Chapter 70

The Blood Feather Eagle is not only massive in size but also extremely fast, reportedly capable of flying eighteen thousand miles in a day. Many martial artists at the peak of the Heavenly Extreme Realm dream of taming a Blood Feather Eagle as their mount.

In just half an hour, they had flown out of the capital and entered the vast, endless wilderness.

Sitting on the back of the Blood Feather Eagle, Liu Chengfeng gave Zhang Ruochen a subtle glance.

Zhang Ruochen was somewhat puzzled and said, "Brother Liu, what do you mean?"

Liu Chengfeng's gaze fixed on the purple-clad woman sitting next to Zhang Ruochen, and he whispered, "Ninth Prince, don't you even recognize her?"

Zhang Ruochen looked at the purple-clad woman again, shook his head, and said, "I don't recognize her."

Liu Chengfeng, who was usually handsome and graceful, smiled in a somewhat lecherous way and said with a grin, "Her name is Zixi. She is quite famous in the capital, not only for her youth and beauty but also for her high cultivation talent. It is said that her cultivation has already reached the Lesser Extreme of the Profound Extreme Realm. If nothing goes wrong, she will definitely become a powerful Earth Extreme Realm martial artist in the future."

He continued, "In the capital, countless high-ranking officials and noble princes want to marry her, but all have failed to win her heart. It is said that even your elder brother, the Third Prince, once pursued her but was politely rejected. Hehe! I didn't expect her to join us for the examination at the Martial Market Academy. Perhaps we will be in the same class in the future. Truly, those who are closer to the water get the moon first. Ninth Prince, if you don't make a move, I will!"

Although Liu Chengfeng spoke very softly, Zixi, who was sitting next to Zhang Ruochen and was a young powerhouse at the Lesser Extreme of the Profound Extreme Realm, heard every word.

Even Zhang Ruochen felt somewhat awkward, but Liu Chengfeng smiled and nodded at Zixi, starting to flirt, "Miss Zi, I am Liu Chengfeng, the son of the head of the Martial Market Money House. I have long admired your reputation. Today, upon seeing you, I find you truly like a celestial being, far surpassing any mortal woman."

Zixi was indeed very beautiful, with eyebrows as delicate as willow leaves, long and curled eyelashes, eyes as clear as water, and lips as red as cherries. Her skin was also very fair, like congealed fat.

The Ninth Princess and Lin Nishan were also very beautiful, but they were still too young, only in their early teens. Zixi, however, had a more perfect figure, with every curve perfectly proportioned.

Zixi glanced at Liu Chengfeng and said, "The son of the head of the Martial Market Money House? Your father is merely the branch head of the Yunwu County State, and within the Martial Market Money House, he is only considered an elder."

Liu Chengfeng was not at all embarrassed and continued, "Miss Zi, do you have a prejudice against me?"

Zixi replied, "Not really. However, I have heard that your character is not good, so I do not want to be friends with you."

She spoke very frankly, and the young martial artists around them laughed, thinking Liu Chengfeng was simply asking for trouble.

After all, the number of suitors rejected by Zixi was in the hundreds, and some of them had status and talent no less than Liu Chengfeng. He still wanted to pursue her, and it was only right that he was humiliated.

Liu Chengfeng's smile finally faded, and he said in a stern voice, "With my status, how dare you humiliate me like this? Do you think I won't make you beg for mercy when we get to the Martial Market Academy? I have connections there, and dealing with you will be as easy as turning over my hand."

"Cough, cough!"

Zhang Ruochen cleared his throat and said, "Brother Liu, weren't you going to reform and start anew?"

Liu Chengfeng replied, "Ninth Prince, you don't understand. She is really too overbearing. With my status, she says I have a bad character and doesn't want to be friends with me. Isn't this a slap in the face?"

Zhang Ruochen said, "If you really want to reform, you need to learn to stay calm and not act rashly. You should first look for the reasons within yourself. If you had a good character, Miss Zi would naturally be willing to be friends with you."

"But... Ah... Forget it, a real man doesn't fight with women. Your Highness, you are right."

Liu Chengfeng gritted his teeth, swallowed his anger, and sat back down. He bowed slightly to Zixi and said, "Miss Zi, I offended you just now. All the mistakes are mine, Liu Chengfeng's."

Zixi glanced at Zhang Ruochen, nodded, and said, "In the future, you should learn more from His Highness the Ninth Prince. You won't go wrong."

"That's right, that's right," Liu Chengfeng said repeatedly.

Another assassin, Chen Libing, sitting behind Zhang Ruochen, remained calm and said, "Since you, Liu Chengfeng, are the son of the branch head of the Martial Market Money House, you must know more about the Martial Market Academy's examination than we do. Could you tell us more about it?"

