Chapter 19: Efforts Washed Away

Night suddenly thought of Jun Du Zhao, and felt a tangled mess within him. At this moment, the speech by the Duchess of Anguo was drawing to a close.

“The Zhang, Bai, and Zhao clans have produced a wealth of talented individuals in their younger generations, reaping abundant rewards on the battlefield against the dark races. But what about my Song clan? How many of you have truly fought a significant battle? Now we have a few old bones to hold the fort, but once our generation is gone, how do you plan to stand on your own?”

This question silenced the entire hall.

Though the Song clan’s wealth may be among the top in the realm, if there is no one to lead, it is a path to certain doom, with the best outcome being a division of the spoils. Yet, the current decline in strength has already set in, and to reverse it is far from easy.

Many were drenched in sweat at these words.

Even Qian Ye, who had no talent for politics, could see the dilemma the Song clan faced from this martial exam.

Such a vast, ancient lineage, with internal benefits so intertwined, has reached a relatively stable balance. To reform means to cut into the very lifeline of all the elders, the difficulty of which is unimaginable. But if they do not touch their interests, it’s akin to threatening the very existence of the Song clan.

The Duchess of Anguo, feeling rather despondent, rose and said, “Let’s disperse now. Put some effort into the upcoming military strategy examination.”

Thus, the martial competition came to an end.

Upon review, the biggest beneficiary was still Zi Cheng Song, the eldest son. His most formidable competitor, the Zi An Song faction, suffered heavy losses, especially with the removal of Elder Zhong Ting Song, cutting resources in half. This impact went beyond mere inheritance points.

Compared to this, although Zi Cheng Song did not win the individual first place, his overall points put him further ahead, solidifying his position.

Zi Ning Song, who had entered the succession list two years ago, had always been so low-key as to be almost invisible. This time, he astonished the entire Song clan. Having just advanced to a ninth-level warrior, he showed the potential to rival a war general.

What was more, few knew that Zi Ning Song, who had walked out of the Netherworld, was the most experienced in actual combat among the young generation. If he were to face a new war general like Zi Qi Song, he might not necessarily lose.

This outcome was a slap in the face for the majority of the elders, who were responsible for evaluating the talents and guiding the martial arts of the clan members. In his youth, Zi Ning Song was only rated as a third-tier talent, later adjusted up one tier, but even now, the record shows only a second-tier rating.

Even when the Duchess of Anguo personally recognized that Zi Ning Song had mastered the “Three Thousand Drifting Leaves,” elevating him to the succession list, most elders still didn’t believe he would achieve much in martial arts, given his penchant for miscellaneous studies and licentious lifestyle.

However, the reality proved that even though the “Three Thousand Drifting Leaves” was not an offensive technique, Zi Ning Song had surpassed most of the clan’s geniuses.

Facing such a situation, despite Zi Cheng Song benefiting the most, there were concerns among his advisors about Zi Ning Song’s rapid rise. However, the eldest son remained unperturbed.

He gently told his confidants, “If we speak of blood ties, Seventh Young Master and I share the same grandfather, closer than many. As for assistance, Seventh Young Master has already made a pact with me, bringing results beyond expectation. We can’t always work with those weaker than us. The way to advance is to strengthen ourselves, not suppress others. Besides, true strength cannot be suppressed. So, let me not hear such talk again.”

That night, Zi Cheng Song personally went to “Yun Shen Hall,” delivering the items Zi Ning Song requested and even added a generous gift.

The next day, the military strategy examination began.

The military strategy examination of the Song clan was somewhat similar to the Tianxuan Spring Hunt, but on a much larger scale. The venue was on the border of Eastern Land, actually a battleground against the dark races.

Each candidate led a hundred-man team to attack the dark races, and the rankings were determined by the results of the battles.

In the military strategy examination, accidents were more likely. Even with strong power, bad luck could mean facing the elite forces of the dark races, leading to defeat. The strength of the teams each heir assembled, aside from uniform restrictions on numbers and levels, depended entirely on the resources of each branch.

Originally, Zi An Song and Zi Qi Song both harbored ambitions to surpass Zi Cheng Song in the military strategy. Unexpectedly, both were severely injured by Qian Ye in the martial exam, leaving Zi Qi Song barely able to participate, while Zi An Song could only send his team without leading it. Without a war general, the final result was predictable.

The day before the military strategy exam, nearly a hundred airships arrived at the Eastern Land. The Duchess of Anguo did not attend this time, but the Zhi Ge Hall sent its best warriors to ensure safety.

Zi Ning Song’s team was neither weak nor strong, merely average. He started from scratch, getting no help from his parents. Reaching this level was praiseworthy.

The prize for the military strategy exam was something even Qian Ye desired: a complete set of equipment sufficient to arm an enhanced battalion, meeting the standards of the Imperial elite army. With these, a person with resources could build a formidable force.

From the rewards, it was clear the Duchess of Anguo hoped the Song clan’s descendants could enhance their own martial prowess and build notable military strength, thereby achieving glory on the battlefield. The long-term preservation of the Imperial title fundamentally depended on military achievements, ensuring the Song clan’s standing.

