Chapter 166: The Contest for the Position of Squad Leader

Chapter 166: The Contest for the Position of Squad Leader

On the arena.

"Come and get your identity tokens!"

Upon hearing the examiner's words, Lu Renyao instantly realized that he wasn't hallucinating.

He had truly passed the examination.

"How is this possible? We haven't even started fighting, why is the examination over and everyone has passed?" Lu Renyao couldn't help but voice his confusion.

"Who said you have to fight to pass the examination? If ten people can't be gathered on the arena, then those on the arena automatically pass the test." The examiner glanced at him and said, "This is also part of the rules, understand?"

Sensing the examiner's gaze upon him, Lu Renyao's heart skipped a beat.

He respectfully bowed, "Understood, sir!"

"Good boy!" The examiner nodded slightly, a smile on his face.

In his heart, he secretly praised his quick thinking.

What rules?

It's all up to me, isn't it? How could I let a little brat like you mess things up for my two capable Eighth Rank Martial Artist assistants?

If I really let you fight on the arena, the rules are clear, and it would be difficult to reabsorb you into the Inspection Bureau.

The examiner in charge of the test secretly mocked in his heart.

On the other side.

"Is this even possible?" Zhou Xing was stunned by the examiner's words, his face filled with joy.

The worry in his heart suddenly vanished.

Since the examiner had already spoken, it meant that the test was concluded, and there would be no further changes.

"Jiang Ning, it seems our luck is quite good!" Zhou Xing's excitement was evident, no longer the same as before.

Months of preparation had finally paid off, and he had passed the test with flying colors.

The gap between the common people and officials was like that between two different worlds.

Even the lowest rank in the Inspection Bureau was a Ninth Rank official.

An official was an official, even if it was a Ninth Rank one.

Moreover, the Inspection Bureau held the power of life and death, a powerful institution with real authority.

Even a Ninth Rank Chief of Captains would have to bow to the might of the Inspection Bureau.

Furthermore, if he could pass this test, he would be eligible to compete for the position of Squad Leader.

Once he secured the position, he would not only hold the rank of a Ninth Rank Senior Official but also command a Ninth Rank Martial Artist Patrol Squad under his command.

Such a status would make him a true big shot, capable of elevating the Zhou family to new heights.

Thinking of all this, Zhou Xing's heart was filled with excitement, and he couldn't contain the waves of emotion within.

At the same time.

Jiang Ning heard Zhou Xing's words about his good fortune and smiled ambiguously.

"Zhou Xing, you're right!"

"You two are indeed lucky!" Lu Renyao said with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

Then he continued, "You'll see soon enough. Joining my squad is a truly wise choice. If you two have any thoughts about it, my door is always open for you to join my squad."

"Especially you!" Lu Renyao's gaze fixed on Jiang Ning as he continued, "Jiang Ning! I admire you greatly! At your age, reaching the Eighth Rank in Luoshui County is impressive! If you join my squad, we can become friends, fellow warriors, and even brothers!"

After saying this, he didn't wait for Jiang Ning's response and turned to face the examiner.

"Sir, I'm here to claim my identity token!"

"Take it!" The examiner tossed the black token he had prepared earlier, and it flew into Lu Renyao's hand.

Then he added, "Tomorrow morning, come to the Inspection Bureau to report, and you can exchange your temporary token for a formal one."

"Yes, sir!" Lu Renyao bowed respectfully.

He dared not be disrespectful to the examiner.

He wouldn't dare to treat this man as casually as he did with He Jinyun.

According to his knowledge, this man was one of the four deputy commanders of the Inspection Bureau.

Holding the rank of a Ninth Rank Senior Official, his strength was at the peak of the Seventh Rank or perhaps even the Sixth Rank.

Whether it was his official rank or his strength, Lu Renyao knew better than to be impudent.

Meanwhile.

Jiang Ning, Zhou Xing, and the others received their temporary identity tokens.

Below the arena.

Zhao Hu watched the scene on the arena, his heart filled with regret.

"Damn it!"

"Is this even possible?"

"If I had known, I would have joined them on the arena too. Without fighting, we would have gained entry into the Inspection Bureau."

"Following the plot twist, Jiang Ning wouldn't have had a chance even if he had played dirty."

The opportunity to join the Inspection Bureau, a sure thing, had slipped through his fingers, and Zhao Hu couldn't help but feel deep regret.

In the wooden shed.

The Martial Hall disciples witnessed the scene on the arena and began to discuss it animatedly.

"Jiang Ning, Zhou Xing, and Zhang Tiesheng are so lucky!"

"Indeed! Their luck is incredible! Without fighting a single battle, they've become members of the Inspection Bureau. From now on, we're not even in the same league!" One disciple's eyes shone with envy.

