The low-key prince summons trainees from the Imperial Household Department at the start of the game.

On the day of the final selection, before dawn, the training ground was already crowded with people.

The palace rules were strict, and the palace maids and eunuchs in each palace and courtyard were not supposed to move around freely. However, the Imperial Guard Competition was one of the few major events held every year, and the masters of each palace turned a blind eye and let their subordinates go and watch the excitement.

Under the willow trees outside the training ground, along the path, and even at the foot of the palace wall a little further away, a dense crowd of people stood, all craning their necks to look into the center of the training ground.

The nine rosewood armchairs on the high platform were once again filled.

Emperor Wu of Zhou, Zhou Qian, wore a reddish-brown dragon robe today, with a jade belt around his waist, making him appear even more majestic than yesterday.

The three dukes and four marquises, along with Qin Wu, the commander of the Zhenwu Division, stood on either side, each with a freshly brewed Longjing tea in front of them. The fragrant aroma of the tea created a strange contrast with the solemn atmosphere on the training ground.

Grand Commandant Zhou Jing brought a bamboo staff with him today. It was an ordinary bamboo staff that he used on the northern battlefield years ago. It was not a divine weapon, but it had been with him in battle for twenty years.

Some sharp-eyed veteran officials noticed that he brought a bamboo cane onto the stage, and they all knew that the old Grand Commandant was going to seriously evaluate people today.

The bamboo cane is not for leaning on, but for guiding the younger generation.

The last time he brought a bamboo cane to watch a battle was three years ago. That year, he appointed a centurion of the Tiger Guard, who is now a sixth-rank military officer in the Grand Commandant's office.

The rules for the final selection were read aloud once more by the master of ceremonies.

The ten finalists will be tentatively ranked based on their performance in the preliminary rounds, and will have the right to challenge in order of their performance from lowest to highest.

Each person can challenge a maximum of three times. If they win, they will switch places; if they lose, they will remain in their original position.

The final rankings, from highest to lowest, will be based on merit. The top ten will receive rewards, the top three will be offered positions in various government departments, and the top-ranked person will be personally bestowed with a set of martial arts techniques by His Majesty.

This is the ladder to heaven that countless martial artists from humble backgrounds dream of. A good martial arts technique means that one can go further on the path of martial arts, and going further means a higher official position, greater power, and richer rewards.

Ten people were already waiting offstage, lined up in a row, their armor gleaming, each with a distinct presence.

Zhan Zhao is currently ranked ninth, Dian Wei is currently ranked seventh, and Xu Chu, because he won the first two rounds too easily, was unanimously recommended by the judges to be temporarily ranked first.

This ranking is temporary and also a target.

Everyone knows that today every challenger will be aiming for the number one spot.

As soon as the official in charge of ceremonies finished announcing his arrival, the flag officer of the Imperial Guard, who was temporarily ranked tenth, couldn't wait to jump onto the stage and challenge Zhan Zhao, who was ranked ninth.

He was not entirely convinced of his defeat in the second round yesterday, feeling that he was killed by Zhan Zhao's light-weight power, and that he might not have lost in terms of real skill.

This time he learned his lesson and launched a full-scale attack from the start, no longer giving Zhan Zhao a chance to maneuver and wear him down, each strike aimed straight for vital points.

Zhan Zhao still did not draw his sword.

His lightness skill has improved to a new level compared to yesterday, or rather, he didn't even show his true strength yesterday.

Facing an even fiercer offensive from his opponent today, he moved with even greater composure.

His opponent's blade was fast, but his was even faster. His opponent's blade swept across the entire arena, and he weaved through the gaps in the blade's momentum, like a fish swimming upstream. Every step he took was precisely at the turning point of the blade's momentum, without the slightest error.

He circled the ring for more than thirty rounds, and finally, at an almost impossible angle, his opponent's knife was slashing diagonally from the upper right to the lower left, and his body weight was completely shifted to his right foot. Zhan Zhao suddenly spun around, his whole body pressed against the back of the knife, and turned behind his opponent. The scabbard gently touched the Dazhui acupoint on the back of his neck.

"You flatter me." Zhan Zhao's voice was calm as still water, not even his breathing was disordered.

There was a moment of silence in the audience, followed by even more enthusiastic applause.

On the high platform, Grand Tutor Kong Yan paused slightly in the hand that was holding the prayer beads.

He turned to look at Qin Wu, his tone carrying a subtle but profound meaning: "Commander Qin, yesterday I said that this boy's lightness skill was hiding its edge. Today it seems that he has hidden more than just a little bit. Just now, the way he spun around close to the back of the blade was precise in both force and timing. This is by no means just a simple lightness skill, but rather a judgment of the opponent's blade stance that has reached a certain level. Such insight is top-notch even in the martial arts world."

Qin Wu did not refute this time.

He leaned back in his chair, staring intently at Zhan Zhao for a long while before slowly speaking: "This man doesn't draw his sword from its sheath, which is probably not because he's arrogant, but because his swordsmanship is even better than his lightness skill. I'm curious, what kind of sword is worth keeping hidden so well?"

The challenges continue.

In the following rounds, the lower-ranked martial artists launched attacks on those at the top, creating an extremely intense scene. People were frequently knocked off the stage, their armor shattered, and they coughed up blood. The Imperial Medical Academy staff were kept extremely busy.

Zhan Zhao then accepted two more challenges, winning both with ease, and steadily rose to seventh place in the rankings.

He never drew his sword.

The three-foot-long sword hanging at his waist remained quietly in its sheath, like a silent promise.

Whispers had already begun to circulate among the audience.

"Does this person even know how to use a sword?"

"Nonsense, a martial arts instructor who can't use a sword? He just won't."

"Why not use it?"

"Either it's unnecessary, or once it's drawn, it will draw blood."

Dian Wei's seventh place was originally a sure thing, and the others who were ranked lower wisely did not challenge him. The scene of him using his two short halberds to withstand Li Feng's thirteen hammers yesterday was too shocking, and no one was willing to take on this tough nut.

But Luo Feng, the deputy captain of the Tiger Guard who is currently ranked fourth, doesn't think so.

Luo Feng was the third place winner in last year's competition. With a fifth-rank cultivation level, he wielded an eighteen-foot-long serpent spear and was second only to the commander among the Tiger Guards. He was a recognized fierce general.

He originally came here aiming for first place this year, but unexpectedly, three dark horses, Xu Chu, Dian Wei, and Zhan Zhao, emerged halfway through and stole his thunder.

He was burning with anger, and when it was his turn to take on the challenge, he didn't hesitate to call out Dian Wei's name.

"Guardian, please." Luo Feng stepped onto the stage with his spear, slamming the spear tip against the arena with a dull thud.

He was extremely tall, half a head taller than Dian Wei, with bulging veins on his arms, clearly a man of astonishing strength.

Dian Wei silently walked onto the stage, took the short halberd from his waist with both hands, and weighed it in his hands.

He glanced at Luo Feng for a moment, then said something that stunned everyone: "Your spear is too heavy."

Luo Feng frowned: "What do you mean?"

"The spear weighs seventy-two catties, with the center of gravity shifting forward three inches." Dian Wei's voice remained low and calm, as if stating a simple fact. "The first three moves are the most powerful. Starting from the fourth move, the center of gravity shifts forward. After the seventh move, the wrist is overloaded, and the spear speed will inevitably decrease."

He paused, crossed his short halberds in front of him, and said, "If you cannot defeat your opponent within the first five moves, you will lose."