Chapter 2, Deceiving the Young and Poor

The possibility is too small

General Xu's voice is like a great bell, his stature is imposing, and his square face bears an eighty percent resemblance to Xu Yuanhan.

Director Zhang

"Chief Wu, you are too kind. Please take a seat"

"Brother Wu need not be modest; among the disciples of the martial arts academy I have seen over the years, Wu Yuan ranks among the very best," said the old man in the black robe, Zhang Da, with a smile.

Next year marks the 300th anniversary of the establishment of our "Hengyun Sect," which is of great significance to the sect

Moreover, Wu Yuan must take into account the safety of his family

Therefore, when one's strength is insufficient, one must endure if endurance is required

Notice

Both of these individuals are true martial arts masters

Although he was dressed in ordinary clothes, the invisible aura he exuded felt to Wu Yuan like that of a ferocious beast, even more terrifying than the nearby Martial Arts Academy Dean, Zhang Da

The situation is stronger than the individual; no matter how advanced Wu Yuan's martial arts skills are, he cannot overcome the gap of several tens of times in physical strength to defeat a fourth-grade expert

I have long heard that this year the martial arts academy has produced a 'genius' in martial arts, and today I finally have the pleasure of meeting him.

Wu Qiming gritted his teeth and lowered his head, saying: "It is not that Wu Yuan is unwilling to bring glory to the Martial Academy, but his family is in a difficult financial situation. My Wu family is also of humble means, making it hard to provide full support. Without external resources, even if he trains at the Martial Academy for a year, it would be difficult to compete for the top position among the four houses. It would be better to enter the Cloud Martial Hall this year, and as he grows in the future, it will still bring honor to my family in the city."

"Wu Yuan, you need not worry too much. The martial arts academy competition involves many parties, and General Xu may not dare to intervene." Wu Qiming said softly, "Inviting us to the banquet may be for other reasons."

This is a struggle for interests

He got straight to the point with his inquiry

As he spoke, General Xu cast his gaze to the side

As a guest of lower status, Wu Qiming was very conscious and arrived early with Wu Yuan at www.hetushu.com. There were no anticipated difficulties; the steward of the Xu residence politely guided them to the last seat, served tea, and pastries.

Just.

Patriarch

It is not that I do not believe, but rather that in martial arts training, one either progresses or regresses. Entering the Cloud Martial Hall a year later would have a significant impact on Wu Yuan. Wu Qiming steeled his resolve.

The banquet continued into the night, and Wu Yuan and Wu Qiming finally received a private invitation from the steward to have a conversation in the side hall

The Wu family? They don't even count among the top one hundred families!

In terms of physicality, the humans of Middle-earth are significantly stronger, with adult males easily capable of possessing a strength of one thousand pounds

The first three are led by the county magistrate, who holds the power to control the city, while the garrison general appears unable to intervene in local affairs. However, the absolute military force commanded by the six hundred Southern Dream troops makes even the county magistrate reluctant to engage in conflict with him

The quota for entering the Cloud Martial Hall is limited to one per martial arts academy in each prefecture per year

How can ordinary sect disciples be compared to the disciples of the Cloud Martial Hall

Wu Qiming felt beads of sweat subtly forming on his forehead, as if a fierce tiger were staring at him

"Wu Yuan, you will accompany me to the banquet later. Regardless of the circumstances, do not act without my signal." Wu Qiming said in a low voice, "Do you understand?"

The side door creaked open, and a servant respectfully presented a large stack of silver notes, each note marked with the denomination 'one hundred taels,' and the corner of the notes bore the anti-counterfeiting inscription 'Qunxing'.

"Then I will speak frankly. " Dean Zhang's face bore a hint of seriousness: "This year's martial arts competition is approaching, and with Wu Yuan's strength, there is a great hope of securing first place, thereby advancing to the Cloud Martial Hall for further training"

Wu Yuan's eyes also flickered slightly

Securing the first position signifies that the most outstanding disciples recruited by the Cloud and *Diagram* Book Martial Hall throughout the year will naturally attract considerable attention, especially as it coincides with the three-hundredth anniversary of the sect

The dance music is overwhelming, and the songstress is enchanting yet not beguiling

Finally

The Xu residence, resplendent and magnificent, is brightly illuminated.

