Chapter 163: Superior Root Bone

Chapter 163: Superior Root Bone

In the outer city, west of the city walls.

The training ground.

"If I'm not mistaken, that should be him!" Hong Minghu slowly spoke up.

"Oh?" Gong Sun Yu was surprised and looked at Hong Minghu, "Brother Hong, you know about this person too?"

Hong Minghu explained, "Since I'm in Luo Shui County, I naturally have to understand all the affairs, big and small, within the city. How else can I carry out His Majesty's decree?"

Upon hearing these words, Gong Sun Yu looked at Hong Minghu with a deep gaze.

"Indeed!" He nodded in agreement.

On the other side.

Jiang Ning felt an extremely powerful gaze upon him, as if he was being watched by an incredibly strong pair of eyes.

He followed his senses and looked in that direction, his pupils suddenly shrinking.

Although the training ground was vast, his five senses were extraordinary, and his vision was exceptionally sharp.

It far surpassed what ordinary people could perceive, and even those warriors with far greater strength than him couldn't compare to his heightened senses.

He suddenly spotted the gray-robed man, Gong Sun Yu, and noticed the emblem on his robe.

It was the symbol of Yao Wang Gu's sect.

Just from the emblem, he could tell that this person was one of the elders in Yao Wang Gu.

And from the emblem, he could see that this was a powerful figure within the sect.

In such a situation, although Yao Wang Gu wasn't known for its martial prowess, its strength was evident, and it was undoubtedly formidable.

The Council of Elders, being the most powerful group within Yao Wang Gu, had no doubt that the strongest individuals within the sect.

What is the peak?

It is a term used to describe reaching the pinnacle of one's current realm, a state where there is no further progress to be made.

Any one of these individuals would be far more powerful than an elder like Liu Qing Song.

"Most likely a Sixth-Rank Martial Dao, Bone Refinement Realm practitioner!"

"I'm no match for him!"

"Indeed, these Martial Dao sects are extremely troublesome once provoked. They send the weak to fight the strong, and the young to fight the old. It's like an endless stream, never-ending!"

Jiang Ning secretly observed Gong Sun Yu, feeling a strong urge to complain.

The arrival of Gong Sun Yu, an elder from Yao Wang Gu, was something Jiang Ning had anticipated, but it still caught him off guard.

He never expected them to find him so quickly, not giving him a moment to catch his breath.

His heart was filled with a deep sense of crisis.

Compared to his previous opponents, who could still be protected by Wang Jin to some extent.

But with this current opponent, Wang Jin would find it challenging to handle.

Although a Sixth-Rank and a Seventh-Rank Peak practitioner might seem similar, the difference in strength was significant.

"This is troublesome!"

Jiang Ning muttered to himself.

All these thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant.

"Begin!"

The man on the high platform, overseeing the examination, spoke two words.

As these words fell, Jiang Ning focused his mind.

At this moment, nothing was more important than the Inspection Bureau's examination.

With this in mind, he took a big step forward and approached the 800-jin iron lock.

His right hand rested on top of the lock.

"Lift!"

Jiang Ning uttered a light command, and the 800-jin iron lock suddenly rose from the ground, floating in mid-air, level with his shoulders.

Jiang Ning's face remained calm, showing no signs of strain; his face didn't turn red, and his breath was steady.

Seeing this, the examiner on the high platform looked at Jiang Ning with a focused gaze.

Such strength!

Impressive!

He was secretly amazed, even more so than by Zhou Xing's performance.

Without a doubt, being able to lift 800 jin with such ease meant that Jiang Ning had already entered the Eighth-Rank Divine Strength Realm.

If one hadn't reached this realm and hadn't tempered their muscles throughout their body, it would be impossible to display such strength.

From Jiang Ning's appearance, Gong Sun Yu could tell at a glance that he was very young, definitely under twenty years old.

This age, combined with the Eighth-Rank Martial Dao realm, was the reason for Gong Sun Yu's surprise.

A county town had far fewer resources and martial arts mentors than a prefecture city.

It was poorer and more backward, naturally leading to fewer powerful individuals.

At the age of eighteen or nineteen, one could be considered a genius even in a prefecture city, let alone a county town.

"Excellent root bone!" the examiner on the high platform praised silently.

On the other side.

Gong Sun Yu's presence also drew Hong Minghu's attention to Jiang Ning.

Seeing this scene, Hong Minghu nodded slightly.

"Not bad! He's a good seedling!"

Gong Sun Yu's expression also changed slightly, his gaze intensifying as he looked at Jiang Ning.

Suddenly, he spoke, "Brother Hong, may I ask this young man to come over and answer a few questions for me? I suspect he knows something about Elder Liu Qing Song's death."

"Look again!" Hong Minghu said, his eyes not even lifting, his tone indifferent.