"That's right! In the future, we'll have to address the three of them as 'Sir'!" Another disciple nodded in agreement, his face filled with emotion.

"But on second thought, it was a close call for them! That Martial Academy student looked incredibly powerful. If he had made a move, the three of them would have been in real trouble!"

"That's for sure! The Martial Academy student is from Dongling City. Although he's also an Eighth Rank, if he fought, Jiang Ning and Zhou Xing wouldn't have stood a chance against him!"

"I agree! Just look at that pale and skinny Martial Academy student; he seemed to sweep through everything in his path."

"Yes! That pale and thin Wu Yuan student clearly suffers from malnutrition and average physical qualities! If even he is this terrifying, then the White Robe Wu Yuan disciple must be even more formidable!"

". "

As the crowd in the wooden shed discussed, Jiang Ning and the others also descended from the arena and headed towards the wooden shed where Wang Jin was.

In the wooden shed.

"Good!"

"Good!!"

"Good!!!"

Seeing the three of them back in front of him, Wang Jin's joy was evident.

He continued, "All of you have successfully crossed the Dragon Gate. From now on, when you don the official robes, your martial arts future will be limitless."

Jiang Ning clasped his hands and said, "We have you to thank for your guidance, Master."

These words came from Jiang Ning's heart.

He knew that without Wang Jin, he wouldn't be who he was today.

Seeing this, Zhou Xing also clasped his hands and bowed.

"Thank you, Master Wang, for your past guidance!"

Zhang Tiesheng also chimed in, "Thank you, Master, for your guidance!"

"You are all remarkable!" Wang Jin nodded with a face full of emotion.

Then he glanced at Zhang Tiesheng and said to Zhou Xing, "Zhou Xing, Tiesheng is your junior apprentice. I hope you will treat him well from now on."

Hearing this, Zhou Xing immediately clasped his hands and assured, "Rest assured, Master Wang! I will definitely treat Tiesheng well!"

"Then I am relieved!" Wang Jin nodded with a face full of relief.

Then he said, "All of you are my final disciples. After today, Canglang Martial Academy might close and stop accepting disciples."

"Master, why is that?" Jiang Ning asked, taken aback.

Wang Jin chuckled, "It's not a worry, it's not a bad thing, but a good thing! I want to focus on my pursuit of Inner Alchemy Vitality Technique and enhance my Five Viscera and Six Bowels skills."

With this, Wang Jin was confident in taking the next step, which was why he made the decision to stop accepting disciples.

"That's good!" Jiang Ning thought to himself.

Wang Jin's progress in strength was undoubtedly a great thing for him.

If the master's strength improved, then as a disciple, his support would become even stronger.

At that moment, Divine Vigor Martial Academy's master, Yu Yuan, was watching the scene beside him, his eyes filled with envy.

If Wang Jin's strength could take another step forward, it meant entering the Sixth Rank threshold.

This had been his long-cherished wish for many years.

For the older generation of powerful individuals like them, if it weren't for their declining physical state, their strength would regress instead of progressing. Who else would choose to open an academy and take disciples, preparing for retirement?

This Wang Jin, what good fortune he had! Not only were his disciples stronger than Yu Yuan's, but his own strength was also about to break through?

Who knows what good luck this old fellow stumbled upon, what destiny did he encounter? Yu Yuan wondered.

After a moment, the noise in the martial academy subsided.

"Brother Jiang, I'm so envious of you!" Cheng Ran, standing beside Jiang Ning, expressed his admiration.

Jiang Ning opened his mouth, unsure how to comfort him in the face of Cheng Ran's emotional exclamation.

He knew that joining the Inspection Bureau and learning martial arts had been Cheng Ran's sole goal.

The reason he later gave up martial arts and turned to business was that Cheng Ran had come to terms with reality.

Cheng Ran, unlike Wang Jin, was not blessed with reversing fate. No matter how hard he tried in martial arts, his talent, insight, and family background held him back.

It was destined that no matter how hard he tried, he would struggle to achieve greatness.

There were countless martial artists in the world.

Among them were many diligent and hardworking individuals.

But those who achieved the Ninth Rank were one in ten, even one in a hundred.

Cheng Ran, if he continued, still had a chance at the Ninth Rank.

But to take the next step was a challenge for him.

To take that step, one needed exceptional martial arts insight.

Or an extravagant amount of wealth.

Cheng Ran had neither.

It was precisely because Cheng Ran realized this that he chose to abandon the path of martial arts.

After a moment of silence, Jiang Ning patted Cheng Ran's shoulder.

"Cheng, you actually have the option to cultivate martial arts."

"The Inspection Bureau, I might have a way to get you in!"

