From the fusion of Tongbei Quan to the Longevity Martial Saint

Meanwhile, at the other end of the cliff rope.

Inside a simple thatched hut, Ding Mingcheng and Tan Herong sat facing each other, with black and white pieces intertwined on the chessboard in the middle, and the battle was in full swing.

Ding Mingcheng held a black piece between his index and middle fingers, pondered for a moment, and with a soft "tap," the piece landed on the edge of the chessboard.

He then turned his head and looked toward the cliff outside the thatched hut, which was shrouded in thick fog.

The terrain here is high and steep. Before dawn, the damp and cold mist accumulated in the mountains is like a thick, milky white cotton wadding, heavily covering the five thick ropes that extend into the depths of the mist.

Besides the howling wind, clear metallic clanging sounds could be heard continuously coming from the fog.

Interspersed among them were the muffled groans and roars of men exerting their strength, adding a touch of solemnity to the tranquil morning.

suddenly!

"break!"

A clear yet sharp shout, like an arrow piercing the clouds, suddenly broke through the fog from the direction of the rope in the middle and clearly entered the thatched hut.

Tan Herong paused as he was about to place his piece, his eyebrows raised in surprise, and he turned to look at the rope in the middle, a confident smile immediately appearing on his face.

"Old Ding, Old Ding," he said slowly, placing the white piece down and taking a sip from the rough pottery teacup beside him.

"Judging from that voice, if we were to make a bet, you're probably doomed to lose."

Ding Mingcheng looked at him but didn't reply.

Tan Herong put down his teacup, tapped the chessboard with his fingertip, and smiled:

"I can't be mistaken about that voice. It's Zeng Qian, ranked fifty-fifth. Don't let her gender fool you; her swordsmanship is swift and ruthless, and she's famous throughout the camp."

He paused, his tone tinged with amusement:

"Besides, everyone in the camp knows that Lu Jianfeng, ranked fiftieth, is extremely attentive to this Junior Sister Zeng, and has openly expressed his admiration for her on multiple occasions. Given his personality, how could he not do everything in his power to protect Zeng Qian and help her advance in this kind of assessment?"

Tan Herong glanced at Ding Mingcheng, his meaning crystal clear:

Who else could be the person protecting Zeng Qian who helped her get so close to the finish line so quickly, besides Lu Jianfeng?

Zeng Qian has arrived, and Lu Jianfeng must be ahead. It seems that first place is about to fall into Lu Jianfeng's hands.

Ding Mingcheng listened, his brows furrowing slightly. His gaze returned to the chessboard, and his fingers unconsciously stroked the black piece.

He did indeed have a special expectation for Fang Qing. The young man had a calm and steady temperament, unlike the usual impatient young people.

But reason told him that Tan Herong's analysis was not without merit.

Fang Qing was only at the fifth level of Body Tempering, while Lu Jianfeng and Zeng Qian were already at the peak of the sixth level of Body Tempering, with one foot already in the threshold of the seventh level.

The difference in skill level often becomes an insurmountable chasm when facing the bronze-level challenges that require sheer strength to overcome.

It seems that Fang Qing's hopes of winning the first prize and obtaining that precious opportunity to refine the armory are truly slim.

Ding Mingcheng sighed inwardly, stopped thinking about it, gently placed the black piece on his fingertip, and focused on the game in front of him.

Seeing Ding Mingcheng's tacit agreement, Tan Herong's smile deepened. He leisurely poured another cup of tea and was about to raise it.

suddenly!

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of the end of the rope in the middle, where the thick fog began to churn violently!

"They're out!"

Tan Herong perked up and blurted it out.

He put down his teacup, leaned forward slightly, and squinted, trying to see through the mist to make out who it was.

A blurry yet agile human figure was breaking through the fog at an extremely fast speed, rushing towards the thatched hut.

"Hahaha, it really is Lu Jianfeng! This kid really didn't disappoint me..."

Tan Herong's laughter was cut short as if an invisible hand had choked him!

The smile on his face froze instantly, replaced by astonishment and doubt.

At this moment, the figure had completely broken out of the densest fog, and its form became much clearer.

However, the familiar thick-backed machete that Tan Herong had anticipated did not appear.

What came into view was a spear about eight feet long, entirely black, with a single, cold star flashing at its tip...

