From the fusion of Tongbei Quan to the Longevity Martial Saint

Upon hearing about the generous reward, Fang Qing's spirits lifted.

He quickly went back into the house, packed the necessary items into a simple bag, and slung it over his shoulder.

Then, following Zhanbo, they strode towards the huge training ground deep within the Salt Patrol Guard Reserve Camp.

On the way, Zhanbo took the initiative to explain things to Fang Qing, the newcomer.

"In our preparatory camp, there is a mandatory group training session once a month."

"I heard that this time, everyone ranked from 50th to 99th must participate."

"It's a relatively easy, basic task."

Fang Qing keenly grasped the information.

"People ranked in the top ten don't need to participate in this kind of training?"

Zhanbo shrugged, his face showing a mixture of envy and longing.

"The top ten? Those are all monsters at the seventh level of Body Tempering!"

"They're all in seclusion, diligently cultivating and trying to break through to the True Essence Realm!"

"This kind of ordinary training is simply not good enough for them."

He lowered his voice and leaned closer to say:

"Fang Qing, do you know?"

"The top ten in the reserve camp, provided they perform reasonably well in the upcoming martial arts examination, will start as bronze guards in the Salt Patrol Guard after passing the exam!"

"If the top three can excel in the martial arts examination, they might even have a chance to directly compete for the Silver Guard identity!"

Fang Qing's eyes flickered, and he gained a clearer understanding of the levels of the reserve camp.

The 50th to 99th places are the bottom tier of the reserve camp.

The top ten are already the elite of the reserve camp, possessing the strength to break through to the True Yuan Realm. Even if they were placed among the regular Salt Patrol Guards, their combat power would be considerable.

More importantly, they enjoy privileges, such as the right to take time off work for spiritual practice.

According to Zhanbo, the top ten earn an astonishing astronomical figure each year simply by setting up betting platforms and formulating various battle rules for the next ninety-odd people.

Those who make the rules always profit more than those who follow them.

Fang Qing remained silent.

This law applies in any world.

As the two talked, they arrived at the vast playground.

The training ground is paved with gray-black boulders and is much larger than the training ground of the Shanhe Boxing Academy, enough to accommodate hundreds of people to train at the same time.

At this moment, nearly fifty people have gathered here, chatting in small groups.

As Fang Qing and Zhan Bo walked into the crowd, they immediately felt several pairs of eyes fixed on them.

There was curiosity, scrutiny, and a touch of indifference.

Fang Qing's feat of taking on ten opponents at once yesterday has earned him some fame in the reserve camp.

However, since Fang Qing started from 99th place, many people only paid slight attention to him.

After all, the reserve camp is full of experts, especially the top 60 and those below them, where the difference in strength is huge.

Standing directly in front of the crowd were two men dressed in the standard flying fish uniforms of the Salt Patrol Guard.

The flying fish robe is made of stiff fabric, embroidered with silver thread depicting flying fish riding the waves, which gleams with a cool luster in the sunlight.

Both men carried standard-issue long swords at their waists and exuded composure.

Fang Qing knew one of them.

It was Ding Mingcheng, whom I had met several times before.

Ding Mingcheng also saw Fang Qing and nodded almost imperceptibly through the crowd.

Zhanbo noticed this small movement and his eyes widened immediately.

"Fang Qing, you...you know Lord Ding?"

Fang Qing didn't want to say much, only saying calmly:

"We've only dealt with each other a few times."

Zhanbo suddenly realized, and then remembered some rumors about Fang Qing that had been circulating in the barracks recently. He couldn't help but secretly glance at his seemingly calm new colleague next to him a few more times.

At this moment, another salt patrol officer, with a serious face and hawk-like eyes, stepped forward.

He placed his right hand on the hilt of his knife and surveyed the entire room.

The noisy playground quickly quieted down.

My name is Tan Herong.

The sound wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly.

"Today, Ding Tongwei and I will be in charge of this month's training."

"You should know that the responsibility of the reserve battalion is to provide support and protection for the official salt patrols when they are carrying out their duties."

"Most of the duties are logistics, transportation, guard duty, and auxiliary defense."

He turned to the side and pointed to the open space behind him.