"Really?" Upon hearing Jiang Ning's words, Cheng Ran's eyes suddenly lit up with a brilliant gleam, transforming from dim to bright.

Jiang Ning thought for a moment, recalling the words Liu Sansheng had spoken when he visited earlier. He nodded slightly once more.

"There might be a way! But I can't guarantee it!"

"No problem!" Cheng Ran's face instantly brightened with a smile, "As long as Jiang has this intention, that's great! As for whether it succeeds or not, I'm also at peace with it!"

"If it doesn't work out, with no path in martial arts, focusing on managing the family business is also a good choice!"

"As long as there's money, we can still invite Ninth Rank Martial Artists to protect the family's foundation."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning patted Cheng Ran's shoulder again, not saying anything more.

Although Liu Sansheng had previously said that once Cheng Ran obtained the Squad Leader position, he would have the ability to recommend him to the Inspection Bureau.

However, Jiang Ning didn't dare to make any guarantees about how this would be done and whether it would succeed or not.

At the same time, in the training ground, the arena competition was already in full swing.

After witnessing the example of Jiang Ning and the others, some others also tried to prevent people from going on stage, hoping to pass the examination without fighting by not being able to gather enough people.

But the man hosting the examination showed no courtesy.

He suddenly swept them off the stage.

In response to their doubts, he left a sentence.

"Follow my rules! Line up ten people on stage, engage in combat, and the final five victors will pass the examination."

As the sun rose high in the sky.

Gurgle—

Jiang Ning's stomach rumbled with hunger.

Martial artists had strong bodies, and their digestion and appetite were even more vigorous than ordinary people.

As soon as mealtime arrived, their stomachs rumbled with hunger.

At this moment, a slight commotion came from the distant wooden shed.

"This is the reason for the commotion just now?" Wang Jin spread his hands, holding a green pill that had just been distributed by the soldiers.

"Yes, Master Wang!" Zhou Xing nodded, and at this moment, he was full of vigor, looking spirited.

Zhou Xing continued, "This is the 'Fasting Pill', refined from the essence extracted from meat and combined with various medicinal herbs."

"One pill can satisfy the hunger of an ordinary Ninth Rank Martial Artist for a meal."

Jiang Ning also tossed the Fasting Pill into his mouth.

As he swallowed, the pill entered his stomach.

Soon, he felt the pill slowly dissolving in his stomach, gradually easing his hunger.

At this moment, Wang Jin also swallowed the pill.

He opened his eyes and nodded slightly.

"It's effective, the hunger gradually disappears."

"It's similar to the Fasting Pill mentioned in ancient texts."

"But the Fasting Pill described in ancient texts can satisfy hunger for three days, with an effect far surpassing the Fasting Pill."

Zhou Xing spoke up, "Master Wang is right, this pill should be a replica of the legendary Fasting Pill."

Fasting Pill? Jiang Ning was slightly surprised upon hearing these words.

At this moment,

Boom—

Boom—

Boom—

The drumbeat suddenly rang out, like thunderclaps echoing throughout the training ground.

"The Bureau Entrance Examination has officially ended!" Wang Jin suddenly stood up.

Then he looked at Jiang Ning and Zhou Xing, "Next is the Squad Leader Competition! You two are both Eighth Rank Martial Artists, and you have the qualifications to compete for the Squad Leader position in the Inspection Bureau."

"If either of you manages to obtain the Squad Leader position, you'll truly rise rapidly. As the captain, you'll have the authority to command nine Ninth Rank Martial Artists."

"This is enough to let you walk with your head held high in Luoshui County, not to mention the other benefits this position brings."

Zhou Xing clenched his fists, "Disciple understands! Master Wang, please rest assured, I will do my utmost to obtain the Squad Leader position."

"What about you, young one?" Wang Jin looked at Jiang Ning.

Jiang Ning smiled, "Master, rest assured! I will definitely get the Squad Leader position and make you proud!"

"Your disciple has quite the confidence!" Wang Jin turned to look at Jiang Ning.

"How so, do you find my disciple unpleasant?" Wang Jin scoffed.

"Master Wang, your disciple seems quite boastful."

"Don't set me up!" Wang Jin glared at Yu Yuan, "I won't fall for your tricks!"

At this moment, heavy footsteps sounded from outside the wooden shed.

"Master, disciple has fulfilled your command and successfully passed the examination, becoming a member of the Patrol Guard!"

As Zhao Hu's voice reached their ears, he charged into the wooden shed, his face filled with pride.

"Passed?" Wang Jin stood up, astonished.

"Of course, I passed!" Zhao Hu announced triumphantly.

"Good! Good!! Good!!!" Wang Jin patted Zhao Hu's shoulder, encouraging him.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end