Becoming a Saint Starting with the Chasing Wind Leg Technique

Chapter 129 The Grand Competition

As dawn broke, the morning light draped a golden veil over the vast central training ground of the inner city.

The training ground, which could hold tens of thousands of people, was now packed with people, and the noise was deafening.

The triennial martial arts competition not only determines the fate of countless young martial artists, but also affects the power structure and future trends of the entire Tianshui City and even the surrounding areas. Its grandeur is comparable to a festival.

On the north side of the drill ground, a magnificent viewing platform, three zhang high and constructed of precious rosewood with carved beams and painted rafters, stands tall.

The platform is three stories high, with brocade curtains hanging down, embroidered with auspicious clouds and mythical beasts, shining brightly in the morning light.

From the high platform, one can enjoy a wide view and overlook the entire training ground.

At this moment, there are only three seats on the stage.

In the center stands a grand master's chair, covered with a dark red brocade cushion embroidered with gold pythons, representing the highest authority in this place.

The seat on the left is slightly smaller and covered with a light blue brocade with cloud patterns.

On the right is a simple dark hardwood chair, without any decoration, yet it exudes a calm and imposing aura.

"clang--!

'

A clear and resonant bell rang out simultaneously from the bell towers at the four corners of the drill ground, its sound carrying for miles and instantly drowning out the noise of the entire field.

Everyone held their breath and looked up at the high platform.

Three distinguished figures, dressed in official robes, slowly ascended the stage, surrounded by dozens of brightly armored guards.

The leader, around forty years old, had a square face, three long wisps of beard, wore a black gauze hat, and a fourth-rank civil official's court robe with a scarlet crane insignia. He had a jade belt around his waist, and his steps were steady. His eyes held the majesty of someone who had long held a high position.

It was He Tianxiong, the county magistrate who held the power of life and death over the people's livelihood and government affairs of Tianshui County.

He remained expressionless as his light slowly swept across the dark mass of people below. Wherever he passed, everyone felt an invisible pressure and lowered their heads.

To He Tianxiong's left is Sheng Huaixu, the county magistrate's confidant, who is in charge of criminal matters and finances. He is shrewd and calculating.

At this moment, his gaze seemed casual, but it was actually sweeping quickly over the representatives of various families and martial arts schools below the stage, as he secretly weighed the rise and fall of the various forces.

But the most eye-catching person, and the one who made the many arrogant martial artists below the stage feel uneasy, was the man to the right of the county magistrate.

He was not wearing formal military officer's court attire, but only a seemingly simple dark blue casual robe, with his hair tied up with a simple wooden hairpin.

His face was thin and refined, his bones slightly high, and his eyes were deep and calm, without the slightest ripple, like two bottomless cold pools.

He stood there without deliberately exuding any imposing aura, but a chilling majesty cultivated from years of battlefield experience, command of a city's military and criminal affairs, and the power of life and death, spread out like an invisible cold tide, making many proud young geniuses feel as if they couldn't breathe and dare not look him in the eye.

It was Chen Yanzhou, the Commandant of the Inner City.

He represents the sharpest sword and the strongest shield of the imperial court in this place. He is the true pillar of stability that maintains order and security in this area, and is also the nominal supreme arbitrator and military guarantor of this martial arts competition.

The three of them took their seats.

The county magistrate was in the center, Master Sheng was on the left, and Commandant Chen was on the right.

After a brief silence, the master of ceremonies—an elderly man in a crimson official robe with a booming voice—strode to the front of the stage, gathered his strength, and his voice, like rolling thunder, resounded throughout every corner of the drill ground: "The auspicious hour has arrived!"

"Tianshui City, Martial Arts Grand Competition, Opening Ceremony!"

"Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!"

Four shirtless, muscular strongmen vigorously pounded four giant cowhide drums, each as tall as a person, in front of the stage.

The drumbeats were deep and powerful, like thunder rolling across the ground or ten thousand horses galloping, instantly igniting the passion of the entire audience. Cheers and shouts soared into the sky.

As the drumbeats subsided, Magistrate He Tianxiong slowly rose to his feet. He didn't use any internal energy, but the composure cultivated from his long tenure ensured that his voice carried clearly to everyone's ears: "Heaven above, Earth below, bless my Great Zhou, may its reign be long and prosperous!"

"Today, the Tianshui City Martial Arts Competition is held in accordance with the will of Heaven and the hearts of the people. Its purpose is to select pillars of the nation, cultivate talents for sects, and pave a path to the heavens for the fine sons and daughters of Tianshui, so that they may bring glory to their families and serve their country!"

"I, He Tianxiong, the magistrate of Tianshui County, along with Master Sheng and Commandant Chen, hereby witness this grand event!"

