Human Martial Saint: Starting with Bajiquan

Chapter 70 Rules of the Provincial Examination

Liu Sheng realized what his master meant by those words.

It seemed to be saying that only he was participating in the martial arts provincial examination this year, and he hurriedly looked at Lu You and Lin Yi.

"We're both way too old; we've already been recognized as martial arts scholars based on our eighth-rank cultivation."

The two pointed to the bronze token of the martial arts scholar in their hands.

Liu Sheng then looked to the side, at his younger second senior sister, Yang Hongliu.

"I am a woman, so I cannot participate in the martial arts examination."

Yang Hongliu pouted, clearly dissatisfied.

Suddenly, Liu Sheng felt an invisible pressure surge up inexplicably.

Although I haven't spent much time with my master, I can tell that he is somewhat assertive and not the type to easily accept being subordinate to others.

Previously, Liu Sheng had also heard his senior brother mention that Bajiquan had been ostracized by other martial arts schools on this street due to its insufficient strength.

I had originally thought that with my senior brother and the others leading the team, Bajiquan would be able to redeem itself this year, and I could just follow along and do nothing.

As a result, this year's Wuxiang examination...

Was I the only one participating in the Bajiquan amusement park?

Originally, after his father went to Ye Family Town, he had become somewhat indifferent to the martial arts examination.

As a result, the master who had always followed his grandmaster and was in charge of guarding him actually took the time to come in person.

He said he came specifically to see me participate in the martial arts examination.

It cannot be said that they do not attach great importance to it.

If we don't get a decent ranking, we'll embarrass our master in front of other martial arts schools...

Liu Sheng felt the pressure suddenly increase.

Faced with his master's clearly expectant gaze, he tried to force a smile that was worse than crying.

Make yourself look more confident.

Gao Huang took everything in, but did not tease him any further. He composed himself and said:

"Liu Sheng, would you be willing to join the rebel army?"

"I do!"

Liu Sheng was extremely excited.

He had been waiting for this moment for far too long.

I had told my father before that I wanted to join the rebel army.

After his father went to Yejia Town, he still thought about taking the imperial examination, getting a good ranking, and becoming a martial arts scholar.

It was because he had heard from his senior brother that the elite rebels he had met before were all, at the very least, martial arts scholars, so there was a threshold for them.

Now it seems, could it be that my performance tonight allowed me to be admitted despite not meeting the usual requirements?

Unexpectedly, the master's next words were:

"Alright, we'll discuss this matter again after you pass the martial arts examination. You know about the feud between Bajiquan and other martial arts schools; we can't afford to lose to them, can we?"

"..."

Liu Sheng thought to himself, "You've already asked that question."

Does this mean you're going to promote someone out of turn?

I've already made great contributions and put in a lot of hard work, shouldn't I be immediately given a ninth-rank military position as a reward?

Why are you making demands now?

So, this martial arts scholar absolutely has to pass the exam, right?

Of course, he only complained in his mind; he would never dare to say it aloud.

After Master Gao Huang left.

Lin Yi also returned to the Kang family to continue his undercover work.

Liu Sheng should have taken the time to rest and recharge his energy to prepare for the martial arts exam during the day.

But he was in a state of high excitement, and the pain in his back had turned into itching, so he couldn't sleep at all.

So Liu Sheng chatted with his senior brother about the situation of Lu You's side fighting the enemy last night.

"Senior Brother, how did things go last night? Did that fox Jesse hurt you?"

Upon hearing this, Lu You smiled and gave Liu Sheng a "he doesn't deserve it" look, then told him about his experience last night.

When he learned that Fox Jessie, who returned last night, was also a seventh-rank cultivator, he was no match for his senior brother.

The eldest brother was afraid of revealing his origins, so he didn't even use his fists, feet, or weapons at close range.

He suppressed the enemy from a distance using only a pair of sharp steel spikes.

Fox Jesse was hit with several stabs and fled in a sorry state.

Lu had two concerns: firstly, the other party was, after all, the leader of a gang and a seventh-rank martial artist, and he was afraid that the other party might have some trump cards up their sleeve that they hadn't used yet; secondly, his mission was to prevent the other gang members from getting close to the stronghold and affecting the rescue.