Unfortunately, despite her good intentions, the Duchess of Anguo’s efforts would likely go awry.

Zi Ning Song, while not needing the equipment himself, saw that Qian Ye’s Dark Flame Mercenary Corps had expanded rapidly and needed such bulk high-quality military supplies, which were hard to obtain in the short term, even with ample funds.

Thus, Zi Ning Song and Zi Cheng Song made a secret deal: if he helped Zi Cheng Song win the military strategy, all the prizes would go to Zi Ning Song, plus an additional platoon’s worth of cargo trucks as compensation.

Qian Ye, as usual, did not express an opinion and let Zi Ning Song decide. He stopped intensive training and visited the Song clan’s library again, seeking books on origin power cultivation and various basic martial arts theories.

After the exam, Qian Ye planned to return to Evernight. Thanks to the favor of both Zi Ning Song and Zi Cheng Song, he could borrow many of these books and wanted to read as much as possible.

There are myriad paths, and while not all are clear, the more one learns, the closer one gets to the true path. After reading dozens of martial techniques, Qian Ye, reflecting on his practical experience, gradually felt a sense of integration and understanding.

After more than a day’s journey, the hundred airships finally reached the Eastern Land border, and the military strategy exam commenced. Over twenty Song teams launched attacks from different positions against the dark races.

Combined, the Song teams numbered nearly three thousand, all fifth-level warriors or above, including two war generals and several quasi-war generals.

The dark races on this battlefield were caught off guard by the sudden appearance of such a formidable force, retreating in disorder, their defenses in chaos.

After breaching the dark race’s defenses, the battle became chaotic. Some teams continued to advance, others chose flanking maneuvers, and some, with old grudges, clashed on the field. Though the main objective was to eliminate the dark races, internal conflicts were common.

In the competition for relative rankings, sometimes weakening opponents was more effective than increasing one’s own achievements.

On the real battlefield, Qian Ye’s true vision was a weapon; no one within a kilometer could escape his perception. Combined with Zi Ning Song’s occasional use of the “Three Thousand Drifting Leaves,” they successfully counter-attacked two teams that tried to ambush them, leaving both severely wounded.

Then, Qian Ye left the team to ambush the squads of Zi An Song and Zi Qi Song.

Qian Ye saw no need for this; his path to victory was to ignore any opponents and push deep into the battlefield, killing as many of the dark races as possible. Killing a few barons would make it impossible for anyone to catch up in points.

Zi Ning Song, however, convinced Qian Ye after much persuasion.

According to Zi Ning Song, the key was to ensure Zi Cheng Song won, maximizing everyone’s interests. Thus, precautions must be taken against bad luck, making it necessary to cripple Zi An Song and Zi Qi Song’s teams, rendering them non-competitive. The rest, unable to catch up with Zi Cheng Song, were not a concern.

Finally, Qian Ye, unable to resist, crossed the line alone, ambushing the squads of Zi An Song and Zi Qi Song, severely wounding their core members. Zi Qi Song was directly hit by Qian Ye’s bullet, immediately withdrawing.

Apart from Jun Du Zhao, Qian Ye’s battlefield sniping skills were unmatched, far above the level of the Song clan’s young masters. In the ever-changing battlefield, these supposed high-ranking warriors were overwhelmed.

Qian Ye’s ambush also had an unintended effect, utterly demoralizing the two teams, who holed up in defensible positions, only emerging days later. By then, their performance could only be mediocre.

The subsequent course of the battle made Qian Ye feel that the “Three Thousand Drifting Leaves,” said to pierce through illusions, had an omen-like quality.

Zi Cheng Song led his troops forward, unstoppable. For some reason, he failed to notice the position of his own squad. Nearby, Zi Ning Song, after Qian Ye’s departure, held back, and Zi An Song and Zi Qi Song’s teams, beaten by Qian Ye, retreated to the sidelines. As a result, Zi Cheng Song became isolated.

The dark races seized this opportunity, quickly gathering forces to surround and annihilate Zi Cheng Song’s squad. A fierce battle ensued, and though Zi Cheng Song defeated the dark race coalition, it was a costly victory. He killed a third-tier baron wolfman but was badly injured, forcing him to withdraw. His squad was decimated, unable to continue.

When Qian Ye returned, the situation forced Zi Ning Song to retreat, avoiding any dark race forces. Defeating them would have meant surpassing Zi Cheng Song’s score.

Thus, halfway through the exam, the most powerful four Song teams’ progress halted. The other teams, while brave, were far behind in strength, unable to bridge the gap.

The grand military strategy exam ended anticlimactically.

The combined results were barely satisfactory. This was the harsh reality, where internal politics often hindered the fight against the dark races. The dark races, with their intense infighting, gave the Great Qin Empire a chance to rise and grow.

After the battle, Qian Ye was in a bad mood, but he was no longer the naive rookie of Red Scorpion. His experiences in the Evernight Domain and the upper continent had changed him. Looking at the distracted Zi Ning Song, he ultimately said nothing.