"I urge you, my talented lads, to take up your weapons, embrace your passion, and strive to be the best on this arena! Show your brilliance! Live up to your learning, live up to your parents' high expectations, live up to your precious youth, and live up to the glorious power of our Great Zhou Dynasty!"

"I hereby declare—the grand competition—officially—begins!"

"Begin!!!" The master of ceremonies roared at the top of his lungs.

"roar--!!!"

A deafening roar of cheers echoed across the training ground once again, instantly bringing the atmosphere to a climax.

On the high platform, Chen Yanzhou's gaze seemed calm as he swept over the throng of people below, passing over the spirited and eager young faces. Finally, in an inconspicuous corner, under the somewhat shabby flag of the Zhuifeng Martial Arts School, his gaze paused for a moment.

There, a boy, dressed in a faded blue cloth shirt and standing tall and straight like a spear, stood quietly, a stark contrast to his companions around him who were either excited, nervous, or encouraging each other.

It was Song Jing.

"Oh? This kid actually came." Chen Yanzhou's heart stirred slightly, but his face remained calm. He simply tapped his fingers very lightly on the armrest of the hardwood chair. "The two axe-class students on the training ground are making quite a fuss—it's rather interesting."

Theory learned from books is ultimately superficial; this real, high-profile competition is the true test.

His gaze lingered on Song Jing's overly calm face for a moment, and a thought crossed his mind: "I wonder how much of your true colors you can show today in this den of dragons and tigers."

If he truly possesses potential, with both excellent character and ability, I—wouldn't hesitate to give him a helping hand. In this world, with powerful clans and monopolized resources, it's becoming increasingly difficult for genuine talents from humble backgrounds to rise to prominence.

He recalled his own past, when he also came from humble beginnings and relied on sheer determination, a bit of luck, and the help of benefactors to get to where he is today.

Looking at the young man below the stage, who was also from an outlying city and had no one to rely on, a fleeting, almost imperceptible emotion and a barely perceptible expectation flashed across Chen Yanzhou's deep eyes.

But immediately, the ripple disappeared without a trace, and the deep pool regained its calm and majesty.

The first challenge, the speed test, begins now!

On the east side of the training ground, a straight running track, ten zhang wide and paved with hard white granite, and a thousand zhang long, has already been cleared out.

At the starting line of the track, ten bronze incense burners, each about half a person's height, are lined up in a row. Inside each burner is a specially made, uniformly thick incense stick, the red tip of which gleams and the blue smoke rises straight up, making it particularly eye-catching on a windless morning.

On both sides of the track, every hundred feet, stood a skilled fighter from the Commandant's Office. They were not proctors, but rather controlling small formations set up in advance, constantly generating disordered crosswinds, headwinds, turbulence, and even occasional minor air bursts, greatly increasing the difficulty and unpredictability of the sprint.

"Quickly pass the assessment, a sprint to the finish line! One incense stick's time limit! Those who exceed the time limit are eliminated!"

"Players will be arranged in batches according to their draw numbers and seedings! Ten players per batch!"

The deacon's voice rang out through a brass loudspeaker. All lights focused on the runway.

The first to take the stage were naturally the top geniuses from the inner city, who were already renowned and considered seeded players. Their appearances always drew huge cheers and discussions from the stands and the audience.

"The first batch, No. 1 in Zone A, Zhao Yuanqing of the Zhao family!"

Dressed in a light blue robe, with a handsome face and a gentle, refined demeanor, Zhao Yuanqing calmly stepped out of the Zhao family's ranks under countless gazes. He bowed slightly to those around him with elegant posture before stepping onto his designated first track.

He didn't adopt any exaggerated starting posture; he simply took a slight breath, relaxed his body, and calmly looked towards the finish line a thousand feet away.

"start!"

Ten figures shot out suddenly, like ten arrows released from a bow!

Zhao Yuanqing was undoubtedly the most eye-catching "Azure Rainbow" among them! His start was not the fastest, but with one step, his figure seemed to blend into the wind, becoming elusive.

Faced with the chaotic winds surging from the formations on both sides, he not only did not resist, but his body swayed and turned slightly with the wind, like a willow catkin in the wind, or a fish swimming with the current. In a way, he borrowed the power of the wind and turned the resistance into an assist!

His pace didn't seem hurried, but each step covered an astonishing distance, and he landed silently with long, steady breaths, as if he wasn't sprinting at full speed, but rather riding the wind!

"What excellent footwork! Like a gentle breeze brushing against a willow branch, you have already grasped the essence of it!" An old man with discerning eyes stroked his beard in admiration.

