"So that means…"
"I really must take first place, no matter what."
Chen Sanshi knew full well that the descendants of great clans were nothing like the people of backwater places such as Poyang County.
Take the tempering blood stage, for instance.
In Poyang County, most people were lucky to just reach the threshold of the realm—barely enough to be called "cultivators."
But he himself could circulate his blood and qi throughout his entire body. How could the two even compare?
For those born into royal or noble families, no matter how poor their individual talent might seem, their resources were guaranteed—and many had parents who were both high-ranking martial experts. With that kind of foundation, it was only natural that each generation would produce at least one person of remarkable aptitude. The truly lucky ones produced geniuses.
Challenging such people across realms would be no easy feat.
Especially for someone at the Tempering organs stage—those martial artists could ignite their blood, entering a special Exploding Blood state that amplified their strength to terrifying levels. Crossing even a single realm to defeat them would be nearly impossible. For him, who had only just reached Mastery in his cultivation technique, it would take at least reaching Minor Achievement before he stood a chance.
But time was short.
Because of the war, the imperial court had called all the Elite Selection candidates to Liangzhou early, which meant the entire event was taking place far ahead of schedule.
Even if he pushed himself, he'd need at least twenty-some days to reach Minor Achievement.
Unless he could get his hands on more beast meat—especially that of rare spirit beasts—and find a strong sparring partner willing to train with him day and night without rest. Then perhaps he could accelerate his progress.
"Forget it. Let's go take a look first."
Chen Sanshi followed Sun Buqi onto the carriage.
It was his first time entering a large provincial city, and curiosity got the better of him. He lifted the curtain, watching the bustling streets roll by. When they passed through a crowded marketplace, his sharp eyes caught sight of several posters nailed to a wall.
Two in particular drew his attention:
One was a wanted notice for the Witch God Sect, and the other—a public proclamation praising him for leading the people across the Hongze River.
Chen Sanshi asked, "There are Witch God Sect followers in Liangzhou too?"
"Of course," Sun Buqi replied lazily, leaning back and munching on some unknown fruit. "Those zealots have been stirring up trouble everywhere for years. They're spread across the entire realm, not just among the barbarians. The sect has plenty of followers right here in the Central Plains. You can't tell them apart just by appearance—they hide in the shadows, sowing chaos wherever they go.
"For example, that Seven Absolutes Sect that holed up in Dongyi City—if you ask me, they were most likely incited by the Witch God Sect."
Chen Sanshi nodded slightly. He'd long known the Witch God Sect to be a blight upon the land. The only reason Poyang County had been free of them before the immortal treasure incident was simple—it wasn't worth their time.
The place was too small, too poor, with no strategic value. Even the Witch God Sect couldn't be bothered.
"There's more," Sun Buqi continued, sitting up and speaking solemnly. "Within Liangzhou City, those cultists specifically target martial artists. At first, they only killed low-level ones. Later, their victims got stronger and stronger. I heard that during the recent northern campaign, even the most talented disciple of Splitting Moon Manor was killed by them."
"They kill martial artists?"
Chen Sanshi frowned deeply.
The Witch God Sect already used the blood of a million innocents in their sacrifices—yet they dared to kill cultivators as well? Whatever "treasures" they wielded weren't divine relics at all—they were tools of evil, fueled by human lives.
"But don't worry," Sun Buqi added quickly. "Most of the ones who've died were disciples from sects or wanderers from the martial world. They rarely touch anyone from the Eight Northern Garrisons. Once the war is over, my father plans to investigate the matter personally."
In Poyang County, martial halls had experimented on commoners.
Now, in Liangzhou, even the sects themselves were being hunted by the Witch God Sect.
The cycle was repeating.
"The disappearance of Amugu…"
Just the mention of the sect made Chen Sanshi think of that expert at the Meridian-Connecting realm.
He couldn't help but feel uneasy. Back then, he'd claimed in front of five thousand cavalrymen that Amugu was slain by Sun Xiangzong. It had been a desperate gamble—but then, by sheer luck, the Grand Commander himself had appeared soon after, lending credibility to the story.
Still, the details didn't line up perfectly.
If Sun Xiangzong had truly been present at the time, there would have been no need for Chen Sanshi and his men to block the road, suffering heavy casualties in the process.
