Chapter 171: The Competition for the Deputy Leader

Chapter 171: The Competition for the Deputy Leader

In the training ground, all eyes were on Jiang Ning, a student from the Martial Academy. Lin Jiaye, standing nearby, instantly regretted her decision.

With Jiang Ning's formidable strength, he was undoubtedly going to secure the position of the Captain.

The Captain of the Inspection Office was an official of the ninth rank, a prestigious position.

Although there was only a slight difference between the Inspection Office and the Inspection Guard, the gap in power between them was as vast as the sky.

The Inspection Guard, a ninth-rank position, was merely the lower-level staff of the Inspection Office, tasked with the most menial and exhausting duties.

In contrast, the Captain of the ninth rank held the authority to command nine Inspection Guards of the same rank.

This was a genuine ninth-rank military official with real power.

From this day forward, Jiang Ning was no longer an ordinary commoner but a ninth-rank military official with substantial authority.

The status that came with this power could rival most eighth-rank officials.

Even in the provincial capital of Dongling County, an eighth-rank official was considered to hold a significant position.

After all, the county magistrate of the provincial capital was only a sixth-rank official.

Thinking of this, Lin Jiaye's regret deepened.

Such a young martial artist, on par with an eighth-rank official, had a promising future ahead.

He was undoubtedly a perfect match in her eyes, a potential-filled partner.

But she also knew that it was too late for her!

After that day's rejection, it was over!

On the other side, the pale and emaciated He Jin Yun looked at Jiang Ning on the arena, his expression slightly dazed.

"Is it that exaggerated?"

"It's a bit exaggerated!" Qin Xuan, clad in a black robe with golden trim, nodded slightly and then said, "I know the strength of Lu Renyao. This punch, going head-to-head with Lu Renyao, is something I couldn't do."

Then Qin Xuan glanced at He Jin Yun, "Not just me, but any normal martial artist who has reached the peak of the eighth rank in the Martial Academy wouldn't be able to do this! This punch is not something a normal person could execute."

He Jin Yun spoke, "Why are you looking at me?"

Qin Xuan replied, "I feel that this young man is like you, born with divine strength!"

Upon hearing these words, He Jin Yun shook his head, "I may have divine strength, but even if I faced Lu Renyao bare-handed, I wouldn't be able to achieve the kind of overwhelming dominance this young man has shown."

"In my opinion, you're all underestimating this young man!"

"It's not just his strength that's overwhelming, but his martial arts prowess as well. He has surpassed Lu Renyao in both. He must have mastered an excellent mid-rank martial art, which explains his explosive power!"

Qin Xuan's eyes narrowed upon hearing He Jin Yun's words.

"A mid-rank martial art?"

"Yes!" He Jin Yun nodded, "This is my judgment!"

"If that's the case, he'll be a formidable opponent for Brother He Jin Yun!" Qin Xuan said.

"He's a formidable opponent, but that's what makes it interesting, isn't it?" He Jin Yun stuck out his tongue, licking the corner of his mouth, his face filled with excitement.

On the other side of the arena, after Lu Renyao's defeat, no one dared to challenge Jiang Ning.

After an incense stick's worth of time, the proctor said, "Take it!" and handed over a silver identity token to Jiang Ning.

Then he asked, "Will you join my command from now on?"

Jiang Ning accepted the token with a smile.

"Thank you for your trust, but I still want to compete for the position of Deputy Leader!"

"You have ambition!" praised the proctor.

As Jiang Ning jumped down from the arena, the crowd parted to let him through, their eyes filled with admiration.

Defeating an elite student from the Martial Academy with a single punch had given them a sense of pride for their county.

Before this, the three Martial Academy students had intimidated the crowd, easily securing the Captain's position.

Everyone had assumed that with the strength of the Martial Academy students, even the Captain's position would be taken by them, leaving everyone feeling disheartened.

It was common knowledge that when a local held power, they would at least consider the feelings of their fellow townsfolk.

But outsiders like the Martial Academy students had no such local connections.

So, when Jiang Ning won the Captain's position, instead of jealousy, they felt delighted.

Some were even thrilled beyond measure.

If there was one, there would be a second.

If Jiang Ning could win the Captain's position, it meant that the Martial Academy students from Dongling City were not invincible. They, too, had a chance at the Captain's position.

Below the arena, Jiang Ning smiled at Wang Jin.

"I won't let you down!"

"Good!" Wang Jin nodded vigorously and then looked at Jiang Ning with a beaming smile.

He turned to Yu Yuan, standing beside him, and said, "Yu Yuan, what do you think of my disciple?"

Upon hearing Wang Jin's words, Yu Yuan gave him a slightly sour look.

"You're just lucky to have stumbled upon such a heaven-defying martial genius!"

As the owner of a martial arts academy, Yu Yuan could clearly see the immense potential hidden within Jiang Ning.

After three months of martial arts training, he had reached this point.

He couldn't dare to predict nor even imagine how far he would go in the future.

