Chapter 16: Achieving the Rank of Junior Official at Fourteen

After exchanging a few words with Liang Wei, Chen Tiansheng went to line up for registration at the Mortal Path Association.

Regarding the Zhang family’s retaliation, if it were Zhang Jingcong personally, the matter would be difficult to handle.

Of course, Chen Tiansheng was also a victim in Zhang Chengnan’s case.

However, this world does not operate on reason but on strength.

His elder brother, Chen Changqing, was executed because a member of the Immortal Sect was displeased. The latter uttered only a single word, yet the officials had no choice but to carry out the execution.

If Zhang Jingcong truly wanted to move against him, his fate would likely be similar to his brother’s.

Escape was an option.

But if he fled, he feared that Zhang Jingcong, in his fury, would slaughter all the villagers of Lower Two Village connected to him.

He could never allow the villagers who had helped him to suffer because of his own misfortune.

For now, his only hope lay with the Mortal Path Association. As an organization under the Immortal Sect, it held the authority to negotiate with the sect. If he could become a full member and gain their attention, perhaps they could assist him in this matter.

Therefore, he had to become a disciple of the Mortal Path Association and demonstrate his potential quickly enough to be noticed within the organization.

Meanwhile, Liang Wei watched Chen Tiansheng’s back as he entered the Mortal Path Association’s gates, sighing helplessly.

Earlier, the young man had told him that he would not flee Qingzhou Prefecture but instead strive to become a disciple of the Mortal Path Association to gain the right to reason with Zhang Jingcong.

If he could achieve this, it might be feasible.

But for a boy of thirteen or fourteen to pass the Mortal Path Association’s entrance examination was no easy feat.

Becoming an immortal was hard; for a mortal to enter the path was even harder.

...

After registering, Chen Tiansheng followed the line to a stone platform about the size of a well opening.

This was the Appraisal Platform.

It could test whether a person’s streetcraft had reached a certain grade.

Achieving a grade in streetcraft was the threshold for becoming a disciple.

The hallmark of streetcraft reaching a grade was the ability to perceive the “market aura” through the technique. Only those who had practiced the technique could sense it; others could not. Hence, testing was necessary. Most candidates had already attained this level.

A very few were in a gray area, either due to weak streetcraft perception or strong innate sensitivity.

When it was Chen Tiansheng’s turn, the examiner was initially surprised, then sneered, “Kid, if you want to check your streetcraft grade like everyone else, at least wait until you’re an adult. Coming at your age just wastes everyone’s time.”

Others thought Chen Tiansheng was just there to cause a scene and began whispering.

“I’ve seen this kid before, a small waiter at the Five Lakes and Four Seas Inn. Not bad looking and quite talkative, but he’s clearly overambitious, coming here to take the disciple test.”

“Waiters usually cultivate the tuning path mostly. This kid might have some talent, but he hasn’t been around long. The tuning path is notoriously hard to master. The most talented tuning path cultivator in Qingzhou Prefecture I know has been at the inn for ten years.”

“I think the organization should set some requirements to avoid letting these nuisance kids waste everyone’s time. Tch.”

Most of the wandering martial artists were blunt and merciless when speaking.

Chen Tiansheng was long accustomed to such mockery.

He smiled calmly and walked up to the appraisal platform. Amid the scornful gazes, he quietly performed the “Chest Hammer Stone” streetcraft technique. Instantly, the platform emitted a dazzling red glow. Those who had just mocked him fell silent, staring in horror at what had happened.

The color red on the platform signified heavy martial vigor.

The deeper the color, the more advanced the streetcraft!

Seeing the brilliant red, the examiner’s voice trembled as he blurted out, “Such a terrifying color... This hue rivals that of a master-level martial streetcraft practitioner. This kid... how is this possible?”

The examiner didn’t believe Chen Tiansheng possessed such skill and asked him to test several more times. Each time, the result was the same.

Those who still doubted were silenced, staring in shock at the young man they had just mocked.

This waiter was not cultivating the tuning path but the unrelated martial path!

If this youth were not a waiter but a disciple of a martial arts school, how far could he go with martial path streetcraft?

No one dared imagine.

Chen Tiansheng showed no pride; he kept a modest, calm demeanor and asked, “May I proceed to the next test? Or is further assessment needed?”

The examiner finally recovered, his tone becoming much more polite. “No need. Please proceed. The red carpet leads to the martial path test. Good luck.”

A talented martial path prodigy’s future was incalculable. A mere examiner dared not offend him.

