Chapter 408: The Junior Examination, Martial Examination!

Chapter 408: The Junior Examination, Martial Examination!



At the entrance of the Imperial Examination Hall.

It was now the hour of the pig, and the night was as thick as ink, the sky pitch-black with countless stars scattered across it.

"Uncle!" Seeing Jiang Ning, Jiang Yi Ming hurriedly walked over.

"How is it?" Jiang Ning asked.

"Not bad!" Jiang Yi Ming nodded firmly, "I've filled up all the papers, and I feel I have a fifty percent chance of passing the Junior Examination!"

"That's great!" Jiang Ning nodded in approval.

Then he added, "Go back and prepare well for tomorrow's Martial Examination!"

"Yes!" Jiang Yi Ming's face instantly filled with determination.

He knew that he still had a chance in the Imperial Academy Preliminary Examination, but the Martial Examination was a different story.

The Martial Examination had almost no chance of success.

Over the years, those who passed the Martial Examination were at least seventh-grade warriors.

The top scorers were consistently sixth-grade martial artists.

And he had just entered the eighth grade a few days ago.

A difference of one grade was an insurmountable gap.

The Martial Examination wasn't about arena battles or defeating stronger opponents.

The examination had various tests, and most importantly, it included horsemanship, archery, and mounted archery.

After all, the Martial Examination was meant to select military talents.

How could a future general not excel in horsemanship and archery?

After returning home, the two enjoyed a hearty dinner prepared with care. Then, Jiang Ning continued his marrow refinement.

The next day.

At the entrance of the mansion, the scene was the same as the day before.

Liu Wanwan helped Jiang Yi Ming put on his well-fitted, tight-fitting costume.

"Not bad!" Liu Wanwan nodded, looking up at Jiang Yi Ming, who was half a head taller than her, with satisfaction, "You're getting more and more handsome, Ming'er!"

Jiang Yi Ming scratched his head awkwardly, feeling a bit embarrassed.

"Uncle, shall we go?" Jiang Yi Ming asked.

"Let's go!" Jiang Ning nodded.

On the way.

There were many pedestrians on the road, all heading towards the west of the city.

The Martial Examination was not held in the expensive eastern part of the city, nor in the west, but at the training ground outside Dongling City.

Walking on the wide road, Jiang Ning's pace was slow yet fast, constantly leaving the crowd behind.

"Uncle, slow down, wait for me!" Jiang Yi Ming's voice sounded from behind.

Hearing this, Jiang Ning stopped and waited for him.

"Uncle, you're too fast!" Jiang Yi Ming said, sweat beading on his forehead as he panted.

"Catch up! Consider it your warm-up!" Jiang Ning said.

As he spoke, he took a step forward, and his figure instantly appeared several yards away, the afterimage at his original spot slowly fading.

Seeing this, Jiang Yi Ming hurriedly sprinted to catch up.

The Great Xia Martial Examination.

It was divided into several steps.

The first step was to lift a thousand-catty stone to gain eligibility for the formal examination.

The stone had to be lifted overhead and held for three breaths to pass the test.

Only by passing this test could one qualify for the official Martial Examination.

Outside the training ground.

Three steps apart, and every five steps, a flag fluttered.

In the sweeping mountain breeze, the flags snapped loudly.

At the hour of the snake.

The ninth initial testing ground.

"Uncle, I'll go first!" Jiang Yi Ming said.

Jiang Ning nodded.

Jiang Yi Ming's number was ahead of his, so he went first to complete the first stage of qualification testing.

Only by lifting the thousand-catty stone overhead and holding it for three breaths could one truly qualify for the Martial Examination.

"What a young lad! He looks only fifteen or sixteen, and he has the courage to participate in the Martial Examination. Admirable!"

When some people saw Jiang Yi Ming enter the training ground, they immediately praised him.

"I think he's just asking for humiliation, lacking self-awareness!" someone else countered.

Then they continued, "At this age, participating in the Martial Examination is just a show-off. If the thousand-catty stone doesn't budge, I wonder if he'll regret his decision."

Jiang Yi Ming entered the training ground, paying no heed to the discussions behind him.

He glanced back at his younger uncle, seeing Jiang Ning's encouraging nod, which bolstered his confidence.

He was unafraid of the idle chatter.

"What a handsome young man! Such determination in his eyes, I like it!" a woman's voice rang out.

"Yes! I wonder which family he's from, he's so handsome!" another woman exclaimed.

Hearing these words, Jiang Yi Ming blushed with embarrassment.

"Begin!" an examiner instructed Jiang Yi Ming.

Jiang Yi Ming nodded.

He stood before the thousand-catty stone, slightly squatting to adjust his footing.

He knew that lifting the stone overhead and holding it for three breaths was no easy task.

Even though his single-arm strength had surpassed a thousand catties since entering the eighth grade, he could lift the stone with one hand.

But lifting and holding it overhead were entirely different concepts.

For an ordinary person, lifting a hundred catties with one arm was not difficult.