But Yu Yuan knew that in Luo Shui County, a disciple like Jiang Ning was a once-in-a-century genius that was hard to come by.

Having such a disciple was the dream of countless masters.

Including himself, he felt the same way!!

"Hehe—" Upon hearing Yu Yuan's words, Wang Jin couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Yu Yuan's envious and jealous gaze made him feel extremely flattered.

Why open a martial arts academy, teach martial arts widely, and accept disciples? It's mainly to ensure a successor and to experience the sense of accomplishment in cultivating disciples.

Now, as the first person from Luo Shui County to win the Captain position, Jiang Ning had brought great honor to Wang Jin, naturally making him feel a deep sense of accomplishment.

Recalling his previous decisions, Wang Jin felt even more that he had been extremely wise.

"Congratulations, Jiang Shidi!" Zhou Xing came before Jiang Ning at this moment, offering his congratulations.

"Congratulations, Jiang Shidi!!" Li Qing looked at Jiang Ning with a smile, and for a moment, her eyes seemed to sparkle like stars.

Jiang Ning then engaged in a round of greetings.

Time passed quietly.

Even with Jiang Ning present, Zhou Xing still didn't dare to step onto the stage.

Zhou Xing was well aware that he was not only no match for Jiang Ning but also couldn't compare to the two defeated by Jiang Ning.

He had no confidence in defeating Xie Xiaojiu, the ninth young miss of the Xie family, or the elite student from the Martial Arts Academy who had just performed.

In this situation, Zhou Xing could only wait patiently.

Normally, the later it got, the weaker the contestants would be.

Because true experts wouldn't bother waiting.

Just like the first to appear, He Jinyun, and the few who followed.

As each defender of the arena took the stage.

The crowd still realized that it was extremely difficult to hold the arena against the Martial Arts Academy students.

Even with a strong physique, they were no match for the elite eighth-rank students from the academy.

Because the Martial Arts Academy students' martial arts proficiency was too high.

On average, each student had mastered several lower-rank martial arts to perfection, and some even possessed mid-rank martial arts.

With equal physiques, they would still be at a disadvantage and eventually lose.

After a long wait, an entire hour had passed.

Only then did Zhou Xing step onto the stage.

But as soon as he managed to hold off an attacking student from the academy, he was easily knocked out of the arena by the next challenger.

"It's indeed not that simple! I'm far inferior to Jiang Ning Shidi!" Zhou Xing stood before Jiang Ning and spoke.

Seeing Zhou Xing's dejected expression, Jiang Ning was about to say something.

Zhou Xing's spirits lifted for a moment, then he said, "It's fine! Jiang Ning Shidi, there's no need for consolation. This was already within my expectations!"

Then he turned to look at Wang Jin.

"Disciple Zhou Xing has failed to bring honor to the master!"

Wang Jin stepped forward and patted Zhou Xing on the shoulder.

"You've already done very well! Joining the Inspection Office, you've not let your father's nurturing go to waste!"

Hearing this, Zhou Xing smiled at Wang Jin.

The smile was a bit forced.

Then Zhou Xing quickly adjusted his mindset.

He turned to Jiang Ning, "Jiang Shidi, I wonder if I can work under you after joining the Inspection Office?"

"You're most welcome!" Jiang Ning replied.

"Then from now on, I'll rely on Jiang Shidi's care!" Zhou Xing bowed to Jiang Ning and immediately paid his respects.

"There's no need for that!" Jiang Ning hurriedly helped Zhou Xing up.

Regarding Zhou Xing, Jiang Ning knew he was a deep thinker. Previously, when Cheng Ran invited Zhou Xing to invest in him, Zhou Xing had refused.

But Jiang Ning didn't dislike Zhou Xing.

Because, after all, Zhou Xing had been quite helpful to him.

On his first day at the martial arts academy, Zhou Xing had given him a wild ginseng.

This was indeed a gesture to win over people's hearts, but it was also undeniably a great help to Jiang Ning.

The batch of wild ginseng he later bought from Zhou Xing was practically given to him at half price.

All these gestures made it hard for Jiang Ning to dislike Zhou Xing.

Moreover, Zhou Xing, an eighth-rank martial artist, was indeed a capable talent.

Jiang Ning, upon joining the Inspection Office, couldn't possibly handle everything personally.

After all, improving his martial arts was his top priority.

The Inspection Office was always a haven in Jiang Ning's eyes, a place where he could grow and find protection.

Naturally, he didn't want to deal with miscellaneous matters.

In this situation, he needed someone capable of handling tasks.

Zhou Xing was an excellent choice.

After all, he possessed the strength of an eighth-rank martial artist.

At this moment, Zhou Xing looked at Jiang Ning, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

According to the original plan, he wanted to recruit Jiang Ning under his command.

But now, the situation was completely reversed.

However, Zhou Xing didn't regret this decision at all. It was a well-thought-out choice he made after careful consideration.

When he stepped onto the arena, he had already made up his mind.

As long as he lost the competition for the Captain position, he would immediately seek Jiang Ning's patronage.

