The Martial Academy wasn’t the grandest place, but it commanded awe.
Hunters and even martial cultivators frequented it.
Whether certifying hunter or cultivator status or claiming imperial bounties, all happened here.
Every figure stepping out could be a hunter like Sly Zhao—or a true cultivator, a noble.
To common folk, the academy was both revered and feared.
Jiang Heng now stood in its outer training yard.
The yard hosted a motley crew—over a dozen figures, from woodcutters to rich scions to an old farmer.
Each carried a heavy pack, faintly radiating a demonic aura.
“Brother Jiang, we timed it perfectly! Today’s when Master Yuan, the academy’s cultivator, certifies hunter status. Experts from across the county are here with their spirit beast corpses!”
Tanner Xie was thrilled.
Jiang Heng nodded, his face calm but his heart racing.
Finally claiming hunter status.
His first leap up Great Qing’s hierarchy since transmigrating.
As the crowd waited, an elderly man in brocade robes approached.
Despite his aged face, his spirit was vibrant, his steps brimming with power, exuding an unspoken pressure.
The chattering hunters fell silent, avoiding his gaze.
This was Master Yuan, a true martial cultivator.
Rumor had it he’d once punched an elephant skyward with a single blow.
The strength of an elephant!
How terrifying was that?
Hard to fathom such power in that wiry frame.
That’s the might of martial arts.
Jiang Heng’s hunger to learn them burned hotter.
“Greetings, Master Yuan! I’ve brought a gale mink—please appraise it!”
Tanner, no stranger here, scurried forward with a fawning smile, presenting his corpse.
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Before Jiang Heng, Tanner had been smug, but before Yuan, he groveled like a servant.
His mink was indeed renowned.
As he unveiled it, before Yuan could speak, the crowd gasped.
“A gale mink?”
“The one from Wild Pine Ridge on the county’s yellow list? That beast killed dozens! Countless tried to slay it, but its speed—like a yellow gust—made it untouchable.”
“Tanner bagged it?”
“Haha, the mink was tricky, I’ll admit.”
Tanner laughed, basking in the attention, his eyes glued to Yuan.
“Tricky indeed, but you didn’t kill it alone, did you?”
Yuan stroked his beard, smiling faintly. “Still, it’s enough for hunter status—white plume rank.”
A page boy swiftly handed Tanner a wooden token with a white feather tassel.
This was a hunter’s badge, proof of status.
In Great Qing, hunters were tiered: white plume, yellow plume, red plume, marked by the tassel’s color.
White was lowest, red highest.
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White Plume: Two taels monthly, a standard hunting knife, and leather armor.
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Yellow Plume: Five taels, a refined knife, and iron armor.
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Red Plume: Ten taels, a spirit-infused blade, spirit beast hide armor, and a chestnut stallion.
These were just baseline perks.
“I didn’t fool you, Master, about the help. Honestly, I’m thrilled with any hunter status—no dreams of yellow or red plumes.”
Tanner’s face betrayed disappointment but also relief.
A famed gale mink, yet only white plume—how could he not be let down?
But white plume was a blessing.
Submitting a corpse earned a token, but true hunter status required passing a martial exam in a month.
Fail, and the token was reclaimed, status revoked.
Otherwise, any child could claim hunter rank with a family’s corpse drop—absurd.
White plume exams were the easiest of the three.
Tanner was confident he’d pass.
With him leading, others presented their corpses, all weaker than his mink.
They, too, earned white plumes, their best effort.
Hunter status isn’t easy.
Finally, Jiang Heng’s turn.
He set down his pack, unwrapping the cloth to reveal the peacock’s withered corpse.
“Why’s it so shriveled?” someone muttered.
Yuan said nothing, taking the bundle and inspecting it closely. “This is a Yama Peacock from Cockcrow Mountain’s miasma zone! It was on the cusp of becoming a demon beast.”
Yama Peacock?
Jiang Heng hadn’t known its name.
Thinking back, the bird’s power was extraordinary—its miasma cloud alone could blind most foes.
Few could counter it like Jiang Heng, with [Night Vision] and miasma immunity.
The crowd froze, then erupted.
Where’d this kid come from?
That’s one hell of a corpse!
Near demon beast status? That’s cultivator-level prey!
Facing their stares, Jiang Heng stayed calm. “I found it wounded, so I managed to kill it.”
“Is that so?”
Yuan’s gaze was skeptical.
Jiang Heng was too young.
And the corpse’s withered state puzzled him. If not for reports of this beast in Cockcrow Mountain, he’d think Jiang Heng dug it from some crypt.
After a pause, Yuan nodded. “This beast ranks high on the county’s threat list. Bringing its corpse not only earns hunter status but qualifies you for yellow plume rank.”
A page boy handed Jiang Heng a token with a yellow tassel.
The crowd lost it.
Yellow plume on his first try?!
“Brother Jiang got yellow plume…”
Tanner Xie’s emotions swirled—jealousy tinged with schadenfreude.
On the road, he’d boasted, certain he deserved yellow plume. Now…
Who’d have thought this quiet kid was hiding such a prize?
Truth be told, Tanner doubted Jiang Heng killed the peacock.
A near-demon beast? Some cultivators wouldn’t dare face it.
He’s younger than me—no way he’s that strong.
Yellow plume outranked white, with superior perks.
But its exam, a month away, was exponentially harder.
Fail, and he’d lose everything.
“Brother Jiang, you’re too reckless! Overreaching’s dangerous. Why pick such a fierce corpse?”
Tanner tugged Jiang Heng’s sleeve, whispering with a sigh. “My father always said moderation’s key. You’re in trouble now.”