Even a man ignorant of farming and lazy could manage this.

However, lifting a hundred catties overhead was another matter.

Anyone who has ever attempted it knows how challenging it is.

Not to mention, one must hold it overhead for three breaths continuously.

Moreover, it's a massive stone, making it even more challenging to exert force effectively.

The requirements for strength and physical prowess are even higher.

Jiang Yiming took a deep breath, adjusting his body's pressure points.

He placed his hands on the giant stone and then slowly moved them.

He was searching for the right point to exert force, the one that suited him best.

When absolute strength is lacking, technique becomes extremely crucial.

Finding the best and most suitable force application point can reduce the difficulty of lifting the stone overhead by two points.

If an unsuitable force application point is chosen, the difficulty of lifting the stone overhead increases by two points.

After a breath.

"Lift!" Jiang Yiming shouted, his voice resonant and powerful.

The thousand-catty stone rose in response to his command.

"Excellent!!" A cheer erupted from the crowd outside the school field's fence.

At this moment, the thousand-catty stone was held high above Jiang Yiming's head, motionless.

However, his face had already turned bright red.

Lifting a thousand-catty stone above one's head is not only a test of strength but also a trial for one's physical endurance.

One breath.

Jiang Yiming's face turned red.

Two breaths.

Sweat trickled down Jiang Yiming's forehead.

Three breaths.

Jiang Yiming's arms began to tremble.

"Pass!!" The examiner declared.

Then, he handed over a wooden slip from his hand to Jiang Yiming.

"Well done, young man! Heroes indeed rise at a young age!" someone from outside the school field's fence exclaimed.

"Indeed, heroes fear not their youth!" another person sighed.

In the crowd, the person who had just mocked him moments ago had already retreated to the back quietly.

"Next, number 983!" the examiner called out again.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning stepped forward at the entrance, displaying the number he had just received.

It was indeed 983.

The number nine represented the ninth examination room for the Martial Preliminary Examination.

As for 83, it was the serial number.

The eighty-third person to enter the examination room for the stone-lifting test.

At the school field entrance.

The soldiers carefully checked and verified Jiang Ning's identity.

Only after confirmation was he allowed to proceed.

On the other side.

In the center of the school field, on the viewing platform.

Seated were Wang Junshou, Yan Duwu, and Feng Xiaowei, among other officials.

The leader among them was not any of these individuals but a Bi Jiang from Julu County.

This Bi Jiang was the chief examiner for the Dongling County Martial Preliminary Examination.

In Daxia, whether it's the martial or literary examinations, the chief examiner is never a local high-ranking official. They are always temporarily assigned officials from other regions.

This way, the potential for favoritism and its adverse effects are minimized.

These officials didn't care much about the martial examination's qualification test.

They paid no attention to the scenes unfolding in the ten examination rooms below, instead engaging in conversations, flattery, and easing the atmosphere among themselves.

The ninth examination room.

Jiang Ning stepped forward.

Once again, he submitted his identification and household registration documents for the examiner's verification.

Identity verification is a mandatory process for both literary and martial examinations.

Every year, there are cases of impersonation and cheating during the imperial examinations.

"Another young martial artist?" As Jiang Ning entered the field, exclamations of surprise arose from the crowd outside the fence.

"Yes! Just after one young man left, another young martial artist appears. He looks to be around eighteen or nineteen years old!"

"Indeed! And he's a few degrees better-looking than the previous youth, with a three to five percent resemblance. Do you think they might be from the same family?"

"It's possible!!" Someone in the crowd agreed, then continued, "Since they entered one after the other, it's highly likely they were lined up together to get their queue numbers."

"Do you think this young man will pass too, creating a situation of two outstanding talents from the same family?"

"It's possible. This person is a few years older and from the same family, so logically, his abilities should be even more remarkable!"

"Not necessarily. Who says the older one must be stronger?"

".

Amidst the crowd's discussion outside the school field, Jiang Ning's re-verification was already complete.

The ninth examiner stepped back a few paces.

"Begin!" he said.

Jiang Ning nodded.

In just a few steps, he reached the giant stone.

The next moment.

He placed his hands on the thousand-catty stone and effortlessly lifted it overhead.

Witnessing this scene.

The ninth examiner's pupils suddenly constricted.

He knew that a true contender for the top rank had arrived.

With a simple lift of his hands and feet, he had effortlessly raised the thousand-catty stone overhead.

This indicated that his abilities far exceeded the examination's requirements.

After three breaths.

"Pass!" The examiner announced.

Jiang Ning calmly lowered the stone without a hint of fatigue.

"Indeed, two outstanding talents from the same family! I wonder which family they're from!" someone in the crowd exclaimed.

"Indeed! Such a powerful display! This person will undoubtedly stand out and has a good chance of passing the preliminary examination."

Upon hearing these words, some in the crowd's expressions flickered, and a few began to inquire about Jiang Ning and Jiang Yiming.

There were already people considering how to win over this talented martial arts genius who had just gained his official title.

