Xuanqing Guard

The rules of the Xuanqing Guard dictate that unless one is asking for punishment or reward, subordinates and superiors need only bow, there’s no need for the cumbersome act of kneeling. It’s the civil servants who love to kneel as a sign of respect.

Seeing Kuang Shengyuan drop to one knee, Shen Hao hesitated for a moment but didn’t follow suit. He just bowed according to proper custom.

Flattering’s one thing—who hasn’t done it on the road to officialdom? But there’s a line, isn’t there?

Honestly, it was the first time Shen Hao realized how willing Kuang Shengyuan was to lay it all out there.

And with Kuang Shengyuan taking the lead, the contrast became obvious—the others who came with Shen Hao to welcome Pang Ban all copied Kuang Shengyuan, dropping to one knee and shouting their greetings. Only Wang Yiming, under Shen Hao’s command, and Tang Qingyuan standing beside him, chose to bow rather than kneel.

An otherwise proper welcoming formation suddenly seemed a bit off-kilter.

"Heh, enough, get up."

Pang Ban’s expression didn’t change at all. He smiled gently, looking perfectly kind. There was none of the usual oppressive aura common among High-Tier Cultivators—his words made you feel as if bathed in spring sunlight, utterly at ease.

Following behind Kuang Shengyuan, Shen Hao’s first impression of Pang Ban was: "unfathomable." It was a strange sensation; before today, only three people had ever given him this feeling: Li Shuyang from Gui Mountain Cultivation Institute, Yu Ao Feng of the Celestial Toad Sect, and Zhong Hongye of the Mountain of Ten Thousand Books.

Pang Ban first addressed the chief officer of the Xuanqing Guard’s Fengri City office, Kuang Shengyuan, introduced by Jiang Cheng. After some polite words, Jiang Cheng proceeded to introduce Shen Hao.

Pang Ban smiled as he patted Shen Hao’s shoulder. "I heard of you long ago. So young, and you’ve already cracked many major cases. Lord Jiang holds you in high esteem—he often says you’re his right-hand man."

"This subordinate does not deserve such praise."

"No need for modesty, young man. Come, it’s getting late. I want to see what results your Black Banner Battalion has achieved at this trial site, and why you’re so eager to prove yourselves." Pang Ban’s words carried a hint of implication, but he found the youth before him was not intimidated at all—still calm and confident.

This young man was truly something else.

Truth be told, Pang Ban had been keeping an eye on Shen Hao for quite some time now. Initially, he’d noticed Shen Hao’s name on the official Xuanqing Guard reports, and later even assigned people to thoroughly investigate Shen Hao’s background. Other than the "birth" listed on Shen Hao’s record—which still needed further verification—everything since Shen Hao joined the Xuanqing Guard was perfectly clear.

Put simply, he was a man with means, capability, luck, and a blend of principle and ruthlessness.

Of course, Pang Ban only began to pay real attention to Shen Hao after the latter, by a stroke of chance at Chang Baifeng, was able to greatly increase his own cultivation potential through an epiphany.

In the end, this world is ruled by strength—Pang Ban saw through that. If your cultivation lags, then no matter how high your rank, it’s a castle in the sky—nothing solid. Especially so for military positions. People with no potential are not worth the effort; those with potential are worth cultivating.

Otherwise, even with Jiang Cheng’s relentless recommendation of Shen Hao, Pang Ban might not have agreed to witness the event in Fengri City this time.

Making an invitation up several ranks—it felt a bit like overstepping boundaries. Shen Hao clearly wasn’t lacking in courage.

Shen Hao bowed again, his tone calm. "Rest assured, Lord Commander. The Black Banner Battalion of Fengri City will not disappoint you!"

Holding a pair of Kings, four Twos, and a straight in his hand, Shen Hao felt entirely at ease. He even thought he was being too reserved—right now, putting up a bit of a front was more than justified.

But the onlookers were breaking out in a cold sweat for him—especially Jiang Cheng.

"Insolence! In front of Lord Commander, mind your words! Lead the way!"

"Yes, sir!" Shen Hao cupped his fist in acceptance, understanding Jiang Cheng was helping him. He immediately moved aside, pointed out the direction, and let Pang Ban go first.

The venue was five li outside Fengri City.

It used to be a racetrack for a carriage and horse shop, but after the Jingxi Action ruined that business, the government office auctioned off the place. Now it lay vacant until Wang Yiming rented and fixed it up as the arena for this "Grand Martial Contest."

Within the arena, there were indoor and outdoor sections, each with different purposes and event types.

Shen Hao had gotten the carriages from the Hengshun Carriage and Horse Company; all the drivers had been replaced with Black Banner Battalion personnel. Now they’d again been forcibly swapped out by Pang Ban’s personal guards.

Shen Hao didn’t ride in a carriage but rode horseback—one carriage-length behind Pang Ban’s carriage. He was the only one permitted such proximity; people like Kuang Shengyuan had to follow at a distance.

After entering the arena, Shen Hao led Pang Ban and the other high-ranking guests up to the viewing stand.

"This stand is quite something," Pang Ban remarked, following along as they climbed a stone viewing platform five zhang high. It was his first time seeing such a structure—it resembled a city wall, long and wide, with chairs set out. The one in the middle was especially large, likely prepared for him.

"Heh, since there would be an opening ceremony, we built a taller stand so that the guests could have a better view," Shen Hao said, always accompanying Pang Ban. The other guests, including Jiang Cheng, were received by Wang Yiming.

This was Shen Hao’s chance—and Wang Yiming’s as well—to display themselves before so many bosses of the Xuanqing Guard. Wang Yiming lived up to his noble family’s reputation: proper, poised, and perfectly at ease.

Watching this, Kuang Shengyuan, who’d also come up the stand, could only look on with envy. How he wished it were him standing alongside Pang Ban and Jiang Cheng at such a face-gaining moment—instead, all he could do was watch. He was, after all, the chief officer of Xuanqing Guard in Fengri City! Such feelings, outsiders could hardly imagine.

"My lord, the auspicious hour has arrived—shall we begin?"

Shen Hao didn’t offer further explanation to Pang Ban. Casting a glance at Time Fragrance nearby, he directly asked if everything was ready to start. As for the process and details, he believed better to save the surprise for the guests present.

Pang Ban looked with great interest towards the four neatly arrayed small formations in the distance, giving a nod—signaling the start.

Shen Hao didn’t bother with a speech—he thought it unnecessary, and didn’t think him making a speech would fit. After all, this world played by different rules; boundaries between ranks can’t just be ignored.

He raised his hand in signal to Wang Yiming, who had long been standing ready. Wang Yiming immediately went to the edge of the high dais, drew forth two flags, and waved them overhead several times. The next second, a thunderous sound rang out.

It was drums.

Enormous drums, the likes of which had never been seen, were rolled out on massive wooden frames. Each drum had two sides, with bare-chested giants standing at both ends pounding away, their blows accompanied by their thunderous shouts.

"Boom boom... boom... boom boom boom..."

The drumming gradually picked up rhythm, rumbling like thunder rolling through the clouds. It seemed as if the sky might split. There was a sudden, imposing urgency.

"Is this... Your Majesty’s ’Thunder Roar’?"