The soldier inspected the Token and, after confirming it was valid, raised his hand to grant them entry.

"Please."

Sun Yong led the way, with the disciples following close behind.

The moment they passed through the main gate, the clamor from within the training grounds washed over them. They could faintly make out numerous figures already gathered in the field.

Directly opposite the gate was a vast, open field. The ground, made of rammed loess, had been trodden solid, and the air was thick with the smell of dust and sweat.

At the far end of the training grounds stood a wide, elevated platform. Several banners planted around it FLAPPED loudly in the wind. It was clearly the area designated for the examiners.

Facing the platform, over a dozen arenas were scattered about. Each was constructed from alternating layers of hard bluestone slabs and wooden planks, their corners polished smooth yet retaining a sense of solid heft.

The central arena was particularly striking. It was nearly twice the size of the others, its surface flat and expansive, exuding an air of solemnity.

The other, smaller arenas were distributed around it, all of a similar design.

The entire cluster of arenas was enclosed by a half-height wooden railing, completely separating the competition zone from the outer area. Only the Martial Artists participating in the field examination could pass through the railing to ascend the arenas.

As time went on, the field examination grounds grew boisterous.

Although the general populace was barred from entry, the city’s dignitaries, the children of prominent families, and those with connections had poured in, filling the training grounds. A dense mass of people was scattered everywhere.

Soldiers tasked with maintaining order weaved through the crowd, periodically reminding everyone not to get too close to the railings. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

The clamor of the crowd, interwoven with occasional shouts, intensified the tense atmosphere of the field examination!

The sun gradually climbed higher.

Following the ringing of a gong, the noise in the training grounds gradually died down.

Just then, a Military Officer in a Captain’s uniform strode onto the high platform. He stood tall and straight, a saber at his waist, his gaze sweeping over the crowd below with a formidable aura.

He stopped in front of the seated examiners and announced in a clear, loud voice, "The Yuhe County field examination officially begins today!"

The words were infused with Dark Energy, which carried the soundwave across the grounds like a sudden gust of wind. His voice reached more than half the training grounds, allowing even those farthest from the platform to hear him with perfect clarity.

"This competition will be decided by martial prowess alone! If any participant is found cheating, faking results, or engaging in any underhanded dealings, they will be immediately disqualified upon confirmation and permanently barred from ever entering these grounds again!"

His voice was steady and powerful, filled with an authority that left no room for doubt. The training grounds fell utterly silent.

After a brief pause, the Captain took out a scroll and began to call out names.

As their names were called, the Martial Artists stepped forward. Following the order on the list, all competitors registered for the field examination were divided into eight teams, each assigned to a different arena.

Yang Jing heard his name called as well. He was assigned to the seventh team.

「In another area of the training grounds.」

Zhao Yuman stood on her tiptoes, her eyes fixed on the Captain on the high platform. Her ears were pricked, afraid she might miss it when he called the name of Shen Lie from Po Mountain Martial Arts Hall.

She had been spending a lot of time with Shen Lie recently and had grown quite fond of the long-established Dark Energy expert. She was now eagerly hoping he would make it onto the final rankings in the examination.

"Shen Lie, seventh arena."

Zhao Yuman breathed a sigh of relief. She was just about to turn and say something to Shen Lie, who stood beside her, when the Captain on the platform continued reading the list for the seventh arena. One of the names made her heart skip a beat.

"Yang Jing, seventh arena."

"He’s in the seventh team too?" Zhao Yuman gasped, her eyes wide with surprise.

Shen Lie, beside her, noticed her strange reaction. He raised an eyebrow slightly and asked, "What’s wrong?"

Zhao Yuman pursed her lips and explained, "Someone once tried to set me up with that Yang Jing from Sun’s Martial Arts Hall. He took quite a liking to me, but I had no interest in romance back then, so I rejected him. He even sought me out another time and nearly cornered me at Fuman Pavilion."

Hearing this, Shen Lie’s brow furrowed slightly. A cold sneer played on his lips as he said with a hint of disdain, "You did the right thing. He’s certainly not worthy of you."

As a veteran Dark Energy expert who had made a name for himself in Yuhe County, he was familiar with most of the elites from the Great Martial Arts Halls, even if he didn’t know them all personally. Yet, he had never heard of this ’Yang Jing.’ ’He must just be some nobody,’ Shen Lie thought.