Because of what had just happened, Zhou Xing now knew that Jiang Ning was a once-in-a-century Heavenly Pride from Luo Shui County.

With such a person, one could either be an ally or an enemy.

If one could seek his support, one shouldn't be too proud.

After realizing his position, Zhou Xing naturally made his decision early on.

But at this moment, he couldn't help but feel a deep regret.

Thinking about the missed opportunity to invest in Jiang Ning, Zhou Xing couldn't help but feel immense regret.

If he had shown more respect and generosity, his relationship with Jiang Ning would have been more than just fellow disciples; they could have been close friends.

The difference between the two relationships was stark.

Now, with Jiang Ning's success, the benefits he could bring were also vastly different.

"What a pity!" Zhou Xing sighed inwardly as he recalled the scene from that day.

After Zhou Xing was defeated and knocked off the arena, many local martial artists from Luo Shui County stepped up to challenge the arena champions or defend their titles.

However, there were hardly any successful challengers.

It wasn't until the battles for the Squad Leader positions were over that three martial artists from Luo Shui County, including Jiang Ning, successfully claimed the Squad Leader positions.

One of them was Liu Zhao Nan from the Liu Family, and the other was a woman named Ruan Hong Mei, the second daughter of the owner of Fu Yuan Escort Agency.

Her whip technique was like a dancing dragon, shocking everyone present.

Ruan Hong Mei, as the second daughter of the Fu Yuan Escort Agency's owner, had not made a name for herself in Luo Shui County before this.

Even Jiang Ning's reputation paled in comparison.

But now, she had surpassed everyone and claimed the Squad Leader position.

No one could have predicted this outcome.

As the dust settled, all fifteen captains stepped onto the stage again.

Among them, two were Martial Dao Seventh Pin.

Being a Martial Dao Seventh Pin automatically granted them the Squad Leader position.

"Not bad, all of you!" The examiner scanned the fifteen captains before nodding in approval.

"Hurry up and announce the next round for the Deputy Leader position!" He Jin Yun said lazily.

Seeing this, the examiner smiled slightly, showing no displeasure.

He couldn't help it; He Jin Yun was a well-known young marquis from Dong Ling City.

A young marquis of the Fourth Pin, how could a mere Eighth Pin official like him afford to offend him?

Even if He Jin Yun was being disrespectful at this moment, he could only respond with a smile.

The next moment, his expression became more spirited.

"Now that the Inspection Office is initially established, there are still four Deputy Leader positions vacant. I believe you all know this!"

The examiner looked at the crowd and continued, "The four Deputy Leader positions will be contested among you, and the winners will be chosen from among you."

"As for the rules of the Deputy Leader contest, it's very simple!"

"Go up to the arena, one-on-one. Whoever defeats any one of the Squad Leaders will advance to the next round!"

"The four ultimate winners will obtain the Deputy Leader position."

At this point, the examiner added, "Let me remind you again that the Deputy Leader position is an Eighth Pin official position. If you miss this opportunity today, it will be as difficult as reaching the heavens to obtain an Eighth Pin official position in the future!"

After the announcement, the examiner walked to a corner of the arena.

"Alright! You can begin!"

In the arena, He Jin Yun scanned the crowd, and his face immediately showed excitement.

"I'll go first. Who's up for a challenge?"

In an instant, the crowd stepped aside, leaving the arena.

Not a single person stepped forward to face He Jin Yun.

Jiang Ning also chose to do the same.

Being the first to challenge He Jin Yun was like shooting the first bird with a pellet; he knew he wasn't as well-connected as He Jin Yun.

There was no need to be the first to step forward at this moment.

Even if he was confident of defeating He Jin Yun, there was still no need to do so.

Defeating He Jin Yun would only grant him qualification to advance to the next round.

By cutting off the young marquis's advancement, he would offend this young marquis from Dong Ling City.

Just the three words "young marquis" were enough for Jiang Ning to choose not to offend him for now.

Provoking such a well-connected young marquis would bring far more harm than good, and he wouldn't do it.

Moreover, there was no need to compete with He Jin Yun.

Because there were a total of four Deputy Leader positions.

After understanding the martial abilities of the crowd, Jiang Ning was very confident.

Among the fifteen captains, only two were Martial Dao Seventh Pin, while the remaining thirteen were Martial Dao Eighth Pin.

In Jiang Ning's eyes, among the twelve Martial Dao Eighth Pin excluding himself, He Jin Yun was probably the strongest.

He Jin Yun was naturally invincible among the Eighth Pin due to his innate Divine Strength.

Not to mention He Jin Yun's identity as a young marquis.

With such an identity, he naturally had abundant martial resources and teachers, so how could he be weak?

Therefore, even if he didn't compete with He Jin Yun and lost to the two Martial Dao Seventh Pin, it would only result in those three occupying three of the Deputy Leader positions.

But there were a total of four Deputy Leader positions!

There was still one position left for him to claim, so how could he not succeed?

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end