Chapter 90: Chapter 90: Departure

He had perfected the Tidal Breathing Technique.

Once his Qi Power broke through four hundred and forty pounds, it felt like he had passed a crucial milestone.

With a great shout, Chu Lingguang successfully lifted the 462-pound Stone Lock over his head, holding it there for two full breaths.

Guo Wei was ecstatic. He could clearly see the growth in Chu Lingguang’s Qi Power. A strength of 462 pounds was enough to secure a top-three rank in the Qiao Pass event of past Daoist Examinations.

With such a foundation of Qi Power, the examiners would be more lenient when scoring his other subjects. Guo Wei was no longer worried about Chu Lingguang failing to make the cut, but he still couldn’t be sure what rank Chu Lingguang would achieve.

Chu Lingguang trained day after day.

During this final month, Guo Wei didn’t teach them any new Kung Fu. Instead, he repeatedly reviewed each of their fundamental skills, helping them refine their techniques.

On several occasions, Chu Lingguang considered asking Guo Wei if there was a more advanced Breathing Method than the Tidal Breathing Technique. However, he always decided against it. ’My Qi Power is still increasing,’ he thought. ’It hasn’t stopped growing just because I’ve perfected the Tidal Breathing Technique.’ So, he temporarily pushed the thought aside.

He decided to wait and ask Guo Wei after the Daoist Examination was over.

SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH!

Chu Lingguang weaved through Cyan Cloud Mountain on his Little Red Horse, practicing Mounted Archery.

He had perfected Basic Archery.

In terms of Archery, he had already surpassed the Hundred-step Piercing Willow level and achieved the skill of Double-Star Linked Pearls. However, that was only for stationary archery. When it came to Mounted Archery, Chu Lingguang’s skill was only at the Hundred-step Piercing Willow level.

He was still unable to perform the Double-Star Linked Pearls technique while his horse was galloping and jostling.

Still, being able to perform the Hundred-step Piercing Willow in Mounted Archery was enough to earn a very high score in the Daoist Examination. Chu Lingguang wasn’t aiming for another short-term breakthrough; he only wanted to solidify his current level of skill and achieve perfect accuracy.

Time flew.

Throughout this final month, neither Chu Lingguang nor Hei Hu dared to slack off in the slightest.

In the blink of an eye, twenty-five days passed.

Only five days remained until the Daoist Examination.

“Have you packed everything?”

Guo Wei asked.

“We’re ready.”

Chu Lingguang and Hei Hu said in unison.

“Good. I’ll take you to the Daoist Examination now.”

Guo Wei said with satisfaction.

His disciples were participating in the examination; as their master, of course he had to go.

Besides, the examination for over a dozen nearby counties was being held in South City. It was unfamiliar territory, and Guo Wei could only rest easy by personally escorting Chu Lingguang and Hei Hu.

“Yes.”

Both Chu Lingguang and Hei Hu were thrilled.

They had trained relentlessly, day and night, for the chance to shine in the Daoist Examination. That day had finally arrived.

“Father, travel safely.”

Guo Fang walked with the three of them for a while. Only when they were distant figures on the main road did she, Mrs. Chu of the Zhang Family, and Master Hei turn to head back.

All three of them hoped that Chu Lingguang and Hei Hu would pass the examination.

The journey to South City was long.

It would take nearly two days to complete. That was why Guo Wei was eager to set out for South City with Chu Lingguang and Hei Hu, even with five days still to go before the examination.

For one, all three would need to rest after traveling for two straight days.

For another, Guo Wei wanted to use the two days before the Daoist Examination to gauge the strength of the candidates from other counties and let Chu Lingguang and Hei Hu get their bearings in South City, lest they make fools of themselves.

“Master Guo, I wish you resounding success.”

Upon entering the county seat, Guo Wei took Chu Lingguang and Hei Hu to Boss Zhuang’s blacksmith shop. After a meal and a short rest, they paid a visit to the Weiyuan Escort Agency. He had hoped to travel with Leader Ma and his men, but it turned out Leader Ma had an escort mission to South City and had left with his disciples the day before yesterday.

