Chapter 964: War Sons

"Nothing special?"

"A dime a dozen?"

The many war masters looked at each other, each feeling somewhat crushed.

They had come with imposing momentum, believing that no one of the same level could surpass them, yet they hadn't even seen the main target before being defeated by a few playing students by the roadside!

Was it necessary to be this ferocious?

Most crucially, such strong individuals—one or two could be tolerated—but according to him, the Xuanxuan Society had thirty thousand people all this powerful...

Liao Song felt his whole body stiffen, unable to utter a single word.

As a dignified thousand-man commander of the War Masters Hall, for the first time he felt like Granny Liu entering the Grand View Garden, doubting his own cognition and even his life.

"What, don't believe it?"

Seeing these people all standing dumbfounded, Ruohuan smiled and pointed behind: "Our Xuanxuan Society members happen to be gathering ahead; I can take you to see them!"

"Gathering?"

"Mm, follow me!"

Nodding, Ruohuan led the way forward.

Liao Song and the others exchanged glances and followed closely.

After walking not far, they indeed saw many people standing in the square ahead, discussing something, with a few occasionally sparring.

"Is that the basic martial skill, 'Vast River Waters'? Isn't this move supposed to be weak? Why is it so powerful in that person's hands?"

"That's the Falling Wind Sword Technique, a spirit-grade mid-rank martial skill... I've practiced it, but because the moves were too cumbersome and not effective in combat, I stopped... In his hands, it feels comparable to a spirit-grade high-rank martial skill!"

"This fist technique and body movement, though not flashy, directly strike at the essence of boxing, making them hard to defend against. If I fought against it, I might not be able to withstand it!"

"What move is that? The most basic sets of techniques combined together actually have such great power? Already comparable to spirit-grade high-rank martial skills?"

...

Watching the sparring exchanges, all the war masters' faces twitched.

Though there was no actual combat, with their insight, they could easily tell that if they fought, the outcome would be no better than against Ruohuan.

In other words, all these formidable war masters, thrown among the thirty thousand students before them, would not stand out and might even end up at the bottom.

What had happened?

They were war masters chosen from ten thousand!

"How are your combat abilities so strong?" Unable to hold back, Liao Song asked.

"Oh, we were all very ordinary at first. It was the dean who lectured us for an entire afternoon, and that's how we gained this ability!" Ruohuan's eyes shone with excitement.

The content of the dean's lecture was still clearly remembered, fully understood, and their combat power had made a qualitative leap.

Those who had attended the lecture and those who hadn't were now two completely different concepts, the gap as vast as a chasm.

Precisely because of this, countless students every day hoped to join the Xuanxuan Society and become one of its members. However, to prevent the society from overshadowing the academy, they had recently been admitting very few people, causing countless others to regret deeply.

"Just one afternoon of lectures?" Liao Song looked bewildered.

Just one afternoon of lectures and your strength skyrocketed? Wasn't that a joke?

If combat power could be improved so easily, then wouldn't all their hard training as war masters be in vain?

"Yes, it's a pity. The dean is too busy; otherwise, if he lectured for a few more days, our strength would definitely be even greater..." Ruohuan sighed with regret.

To be honest, if the dean weren't so busy and could lecture them continuously for a few days, they would certainly become stronger.

"Even stronger?"

Liao Song's mouth twitched again.

They were already this powerful, to the point that even war masters couldn't defeat them. If they got even stronger... wouldn't they surpass war masters?

Then what use would war masters be?

"By the way, who are you people? Who are you looking for at the academy?" Just as they were feeling frustrated, they heard Ruohuan ask.

"We... we're here to find... War Master Zhuo!"

He had meant to say they were war masters, but the words caught in his throat. Liao Song swallowed them back, his face turning red as he spoke.

"So you're friends of War Master Zhuo. Please wait a moment; I'll have someone take you there..."

Ruohuan suddenly understood and called over a member to guide them.

"Thank you!"

Liao Song and the others hurriedly followed, afraid that staying another second would deal them another blow.

"Ruohuan, who are these people?"

After they left, a student walked over with a puzzled look.

"I don't know either. Earlier I guessed they might be war masters, but later I thought definitely not... How could a war master have such poor combat awareness? Although their combat power is passable, a master teacher who focuses on combat couldn't be this bad, right? Anyway, as long as they're not war masters, we can try to recruit them into the Xuanxuan Society. After a few days of training, they might become talents!"

Ruohuan said.

"The Xuanxuan Society now recruits for quality, not quantity. If they really want to join, they need to pass the assessment. If they fail, we absolutely won't accept them!"

The student said.

"Of course. Our Xuanxuan Society isn't a place just anyone can enter. Their combat power is acceptable, but it still seems a bit short of passing the assessment..."

Ruohuan responded, her face full of pride.

...

"Master Liao, how are these guys so strong?"

Following the student to find Zhuo Qingfeng, one war master couldn't help but ask, looking at Liao Song at the front.

"I don't know either..."

Liao Song felt deeply frustrated.

All along, he had thought that within the same rank, War Masters were the strongest—until just now, when he saw the members of the Xuanxuan Society, he realized... that might not necessarily be true!

"No wonder Zhuo Qingfeng insisted we come. This Hongyuan Academy is too strange..."

After a long while, he finally came to his senses and couldn't help saying.

A few random people by the roadside had beaten them so badly they couldn't fight back. He had to admit, this place was terrifying. Luckily, they weren't enemies, or else they might not have made it back alive.

"War Master Liao, you've finally arrived..."

Before he even entered the courtyard, Zhuo Qingfeng heard the news and came out to greet him. Seeing Liao Song, his face lit up with excitement, but soon he noticed something was wrong.

The previously arrogant War Masters were now listless, like frostbitten eggplants.

"What happened to you?"

He couldn't help asking.

"Tell me about this Hongyuan Academy's dean—what's going on..."

Without answering his question, Liao Song asked directly.

Just now, the most he heard was about the dean's lectures, so upon seeing him, he immediately asked.

"The dean? Alright..." Zhuo Qingfeng hesitated, then told everything he knew.

"After only half an hour of lecturing, our War Masters were no match? After a whole afternoon, even in true qi and strength, we couldn't compare?"

Liao Song and the War Masters behind him felt as if they had heard a ghost story; their hair stood on end, and their hearts were filled with terror.

"Yes!" Zhuo Qingfeng smiled bitterly. "By the way, Dean Zhang's four direct disciples have been waiting in the courtyard for a while. Later, you might need to arrange the assessment."

"Four direct disciples? How strong are they?" Liao Song asked.

"Invincible at the same level... I'm no match!" Zhuo Qingfeng said.

"You're no match?" Liao Song was startled. After a moment's hesitation, he said, "If they're really that strong, I think... we should have them challenge the Dragon Gate Formation."

"The Dragon Gate Formation? That's the method the War Master Hall uses to assess 'War Sons.' Master Liao wants to... have them assessed as War Sons?"

Zhuo Qingfeng was startled.

"That's right. This Dean Zhang of Hongyuan Academy, with just one or two hours of lecturing, can change his students so dramatically. His direct disciples... might actually pass the War Son assessment. If they succeed... as the ones who discovered them, our status will surely rise!"

Liao Song said.

"This..."

Zhuo Qingfeng fell silent.

Indeed.

If the War Master Hall were compared to a family, the War Son would be the young master!

In other words, as long as he grew up, he could become the Hall Master.

But the War Son was the dream of countless War Masters, the goal many strived for—unfortunately, it was too difficult.

For three hundred years, the War Master Hall had had no War Son, nor a Hall Master... Could this Master Zhang's students pass the assessment?

Even War Master Zhuo, who had fought them, had no confidence.

The War Son assessment... was so difficult that it felt impossible to succeed!

If this Dean Zhang's students really passed the assessment and became War Sons, then as the discoverers, they would have rendered meritorious service, their status would surely rise, and they would receive better resources.

"We can't set up the real Dragon Gate Formation, but we can make a simplified version. If they can pass it, they'll be qualified to be taken back to headquarters to apply for the real assessment. Whether they succeed or not, it's good for us!" Liao Song said.

Becoming a War Son would be best. Even if they didn't succeed, having the strength to challenge a War Son would prove their talent. Once they entered the War Master Hall, their status would surely be higher than theirs.

Such people would definitely become their backers in the future.

"Alright, let them challenge the Dragon Gate Formation..."

Without hesitating long, Zhuo Qingfeng gritted his teeth.

"Hmm!"

Liao Song nodded.

After the discussion, the War Masters filed into the courtyard.

As soon as they entered, they saw Elder Mi and Elder Zhao coming to greet them, followed by Wu Tianqiong, Wu Ran, and others.

The three academies had stayed to observe this assessment.

Zheng Yang, Wang Ying, Liu Yang, Wei Ruyan, and others had all come, standing like spears, sharp and imposing.

"Let me introduce everyone. This is War Master Liao Song, a chiliarch of the War Master Hall and also my senior brother. He will be in charge of assessing Zheng Yang and the others..."

Zhuo Qingfeng introduced.

"Greetings, War Master Liao!"

Everyone clasped their fists simultaneously.

"Hmm, no need to be polite. These four must be Dean Zhang's direct disciples, the cultivators to be assessed?" Nodding to the crowd, Liao Song looked at Zheng Yang and the others.

"Our master is Zhang Xuan!"

Zheng Yang and the others nodded simultaneously.

"Truly extraordinary!" War Master Liao smiled. "On the way here, I heard the details from War Master Zhuo. I plan to have you undergo the Dragon Gate Formation assessment."

"Dragon Gate Formation?"

Zheng Yang and the others exchanged glances, full of confusion.

Wu Tianqiong and the others also seemed not to have heard of it, looking puzzled.

"The Dragon Gate Formation takes its meaning from 'carp leaping over the dragon gate.' If you can pass it, you will instantly transform into a dragon and become a prominent figure throughout the War Master Hall, even the entire continent!"

Liao Song said.