The figure in cyan swept across the finish line like a streak of light.

"Zhao Yuanqing, time—one-eighth of an incense stick's time! First place!" The steward announced the result loudly, his voice tinged with a hint of amazement.

"Young Master Zhao is amazing!"

"As expected of the leader of the Four Heroes of the Inner City! His movements are so effortless!"

A thunderous cheer erupted. Zhao Yuanqing remained calm, nodded slightly, and retreated to his own lines.

"No. 2, District A, the Qian family—Qian Rushan!"

Qian Rushan, as imposing as an iron tower, grinned and strode out. As soon as he stood in front of the starting line, a fierce and domineering aura swept over you.

"start!"

"boom!"

The moment Qian Rushan started moving, he stomped his feet hard on the ground, and fine cracks appeared on the hard stone slab!

Without any fancy moves, he pushed the "Melting Gold and Forging Bones Technique" to its limit, his whole body like a cannonball fired from a gun, or like a completely frenzied ancient elephant, charging forward with unparalleled savagery!

The violent physical force tore through the air, creating a piercing sonic boom that briefly dispersed the turbulence in front of him!

He crushed the thousand-foot track in the most primitive and violent way!

Its speed was not much slower than Zhao Yuanqing's, who was traveling by the wind!

"Mountains of money, taken—nearly one-eighth of an incense stick's time! Enter, A!"

"What overwhelming power! Force can overcome any technique!"

"The Qian family's tyranny lives up to its name!"

Next, Li Qingmei from the Li family appeared. She wore a light green dress, her figure was slender, and she appeared delicate.

But the moment it started, its figure transformed into an elusive green shadow, weaving through the chaotic wind like a ghost, passing by in the gaps between changes in the airflow, bringing "listening to the wind and identifying positions" to its extreme, and its result was a solid one-eighth of the incense stick nail.

Sun Sihai of the Sun family has agile footwork, like riding the waves, and his performance is similar.

Bai Yunfei of Qingyun Martial Arts School moves with his sword, becoming one with it. He exudes a sharp edge and is extremely fast. Although his performance is slightly inferior, he still firmly holds the top rank.

Lei Zhen from the Thunderclap Martial Arts School started like a thunderclap from flat ground, his momentum was terrifying, and his speed was even slightly faster than Bai Yunfei's, which caused a cheer in the direction of the Thunderclap Martial Arts School.

Nie Feng of the Kuangfeng Martial Arts School, with the Kuangfeng Blade Intent faintly surrounding his body, moved like a whirlwind sweeping across the ground, his speed comparable to Lei Zhen's, drawing wild shouts from the members of the Nie family's eldest branch.

The scores of the top eleven geniuses were all closely tied to the extremely high standard of "one-eighth of an incense stick," with the difference between them being only a hair's breadth.

Each of their appearances was accompanied by thunderous cheers and exclamations, constantly pushing the atmosphere to a climax.

On the stands, representatives of various forces and family elders were also discussing and speculating about who would ultimately win the speed challenge.

"Zhao Yuanqing is elegant, Qian Rushan is domineering, and Li Qingmei is unpredictable; the three of them are subtly leading by a small margin!"

"Bai Yunfei's sword energy acceleration is also quite unique!"

"Nie Feng's Gale Movement Technique is indeed formidable!"

"It seems the battle for first place is between Zhao, Qian, and Li!"

Just when everyone thought the first group's performance was over and they were preparing to watch the next batch, the steward's voice rang out again, calling out a name that sounded both unfamiliar and somewhat familiar to many: "Number 77, Gui District, Chasing Wind Martial Arts School—Song Jing!"

Upon hearing this name, the atmosphere in the training ground noticeably stagnated and changed.

Countless gazes—curious, scrutinizing, questioning, disdainful, expectant—like tangible arrows, shot towards the Chasing Wind Martial Arts School's camp, focusing on the young man in the blue robe who slowly walked out.

"Song Jing? Which Song Jing?"

"It's that guy from the outer city! The one who killed the Blood Lotus Cult leader!"

"That one on the double armor in the training ground?!"

"It looks pretty ordinary, nothing special."

"Hmph, just trying to attract attention. Did you see the results of the inner city's geniuses? That's true speed and power!"

"I heard he's good at speed, let's see how fast he can run. It would be ridiculous if he couldn't even finish the race in the time it takes for an incense stick to burn."

Song Jing seemed oblivious to the tidal wave of discussions and stares around him.

He calmly walked to the ninth lane assigned to him and stood still.

His gaze swept over the incense stick burning quietly in the incense burner beside him, its smoke curling upwards. His eyes remained calm and focused, without the slightest ripple of emotion.