Fortunately, even if the Witch God Sect grew suspicious, they'd never share that information with the Great Sheng Dynasty.
If the emperor himself obtained the immortal treasure, would he ever return it to the barbarians? Not a chance. The cult would keep the matter secret and investigate on their own.
In the meantime, he'd have to stay cautious.
If they came again, he'd make sure to capture one alive—then interrogate them about the immortal treasure to see if it matched his theories.
"Sanshi."
Sun Buqi interrupted his thoughts. "His Majesty has publicly announced your achievements. I'd wager half the people at tonight's banquet are coming to curry favor with you."
"Mm."
Chen Sanshi nodded.
The banquet was being held at Immortal Crane Pavilion, the grandest establishment in Liangzhou City—comparable to the Eight Treasures Restaurant back in Poyang, but several times more extravagant.
Even so, the entire pavilion had been reserved for this single event.
The street outside was jam-packed with lavish carriages and attendants, each one bearing the crest of a noble family or major sect.
"Cough!"
Sun Buqi cleared his throat. "Sanshi, let me break it down for you. The people attending today can be roughly divided into three factions.
First, those loyal to His Majesty.
Second, those loyal to the Crown Prince.
Third, the major sects and noble houses—though even within that group, loyalties are divided."
This wasn't just a banquet—it was a political arena disguised as one.
"You can actually tell them apart?" Chen Sanshi said in mild surprise.
Different upbringing meant different horizons. Without Sun Buqi's help, he'd have walked in blind, not recognizing anyone—let alone knowing how to deal with them.
"Wait—sect disciples can also participate in the Elite Selection?"
"Of course," Sun Buqi replied. "All across the empire, sects and great clans control most of the land, the herb farms, even entire mountains. The army relies on their support for resources. Naturally, they have to be given opportunities in return."
Land monopolies and rigid social hierarchies—these weren't limited to Poyang County.
The entire Great Sheng Dynasty ran that way.
If the court wanted the sects to cooperate, it had to offer them privileges. And once those privileges became official posts, their influence grew stronger still. Left unchecked, the cycle would repeat endlessly—until those sects became emperors in all but name.
Chen Sanshi couldn't help recalling a story he'd once read in his past life—how the founding emperor of the Eastern Han, the "son of fate" Liu Xiu, rose to power only through the backing of the Central Plains noble clans. The situation before him was identical to how Emperor Cao Xie had established the Great Sheng Dynasty.
As the two walked into Immortal Crane Pavilion, the soundscape changed instantly.
There was no noise or rowdy laughter, only the low murmur of polite conversation and the soft notes of string instruments. Everywhere he looked were officials, scholars, and nobles. Not a single commoner could be seen.
Even among the Elite Selection candidates, only a handful at or above the Tempering organs stage had been invited to this feast.
Among them, Chen Sanshi spotted a few familiar faces—Cao Fan and Yin Hanwen.
"Congratulations, Young Heir Cao, Young Master Yin, on your great achievements in Yunzhou!"
"…"
"…"
"Brother Buqi, you're here too?"
"Brother Buqi! It's been too long!"
Several people came forward with warm smiles, greeting Sun Buqi before their eyes turned toward the newcomer beside him.
"This must be Lord Chen, right?"
"Ah, the hero who led the people across the river—your name has spread throughout the land!"
"So young and already favored by His Majesty himself. Lord Chen, your future is limitless!"
"…"
Before long, Chen Sanshi found himself surrounded by a crowd—most of them the younger generation of noble families and officials.
Sun Buqi began introducing them one by one. "This is Lu Shuhua, young sect master of the Tiantong Sword Sect. And this is Chu Tianshu of the Lingxu Sect—this very Immortal Crane Pavilion belongs to his family."
"Brother Lu, Brother Chu."
Chen Sanshi greeted them calmly, neither humble nor arrogant. There was no reason to curry favor, but no point in offending anyone either.
Sun Buqi leaned closer, lowering his voice. "Lu Shuhua's one of your strongest rivals. He's born with a Sword Heart Body, already reached Perfection in Tempering organs, and his swordsmanship is terrifyingly sharp."
He gestured subtly toward another group. "And that's Wen Qiushi, young master of Splitting Moon Manor, standing with Cao Fan. He's been flattering the Young Heir non-stop lately. The ones beside him—they're the same."