From this, Chen Tiansheng deduced the examiner cultivated the tuning path and had reached the graded level; otherwise, he wouldn’t remain so composed.

Truly, the Mortal Path Association’s Qingzhou branch was no place for idlers.

Chen Tiansheng cupped his fist in thanks. “Thanks for your kind words.”

He then walked toward the red carpet.

The Mortal Path Association’s examination was divided into eight paths, each with different testing methods.

The martial path had two stages: the technique grading just completed and the upcoming practical combat test, which was crucial.

As a martial path practitioner, merely reaching graded technique was insufficient; strong combat skills were essential to prove suitability.

Following the red carpet, he arrived at a large courtyard. At the front stood a large brass house with closed doors, inside which the clanging of metal hammers was faintly audible.

This was the Bronze Man House.

Several martial path practitioners were gathered here, surprised by his arrival.

Like the examiners, they thought Chen Tiansheng was here to cause trouble and would be eliminated in the first round, yet here he was at the second and final stage.

Having martial path technique at such a young age was astonishing and enviable.

Yet some still looked down on him.

A man with a green sword at his waist, exuding grandeur, glanced at him with disdain. “Many have great talent in streetcraft, but the martial path isn’t a place where technique alone proves strength. Like a scholar who writes beautifully but is useless in battle, the martial path is never short of those who know techniques but lack martial skill!”

A sharp-featured man laughed and added, “Young Master Jiang is right; this kid is just a ‘silver-headed wax spear’”—a term for someone who looks impressive but is fragile.

Chen Tiansheng recognized them immediately.

The man called Jiang Shao was Jiang Yu, the young master of Qing Yue Tower, the largest tavern in Qingzhou Prefecture, aged twenty-two. The sharp-featured man was his lackey, Zhao An.

Jiang Yu’s scorn was not mere dislike at first glance; there was bad blood between them.

Three years ago, when Chen Tiansheng first worked as a waiter at the Five Lakes and Four Seas Inn, Jiang Yu led a group to vandalize the inn’s sign, bullying him for being young and easy to intimidate. But Chen Tiansheng, seasoned from two lifetimes, though not yet mastering “Endless Lies” and “Thousand Faces,” was more than a match for Jiang Yu. Eventually, Jiang Yu lost his temper, overturned a table, broke the inn’s rules, and was expelled by the Mortal Path Association, forbidden from stepping foot in the inn for five years.

Jiang Yu, a mortal cultivating the streetcraft path, sought to replace the inn with his own tavern as Qingzhou’s sole Five Lakes and Four Seas Inn. This would increase profits and grant him favor within the Mortal Path Association.

Now seeing Chen Tiansheng, who ruined his plans, had attained graded streetcraft, Jiang Yu was naturally furious.

Despite Jiang Yu’s arrogance, Chen Tiansheng showed no discomfort and even congratulated him, “Congratulations, Young Master Jiang, on reaching the graded level. The martial world in Qingzhou Prefecture will surely become livelier.”

Was this praise?

No, it was a clear insult.

Jiang Yu had shown martial path talent from childhood, cultivated the best mortal-grade martial path streetcraft under his family’s guidance since age six, and was taught by Qingzhou’s finest martial path masters. At twenty-two, he had only just reached graded level. If anyone else said this, it would be praise; but from a boy under fourteen who reached grading eight years earlier, it was insulting.

Worse, Chen Tiansheng said it with a serious expression, making it impossible to perceive as mockery. Jiang Yu was infuriated to the point of almost vomiting blood.

Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Jiang Yu mimicked Chen Tiansheng’s tone, “I also congratulate you on reaching graded level. I hope you can break through the Eighteen Bronze Men Formation and become a true disciple.”

Chen Tiansheng grinned broadly, showing a row of white teeth. “Thank you.”

Jiang Yu sneered coldly, thinking, “Foolish kid, you don’t even understand sarcasm.”

Bang!

At that moment, the door to the Bronze Man House suddenly flew open. A figure was hurled out and crashed heavily onto the ground, clothes torn, bruised and battered, unconscious. Two staff carried him away.

“Failed the challenge, disqualified.”

“Next, Jiang Yu!”

The white-haired elder at the door glanced at his list and announced to the crowd.

Jiang Yu glanced at Chen Tiansheng confidently. “Watch closely. I will become the record holder to break the Eighteen Bronze Men Formation. If you don’t want to end up like that fool just now, you’d better leave early.”

Without looking back, he entered the Bronze Man House.