Chapter 122: Chapter 122: The First Gate of the Assessment
Chu Qingyun met Zhao Hanfeng’s provocation with a cold sneer. "Right back at you. Just pray I don’t cross paths with you, or you’re all dead!"
Previously, Chu Qingyun might have been wary of the so-called Zhao’s Three Heroes.
But now that the puppet in his possession was fully repaired, he was essentially carrying around a combatant comparable to a ninth-level Martial Master. He wasn’t afraid of them in the slightest.
Soon, all the candidates for the assessment had arrived. To Chu Qingyun’s surprise, there were far more people than he had anticipated—a total of 534!
Over five hundred Great Xia Samurai!
This came as a small surprise to Chu Qingyun. He had earned his own Great Xia Samurai token through battle after battle, so he knew exactly how difficult it was.
However, upon further reflection, it made sense to him.
Lianshan County governed thirty-six cities. Even if each city only produced a single Great Xia Samurai every few years, the numbers would add up over time. After all, the candidates ranged from young men to many who were already middle-aged.
The first test in the assessment was one of attack strength.
In the center of the plaza stood a stone monument over three meters tall. According to the explaining Great Xia Dragon Guard, it was a specialized tool used by their order to measure attack strength.
Upon closer inspection, one could faintly make out a nearly invisible, transparent film covering the monument’s surface.
The monument could absorb and measure the power of an attack. A strike equivalent to a first-level Martial Master would cause one line to light up, while a strike equivalent to a ninth-level Martial Master would light up nine.
The requirement to pass this first test was to display an attack strength equivalent to a seventh-level Martial Master.
In other words, candidates could use any of their personal abilities, including Soul Secret Techniques and other powers. As long as they could make seven lines light up on the monument, they would pass.
Of course, the use of external aids like puppets and potions was forbidden.
Under the watchful eyes of so many powerful Great Xia Dragon Guards, including many Captain-Level experts, cheating was an all-but-impossible feat.
The purpose of this test was, naturally, to weed out the lower-level Martial Masters who had earned the Great Xia Samurai title while still in the Martial Artist Realm but lacked true strength.
The Great Xia Dragon Guard didn’t just want geniuses; they wanted individuals who already possessed a certain degree of power. Otherwise, there was no point in recruiting a large batch of second or third-level Martial Masters.
Once the rules were explained, the candidates began to be called up in a randomized order to strike the monument.
The first to be called was a fourth-level Martial Master.
Standing before the monument, the fourth-level Martial Master wore a grim expression, as if facing a formidable foe. He immediately activated his Soul Technique and, with all his might, smashed his fist into the stone.
BAM!
With a dull thud, ripples spread across the monument’s surface as it absorbed the entirety of the blow’s power.
Starting from the base, three bright white lines lit up in quick succession, with almost no pause between them.
The fourth line, however, only appeared after a moment’s delay.
Then, after a couple of breaths, a fifth line slowly materialized.
Clearly, however, this was his limit. After a few more breaths, the ripples on the monument subsided, and its surface grew calm again.
His final score: five lines, an attack equivalent to a fifth-level Martial Master.
For an ordinary Martial Artist, this would have been considered a rather impressive result.
But for a Great Xia Samurai, it was merely mediocre—bordering on subpar.
"Five lines. Unqualified. Eliminated!"
The Great Xia Dragon Guard announcing the names barked coldly, striking the man’s name from the list.
"Wait, wait! I have another move! Let me try one more time!" the candidate yelled, clearly unwilling to accept his failure.
"Silence! Drag him away!"
However, the Great Xia Dragon Guard gave him no such chance.
A nearby captain barked with a frown, and two guards immediately rushed forward. They seized the candidate and dragged him out of the City Lord’s Mansion, tossing him outside and revoking his privilege to even observe.
"Each person gets one strike. So, if you’re not strong enough, don’t even think about holding anything back. If you can’t pass, holding back a hundred tricks is pointless!"
"Next, Lin Gang!"
The Great Xia Dragon Guard who announced the names added this reminder before calling the next person and continuing the assessment.
Since each person only had one attempt, the assessment proceeded quickly.
None who had earned the title of Great Xia Samurai were weak. Even the least among them could unleash an attack one level beyond their own realm.
The most stunning performance came from a seventh-level Martial Master who not only produced nine lines but also struck the monument so hard that the ripples on its surface vibrated violently, almost shattering the barrier.
Chu Qingyun even overheard the astonished cries of the few Captain-Level Great Xia Dragon Guards watching from the sidelines. They said the man had been just one step away from shattering the monument’s protective film.
"Wen Yanlie!"
When that name was called, a tall, resolute-looking man walked up to the monument.
"Wen Yanlie is a ninth-level Martial Master. He’ll definitely pass the first test."
"No kidding. There are only two ninth-level Martial Masters in this whole assessment. It’d be weirder if he *didn’t* pass!"
"Heh, you guys don’t get it. The ninth-level Martial Masters aren’t just trying to pass. They’re definitely aiming for one of the spots that lets you become a captain directly. Let your big bro here let you in on a little secret..."
"You call *that* a secret? Let me tell you something..."
From the surrounding candidates’ discussion, Chu Qingyun learned many things he hadn’t known before, such as the fact there were two ninth-level Martial Masters present and five spots available for direct promotion to captain.
Once on the platform, Wen Yanlie took a deep breath. Primordial Power pulsed around his fist as he smashed it viciously into the monument.
The terrifying Fist Power and Primordial Power erupted from a single point, but the force was absorbed and dispersed by the monument’s protective film.
Fierce ripples spread across the protective film, and the entire barrier trembled violently. In some places, small cracks even began to tear open.
From bottom to top, nine lines lit up in a single, fluid motion, without the slightest pause.
But the protective film slowly recovered, the cracks gradually mending themselves. After about two or three minutes, it returned to its calm state.
"A ninth-level Martial Master, and he couldn’t even break the protective film?"
"That level of attack power is too weak for a Great Xia Samurai. Is he hiding his true strength?"
"If he only has this much attack power and his performance remains mediocre in the next tests, we’ll have to investigate how he obtained his Great Xia Samurai token..."
The few Great Xia Dragon Guard captains who were observing all frowned and shook their heads.
An exceptionally talented seventh-level Martial Master had been able to make the protective film vibrate violently. By the Great Xia Dragon Guard’s standards, a ninth-level Martial Master should have been able to shatter it with ease.
Down below, however, Chu Qingyun noticed a particular detail.
While everyone else was disappointed, Wen Yanlie showed no sign of dejection. Instead, his gaze held a look of confidence and resolve.