Therefore, they did not pursue them to the end.

To prevent other gang members from arriving and increasing the unpredictability.

"Our senior brother is awesome!"

Liu Sheng was greatly encouraged upon hearing this; he had no idea that there was such a significant difference between the seventh-rank officials.

"With our grandmaster still alive, our lineage, even if we are all of the seventh rank, has absolutely no reason to fear a self-taught gang leader. Just like, you are practicing the Yan family's skin-refining method improved by our grandmaster, which is also the top skin-refining method in the world. The mere martial arts examination is nothing to you."

Although Lu You spoke frankly and made a lot of sense.

But Liu Sheng suddenly heard it.

Lu was giving him pointers on his performance in the upcoming martial arts exam.

It was practically saying outright that even though you, as the grand-disciple of the number one martial artist of the human race, are only a ninth-rank, you are not incapable of fighting those eighth-rank opponents with unstable foundations you encounter in the provincial examination.

However, Liu Sheng remembered another problem.

Originally, as a disciple of Bajiquan, I had a certain pursuit of authentic Bajiquan itself.

He was eager to max out his proficiency in Bajiquan as soon as possible.

But he recalled the recent battles he had experienced.

At Yejia'ao, I was on the enemy's tower and could only use a slashed wooden spear to defend myself, but my senior brother used the most ordinary hardwood spikes and stabbed an eighth-rank master with one blow.

The biggest difference, of course, lies in martial arts level. But it also indirectly shows that I do lack the necessary ranged attack methods.

So much so that when he later followed the Yan family caravan and encountered the wolf demon leader, he could only clumsily carry a long spear, swim underwater in the desert, and risk close-range assassination.

Then, during this rescue of children, the passageway was blocked.

If I had mastered Senior Brother's hidden weapon technique, Senior Sister Yang Hongliu wouldn't have been thinking of risking her life to bring Senior Brother back.

Moreover, I have always preferred using a long spear. Besides the fact that Bajiquan itself teaches the Liuhe Spear technique, a very important reason is that the length of the spear provides me, with my weaker strength, with a great sense of security.

After all, an inch longer means an inch stronger.

Let's look at it from another angle.

Isn't the length of a hidden weapon longer than that of a spear?

The hardwood spikes and sharp steel spikes used by the eldest brother are nothing more than spearheads without a shaft.

Therefore, if necessary.

The hidden weapon was used well.

It could also be the Six Harmonies Spear.

Thinking about this...

Liu Sheng had completely convinced himself.

After the first round of the provincial martial arts examination ends today, he will find his senior brother and see if he can learn his hidden weapon skills.

In any case, there is a 20-day interval between the first and second rounds of the provincial military examination.

In his spare time from training in the Body Refining Realm, he will definitely have time to learn another external training skill.

As for the martial arts examination itself, he didn't care much. He already knew that the first round of the provincial examination did not include a combat component.

It was merely a test of the practice of an external martial arts technique, as well as the lifting of stone weights of different weights. Then, examiners sent from Shazhou City acted as judges and scored the participants.

The scores for the drills and weightlifting will be calculated according to the categories of A, B, C, and D.

It meets the bis(b) standard.

Then you can enter the second round and compete in the arena.

If there are not enough people.

Then candidates with scores of Grade 1B or 1C can be placed on the waiting list.

This is also why Liu Sheng dared to participate in the children's rescue plan last night: as long as he wasn't seriously injured, he could perform a set of punches and lift a stone lock of sufficient weight.

For him.

That's still very easy.

Seeing that there was still time, Liu Sheng returned to his room to rest for a while.

Waiting for the senior brother to call him to set off.

the other side.

Inside the Black Fox Gang headquarters.

At this moment, Fox Jesse was grimacing in pain, his forehead dripping with sweat.

He was waiting for Fox Seven to come and see him.

At the same time, he pulled out the sharp steel spikes that were stuck in his body one by one.

Every movement caused his muscles to twitch and him to gasp for breath.

"hiss--!"

There was no one else in the hall, of course.

Because Fox Jessie can't let anyone else see him like this.

Finally, the last steel spike hit the ground.

Fox Jesse finally relaxed his distorted features and let out a long breath.

"Master, the Seventh Hall Master requests an audience!"

"Let him in."