Chapter 22: A Tremendous Opportunity!

After closing the panel.

Jiang Ning rose from the bed, put on a close-fitting short tunic, and pushed open the door.

The faint dawn light met his eyes, and a cool breeze mixed with the scent of flowers and grass brushed against his face, prompting Jiang Ning to take several deep breaths of the fresh air.

*Whoosh—*

He exhaled the turbid air that had accumulated in his abdomen overnight, instantly feeling a sense of lightness and pleasure throughout his entire body.

Afterward, Jiang Ning went to a corner of the courtyard to wash up.

The common people of this world generally had no habit of washing up, but having lived in a civilized world in his previous life, Jiang Ning could not tolerate the taste in his mouth upon waking up in the morning.

Since he lacked the proper tools, he could only use the method he had read about in books in his past life.

He took out a willow twig that had been soaking in water overnight, chewed it open with his teeth, and used the soft, fiber-like strands to clean his teeth.

As he became increasingly skilled, the willow twigs he prepared became more effective.

In the corner of the wall, Jiang Ning used his fingers to smear crushed charcoal onto his teeth. After scrubbing repeatedly to clean them, he rinsed his mouth with fresh water and then used the freshly chewed willow twig to clean his teeth once more.

Once finished, Jiang Ning exhaled and nodded with satisfaction.

"Not bad!!"

He then washed his face before standing in the courtyard with his arms hanging naturally at his sides.

Feeling the cool breeze mixed with the scent of flora, Jiang Ning began to practice his boxing.

【Five Animals Fist Experience +1】

【Five Animals Fist Experience +1】

【Skill】: Five Animals Fist (Entry Level 90/100)

By the end of two rounds of practice, his Five Animals Fist experience had reached 90 points.

Simultaneously, two more wisps of blood qi were condensed and integrated into his body.

*Pant—*

*Pant—*

Jiang Ning breathed heavily, feeling his heart pounding violently in his chest. A smile involuntarily spread across his face.

"To be able to practice two rounds in one breath, my physical stamina has indeed reached a new level."

He clenched his fists, feeling the blood qi flowing freely within him.

The blood qi he had condensed through physical training had long since reached over a hundred wisps. When gathered together, this much blood qi could permeate parts of his arms.

Once unleashed and applied to his fists and arms, it could drastically increase his explosive strength for a short duration; if applied to his feet and legs, it could vastly increase his explosive speed.

Blood qi was the ultimate source of a martial artist's power.

"I'll test my strength a bit later!"

At 8:45 AM.

After finishing breakfast, Jiang Ning arrived at the main gate of the front courtyard.

*Rumble—*

As he pulled the door bolt and pushed open the heavy gates of the martial arts hall, a slight vibration traveled through his feet from the friction between the gate and the ground.

"Junior Brother Jiang is as punctual as ever!" A man dressed in white training robes, lightly waving a folding fan, spoke to Jiang Ning. A faint, almost imperceptible smile played on his lips, and his expression was somewhat frivolous.

"Senior Brother Cheng Ran!" Jiang Ning smiled.

Having been at the martial arts hall for over two days and practicing in the front courtyard, he had naturally met some people.

Among them, the one he got along with best was this Senior Brother Cheng Ran.

As for the other practitioners in the front courtyard, they didn't necessarily harbor hostility toward him, but they were quite unwelcoming.

After all, most disciples with the means to join the Canglang Martial Arts Hall were young people from the inner city.

They formed their own circles and were quite familiar with one another.

The remaining few youths from the outer city were also desperately trying to integrate into the inner city disciples' circle.

Building good relationships with the wealthy sons of the inner city was a form of social capital and resources.

Naturally, Jiang Ning was too lazy to deal with them.

Only Cheng Ran was different. Although he was from the inner city, he enjoyed making friends; there wasn't a single ordinary disciple in the entire Canglang Martial Arts Hall that he didn't know.

When Jiang Ning was practicing during his first two days, Cheng Ran had also taken the initiative to befriend him.

Faced with someone's goodwill, Jiang Ning naturally had no reason to refuse.

Having one more friend always meant having one more way out.

Why would he refuse?

A moment later.

In the front courtyard of the martial arts hall.

"Silence!" Wang Jin emerged from the back courtyard.

His short tunic accentuated his muscles, which were as exaggerated as undulating dragons.

In an instant.

The entire area fell silent.

"An opportunity now lies before you!"

At the mention of the word "opportunity," everyone's eyes lit up.

Wang Jin's gaze swept over the crowd like a king surveying his territory, and then he nodded with satisfaction.

"Do you know what an opportunity is?"

"Yes!" someone called out.

"You do not!" Wang Jin's tone was calm yet powerful.

He continued, "An opportunity is something that can change your destiny, allow you to leap over the dragon gate, and lead you out of this small world."

Hearing this, the light in everyone's eyes grew even more intense.

Seeing the burning gazes of the crowd, Wang Jin nodded with even greater satisfaction.

He then said, "Do you know that in recent years, the world has been in turmoil? The hearts of the people are restless, and natural and man-made disasters are constant! Various ghostly entities, such as the God-Worshipping Sect, appear frequently?"

