The sky was dim, heavy dark clouds piled up together. Accompanied by the rumbling thunder, the sweltering summer finally experienced a rare torrential downpour.
Splash!
In the city of Shengtian, on Chiming Street, a horse-drawn carriage hurriedly drove into the rain, the rolling wheels splashing through the accumulated water on the ground, leaving the city without any hindrance.
Upon closer inspection, the coachman, dressed in a bamboo hat and a raincoat, appeared rather unnatural, seemingly a bit tense. The reason was simple; inside the carriage, besides one person, there was also a tiger.
Although the tiger was young, it already exuded a certain aura, making him feel quite uncomfortable.
The tiger cub had not yet matured, but it possessed the spirit of a beast that could devour cattle!
“Master, there’s no need to be nervous; my tiger doesn’t harm people.”
A voice floated out from the carriage, soothing the coachman's slightly anxious heart. The person inside the carriage was none other than Li Qing, who was on his way to Qingzhou to return the Ancient Hammer Technique to Master Gu's family.
Regardless of whether he could find Master Gu's family on this trip, he had to make the journey, as it was a promise he had made.
Thus, the carriage exited the northern city gate and continued northward.
Meanwhile, in Shengtian City, within the newly established Fengwei Gate, the newly joined Fengwei members formed a circle under the eaves, surrounding the martial arts platform ahead.
The heavy rain splashed onto the platform, but it could not extinguish the fiery passion within each person; their eyes were filled with anticipation.
“The top three in this assessment will not only receive silver rewards but also guidance from several leaders.”
“Forget it, I won’t consider it. My martial arts are too weak; going up would only bring shame.”
“Sigh, that’s true. This platform is only prepared for those who have stepped into the External Strength level.”
“Damn it, I’ve been practicing martial arts for many years; why haven’t I cultivated my External Strength yet?”
“…”
Indeed, to determine the combat strength of the newly established Fengwei Gate, a small competition was being held.
The rewards for the competition made many people envious, and they eagerly rolled up their sleeves. However, some martial artists with mediocre talent, who had never stepped into External Strength, felt quite displeased. Those who could achieve the top three in the competition were already strong; receiving guidance from several Internal Strength experts would only mean the strong would become stronger!
With such circumstances, they would never hope to surpass the top martial artists in their lifetime.
Of course, some people viewed it more clearly.
“Hehe, this is Fengwei Gate, not a child’s playhouse.”
“Isn’t it normal for the strong to remain strong? Should several Internal Strength leaders waste their time guiding mediocre martial artists?”
“Exactly, once you enter here, you should understand that you need to use your brain instead of just relying on brute strength.”
The personnel of Fengwei Gate consisted largely of wandering heroes from the Jianghu and a small portion drawn from the Wuli Army.
Undoubtedly, both groups often licked blood on the edge of a knife, but the latter clearly had a more profound understanding.
Soon, a hunched figure holding a black oil-paper umbrella stepped forward and leaped onto the martial arts platform in a few swift movements.
If Li Qing were present, he would immediately recognize this as the Centurion Guo Zhentong, whom he had met once in the border army!
At Master Gu's grave, while Li Qing was standing in place, this old man had come over with a jug of wine to pay his respects, leaving a deep impression on him.
As Guo Zhentong appeared, the surroundings immediately fell silent.
He held the black oil-paper umbrella and spoke with a slightly hoarse, aged voice, “The rules for this martial arts demonstration are quite simple. Most of you present are martial artists skilled in weaponry. To maximize your strength, this demonstration does not prohibit the use of weapons!”
“If you practice fist and foot techniques, you may take a piece of armor onto the stage.”
“But one thing to note: since we will all be colleagues working together in the future, although blades and swords have no eyes, the user must have a heart.”
“During this competition, no lethal strikes are allowed, and try to avoid crippling anyone!”
As Guo Zhentong finished speaking, the crowd began to whisper among themselves.
“They actually don’t prohibit weapons; it seems Fengwei Gate is serious about this.”
“What if someone gets seriously injured? Once they get carried away…”
“Don’t worry, as long as it’s not a severed arm or leg, anyone can be saved as long as they have a breath left.”
“Now that’s interesting; if I can’t use a knife, my strength would be greatly diminished.”
