Yuxin Mountain in the western suburbs was extremely eerie at this moment. Deep in the silent forest, a strange layer of salt appeared on the ground, and regular knocking sounds came from the dark cave.

All the talented men and women from Imperial College looked at the Silver Demon King collectively.

The Demon King seemed very calm, and stood up gracefully, dragging Tianzun and Yin Hou over, "Ah! It's haunted! I'm so scared as a teacher!"

Tianzun and Yin Hou looked at the sky speechlessly.

The Silver Demon King instructs them, "You two go and have a look! Is it a fake corpse?"

Yin Hou and Tianzun looked disgusted, but they were indeed a little curious, so they walked towards the cave.

Gongsun raised his hand, "I'll go too."

Tianzun nodded, Gongsun followed, and Lu Lin also followed. The two talented men followed Tianzun and Yin Hou, slowly approaching the cave.

The muffled sound became clearer and clearer, and it was indeed coming from the cave, but Tianzun and Yin Hou did not feel that anyone was nearby.

Gongsun and Lu Lin did not dare to say anything. When they walked to the cave, the four of them looked inside and saw a dark tunnel with a coffin at the entrance of the tunnel.

Tianzun and Yin Hou both looked back at Lu Lin and Gongsun - the coffin was placed so shallowly? Shouldn't coffins generally be hidden in ancient tombs?

Lu Lin and Gongsun also frowned - it was indeed strange!

Just as he was looking, he heard a "dong" sound. At the same time, Gongsun jumped up and pointed at the coffin, "It's moving! It's moving!"

…

At the same time, the Imperial City Army garrison in the west of Kaifeng City is conducting the preliminary test of martial arts. On the playground where soldiers usually practice, many areas have been marked out, and subjects such as boxing, weaponry, equestrianism, and archery are being conducted in an orderly manner.

With.

There was a long queue outside the playground. More than 3,000 martial arts students who had passed examinations and recommendations from all over the country were undergoing assessment.

Being the top martial artist is not just a martial arts competition. In addition to the martial arts test, you also need to pass a literary test. There are many types of exams.

These more than 3,000 candidates have to go through layers of screening. Most of them are passed through three rounds of preliminary examinations, and the last 800 candidates enter the formal stage. The final 100 candidates are officially determined. The remaining 100 candidates are basically civil and military.

They are all-rounders. These people are then drawn into groups and go through knockout rounds. Finally, the ten best ones are selected to enter the final palace examination, which is to compete in front of Zhao Zhen. This is the last round. This round is an arena competition.

Martial arts, and finally the top three are selected.

Most people only care about the main test or the final ten-person competition, but Zhao Pu will start from the preliminary test every year whenever he has time. The Ninth Prince actually doesn’t like the idea of ​​being an all-rounder in both civil and military affairs. Is there such a thing as being an all-rounder in both civil and military affairs? Of course.

Like He Yihang, Shen Shaoxi, Zhan Zhao, Bai Yutang, etc., but talents in both civil and military arts can only be found but not sought after, while partial talents are the most real. Zhao Pu also loves talents, and he will let some partial talents who were rejected in the first test

Participate in the selection of other armies. For example, Feng Xiaotian, the young general in Zhao Pu's army, was rejected in the first round of the preliminary examination, but Zhao Pu fell in love with that stupid kid at a glance.

As a result, Feng Xiaotian took the first place in the military camp assessment.

This time, several generals happened to be here, and everyone walked into the military training field to watch the preliminary test.

Little Liangzi was so lively that he disappeared as soon as he entered the training ground and watched from ring to ring.

An official from the Ministry of Civil Affairs sent Zhao Pu a list of candidates. The military field was chaotic but not chaotic. The candidates took their names and took the tests in different categories one by one.

He Yihang looked at the items in the preliminary examination and asked the examiner, "There are several more categories this year than in previous years."

The examiner nodded, "Each department has said before that they want to select candidates with special talents."

The Ninth Prince was in a good mood, "How is the quality of this year's candidates?"

The examiners all laughed and said that not only were there many people this year, but the quality of the candidates was also high. Many juniors from well-known sects also came to participate, and they were very enthusiastic about becoming officials.

Zhao Pu was familiar with several of the examiners, and the Ninth Prince did not show any interest. He tugged the beard of one of the old men and said, "I said, Taixue has Lanhui Academy. When will the martial arts exam recruit some girls, maybe we can pick out a few."

Here comes Hua Mulan."

Ouyang was curious, "Eh? Is there a woman who disguised herself as a man and sneaked in to take the exam?"

The examiners all laughed, "I may have thought so, but it is basically impossible to succeed. Because the first part of the martial arts test requires a physical examination and you have to take off your clothes."

"What does physical examination mean?" Long Qiaoguang was confused. Is there any regulation on height, shortness, fatness and thinness?

The examiner nodded, "That's right. When choosing a martial arts champion, the person who practices martial arts must be tall and powerful, so those who are too short, too thin, or too ugly are not suitable."

"Ha." The Ninth Prince smiled and shook his head, "What the hell kind of rule is this? According to the rule, a master like Ye Zhiqiu can't even pass the first test."

Ouyang nodded at the side, "No, the old god from the Demon Palace can win half of it."

Zhao Pu curled his lips and said, "Stereotypes and bad habits are all prejudice, prejudice..."

"Who used to talk about the world's scholars every day, but it's useless? Come here and say prejudice?"

At this time, a deep voice came from behind everyone. Just by listening to the tone of the voice, you could tell that the speaker must have some identity, otherwise who would dare to talk to Zhao Pu like this.

