Chapter 8

Luyang Mansion, main gate.

Long before, the area was already bustling with people, and within hundreds of feet of the gate, there was hardly any space to stand. Everyone was waiting for the results of the martial arts department examination of the ten academies.

"In the past hundred years, the martial arts department of our Luyang Mansion has been dominated by the three major families—Mu, Jiang, and Gu, or the five major noble families—Zhao, Feng, Lin, Qin, and Wang. They have almost taken turns being at the top, except for Wulie. Last year, a member of the Lin family took the top spot. I wonder which family's child will take the top spot this year?"

"Who knows! It might be the Zhao family!"

"Not bad, I've also heard that the Zhao family has a young martial arts genius this year, named Zhao Feiyang! He is currently the top martial artist at Nanchen Martial Academy, and he has a very good chance of winning the top spot among the ten academies this year!"

On the streets, in taverns, and on pavilions around the mansion, tens of thousands of people were excitedly discussing who would take the top spot this year and which junior martial academy student would have the best performance.

Soon, several examiners excitedly held a large red paper, ready to post it on the bulletin board at the martial academy's gate.

"Quick, look! The martial arts department results are out!"

"Top Ten Rankings of the Luyang Mansion's Ten Junior Martial Academies Joint Examination!"

"First place in the martial arts department, Zhao Feiyang. Cultivation: 300 points, Martial Skills: 149 points. Total: 449 points!"

"Second place in the martial arts department, Wang Lie... Total: 440 points!"

"Third place in the martial arts department..."

"Haha, it's indeed the Zhao family who took the top spot, I guessed right! Zhao Feiyang has won the top spot in the martial arts department of Luyang Mansion this year."

The crowd gathered at the mansion gate became restless upon seeing the red list.

The moment they saw the red list, the crowd was instantly in an uproar.

Not far away, there were more than a dozen luxurious carriages, all belonging to the major families of Luyang Mansion. Inside sat important figures from the various major families of Luyang Mansion, either elders or chief stewards, all waiting for the results.

Many of the important figures in the carriages glanced at the rankings, some shaking their heads in sighs, some remaining silent. Some families even cast envious glances at the Zhao family's carriage.

Clearly, their family members did not rank as well as they had hoped.

This time, the top spot in the martial arts department was completely taken by Zhao Feiyang of the Zhao family.

Inside the luxurious carriage of the Zhao family, the chief steward of the Zhao family was extremely excited, "Young Master Feiyang has taken the top spot in the martial arts department, this is great news! Our Zhao family has finally made a breakthrough this year! I must hurry back to report this good news to the master!"

Zhao Feiyang and Cao Shanshan had already finished their exams and left the crowded grand arena early, arriving at the main gate of the mansion to wait for the results.

"I told you, this time the top spot in the martial arts department of the ten academies is mine! Among the thousands of martial students from the ten junior martial academies, who can compete with me for the top spot in the martial arts department?"

Seeing the list of results, Zhao Feiyang smiled proudly, looking at Cao Shanshan with a sense of unparalleled pride.

"With Young Master Feiyang's formidable strength, taking the top spot is a piece of cake!"

Cao Shanshan excitedly waved her small fists, her eyes shining with admiration as she looked at Zhao Feiyang.

This was the first time she had admired a man so much.

Zhao Feiyang not only came from a prominent family, being a direct descendant of the Zhao family, the largest clan in Luyang City, but also had a first-class appearance and demeanor.

More importantly, he did not have the bad habits of a spoiled young master. Instead, he was intelligent and martial, diligently practicing, and his cultivation and martial skills far surpassed those of other martial students of the same age.

This admiration was something she had never felt for Ye Fan.

Facing Ye Fan, her childhood friend, who was extremely ordinary, she felt only helplessness, gradually developing a sense of disdain, and ultimately complete despair and abandonment.

In the end, she decisively chose to cut ties and, on the day before her graduation from Nanchen Martial Academy, broke up with Ye Fan and agreed to Zhao Feiyang's pursuit.

Indeed, her choice was right.

With a high score of 449 points, Zhao Feiyang easily won the top spot in the martial arts department of the Luyang Mansion's ten academies joint examination. This glory was enough to shine throughout the entire Luyang Mansion.

It also made her feel extremely proud.

Suddenly, a loud shout and hurried footsteps came from inside the Luyang Mansion.

"Wait a moment!"

"Hold on! There's an error in the rankings of the top ten candidates in the martial arts department, and they need to be adjusted!"

Several examiners hurriedly ran out of the martial academy, holding a newly prepared list, and quickly replaced the previous erroneous list.

"What's going on?"

"What happened?"

The thousands of people gathered outside the martial academy were immediately alarmed and restless.

The rankings of the top ten on the red list were wrong, meaning that the rankings of "certain people" needed to be adjusted! Either someone would move up, or someone would move down.

Many people looked at Zhao Feiyang, who was at the top.

After all, the adjustment of rankings might threaten his position as the top candidate.

"Brother Feiyang..."

Cao Shanshan was also a bit worried, showing a hint of anxiety as she looked at Zhao Feiyang.

"What are you worried about! It's probably just a mistake in the order of the candidates at the bottom of the list. Their scores only differ by one or two points, so it's not surprising to make adjustments."

Zhao Feiyang smiled confidently, not taking it seriously.

With his 449 points, the highest among all candidates, and nine points higher than the second place, no adjustment could shake his position as the top candidate in the martial arts department!

"What's the matter? Is there a problem?"

The examiners who were posting the large red list also looked puzzled and confused.

The list had been prepared long ago.

After all, the top martial arts geniuses from the ten martial academies all came from the eight major families of Luyang Mansion, and there were only about ten candidates.

