I Can See Your Combat Power

Chapter 619: Chapter Six Hundred and Fifteen: Hook Chen

Even if the news leaked out later, the Tang Clan would at least have an excuse, and Tang Luo already had a design in mind regarding the identity of the person behind the mask.

His design was similar to the one thought out by the clan leader, aiming to protect Tang Luo’s identity from exposure to the utmost extent. Hearing Tang Luo’s words, Tang Zu nodded again and again: “This is indeed good.”

…

December 9

The already bustling North Mountain saw another strange occurrence. The clan patriarch Tang Zu took over the management of the school and brought with him a tall and thin man in a mask.

The students’ withdrawal from the school was ranked fourth, which was satisfactory to most, but some students felt they deserved a better slot, deserving more attention from the clan.

There was never a lack of pride in those who relied on their talents. Even when the clan explicitly told the school’s disciples that they couldn’t specialize in martial arts because they didn’t complete the Foundation Building before the age of ten, the situation was the same.

Everyone believed they were unique, especially without direct comparison.

And the first thing the patriarch did when he took over the school was to gather all the students and announce to them: “I know that many of you feel that you shouldn’t just be idling away your time in the school. You believe that your true level cannot be represented by the speed of building the foundation during childhood. Therefore, over the years, many students from the school have submitted applications to enter the Martial Hall for cultivation.”

Though the size of the school was smaller than the Martial Hall, it had several times as many students. If the Martial Hall was specifically for the training of warriors, then the school was where all the civilian officials were bred.

General knowledge, arithmetic, agricultural studies, medical studies, metallurgy, martial arts research, economics, all were taught at the school. But the ultimate romantic pursuit for men was still martial arts.

While the students from the school still practiced martial arts, they essentially focused on the seven major academic disciplines. Martial arts were only used for physical fitness and not for rivalry.

But having experienced the joy of evolution of life and the transition of physical layers, many students from the school returned to martial arts. However, such cases mostly occurred after mortals cast away their cocoons, and by then, most of them were in their early twenties.

Even if they returned to martial arts to temper their bodies, they lagged behind others in terms of progress. So, even if school students become strong martial artists one day, they hardly become top-ranking martial artists.

This frustrated many school students who were interested in martial arts, and in the end, they wasted their time joining a discipline they didn’t truly love.

However, this was merely their own understanding. In the absence of visible spiritual power, judging a person’s aptitude based on the time required for Foundation Building was, in Tang Luo’s view, the most scientific way he had seen so far.

As the timing of Foundation Building did not merely depend on the potential for martial arts, but also on discipline, perseverance, and the desire for martial arts.

A standard for Foundation Building at the age of ten was not excessively demanding. Even Tang Luo, who had the most ordinary potential, completed his Foundation Building at the age of nine. The clan leader’s son, Tang Peng, completed his Foundation Building at the tender age of eight, despite having the most average potential.

The strength and weakness of a martial artist largely depended not only on the potential but also on persistent tenacity.

Even the best potential needs to be exploited by a persevering person. Many so-called genius martial artists are stuck at the peak of the Mortal Realm or the peak of the Cocoon Shedding Realm, and they age over time.

Foundation Building is just the first hurdle. If you can’t even pass that, there’s no point talking about the future.

Thus, the Tang Clan had consistently rejected these students who wished to join the Martial Hall, considering these factors.

Even in picking up the leftover pieces this time, the patriarch didn’t hold much hope. But since it was a thought, he continued: “At this time, given the life-and-death situation facing our clan, regardless of victory or defeat, the Tang Clan will be greatly damaged. So, among you, whoever feels they have the ability to shoulder the upcoming era of the Tang Clan, please step forward!”

Martial arts are not such that if you are determined, you can be invincible. For most people, even after a lifetime of hard work, they are ultimately ordinary warriors in the Fierce Realm. If you want to hold up the future of a clan, mere determination is far from enough.

Ability is the most critical part. Tang Zu’s unreserved words provoked the pride of the school students, and almost half the several thousand students stepped out, wanting to join the Martial Hall.

“Great! You are indeed the prized pupils of Tang Clan!” Patriarch Tang Zu, looking at the nearly two thousand students below who moved in synchrony, couldn’t help admiring aloud: “Since you all have this heroic ambition, I will send you all to the Martial Hall.”

“However,” the patriarch Tang Zu changed his tone, “Whether you eventually enter the First Cultivation Ground or the Ninth Cultivation Ground depends on your own abilities.”

If his earlier words about admitting them to the Martial Hall were praise, then bringing up other cultivation grounds was an insult.

Who didn’t know that apart from the First Cultivation Ground, other cultivation grounds were set up to cultivate warriors to serve as part of the clan’s military force? They, honorable clan disciples, being lumped together with a group of orphans from the Charity Hall. What would that look like!

Aside from a limited few school students who were extremely confident, most of them looked peeved. But given the presence of the patriarch, they didn’t dare to speak up directly, making them uncomfortable.

Finally, a brave youngster couldn’t hold back anymore and asked aloud, “May I ask, Sir Patriarch, what are the criteria for entering the First Cultivation Ground?”

As disciples of Tang Clan, they naturally wanted to join the First Cultivation Ground. Therefore, for this group of students, despite the Martial Hall being vast, there was only one standard. If they could not enter the First Cultivation Ground, it was equivalent to failure.

“The standard is simple. Do as I say, and then go to whichever Cultivation Ground I tell you to go to.” The tall masked man standing next to the patriarch suddenly spoke. His voice was hoarse and low, like the scraping of a blade across a drum surface, which made people’s hearts clench.

The student who asked the question turned his gaze to the masked man and scrutinized him. He noticed that the man’s mask was out of the ordinary. The shiny black mask seemed to contain the cosmos, and there was an image of a single-horned Qilin at the mouth and nose part. The mask only had tiny holes for the eyes, but the silvery pupils were like the brightest stars in the night sky.

Such attractive eyes, yet with such an unpleasant voice, were indeed unforgettable. Although the traits were obvious, no one knew who he was.

Those present were only school students, but they were also part of the Tang Clan. No one had seen him before, not at the annual meeting or at the memorial ceremony. This made everyone curious. Particularly because the man’s tone was extraordinarily big. If it was not for his standing next to the patriarch making it hard to measure him, this group of fearlessly overconfident youngsters would definitely retaliate.

Although Tang Zu had anticipated that Tang Luo would change his appearance, this voice indeed startled him. But looking at the crowd below, it was evident that no one recognized Tang Luo standing next to him. Patriarch Tang nodded and said, “Yes, I have specifically invited the Master of the Hook Chen Pavilion to be your examiners this time. You just have to do as he says.”