"We know!" someone spoke up. "As far as I know, in our Zeshun Province alone last year, there was one medium-scale rebellion and five small-scale rebellions. They are endless and impossible to eradicate. Furthermore, nearly ten cults worshipping evil gods have appeared."

Wang Jin glanced briefly at the person and nodded slightly. "Correct!"

"Therefore, at the beginning of this year, the Human Emperor and the current sole Martial Saint jointly issued an edict. Every province, prefecture, commandery, and county in the world must establish an Inspection Bureau to patrol the Nine Provinces and oversee the masses."

"The Inspection Bureau is presided over by the current sole Martial Saint. Any cult that worships evil gods, or any group that incites the people to rebellion, regardless of their background or identity—even if they are of royal blood—the Bureau has the right to execute them first and report later!"

"This edict will be sent to Luoshui County in one month! By the end of the year, every province, prefecture, commandery, and county must have an Inspection Bureau established."

"The personnel for the Inspection Bureau are currently being selected from the major martial arts halls and various factions in Luoshui County, consisting of those with clean backgrounds and outstanding strength and talent."

"This is a massive chance for you! Do you know that for martial arts cultivation to progress vigorously, wealth, companions, methods, and terrain are all indispensable!"

"You must know that the master of the Inspection Bureau is the current sole Martial Saint, the one who has suppressed the world for over eight hundred years! Within the Inspection Bureau, everything from basic blood qi circulation techniques to the supreme secret methods for becoming a Blood-Exchange Grandmaster or a Spirit-Nurturing Great Grandmaster is available!"

"All kinds of precious medicines and fundamental martial arts methods are provided in full!"

"All of this is something you could never obtain in Luoshui County."

"Joining the Inspection Bureau might even grant you personal guidance from the Martial Saint himself!"

Upon hearing the last sentence, the entire martial arts hall erupted.

Countless eyes burned with fervor.

The words "Martial Saint."

To anyone, these were no different from the gods and immortals recorded in ancient texts.

A centenarian might see five generations living together.

But a Martial Saint, who had suppressed the world for eight hundred years—what an exaggerated existence that was.

Scanning the crowd once more, Wang Jin nodded with satisfaction.

"Those entering the Inspection Bureau must be under thirty, from respectable families with clean backgrounds! All are required to have reached the 'Ranked' level of martial arts."

"Canglang Martial Arts Hall has been granted five recommendation slots. Four of these slots have already been pre-determined: they belong to your three senior brothers and one senior sister!"

"There is now one recommendation slot remaining, and you shall compete for it."

"In three months, whoever masters two of the Five Animals Fist stances and achieves great success in blood qi, thereby completing the martial arts ranking, will be taken in as my personal disciple along with your four senior siblings. The disciple recruitment ceremony will be announced to all of Luoshui County, and you, in turn, will enter the Inspection Bureau representing my, Wang Jin's, reputation."

"Remember, the slots for the Bureau are limited. There will inevitably be further tests upon entry, and you will have to compete with other factions! This is your chance to leap over the dragon gate! No one will give it up!"

"Entering the Inspection Bureau will undoubtedly involve massive amounts of killing and fighting. For those not skilled in combat, this is a crisis!"

At this moment.

Jiang Ning listened quietly, a burning intensity rising in his eyes.

Personal disciple. Entering the Inspection Bureau.

This was a monumental opportunity.

What did "personal disciple" mean? It meant being the successor of one's legacy; their status would be no lower than a biological child, and perhaps even higher.

And the Inspection Bureau possessed the power to execute first and report later. From the description, it was clearly a high-status law enforcement agency.

If compared to the government departments of his previous life's history, its power and background would be even greater than the prestigious Jinyiwei (Embroidered Uniform Guard).

Anyone with even a basic knowledge of history knew the fearsome reputation of the Jinyiwei.

Not to mention that this Inspection Bureau stood above the Jinyiwei in status, and its benefits far exceeded theirs.

And as the saying goes, "it is good to seek shade under a large tree."

In this Great Xia empire, what tree could be larger than the current sole Martial Saint?

That was a terrifying existence who had suppressed the destiny of Great Xia for eight hundred years—a man who could rival a nation; that was the definition of a Martial Saint.

As long as he could enter the Inspection Bureau, his status would no longer be what it was now.

Even if his strength was insufficient, with the Inspection Bureau at his back, he would not fear the local great families at all.

Overseeing the world, patrolling the Nine Provinces, executing first and reporting later—this power was too, too great!!!

Cultivation manuals, divine weapons, precious medicines—the benefits were also too, too great!!!

At this moment, Jiang Ning clenched his fists.

Within three months, I must achieve perfection in blood qi and reach the martial arts ranking.

Only then can I become Wang Jin's personal disciple and gain the qualification to enter the Inspection Bureau.

If I cannot enter the Inspection Bureau, even if I reach the martial arts ranking and do not fear Xu Yunfeng, Xu Yunfeng has Cao Bin and the Cao family standing behind him.

In the face of the massive Cao family, once a conflict arises, reaching the martial arts ranking can, at most, only serve for self-protection.

But becoming Wang Jin's personal disciple would be different; it would be enough to make them hesitate to strike.

Not to mention entering the Inspection Bureau.