"Of course. Your accomplishments are impressive, but rules are rules. There are two main reasons you won't pass the dojo leader certification, age and strength. According to official guidance, you must be over 25 years of age to become a dojo leader, and as a dojo leader, you must be at least a second-realm hunter."

Official Yang played his trump card after realizing just how difficult Zhang Lie seemed to be to deal with.

Zhang Lie frowned. He didn't think the official would lie to him about such matters, so these were likely basic requirements that he did have to meet. He had neglected to confirm this information for himself; after all, in the past, he certainly hadn't done anything of the sort, and he didn't realize just how difficult it would be to start a dojo on his own.

That said, there were surely exceptions to the rules, and if he really couldn't skirt past them, he would simply use his newfound popularity to try to sway the authorities!

"Are these all necessary requirements?" Zhang Lie pressed.

"Not quite!" Official Yang's beady eyes made Zhang Lie want to slap his face, but his response was just what Zhang Lie was hoping to hear. The official seemed to be waiting for him to inquire further, as though he had prepared a trap for Zhang Lie to jump into.

Zhang Lie smiled. "What are the exceptions?"

"Your age can likely be dealt with given your current status and medals, but the more important requirement is that of strength. The exception to the strength requirement is a special examination." Official Yang smiled.

"Indeed?" Zhang Lie mirrored his smile, understanding what would come next.

"Exactly. As long as you pass this examination, you'll be able to obtain the required certification."

So this was the trap. If he didn't intend to take the examination, he would surely be unable to found his dojo. On the other hand, if he accepted blindly, he could well be putting himself in grave danger.

"Will you accept? My understanding is that the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie fears nothing," Official Yang murmured slyly.

This was Zhang Lie's only route forward.

"There's no need to incite me. I accept. Let the Wang clan find me a decent opponent," Zhang Lie replied resolutely.

"Very well, very well. As expected of a folk hero! Come back here tomorrow, and I'll bring you to the testing ground myself."

The moment the door shut behind him, Official Yang made a call.

"Yes, he's accepted the examination.

"What?! No, certainly not!

"No, well—if I agree to this, you'll have to guarantee that the dojo consortium will suffer no recrimination for his death!

"Very well. He'll come back for the examination tomorrow."

Zhang Lie returned to his house in the slums. Since he was going to take the examination tomorrow, rather than return to the dimensional world, he decided to cultivate back on Earth. After all, he would be up against the most challenging opponent the Wang clan could find on such short notice.

As rays of daylight pierced his window, Zhang Lie's eyes opened wide, and he retracted the black genetic energy that suffused and enveloped his body. After a night of cultivation, he was at his prime. Furthermore, after having meditated on [Eclipse] a few more days, he had gotten quite comfortable with its use.

Shall I be the hunted, or the hunter? Zhang Lie strode toward the Ning branch of the dojo consortium, a baseball cap on his head. Having learned from his previous experience, he tried to take a circuitous path that wasn't densely populated. He had no intention of being at the center of attention, so it was far more relaxing for him to travel via these relatively deserted side paths.

Under the morning light, the pale blue building seemed to glow softly. Zhang Lie sucked in a breath and walked into the building while a figure stared coldly at him from near the roof.

"Have you finished the preparations?  He arrived far sooner than I expected." The figure turned to the old man beside him.

"Two hunters from the second realm, their gene capacities capped. And to guarantee success, I've even prepared something good for the two of them." The old man began to cackle, exposing his grimy, black teeth.

"In that case, I'll be heading back first." The figure seemed a little disgusted by the old man, and he vanished into thin air like a shadow.

Zhang Lie headed straight toward Official Yang's office. His door was wide open, and he glanced at Zhang Lie the moment he entered.

"Oh? I'm surprised you came so early. I've just arrived at work myself!" His eyes were gleaming with anticipation, as though he were already imagining Zhang Lie's tragic downfall.

"Isn't it best to get things over with?" Zhang Lie replied confidently.

"Well, follow me." Coughing a few times, Official Yang brought Zhang Lie deep into the building.

After they passed by a few corridors, their surroundings darkened, and he directed Zhang Lie toward a teleportation array. As Zhang Lie stepped toward the array, he felt a spatial distortion tugging him forward. Everything turned black; by the time he regained his senses, he found himself in a spacious room, with a long tunnel wide enough only for a single person to walk through.

"The examination will begin the moment you enter. I'll await you out here, and if you give up in the middle, you can call out loudly to summon help," Official Yang continued.

Zhang Lie glanced at the dark tunnel ahead, which seemed like the maw of a giant beast. As he strode forward, the light around him became dim, and he could feel gusts of cold wind peppering him from the front.

"You'd better not die inside, or I wouldn't know how to explain it to my superiors!" Official Yang called out from behind.