“…”
Soon, after announcing the rules for the competition, Guo Zhentong jumped off the martial arts platform and went to a pavilion.
Inside the pavilion, besides Guo Zhentong, there were also a man and a woman sitting.
The man had an elegant demeanor, with a fair complexion, resembling a scholar.
The woman, dressed in a red outfit, was spirited and valiant; her brows were not as soft as ordinary women but instead exuded a heroic aura.
Her ponytail fell behind her, and her tightly cinched waist accentuated her beautiful figure.
“You’ve worked hard, Old Guo. It’s clear that you hold considerable prestige among these martial artists.” The elegant man in white spoke.
Guo Zhentong waved his hand dismissively, lifting the wine gourd at his waist to drink as he replied, “It’s all just empty fame. If we’re talking about reputation now, it’s still Qian Hong’s title of the Blue Rainbow Hero that’s more resounding!”
Indeed, the woman in red was Qian Hong. Due to pressure from her family, she was forced to leave the Wuli Army and had now returned to the imperial capital to serve in Fengwei Gate.
Qian Hong shot a glance at the old man Guo, who resembled a mischievous child, and said in a bland tone, “Let’s get started; this kind of competition is just a waste of time. What’s there to guide?”
Guo Zhentong laughed heartily, saying, “You can’t say that; those who can enter Fengwei Gate are all good seedlings.”
“Although they are still External Strength martial artists, not everyone can compare to your talent. Stepping into Internal Strength at just over twenty years old truly makes this old man feel ashamed.”
“I’m just lucky; in terms of martial power, I’m afraid I can’t even match you, Old Guo.” Qian Hong said with a slight smile.
“You’re too humble. Given your age, you could become a master in the future.” Guo Zhentong remarked with emotion.
The elegant man listened to their conversation, merely smiling without speaking.
While the few were chatting, the competition had already begun.
It must be said that those who could enter Fengwei Gate to serve indeed had commendable qualities; they were certainly not just flashy fighters.
Unfortunately, for the three Internal Strength experts watching in the pavilion, it was still somewhat dull.
“Hmm, not bad. That kid named Zhong Ming looks so thin, yet he excels at using a meteor hammer.”
“He’s quite skilled; I remember this Wang Fugui is just over sixteen years old, right? Tsk tsk, an External Strength expert at this age is truly impressive.”
“…”
Inside the pavilion, Guo Zhentong drank wine while savoring the situation on the stage.
Qian Hong, on the other hand, had nothing to say throughout, merely watching everything with indifference.
Soon, halfway through the competition, a rather burly man, even somewhat exaggeratedly muscular, stepped onto the martial arts platform.
He was tall and strong, resembling an ox; just standing there gave off a strong sense of oppression.
As soon as this man took the stage, the surroundings fell silent for a moment.
The next moment, his opponent also stepped onto the stage, another robust man, but compared to the one before him, there was still a significant difference in size.
“Hehe, Zhao Yuan? I know you; you gave up being the boss of Gufeng Street. Why are you here to serve in Fengwei Gate?”
Zhao Yuan was a man of few words. After a moment of silence, he replied, “None of your business.”
As soon as these words were spoken, the burly man opposite him turned red in the face, resembling a pig's liver.
“Alright, alright, I want to see if that big knife behind you is just for show.” The man said angrily.
The next moment, the man wielding two crescent-shaped sabers charged directly at Zhao Yuan.
The rain continued to pour heavily, drowning out the sound of footsteps.
Zhao Yuan stared intently at the charging man, then reached back with one hand to grasp the large knife strapped to his back.
Just as the man reached him, Zhao Yuan’s entire body surged with strength like a flowing river.
Buzz!
Amidst the rain curtain, a bright knife light flashed by.
Swish!
This knife seemed to slice through the falling raindrops, sending the opponent, who was also an External Strength martial artist, flying away.
Not only that, but along with him flew several broken saber blades and a spray of crimson blood.
Watching this scene, everyone present fell silent.
Even the three leaders in the rain pavilion were momentarily stunned.
Bang!
The first to react was Leader Qian Hong; she stood up and slapped the table.
“That knife…”
Thank you for your support, very, very much appreciated!
(End of Chapter)