If Heaven hadn't given birth to me, I would be arrogant.

Just as Lan Qizhan and the man in black robes were having a secret discussion, in the Zong family's martial arts hall, Zong Xiaozhang, the old lady, Zong Kuang, Yu Rou and Zong Ze were sitting in a circle!

"You brat, why do you think you're so great now that you're an official?" Zong Kuang said nonchalantly, "I couldn't even go and collect gambling debts, so I just dragged you back. Don't forget, even if you become some kind of Shenji Battalion General, you're still under my jurisdiction!"

Seeing his father's exasperated expression, Zong Ze didn't answer Zong Kuang's question. Instead, he arrogantly asked Zong, "Grandpa, do you know if there are any experts around His Majesty the Emperor?"

Zong Xiaozhang was taken aback: "How did you know?"

"I sensed it!" Zong Ze replied, "Originally, I didn't want that general and marquis, but when I refused for the first time, I sensed a murderous aura around him. My master taught me a sensing technique, and I can sense that someone is lurking around His Majesty the Emperor, and that person's strength surpasses yours!"

"The people of the Sacred Word Continent are indeed unfathomable!" Zong exclaimed arrogantly. "Indeed, it's not just the Blue Chess Battle; in fact, every emperor of this continent has a Martial Venerable or a God of Law by his side, responsible for protecting His Majesty's safety!"

"What?" Zong Kuang didn't bother arguing with Zong Ze anymore and hurriedly asked, "Father, how come I didn't know? Besides, didn't you say that once you reach the level of Martial God or Grand Magister, you should leave the Holy Word Continent? How could there still be any remaining?"

"I don't know about that!" Zong Xiaozhang shook his head and said, "I only sensed it when I advanced to the Martial God level. The person next to Lan Qizhan came to me and told me that he was only responsible for protecting Lan Qizhan and that I didn't need to worry!"

"Nothing is impossible!" the old lady suddenly said. "Isn't Xiao Ze's master also a master from the outer continent? No matter how powerful the outer continent of Shengyan is, it still needs our Shengyan Continent to continuously provide it with Martial Venerables and Grand Magisters! It's not impossible for them to send a few people to protect the safety of the continent's emperor!"

"As for Xiao Ze, he did the right thing today!" The old lady glanced at Zong Ze, her eyes full of approval: "If he had refused the Blue Chess Tournament today, it might not have been a good thing, but no matter what, the Rune Empire can't do without Xiao Ze right now!"

Hearing the old lady say this, Zong Xiaozhang and Yu Rou both nodded slightly, only Zong Kuang scratched his head: "Mother, I feel like I understand what you're saying, but there seems to be something I don't quite understand?"

"Oh, Dad, stop asking so many questions. Don't you want to build an air force?" Zong Ze quickly took over the conversation. He knew that his father had a close relationship with His Majesty the Emperor, and his father's personality had led him to be so loyal to the empire that it was beyond description. If he were to tell him that everyone was actually wary of the Blue Chess War, his father would probably go ballistic!

"That's right! The Air Force!" At the mention of the Air Force, Zong Kuang immediately perked up: "You little brat, tell me quickly, how exactly was that amazing Air Force you're talking about built? What is its combat power?"

"Hehe! Father, don't worry!" Zong Ze smiled and said, "The air force I've built will definitely shock the world. In the near future, wherever my imperial army is, the skies will be filled with hot air balloons belonging to my Luen Empire!"

Not to mention Zong Kuang, even Zong Xiaozhang and the others didn't understand what Zong Ze meant by hot air balloons, but they figured it must be related to the air force that Zong Ze was about to build!

The next day, General Zong took up his post. He didn't even have time to collect the bets, so he entrusted Princess Hanli to do so. He had completely devoted himself to the vigorous recruitment of the first batch of air force personnel in the Rune Empire.

You should know that this is the first air force in the empire, and even the entire continent, since the legendary war between gods and demons. There are countless people who want to join this unit!

Not to mention the generals of each corps, even many nobles of the empire, including the Fox family who have a grudge against the main family, tried every means to get in touch with several corps generals in order to squeeze their confidants into the air force. They thought that with all sorts of means, as long as they could get in, it would be easy to become a general.

However, when Zong Ze began to formally select soldiers from various corps, everyone was dumbfounded!

"Come on... stand further away, even further away!"

Zongze was holding an eye chart that he had made overnight!

"Okay, stop! Look at what word I'm referring to now?"

"Damn, you can't even see such big words? Dude, your eyesight isn't even 1.0! Go back! Don't waste your time!"

"You, come here! Run 20 laps around this track!"

"You, come here and tell me what colors these pictures are?"

"Damn, colorblind people can join the army? Go back!"

"Hey, you're done running? Come here, let me feel your heartbeat... This heartbeat is pounding, not good enough, go back!"

To ensure the quality of the first batch of air force personnel, each selected soldier was personally chosen by Zong Ze. His goal was clear: to select 100 soldiers, conduct preliminary training and indoctrination, and make them the first batch of officers in the future air force. Then, these officers would go down and select soldiers according to the standards.

"Wow! This young man is quite good in every way!" Zong Ze praised softly when he saw a soldier who had passed the tests of eyesight, physical strength, and heart pressure resistance. The soldier also proudly held his head high!

"Come on, spin around in place 200 times quickly, let me see!"

"Thump! The soldier collapsed to the ground!"

"You, take off your clothes! Take them all off, now! Don't worry, this general's orientation is perfectly normal, I'm not interested in you!"

"So many scars on your body? Sorry, you're eliminated!"

Originally, Zong Ze thought recruiting 100 elite soldiers would be a piece of cake, but he didn't expect that when he actually started the selection, he would realize that he had been too optimistic!

There is no concept of protecting eyesight on the Holy Word Continent. Most soldiers are not qualified. Moreover, on this Holy Word Continent where strength is respected, many people are proud of the scars on their bodies because they are the glory of battle. However, this is something that even the air force cannot pass!

On the first day of selection, Zong Ze chose the elite of the Royal Guard. Over the course of the day, more than 500 soldiers were selected, but only eleven people passed the initial selection. What troubled Zong Ze the most was that seven of these eleven people were completely illiterate!

"Damn it!" Zong Ze said indignantly. "Does this mean I have to go through an adult education cram school before I can build an air force?"