"Brother Hong, the loss of the Prince of Huai'an's tribute has already greatly angered the Valley, and now Elder Liu's unexpected demise will surely infuriate the Valley Master if news of this reaches him. He might even personally come to Luo Shui County," Gong Sun Yu slowly spoke.

"Are you threatening me?" Hong Minghu's voice suddenly turned heavy, and the atmosphere became solemn.

"I dare not! Brother Hong, you are the trusted aide of that esteemed figure, and being sent to Luo Shui County to take over as the Prefecture Head is an honor. How dare I threaten you!" Gong Sun Yu seemed to think of something, and his tone softened.

Then he continued, "But this matter concerns the Prince of Huai'an's face. The Valley Master has instructed us to thoroughly investigate this."

"What does this have to do with me?" Hong Minghu asked. "If you dare to act recklessly with the Inspection Bureau's people, you'll die! I won't interfere with matters outside the Bureau!"

"Brother Hong, you're quite bold!" Gong Sun Yu looked at Hong Minghu, his eyes suddenly turning sharp, as if two divine swords were piercing towards Hong Minghu.

Hong Minghu suddenly chuckled, "What, do you want to fight me here?"

Hearing this, Gong Sun Yu's momentum suddenly deflated.

To fight Hong Minghu here, he had already reached the Fifth Rank, and among the Valley, he was one of the top three.

He was no longer the same as before!

Hong Minghu had met him a few times in the past, but back then, he was only at the Sixth Rank Bone Refinement Great Success.

A difference of one rank, and now, they were worlds apart.

Gong Sun Yu naturally had full confidence in winning, but even if he did win, it would be meaningless. He couldn't escape this predicament.

At the Sixth Rank, both the inner and outer body were like copper and iron.

Even with the Fifth Rank, it would be difficult to kill him.

Moreover, once the inner breath was exhausted, there wouldn't be much difference between the Fifth and Sixth Ranks.

Under the siege of numbers, he would surely perish here.

On the other side.

Jiang Ning also didn't hold back his display of strength.

Since he was competing for the position of Deputy Division Commander, he couldn't afford to hold back.

At the establishment of the Inspection Bureau, Mother Yong's questioning was the best opportunity to rise up. Naturally, he had to seize this chance.

If he missed this opportunity, even if he had the ability in the future, there would be limited chances for promotion.

"Passed!"

The man on the high platform spoke indifferently.

Boom—

Only then did Jiang Ning lightly toss the iron chain in his hand, causing the ground to rumble and vibrate slightly.

In the wooden shed.

Seeing this, Wang Jin laughed, "Yu Yuan, how is it? What do you think of my disciple?"

At this moment, Wang Jin's face was filled with pride.

A hint of envy flashed in Yu Yuan's eyes.

"You old fellow, you've really hit the jackpot. To find such a talented disciple with incredible innate talent."

"No wonder you were so confident and wanted to bet with me earlier. Good thing I didn't fall for your trick, old man."

Hearing these words, Wang Jin's pride on his face grew even more.

He could clearly sense the envy in the Divine Vigor Martial Academy's Master, standing beside him.

Wang Jin's disciples, standing behind him, witnessed this scene in the training ground.

Everyone's mouths hung open, their expressions a mix of shock and awe.

"Did I see that right? Did Jiang Shixiong really lift an 800-jin iron chain with such ease?"

"You're right, it's exactly like that."

"Doesn't that mean Jiang Shixiong might possess the strength of the Eighth Stage Martial Dao?"

"Probably so!"

"Jiang Shixiong, you're amazing!"

"..."

For a moment, exclamations of surprise filled the air.

In the training ground.

Watching Jiang Ning's slowly retreating figure.

Li Qing's small mouth opened slightly, her eyes flashing with a hint of brilliance.

On the first day Jiang Ning joined the Martial Academy, she had met him and personally received him.

At that time, she was surprised by Jiang Ning's memory, but she didn't think that such a handsome disciple would have such unexpected fortune and achievements in the future.

After all, having a remarkable memory and never forgetting what he sees can be helpful in martial arts training.

But the help is ultimately limited.

On the path of martial arts, the most important things are constitution and comprehension.

Comprehension is hard to fathom.

But the quality of one's constitution can be judged, and on the day Wang Jin finished wiping his bones, he gave a simple evaluation of Jiang Ning's average constitution.

This proved that in the first few realms of martial arts, a practitioner with an average constitution would have limited progress.

With limited lifespan and only a few years at their peak, their future achievements would be constrained.

But at this moment, Jiang Ning's performance shattered her views.

He easily lifted the 800-jin iron chain.

Such a display seemed even more impressive than that of Zhou Xing, the senior brother.

And she knew that Zhou Xing had broken through to the Eighth Stage.

This clearly proved that her little junior brother had already stepped over the threshold of the Eighth Stage Divine Strength Realm.

After just over three months of martial arts training, reaching the Eighth Stage was truly astonishing.

