Chapter 131: The Twin Excellences

Tang Mubai joining Canghe Martial Arts School would allow the institution to provide him with the resources necessary to cultivate and break through to the Grandmaster realm. In return, Tang Mubai would gain practical benefits, while the school would gain prestige and influence. It was a win-win situation. In reality, even if Tang Mubai failed to reach the Grandmaster level, the school would lose nothing. To put it bluntly, Wang Chan’er was simply scouting for talent.

Perhaps Tang Mubai’s Qi and blood realm was, as Fang Lin had suggested, only at the third grade of the professional level. However, his archery and lightness skills were extraordinary—truly deserving of the title of genius. For the school, recruiting such a young, unaffiliated prodigy was an absolute gain.

Tang Mubai did not understand why Wang Chan’er was so intent on recruiting him, but Fang Lin and his companions knew why: the previous headmaster of Canghe Martial Arts School was Wang Chan’er’s grandfather. Although he had stepped down, the old man still lived on campus and remained a symbol of the school, having dedicated his entire life to its service. Wang Chan’er had stayed on as an instructor after graduation to carry on her grandfather’s legacy. Having encountered a genius of archery like Tang Mubai, she was not about to let the opportunity slip by.

Regarding this, Tang Mubai thought for a moment and said, "I would naturally be happy to join Canghe Martial Arts School, but my situation is a bit unique. Fang Lin has likely already told you that I am the leader of the Miracle Mercenary Group. Over thirty people in the group rely on me to lead them, help them grow, and become stronger. If I go to school, while they would be happy for me, the group’s affairs would inevitably be neglected. That would go against the promise I made to my late father to help the group flourish."

"I see." Wang Chan’er exhaled, then smiled. "That is easy to resolve. As long as you pass the school’s assessment, you won’t be required to stay on campus full-time. You can go wherever you like, provided you return for important events or activities."

"Is there really such a perk?" Tang Mubai asked, surprised.

"Ahem, this is a benefit for top-tier students," Fang Lin interjected with a cough. "Some people are so gifted and talented that their strength exceeds that of the school’s own instructors. For such individuals, staying in school is a waste of time, so they are encouraged to gain experience in the field. Once you pass the assessment, you are free to wander—or rather, to train outside."

"Do you think I can pass this assessment?" Tang Mubai asked with a smile.

"Well..." Fang Lin hesitated, glanced at Wang Chan’er, and gave a dry laugh. "To be honest, I don't know. While your Qi and blood realm is only at the third professional grade, your archery and lightness skills are superior to most instructors here. You’ll only know if you can pass by trying. By the way, Teacher Wang passed this assessment herself!"

His implication was clear: if you think you can defeat Wang Chan’er, you can pass.

Tang Mubai understood, nodded, and smiled, "In that case... fine! I’ll give it a try. Teacher Wang, is it okay if I participate in the assessment first and then decide whether to enroll?"

"...No problem!" Wang Chan’er gritted her teeth and gave a stiff smile. "I will report this to the headmaster. Just wait for a call, Captain Tang."

"Very well. Fang Lin has my contact information. If I am out in the field and unreachable, you can also call my home landline."

With that, Tang Mubai nodded to everyone, tapped his toes, and soared into the air, landing atop the tree canopy before gliding back toward the restricted zone.

"He really can fly," Zhou Hailong remarked, looking up at the direction where Tang Mubai had vanished, his tone filled with envy.

"Indeed. He’s younger than us, yet a master of both archery and lightness skills. Truly impressive!" Gao Lianhu agreed.

"Alright, you two, everyone is badly injured. We need to get back to the city immediately," Ye Xiu said, though in his heart, he was full of anticipation regarding whether Tang Mubai could pass the assessment. He was not alone; everyone present felt the same. If he passed, Tang Mubai would become the strongest new student in over two hundred years to clear the assessment before even enrolling.

...

Tang Mubai did not particularly care about being the "strongest new student." While his primary goal was to join the school, he valued the connections and channels it offered. A school was not a sect or a martial arts gym; it did not impose heavy restrictions on his freedom. On the contrary, being part of Canghe Martial Arts School meant he could leverage its influence. As Wang Chan’er mentioned, the school had produced over a hundred Grandmaster-level experts in its two-hundred-year history. Being part of the institution meant Tang Mubai could connect with the power structures associated with those Grandmasters.

Alumni—this was a natural resource. Otherwise, even if Tang Mubai reached the Grandmaster realm, there were things he simply would not know. Without a proper entry point, he would have no way to access confidential or classified information. If he passed the assessment and solidified his reputation as a genius, it was even possible for the school to become his backer.

These factors combined led Tang Mubai to agree to the attempt. If he passed, all the better; if not, he had lost nothing.

...

*Whoosh!*

Utilizing his *Soaring Sky Dance* technique, he flew into the high altitude. Looking down at the entire Restricted Zone No. 9, Tang Mubai pushed his sixth sense to the limit, scanning for the source of all the mutations. Water Demon Rats, Red-tailed Crocodiles, Gray-scaled Giant Snakes...

It was impossible for these beasts to have mutated collectively by chance. There were only two possible causes for such a phenomenon. The first was that the concentration of heavenly energy within the zone had exceeded a critical limit, triggering the mutations. However, Tang Mubai had personally sensed that while the energy concentration was higher than the outside world, it had not crossed that threshold. Thus, he ruled out that possibility.

The second factor became the primary suspect: something special had emerged within the zone. It was this object that was stimulating the beasts to mutate. What could it be? A spiritual herb? An energy mine buried deep underground? Or perhaps a strange, non-human life form?

Whatever it was, Tang Mubai was intrigued. He hovered in the air, sensing for a long time. Eventually, he traced the source of the mutation to the center of the zone. The center of any restricted zone was the most dangerous place. Tang Mubai hesitated for a moment, then focused his sixth sense on the core area.

*A threat exists, but it is not fatal!*

Without further delay, he used his *Soaring Sky Dance* to control his descent, diving rapidly toward the center of the restricted zone. Just as he was fifty meters from the ground, ready to enter the heart of the area...

*Boom!*

A massive, transparent film suddenly shimmered into existence, spanning the void and shrouding the entire central region, blocking Tang Mubai’s path.