“May I ask, my lord, how is this wagered contest to be conducted?”
No sooner had Nie Yuanliu’s words fallen than a deputy commander spoke up impatiently, his tone respectful yet unable to conceal his confidence.
With that question, everyone’s gaze was immediately drawn to Nie Yuanliu. Clearly, the prize this commandant had put forth held no small attraction for the deputy commanders present.
“Today is a farewell banquet; it would be improper to take up arms and shed blood. In that case… let strength decide the victor,” Nie Yuanliu said after a brief moment of thought, setting the rules.
“My lord is wise!”
The commanders all voiced their agreement.
At once, at Commandant Nie’s signal, several burly strongmen grunted as they carried in an enormous blue-black stone lock. They set it heavily in the open space within the tent, and the instant it touched the ground, it gave off a dull, thunderous thud—plainly, its weight was extraordinary.
“This is cast from black-gold stone and weighs over seven hundred jin.”
Nie Yuanliu’s voice was calm. “You may each step forward and try. Victory will be decided by lifting it above the head and holding it there; whoever lasts the longest wins the prize. But this commandant will say this first—though this contest of strength is not a fight to the death, you must not force yourselves, lest you injure your organs in secret and damage your foundation.”
Over seven hundred jin!
For most deputy commanders at the Mingxi Realm, this weight was no different from a high threshold. After all, an ordinary Mingxi Realm martial master usually had arm strength between three and five hundred jin; only those with extraordinary natural talent or an exceptionally solid foundation could surpass that limit.
Sure enough, as soon as the words were spoken, nearly half the deputy commanders present showed hesitation, quietly extinguishing their desire to compete—if they failed to hold it and injured themselves instead, the loss would outweigh the gain.
Yet there was no lack of confident men either. Seeing that no one else was rushing forward, the burly deputy commander who had asked the question first immediately rose and cupped his fists. “My lord, this subordinate is willing to try first!”
“Granted.”
The deputy commander cupped his fists heavily, then swiftly removed his light armor, revealing a muscular upper body. He strode to the stone lock, drew in a deep breath, and his entire body’s muscles suddenly tightened. Veins bulged along his arms like coiling green serpents as he gripped the lock’s handle and exerted his strength with a violent heave!
“Up!”
The stone lock rose from the ground and was forcefully lifted above his head!
However, under that crushing weight, his footing was unsteady, his face instantly flushed scarlet, and his arms trembled violently in a way visible to the naked eye. After barely holding on for two breaths, he had no choice but to set the stone lock down heavily, panting without end.
“Passable.”
Nie Yuanliu nodded slightly and gave his assessment.
Though it had only been two breaths, it was already no easy feat.
Next, a second man stepped up to try. His whole body trembled from exertion, his face red as blood, yet in the end he failed to lift the stone lock above his head and could only retreat in dejection.
After the two attempts, it was like a basin of cold water poured over everyone, extinguishing much of the enthusiasm that had just flared up.
Afterward, two more men stepped forward, and their performances were even more miserable: one barely lifted it for a single breath before hurriedly putting it down, while the other tested its weight and directly shook his head, giving up.
Seeing this, the burly man who had first lifted it for two breaths could not help but reveal a faint smile of assured victory.
“My lord,” at this moment, Huang Ren turned to Wu Kuang and respectfully asked for permission, “this subordinate would also like to try.”
Wu Kuang frowned slightly. From the corner of his eye, he glanced at Commander Huang not far away. After a brief moment of thought, he said,
“Go. Know your limits.”
“Yes!”
Huang Ren’s spirits lifted, and he strode to the stone lock. He focused his mind and held his breath, then suddenly stamped his foot, exhaled with a shout, and actually lifted the stone lock up in one fierce motion!
His face instantly turned blood-red, the veins at his temples throbbed, and even streaks of blood appeared in his eyes. A faint taste of iron rose between his lips and teeth as he relied entirely on sheer ruthlessness to hold on. After two breaths, he could no longer endure and let the stone lock crash to the ground.
“Passable.”
Nie Yuanliu still gave the same two words.