"Not Lu Jianfeng?"

Tan Herong's heart skipped a beat.

Lu Jianfeng was known throughout the entire battalion to be skilled with a knife.

Did he drop his weapon and hastily pick up a spear instead?

The idea had barely crossed his mind when he rejected it. To switch to an unfamiliar weapon during the assessment would be tantamount to suicide.

Just as Tan Herong was filled with doubt and uncertainty, Ding Mingcheng, who was standing next to him, was stunned the moment he saw the black gun clearly.

Immediately afterwards, an uncontrollable smile suddenly bloomed on his face, and his hearty laughter directly replaced Tan Herong's unfinished "haha".

pat...

Ding Mingcheng steadily placed a black stone on the center point of the chessboard, the sound as clear as metal.

"Brother Tan, there's no need to continue this game."

He stood up, his sleeves fluttering in the breeze, a hearty smile on his face:

"Your dragon is now in my grasp. You're doomed to lose this game!"

After saying that, Ding Mingcheng stopped looking at the chessboard and strode straight to the edge of the thatched hut.

Facing that now clear, upright figure who was coming to a stop, I bowed to him from afar.

His voice was clear and bright, carrying undisguised praise:

"Brother Fang Qing, congratulations! You truly deserved to win first place!"

"Fang Qing?!"

These two words were like a thunderclap, exploding in Tan Herong's ears!

He turned his head sharply, his gaze fixed on that figure.

The fog completely dissipated, revealing the figure of the newcomer.

A burly young man stood tall and straight, his posture as upright as a pine tree. Although he was dressed in ordinary clothes, after a fierce battle, a sharp aura naturally emanated from his eyes and brows.

It wasn't Lu Jianfeng, nor any other familiar face, but Fang Qing, the fifth-level Body Tempering cultivator whom he had just thought had absolutely no chance of winning!

The dark spear in the boy's hand pointed diagonally at the ground, its tassel stained with dust, which only added to its menacing aura.

He was slightly out of breath, sweat beading on his forehead, but his eyes were bright and clear. He returned Ding Mingcheng's greeting with a cupped-hand salute.

"Instructor Ding, you flatter me. It was just a fluke."

Tan Herong glanced at Fang Qing, then abruptly turned to look at Ding Mingcheng, his eyes filled with disbelief and shock.

Ding Mingcheng smiled slightly, but his gaze was already fixed on the mist, filled with even more anticipation.

What happened next left Tan Herong speechless.

After only about twenty breaths, the mist on the middle rope surged again.

A graceful figure darted out like a swallow and landed steadily.

It was Zeng Qian!

Her hair was slightly disheveled, and a few strands of her black hair were stuck to her fair forehead and cheeks with sweat, which only made her look more breathtakingly beautiful.

She wore a tight-fitting outfit that perfectly accentuated her stunning figure.

The mountain peaks stand tall, her waist is slender as a willow, and her legs are long and straight.

His chest heaved as he breathed rapidly.

However, this stunning beauty did not show any joy at being second place. Instead, she glanced at Fang Qing, who had arrived first, with a complicated expression, and then silently went to the side to meditate.

As expected, Lu Jianfeng came in third place.

He staggered out of the fog, his clothes torn in many places, his hair disheveled, his face flushed but with a grayish tinge, and he was panting heavily.

The thick-backed knife in his hand even had several chips, making him look extremely disheveled.

When he saw Fang Qing, who was already calm and composed, and Zeng Qian, who was regulating her breathing, his face turned ashen. He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails almost dug into his flesh, but he couldn't say a word. His chest heaved violently.

The fourth place is another preparatory camp disciple ranked fifty-first.

But what surprised everyone the most, and even left the disciples who arrived later and those who eventually completed the assessment speechless, was:

The fifth place is surprisingly Zhanbo...

Zhanbo, a company that has long hovered at the bottom of the rankings.

The team's undisputed bottom performer somehow managed to get fifth place?!

Although he only received two merit points and a Qi Gathering Pill as a reward, the news spread like wildfire throughout the entire Salt Patrol Guard Reserve Camp, becoming the hottest topic of conversation for the next few days.

Of course, anyone with a discerning eye would know that Zhanbo could never have achieved this result on his own.

