With the arrival of Ye Tian, the surrounding warriors who had already passed the assessment displayed expressions of reverence, for he was indeed a formidable genius.
"Next—" Li Dapeng's indifferent voice rang out once more.
The warriors bearing letters of recommendation continued their evaluations, and those who successfully passed stood excitedly in the queue beside Ye Tian. In contrast, those who failed trudged away, their heads hung low.
"Go!"
As the warriors with recommendations approached the end of their tests, a small red horse galloped from the distant entrance of the square, carrying a girl dressed in red martial attire.
All eyes turned to the girl, astonished. To ride a horse within the Blood Garb Camp was either the act of a fool or that of someone with significant connections.
"Hm? Hong Wu, what brings you here? Today is the Blood Garb assessment; you shouldn't be causing trouble," Zhao Dapeng furrowed his brow.
Ye Tian observed as the girl in red dismounted and strode over like a proud little princess, briskly approaching the dark wall while exclaiming, "Uncle Zhao, how could I cause trouble? I've come to participate in the assessment as well! I heard someone reached Level Ten Martial Artist at the age of sixteen, heh heh!"
As she spoke, the girl in red delivered a powerful punch against the dark wall.
No sooner had her words left her mouth than the golden ripples on the wall trembled violently, coalescing into four golden characters—Level Ten Martial Artist.
The crowd erupted in an uproar.
The girl in red lifted her chin with pride, surveying the onlookers before declaring, "I am fifteen years old! Who reached Level Ten Martial Artist at sixteen? I would very much like to meet him."
Having suspected her youth, the crowd was stunned by her self-revelation of age, gasps of astonishment resonating among them.
As their gazes collectively shifted toward Ye Tian, it was evident that the girl had also taken note of this, her proud eyes settling upon him amidst the throng.
Ye Tian maintained a calm demeanor, his eyes clear and untroubled.
"Enough, Hong Wu! If you wish to join the Blood Garb, hurry and register your name!" Zhao Dapeng called out, clearly exasperated by the girl in red.
"Understood, Uncle Zhao!" The girl approached Ye Tian, passing by the Blood Garb soldier responsible for registration, she haughtily remarked, "You should know my name!" With that, she seized a crimson token and strode away.
The soldier nodded repeatedly, bending over backward, only wiping the sweat from his brow once she was out of sight.
"Hey, you're the sixteen-year-old Level Ten Martial Artist, right? What's your name?" The girl in red confronted Ye Tian, lifting her chin in a haughty manner.
Ye Tian frowned slightly.
From this girl, he sensed an overwhelming air of arrogance; he had encountered many spoiled young ladies in his past life and had little inclination to engage with her.
"Hmm? Hey, I'm talking to you! Didn't you hear me?" Noticing Ye Tian's prolonged silence, the girl shot him a glare, hands on her hips, demanding attention.
Ye Tian merely cast a casual glance her way before turning to leave. Just then, the last warrior with a recommendation had finished their test, and Zhao Dapeng instructed a soldier to escort those who had passed to lunch.
"That brat…" The girl's eyes widened as she watched Ye Tian's retreating figure, her teeth clenched in frustration. It was the first time in her life that someone dared to treat her this way.
"Sister Hong Wu, let's have lunch together," Yang Tianyou approached with a sycophantic smile, his gaze toward the girl radiating eagerness.
"Who's your sister? You little brat, get lost!" The girl shot him an icy glare before mounting her small red horse and galloping away like a whirlwind.
The onlookers exchanged knowing smiles as they watched Yang Tianyou, reveling in his misfortune.
Yang Tianyou's expression darkened, a cold glare sweeping over the crowd before he scoffed and turned to leave.
…
Lunch was served within the Blood Garb Camp, with meals provided uniformly by the Blood Garb soldiers. This illustrated that everyone here was treated equally, regardless of whether one was a wealthy heir or a rural villager.
After lunch, Ye Tian and the others were assigned rooms, each in their own quarters.
"You will stay here for a day; arrangements will be made for you tomorrow!" said the soldier in charge of Ye Tian's accommodation, his politeness indicating that he was aware of the youth's exceptional nature.
Ye Tian nodded and entered the simple wooden cabin before him.
Indeed, it was a wooden cabin, the prevalent type of housing in the Blood Garb Camp. It was said that these cabins were well-ventilated, making them ideal for cultivation, a standard lodging within the military camp.
For the entire afternoon, Ye Tian remained within the wooden cabin, venturing out only for dinner, dedicating himself to his cultivation.
By nightfall, he had made notable progress, advancing to the late stage of Level Ten Martial Artist.
On the following morning, Ye Tian awoke early and joined the warriors who had passed the assessment in the dining hall of the camp for breakfast.
This time, Ye Tian noticed a significant increase in the number of warriors present, with over five hundred individuals gathered—exactly double the count from the previous day.
Evidently, those without recommendation letters had also succeeded in the tests, and a portion had now joined the ranks.