’Initially, I didn’t plan on getting too close to this Zhao Yuman,’ Shen Lie mused. ’But after interacting with her more, she is undeniably attractive. Plus, the Zhao Family has run their Escort Agency for years and has a lot of resources. I’ll just string her along for now. I have no intention of marrying her, but a little fling wouldn’t hurt.’

’But the frustrating part is that she’s as slippery as an eel; I haven’t made any real progress with her at all.’

’Still, even if it’s just a game, a man has his damned pride.’

Now, hearing that another man was eyeing Zhao Yuman, Shen Lie’s mood soured instantly.

His expression darkened, and he said with an air of arrogance, "Since we’re in the same bracket, I just hope he can last a round or two. It’d be a pity if he got knocked out before I had a chance to face him. But if we do meet, I’ll be sure to ’teach’ him a good lesson on your behalf."

He paused for a moment, then added, "It’ll also show you just how vast the gap can be, even among Dark Energy Martial Artists."

Listening to him, Zhao Yuman’s face filled with anticipation. She remembered her older brother Zhao Feng’s disappointment when he found out she’d rejected Yang Jing. Then, she imagined Shen Lie crushing Yang Jing in the seventh arena, and a feeling of vindication washed over her. Still, she hesitated before saying, "Just a normal victory will do. Please don’t be too rough on him. He comes from a poor background and probably doesn’t have many resources. If he gets seriously injured, the medical fees alone could wipe out his family’s savings. If he ends up with a latent injury, his journey on the Martial Dao will be finished."

"You’re too kind-hearted." Shen Lie smiled faintly. "Don’t worry, I know how to handle it. I won’t strike too hard." His tone made it clear he didn’t consider Yang Jing a threat in the slightest.

’So he really is from the lower class.’

’I’ve defeated more than a few Dark Energy Martial Artists who clawed their way up from the mud.’

....

Once all the names had been read out, the Martial Artists participating in the examination made their way to their respective arena areas.

The atmosphere on the training grounds suddenly grew tense.

Yang Jing followed the crowd, passed through the railing, and arrived at the base of the seventh arena. He scanned the other Martial Artists in his group.

Thirty-two competitors stood in two rows, each exuding a calm, focused aura. It was obvious they were all well-prepared.

Yang Jing had always kept his head down, training diligently at the Martial Arts Hall and only occasionally helping escort medicinal supplies for the Liu Family Medical Hall. He wasn’t familiar with the Martial Artists from the other halls in Yuhe County, so he could only make rough assessments based on the faint auras they exuded.

Some Martial Artists radiated overflowing energy, standing like tigers poised to strike.

Others had calm auras and seemed ordinary, but a sharp glint was hidden in the depths of their eyes.

’This simple method of judging a Martial Artist’s strength by their aura isn’t very reliable,’ Yang Jing knew.

’Some Dark Energy Martial Artists can conceal their auras entirely, while some Mingjin Martial Artists with innate Divine Power or exceptionally vigorous spirits might actually project a more imposing presence.’

He averted his gaze, deciding not to waste any more mental energy on speculation.

’The field examination is a test of one’s own skill. Overthinking is pointless.’

’What matters now is to calm my mind and react to whatever comes my way.’

Yang Jing prepared to find a corner to adjust his state of mind and wait quietly for the competition to begin.

"Junior Brother Yang."

Just then, a voice called out from behind him.

Yang Jing turned and saw Xu Hong, his Eldest Senior Brother.

Xu Hong was in the eighth bracket, at the adjacent arena just a few yards away.

The two had a neutral relationship at the Martial Arts Hall and had rarely spoken in the past. It was only after Yang Jing’s recent breakthrough to the Dark Energy realm that Xu Hong had begun to pay him more attention. He would sometimes offer a nod of acknowledgment and had even invited him for a meal once before, so they were on much friendlier terms now.

"Eldest Senior Brother," Yang Jing responded, clasping his hands in a salute.

Xu Hong took two steps closer, coming to Yang Jing’s side. "Junior Brother Yang, so you’re in the seventh arena."

Yang Jing nodded.

In this year’s field examination, Sun’s Martial Arts Hall had six Dark Energy disciples participating. Whether by coincidence or by the examiners’ deliberate design, all six of the Sun’s Martial Arts Hall’s Dark Energy disciples had been split up and assigned to different arenas.