Martial Artist: Stronger by Coasting Along-Chapter 355 - 92: I Don’t Want to Join

Observation room.

King of North of the River, Ao Dagang, and Huo Jiating embraced each other.

The three old men were emotional, even quietly sobbing.

Since the Great Crossing River Era, Jiangbei Province had always lacked resources, and no martial arts students had advanced to the second round of the national examination. Now, Zhang Lingfeng had created a miracle, reaching not only the second round, but the third and even the fourth.

This meant that the land of Jiangbei Province could also produce geniuses. It also meant that the Seven Great Star Systems Alliance would provide more resource subsidies to Jiangbei Province, ensuring its growth and the nurturing of more talents to contribute to humanity.

Jiangbei Province had been known as the province with the worst geographical environment, the most impoverished resources, and the slowest growth rate of martial artists among the fourth-tier provinces.

Some had even proposed setting Jiangbei Province as a war zone, serving as a buffer zone between humans and ocean creatures, turning Jiangbei Province into a line of defense for the Great Xia Kingdom.

That’s why the relocation of factories back to the Great Radiation Zone was deemed crucial.

King of North of the River, Ao Dagang, and others had all hoped for Zhang Lingfeng and Ming Cheng to create a miracle, for at least one of them to advance to the second round, showing the value of Jiangbei Province to the Seven Great Star Systems Alliance.

Now, both of them achieved this.

Zhang Lingfeng had become the only fourth-line martial arts student since the Great Crossing River Era to advance to the fourth round. Although he was the only one, for martial arts students from fourth-tier provinces, it was exceptionally significant.

Even martial arts students from Jiangnan Province were thrilled to hear this news about Zhang Lingfeng.

However, not everyone shared this sentiment. People like Zheng Ningbo, who exhausted every means to block Zhang Lingfeng’s advancement and prevent Jiangbei Province from hindering Jiangnan Province’s promotion to a third-tier province, certainly did not think so.

When they saw Zhang Lingfeng, in a crushing manner, kill the black-armored crocodile with just three shots and successfully advance to the fourth round, Zheng Ningbo and the related responsible persons were as if struck by lightning, filled with regret.

They regretted, that they should have let Lin Zhenliang lead Pan Keming, Jie Sha, Meng Dalai, and Lin Yanping to kill Zhang Lingfeng in the second round.

This way, they could have prevented Zhang Lingfeng from rising and stopped Jiangbei Province from overshadowing Jiangnan Province.

Now the rarely underestimated and resource-scarce Jiangbei Province had not only a martial arts student advancing to the fourth round but that student also eliminated five martial arts students from Jiangnan Province.

And their martial arts students from Jiangnan Province were all eliminated in the second round. The disparity was evident, and tongues would wag about how their resource subsidies were being used, or else how could their martial arts students be so useless, even compared to Jiangbei Province.

Gaining more resource subsidies would be challenging unless they could produce a Realm Traveler in Jiangnan Province within three years.

King of North of the River and the other two saw Zheng Ningbo’s group walk out of the observation room with a gloomy expression, ignoring the greetings of the crowd. It was as if they wished to immediately return to Jiangnan Province, away from this place of controversy.

"Ling Feng successfully opened the Seventh Layer Dharma Aspect and killed the black-armored crocodile with just three shots. His combat power value is conservatively estimated to be over 4000.0. With such strength, even if he can’t reach the fifth round, he won’t be instantly eliminated."

Ao Dagang sighed.

"If he can advance to the fifth round, perhaps my brother can exchange for Spirit Liquid with the Alliance. If he successfully awakens Spirit Root Power and becomes a Realm Traveler, the resource subsidies for the entire Jiangbei Province could level up, and it might soon become a third-tier province."

Huo Jiating fantasized.

"Ling Feng reaching the fourth round already counts as a miracle, don’t put too much pressure on him."

King of North of the River shook his head and said.

"Brother, you should accept Ling Feng as your disciple as soon as possible. He’s so outstanding now, I worry someone else might have their eyes on him already."

Ao Dagang reminded.

"Hmm."

King of North of the River nodded.

On the airship.

"Zhang Lingfeng, come over here; our captain wants to see you."

A staff member on the airship came over to the hall to invite Zhang Lingfeng, drawing people’s attention with his words.

