial Artist, the depth of his Foundation and the majesty of his blood and Qi were far beyond what an ordinary First-Order Martial Artist could compare to.

He quickly and secretly restrained his power, stabilized his form, and slowly raised the thousand-catty stone lock over his head, his face remaining expressionless.

Zhao Feng, who was standing to the side, saw all of this and laughed loudly, saying:

"Good lad, you really do have some true skill! This thousand-catty stone lock is actually so easy for you! Come, try this one and let's see exactly how much ability you have!"

As he spoke, Zhao Feng pointed to a larger, darker-colored stone lock next to it. That was a full two-thousand-catty specification; even among First-Order Martial Artists who had Cultivated for many years, those who could lift it were few and far between.

Lin Qing naturally understood that his performance just now had been too eye-catching. He had always been reserved by nature, disliked showing off, and was even less willing to expose his full strength in this unfamiliar Zhenwu Division, which would only invite unnecessary attention and trouble.

He walked slowly to the two-thousand-catty stone lock, took a deep breath, and assumed his stance again. After grabbing the handles, his brow furrowed slightly, veins faintly appeared on his neck, and his legs trembled slightly, putting on a display of exerting all his strength and grit.

Accompanied by a low grunt, Lin Qing slowly lifted the two-thousand-catty stone lock. With every inch it rose, his face showed more signs of strain, appearing to be at his limit. After laboriously lifting the stone lock over his head and holding it for several breaths, he slowly placed it back on the ground and took a few heavy breaths.

Seeing this, Zhao Feng nodded with eyes full of praise. Thinking that Lin Qing had reached the limit of his strength, he did not make him try any heavier stone locks.

He patted Lin Qing on the shoulder and said loudly:

"Not bad. At such a young age, your strength is so solid. From today onwards, you are a member of our Yunlan County Town Zhenwu Division!"

Having finally passed the test and successfully joined the Zhenwu Division, Lin Qing felt a sense of relief in his heart. He maintained his humble expression and cupped his hands to Zhao Feng.

Subsequently, Zhao Feng took Lin Qing to the Zhenwu Division's logistics department. The furnishings here were simple, with rows of bookshelves and ledgers. A white-haired old man dressed in grey cloth clothing was sitting at a desk organizing documents; this was the logistics supervisor, Old Wang.

"Old Wang, are you busy?" Zhao Feng smiled as he stepped forward to greet him, then pointed to Lin Qing to introduce him. "This young brother is named Xie Chen. He just passed the strength test. Please help him handle the induction procedures."

Old Wang looked up, his cloudy gaze sweeping over Lin Qing with a hint of scrutiny before he nodded slightly. Putting down his pen, he replied, "Alright, leave it to me."

Zhao Feng turned back to Lin Qing and instructed, "Xie Chen, follow Old Wang to finish the procedures today. Go back and handle your personal affairs, and tomorrow morning, arrive at that courtyard on time for the roll call. Do not be late."

"Thank you, Lord Zhao. I will keep it in mind," Lin Qing thanked him solemnly with cupped hands.

After Zhao Feng left, Old Wang took Lin Qing through the subsequent process.

First was the registration of identity information into the Zhenwu Division's exclusive ledger, followed by handing Lin Qing a bronze identity plaque. The plaque was the size of a palm, with the three bold characters for 'Zhenwu Division' carved on the front and an exclusive serial number on the back. The edges were polished smooth, it felt cold to the touch, and the craftsmanship was extremely exquisite.

"Young brother, be sure to keep this identity plaque safe. It must never be lost or lent to others," Old Wang warned in a serious tone. "In the future, when you carry out missions for the Zhenwu Division, accumulate merit, and exchange it for Cultivation Techniques, Medicinal Pills, weapons, and other rewards, you will rely entirely on this plaque. If it is lost, replacing it is extremely troublesome and will affect your evaluation within the division."

Lin Qing quickly took the identity plaque and carefully tucked it into his robes, keeping it close to his body.

Next, Old Wang took two sets of uniforms from a nearby cabinet and handed them to Lin Qing. These were the exclusive uniforms for the Zhenwu Division's Little Flag, entirely in a solemn black. The fabric was a specially treated brocade, tough and wear-resistant, and could even resist cuts from ordinary blades.

After collecting the uniforms, Old Wang looked at Lin Qing and asked, "The Zhenwu Division issues weapons based on personal expertise. What kind of weapon are you proficient in?"

Lin Qing possessed multiple martial arts and had dabbled in sabers, spears, swords, and halberds, making him proficient in all of them. But as his gaze swept outside, he saw that most of the passing members of the Zhenwu Division wore a standard long saber at their waists. After a brief thought, he replied, "This Junior is proficient in using the saber."

Hearing this, Old Wang turned and took out a long saber to hand to Lin Qing. This was a hundred-forged xiuchun blade. The blade was long and narrow with a smooth curve, forged entirely from hundred-refined fine iron. The edge had a chilling glint and was incredibly sharp, while the back of the blade was thick, combining lethality with resilience.

