Dual Transmigration: American Prison, Surviving to a Fantasy Development Stage

The martial arts examination of the Great Wei Dynasty was held every five years and could be described as a nationwide martial arts event.

Not only martial arts school disciples, but also people from the martial arts world can participate.

The only hurdle is that one's cultivation level must reach the fourth level of Body Refinement perfection; this is the most basic requirement.

It is said to be the most important stepping stone for those from poor families and martial arts practitioners to advance their careers.

Its selection process was clearly tiered, much like the imperial examination system:

First, selections are conducted in each county, requiring candidates to be under thirty years old and to have reached at least the fourth level of Body Refinement perfection.

The top ten students from each county are selected each year and awarded the title of "Martial Arts Student".

Subsequently, martial arts students from various counties gathered in the prefectural city (city level) for another competition, and only the top ten were selected as "martial arts scholars".

Next, the martial arts scholars from each prefecture went to the state capital (provincial level) to compete, and the top ten were selected to obtain the title of "Martial Arts Scholar".

Finally, martial arts candidates from all over the country gathered in the capital to participate in the final competition.

Only one hundred people were admitted in total, and these one hundred people were called "Military Scholars".

The fates of these last hundred military graduates varied greatly.

The top ten, known as the "first-class," will be directly recruited by the royal family for training, thus escaping the view of ordinary people.

The remaining ninety people will be selected, recruited, and trained by various powerful departments of the imperial court, the military system, and even some sects closely related to the imperial court.

Those who were not favored by any major power, or whose potential and value were considered limited, were considered to be successful candidates in the imperial examinations.

They would then be sent to serve as city lords in some remote and less important towns, and Tuoba Ku was one of them.

What surprised Lin Feng even more was that he learned from Tuoba Ku's memories that the territory of the Great Wei Dynasty was extremely vast.

There are a total of 50 states (provinces).

Such a massive size.

The fact that all the taxes, resource allocation, and even local policies of the entire Great Wei Dynasty were largely geared towards the military examinations was quite bizarre.

Another detail caught Lin Feng's attention: the martial arts champion of Tuoba Ku's year was already a rare innate master when he participated in the martial arts examination.

Moreover, he was a closed-door disciple of a major sect.

But ever since he was chosen by the royal family and taken away, Tuoba Ku has never heard any news about him again, as if he had vanished into thin air.

It wasn't just him; it seems that all the previous martial arts champions, and even some of the top-ranked martial arts graduates, gradually disappeared after entering the royal system, with very few public activities or rumors surfacing.

There are clearly some unknown inside stories behind this.

However, Tuoba Ku was not qualified to access the secrets within.

Lin Feng found it strange that the Great Wei royal family recruited the best talents in the country, especially the top ones, through the martial arts examination. Their purpose was probably not simple.

He also learned that the selection process at the county, prefecture, and state levels mainly involved relatively standardized martial arts competitions. Although there were injuries and disabilities, the rules were still in place.

However, when it came to the final nationwide competition for the title of Jinshi, the assessment method changed.

They began hunting monsters.

In specific hunting grounds or areas, martial arts candidates must face ferocious monsters, and their performance is judged by the number and level of monsters they hunt.

Of course, you can also steal it.

This mode has an extremely high casualty rate, but it best reflects a martial artist's combat ability, mainly to prevent cheating.

After all, if you don't have the ability and get to the top by cheating, then the final hurdle will be death.

In this process, there is a great deal of room for maneuver.

For example, Tuoba Ku himself got incredibly lucky back then. He accidentally discovered two corpses that had perished together in the hunting grounds and looted two valuable monster gallbladders from their bodies.

He barely managed to squeeze into the bottom of the list of successful candidates in the imperial examinations, thus being able to be sent to serve as an official in a remote area.

However, Lin Feng quite liked this mode.

The competitions at the county and prefectural levels mostly involved participants at the Inner Strength level.

When the competition reached the prefectural capital, there were many more experts who had reached the highest level, and even the national competition had experts who had reached the highest level. Needless to say, the competition was extremely fierce.

After organizing the information in his mind, Lin Feng had already made up his mind.

"The martial arts examination, this final national competition, is indeed an enticing opportunity."

There are many talented people.

"Martial arts examinations are required to participate"

However, Lin Feng did not intend to follow the Black Tiger Martial Arts School's recommended path.

While a martial arts school recommendation can exempt you from the initial open selection, it also means being branded by that school, which may lead to future complications.

He prefers to keep the initiative in his own hands.

"Just register yourself."

Lin Feng remembered the information from Tuoba Ku's memory: there were about two months left until the county-level preliminary selection for the next martial arts examination.

The registration points will open at the beginning of next month.

The process was simple: check bone age and test basic cultivation level, without asking about one's origins.

Those who meet the requirements can register and receive a competition plaque.

This selection system has been in operation for many years. Cheating is allowed at the county, prefecture, and state levels, but no one cheats at the national level. There is no point in cheating, since it is a real life-or-death situation.

While strolling around the city during the day, Lin Feng keenly noticed that the atmosphere in Yongguan County was slightly different from usual.

The streets were filled with unfamiliar faces, most of them looking travel-worn, with sharp eyes. The weapons they carried, though wrapped in cloth, were of various shapes and sizes, and exuded a faint aura of menace.

These people, in twos and threes, were either chatting quietly in teahouses or staying at inns. They were clearly not local residents, but rather wandering travelers who had come after hearing the news.

Lin Feng guessed that word about the White Jade Token had leaked out.

The Battle of Fuhu Mountain involved many participants, and news of it could not be contained.

Most of these newcomers came after learning that Baiyunling had appeared in this place, hoping for the best or trying their luck.

The small pond in Yongguan County was suddenly flooded with so many dragons that the water became muddy.

This further solidified Lin Feng's resolve not to get involved with the Black Tiger Martial Arts School.

The key is to develop quietly and improve your strength in silence.

The following day, news came from the city lord's mansion: the funeral for city lord Tuoba Ku will be held today, and he will be laid to rest.

This surprised Lin Feng somewhat.

He had assumed that the disappearance of Tuoba Ku's body would cause a commotion within the manor, or even lead to a city-wide search.

Unexpectedly, the burial was announced quietly and without fanfare.

After a moment's thought, he understood the key to it.

"It seems that Tuoba Ku's wives, concubines, or confidants left in the manor have suppressed this matter."

The disappearance of a body can be a big deal or a small deal.

They might be afraid of causing further trouble.

Creating a cenotaph or using other methods to cover it up and burying the body quietly can actually maintain a semblance of peace.

This gives them time to sell their property and pack their belongings, so they can gain as much benefit as possible before the new city lord arrives and then escape.

Having figured this out, Lin Feng stopped paying attention to the matter.

Time flies by, and five days have passed in the blink of an eye.

Lin Feng's older cousin has rebelled again.

Therefore, Lin Feng went to Wangchun Pavilion again and stayed there for one night.

Having gotten used to Western food, my cousin was very satisfied with the change of taste.

It wasn't until the eastern sky began to lighten with the first hint of dawn that Lin Feng finally left the boudoir, feeling refreshed, and returned to his rented courtyard.

Just as Lin Feng reached the wooden gate of his small courtyard, he suddenly stopped in his tracks.

His nostrils twitched slightly, and his brows furrowed instantly.

A very faint smell of blood filled the air.

Although it was faint and diluted by the morning breeze, Lin Feng's keen sense of smell still allowed him to clearly distinguish it.

The source is right inside the courtyard.

Lin Feng's muscles tensed instantly, his languid expression vanished, and he became alert.

At the same time, a submachine gun had silently appeared in his hand, the safety quietly disengaged.