Liu Chengfeng immediately smiled, looking quite proud, and said, "I know much more about the Martial Market Academy than you. To be honest, before reaching the Profound Extreme Realm, I had already trained at the Martial Market Academy seven times, each time with significant gains."

"Last year, our Yunwu County State sent 103 young martial artists to the Martial Market Academy's examination. During the examination, 28 died, and 37 were severely injured or disabled. In the end, only three passed the examination and became outer palace students of the Martial Market Academy."

Hearing Liu Chengfeng's words, the young martial artists almost gasped in shock. They had heard that the Martial Market Academy's examination was brutal, but they didn't expect the mortality rate to be so high.

Seeing the frightened expressions of the others, Liu Chengfeng felt quite pleased and continued, "After all, Yunwu County State is just a lower-tier county state with a population of only 80 million. Each time, no more than 100 people go to the Martial Market Academy's examination."

"But have you heard of the Four Directions County State? It is a middle-tier county state with a population exceeding 300 million. Every year, hundreds of young martial artists from the Four Directions County State go to the Martial Market Academy's examination. Last year, 36 of them became outer palace students of the Martial Market Academy."

Yunwu County State had only three pass, while the Four Directions County State had 36. The difference was too great!

A martial artist around 27 or 28 years old sighed and said, "The Four Directions County State is the only middle-tier county state in the Lingxi Nine Counties, with the strongest national power and a territory equivalent to five Yunwu County States."

"Any county state bordering the Four Directions County State is very unfortunate, often being oppressed by the Four Directions County State."

"Two years ago, the Four Directions County State wanted to seize a mine in the Tianmo Ridge from our Yunwu County State. The Yunwu County King naturally refused to hand it over. Thus, the two countries went to war at the Mo River. The Four Directions County State's army was five times larger than ours, sending 400,000 troops. In the end, our Yunwu County State suffered a惨败, and even that mine was taken away."

"According to reports, in that battle two years ago, the Four Directions County State killed 30,000 of our soldiers, seized seven cities, and captured millions of civilians, who were taken as slaves by the Four Directions County State. Some were sold to brothels and became lowly prostitutes. Others were sold to mines and had to dig in the dark underground every day. Still, others lived worse than pigs and dogs, subject to the whims of the Four Directions County State. Alas! How hateful!"

Liu Chengfeng looked at Zhang Ruochen, who was sitting next to him, and said, "If we had not fought and let the Four Directions County State take that mine, wouldn't we be even more oppressed by them in the future?"

Everyone sighed. After all, the Four Directions County State was a middle-tier county state, and Yunwu County State was no match for it.

In that battle two years ago, even the Yunwu County King was severely injured, nearly falling.

Based on the population, territory, and number of strong individuals, county states were divided into three levels: lower-tier, middle-tier, and upper-tier county states.

Generally, the population of a lower-tier county state is less than 100 million.

The population of a middle-tier county state is usually between 100 million and 500 million.

The population of an upper-tier county state is almost always more than 500 million.

Of course, the strength of a county state cannot be measured solely by population and territory; it also depends on the number of strong individuals. The more martial arts experts, the stronger the national power.

For example, a county state with a population of only tens of millions, if it has enough Earth Extreme and Heaven Extreme martial artists, can still be a middle-tier county state.

Liu Chengfeng said, "It is said that this year, the Four Directions County State will send more than 600 people to the Martial Market Academy's examination, and the leader will be Prince Huoxing of the Four Directions County State. The Four Directions County State has always wanted to annex the Yunwu County State, and it is likely that they will try to suppress our Yunwu County State's martial artists during the examination this time."

"Last year, the reason so many young martial artists from our Yunwu County State died during the Martial Market Academy's examination is said to be due to the interference of the Four Directions County State's candidates."

A young martial artist said, "No wonder only three people from our Yunwu County State passed the examination last year. It must have been the Four Directions County State deliberately suppressing us."

"It is said that Prince Huoxing of the Four Directions County State is also a martial arts genius, reaching the Profound Extreme Realm at the age of 17. Moreover, he is a beast tamer and has tamed many powerful war beasts."

...

Everyone was discussing Prince Huoxing of the Four Directions County State, and some were worried about this year's Martial Market Academy examination.

After all, the number of candidates from the Four Directions County State is ten times that of the Yunwu County State. If they intend to suppress the Yunwu County State, the death rate of our martial artists this year will likely be even higher.

At this moment, Zixi, who was sitting next to Zhang Ruochen, subtly took out a fine needle from her hair and held it between her two snow-white fingers.

Her delicate body slowly leaned towards Zhang Ruochen.

There were 68 young martial artists on the back of the Blood Feather Eagle. Even if Zhang Ruochen died from the poison of the needle, no one would suspect her.

She was about to make her move!