According to a few disciples running behind, they vaguely saw that in the last and most difficult section of the bronze warrior's combined attack area...

Fang Qing seemed to have deliberately slowed down, and even made several moves.

He used the gun barrel to deliver a fatal blow to the staggering Zhan Borg behind him, creating an opening for him to pass.

It was these crucial moments of assistance that allowed Zhanbo to narrowly overtake several people and ultimately secure fifth place.

That's why, for a long time to come...

Zhanbo's attitude towards Fang Qing was filled with heartfelt gratitude and respect.

Every time he saw Fang Qing, he would rush to do anything he could.

……

When Fang Qing received the five crystal-clear Qi Gathering Pills as a reward, his palms were slightly hot.

These are genuine cultivation resources, which can save him a lot of hard work.

What ignited his passion even more was the special spot that only the first-place winner could obtain… the opportunity to go to the Yangzhou Armory.

However, the armory needs time to make arrangements, so this quota won't be available until next month.

Fang Qing clutched the five Qi Gathering Pills he had just received and hurriedly rushed towards the Salt Patrol Guard Reserve Camp.

By this time, the sun was high in the sky, and the training ground was empty of air. Most people had not yet recovered from the exertion of the morning.

Fang Qing moved with lightning speed, and in a few leaps, he rushed back to his dormitory room, which was numbered towards the end.

He went straight to the iron pipe in the corner of the room that was used to transmit messages.

This iron pipe connects all the rooms in the reserve camp and serves as the passage for bookmakers to open betting and collect bets:

Fang Qing took a deep breath and tapped the cool tube wall with his hand in a specific rhythm of three long taps and two short taps, which was a signal to check the odds.

Soon, the sound of paper rubbing together came from inside the iron pipe.

A rolled-up piece of paper fell from the opening and landed in his outstretched palm.

Fang Qing quickly unfolded the slip of paper, and when he saw that the odds for his "one win against ten" were still 3 to 1, his eyes lit up.

"There's hope!"

Fang Qing couldn't help but snap his fingers. For the first half of the training mission, he had deliberately kept a low profile, even intentionally loitering in the middle of the group.

He had long since figured out the rules in the reserve camp: the top ten dealers received information with a delay.

Therefore, he deliberately waited until he passed the key point of the Bronze Man Formation before suddenly exerting his strength and winning the championship.

It now appears that the strategy worked.

The bookmakers had clearly not received confirmation that he had won first place, and based solely on the impression that he had "mediocre" performance in the first half of the game, they had lowered their guard.

This was exactly what Zhong Qing wanted. Without hesitation, he stuffed five Qi Gathering Pills into the iron pipe, and then, in the rhythm of placing bets, tapped a series of more complex codes on the inner wall of the pipe.

After doing all this, he pushed with his hand, and the five pills slid down the pipe into the hands of the farmer, who was nowhere to be found.

The sound of the Qi-gathering pill rolling in the iron pipe gradually faded away. Fang Qing held his breath and waited. After a moment, a brand-new slip of paper popped out of the pipe.

He grabbed it, unfolded it, and saw that it was indeed the proof of a successful bet. It clearly read "One to ten, odds of 1 to 3, bet five Qi Gathering Pills" and was stamped with a red clay seal.

"It's done!"

Fang Qing carefully folded the voucher and tucked it into his pocket. Although the current odds were only 1 to 3, if the initial five coins doubled, that would be a gain of fifteen coins.

After deducting costs, the net profit is ten Qi Gathering Pills.

That's enough for him to cultivate for almost half a month!

He dared not delay, fearing that the dealers would notice something amiss. Fang Qing abruptly opened the door and rushed straight to room 84 next door.

According to the "one-against-ten" rule, he has to start from his own room number and challenge the others until he wins ten consecutive matches.

dong dong dong...

Fang Qing knocked on the door of room 84. The door opened quickly, revealing a tired-looking member of the preparatory camp, covered in mud and grime from training.

The man looked up and saw Fang Qing. He was taken aback at first, then smiled wryly and shrugged.

"Fang Qing? You already got first place, why are you still trying to beat ten people in one go?"

The man shook his head, his tone full of helplessness.

"You two fight? That's just asking for trouble. Forget it, I'll just admit defeat. You can find someone else."

……