Chapter Five: The Body of the God of Strength

Never had he expected Lin Xiaobao to have such a theory. The examiner from the central hall could only force a bitter smile and shake his head. "You two may leave now!"

"Wait!" Lin Xiaobao straightened his back and said, "Didn’t the examiner say we should each demonstrate our abilities? My companion hasn’t had his turn yet!"

"He can't possibly run faster than you, can he?" At this moment, although Qianyuan was maintaining the sect’s image, it didn’t mean he wasn’t harboring resentment and anger, especially when he noticed the mocking expressions of his two fellow disciples. His fury only grew.

"His strength is remarkable!" Lin Xiaobao had always admired Wang Dasha’s strength, which was precisely why he wanted to secure this opportunity for him.

"Brother Qian, let him try. I’ve always trusted your judgment; you might have been wrong once, but you won’t be mistaken a second time. Isn’t that so, Brother Zhang?" The examiner on the far left, named Qin Yang, suddenly chimed in with a tone that was neither friendly nor hostile.

Qianyuan now fully understood that his junior, Qin Yang, was simply waiting for him to make a fool of himself, hoping to use it as a chance to diminish his standing before their master and elevate his own. Though he saw through the ploy, he had no choice. "Very well. Let him try, then."

Lin Xiaobao hurried to Wang Dasha’s side and whispered in his ear. Wang Dasha’s face lit up with excitement. "Xiaobao, you’re not lying to me? If I can lift that pillar, I’ll get to eat my fill every day?"

The moment Wang Dasha finished speaking, the examiner who had spoken earlier burst out laughing even louder. "Everyone else dreams of joining the Frost and Snow Pavilion to make a name for themselves—yet you’re the first to do it just for a full stomach!"

Qianyuan's expression grew even darker. He cast a glance at Hu Dequan, who, having followed his father for years, immediately understood his meaning. Hu responded with a confident nod—he wouldn’t let Lin Xiaobao or Wang Dasha off the hook, with or without Qianyuan’s instruction, and this was a perfect opportunity to curry favor with him.

Wang Dasha seemed oblivious to everything around him except Lin Xiaobao. The mocking laughter fell on deaf ears as he walked straight toward the massive pillar on the left, thick enough for a man to encircle with his arms. The pillar rose from the floor to the ceiling, a carved dragon winding its way up its length. Wang Dasha spat into his palms, stamped his feet, and wrapped his arms around it.

Watching this scene, Lin Xiaobao’s heart was in his throat, but he knew that, given the prestige of the Frost and Snow Pavilion, there was no other way to be chosen. He had no choice but to gamble—perhaps Wang Dasha’s simplicity would bring its own kind of luck.

With a thunderous shout, Wang Dasha’s face flushed red, and with a mighty stamp of his right foot, he heaved upward with all his strength. To the astonishment of all present, the dragon-carved pillar broke free from the floor.

Even Lin Xiaobao, who had instigated this, was taken by surprise. Qianyuan was stunned at first, then a look of exhilaration crossed his face.

He understood far better than Lin Xiaobao what it meant for Wang Dasha to lift the pillar. The entire hall was supported by forty-nine such pillars, and to uproot one required the strength of at least a seventh-rank warrior. Yet this young man clearly hadn’t trained—he wasn’t even a proper martial artist. There could only be one explanation: he was born with extraordinary strength, perhaps even possessing the legendary Body of the Force God.

And what did it mean to have the Body of the Force God? Qianyuan remembered reading in the sect’s ancient texts that if Wang Dasha truly possessed this gift, discovering him would elevate Qianyuan’s status in the Pavilion by leaps and bounds.

"Excellent! Excellent! Excellent!" Qianyuan could not contain his excitement, repeating his praise as he quickly stood up. "I’ll leave the remainder of the tests to you, my brothers. I must take him to meet Elder Lin Tian at once!"

"Congratulations, Dasha!" Lin Xiaobao ran over, clapping Wang Dasha on the shoulder, his joy genuine, though beneath it lay a trace of unspoken disappointment.

"Xiaobao, let’s go together!" Wang Dasha looked pleadingly at Qianyuan. Though simple-minded, he wasn’t truly a fool—he knew the final say lay with this man.

Lin Xiaobao shook his shoulder free and smiled reassuringly. "You go on ahead. I still have a storytelling session to host—it’s about to begin."

"Alright, then. When I’m done, I’ll come listen to your stories!" Wang Dasha seemed even more excited by this than by meeting the dignitaries of the Frost and Snow Pavilion.

Seeing Lin Xiaobao’s tact, Qianyuan was relieved. He could tell how much Wang Dasha depended on him; had Lin Xiaobao insisted on accompanying them, it would have caused trouble, for Elder Lin Tian was no ordinary figure.

Ordinarily, recruiting outer disciples would never warrant the attention of someone of Elder Lin Tian’s stature. However, for the past thirty years, the elder had attended every selection in Howling Moon City. Rumor had it that he was searching for someone—a woman, to be precise—though no one dared verify this with the elder himself.

Yet Qianyuan felt this was his chance. If he could win Elder Lin Tian’s favor, his standing in the Pavilion would soar. At this moment, Wang Dasha seemed more promising than ever.

"Aren’t you leaving yet?" No sooner had Qianyuan taken Wang Dasha away than the other two examiners snapped at Lin Xiaobao.

Startled, Lin Xiaobao quickly realized their anger was being vented on him. He bowed and backed out of the hall. Outside, he felt no disappointment—only a sense of unprecedented relief. From what he had just witnessed, the Frost and Snow Pavilion was far from a haven; its rivalries were fiercer than ever. Not being chosen might well be a blessing.

Now that Hu Dequan had been selected by the Pavilion, Lin Xiaobao knew he could no longer remain in Howling Moon City. Slipping his hand into his robe, he thought, if he could pawn this bracelet for a gold coin, he’d have enough to reach the neighboring Sky Cloud City.

Just then, he felt a firm grip on his shoulder. Turning, his heart skipped a beat. "What instructions do you have, officer?"

Years spent in Howling Moon City had taught Lin Xiaobao to recognize the uniform of a City Lord’s Mansion guard at a glance. Clutching the ill-gotten purple bracelet, he felt uneasy.

"The City Lord requests your presence." With that, the guard turned and walked toward the mansion, unconcerned whether Lin Xiaobao would follow, as if refusal was not an option.

The City Lord’s Mansion? Lin Xiaobao’s heart raced as he withdrew his hand from his robe. Could it be that girl from yesterday was somehow connected to the City Lord? Yet, aside from that, he could think of no other reason for such a summons. He would just have to take things as they came.

Though uncertain, he could only grit his teeth and follow. In Howling Moon City, the City Lord was as absolute as an emperor—his word was law, life and death decided in a sentence.