Gou Zai Wudao Shi Lian Shen

After the heavy snow, the weather gradually improved.

Deep within Chixia Mountain, the clouds parted and the snow cleared, with the mountain ridges still shrouded in the glow of dawn. In the distance, the treetops were still weighed down by the remaining snow, while a light mist rose above the nearby medicinal fields, which, when illuminated by the morning light, looked as if draped in a thin layer of golden gauze.

In the herb garden, several martial arts guards carried a frozen snow wolf out of an ice cave, then skinned and cleaned it before slowly roasting it over a fire.

Flames licked the wolf meat, and the fat dripped into the charcoal fire, crackling and popping, quickly spreading its aroma.

Wang Zhong, Qi Jin, and Lu Chen sat around the fire.

All three were wearing new overcoats, hastily made from snow wolf pelts. Snow wolf fur is thick and excellent at blocking wind and keeping out the cold.

Wang Zhong laughed and said, "This coat made of snow wolf skin is warmer than the fox fur coats sold in the shops in the county town."

Lu Chen smiled. He had prepared two sets for his parents to take home as gifts during the Chinese New Year.

Qi Jin looked at Lu Chen with genuine admiration in her eyes.

"Lu Chen, I've really seen something new these past few days sparring with you. When you've mastered the Azure Dragon Tongbei Fist to this level, your punches deliver layer upon layer of power, and my Heavy Cannon Fist can't gain the slightest advantage in a head-on clash."

"You're only sixteen, and you'll only be seventeen after the New Year."

"He has a bright future ahead of him."

Qi Jin sighed.

Lu Chen said, "Brother Qi, you flatter me."

He looked at the flickering flames in the charcoal fire, but he didn't feel complacent because of Qi Jin's praise.

He knew that he might be considered outstanding among the younger generation in Chixia County, but looking at the Great Zhou Dynasty and the wider world, achieving the Lesser Completion of Blood Transformation was still just the beginning of his martial arts journey.

Black Wind Stronghold's Black Bear Qiu caused him a lot of trouble.

Thinking of this, Lu Chen looked up at Qi Jin.

"Brother Qi, I'd like to ask about the martial arts program."

Qi Jin was slightly taken aback: "Martial Arts?"

Lu Chen continued, "When does the martial arts exam begin each year? What are the specific topics tested?"

He couldn't stay at Wang's house as a guard forever; he also had to consider his future and career development.

The Great Zhou Dynasty was founded on military strength, and at the county and township levels, military examinations were held annually. Those who could participate in the military examinations and pass the examinations to become military scholars not only gained official rank and status, but also had the opportunity to continue taking the military examinations in the future, become high-ranking officials, and even be ennobled as marquises or prime ministers.

Upon hearing this, Qi Jin's expression became more serious.

"When I was young, I also took the martial arts exam, but I was just a little short and failed to become a martial arts scholar. Later, I lost my ambition and started wandering the martial arts world."

Wang Zhong chimed in, "You'll be seventeen next year, so you could apply for the martial arts exam."

"The county-level martial arts examinations are mainly for young martial artists under the age of eighteen. After that age, unless one achieves military merit or is recommended by an official, it becomes much more difficult to enter officialdom."

Qi Jin added, "The examination dates vary each year, mostly in the summer or autumn. It depends on the arrangements of the county government and the prefecture government, and sometimes it may be brought forward or postponed depending on the conscription of border troops or the situation of local bandits."

Lu Chen asked thoughtfully, "What about the assessment content?"

Wang Zhong held up two fingers, "It mainly consists of two parts."

"Strength and skill."

Lu Chen repeated: "Strength and skill?"

Qi Jin nodded: "The so-called strength and courage is a test of physical strength."

"For martial artists, strength is fundamental. Without strength, no matter how skillful the punches and punches are, they are just empty gestures."

"The county's martial arts examinations usually include tests such as lifting stone weights and drawing strong bows. In some years, the requirement was to lift a stone weight weighing a thousand catties (approximately 500 kg), and in others, to draw a strong bow weighing ten catties (approximately 50 kg)..."