Looking back, they saw a handsome uncle walking towards them. This uncle was estimated to be in his forties and was very powerful. He had chestnut hair tied with a silver crown, his beard was trimmed delicately on his chin, and he was wearing a blue brocade robe with a waistband.

There is a beautiful knife hanging on it.

Several examiners around him saluted the visitor and called him Lord Marquis.

Behind Zhao Pu, He Yihang, Long Qiaoguang and others also saluted him, looking very respectful.

Those who can be called a Marquis these days are basically relatives of the emperor. The person who came here has a very high status, Qingping Marquis, Li Yue. His exact identity is the younger brother of the Queen Mother, that is, the uncle of the country.

The young marquis Pang Yu is also the uncle of the state, but he is Zhao Zhen's wife's uncle, while Li Yue is his mother's uncle. They are both marquises but at different levels. Li Yue is higher than the grand master in terms of status, and look at others

With such a demeanor, you know that he is not a second-generation ancestor who only relies on connections, but that he is a serious person with some abilities.

Li Yue was highly skilled in martial arts, but had a slovenly personality. He liked martial arts and disliked literature. When he was young, he was more like a Jianghu person. During the years when Concubine Li was in trouble, thanks to her younger brother who stayed with her, she finally returned to the palace. The Queen Mother's relatives

For Zhao Zhen, he was just like a grand master. He was one of his own. Zhao Zhen knew that he was good at martial arts, so he was in charge of the selection of military attaches, which was considered a high position.

Li Yueren is very capable and low-key. The only thing that gives Zhao Pu and Zhao Zhen a headache is his relationship with the Eight Kings.

It is said that when the Eighth Prince was young, he protected Zhao Zhen and Zhao Pu like a hen protecting its chicks. He was afraid that people would miss the two children, especially Zhao Pu. At that time, the palace environment was dangerous, and one Zhao Huan was not enough. Empress Liu also wanted to harm Zhao Pu every day.

, so the Eight Kings looked at Zhao Pu very closely, looking at everyone like a bad guy.

Li Yue particularly liked Zhao Pu and was somewhat resentful towards the Zhao family, so he deliberately abducted Zhao Pu several times to scare the eight kings, who had to fight him several times.

Their personalities are also very different. One is elegant and noble, the other is rough. In short, they always quarrel when they meet and get angry when nothing happens.

Li Yue has a restless character and likes to travel around. Zhao Pu hasn't seen him for a while.

"Third brother."

Zhao Pu obediently called for someone, and Li Yue came over and pulled him over to look him up and down.

Zhao Pu calls him "Third Brother" because Li Yue is the Queen Mother's third brother and Zhao Zhen's third uncle, so Zhao Pu also calls people "Third Brother".

From the diagonal stab, Xiao Liangzi ran out and approached, "Third uncle."

"Ouch!" Li Yue hurriedly knelt down to greet him, touched his head and asked if he had grown taller. Looking around, he asked Zhao Pu, "Where are your miracle doctor and Xiaotuanzi?"

Zhao Pu smiled and said, "You will see it when I go to Taibaiju for dinner with me tonight."

Xiao Liangzi said cheerfully, "Third uncle, the Eighth Prince is inviting you to dinner tonight!"

Li Yue raised his eyebrows slightly and touched his chin with interest, "Oh? Xiao Dezi, do you want to treat me to dinner?"

Zhao Pu looked at the sky and said, "It's been cold and dry these past two days. My brother is getting angry. Don't mess with him!"

Li Yue waved his hand, "Oh! How can I be as knowledgeable as a weak scholar like him!"

Everyone tasted the tone and tone of Li Yue's speech, nodded silently, and agreed that he really deserved a beating if he had the same virtue as Zhao Pu a few years ago.

"I made the rule about taking off clothes. It's not about height, fatness, or thinness, but tattoos." Li Yue said quietly with his hands behind his back, "In recent years, there have been endless cheating techniques, and it's hard to guard against them."

Xiao Liangzi was very curious, "You also cheated in the martial arts test? Aren't you afraid of being beaten to death if you cheat in the ring?"

"It's your own fault to get beaten to death for cheating, but it's not good to beat others to death for cheating." Li Yue shook his head, "Especially in the past few years, some young people like to take eccentric ways in order to get ahead and try some crooked things to improve themselves.

own fighting power."

Zhao Pu smiled and flattered, "Third brother still has a way!"

The Marquis of Qingping always liked Zhao Pu, so he put his arm around his shoulders and pulled him forward, asking him if he would go to have dinner later to greet Tianzun? Can he meet the Silver Demon King? He was already attracted by his name.

He Yihang and others also walked forward with the two of them, and Zou Liang, who had just gone elsewhere to watch the competition, also came back.

Long Qiaoguang asked him, "Have you discovered any talents?"

Zou Liang nodded, "The quality this year is indeed good..."

"Ah ah!"

But before Zou Liang finished speaking, exclamations suddenly broke out in an area not far away. It seemed that some kind of commotion had occurred among the candidates.

"What's wrong?" Xiao Liangzi jumped on a wooden stake and looked into the distance.

I saw a ring for martial arts competition not far away that was surrounded by people. There was someone standing on the ring and someone lying down. Several examiners hurriedly ran onto the ring and surrounded the lying person. Another candidate who was standing stood up.

The face was panicked.

"Did you kill someone?" Ouyang asked.

Everyone walked quickly over there. As soon as they reached the outside, they heard the crowd talking...

"How can it be?!"

"I thought it was some kind of illusion!"

"According to legend, this kind of thing seems to have happened before."
To be continued...