, completed in one go, knocks on the gate!

The longsword danced wildly like a whirlwind, turning into a blur before Zhong Xuan's eyes.

The medicinal power of the Blood Reversal Pill was absorbed frantically, and the great dragon of the spine felt like it was being scorched by raging fire. A surge of heat flowed from the waist and abdomen to the limbs and bones, as if a furnace was making the blood and qi of the whole body boil, and the strength increased many times over.

call!

Before he knew it, Zhong Xuan had practiced swordplay seventy-two times. Sweat soaked his clothes and his hair was plastered to his scalp, but his eyes were brighter than ever, showing no signs of fatigue.

The energy that had been exhausted was reborn under the effect of the Blood Reversal Pill.

This process was repeated over and over.

Zhong Xuan practiced swordsmanship for a full two hours.

Normally, it would take at most half an hour to exhaust oneself.

Finally, at a certain moment.

He felt an invisible barrier within his body being breached, and his blood and qi surged forth from his spine like a tidal wave. His immense power rose all the way up, and even his bones began to emit crisp, banging sounds like firecrackers.

After an incense stick has burned.

Beneath his sweat-soaked clothes, muscles undulated like mountains, veins surged with intense heat, brimming with formidable power.

at the same time.

The skin gradually thickens and becomes extremely resilient under the nourishment of blood and qi, making it difficult for ordinary weapons to pierce it easily.

This is a sign of the mid-stage of skin refining.

"It's done!"

Zhong Xuan couldn't help but let out a long howl.

Only by experiencing it firsthand can one truly understand its flavor.

Zhong Xuan only understood why Pei Yong had been stuck at the late stage of the Skin Refining Realm for ten years, unable to make any further progress, after his breakthrough.

That's how martial arts training works.

Either the energy and blood flow freely throughout the city, advancing rapidly, or once a decline is observed, it will be blocked by towering bottlenecks, making it difficult to break through even an inch further.

This is what happens when you're slow at one step, and slow at every step.

In the path of martial arts, one must strive to be the best; even Zhong Xuan, who aspires to immortality, cannot avoid this struggle.

Reaching the initial stage of skin training means truly transcending the ordinary.

Take Flying Eagle Martial Arts School as an example.

Of the apprentices who have entered the Skin Refining stage, only two or three out of ten are likely to break through to the middle stage. This is quite remarkable, even by the standards of the entire Baisha County.

Now that Zhong Xuan's strength has greatly increased, his identity as a mentor can finally be considered truly fitting.

He felt more confident about passing the imperial examination and obtaining the title of Xiucai.

......

......

"Brother Lei, there are seven people in total, everyone's here."

Inside the Ma family compound, seven teenagers stood ramrod straight.

"it is good."

Ma Lei nodded.

These are all promising young talents of the Ma family, skilled in both academics and martial arts. With only half a month left until the academy examination, Ma Lei plans to personally lead these young people from his clan to Yongning Prefecture.

The Qing Kingdom has always had a tradition of passing down the family tradition of farming and studying.

If the Ma family could produce a scholar, although it wouldn't necessarily mean that the entire family would rise to prominence, it would certainly make the family even more prosperous.

Back then, the Xu family produced a scholar who passed the imperial examination, and then they suppressed the Ma family for almost fifty years.

To put it another way...

Scholars are exempt from taxes. If one of these young men becomes a scholar, it will save a lot of money on affiliation fees.

Ma Fu is getting old and has long since relinquished power.

Although Ma Lei has not yet officially assumed the title, he already holds considerable power within the Ma family and is considered the acting clan leader. Naturally, he needs to personally oversee such an important event as the provincial examination.

At this time.

An aged voice sounded behind Ma Lei:

"Xiao Lei, are you really not going to give it a try?"

As soon as Ma Lei turned his head, he saw his elderly father, Ma Fu, walking out of the main hall.

"Father, you know me. I've never been able to concentrate on reading since I was a child, and as for the martial arts exam, I have no ability at all."

Ma Lei shook his head.

The seven boys in the courtyard were all going to participate in the civil service examination.

No one participated in the martial arts examination.

After all, even he, the most outstanding martial artist in the Ma family, lacked confidence, let alone the other disciples.

Ma Fu sighed, "Then so be it."

He knew that Ma Lei actually had a good chance of passing the imperial examination and becoming a martial arts scholar.

However, his son is arrogant.

A mere scholar could not satisfy Ma Lei's ambition.

Since he knew he could never become a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial-level imperial examinations), Ma Lei simply gave up on even becoming a Xiucai (a lower-level imperial examination candidate) and focused all his attention on matters of the martial arts world.

As long as one can climb high in the martial arts association, the Zijin Hall, or the Sha Gang, one's status is in no way inferior to that of a scholar who has become an eighth-rank official.

"Father, then I will take a few of my cousins ​​to the manor."

"Go."

Ma Fu waved his hand.

He had some regrets about Ma Lei's choice, but no doubts about it.

His son is far more outstanding than he was back then, and he will surely lead the Ma family to glory in the future.

Before leaving.

Ma Fu suddenly spoke up: "By the way, Xiao Lei, I heard that Zhong Xuan is also going to participate in this academy examination."

"Okay, I understand."

Ma Lei nodded slightly.

He was very curious about this elderly man in his sixties who had recently become quite famous in Xiahe Village.

"I was blind; I didn't realize he was so skilled."

"Once we get to Yongning Prefecture, we should be able to see him make his move."

......

......

"Brother Zhong, are you truly not traveling with us?"

Xu Tian came to their door.

He invited Zhong Xuan and the Xu family members to go to Yongning Prefecture to participate in the provincial examination.

"I'm an old man, I'm not going to go with those young people."

Zhong Xuan smiled and shook his head in refusal.

In Qing Kingdom, taking the imperial examination was no easy task. Baisha County was more than 700 li away from Yongning Prefecture. Not to mention the possibility of encountering bandits, even finding food and drink along the way was extremely difficult.

There are quite a few candidates who missed their exams or even died on the way.

Those born into a prominent family like the Xu family have a much better chance.

With the help of martial arts masters from the family and traveling together, most thieves would know to back down in the face of difficulty.

"Whatever you say."

Xu Tian originally intended to take this opportunity to build relationships.

He became a respected elder in the village not only because he lived a long life and had successful sons, but also because he was always able to get along with everyone.

It's all in those four words.

Social interactions.

The so-called "interactions" simply mean more contact.

Xu Tian was seen off.

Zhong Xuan then took out the long sword he had hidden under his pillow and began to practice in the courtyard.

"I wonder if I'll have a chance to master all three forms before the imperial examination."

The reason he rejected Xu Tian.

It wasn't that he didn't want to get too involved with the Xu family, but rather that he planned to take a gamble and see if he could master Eagle Strike in the next few days.

After breaking through to the mid-stage of the Skin Refining Realm, his strength increased dramatically.

As a result, I became much more adept at the initial stages of learning the Eagle Style Sword Technique.

He could sense that he was not far from mastering the final move, Eagle Strike.

......

......

"Alright, that concludes today's swordsmanship discussion."

At the Flying Eagle Martial Arts School's training ground.

Zhong Xuan spoke to the three young apprentices.

Although he was already quite famous in Xiahe Village, few people in the Flying Eagle Martial Arts School knew him, and only a handful of people came to learn boxing each time.

The key issue is that the Nine Strikes of the Flying Eagle have extremely specific requirements for innate talent and comprehension.

Zhong Xuan saw that it was still early.

He first practiced the Eagle Sword Technique in a corner of the training ground, and then waited until noon to complete the Eagle Seven Breathing Method forty-nine times before coming to the shop behind the Flying Eagle Martial Arts School.

Zheng Yue was fiddling with the abacus on the counter.

Zhong Xuan slowly opened his mouth:

"Brother Zheng, I plan to set off for the imperial examination tomorrow, so I need to ask for a month's leave."