30. Divine Power!

Early in the hour of Shen, Xie An arrived at the Blood Ridge black market with his face masked.

As he neared the entrance of the canyon, he saw Zhang Lin rushing toward him, looking anxious. "Old brother, you finally made it."

Recently, Xie An had always arrived at dusk, as that was when the black market opened. Today, having intentionally arrived early, he was surprised to see Zhang Lin so agitated and instinctively assumed something had gone wrong. "Has there been a complication?"

"Not exactly," Zhang Lin replied. "But a situation has arisen. I wanted to warn you beforehand, but I didn't know where to find you."

Xie An grew uneasy. He was a cautious man; he had spent months investigating a single deacon of the White Feather Hall before making his move. After finally settling everything, he could not afford a mishap at the last moment. In the cutthroat world of the martial arts, someone like Xie An, who lacked a powerful background, felt a profound lack of security.

Through Zhang Lin’s explanation, Xie An grasped the situation: A deacon was the lowest-ranking manager in the Tiger and Wolf Sect. Despite the low rank, the sect took these appointments seriously. According to custom, the Merit Examination Hall was required to send an official to evaluate the new deacon’s capabilities on-site.

The Merit Examination Hall functioned much like the Ministry of Personnel in the imperial court, responsible for assessing the performance of officials and determining promotions, transfers, or dismissals. By adopting this system, the Tiger and Wolf Sect aimed to ensure fairness and institutionalize advancement, reflecting the ambition of its leaders to expand the sect’s influence.

Originally, the examiner sent from the hall was a man surnamed Zhang, an acquaintance of Zhang Lin, with whom arrangements had already been made to treat the evaluation as a mere formality. However, due to the death of Zhang Biao, the Merit Examination Hall had tightened its scrutiny of the White Feather Hall’s promotions and had sent a high-ranking elder named Tang.

Elder Tang was known for his strict, uncompromising nature. He had poor relations with both Deputy Hall Master Wei and Zhang Lin, and he was impossible to sway.

After listening carefully, Xie An did not panic. He had never intended to rely solely on connections; he had spent the past period grueling himself in training precisely to handle unforeseen circumstances. While this was an unexpected turn, Xie An felt it was manageable.

"Thank you for the heads-up, Brother Zhang. I understand the situation."

Zhang Lin felt deeply responsible. "I am to blame for this. I thought it would be a simple formality; I never imagined a figure as prominent as Elder Tang would come in person, forcing you to prove your worth for real."

"Brother Zhang, you are too kind. Without your recommendation and guarantee, I wouldn't even have this opportunity. By the way, is this Elder Tang someone truly remarkable?"

"Indeed. Elder Tang’s status in the Merit Examination Hall is on par with the Hall Master himself. Though he is rigid, he is upright and has a keen eye for talent. If you can earn his favor, your future will be boundless."

Xie An paused briefly, saying nothing more.

Seeing that Xie An showed no resentment and remained calm and composed, Zhang Lin held him in even higher regard. "Elder Tang is waiting inside. I will take you in. The evaluation will consist of a test of strength and a practical combat trial. You should have no trouble with the strength test, but as for the combat..."

As they walked into the canyon, Zhang Lin briefed him on the details and precautions. Before long, they arrived at an elegant courtyard within the black market.

Upon entering, Xie An was met with a somber atmosphere. A refined middle-aged man wearing a black Tang suit sat in a grand armchair beneath the eaves. Behind him stood a giant nearly two meters tall, carrying a broadsword. Despite the snowy weather, the man wore only a thin vest, revealing knotted, bronze-colored muscles. The sword he carried was five feet long, radiating an intimidating aura. Even from ten meters away, Xie An could feel the man’s formidable presence.

"Elder Tang." Zhang Lin led Xie An to the center of the courtyard and bowed deeply, his demeanor extremely deferential.

Xie An followed suit, bowing and greeting the man. As he glanced up, he noticed the Elder’s temperament bore a three-part resemblance to Tang Qingfeng, whom he had met before, though this man was younger. *Could he be from the Tang Family Fortress?* he wondered.

Elder Tang lifted his teacup, took a light sip, and glanced at the masked Xie An. "So, you are the old man Wei Dian mentioned in his letter?" His voice was low, seemingly casual, yet paired with his piercing gaze, it carried immense pressure.

"That is I," Xie An replied respectfully.

Elder Tang did not mind the mask; in the dangerous black market, many managers hid their identities. It was not unusual. If Xie An passed the test, he would naturally have to verify his appearance; if he failed, it would be a moot point. However, seeing Xie An’s shock of white hair, a flicker of disappointment crossed the Elder's eyes.

"Though our Tiger and Wolf Sect has only been established in Qingwu County for thirty years, we are a reputable sect. Anyone aspiring to be a manager must possess at least the strength of the initial Copper Skin Realm. This is not a position one can simply drift into through recommendations."

He glanced at Zhang Lin. "If this man’s strength falls significantly short of what was stated in the letter, Zhang Lin... I will mark a demerit against you."

Zhang Lin trembled slightly. "Rest assured, Elder Tang, the person I recommend is truly capable. I have only the sect’s interests at heart; I have no bias."

Elder Tang nodded in satisfaction. "If your candidate has genuine skill, I shall record your contribution for scouting talent. Tongshan, begin."

"Yes, Elder."

The two-meter-tall giant brought out five stone locks of varying sizes. "Elder Tang is always fair. These five locks weigh four hundred, five hundred, six hundred, six hundred and fifty, and seven hundred pounds respectively. Choose one, lift it with one arm above your head, and hold it for three breaths."

Xie An nodded to the giant and walked over to the locks. He examined them one by one, finally fixing his gaze on the last two. Six hundred and fifty pounds was what he had estimated his strength to be. He hadn't had a precise weight to test with at home, but he felt he could manage six hundred and fifty easily, and with a struggle, he might even manage the seven hundred.

Normally, Xie An was not one to show off, but this was different. This was Elder Tang, a man of immense influence. As Zhang Lin had warned, earning his favor could mean a boundless future. This was an opportunity he had to seize with both hands. To advance or retreat, to bow or to stand tall—this was the way of a true man. He sensed the others’ unspoken judgment: they saw only an old man, likely thinking him useless.

With that thought, he decided to give it his all. He walked to the seven-hundred-pound lock and gripped the handle to get a feel for it.

The surrounding air grew still. Zhang Lin, who had seen Xie An shoot down his targets with a single finger, had estimated his strength at four hundred pounds. To see him go for seven hundred? Even the giant Tongshan was shocked, instinctively feeling the old man was overreaching.

Even Elder Tang paused, his hand hovering over his teacup as he offered a gentle warning: "Do your best, but do not force it. If you injure yourself, the Tiger and Wolf Sect will not be held responsible." Clearly, he did not believe the old man could lift seven hundred pounds and feared he would suffer a spinal injury or torn ligaments.

"Thank you for the warning, Elder Tang."

Xie An acknowledged him, planted his feet, and dropped into a horse stance. He gripped the seven-hundred-pound handle and exerted his strength. The stone lock hovered at his waist for two breaths before heaved it upward.

Xie An stood upright, the massive stone lock held steady above his head.

Tongshan and Zhang Lin stared, eyes wide.

*Clatter.*

Elder Tang could no longer maintain his composure. He sat bolt upright, his deep, focused eyes flashing with a strange light. He was genuinely stunned: "This man is over fifty, yet possesses such god-like strength!"