Indeed, looking around, it was clear that most people in Immortal Crane Pavilion were gathered around Cao Fan.
Every person who entered first went straight to toast him before greeting anyone else.
Sun Buqi sighed quietly. "These days, the inspectors and eunuchs hold power in court. In the Eight Northern Garrisons, two of the garrison generals are already loyal to the Crown Prince. They all see that my father is about to step down from command—and they're already treating him like yesterday's news."
"Stepping down?"
Chen Sanshi frowned inwardly. He didn't buy it.
The more he looked around, the more it confirmed his suspicions—Grand Commander Sun Xiangzong didn't have much time left.
All these people were here to carve up the influence of the Eight Garrisons.
The commander probably allowed this on purpose—trying to secure a future for his remaining two children before the inevitable came.
After all… no one had heard of any of his true disciples reaching beyond the Martial Saint realm. There was no successor strong enough to protect the family.
…
"Hypocrite!"
Yin Hanwen's angry voice rose from a nearby table. "Young Heir, that man's a fraud! I still can't believe he refused to claim his battle merits just to 'help the people cross the river.' What a noble act—ha! All just to make himself look righteous. His Majesty may be kind-hearted, but even he's been fooled by this performance."
"Yes, Young Heir," Wen Qiushi chimed in, his tone dripping with disdain. "He didn't even come over to toast you first! Got himself a Third-Rank honorary title and suddenly thinks he's too important?"
Cao Fan swirled the wine in his cup slowly, his expression unreadable. "It's not just His Majesty—my grandfather admires him too. Even my father's been telling me to befriend him. But I can't help wondering… he's just some backwater officer at the Tempering organs stage. So what if he's got a Nine-Dragon Body? What real use could he be?"
"Exactly, Young Heir! You were born with the Dragon Heart and Tiger Bones—a true Innate Martial Saint Body."
Yin Hanwen smiled obsequiously. "This year's Elite Selection—no one can challenge you."
"Mm. Naturally."
Cao Fan nodded calmly. "My father's not worried about that. He probably just wants to recruit him under our banner."
"I'll go make him come toast you properly!"
Wen Qiushi downed his drink and turned, but before he could take a step, the man himself approached.
"Greetings, Young Heir."
Chen Sanshi bowed slightly, raising his cup in respect.
He hadn't forgotten the scorn and mockery he'd suffered from Cao Fan at the Hongze River—the man hadn't even let him explain before accusing him of being a deserter.
Still, this wasn't the place to stir conflict. Better to stay polite. That way, if tensions arose later, no one could accuse him of disrespect.
Cao Fan smirked faintly. "Brother Chen, isn't this toast coming a bit late?"
"Forgive me, Young Heir," Chen Sanshi said with a humble smile. "This is my first time at such a grand banquet. I may have been a bit slow. I'll drink three cups as punishment."
He raised the cup and drank all three in a row.
"Good tolerance," Cao Fan said, satisfied.
Not everyone here came from noble bloodlines. There were also a few from humble origins—rare prodigies from small counties and remote regions.
In previous years, the Elite Selection banquet had been a simple gathering to build camaraderie.
But this time was different.
It was Grand Commander Sun Xiangzong's final Selection. Even the Crown Prince's heir was in attendance. What was meant to be a feast for martial talents had turned into a political stage—an opportunity for everyone to choose a side.
The Grand Commander's faction, the Crown Prince's faction, and the Yan faction led by Grand Secretary Yan Liang—three major banners, each vying for allegiance.
Even Yan Liang's grandson was present.
Nearly half the attendees still paid their respects to the Grand Commander's line out of old loyalty.
The rest, sensing the shifting tides, aligned themselves either with Cao Fan or with Yan Liang's heir.
Once Chen Sanshi understood who was who, he quickly lost interest.
He hadn't come to choose a faction.
He came to win the top position.
Politics could wait.
He set his cup down and was just about to leave with Sun Buqi when a tall man stepped into his path, wine in hand. His voice rang out loud and clear, carrying across the entire hall.
"I am Bai Tingzhi from Guangling County!"
"I have long admired General Chen's name!"
"General Chen, for leading the people across the river—your courage and compassion shook the heavens themselves! You are the true model for all who practice the martial path and serve in the army!"
"I, Bai Tingzhi, drink to you!"
With that, he lifted his cup and downed it in a single gulp.