At the noisy school field.
Suddenly, someone yelled.
"The Black Armored Guards are here!"
Immediately afterwards, the crowd quieted down.
Everyone's eyes looked into the distance. They saw the Black Armored Guards walking side by side with the Tao Village clan elders, heading towards the school field.
"All unnecessary personnel, leave the school field. The teenagers of the right age participating in the assessment stay here, and wait for further instructions!"
The clan elder Tao Jinglu strode forward. He then stepped onto a high platform and shouted to the crowd.
After the clan elder gave the order, the people on the school field retreated like the tide.
"Xu Ning, I'll be waiting outside the school field. If you get thirsty or hungry, come find me."
Tao Yunchuan patted Xu Ning on the shoulder and said, "Just do your best, don't stress yourself too much."
"Okay."
Xu Ning nodded as he responded.
The school field of the Tao Village was huge. After the crowd retreated, there were only 200 or so candidates left.
The school field looked quite empty, but outside the school field, it was still crowded. Everyone was waiting to see the assessment tests.
"Everyone!"
The Clan Head Tao Jingxing also went on the high platform.
His voice was loud and full of energy, as he said to the younger generation, "Today, the Black Armored Guards came here to select reserve talents. I hope everyone can do their best. Whether it is for yourself, for your family, or for the Tao Village, everyone should take the assessment seriously."
"Just act according to the instructions of the examiners and abide by the rules of the assessment. Anyone who does not comply with the process will be expelled from the school field! Understood?!"
"Understood!"
The responses of the candidates were vigorous.
Everyone was full of enthusiasm towards the upcoming assessment.
"Line up in a queue in front of these five tables."
The Black Armored Guards who were standing aside also started to move.
They had already told Tao Village their arrangement plan.
The Black Armored Guards dispersed one by one and began to follow their plan.
Xu Ning followed the crowd and stood in the middle of the line.
"What is happening…"
Xu Ning tilted his head. He wanted to see the person at the front.
Almost everyone eagerly looked around them, wanting to see what would happen next.
As a result, the queues were disorganized.
"Stay in line."
A Black Armored Guard spoke with a deep voice.
The Black Armored Guards had already taken off their face masks, but their intimidating voice and cold eyes made the candidates quiet down.
"It seems like we are registering personal information…"
This process was quite fast, so it didn't take long for Xu Ning to get to the front of the line.
"Next."
The examiner was holding a pen, next to him was a stack of papers.
After Xu Ning came up, he took out a blank page and began to ask.
"Name?"
"Xu Ning."
"What?"
After hearing Xu Ning's name, the Black Armored Guard examiner was slightly surprised. He looked up. "From the Tao Village?"
"Yes." Xu Ning replied, "my brother-in-law is a native of the Tao Village."
The examiner nodded. "Age?"
"17."
After answering the question, another examiner standing at the side stepped forward.
He squeezed Xu Ning's shoulder and groped Xu Ning's arm.
"Age is correct."
The man turned his head and gave the examiner-in-charge an affirmative answer.
'Is that how they authenticate age…'
Xu Ning thought secretly.
"Tell me about the external skills and the internal skills you possess, and their corresponding realm."
The examiner-in-charge asked again. "Answer truthfully."
Xu Ning paused for a second, not intending to hide his strength.
"Intermediate realm in the Gale Knife Technique, and the muscle bone realm in the Spring Breeze Tactic."
Xu Ning didn't mention his Light Feather Bow Technique. It was only in the elementary realm, and it was just a supplementary tool for hunting, so there was no need to mention it.
"Oh?"
After Xu Ning finished answering, both examiners raised their eyebrows.
The young man standing behind Xu Ning heard Xu Ning's strength and showed a look of hopelessness on his face. He obviously felt that he had no chance in this assessment.
"Pretty talented."
The examiner-in-charge showed a smile on his face.
After writing down the information, the examiner-in-charge gave the information sheet to Xu Ning. He then reached out his hand and said, "Go over there and participate in the first assessment."
"Thank you."
Xu Ning nodded.
Xu Ning glanced at the information sheet.
It contained the information that had been recorded just now, as well as columns for strength, technique, and aptitude, which were all blank.
'Strength should be the weightlifting test, and technique should be the external skill assessment. How are they going to judge aptitude?'
Xu Ning was a little puzzled, but now was not the time to think about this question.
Soon after, Xu Ning went to another station.
The station was full of weightlifting stones. He had seen these stones when he followed Tao Yunchuan to the school field in the morning.
Sure enough, as expected, strength testing was also part of the assessment.
"The strength test is simple and straightforward."
Xu Ning lined up. The people who registered their information before him had already begun testing.
'Anyone who has achieved success in their internal skill will have strong physical fitness and strength. Lifting this rock shouldn't be difficult.'
Xu Ning guessed that this weightlifting stone should weigh 150 pounds. 'Anyone that can lift this stone without practicing internal energy, would have to have great power and a unique talent. Although the testing method is simple, it is practical.'
Soon, it was Xu Ning's turn.
Another examiner took the information sheet in Xu Ning's hand. "Lift this stone with one hand and hold it for ten breaths."
"Got it."
Xu Ning stepped forward and squatted down. He held the handle on the weightlifting stone in his hand, lifted it, and stood up straight.
'Sure enough, it's around 150 pounds.'
Xu Ning lifted the stone with one hand effortlessly.
"Enough."
The examiner reminded him that the time was up.
Xu Ning gently put down the stone and took the information sheet back from the examiner.
He saw that a circle was drawn besides the strength column, which obviously meant he had passed.
After the first test was done, Xu Ning moved on to the next test.
"Xu Ning."
As soon as Xu Ning walked over, he saw an acquaintance whispering to him.
This person was Tao Qingping, who had received the Spring Breeze Tactic with him in the past.
"Qingping."
Xu Ning also greeted him in a quiet voice.
Because the examiners were watching, neither of them spoke too loudly.
Tao Qingping must have also passed the first strength assessment.
Either Tao Qingping was born with great power, or he had cultivated into the mortal realm first stage.
If it was the latter, being able to reach a new realm within two months meant Tao Qingping must have extraordinary talents.
After all, not everyone was like himself, who had the blessing of the Martial Arts Panel.
After a brief greeting, Xu Ning looked at the surrounding area. This station was filled with various weapons, among which knives and spears were the most common.
In the middle of the field, a young man from the Tao Village was holding a weapon. He was attacking a Black Armored Guard, who was holding a long knife.
The Black Armored Guard easily blocked the attack with the long sword in his hands, which he only used for defense, and not for offense.
'Testing external skills…'
This was what he expected.
"Xu Ning, I'll go up first."
Soon, it was Tao Qingping's turn.
He turned his head and nodded to Xu Ning before picking a knife and fought with a Black Armored Guard.
'Tao Qingping's elementary realm Gale Knife Technique should be considered quite good.'
Xu Ning watched from the sidelines.
When he received the Spring Breeze Tactic, Tao Qingping had just achieved elementary realm in the Gale Knife Technique, but now he clearly had a firmer grasp on the elementary realm technique, and was on the cusp of the intermediate realm.
"Next."
Xu Ning saw an examiner point at him.
This assessment was conducted by multiple people at the same time. Before Tao Qingping's test was over, it was already Xu Ning's turn.
Xu Ning also went to take a knife and passed the information sheet over.
"You don't have to show your internal skills. This is only a test of your external skills."
The examiner was expressionless as he spoke.
Xu Ning nodded. He held the handle of the knife and rushed forward without hesitation.
He was in the intermediate realm of the Gale Knife Technique, and he had previously fought with horse bandits in real combat.
"What?"
The examiner narrowed his eyes when he saw the oncoming knife.
It was obvious that this young man had experienced actual combat and might have even beaten enemies before.
'Sure enough, he is in the intermediate realm of his knife technique.'
After just three slashes, the examiner had seen enough.
"Stop."
The examiner said, "Very good."
He drew a circle beside the technique column on the information sheet and returned it to Xu Ning.
"The last assessment has not yet started, go to the waiting area."
"I see, thanks."
Xu Ning did not expect the assessment to be so fast.
There was only one assessment left.
'What kind of assessment tests aptitude…'
Xu Ning was quite curious.