The trio pushed onward, leaving the territory of Baiyang County after nightfall and entering Dingyuan County, where they took rooms at a tavern outside the county seat.

Guo Wei knew that besides strength, a candidate’s mindset was crucial for the examination. Chu Lingguang was calm and composed, never panicking in a crisis, so Guo Wei wasn’t too worried about him. Hei Hu, on the other hand, was over-eager for glory, impetuous, and impatient—traits that could easily put him at a disadvantage during the examination.

So, after dinner at the tavern, he gave Chu Lingguang and Hei Hu a serious talk about the various things that could happen during the examination. He stressed that no matter what twists and turns occurred, once the test began, their top priority was to secure a good score. They were absolutely forbidden from being distracted by any external factors.

Chu Lingguang and Hei Hu took his words to heart.

Guo Wei’s words left Chu Lingguang a little incredulous. ’Would someone really dare to interfere with a candidate’s performance right at the Great Yuan Dynasty’s Daoist Examination?’

’That’s a crime punishable by beheading!’

“We have more traveling to do tomorrow. You two go get some rest.”

After a few more brief instructions, Guo Wei sent the two off to rest.

He had rented two rooms: one for himself, and one for Chu Lingguang and Hei Hu, right next door.

“You get some rest too, Master.”

Chu Lingguang bid him goodnight. As Hei Hu pulled their door open, he saw the tavern keeper leading a group of five people up the stairs.

“Sirs, as you can see, all the guest rooms are full.”

The keeper said, looking troubled as he pointed to the four rooms on the upper floor.

The tavern was located outside the county seat, making most of its money from traveling merchants who stopped for a rest. The guest rooms were rarely full; most people would eat their meal and then hurry into the county seat to find lodging.

After all, it had never been very safe outside the county seat. Few people chose to stay the night out here unless they knew Martial Arts or were traveling in a large group.

The rooms being full, with more people still arriving, was an unusual situation. It was primarily because the Daoist Examination was starting in a few days; candidates from several nearby counties were passing through, making business at the small tavern exceptionally brisk.

And because of this, the tavern keeper was being extra cautious, terrified of offending a future Martial Arts Scholar.

That was why he had personally led the group upstairs to check the signs on the guest room doors himself.

“If they’re all full, then give up your room. My master isn’t going anywhere else; he’s staying at your tavern tonight.”

one of the young men said arrogantly.

“But… where would I sleep?”

The keeper looked pained.

“I don’t care where you sleep! Just hurry up and clear out a room for us,” the young man snapped.

Chu Lingguang and Hei Hu, emerging from Guo Wei’s room, witnessed this scene. Both were sensible enough to pretend they hadn’t seen a thing. When traveling the Jianghu, the greatest taboo was meddling in others’ affairs.

“Guo Wei.”

But just as Chu Lingguang was about to shut Guo Wei’s door, one of the middle-aged men who had come up with the keeper caught a glimpse of Guo Wei through the opening.

He pushed the keeper aside and walked straight toward Guo Wei’s room.

Seeing this, Chu Lingguang and Hei Hu quickly blocked the doorway. “Senior,” Hei Hu said, “my master is resting.”

They had both heard the man call Guo Wei directly by name. Had he called him Master Guo, they might have thought him a friend of their master’s.

But his approach was aggressive, and even a fool could see that this man and Guo Wei were on bad terms. There was no way they would let him just barge in.

“Guo Wei, are you too scared to even see me?”

The man didn’t try to force his way past the two juniors, instead shouting toward the room.

The tavern keeper glanced nervously at the other two occupied rooms, worried the man would disturb his other guests. But the man had an imposing air and was clearly armed, so the keeper didn’t dare say a word.

“Let him in.”

Guo Wei’s calm voice came from inside the room.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep