4: 'Sacred Beast Gathering'?

Jiang Hao, who had just completed his Second-Tier Certification at the Martial Unification Bureau, walked along the sidewalk, looking at the city where he had lived for 18 years.

“Even though more than two hundred years have passed compared to my previous life, technology doesn't seem to have advanced that much!”

Jiang Hao looked at the decorations along the road and various drones slowly flying by, broadcasting advertisements on Light Screens.

Perhaps because the National College Entrance Examination was approaching, the entire Yunlan City was currently preparing for it.

As a ‘Genius’ of the martial arts class, Jiang Hao only needed to take the xia country language exam for the written portion.

The National College Entrance Examination is divided into a written exam and a martial exam:

The written exam is similar to his previous life, but there are no foreign languages, because the entire Blue Star now uses the language of Xia Country as the common tongue.

This is not only because Xia Country is the most powerful nation on Blue Star, with more High-Rank Martial Artists and Experts beyond the Ninth-Tier than all other countries on Blue Star combined.

It is also because most current Cultivation Techniques and Martial Skills are written in the xia country language. Students in other countries who wish to embark on the path of a Martial Artist must be trained in the xia country language from a young age!

Some wealthy foreign families without a martial Legacy even send their children to study in Xia Country as early as elementary school.

According to some rumors:

In some ruins of the Otherworld and suddenly appearing Secret Realms on Blue Star, the decorative style reflects Xia Country's culture, and the Cultivation Techniques and Martial Skills are also in Xia Country's script.

Some suspect that the appearance of Essence Qi was not an accident, but that it had always existed.

And that those strange worlds were occupied by an early, powerful civilization similar to Xia Country.

The current path of the Martial Artist on Blue Star was also developed by mimicking those leaked Cultivation Techniques and Martial Skills.

However, that powerful martial civilization later disappeared, which led to those Otherworlds connected to Blue Star being so hostile toward Blue Star's humanity!

Of course, this news was quickly debunked.

After all, the Lighthouse Country and the Grizzly Bear to the north could never admit that Xia Country was the source of Blue Star's civilization.

As for the martial exam, it was simple: as long as one became a First-Tier Martial Artist and had a certain level of combat proficiency, they could enter a Martial School.

Good Martial Schools just have higher requirements... As Jiang Hao walked into a small grove.

A short man walked out of the woods, his face covered in many old burn scars.

He looked extremely vigilant; upon seeing Jiang Hao, he actually lowered his head immediately and quickened his pace to go around him.

But... this Essence Qi fluctuation is only at the First-Tier? His talent is quite poor.

Thanks to Jiang Hao's Third-Tier spirit, he could easily perceive the Essence Qi fluctuations of Martial Artists below the Third-Tier.

Unless he was unlucky enough to encounter a big shot smurfing or someone with a spirit weapon that concealed Essence Qi fluctuations, Jiang Hao could generally see the opponent's Realm.

“This scene... based on my ten years of experience as an old bookworm before Transmigration, this guy is 100% suspicious!” Jiang Hao watched the man walk faster and faster, speechless.

Is he afraid people won't suspect him?

“Hey! Brother in front, you dropped your knife,” Jiang Hao shouted intentionally.

The short man stopped and felt his pants, suddenly realizing, “I didn't even bring a knife today? Is this kid tricking me?”

He turned back to look at Jiang Hao: “Kid, mind your own business!”

Then, with a fierce expression, he made a throat-slitting gesture with his hand.

Jiang Hao feigned disdain and said, “Who are you trying to scare?”

“I’m from the ‘Sacred Beast Society’!”

“Stare at me again and see if I don't blow your head off!”

The short man was just about to walk over and bleed the kid, but he froze when he heard that.

“You’re also in the Society?” the short man asked, a bit skeptical.

“This guy doesn't seem very bright. People from the ‘Sacred Beast Society’ really are mentally ill,” Jiang Hao thought maliciously.

He then waved his hand and said, “A First-Tier peripheral member like you naturally hasn't seen me before.”

“Sacred Beast Society!!! I’ll trick him with a few words, have him lead me to the Yunlan City stronghold, and then report it to the people at the Martial Unification Bureau!” Jiang Hao roared in his heart.

The short man said in disbelief, “You’re a formal member?”

“You’re so young, I thought you were lying to me.”

Jiang Hao said impatiently, “Nonsense, only an idiot would impersonate our ‘Sacred Beast Society’ these days; it’s a death sentence!”

The short man nodded and said, “True! Now the brothers in the Society don't dare show their faces for fear of being discovered.”

“Sigh! If I’d known, I wouldn't have joined this ‘Sacred Beast Society.’ Some members haven't been to the stronghold in a long time.”

“What, you want to regret it? Without the organization's cultivation, could a piece of trash like you have become a Martial Artist?” Jiang Hao said with a cold laugh.

“Fine.”

“Martial law is everywhere lately, get back quickly.”

The short man immediately smiled obsequiously and said, “Oh! How could I dare regret it.”

“People like us without talent would never have become Martial Artists in our lives if not for the organization's cultivation.”

“Being a peripheral member is quite good now.”

“Sir,”

“Let me take you back to the stronghold. My car is parked nearby. Don't worry, there's no surveillance here; I've checked carefully.”

“Mm, let’s go.”

“Don't run around during this time. Stay put and wait for the heat to pass.”

Jiang Hao glanced back at the woods.

He calmly followed the man into the car, and his Smart Wristband synchronously transmitted everything recorded to the Martial Unification Bureau's reporting line.

“I hope it’s in time,” Jiang Hao thought, watching the scenery flash by outside the car window... Inside the Martial Unification Bureau, squads were assembling.

A tall man in the lead, with a lollipop in his mouth, saw that the numbers were about right, took out the lollipop, and shouted:

“Everyone, line up quickly! When we clear out the ‘Sacred Beast Society’ stronghold later, be efficient. Priority is to protect that student who reached the Second-Tier!”

“Yes, sir!”

Everyone responded loudly... The car stopped.

Jiang Hao looked through the car window and saw an abandoned manor. He silently reminded the Martial Unification Bureau side not to drive the cars too close.

The short man immediately got out of the car to open the door for Jiang Hao and said, “Sir, I—”

“Go buy me a bottle of water, make it quick,” Jiang Hao interrupted.

“Ah?”

“Sir, we’re already at the stronghold; there will be all sorts of things to drink inside in a bit.”

The short man's burn-scarred face wrinkled up.

“Are you teaching me how to do things?”

“I want a Leibishi, room temperature, go and come back quickly. I’ll nap in the car for a bit.” Jiang Hao finished and closed his eyes directly.

Listening to the sound of the short man's departing footsteps, Jiang Hao took a deep breath.

It would be a lie to say he wasn't nervous; who knew what the situation was inside the stronghold.

If things went south, wouldn't he lose face for the army of transmigrators?

“I can't enter this stronghold. I’d better stay in the car and wait for the people from the Martial Unification Bureau to come and clean up.”

...The people from the Martial Unification Bureau were very fast. Before the short man could return, they arrived near the stronghold via GPS.

Upon receiving the message, Jiang Hao immediately got out of the car and jogged all the way into the Martial Unification Bureau's team.

“Hello, officers. I’m a senior student from No. 3 Middle School.”

“I encountered this suspicious character today and immediately used my quick wits to trick him into revealing the ‘Sacred Beast Society’ stronghold.”

“But this is only what I should do.”

“As an outstanding patriotic student, I must resolutely report such evil organizations when I encounter them!”

“Um... can the reward be sent directly to my Blue Star Net account?”

The man in the lead with the lollipop glanced at Jiang Hao speechlessly and waved for a subordinate to answer.

A woman in uniform with an explosive figure stepped forward and replied:

“First, we are very grateful for the contribution you have made to Yunlan City.”

“But next time you encounter such a situation, never follow them alone, and do not impersonate a member of the ‘Sacred Beast Society’ again.”

“You must pay attention to your own safety.”

“Second, the reward you mentioned will be sent to your Blue Star Net account.”

“However, the amount of the bonus will only be decided after an evaluation once the mission is over.”

“Third, all signals in this area are currently being jammed, and all IPs in the manor are locked.”

“If there’s nothing else, we will send someone to take you back or you can wait for the result at the Martial Unification Bureau.”

“Finally, don't call us officers next time.”

The woman finished speaking seriously and turned back to the team.

“Uh... then I wish you all a successful operation!” Jiang Hao said awkwardly. “But no need to send me; I’ll just stroll back myself.”

“Crunch.”

The man in the lead with the lollipop bit through the candy in one go and said:

“Operation begin!”