"I heard that today we newcomers must compete to select five centurions and fifty decurions."
"Are there no martial master-level warriors among us? Can we really become centurions?"
"You seem unaware; we newcomers aren't yet considered true Blood Clad Guards. We are merely provisional members—preparatory soldiers—who must undergo trials to become genuine Blood Clad Guards."
…
As Ye Tian ate, he listened to the conversations around him, aware that this was his first visit to Blood Jade City, and his understanding of the Blood Clad Guards paled in comparison to that of others.
Suddenly, the ground trembled slightly.
A Blood Clad Guard strode into the dining hall, his piercing gaze commanding attention as he coldly proclaimed, "Everyone, immediately proceed to the training grounds and form a line. No disorder is permitted!"
Instantly, the patrons in the dining hall discarded their bowls and chopsticks, hastily wiped their mouths, seized their weapons, and formed an orderly line, following the Blood Clad Guard in a jog toward the training grounds.
Not far from the training grounds, Ye Tian and his companions beheld numerous figures already standing there, arranged in a neat square, creating a daunting, dark mass.
There were at least several thousand warriors, all clad in blood-red uniforms, their sharp gazes fierce as they wielded blood-stained blades, exuding a heavy aura of malevolence that filled the air with a palpable sense of dread.
Many gasped in astonishment, some weaker souls turning pale.
"This is the five thousand Blood Clad Guards of Blood Jade City, truly the elite among elites, the strongest of the strong!" Ye Tian inhaled deeply, his expression grave.
Upon witnessing the assembly of these five thousand Blood Clad Guards, Ye Tian finally comprehended the formidable strength of Blood Jade City. No wonder the surrounding towns were compelled to bow before it; which town could withstand such overwhelming power?
The frigid air of the twelfth month only heightened the chilling aura emanating from the Blood Clad Guards, their eyes glinting with icy resolve, filled with lethal intent.
The atmosphere in the training grounds was starkly silent; no one dared to speak. Ye Tian and his group stood in formation, creating a small square within the throng.
To his surprise, Ye Tian noticed that the red-clad girl from yesterday was already present on the training grounds. Upon seeing their arrival, she approached with a proud demeanor.
"Hey, you! When we compete for the centurion position, I will show you my prowess!" The girl seemed to harbor lingering resentment over Ye Tian's previous indifference, raising her small fist and exuding an air of "fierceness."
Ye Tian remained expressionless, choosing once more to disregard her.
The red-clad girl huffed in annoyance and stood to the side.
Ye Tian was disinclined to engage with the girl; instead, he focused intently on the five thousand Blood Clad Guards ahead of him, his heart brimming with emotion. "The aura these Blood Clad Guards project is overwhelming, especially when gathered together; it feels as if a mountain presses down upon my chest."
The expressions of the others mirrored his own; each newcomer appeared solemn, their faces etched with seriousness. Yet, beneath their composed exteriors, a flicker of fervor shone in their eyes—each of them yearned to be among the five thousand warriors before them.
"Ha ha ha..." A hearty laugh echoed across the training grounds, drawing Ye Tian's attention. At the entrance, five Blood Clad Guards adorned with tiger-emblazoned insignias walked shoulder to shoulder, the laughter emanating from none other than the centurion who had conducted their assessment yesterday—Zhao Dapeng.
"The five great centurions!"
A newcomer exclaimed, prompting all to turn their eager gazes toward the approaching warriors.
Ye Tian was equally astonished; all five were centurions, each radiating an aura of formidable strength that sent shivers down his spine.
From the hushed conversations of the newcomers, he learned that these five were the five great centurions of the Blood Clad Guards, each commanding a thousand soldiers, and were prominent figures within Blood Jade City.
"Congratulations, newcomers, on joining the preparatory camp of the Blood Clad Guards," Zhao Dapeng addressed them with a slight smile.
The newcomers exchanged glances but remained silent, attentively listening.
"Excellent; your order is commendable," Zhao Dapeng nodded with satisfaction, continuing, "If you think reaching the seventh level of martial prowess qualifies you for the Blood Clad Guards, you are mistaken. Do you see the five thousand Blood Clad Guards before you? They have all endured trials of blood and slaughter to stand here. Prior to this, they were just like you—members of the preparatory camp."
Zhao Dapeng gestured toward the five thousand guards, his face alight with pride.
"Alright, Old Zhao, enough with the talk; let's get them ready for competition. We have no interest in wasting time with these rookies." A rugged-faced man among the five great centurions bellowed.
"That's Niu Yunshan, the centurion known for his strict leadership; I hope I won't be assigned under his command," a newcomer whispered.
Ye Tian glanced at the five centurions; besides Zhao Dapeng and Niu Yunshan, who had just spoken, there was a young man, an elderly figure, and a young woman among them.
The presence of all five was undeniably formidable, especially the elder, who clearly outshone the other four in power.