No matter how high one's talent may be, it does not equate to true strength. Having yet to reach the rank of a Sixth-Rank Martial Master, it is far from appropriate for a dignified general in charge of the town and the president of the Martial Arts Academy to continuously extol such a person

As for the fourth rank martial artist

However

"Patriarch, I understand," Wu Yuan smiled and said, "The general guarding the town is someone we cannot provoke, and our Wu family cannot afford to offend. For the sake of my mother and sister, for the family, no matter how great the grievance, I will endure it."

However, Wu Yuan did not care much about it

Reaching the fifth rank signifies entering the mainstream, and one can be regarded as a 'master of the mainstream' anywhere in the world.

In my previous life, at my peak, my pure physical fitness was likely not even comparable to that of General Xu

How could Wu Qiming and Wu Yuan not understand the deeper meaning behind it

He knows that refusing will lead to significant trouble

A sixth-rank can be regarded as a martial master, marking a true entry into the realm of martial arts

However, upon entering the Cloud Martial Hall now, you will only be an ordinary disciple

Director Zhang's words are grandiloquent

"It is a good teaching from Director Zhang," said Wu Qiming

Such a lavish and grand banquet made even Wu Qiming, the clan leader, feel somewhat constrained, surpassing his expectations; even the annual celebrations of the Wu family do not compare to today.

Do you not believe me?" Zhang Da's eyes narrowed slightly, and his breath changed subtly

Therefore, I, along with General Xu and the Prefect, hope that you, Wu Yuan, can forgo this year's grand competition and spend an additional year honing your skills at the County Martial Academy. After one year, your strength will undoubtedly surpass your current level, and you will have a complete chance to compete for the title of 'First among the Four Prefectures' in the grand competition among the counties. At that time, entering the Cloud Martial Hall as the top contender will be a great honor for the entire Li City. You will also receive more training resources, which will be quite beneficial for you

Cloud Martial Hall? First place in the grand competition? Wu Qiming is able to firmly hold the position of clan leader, how astute he is, in a moment he comprehended the underlying cause and effect.

The only thing that surprised Wu Yuan somewhat was that the president of the martial arts academy was also present here

Naturally, Wu Qiming believes that Wu Yuan has offended the garrison general; otherwise, how could he have suddenly received an invitation

Wu Qiming stared at Wu Yuan, trying to discern some clues from Wu Yuan's expression.

The performance has ended and the audience has dispersed

According to the regulations of the Hengyun Sect: Only martial artists of the fourth rank and above may serve as generals responsible for the defense of the county city.

The various branches of the Wu family outside the city, in order to gather such a substantial sum of money, must resort to selling their properties.

Chief Wu's deep foresight is admirable, said General Xu, his voice gentle. However, in recognition of Wu Yuan's contributions to the city, the people of the city will not overlook his efforts and will grant him five thousand taels of silver to support his cultivation needs for the year

Wu Qiming, with a hint of worry on his face, stepped onto the carriage one step at a time using a stool. As the head of the clan, he needed to maintain the proper demeanor.

Both individuals understand, it has arrived

Wu Yuan looked at Wu Qiming with a hint of astonishment, wondering how the clan leader could have the audacity to refuse

Hengyun Sect Regulation: Individuals must be at least sixteen years old to enter the Yunwu Hall

"In the presence of the general, I do not dare to call myself a genius," Wu Qiming said repeatedly

This is a substantial amount of money

The master leads one to the door, but the cultivation is up to the individual. Without Wu Yuan's own effort, even if I want to teach, I cannot succeed. Director Zhang said with a smile

Both the county magistrate and the county deputy have arrived, and General Xu has also personally come forward to greet them

In fact, the two cannot be said to have any 'grievance', as they have had little interaction in the past

General Xu and Dean Zhang. Wu Qiming said with a hint of flattery: "The reason for summoning me and Wu Yuan this time must be for an important matter, please feel free to instruct us."

