Dominating Martial King

Ye Zhiqiu leaned against the wall nonchalantly and waved at Chu Xisheng, "Did you bring it?"

Chu Xisheng hurriedly pulled out a money pouch from beneath his sleeve and handed it over; though his heart faltered slightly, his face maintained composure. "Coach, this modest gift hardly shows my respect, but I hope you will accept it with a smile."

Ye Zhiqiu was noncommittal as she took the pouch and weighed it, her brow immediately furrowing, her enjoyment of the bun in her mouth fading, "Why is there only so little?"

There were only about eighty taels of Demon Silver in the pouch.

She said with a slight headache, "This makes things difficult for me. You haven't fully learned the Chasing Wind Saber yet, and so can only take the exemption route. But even for the exemption, there are requirements. Your talent with the saber is acceptable, but your physical constitution is too weak. Moreover, there are only fifty exemption spots, and so many people in Xiushui are watching."

Chu Xisheng looked embarrassed and knew his argument was weak.

Eighty taels of Demon Silver would normally be enough to take care of the Martial Arts Academy, but a month ago, Zhengyang Martial Arts Hall was promoted to being an official academy of Xiushui County. From then on, all True Disciples who graduated could directly obtain an Eighth-Rank military position in the Daning Army.

Zhengyang Martial Arts Hall, already a branch of the Formless Divine Sect from the Six Great Immortal Sects, had always had limited spots for Inner Sect Disciples. Now that it had donned an official seal, the cost for these exemption spots and 'rules money' had skyrocketed.

Given his current straitened circumstances, Chu Xisheng had no choice but to brazen it out, "It's a bit less, next month I'll run some extra escorts. Please, coach, I'll take the instructors to Drunk Dragon Inn for a drink. For now, please consider my eagerness to learn, and turn a blind eye this once!"

"Drunk Dragon Inn?"

Upon hearing these three words, Ye Zhiqiu seemed to smell the strong fragrance of wine from Drunk Dragon Inn,

She smacked her lips, finding the bun in her mouth even more tasteless now.

Seeing Ye Zhiqiu's hesitation, Chu Xisheng felt a hint of hope.

This Coach Ye was known for her tough exterior but soft heart, so he had to play up his misery a bit more,

"Coach, you know my family situation. I'm ill and all alone in Xiushui City, and I have a sister to support. I could only gather this much for now. Please help me! I promise to make a name for myself in the future and earn you honor!"

Ye Zhiqiu grumbled through gritted teeth, "Here we go again."

She threw the leftover bun to a nearby dog and looked Chu Xisheng up and down.

The youth was about fourteen or fifteen, dressed in a plain, whitewashed cotton robe, with a tall and slender figure and distinctively handsome features. What was most unforgettable were his narrow phoenix eyes that seemed to always hold a trace of mirth, even when he wasn't smiling.

Oddly, his skin was so pale that it was almost translucent, devoid of any flush.

This ill appearance of his only invoked more pity.

Ye Zhiqiu's eyes reflected a hint of reminiscence; Chu Xisheng's face reminded her of her younger brother who died young.

She thought to herself that although this lad hadn't fully learned his swordsmanship, his talent was notable. With both siblings in poor health and struggling to make ends meet in Xiushui City, Chu Xisheng must have given everything he had for today's money.

Ye Zhiqiu then reined in her emotions and turned, walking toward the north end of the training ground.

"Enough, considering you usually manage to get things done and understand the rules, I'll help you out this time. I'll cover the money for now. Return it to me in a month, and don't forget about the Drunk Dragon Inn—"

Chu Xisheng smirked and quickly followed behind her.

Along the way, many citizens and academy disciples greeted Ye Zhiqiu respectfully, their expressions solemn and their manners exceedingly polite.

Chu Xisheng was not surprised; Ye Zhiqiu had come from the Daning Northern Peace Army. A year ago, she had retired from the military due to an injury and taken a position in the academy,

In her more than a year as instructor, she had become famous outside for her fair and kind nature.

Besides, the Northern Peace Army protected the Northern Territory of Daning, maintaining strict discipline and a fearsome reputation. The citizens of Xiushui City always felt indebted to the Northern Peace Army's protection, naturally showing immense respect to the highly decorated Ye Zhiqiu.

Soon, they reached the north end of the training ground, in front of a high platform built of green slate.

Chu Xisheng looked up to see not only a group of middle-aged martial masters clad in brocade robes on the platform but also more than ten military generals in armor and six civil officials in green robes seated beside them.

In the center, a man in his forties with distinct features and tightly curled hair and beard sat on a Taishi Chair, his formidable eyes surveying the surroundings like those of a tiger, his presence commanding.

"Wait here!" Ye Zhiqiu instructed before stepping up to the platform, giving a respectful bow to the central figure.

"Grandmaster! I wish to recommend someone for the Inner Sect, please grant him an exemption."

"An exemption?" The master of Zhengyang Martial Arts Hall, named Lei Yuan, opened his eyes slightly, "Who is this person? What is the reason for the exemption?"

Ye Zhiqiu confidently held her fists in salute, "Grandmaster, this disciple named Chu Xisheng has excellent root bone and extreme comprehension, a perfect candidate for martial practice. However, he is younger and started his training relatively late, not having mastered the Chasing Wind Saber, hence he cannot pass the Outer Disciple martial examination. I do not wish to miss such talent, thus I request you allow him an exemption."

After hearing this, Lei Yuan remained noncommittal, "Where is this disciple? Let him come up to the platform for me to see."

At this moment, not only the multitude of martial masters and officials on the platform glanced down, but also the academy disciples and bystanders below all looked toward him.

Chu Xisheng braced himself and walked onto the platform with composure, bowing to Grandmaster Lei Yuan, "Disciple greets the Grandmaster!"