Wang Zhongdao said, "In short, this test mainly assesses a martial artist's strength. The deeper one's Blood Transformation Realm, the greater the advantage in terms of strength and courage."

Lu Chen nodded.

He has completed the Lesser Completion of Blood Transfusion, and his current strength is between 1,400 and 1,500 jin, which is a significant increase compared to when he first entered the Lesser Completion stage.

Wang Zhong added, "As for skills and courage, the test is on practical combat ability and martial arts skills."

"It's different every year."

"Sometimes it's a martial arts competition, where candidates go up on stage to compete."

"If the area is not peaceful, candidates may be asked to assist in apprehending bandits and suppressing mountain thieves, with their performance in battle determining their grades."

At this point, Qi Jin glanced at Lu Chen and smiled, "If there's a bandit-hunting exam next year, Black Wind Stronghold will definitely be the county government's top target."

Lu Chen listened attentively and wrote down everything he heard.

The firewood crackled in the bonfire, and the snow wolf meat was roasting until the fat oozed out, its aroma wafting on the mountain breeze.

Lu Chen then asked, "Brother Qi, Chief Wang, with my current strength, would I have a chance if I participated in the martial arts examination?"

Wang Zhong looked at Lu Chen and poured cold water on his enthusiasm, saying, "Although you are now a master of boxing, and there are indeed few who can compare to you among the younger generation in Chixia County, your foundation of qi and blood is still insufficient; you have only achieved the minor success of Blood Transfer."

"With your current abilities, I'm afraid you don't have much of a chance of passing the county's martial arts examination."

Qi Jin nodded, "Chief Wang's words are very pertinent."

He looked at Lu Chen and said seriously, "Brother Lu, your talent in martial arts is indeed very high, and your mastery of fist techniques is even more admirable."

"But their foundation in Qi and blood is still lacking. In previous years, those who took the martial arts exam to become martial arts scholars were all martial artists who had achieved the Great Perfection of Blood Transformation, and there were even geniuses who had reached the peak of Blood Transformation."

"They are all the chosen ones of their respective martial arts schools or family forces."

Wang Zhong then chimed in, "Take Shi Hao from your Canglong Martial Arts School for example. I heard he's only fifteen years old, and he'll be sixteen next year."

"He could have waited two more years and participated in the martial arts exam right at the age of eighteen. By then, his strength would definitely be far beyond just the minor mastery of Blood Removal."

Qi Jin nodded: "People like Shi Hao are the most troublesome."

"They have the advantage of age, so it doesn't matter if they fail the first two times; they can gain experience."

"I'll accumulate my energy and refine my martial arts for another two years, and then, at eighteen, I'll seize this final opportunity to fight in my strongest form."

"Every year, there are quite a few people who participate in martial arts exams based on age restrictions."

"Therefore, without the strength to master the Blood Transformation Technique, it's very difficult to pass the Martial Arts Examination!"

Lu Chen nodded. "Understood."

Chixia County has five martial arts schools, which train dozens or even hundreds of martial artists every year. In addition, there are promising talents from nearby towns, direct descendants of various families, and even people from other counties who come to compete for a spot.

With so many martial artists gathered together, it's a place where hidden talents abound.

Without real skill, wanting to pass the martial arts exam is nothing but a pipe dream.

However, Lu Chen wasn't in such a hurry.

He has two chances; if he fails the exam at seventeen, he can wait until the following year.

Seeing that Lu Chen was not impetuous, Wang Zhong's eyes instead showed a hint of relief.

What he feared most was that Lu Chen, having achieved early success, would become complacent after just defeating Qiu Heixiong.

But now it seems that Lu Chen is more composed than he thought.

Wang Zhong picked up the wine bag, took a sip of the medicinal wine, and suddenly sighed, "This martial arts examination is like a thousand troops crossing a single-plank bridge."

"Countless talented young people practice martial arts from a young age, enduring countless hardships in the coldest and hottest winters, hoping to one day be on the list of successful candidates."

"But how many of them actually succeed in the end?"