Chapter 31

It's the same two people, the same Yan Yiming suffering a defeat, and the same crushing defeat.

And Jiang Chen, the same victor, using the same Dongwang Finger.

What was different was that this time, Yan Yiming used his family's secret techniques, and his fighting mentality changed from underestimating his opponent last time to giving it his all this time.

However, the one who fell was still Yan Yiming.

And it was within the agreed three moves.

In other words, even with his all-out effort, Yan Yiming still couldn't withstand Jiang Chen's three moves.

Of course, this time Yan Yiming wasn't as lucky. During their last sparring, Jiang Chen still left him some face and didn't truly use his true qi.

This time, Yan Yiming's repeated provocations had crossed Jiang Chen's底线 (底线 means "bottom line" or "limits"). Therefore, what he tasted this time was at least a finger from Jiang Chen using seventy percent of his strength.

With this finger, Yan Yiming would probably have to stay in bed for three to five months before he could get up.

"There's a saying, isn't there? A full bottle doesn't shake, but a half-bottle likes to shake around. You must be the type of person they're talking about, right?"

Jiang Chen didn't care about Yan Yiming's life or death. In the capital, brawls among the heirs of the feudal lords were too frequent. Besides, the Qianlong Examination itself encouraged competition among the heirs of the feudal lords.

Seeing Yan Yiming lying on the ground unable to get up, some of the feudal lords' heirs who had a bad relationship with Jiang Chen subconsciously retreated a few steps into the crowd.

They were afraid that if Jiang Chen saw them at this moment and challenged them, they wouldn't even have Yan Yiming's strength.

At this point, no one could still consider Jiang Chen as a three-meridian true qi practitioner.

Just now, only a fool would think that Jiang Chen was a "beginning true qi" of three meridians.

Could the injuries Yan Yiming suffered be caused by a beginning true qi practitioner?

Defeating a mere Yan Yiming, Jiang Chen didn't think it was a great achievement. After all, his current cultivation was already at the peak of five-meridian true qi.

With so many advantages he possessed, defeating a six-meridian true qi Yan Yiming was something that should be expected.

If he had to struggle to defeat a six-meridian true qi Yan Yiming, then the advantages of his previous life would be a joke.

Jiang Zheng, on the other hand, felt a great sense of vindication. The last time in the Apothecary Hall, he enjoyed the treatment of being popular.

Today, he enjoyed the respectful gazes of others.

What is the most important thing for a servant? It's to have a smooth heart and be able to stand tall wherever he goes!

And today, Jiang Zheng's back was very straight.

"Official, our young master wants to sign up for the three basic tests," Jiang Zheng's voice was much louder than usual.

If it were in the past, coming to take the three basic tests at this time would be a shameful thing, and Jiang Zheng wouldn't even have the face to say it.

But after Jiang Chen crushed Yan Yiming, the situation was clearly very different. Could someone who could crush Yan Yiming be someone who couldn't pass the three basic tests?

Why didn't he pass before? It's because our young master was too busy and didn't have time to come and pass them!

Until the deadline, no one else had failed to pass the three basic tests except for Jiang Chen.

At this stage, no one dared to make things difficult for Jiang Chen.

Soon, Jiang Chen arrived at the examination room for the first test.

In the center was a large circular disk, with twelve holes in the disk. Each of these holes had a vertical white jade pillar.

These were the true qi pillars used to test true qi.

No one could cheat in this test. The examinee would light up as many white jade pillars as they had true qi meridians.

You could hold back your strength, but you couldn't exaggerate it.

In other words, if you had ten meridians of true qi, you could use only eight or even four.

But if you only had four meridians of true qi, you couldn't make up an extra one.

Therefore, this was a test that could not be cheated.

"No wonder the previous Jiang Chen couldn't pass this test. How could three meridians of true qi pass?"

Jiang Chen lightly shook his head and stepped forward. He placed his palm in the slot and maximally activated his five-meridian true qi.

He heard the disk make a "clicking" sound.

Then, the white jade pillars began to light up one by one.

One, two, three, four, five...

Seeing the white jade pillars finally stop at five, some of the onlookers breathed a sigh of relief, while others felt a bit disappointed.

There were various reactions, but Jiang Chen didn't pay much attention. He didn't hold back in this test.

"Hey, look. Although only five pillars are lit, the brightness..."

Someone pointed this out, and immediately others noticed.

"Right, we usually only see a faint blue light. But Jiang Chen's true qi light is actually green! And look, the pillars have no impurities, each one is very balanced. Pure and flawless..."

"Such perfect true qi, no wonder he could easily defeat Yan Yiming with just five meridians of true qi!"

