Chapter 136

As for whether Sun Tao and Lin Wei were involved, Xu Yang couldn't tell. The two didn't explicitly state that everyone should admit defeat if they encountered them, nor did they stand up to toast like Jiang Ping and the others with hypocrisy.

"Junior Brother Zhao Hui, this matter cannot be forced; it should be entirely voluntary."

Lu Ren spoke: "Xu Yang perhaps feels that he also has a chance to ascend the dragon, and it is only right that he is unwilling. If we unfortunately encounter each other, then each will rely on their own means. At worst, we will let others laugh at us Weiyuan Hall senior and junior brothers killing each other and benefiting others."

His words sounded like he was helping Xu Yang out of a predicament, but he used the term "killing each other," and the threat was only a step away from being stated directly.

"So they were treating me as the chicken!"

Xu Yang suddenly realized. Lu Ren and the others were likely afraid that others would pay lip service, agreeing here on the surface but not admitting defeat during the examination, wasting their physical strength and true qi.

So they picked out Xu Yang, who had poor popularity and hadn't expressed his stance, to kill the chicken to warn the monkeys, telling everyone: if you don't know what's good for you and don't admit defeat when you encounter us, don't blame us for using ruthless tactics.

"With so many senior brothers and sisters helping, how would it ever be my turn? With my meager skills, I fear I won't have the opportunity to encounter any of you senior brothers and sisters."

Xu Yang's tone was calm.

Lu Ren and Zhao Hui didn't continue to make things difficult for him. Their main purpose was to tell everyone that it was best to know what was good for them. The purpose had been achieved, and there was no need to continue entangling.

Lin Wei and Sun Tao were both there; if things turned sour, no one would be able to keep their face.

The banquet ended, and everyone dispersed.

"Lu Ren and these people are truly excessive, actually wanting others to give up their chance to ascend the dragon to charge into battle for them. No wonder his innate talent isn't bad, but Father didn't take him as a disciple—his character is too poor."

Walking back on the road with Sun Tao, Lin Wei couldn't help but sneer.

It was just that she ultimately didn't want to offend Gu Fang, Jiang Ping, and these people, so she didn't express her stance at the banquet.

"The Wu Ke Dragon Ascent is seventy percent strength and thirty percent luck. This is that thirty percent luck. To be honest, even I, as a senior brother, am somewhat tempted," Sun Tao sighed.

"Senior Brother, you also don't have the confidence to ascend the dragon?" Lin Wei asked curiously.

Sun Tao shook his head: "The examination is filled with experts; not many people dare to say they can ascend the dragon with one hundred percent certainty."

Every year in the examination, some unknown experts emerge. Who knows if one will encounter such people?

Moreover, his talent was average; it took him nearly two years of practicing martial arts to reach Qi Gathering Major Success.

"Then who do you think in the Weiyuan Hall can ascend the dragon?" Lin Wei asked again.

Although she was Lin Cheng's daughter, she ultimately practiced martial arts at the Sunu Hall and didn't understand the situation of the Weiyuan Hall disciples.

Sun Tao pondered for a while before speaking: "Jiang Ping and Zhao Zhifei should be able to ascend the dragon. Gu Fang, myself, and Lu Ren also have a great chance. As for the others, if they have thirty percent luck, they also have hopes of ascending the dragon."

Lin Wei was stunned: "Is Xu Yang among the others?"

Sun Tao glanced at Lin Wei and said: "If broken down, Xu Yang's chances, as well as Zhang Yong's and Yang Lin's, should be above the others."

Zhang Yong had Grade C-plus innate talent, and the time he reached Qi Gathering Major Success was also early. Yang Lin was a disciple with more seniority than him.

Xu Yang's performance was above these two, but he was not on the same level as him and Lu Ren.

Gu Fang and Lu Ren both learned the Gu family's eighteen scattered hands, and he also had the Sun family's secret martial arts. Xu Yang only had the foundation-building martial arts, the Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist; naturally, he couldn't compete with them.

"Senior Brother, if you encounter Xu Yang in the examination, directly admit defeat."

Lin Wei immediately understood that Sun Tao should not know that Xu Yang had grasped the Wind-Thunder Strength, so she immediately spoke up to remind him.

"Why?" Now it was Sun Tao's turn to be stunned.

Could it be that Lin Wei didn't know about his Sun family's secret martial arts and thought that because he lost to Kong Yu that day, he was truly inferior to Kong Yu?

"Just listen to your Junior Sister. My father didn't tell you about this, and I don't dare to speak recklessly."

Sun Tao's thoughts raced, recalling the matter of Lin Cheng waiving Xu Yang's tuition fees, and he became thoughtful.

"Lu Ren and the others look down on Xu Yang. If they truly encounter each other, it will be interesting."

Sun Tao thought, then looked at Lin Wei: "Junior Sister, what about you? Do you have the confidence to ascend the dragon?"

"I have some!"

Early in the morning, Xu Laoer woke up in the cowshed, calculating that after mining for another year, he would be able to build a house for himself and wouldn't have to sleep in this foul-smelling cowshed every day.

