Chapter 7

**Recruitment?**

When Jiang Feng heard this, he felt a bit lost. Why did recruitment have to be forced? No matter what, he, Jiang Feng, did not want to do anything Miss didn't want to do!

Miss pressed his body down again and said to the man, "However, before we leave, I have a few words I want to say to my younger brother. Please give me a moment."

The man glanced at Jiang Feng, waved his hand, and a stick of incense on the nearby table lit up automatically: "Within the time it takes for this incense to burn, come out on your own, or else..."

He grunted twice, turned, and walked out of the small courtyard. A few ghostly figures followed him out.

Now, only Miss and Jiang Feng were left in the courtyard.

Jiang Feng, who had a natural healing ability, was almost fully recovered with Miss's help. He sat up and said urgently, "Miss, if you don't want to go, then don't! Don't let him threaten you..."

He pulled out a piece of paper from his chest and handed it to Miss, speaking hurriedly, "Look, look at my improved Thunder Palm! It's very powerful! I will become even more powerful. Once I create a complete martial technique and we have the Mingxin Seed, we won't have to fear anyone anymore!"

Miss smiled bitterly, unfolded the crumpled paper, and took a look. Suddenly, her expression turned to shock, and her gaze became focused.

The red light from the incense spread downward, and the small courtyard was completely silent. Jiang Feng was anxious, but Miss seemed completely unaware, focusing on the technique, her fingers gently tracing the movements.

When the incense was halfway burned, Miss took a long breath and said with relief, "Jiang Feng, you truly have a great talent in this area. The flow of Ming energy, did you imagine it?"

Jiang Feng nodded, "Yes."

Miss stood up, suddenly extended her hand, and a faint golden light appeared on her palm. She gently waved it, the palm movement soft, her fingers blooming like flowers. She lightly brushed the stone table in the courtyard, and it suddenly "bang" exploded into countless fragments! The fragments continued to break down in the air, turning into fine sand when they hit the ground. The sturdy stone table had vanished.

She had just fused the Mingxin Seed and hadn't even started formal cultivation, yet she could already exert such power!

She looked at Jiang Feng with new eyes and murmured, "I thought I had overestimated you..."

Jiang Feng said excitedly, "Miss, you're amazing! With the Mingxin Seed and martial techniques, we won't have to fear anyone!"

Miss still smiled bitterly and shook her head, "Jiang Feng, it's not possible. The strength of a Mingxin Warrior is far beyond our reach! I thought I had a bit more time, but I didn't expect..."

Jiang Feng's face changed slightly, touching his shoulder and clenching his teeth. He wanted to say more, but Miss said sternly, "There are a few things you need to listen to."

Jiang Feng immediately responded, "Yes!"

"Remember what I said before. Before obtaining the Mingxin Seed and advancing to the Dawn Realm, you must hide your innate power and not tell anyone. Also, if you reach that realm and pass the Grand Examination, remember to go to the Zhu Tian Imperial Capital. Remember, you must pass the Grand Examination and go to the Zhu Tian Imperial Capital!"

"Grand Examination? Zhu Tian Imperial Capital?"

Jiang Feng was a bit lost but still firmly remembered Miss's words.

The incense stick burned out in the blink of an eye, and the main door opened with a bang. The man in black, along with his ghostly subordinates, walked in and said coldly, "Time's up, let's go."

Miss walked obediently to him and bowed, "Your Excellency, this humble woman is willing to follow and meet with Lord Fuliu, but before we leave, I have a request."

The man in black said coldly, "Speak."

"I request a Tianzhao Order from Your Excellency."

"Tianzhao Order?" The man in black looked at Jiang Feng, "For him?"

"Yes. Jiang Feng is my cousin, orphaned since childhood, and has grown up with me. My only concern is his future."

The man in black's voice had a strange tone, "Are you sure?"

Miss frowned slightly and said decisively, "Yes."

The man in black laughed lightly, "For a county order, you only need to ask the Grand Lord..."

"No, a county order is enough."

Miss glanced at Jiang Feng, "I don't seek fame or fortune, I only want him to have a place to stand."

The man in black said casually, "Oh, a county order, then there's no need to ask the Grand Lord." He signaled to his subordinates, and soon a metal token was brought over. He indicated for Miss to take it, a mocking smile on his lips.

Miss took it, examined it carefully, and turned to Jiang Feng, solemnly handing it to him, "Jiang Feng, work hard and don't let my efforts go to waste."

Jiang Feng took it in a daze. An irreparable pain surged in his heart, and he almost shed tears.

Miss looked up at him. A year ago, he was shorter than her, but now he was taller.

She gazed deeply at Jiang Feng and repeated, "Don't let my efforts go to waste."

The sky was just beginning to brighten, the sun about to rise. Miss stood tall, looking at the line of white light, and smiled.

Jiang Feng's heart ached, a realization dawning on him.

Miss had known this would happen all along, and she had been worried about it!

The descendants of the medicinal people, with their ancestral bloodline, were indeed rare treasures, and precisely because of this, they were coveted by others. The so-called recruitment was certainly not a simple matter.