Li Qing's eyes, as she looked at Jiang Ning, were filled with admiration.

At this moment.

Zhou Xing, standing next to Li Qing, also had a slight change in his expression.

Eighth Rank?

Huff—

He let out a soft sigh, "Eighth Rank Martial Artist, incredible. It's fortunate we didn't become his enemy."

But Zhao Hu, who was standing nearby, felt differently.

Upon witnessing this scene, his face suddenly changed, and he secretly regretted his decision.

At the same time, his feet involuntarily took half a step back, away from the group, making him less conspicuous.

On the spectator stand.

Lin Qingyi, dressed in a blue robe, had appeared at this location at some point.

She watched the scene in the training ground without the slightest surprise.

A faint smile played on her lips.

"It seems that he has thoroughly refined the Vajra Pill, so it's not surprising that he has reached the Eighth Rank of the Martial Dao."

"But I wonder if that girl regrets seeing this?"

Lin Qingyi's gaze shifted to Lin Jia'er, who was sitting not far away on the spectator stand.

At this moment, Lin Jia'er's face slightly changed, and she seemed to respond to the man beside her with a perfunctory answer and smile.

At this moment, everyone on the training ground remembered Jiang Ning's face.

An Eighth Rank Martial Artist's strength was already a rare sight in Luoshui County.

Moreover, his youth made him even more memorable.

On the training ground.

Jiang Ning returned to the group.

"Jiang Shidi, your progress is truly remarkable!" Zhou Xing was the first to praise him.

Zhou Xing was obviously more enthusiastic than before.

Jiang Ning spoke, "Zhou Shixiong, you flatter me. It's just good luck."

Hearing this, Zhou Xing couldn't help but show a hint of envy.

He didn't believe that Jiang Ning was being modest.

Without such luck, it would be impossible to reach this level in such a short time.

"Jiang Shidi, you're truly amazing!" Li Qing's eyes also revealed a hint of surprise.

Seeing this, Zhou Xing couldn't help but smile.

He could naturally tell that Li Qing was interested in Jiang Ning.

After today, Li Qing's heart was clearly filled with blossoming affection.

At this moment, Zhao Hu felt even more jealous.

"Damn, this kid has hit the jackpot. I wonder what kind of opportunity he stumbled upon to reach this level."

"This Li Qing is such a flirt. I've been pursuing her for so long, and she won't even give me a glance. Now, she's probably dying to stick to him."

"Damn!!!

Anger surged within Zhao Hu, but at this moment, he was no match for his opponent, so he dared not show any unusual behavior.

If he couldn't win, being arrogant would only be asking for trouble.

A moment later.

Jiang Ning returned to the wooden shed.

"Master, I have not failed your expectations!" Zhou Xing clasped his hands respectfully.

"Good!"

"Good!!"

"Good!!!"

Wang Jin glanced at the group, and his eyes revealed a look of approval.

He had already passed the first four out of five tests.

Wang Jin was very satisfied.

Then his gaze fell upon Li Qing.

Li Qing's elimination was due to her lack of strength, as she had only recently entered the Ninth Rank of the Martial Dao.

If she had two more months to consolidate her progress, she wouldn't have been eliminated so easily.

"Li Qing, don't be discouraged. With your family background, joining a sect is also a good choice. The Inspection Bureau is not your only option."

Li Qing clasped her hands and replied, "Disciple understands! Disciple has already prepared for this!"

"Before coming here, my father had already secured a disciple position in the Sword Pavilion of Bashu Prefecture. After today's failure, I will soon set off for the Sword Pavilion in Bashu Prefecture."

"The Sword Pavilion is indeed an excellent choice! With a Great Master presiding over the pavilion, it is a very good choice! With your family background and joining the Sword Pavilion, you will surely surpass me in the future."

Li Qing clasped her hands and said, "Thank you, Master, for your consolation."

Jiang Ning, who was nearby, overheard their conversation, and he was surprised.

Bashu Prefecture?

Sword Pavilion?

Great Master?

It seems that Li Qing's father has the ability to secure a position in the Sword Pavilion, a top-tier sect in Bashu Prefecture.

Apparently, Li Qing's father has such connections.

After comforting Li Qing, Wang Jin looked at Zhou Xing, Zhao Hu, and the others.

"You all did well!"

Then his gaze fell upon Jiang Ning.

"You're not bad either! Eighth Rank Martial Artist, your constitution must have improved from before, right?"

Jiang Ning smiled, "Disciple doesn't know how to read bones, so I'm not very clear."

"Come, let me see what changes your constitution has undergone!" Wang Jin said.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning stepped forward and stood before Wang Jin.

The next moment.

Wang Jin stood up, raised his hand, and patted Jiang Ning's shoulder.

Instantly, a powerful force surged into Jiang Ning's body, causing his tendons and bones to tremble.

Wang Jin's eyes widened in surprise as he stared at Jiang Ning.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end