My Martial Arts Level Never Drops

Chapter 269: Chapter 146: Challenge

The cabin was small, but it was neat and orderly.

Just inside the door was a hardwood bed, covered with a coarse, pale blue-green quilt that had been starched crisp.

A square table and a round stool stood by the window. On the table sat a copper oil lamp, its reservoir still holding half-congealed oil.

In the corner stood a waist-high wooden cabinet. The doors were unlocked and the inside was empty, save for a thin layer of dust on the wooden shelves.

After a quick look around, Qin Fang took the bundle from his shoulder and placed it on the table.

He untied the knot. Inside, there was nothing but a few changes of clothes.

He had already eaten all the Bee Meat he’d brought with him on the journey.

The Bee Meat did indeed have a slight effect on improving his Physique. After he ran out, he could feel the development of his Physique had all but stopped.

Now, his strength was around fourteen thousand jin... The growth had slowed to a crawl.

’Looks like the only way to advance further is to truly step into the Divine Domain...’

Qin Fang mused.

He folded his clothes and placed them in the cabinet. Then, he scanned the floor, found a specific floor tile, and pried it out. This wasn’t difficult for Qin Fang. With just a slight exertion of strength in his right hand, he pulled the entire tile free.

He then hollowed out the space beneath it and placed the various bottles and jars from his bundle into the recess.

These bottles and jars, of course, contained Bee Venom.

He then added some Poisonous Thorns he was carrying, as well as a money pouch made from bee hide.

Finally, there was the mysterious liquid.

The mysterious liquid possessed healing properties. Unsure of the situation in the Prefecture City when he arrived, Qin Fang hadn’t dared to consume it as a cultivation resource. Instead, he’d saved it as a healing medicine in case of an emergency.

Once everything was arranged, he carefully replaced the floor tile, gently stamped it down, and used the excavated dirt to fill in the cracks. Only then did Qin Fang let out a soft sigh.

’Best to keep these things well hidden. You never know when they might come in handy.’

He walked out of the cabin and emptied the dirt he’d dug up—carried in a cloth wrapper—at the base of the courtyard wall.

With that done, he surveyed his surroundings. The tiny place was spartan, but it was a temporary lodging he could call his own.

’I have to be back by midnight... It’s already late today, so I probably don’t have enough time. I’ll explore the city tomorrow... At the very least, I need to figure out the difference between the Inner City and the Outer City... and I also need to get a clear picture of the situation here in Lanyang City.’

As it stood, Qin Fang knew almost nothing about the Prefecture City. And now, under this ’house arrest,’ he was desperate to gather more intelligence.

While Qin Fang was lost in thought, a number of people were still lingering in the open space before D Building.

A few men with lean, tough builds were gathered under an old locust tree, their eyes occasionally flicking toward the courtyard Qin Fang had chosen in C Courtyard.

”Another one for C Courtyard... Never seen his face before, and he doesn’t look that old. Wonder what his story is.”

a scar-faced man muttered, his arms crossed.

”He’s a new face. We’ve seen most of the people from C Courtyard around, one way or another, but he’s a first.”

A tall, thin man beside him chimed in, his eyes glinting. ”Must have some connections.”

”Connections?”

A dark-faced man sneered, rubbing his calloused palms together. ”Connections? Who here in C Courtyard doesn’t have connections? You either paid a hefty sum of silver or had a patron from the Sacrificial Hall or the Government Office Entrance put in a good word. But the Post House has its own rules. Getting a room... doesn’t mean you get to keep it.”

His words made the others nod in agreement, a fervent, eager glint appearing in their eyes.

For those of them crammed into the large, shared rooms of D Building, the perks of C Courtyard were a source of intense envy.

A private courtyard, hot water and hot meals delivered to your door, no need to fight over resources—you could prepare for the examination in peace.

Most importantly, the very fact of living there was a symbol of strength in the eyes of others, an unspoken declaration of superiority over the residents of D Building.

The Post House’s tacitly approved challenge rule was, for them, both a pressure and an opportunity.

”Brother Shen’s right.”

The scar-faced man licked his lips. ”I don’t care where he came from. Now that he’s moved in, he has to play by the Post House’s rules. The only question is... how skilled is he?”

”We were too far away just now, but he kept his aura reined in pretty well. His footsteps were steady, too. Looks like he has some foundation...”

the tall, thin man recalled. ”But he does look really young. Probably some young master from a wealthy family, sent here to gain experience. Paid his way in with silver, which means his actual skills are probably garbage...”

At this, the men’s eyes lit up.

If he really was just an embroidered pillow, then his spot in C Courtyard was a juicy prize ripe for the taking.

All it would take was one fight to replace him!

”Let’s not celebrate just yet.”

The dark-faced man was more level-headed. His gaze swept toward C Courtyard as he lowered his voice. ”Anyone confident enough to take the Martial Arts Examination is bound to have a few tricks up their sleeve. This guy might not be so simple... We need to feel him out first.”

”How do we do that?” the scar-faced man asked.

The dark-faced man jutted his chin toward the Post House entrance. ”Chief Li probably hasn’t gone far... He’s on duty at the gate year-round, seeing everyone come and go. He’s got the best information... Asking him what this newcomer’s deal is can’t hurt. At the very least, we need to find out where he’s from—whether he paved his way with silver or caught the eye of a patron.”

The men exchanged glances, all agreeing it was a sound plan.

If he’d paid his way in, his Cultivation was likely mediocre. He was probably the young master of some minor clan from a backwater county. In that case, they would challenge him without hesitation... They didn’t give a damn about minor clans.

But if he was favored by a patron, they’d have to be careful...

”Favored by a patron” meant one of two things: either his own strength was so astonishing that a powerful figure had taken notice, certain he would pass the Martial Arts Examination, or he had deep and powerful connections within the Prefecture City itself...