Possessing great treasures without the strength to protect them was, of course, impossible.

Miss's strength was insufficient, and his was even weaker!

He clenched the county order in his hand and vowed, "Miss, I will work hard!"

The two looked at each other, understanding the unspoken words.

Just a place to stand?

Absolutely not, he would become strong, stronger! Strong enough to protect Miss, to protect his most precious treasure!

Miss's eyes were slightly moist, and she nodded silently. She turned and walked away, seeming to transform into a different person in an instant.

"Chimu, you are my master's servant and mine, right?"

The man in black stared at her for a moment and bowed respectfully, "Yes, young mistress."

She smiled coldly, "Good, remember this well. Let's go!"

The white Xunxiang Beast pulled the carriage, silently treading the green stone path, and Jiang Feng ran a few steps behind before stopping.

He vaguely remembered Miss's name.

Jiang Chen... Chen!

...

...

Jiang Tengqing, the head of the Jiang family, had just returned to the main house.

His face was full of joy, and his steps were lighter than usual.

The first lady of the Jiang family greeted him with a smile, helping him take off his long robe and asked, "Master, it seems things went well?"

Jiang Tengqing laughed heartily, "Of course! The Grand Lord was indeed generous. Besides the things we agreed on beforehand, he gave the Jiang family ten Tianzhao County Orders and three Tianzhao Prefecture Orders!"

The Jiang lady's eyes lit up, "So, ten people from our Jiang family can directly participate in the county examination, and three can directly participate in the prefecture examination?"

"Of course! Lord Fuliu also promised that as long as these three perform well, they will be guaranteed admission to the Tenglong Sect. Martial cultivators from the Tenglong Sect can certainly secure good positions in the capital. With this batch of promising talents, our Jiang family has a bright future!"

The Jiang lady covered her mouth and laughed, "In that case, it was worth raising the young mistress."

Her face was full of smiles, but a hint of jealousy flashed in her eyes.

Jiang Tengqing cleared his throat, "We can't say that. In the last Holy War, if it weren't for my brother's generous sacrifice, the Jiang family might have already... My sister-in-law died prematurely from grief, and it was our duty to raise the young mistress. If the young mistress were a boy, she might have been able to support the family, but alas, she is a girl..."

The Jiang lady smiled in agreement, "Exactly, but we raised her in luxury and have now found her the best master. We have done our part."

Jiang Tengqing nodded in satisfaction. The Jiang lady, watching his expression, said cautiously, "We need to carefully select these thirteen candidates. Master, one of the prefecture examination slots must be reserved for Ming and Xiao!"

Jiang Tengqing frowned slightly, "Ming has fused the fourth-ring Mingxin Seed and works hard. Passing the prefecture examination shouldn't be difficult. As for Xiao, with the second-ring Mingxin Seed, he is idle all day. Giving him this slot would be a waste!"

The Jiang lady was slightly dissatisfied but knew her son well. Jiang Tengqing was right, so she conceded, "Then at least give him a county examination slot! Master, as the head of the Jiang family, it's only right to take care of your own son!"

The Zhu Tian Grand Examination is divided into three levels: county, prefecture, and capital. Only by passing the Grand Examination can one truly qualify as a martial cultivator.

Generally, one must pass the county examination to participate in the prefecture examination, and pass the prefecture examination to participate in the capital examination. Only by passing the higher-level examinations can one gain the attention of major sects. For example, the largest sects in Zhu Tian, the Fuyun Sect and the Tenglong Sect, would never accept anyone who hasn't passed the prefecture examination.

There are always some privileged classes. Lord Fuliu is the personal teacher of the Zhu Tian Emperor, and even now, the emperor still shows him the respect of a disciple. As the imperial teacher, directly arranging a few prefecture and county examination slots is within his power.

This was one of the benefits the Jiang family gained by selling the young mistress. Jiang Tengqing was very clear that the Jiang family had already declined and needed outstanding descendants to rise again. If Jiang Chen, with the seventh-ring Mingxin Seed, were a boy, he would have pushed him to the top, even if he weren't his own son. But a girl...

He chatted casually with the Jiang lady for a while and suddenly saw a steward peeking at the door.

When he called him in, the steward whispered, "That boy Jiang Feng from the Southern Jiang is standing at the gate, refusing to leave."

Jiang Tengqing frowned and asked, "What does he want?"

The steward shook his head, "We asked, but he refused to say. He just insists on meeting the head of the family."

Jiang Tengqing scolded, "Meeting what! Drive him away! The young mistress's matter is a big deal for the Jiang family, what does it have to do with him, a mixed-blood, non-cultivator waste!"

...

...

The steward, spitting and cursing, pointed at Jiang Feng impatiently.

Jiang Feng listened quietly. Half of his body was covered in blood, even his face, but his expression was unusually calm.

After listening, he nodded, "Oh, the head of the family doesn't want to see me. I understand."

He didn't say anything more and turned to leave.

The steward watched his back suspiciously, a chill running through him for some reason.