"It seems we all underestimated this Jiang Chen!"

"Reasonable! With this purity of true qi, I think he could even challenge a high-meridian true qi practitioner!"

High-meridian true qi practitioners start at seven meridians. Such an evaluation was a very high one.

Even the official in charge of the test was slightly moved when he saw Jiang Chen's true qi pillars, looking at Jiang Chen with a somewhat complex expression.

From his eyes, Jiang Chen saw both approval and doubt. Perhaps, in the eyes of the official, Jiang Chen was still hiding his true qi.

"Alright, Jiang Chen, five meridians of true qi. You have passed the first basic test!"

The official clearly stated, "Jiang Chen, congratulations on passing the first test. Your performance and results will be recorded in your file for reference."

"Thank you for your efforts," Jiang Chen smiled. He was always polite when others were courteous to him.

The first test was very easy, which was within Jiang Chen's expectations.

After passing through several corridors, Jiang Chen arrived at the second test area.

This second test took place in a sealed sword qi room.

"Jiang Chen, this second test is different from the first. It has a certain level of danger. If you don't have the cultivation of four meridians of true qi and haven't reached the great completion stage of the 'Purple Qi Comes from the East' technique, entering this sword qi room could be very dangerous."

The official in charge of the second test reminded Jiang Chen according to the rules.

Jiang Chen nodded, "Thank you for the reminder, I am ready."

"Since that's the case, go in," the official nodded, saying nothing. Since the examinee had come, there was no reason to back down because of his reminder.

The sword qi room was a space about ten meters long and wide.

In this space, there were countless mechanisms that would shoot out various sword qi in an unpredictable manner.

The examinee had to endure for half an hour in this room.

Moreover, every so often, one or two iron-armored flying insects would be released into the room. The examinee had to shoot down at least ten iron-armored flying insects within half an hour.

They had to remain unharmed in the sword qi room and shoot down at least ten iron-armored flying insects within the specified time.

This test was relatively more difficult than the first.

Moreover, if the cultivation had not reached four meridians of true qi, it would be impossible to shoot down the iron-armored flying insects. The frequency and speed of the iron-armored flying insects, as well as their hardness, were not something a beginning true qi practitioner could easily shoot down.

"This test is a bit interesting."

Just as Jiang Chen thought this, a sword qi shot towards him. However, this single sword qi posed almost no threat to Jiang Chen.

...

In a secret room in the upper area of the Qianlong Examination venue, the second-in-command Du Ruhai listened to the report brought back by his confidant with a sullen face.

"This boy is indeed hiding his strength. He has five meridians of true qi, and the purity of his true qi is not inferior to that of the top feudal lords' heirs!"

Seeing the report of Jiang Chen's first test results, Du Ruhai's face was very gloomy. That day at Longteng Marquis's residence, he was scolded by Princess Gouyu. Although he wasn't really dismissed afterward, the rumors outside were putting a lot of pressure on him.

His authority in the Qianlong Examination team seemed to be somewhat affected.

This was what Du Ruhai least wanted to see. He had climbed from the bottom, and his desire for power was greater than anything else.

Now, Longteng Marquis had given him an ultimatum. If he couldn't stop Jiang Chen, he would lose Longteng Marquis's trust.

Losing Longteng Marquis's trust meant losing his biggest support. Without Longteng Marquis's support, his so-called wealth and power would quickly become a joke.

Therefore, he had to suppress Jiang Chen, and he had to do everything to suppress him.

He had to take this risk. Longteng Marquis's ultimatum was not a joke. If he made Longteng Marquis unhappy, Du Ruhai might end up dead on the street that night.

"Xiao Ma, come here, I want you to do this..." Du Ruhai instructed his confidant.

Xiao Ma, who was Du Ruhai's loyal follower, patted his chest after listening, "Sir, rest assured, I will handle this perfectly, leaving no trace!"

"Good, if this is done well, I will ensure your lifelong wealth and power."

...

In the sword qi room, the smooth floor was already littered with no less than fifty iron-armored flying insects, and the time had already passed a full hour.

Jiang Chen not only didn't leave the sword qi room but became increasingly excited.

"This sword qi room is unmatched by any opponent. Among opponents of the same level, who can have such unpredictable and unpredictable attacks like the mechanisms in this sword qi room? Where can you find such a free opponent?"

Jiang Chen was addicted to staying in the sword qi room.

Although the intensity of the sword qi attacks in the room doubled every half hour, Jiang Chen became more and more courageous and interested.

As his five meridians of true qi were used more and more skillfully, the collisions between his true qi and the sword qi further stimulated his fighting spirit and potential.