Chapter 63: The Burly Man Provokes Trouble

The candidates were lined up. Pei Min looked left and right, seeing only rugged, burly men. Recognizing no one, he stood respectfully, waiting for the instructions of Dou Chen, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of War.

Dou Chen droned on with the standard rules of the martial examinations. Because of Pei Min's previous intervention, the literary examinations had already adopted a system of concealing names, but the martial examinations remained unchanged, relying on a brutal knockout format. The assessment tested courage and skill: mounted archery, foot archery, horsemanship, weightlifting, arena combat, and mounted combat, totaling seven categories, plus an initial appearance evaluation. Each category was graded on a scale of A, B, C, or D. In modern terms, A was excellent, B was good, C was passing, and D meant failure. Candidates who passed all categories could proceed to the next round, but a single D grade, regardless of how outstanding the other scores were, resulted in ruthless elimination. Simply put, one had to achieve at least a passing grade in every single category. Five A grades earned the title of "Extraordinary Martial Scholar," equivalent to the status of a successful candidate in the imperial examinations. Three A grades and two B grades or higher earned the title of "Martial Scholar," while all others were eliminated.

The rules had not changed and were known to all. Pei Min, calm and focused, listened carefully, though some of the more impatient candidates were already glancing around. Dou Chen spoke for nearly half an hour before finishing.

Under Dou Chen's direction, the hundred-plus candidates were divided into four groups—Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow—each consisting of twenty-some men. They began with four categories simultaneously—mounted archery, foot archery, horsemanship, and weightlifting—to save time. Martial examinations were few in number and not highly prioritized; historically, they were always completed in a single day.

Pei Min was assigned to the Earth group, and their first test was horsemanship. Led by an official, Pei Min and the others went to the stables in the rear courtyard of the Ministry of War. Despite Dou Chen's earlier briefing, the official politely repeated, "You have half an hour to choose your horses and get acquainted with them..."

Before the official had even finished, the anxious candidates swarmed toward the stables. In a horsemanship trial, riding skill was paramount, but having a good horse and rapport with the animal was equally critical. With only half an hour, every moment was precious.

Pei Min entered the stables along with the others. There were over thirty warhorses of varying builds. Among the candidates were many experts in horse appraisal, all scrambling to find their ideal partner.

Recalling the equine knowledge passed down to him by Xue Ne, Pei Min scanned the thirty-plus horses. He found their quality remarkably consistent, with only minor differences. He understood the Ministry's intention: they truly wanted to select skilled riders, not let candidates win based on the superiority of their mounts. Pei Min did not linger on the details. He noticed a black stallion not far ahead with large nostrils and foreleg muscles as developed as its hind legs. His eyes lit up: wide nostrils meant large lungs, and large lungs meant stamina. For a horse's muscles to be equally developed in the front and back meant it frequently practiced explosive sprinting; its power would surely be formidable.

He walked toward the black stallion. Suddenly, a massive force surged from his side. Caught off guard, Pei Min was shoved to the right, stumbling three steps before regaining his balance.

Pei Min’s anger flared. He turned to see a giant of a man sitting on the ground, staring at him fiercely with eyes as large as copper bells.

Thoughts raced through his mind. Though he didn't know the reason, he was certain the giant was intentionally provoking him. The impact had been immense; had he not been skilled in martial arts with a solid foundation, he would have collapsed. Such a collision could not have been accidental, and there was no reason for the other party to end up on the ground unless he had intended to fall.

He had done it on purpose!

Without hesitation, the anger on Pei Min's face vanished, replaced by a smile. "My apologies, brother. I was focused on the horses and didn't notice you behind me. It was an accident!" He bowed in apology. Though furious, he waited for the man's next move. Picking a fight during the martial exams meant the giant had no intention of actually participating; if Pei Min reacted impulsively, he would be playing right into the hands of those who wished to see him fail.

Acting on impulse to satisfy the culprit's scheme would be the height of folly.

The giant seemed surprised and stood up abruptly. Only then did Pei Min realize the man's true size. He was a genuine giant, over seven feet tall—nearly two point two meters—comparable to the basketball star Yao Ming. But unlike Yao, this man was as sturdy as a mountain, his knotted muscles exuding immense power. His unruly hair was tied in a large knot, his face covered in coarse, dark, stiff stubble, and his tiger-like eyes made him look like a wrathful guardian deity.

As expected, the giant did not let it go. He roared, "Take a punch from me, and then I'll apologize to you!" He threw a massive fist toward Pei Min's right shoulder. With a whistling sound, the fist cut through the air with terrifying force.

Pei Min's expression shifted, and he decisively retreated.

*Bang!*

The giant’s iron fist struck the rump of the black horse Pei Min had chosen. Pei Min clearly saw the muscles ripple like water disturbed by a stone. The force of that punch reduced the horse's flesh to pulp. The stallion didn't even have time to whinny before it collapsed to the ground.

Pei Min was shocked. Had that punch landed on him, his right arm would have been useless for at least half a year. The giant’s strength was like that of a reincarnated Overlord; even a warrior like Li Yide might have paled in comparison.

When the first punch missed, the giant followed up with a second, aimed at his left shoulder. It was clear the giant did not intend to kill him, but rather to cripple his arms and disqualify him from the exams.

Knowing the lethality of those fists, Pei Min dared not block. He performed a backflip to evade, cursing silently. The Ministry of War was a military zone; he had been forbidden from carrying weapons, and for the first time, he was without his sword. His empty-handed combat skills were mediocre. He could handle ordinary men, but the giant’s god-like strength was terrifying; he couldn't even attempt to parry. Catching sight of a wooden rake for horse fodder nearby, he didn't hesitate. He sprinted toward it, and as he felt the wind of the giant's fist at his back, he dove and grabbed the rake.

*Snap!*

With a strike of his knee, he broke the rake in two. The short staff left in his hand was exactly three feet long.