"I remember this airship seems to belong to the Martial Hall. Could it be that a high-up from the Martial Hall wants to see Zhang Lingfeng?" 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

"I’ve heard that after we finish the national examination and enter the academy for cultivation, regardless of our performance inside, relevant departments will reach out to us, offering some positions and tasks. Some excellent martial arts students receive enviable positions and tasks."

"Are you saying the Martial Hall is inviting Zhang Lingfeng in advance?"

"Zhang Lingfeng’s strength may not be remarkable to first and second-line martial arts students, but in third-tier provinces, he’s quite a good candidate; being a martial arts student from a fourth-line province, the resources he usually enjoys are far less than other martial arts students, having seen little of the world. Now, if the Martial Hall’s personnel draws him over, it’s easiest to succeed."

...

Many martial arts students secretly discussed.

Zhang Lingfeng followed the staff into the airship, into a luxurious office, where a middle-aged man sat with two young people attending to him.

"Zhang Lingfeng, pleased to meet you. Let me introduce you. This is our captain, also a special envoy from our Martial Hall. He’s quite interested in your case and wants to talk to you."

One of the young men said.

The young man named Yang Feng was a strong master at the peak of the Eighth Layer Dharma Aspect, opening a Dantian Sea of Qi; the young man beside him was the same.

The middle-aged man in front, the special envoy of the Martial Hall, was a quasi-Realm Traveler.

The so-called quasi-Realm Traveler is someone who has identified the whereabouts of the Spirit Root in their Dantian Sea of Qi, but has not yet fully nurtured it, who can also use that minuscule Spirit Root Power to change the changes of Heaven and Earth Power.

Their strength far surpasses that of the Martial Arts Grandmaster, who with just the meager Spirit Root Power, can summon and command the wind and rain, causing the Martial Arts Grandmaster’s Mental Realm, Domain, and even Demon Realm to collapse.

It’s a destructive power that Qi Phase and Divine Phase’s basic power cannot stabilize.

It’s destruction from the rules of Heaven and Earth, not simple energy resonance, and even the peak of the Eighth Layer Dharma Aspect cannot withstand it.

"Nice to meet the three leaders, I’m curious about what the special envoy wants to discuss?"

Zhang Lingfeng cupped his hand.

"About you joining the Martial Hall, becoming its full-time staff, and receiving more remote resource supplements."

The special envoy Pu Yuchao smiled and said.

"Uh..."

Zhang Lingfeng had expected it, but still felt a bit disappointed. He originally thought that due to his outstanding aptitude, he had caught the attention of the Martial Hall envoy, who wanted to take him as a disciple.

"What, are you not interested in the Martial Hall, don’t want to join?"

Pu Yuchao asked.

"Indeed, I don’t."

Zhang Lingfeng nodded.

Joining the Martial Hall meant more responsibilities and tasks, which clearly contradicted the Coast Along philosophy. Of course, if under the relevant rules of the Seven Great Star Systems Alliance, he couldn’t avoid having to perform related tasks or being assigned to some department for duties, he would have to resign himself to it.

But now, being still a martial arts student and participating in the national examination, refusing to join the Martial Hall would not have any impact.

"The Martial Hall is under the Seven Great Star Systems Alliance, holding power over every province. Don’t you know?"

Pu Yuchao asked.

"I know."

Zhang Lingfeng nodded affirmingly.

"Knowing this and still not joining the Martial Hall, I’ll give you one more chance. Will you join the Martial Hall?"

Pu Yuchao scrutinized Zhang Lingfeng.

"No."

Faced with that aggressive gaze, Zhang Lingfeng could feel an immensely powerful pressure, but with mental power of 7.72, he was still able to uphold his bottom line.

Of course, this was also because Pu Yuchao hadn’t really pressed him.

Upon hearing this, Pu Yuchao was stunned.

Yang Feng and the other young man looked at Zhang Lingfeng with disbelief.

Zhang Lingfeng secretly broke out in a cold sweat, feeling as if Pu Yuchao was an elephant that could trample him to death at any time.

Suddenly, a sense of crisis made him realize that this was the anger of a mighty figure, and even just a hint was a terrifying death threat to him.

[You refused to join the Martial Hall, practicing the Coast Along philosophy to the end, and gained 8999 points of Coasting Along Value.]

At this moment, a text message allowed Zhang Lingfeng to breathe a sigh of relief.

(Apologies, unable to explain or evade, sorry!)