Huang Ren forcibly suppressed his surging qi and blood, bowed, and when he returned to Wu Kuang’s side, his breathing was still somewhat unsteady.
“My lord, I have not disgraced your command.”
As he spoke, his gaze swept over Chen Sheng as if intentionally and unintentionally, carrying a trace of provocation and complacency difficult to detect, as though in terms of strength, he had already firmly surpassed the other man.
“Mm. Sit and regulate your breathing,” Wu Kuang said with a faint nod.
“Is there anyone else willing to try?”
Nie Yuanliu’s gaze swept across the remaining people. For a time, the tent was silent. After several consecutive failures, most of the deputy commanders had already been deterred.
“My lord,” Chen Sheng finally spoke, his voice steady, “this subordinate is willing to try.”
He was determined to obtain that unknown prize—especially since the Heavenly Book of Seek Fortune and Avoid Calamity had once hinted that it would be a choice among three treasured weapons!
Such divine arms were far beyond ordinary mortal iron, and were precisely what he urgently needed at present.
Moreover, he was not blindly forcing himself. The Golden Bell Body Tempering Art had granted him a foundation far surpassing his peers, and strength was even his specialty. Previously, in Wu Kuang’s tent, lifting a five-hundred-jin stone lock had been as easy for him as lifting something light. Though this black-gold stone lock was exceptionally heavy, he was confident it remained within the range he could endure.
“Do not force yourself.”
Wu Kuang gave a warning, his tone carrying a hint of expectation, yet also a hint of surprise.
He knew Chen Sheng’s strength qualified him to lift this lock, but he had not expected that Chen Sheng, who had always acted in a low-key manner, would take the initiative to stand out on such an occasion. After all, the prize had not been made clear; it might very well be nothing more than medicinal pills and the like. Still, he did not stop him.
“This subordinate understands.”
Chen Sheng rose and cupped his fists toward Nie Yuanliu. “My lord, this subordinate requests permission to try.”
“Granted.”
The single word fell, and every gaze within the tent instantly focused on Chen Sheng. Curiosity, astonishment, scrutiny… only contempt was absent. Anyone who dared stand forward at this moment had to have something to rely on.
Even Huang Ren’s brows knitted tightly, his heart filled with uncertainty. He had made inquiries: Chen Sheng should have only recently entered the Mingxi Realm and had gained Wu Kuang’s regard by being good at currying favor. How could he possess such confidence?
Chen Sheng walked to the stone lock, his feet slightly apart, standing as steady as a pine.
He did not put on any posture, merely drew in a deep breath and clasped the cold, rough handle of the lock with both hands.
He exerted his strength!
The stone lock rose at once! As expected, it was incomparably heavy. The “over” in “over seven hundred jin” likely left no small margin. No wonder so many before him had met defeat.
Yet Chen Sheng’s arms were as steady as bedrock. Beneath his sleeves, a bronze sheen faintly flowed, while his qi, blood, and inner breath surged without cease. He actually held the black-gold stone lock steadily high above his head!
One breath, two breaths, three breaths!
Only after a full three breaths did he slowly lower the stone lock with steady breathing, his expression unchanged, as though he still had strength to spare.
A chorus of sharp inhalations instantly rang through the tent!
The deputy commanders who had attempted it earlier all showed shock. Even many commanders who had merely been watching from the side put away their casual attitudes, and the way they looked at Chen Sheng abruptly changed—not as though they were looking at a deputy who had risen by luck, but with true scrutiny and regard.
To possess such a solid foundation while only at the Mingxi Realm meant his future prospects would surely be limitless.
Quite a few people secretly cursed Wu Kuang’s good fortune. To think he had actually uncovered such a talent.
As for Huang Ren, he had now fallen into deep silence.
Chen Sheng had held it high for three breaths and could still set the stone lock down as if lifting something light, which showed that he still had some strength left. Though raw power did not completely represent one’s overall strength, it was enough to reveal a thing or two from the side.
The thoughts of competing with him that Huang Ren had held earlier faded considerably at this moment.