The hilt was wrapped in black shark skin for grip and sweat absorption, with a small bronze ornament inlaid at the top. The scabbard was also made of black leather with a metal buckle. Worn at the waist, it was both easy to draw and exuded majesty; it was clearly a rare and excellent blade.

Lin Qing gripped the hilt with one hand and gently pulled out half the blade. The cold light of the edge made his eyes squint slightly, and a sharp aura rushed toward him. He nodded inwardly and slid the saber back into its scabbard.

Afterward, Old Wang took out a finely drawn map, spread it on the table, and pointed to it, saying, "The Zhenwu Division assigns a residence to every employee. These unmarked ones are the remaining empty courtyards. You may choose one."

Lin Qing's gaze swept over the catalog. He preferred quiet and hidden places, so he immediately selected an independent single-entry courtyard in a remote alley.

This courtyard was not large, far from the hustle and bustle, and had excellent privacy, which suited his wishes perfectly.

"I will choose this place then," Lin Qing said, pointing to the courtyard diagram.

"Good, this place is quiet and suitable for Cultivation." Old Wang picked up his pen, made a mark on the catalog, and carefully informed Lin Qing of the courtyard's specific location.

Once all the procedures were completed, Lin Qing bid farewell to Old Wang and walked out of the Zhenwu Division. With his identity plaque in hand, he followed the directions given by Old Wang and arrived in front of the small courtyard assigned to him.

The small courtyard was hidden deep in a remote alley. On both sides of the alley were high grey brick walls that blocked out the noise of the outside world, making it exceptionally quiet.

Pushing open the mottled wooden door, he saw a neat single-entry courtyard. The yard was paved with bluestone slabs and was clean and tidy. On the left side grew an osmanthus tree, which was currently covered in buds about to bloom.

On the right side were a stone table and stools. Facing the courtyard gate was a main room, and there were two side rooms next to it—one could be used as a bedroom and the other as a storage room. Although the courtyard was not luxurious, it was small and exquisite, with good ventilation and lighting. Being in this secluded corner made him feel very much at ease.

Looking at this little world of his own, Lin Qing felt much more grounded. At this point, he had finally established himself in the Yunlan County Town Zhenwu Division with his new identity as Xie Chen. In the future, he could use his status in the Zhenwu Division to learn many Cultivation Techniques and martial arts.

After a night of rest and reorganization, Lin Qing had completely adapted to his new identity and residence. The next day, just as the sky was beginning to brighten, Lin Qing rose early.

He carefully put on the black Zhenwu Division Little Flag uniform. The tight fabric clung to his body, making his tall and straight figure look even more heroic. He fastened his belt, hung the hundred-forged xiuchun blade at his waist, and placed the bronze identity plaque in his robes. After a simple tidying up, he stepped out of the small courtyard and headed toward the Zhenwu Division.

Upon arriving at the courtyard where Zhao Feng had been yesterday, the members arrived one after another. Everyone was dressed in the same black uniform with a Spring Embroidery Saber at their waist, their postures upright and their expressions solemn. Lin Qing stood quietly at the end of the crowd, waiting silently.

Once everyone had arrived, Zhao Feng stepped in front of the crowd. His gaze swept across the field, then he called Lin Qing to the front and spoke loudly to introduce him to everyone:

"Everyone, this is Xie Chen. He just passed the test yesterday and officially joined our Zhenwu Division. From now on, he is one of us. Please look out for him in the future."

As his voice fell, Zhao Feng called out a Generals Flag named Shen Lie and ordered:

"Generals Flag Shen, Xie Chen will be assigned to your squad. You will arrange his shifts and missions hereafter."

"This subordinate obeys your command," Shen Lie took a step forward and replied to Zhao Feng with cupped hands, then turned to Lin Qing and nodded slightly in greeting.

In Yunlan County Town, martial arts flourished, and the number of Martial Artists was far beyond what remote county towns could compare to. The organization of the Zhenwu Division here was also somewhat different from smaller places.

There was no position of Lieutenant here. One must know that in a place like the county town where crouching tigers and hidden dragons resided, if a Lieutenant-level ordinary person went out to enforce the law, it would be no different from seeking death.

Even for some children who entered the Zhenwu Division by inheriting their father's position, if their strength had not reached the First-Order, they would only stay within the division to focus on Cultivation and would never be assigned to carry out missions outside.

In fact, Generals Flags like Shen Lie usually only led teams responsible for patrolling the city, guarding the division gates, or handling small frictions and disputes between ordinary Martial Artists—handling some insignificant trifles.

Whenever truly dangerous missions involving perilous banditry were concerned, they were always led personally by a Centurion or higher-ranking official, with elites being drawn to ensure the mission's success and to minimize casualties as much as possible.

Lin Qing stood behind Shen Lie, silently listening to Zhao Feng assign today's tasks.