Walking out of the cowshed, he saw his eldest brother's daughter, Xu Lan, wearing the floral clothes she only wore on holidays, and she had even applied some rouge and powder, her expression very excited.

He asked curiously: "Alan, is Eldest Brother marrying you off?"

It wasn't a holiday, and this attire looked like she was going on a blind date.

Xu Lan shook her head: "No. Second Uncle, why did you just get up? Today is the Wu Ke Examination; aren't you going to watch?"

Wu Ke Examination?

So it was the biennial Wu Ke Examination again.

Xu Laoer felt a wave of depression in his heart. In the past, during the Wu Ke Examination, he would accompany Zhang Cuiting to the city to watch.

But today he was busy mining; how could he have time to delay in the city?

"It's all that little beast Yang Jun."

Thinking of Zhang Cuiting, he felt another wave of hatred toward Yang Jun. He had poured his heart and soul into being a stepfather, not caring about the life or death of his own pair of children, but in the end, what he got in return was being swept out the door.

"That Wu Ke Examination is packed with people, heads everywhere. What's there to see? I'm already tired of watching it." Xu Laoer tried hard to squeeze out a look of disdain.

Xu Lan nodded: "I also heard that it's boring with so many people, but A-Yang is also participating in the examination, so I have to go. Second Uncle, hurry up and wash your face; it will be late soon."

Upon hearing this, Xu Laoer froze.

That unfilial son Xu Yang was actually going to participate in the Wu Ke Examination.

Having watched it a few times with Zhang Cuiting, he still knew quite a bit about the Wu Ke Examination. Many people could practice martial arts, but few had the ability to participate in the examination.

Being able to participate in the Wu Ke Examination was already considered a big shot in Qingyuan County, and in the future, one might be able to create a noble family. The Huang family of Zhou Shunchang seemed to have come about this way.

"If I had known..."

Xu Laoer only felt a sharp pain in his chest. If he hadn't been so heartless back then, he wouldn't be living in a cowshed today.

"By the way, I heard your other son will also participate in the examination."

Xu Lan seemed not to notice Xu Laoer's abnormality and mentioned another thing.

With two sons participating in the Wu Ke Examination at the same time, Xu Laoer was considered unique in Bai Shi Square.

"That little beast is actually participating in the Wu Ke Examination too."

Xu Laoer's face was extremely black, knowing that the person Xu Lan spoke of was Yang Jun.

"Second Uncle, are you going or not?" Xu Lan asked persistently.

"Not going!"

Xu Laoer turned around with a black face and entered the cowshed.

As the biggest biennial event in Qingyuan County, the government office had long ago built a huge drill ground to serve as the examination venue, and they had also set up viewing stands to collect fees.

Early in the morning, people had already come to occupy positions, and peddlers had also taken this opportunity to set up stalls here, selling all kinds of snacks and delicacies.

When Xu Yang brought Xu Qing, Xu Lan, and Zhou Hui here, it was already packed with people.

Buying some melon seeds for the three of them, he relied on the reference waist tag to find a good position for them.

"Brother, you will definitely pass!"

When Xu Yang was about to leave, Xu Qing suddenly shouted.

"A-Yang will definitely obtain the title."

Zhou Hui and Xu Lan also echoed.

"Hmm!"

Xu Yang nodded, turned around, and walked away with large strides.

Obtaining the title of Martial Scholar was as easy as turning over his hand for him; his goal was to ascend the dragon.

Showing his reference waist tag, he successfully entered the inner arena.

The drill ground of several thousand square meters had already been set up with four arenas and a huge invigilation platform.

It was Xu Yang's first time seeing the county magistrate of Qingyuan County, a middle-aged man who looked fat and greasy, dressed in official robes, sitting high in the center of the invigilation platform. On the sides were the officials of Qingyuan County, the martial arts hall masters, and the examiners.

Below the high platform, the candidates who had already arrived stood in four rows, not making any noisy sounds.

Xu Yang handed over his waist tag and was guided by a minor official to stand behind a formation.

"Linger, who is Xu Yang? Let us see who that toad who wants to eat swan meat is."

Near the viewing stand close to the inner arena, Huang Linger sat with several young ladies from wealthy families, and someone suddenly suggested wanting to see Xu Yang.

Once these words were out, it immediately drew echoes from everyone.

The matter of Huang Linger going to the Weiyuan Hall to warn Xu Yang back then didn't have much influence in the Weiyuan Hall, but in the circle of young ladies, it had spread very widely.

Everyone knew that there was a mud-legged boy who, in order to climb up to the Huang family, had shamelessly sought out Huang Ping to propose marriage, and then was rejected when Huang Linger came to his door.

After all, the fate of most of them was to marry into a family for the sake of their own family in the future, marrying mud-legged boys who crawled out of the mud; naturally, they paid attention to such things.

Upon hearing this, an unnatural look flashed across Huang Linger's face, and she pointed at Xu Yang, saying: "He is Xu Yang."

"I can't see!" ===== CHAPTER 137 =====