Like Zhao Feiyang of the Zhao family and Wang Lie of the Wang family, these elite children of the major families were sure to dominate the top ten in the martial arts department.

Others couldn't even compete.

Counting on their fingers, everyone knew who was strong and who was weak.

So the list of the top ten was prepared in advance, and it was a done deal.

After the scores of these top geniuses were released, the list was almost finalized. Their scores were filled in, and the top ten were posted.

Why did something suddenly change?

The examiners who ran out later shook their heads and explained, "Sigh, just before the examination ended, a new martial student suddenly appeared with a shockingly high score, directly entering the top ten! No one expected this. We hurriedly rewrote the top ten rankings."

They covered the old red list with the new one.

The crowded people outside the martial academy curiously looked at the new list.

"First place in the martial arts department: Ye Fan, Cultivation: 200 points, Martial Skills: 300 points. Total: 500 points!"

"Second place in the martial arts department: Zhao Feiyang, Cultivation: 300 points, Martial Skills: 149 points. Total: 449 points!"

"Third place in the martial arts department: Wang Lie... Total: 440 points!"

"Whoa!"

Countless people drew in a sharp breath.

Some even rubbed their eyes in disbelief.

The top spot had changed!

This directly caused all the other children of the major families, including "Zhao Feiyang, Wang Lie..." and the other ten, to drop one rank.

The most unfortunate was the candidate who was originally in tenth place, who was completely removed from the top ten list.

This was a massive change.

Top spot, Ye Fan!?

Who was this sudden newcomer?

This completely unfamiliar name!

He had instantly replaced the highly renowned Zhao Feiyang of the Zhao family, becoming the top candidate in the martial arts department of the Luyang Mansion's ten academies joint examination!

Tens of thousands of people were shocked, and after a brief silence, a wave of surprise and bewilderment erupted.

"This... What's going on? How did Young Master Feiyang's top spot suddenly disappear?"

Inside the luxurious Zhao family carriage, the chief steward who was about to leave quickly glanced at the newly posted large red list, his face turning pale with shock.

"How can this be!"

"How can the examination list change so easily!"

"Who is this unknown newcomer who suddenly jumped to the top of the martial arts department? There must be a problem, a major bribery, a huge case of cheating!"

"Pushing the direct descendant of the Zhao family, Zhao Feiyang, off the top spot is clearly an attempt to undermine the prestige of the Zhao family in Luyang City and challenge the Zhao family!"

"This cannot be tolerated!"

Not just him, but all the Zhao family members and friends present were furious and shouting.

"Five hundred points? Damn... How is that possible!"

Zhao Feiyang stared intently at the newly posted large red list, his expression changing drastically, completely disbelieving, and his face turning ashen.

The competition in the Luyang Mansion's ten academies joint examination was extremely fierce, with thousands of martial students participating, and it was generally difficult to have a significant score gap. But Ye Fan's score was over fifty points higher than his, a crushing victory.

Cao Shanshan was bewildered.

"Ye Fan?! It can't be him. Maybe it's someone else with the same name? But who else could it be?!"

She muttered this name, which was once so familiar and ordinary to her.

But now, she suddenly found this name to be very strange and distant, something she could not understand.

This name suddenly seemed to be high above, far beyond her reach.

Suddenly, at the main gate of the mansion.

The crowded and noisy crowd suddenly fell silent, looking at the gate.

A thin young martial student, with a slightly weary expression on his clear face, calmly walked out of the mansion.

His figure was so ordinary that it was hard to leave a deeper impression on others.

But inside the mansion, thousands of young martial students and examiners parted like the tide, watching him leave.

Their eyes were bright, filled with intense admiration, respect, and reverence, as they respectfully saw this extraordinary young man off.

"Top spot in the martial arts department of the ten academies joint examination!"

"Ye Fan!"

"He is Ye Fan, who scored 500 points, topping the martial arts department examination!"

At this moment, the large crowd outside the mansion realized.

Who else could make so many candidates and even dozens of examiners inside the mansion look at him with such intense admiration and respect except the top spot in the martial arts department?

The crowd outside the mansion quickly showed respect and intense curiosity.

Ye Fan, just emerging from the mansion, was taken aback by the crowd outside.

His gaze swept over the crowd, and suddenly his eyes focused.

He saw a blue-clothed girl and a noble, radiant young man standing on the steps. The talented young man and the beautiful girl of the Zhao family, like stars in the night sky, were dazzling.

Unfortunately, Ye Fan's current brilliance was even more blinding than the midday sun.

These night stars were instantly overshadowed by his sun, losing their luster. Although Zhao Feiyang and Cao Shanshan were both at the third level of martial arts, Ye Fan was still only at the second level.

Ye Fan gave them a cold glance and passed by Zhao Feiyang and Cao Shanshan without a word, walking down the steps of the mansion gate.

His ordinary world no longer had a place for them.

His future, a vast and exciting world, would not have a place for them. In the future, they would be just two specks of dust, insignificant.

As Ye Fan passed, the crowded crowd parted like the sea, automatically making way for a wide, straight path.

"Ye Fan... It's really him!"

Zhao Feiyang's handsome face was extremely ugly, his lips twitching, his eyes becoming extremely dark. He had just started pursuing Cao Shanshan yesterday, and today he was brutally humiliated, completely trampled.

After Ye Fan left, it took a long time for the crowd to start murmuring.

Under the leadership of the chief steward of the Zhao family, more than a dozen Zhao family members and friends were furious, loudly protesting at the mansion gate.

"This is definitely cheating, we strongly protest!"

"Our Zhao family is the largest clan in Luyang Mansion, and we will not tolerate such behavior!"

"Our Zhao family will appeal to the old dean Mu Fengshan! To review this person's martial arts department examination results!"