As time passes, guests come and go like clouds, and the prominent figures who are rarely seen in the city gradually arrive.

As time went on, Wu Yuan felt increasingly drowsy, simply because in his previous life he had witnessed performances of exquisite artistry a hundred times more refined and had participated in banquets that were ten times more extravagant.

Five thousand taels? Wu Qiming gasped!

With the capabilities of a guarding general, sending his son into the Hengyun Sect is a simple task

Such prominent figures, when hosting private banquets, typically invite only the top ten elite families from outside the city

The disciples who ranked first in the martial arts academies across various regions will compete again after entering the 'Yunwu Hall', an event known as the 'Provincial Grand Competition'

Xu Yuanhan is now fifteen years old this year

Why did General Xu suddenly invite me to the banquet tonight? And why did he specifically instruct me to bring you along?

Wu Yuan's martial arts talent is remarkable, and this is a fact, especially over the past month, his rate of progress has been nothing short of astonishing

This banquet truly allowed Wu Yuan to experience the standards of the 'upper class' in this world

This world far surpasses the ancient dynasties; this is merely a county city, while the prefectural city has a population reaching millions. However, no matter how luxurious and grand it may be, it is unlikely to rival the super-network celebration formed through the 'Metaverse.' Wu Yuan observed coldly.

Middle-earth Thirteen States, Martial Arts Nine Ranks

As the top martial arts academy of the sect, the disciples of Yunwu Hall can access resources and martial arts manuals that are ten times greater than those available to ordinary disciples

The general guarding the town? If it were during the peak of his previous life, would Wu Yuan care!

Unfortunately, all he could see was a tranquil expanse

Enter the side hall

Wu Qiming listened, increasingly perplexed

Wu Yuan nodded slightly, without offering any rebuttal

If it were truly only for Wu and the Library Abyss, why invite the two to the Xu residence for a banquet? Why must the guarding general intervene? It should be noted that, according to the law, the general's residence is not permitted to interfere in the affairs of the Martial Academy

... ...

All of this is merely leveraging the power of the banquet to instill a sense of awe in Wu Qiming and Wu Yuan, making them hesitant to refuse easily

The position of the guarding general is highly esteemed, even the governor must show him respect. As a mere disciple of a martial arts academy, who has not even reached the level of a sixth-rank martial artist, I am not qualified to meet him, let alone provoke him

The ranks of Ninth, Eighth, and Seventh are collectively referred to as 'warriors', which ordinary people can aspire to achieve through physical training.

Other matters

The so-called Four Mansions refers to the four territories once governed by the Hengyun Sect

"Wu Yuan, are you willing?" General Xu directly looked at Wu Yuan

Hello!

The Xu residence covers an area of several dozen acres. The outer areas of the estate feature artificial hills, corridors, and pavilions. As one ventures deeper into the estate, the layout and decorations become increasingly simple, evoking a sense of military rigor and solemnity.

Wu Yuan suddenly understood

However, in his heart, Wu Yuan's future is even more important

In contrast to the hustle and bustle of the lobby, this place is quite tranquil

"Let's go, don't arrive too late." Wu Qiming signaled to the coachman nearby, who slowly brought the carriage over.

Wu Qiming respectfully greeted General Xu and acknowledged Director Zhang. He first performed a courteous bow and then slightly bent his body as he rose.

Wu Yuan acted in accordance with it

Various types of delicacies that are rarely seen on the streets are also continuously being presented

The four major figures of the city prefecture are the Prefect, the Deputy Prefect, the County Captain, and the Garrison General

The patriarch insists on involving me with General Xu, which is nothing more than the rivalry between Xu Yuanhan and me in the grand competition

Wu Yuan lightly tapped his toes and leaped into the carriage.

"Elder Wu, Young Master Wu, please this way." The gentle-faced butler Xu, dressed in a purple robe, led the two.