"Today's training objective: transporting heavy supplies across a 20-mile mountainous terrain!"

"Each person needs to carry 500 jin (250 kg)!"

"What? Five hundred jin?"

As everyone looked in the direction he pointed, a collective gasp of astonishment rippled through the crowd.

Even Zhanbo's eyes widened in surprise.

Although most of them are martial artists at the fifth level of Body Tempering, in terms of strength alone, it is not impossible for them to carry 500 jin (250 kg).

But the supplies that Tan Herong prepared were quite special.

First, there were several bags of powdery substance tightly bound with thick burlap, from which a pungent sulfurous smell emanated.

This is clearly a simulation of the dangerous materials such as gunpowder that are sometimes needed by the salt patrol.

It must be handled with extreme care, avoiding any bumps or impacts.

Secondly, there were five or six newly felled logs.

Each tree is as thick as an adult man's calf and about ten feet long, with rough bark covered in thorns.

The log itself is not extremely heavy, but its large size makes it difficult to grip. Carrying it for twenty miles through the mountains is a huge test of physical strength and balance.

Next came a large bucket of clean water.

It is placed in an open wooden barrel, and the water is easily spilled due to the sloshing of the water.

When carrying the bucket, you need to constantly control your posture to keep it stable.

The most troublesome thing was the two huge, dark iron ore rocks with sharp, knife-like edges.

Each piece weighs over 100 pounds and has an irregular shape. When carried, the hard edges will press hard against the shoulders and back, and the skin will be broken and bleeding after walking for a short time.

Tan Herong explained expressionlessly:

"The needs at the front are varied."

"Gunpowder, timber, drinking water, and minerals are all possibilities."

"This training exercise simulates the most complex scenarios."

Then, he changed the subject.

"Of course, this reward is well worth the hard work."

"The winner of the training session will be awarded five Qi Gathering Pills!"

"Second place, four stars!"

"The top five, decreasing in number from top to bottom!"

Qi Gathering Pill!

For martial artists in the Body Tempering Realm, this is a valuable asset for solidifying their foundation and accelerating their cultivation.

Many people in the room immediately began to breathe heavily, and their eyes gleamed with longing.

Tan Herong paused, raising his voice slightly.

"The first-place winner will receive an additional chance..."

"Enter the Yangzhou Salt Guard Armory to undergo a purification and refinement of your character!"

Upon hearing this, the entire room fell silent.

Then, with a loud "boom," it exploded completely, like cold water being poured into boiling oil!

"Refining one's constitution? Yangzhou Armory?"

"Did I hear that right? That's a top-tier medicinal bath! It can improve one's innate aptitude!"

"Those top ten monsters are said to have all undergone armory tempering!"

"Someone broke through from the fifth to the seventh level of Body Tempering after undergoing refinement!"

"Some have even used this to touch the threshold of the True Essence Realm!"

"Why is the reward so generous this time?"

The sounds of discussion and exclamations mingled together, and everyone's face was filled with shock and barely suppressed excitement.

Zhanbo suddenly grabbed Fang Qing's arm, his fingers turning slightly white from the force.

His eyes were red, and his voice trembled.

"Fang Qing! Did you hear that? Cleanse and refine your constitution!"

"That's a golden opportunity to elevate one's martial arts foundation! It's something you can only dream of!"

"Those guys at the top of the rankings have maintained their positions in the top ten precisely because of this!"

Fang Qing's heart was also filled with turmoil.

Improving his physical constitution is his most pressing need right now!

If one can improve their physique, their stamina can be reduced each time, thus saving a lot of cultivation resources.

This reward is practically tailor-made for him!

Tan Herong raised his hand and pressed it down.

The commotion in the arena gradually subsided, but the burning passion in those eyes intensified.

"The martial arts examination is imminent."

Tan Herong's gaze swept over the crowd.

"Two months from now, some of you will participate in the martial arts examination."

"Those who achieve outstanding results will be officially admitted to the Salt Patrol Guard and become our comrades."

"This generous reward is also a way for the garrison to help its own reserve soldiers."

"I hope you all seize this opportunity and earn the title of Martial Arts Scholar in the martial arts examination!"

……