Chapter 74 - Sky Martial Assessment

The day of the assessment.

An hour was left for it to start and I was nowhere to be seen around the First Sky Martial House. I was actually outside of the city, practicing the Star Pagoda. Yang Energy was abundant at the day. At night, the stars would help me cultivate.

I had broken through to Viscera Purifying just yesterday and was consolidating my foundation. Getting familiar with my newfound energy in layman's terms. I was before a large boulder, punching it with my full force.

My skin was tough and I felt no pain on my fists. Instead, the boulder was cracking up. My whole body was energetic and I could feel this raw power any normal human wouldn't have.

I felt like I could carry a whole truck or bring down a helicopter with such strength. However, these were just delusions one would have after recently breaking through to a new stage.

Sweat streamed down my body even though the day was anything but hot. Spring was the favorite season of many, including me. The weather today was just meant for practicing.

Alas, not much time remained. I looked at the sun above. It had slightly changed positions. About forty minutes should've passed already. I ought to go now. I gave the boulder another punch and the sound of its destruction thundered through the forest.

I picked up my pouch from the ground which contained herbal pastes and headed back to the city.

Xuahour seemed to be in a festive mood today. The parents were hoping their sons and daughters could pass the assessment test held by the Martial Houses.

When I reached the gates of First Sky Martial House, I saw a long line stretching until at least a kilometer away. There were too many practitioners trying to get into this prestigious house. Once they entered as a trainee, they would get the guidance of Meridian Opening Instructors, along with various cultivation resources.

The latter benefit was the reason I wanted to join. There was free stuff and I had to try to get it. Entering this place successfully, I would also get to know some young masters and misses. Making connections with them would be beneficial for me in this city.

I had finally found out which were the ruling clans of Rong Sat. There were three of them; Fu clan, Hidden Dragon clan, and Wang clan. Yes, there was an actual Wang clan and they seemed to be the most high key.

Other than these three powers, there were also many families with at least one Qi gathering cultivator among them. I had heard some things about the City Protector as well. He was apparently an Essence Aggregation cultivator and could be compared to the clan leaders in terms of individual might. I had heard rumors that his two grandsons were also participating in this assessment. I could tell the competition would be tough.

Above this City Protector and even the clans, there were other powers which were often talked of. Sects, they were the most mysterious and their bases were not in any cities.

It was said the sects remained hidden in the wild and had extremely talented disciples. These were like legends, but people still talked about sects reverently. Of course, they existed and most of the things said about these sects were true.

However, no one could verify their existence unless a sect member left and openly showed evidence, which mostly never happened.

''You're late, they have already started the assessment,'' Ling'er said. She was ahead in the line.

''Meh, there are so many of them. I'll just stay in that pavilion until the line shortens.'' I shook my head and left the line. You couldn't reserve a place in this line, otherwise I'd have just stood ahead of Lingling.

Chunu was with Ling'er but I didn't see Feng Yi anywhere… oh, she was in third place, of the first group that was to be assessed.

The practitioners were with their parents mostly. Those who were more than 20 years old were alone or with their friends instead. The innkeeper's son, Cao Zong, was also late and seeing me he asked why I was leaving. He was at rank 7, easily a genius in Pinchu town but only an average practitioner here.

I was at Viscera Purifying now and was considered a strong competitor by the practitioners who had lined up. I didn't talk much with Cao Zong. His father was stunned seeing my growth and his mother asked him where he had found such a genius friend.

The boy didn't get to answer as two horses suddenly neighed from behind, pulling a green coloured carriage. The coachman was a Body Tempering 8th rank practitioner. His expression didn't change as he directed the horses right through the busy line, disrupting it in the process.

'Just your typical young master, why are these people even reacting so much?' I thought. That entry was very haughty though, troubling others unnecessarily.

Then again, this only helped me. I found a chance and slipped in. Not everyone knew who they were behind and ahead of. Around 30th position, I was willing to wait if I was this ahead of everyone else.

A few other carriages also came but they went through the designated way instead of cutting the line. One simple looking carriage, however, followed the first young master's trail. I quietly went ahead once again, this time reaching the fourteenth position.

Someone found out I was skipping the line this time, but what could that girl do against my fierce glare? She was a poor rank 6 practitioner and I was the big bad Viscera Purifying bully, no one dared speak out.

''Next five!'' called a person sitting behind a red desk. He had a quill pen on his hand and although looked bony at a glance, he was actually at Viscera Purifying rank 5.

''You,'' he pointed at me, ''You don't have to go through the first assessment. Write your name here and go ahead.''

Others looked at me in envy but I just shrugged. I was pretty high leveled for these fellas anyway. The first assessment was a group fight of elimination. They wouldn't have stood a chance against me. Well, if those two rank 9 boys teamed up then maybe but meh, whatever.

I wrote Zuifan on the scroll and the examiner noticed my eastern sounding name. He didn't ask anything about it, though. They did not care where a practitioner came from but his/her martial prowess instead.

Along with me, one rank 7 and two rank 8 practitioners also passed the first assessment. Some luck involved as well. There were not any good fighters in the rank 7 practitioner's group who had just passed.

However, the next assessment would filter even the lucky ones. We had to duel with the actual trainees of First Sky Martial House and withstand ten full blown attacks to pass. Of course, we could block or retaliate in any way but the trainees were tough, to say the least.

''Interesting…'' I mumbled seeing the bulky bald man in front of me.. He was my opponent for the second assessment.