The First Sage of Military Strategists

Chapter 66 The Assessment (Part 1)

Han Qing remained calm. He was now a prominent figure in Baiyun County, and all the major martial arts factions knew that there was such a person in the government office, so it was normal for him to attract attention.

Han Qing is not a show-off; he has always preferred to keep a low profile, but unfortunately, his abilities do not allow it.

"Han Qing, I knew you'd come." Li Tai's rough voice drifted from afar. Mu Dachun stood to the side, tall and very eye-catching.

"Brother Li, are you here to take the assessment too?" Han Qing asked with a smile.

“That’s right, but I’m a bit too old for the Level B assessment, unlike you and Da Chun, who can take Level A,” Li Tai said.

"How old is Da Chun?" Han Qing asked.

"Eighteen years old," Li Tai replied.

Everyone around was shocked. Mu Dachun was so tall that it was hard to imagine that he was actually an eighteen-year-old boy.

"I'm just here to try my luck. Han Qing, you're better than me. My master told me that you're the most promising candidate in the whole county for this assessment," Mu Dachun said with a smile.

"Da Chun, these are all secondary. Just give it your all during the assessment," Han Qing said with a smile.

"You're right." Li Tai nodded slightly.

“Actually, I didn’t want to participate, but my master forced me to go. I don’t want to leave Baiyun County to become some kind of first-class bodyguard,” Mu Dachun added.

Han Qing nodded slightly. Indeed, not everyone wants to go to new places and experience new challenges.

However, he heard Yang Wu say that every time the personal guards were tested, all those who met the requirements from various forces would participate. Even if you didn't want to go, you would be forced to, because once you succeeded, the recommender would be rewarded and the reputation of the force would be greatly enhanced.

"Give it a try, Da Chun. Staying cooped up in this small place, you'll only reach the fourth or fifth realm at most," Li Tai said.

Han Qing nodded. It was indeed the end. He had already perfected his Jade Void Skill and wanted to find a fourth-level cultivation method from the government treasury. However, there were only a few books available. Although he could practice them, they were not the best choice.

According to Yang Wu, only a few people in Baiyun County can reach the fourth or fifth realm. Very few can progress as quickly as Han Qing. Most people need several years or even more than ten years to take a single step on the path of martial arts.

Therefore, the treasury did not keep many methods of the fourth and fifth realms.

However, there is a way to achieve this. Han Qing needs to make a contribution and apply to the county government to retrieve martial arts manuals from its treasury. But this process will take at least half a month.

Therefore, he is currently only at the third level of the Body Dao Realm, and the fourth level of martial arts has not yet been recorded.

To become stronger and broaden one's horizons, one must leave Baiyun County.

Mu Dachun nodded. He understood this principle, but unfortunately, not everyone has lofty ambitions. He himself had no great aspirations; he was content as long as he had food and water.

...

While the three were chatting, Cao Yongliang and Cheng Xiu stood by the window in a pavilion on the north side of the courtyard, observing the large group of people in the courtyard.

"This portrait almost certainly confirms that the perpetrator was Han Qing. I never expected this kid to be so audacious as to attack Luo Sheng and actually kill him. This kid has a big secret, and I'm afraid his true combat strength is even more terrifying than it appears on the surface." Cheng Xiu said with a sullen face, holding a painting in his hand. The painting depicted a young man, whose face was blurry, but whose physical features did indeed resemble Han Qing's.

This was drawn by a painter from the county town, based on clues from the battlefield. It is a special ability of the painter and is most suitable for tracking down murderers.

However, those who cultivate their spirit are very rare, and those who cultivate their spirit through minor paths like painting are even rarer. Therefore, government offices generally cannot invite them or even come across them.

"This young man harbors a great secret, and he is decisive and courageous beyond measure. It's fortunate that I didn't provoke him, otherwise I would be restless and unable to eat or sleep," Cao Yongliang sighed.

"You mean you're not going to get involved in Luo Sheng's matter?" Cheng Xiu asked.

"Manage it! How could I not manage it? If Han Qing becomes a bodyguard, Yang Wu will benefit from it, and I'm afraid I'll be in trouble. I have to stop him. I didn't have a way before, but now I do. With this painting, if he passes the test later, I'll stand up and expose him, take him to jail, interrogate him personally, and expose all his secrets." Cao Yongliang sneered.

"If we actually pass the assessment and then jump ship, will we run into trouble?" Cheng Xiu frowned.

"What trouble is there? Killing a government official is a crime punishable by the confiscation of property and the extermination of the entire clan! Moreover, the person in charge of this assessment is General Qi Yan. Yang Wu can't protect him even if he wants to. There are precedents. Some people passed the personal guard assessment, but were found to have colluded with the Yin-Yang Sect. Not only were their assessment results invalidated, but they also lost their lives."

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. General Qi wouldn't want his personal guards to be rotten to the core," Cao Yongliang said with a smile.

"Alright, I'll do as you say!" Cheng Xiu said without further hesitation.

"This time, we'll stop Han Qing and trip up Yang Wu at the same time. That way, Qi Chong will lose an arm. Does he want to change the political landscape of Baiyun County? Hmph, how could I let him have his way?" Cao Yongliang sneered.

He and the Luo family have many shady dealings going on in secret. If Qi Chong were to investigate thoroughly, he would not only lose his position as county magistrate, but he might also lose his life.

Therefore, he could not let Qi Chong succeed, no matter what.

"General Qi has arrived!"

Suddenly, a loud shout came from outside the military camp gate, and then a group of people appeared at the gate.

The person in the lead instantly attracted everyone's attention; his burly figure paired with a delicate female face created an extremely incongruous feeling.

She dismounted, carrying a heavy spiked club on her shoulder, exuding a fierce aura that instilled fear in the many young men present.

Qi Yan led his soldiers forward with great strides, and the group of teenagers dispersed to make way for him.

"Hmm?" Qi Yan paused, her expression changing. She reached into her robes and gently touched a jade pendant that was faintly warm to the touch.

A hint of joy flickered in her heart. Her gaze swept over the group of boys, but she continued walking forward without making a sound.

At the same moment, Han Qing also showed a strange expression. His jade pendant, which was placed in a palm-sized sachet and kept close to his heart, was also slightly warm.

"What's going on?" Han Qing frowned. He had never encountered such a situation before.

But after a while, the jade pendant returned to normal, and Han Qing looked thoughtful.

"Could it be related to that female general?"

He noticed that the jade pendant had been heating up when the female general passed by him, but it returned to normal after she had moved away.

Of course, this is just his guess, and it could also be a coincidence.

Qi Yan strode towards the pavilion. Before he even entered, a large group of people rushed out, including the magistrates of the thirteen counties, the headmen of the yamen, and the leaders of various forces. Anyone who could come here to meet Qi Yan had to be someone with both power and status in the county.

"Greetings, General Qi!"

Wow!
A large group of people knelt down in front of Qi Yan, and Qi Yan waved his hand.

"Get up, everyone! I'm here. Let's begin the assessment. I'm a rough man and don't like too many rules. Efficiency is key!" Qi Yan shouted.

"Yes!" Qi Chong replied. "The assessment will begin in fifteen minutes!"

"The assessment is about to begin, please get ready!" Yang Wu shouted, repeating Qi Chong's words.

(End of this chapter)