Every year, on the day the results of the literary and martial examinations were announced, it was a crucial moment for local families and various factions to start recruiting talents.

Because these individuals were all future luminaries.

The literary scholars, with their potential to enter officialdom, could look forward to future government positions.

As for the martial scholars, they didn't need to wait for the future; as long as they were willing, on the day the results were announced, they could immediately obtain a martial official position.

Even the lowest-ranking official position was still an official one, a status far above that of a commoner.

In the ninth examination hall, Jiang Ning received a wooden slip from the examiner and headed to the resting area, a temporary wooden shed, in the training ground.

"Uncle!" Upon seeing Jiang Ning's arrival, Jiang Yiming rushed over, excited.

"Calm down and wait patiently!" Jiang Ning patted his shoulder, calming him down and preventing him from getting too worked up.

"Yes!" Jiang Yiming nodded heavily.

The qualification examination.

Even with ten examination halls opening simultaneously, by the time they were all-encompassing, it was almost noon.

At this moment, the sun shone brightly overhead.

Jiang Ning couldn't help but feel a twinge of regret in his heart.

Noon was precisely the time when he practiced his breathing techniques, absorbing the solar essence to increase his Inner Dan Nourishing Life Skill experience.

But it was clearly inappropriate to do so in the training ground at this moment.

Just then—

Boom—Boom—Boom-Boom-Boom—

The sound of drums suddenly rang out, growing increasingly rapid and intense, transforming into a torrential downpour of raindrops.

Hearing this, everyone's hearts surged with excitement.

This was the sound of war drums, fierce and uplifting.

Upon hearing this drumbeat, Jiang Ning knew that the first round of the martial examination was about to begin.

The drums echoed like a raging storm, rapid and powerful.

The eastern gate of the training ground burst open.

"The first round of the martial examination: Nine Stars in Alignment!"

The examiner's voice boomed like thunder, startling the Qinghai steed tied at the gate, causing it to rear up and whinny.

Ten soldiers carried a bronze target into the arena, arranging it in a serpentine formation.

The holes on the target were only the size of copper coins.

Above the target, a bronze mirror swayed, reflecting the dazzling sunlight in all directions.

Seeing this, one of the examinees' expressions changed slightly.

The setup of the bronze target clearly indicated that they would have to shoot nine arrows through nine holes under the interference of the dazzling sunlight.

Soon after,

The examiner's voice thundered in everyone's ears, explaining the process of the first round.

On the high platform,

Yan, the captain, and Wang, the county governor, quickly noticed Jiang Ning's presence.

"With him here, there's no more suspense!" Wang Shouyi shook his head upon seeing Jiang Ning.

As the county governor, the recent events had made him well aware of Jiang Ning's capabilities.

Jiang Ning had already entered the ranks of the fourth grade.

Not to mention participating in a minor junior martial examination.

Even if he were to take the imperial examination, he would have the qualifications to compete for the top three spots.

The captain, Yan, also took a few deep glances at Jiang Ning.

Jiang Ning—how could he not recognize him?

He shook his head.

It was time to find an opportunity to mend their relationship!

He thought about the recent events, a silent vow forming in his heart.

On the other side,

In the training ground,

The examiner quickly finished the introduction, and Jiang Ning also learned the rules of the first round.

It was a test of horsemanship and archery.

Riding a horse at full speed for thirty-three zhang.

During this, they needed to shoot nine arrows, each piercing the center of the bronze target, earning full marks if they passed through.

The constantly swaying bronze mirror on the target would create various unexpected disturbances.

"Uncle, this seems difficult!" Jiang Yiming spoke up.

"Just do your best!" Jiang Ning patted his shoulder encouragingly.

Jiang Yiming didn't hold much hope for passing the junior martial examination and obtaining an official title.

Because Jiang Yiming was currently quite far behind.

Not only was there a gap in strength, but also in horsemanship and archery.

If he had another year or two to improve, it would be a different story.

But Jiang Ning was different.

He was far ahead in strength, and his archery skills were exceptional.

As for horsemanship, although he hadn't practiced it, with his other strengths, it wasn't a significant concern.

The sun hung high in the sky.

It was Jiang Yiming's turn to enter the arena.

He rode the horse provided by the training ground, galloping forward.

Boom—

Boom—

Boom—

A total of nine arrows were fired in rapid succession.

The short distance didn't give him enough time to aim properly.

As the nine arrows were released, the horse beneath him came to a stop.

"Nine hits, two out of nine, grade C!"

This evaluation sealed Jiang Yiming's fate in the junior martial examination.

To obtain the title of a martial scholar, one needed a comprehensive first-grade score.

The martial examination was divided into outdoor and indoor examinations.

The outdoor examination consisted of three parts: mounted archery, field archery, and weightlifting.

The indoor examination tested military strategy and tactics through a written exam.

A grade C in any one of these parts meant the end of the junior examination.

No matter how well they performed in the other parts, it was impossible to achieve a comprehensive first-grade score.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end