I bear witness to immortality in the human world.

Chapter 84 Reactions from all parties
The Department of Cautious Punishment.

A courtyard.

A man dressed in simple cloth was lightly wielding a spear made of refined black iron. This heavy spear, weighing nearly a hundred pounds, was handled with ease in his hands, and his movements were smooth and unhurried.

"Wu Ming..."

"At twenty, he has mastered both skills and techniques; he does have some talent."

Ning Bufan swung his spear, the hundred-pound weapon deftly piercing a fallen leaf, his eyes remaining calm.

As one of the most outstanding young talents in the Shenxing Division, he didn't care much about anything other than martial arts. The only thing that surprised him was that Wu Ming could master the spear technique to the Unity Realm at the age of twenty, but that was all.

Wu Ming has high talent in skills, but his blood condensation level is weak. If he has the opportunity to reach the third level of blood condensation in the future, he may become a qualified 'sharpening stone' for him to hone his spear skills. Right now, he is still far from that level.

Swish.

Ning Bufan put away his spear, slung it over his shoulder, and walked outside.

There was really nothing interesting in this city. He had only stayed for a few days when he felt bored. He wanted to volunteer to the Foreign Affairs Department to continue to go out of the city to slay demons and hone his martial arts skills.

……

The outer hall of the Seven Martial Alliance.

Martial Arts Academy.

The old steward, Hong Jiu, sat in his armchair, his eyes slightly narrowed as he listened to the report from the person beside him. Suddenly, his narrowed eyes opened, revealing a hint of surprise.

"You broke through? So fast."

He sat up, slightly surprised, and tugged at his goatee.

Hong Jiu oversees the Outer Hall Martial Academy, where new martial artists arrive every day, and those who have mastered their skills leave. Most of these martial artists go their separate ways to make a living, coming and going like flowing water, and very few can be remembered by him.

Wu Ming was one of the few people whose names he remembered in recent years. He had heard that Wu Ming had been selected by the Shenxing Division and had entered the Shenxing Division to work. At that time, he sighed that Wu Ming was really lucky. Being able to enter the Shenxing Division as an official from a poor background was almost the best way out for low-level martial artists.

Although, in his opinion at the time, Wu Ming did have some talent in skills, whether talent can truly be transformed into strength is a completely different matter. In particular, the integration of skills is extremely difficult. Many people practice martial arts and can master freehand fighting in a month and achieve mastery in three months, but they never achieve true integration in their lifetime.

To master a skill by the age of twenty is a combination of talent, opportunity, and hard work.

"This child is indeed extraordinary."

After his initial surprise, Hong Jiu couldn't help but sigh with emotion.

His personal guidance back then was not in vain. He had done Wu Ming a great favor by guiding him. Although this favor could not be used now, it might come in handy someday.

Some are happy and some are sad.

While Hong Jiu was feeling both emotional and slightly pleased, Zhang He, the other manager in charge of the outer hall of the Seven Martial Alliance, was not so happy. When Wu Ming joined the Seven Martial Alliance, he had the opportunity to recruit Wu Ming into the inner hall, but since he had already recruited Tian Hong and Liu Hao, he ultimately crossed out Wu Ming's name.

It should be noted that even within the seven inner halls of the Seven Martial Alliance, not all disciples can reach the third stage of Blood Condensation. Even if only disciples with exceptional talent are selected and given various resources for training, less than a third of them can actually achieve the third stage of Blood Condensation.

Tian Hong and Liu Hao, who arrived at the same time as Wu Ming and were selected by him to join the Green Serpent Hall, have only achieved their second blood coagulation and still need the Green Serpent Hall to continue providing them with various resources. It is also uncertain whether they will be able to achieve their third blood coagulation in the future.

"Pity."

Zhang He shook his head.

However, he quickly put the matter out of his mind.

Although Wu Ming possesses high artistic talent, his blood condensation aptitude is somewhat lacking. It will be difficult for him to achieve three blood condensation stages in the future. Without reaching the third stage, his skills at the Unity Realm will only amount to a passable force. The Green Serpent Hall is a large and powerful family, and they can afford such unexpected losses; it's nothing to them. ...

The Seven Martial Alliance Returns to the Mountain Hall.

In a courtyard somewhere.

Xu Hao sat upright under a large banyan tree, gently stroking a Tang sword placed on a stone platform with one hand.

"Skill and craftsmanship as one".

He looked up at the treetops, peering through the dense foliage at the azure sky, his eyes swirling with emotion.

He didn't concern himself much with his younger brother Xu Tong's marriage, or rather, he didn't put much thought into family matters. He was focused on martial arts cultivation. However, as the eldest son, he wouldn't shirk his responsibilities. For example, after hearing about Wu Ming's family situation, he could find Wu Ming a job in the city and take care of him.

However, it seems that this in-law doesn't need his care now. Although he failed to enter the inner hall of the Seven Martial Alliance back then, he had a better opportunity and entered the Cautious Punishment Division. Now, he has even figured out the secret of the unity of skills and techniques, leaving him behind.

"Perhaps it's time for me to go out of the city and gain some experience."

Xu Hao murmured to himself.

He had no ideas or insights into the integration of skill and technique, and breaking through the three blood coagulations was not easy. Among the younger generation of Huishan Hall, he could not be considered one of the most outstanding. To reach a higher realm, he needed to cultivate diligently and constantly hone himself. Cultivating only in the city lacked experience, and he might fall short of the mark.

……

Xu Village.

At Xu Tong's home.

Wu Yu sat on the bed, sewing a bright red bellyband. Her belly was protruding, and she looked to be six or seven months pregnant. Her face was rosy, and there was a slight smile on her lips. She was full of happiness.

In those days, for ordinary families outside the city, just being able to make a living was enough to satisfy most people. It was often difficult to live a happy life. Wu Yu was undoubtedly one of the lucky few. She married into a wealthy and good family. Her husband, Xu Tong, doted on her and took good care of her. He never let her do any work on a daily basis.

Xu's parents-in-law were not mean-spirited people, and Wu Yu's family was now quite extraordinary. Wu Ming had risen to become a martial artist and even became an official in the Censorate. She was also pregnant, and the whole family cared for her very much.

"Daughter-in-law! Wife-in-law!"

Just as Wu Yu was sewing a bib for her unborn child, Xu Tong suddenly burst in from outside, shouting.

"What's wrong? Why are you shouting like that?"

Wu Yu looked up at Xu Tong.

Xu Tong's eyes gleamed with excitement as he said, "Great news! It's a wonderful thing for your family! Brother Wu Ming has reached the Unity Realm in the city and has been promoted to Deputy Inspector of the Censorate. I heard he can now sit on equal footing with the city lords!"

Upon hearing Xu Tong's words, Wu Yu immediately stopped sewing, looking somewhat stunned and surprised.

She was a woman and didn't understand anything about the "Unity Realm," but she knew about the Censorate in the city, the Patrol Officer was a high-ranking official, and what the Lord in the city represented—a position that ordinary people had to kneel and bow to.

For a time,

I felt a little dazed.

From her impoverished family background to her marriage, and then to Wu Ming's mastery of blood clotting, becoming a martial artist, entering the city, joining the Censorate, becoming an official, and now rising higher and higher in rank, it all feels like a dreamlike unreality.

Before she knew it, it had been almost two years since she last saw Wu Ming. Her impression of him was still that of his face, which was full of perseverance and hard work. What was Wu Ming like now?
Her thoughts drifted.

(End of this chapter)