Chapter 14

Xu Fei patted his back and gestured to continue walking, saying as they went, "No, but we can't just give up without trying, right? What if we get lucky again?"

This guy might really be a lucky person! Yu Qing muttered in his heart but said aloud, "Shall I help Brother Xu win first place?"

"Uh..." Xu Fei stopped, stunned for a moment, then laughed and walked on, "Don't joke around, let's hurry back and get the stationery."

The meaning was simple: if you could win first place, would you need to help me? Just win it for yourself.

Yu Qing persisted, "Brother Xu, I'm not joking with you; I genuinely want to help you." Seeing that the other continued walking, looking skeptical, he didn't give up but instead pressed on, "How about this: let's make a bet. If I can help you win first place, the glory of first place goes to you, and all the rewards go to me. What do you think?"

Xu Fei stopped again, frowning and staring at him, "Brother Shi Heng, what do you really mean?"

What could Yu Qing mean? It was all about the silver, about the rewards. But he said something different, "To be honest, I'm very good at solving riddles, but the benefits of winning first place are of no use to me. I can't seek a position in Lizhou, and if I don't pass the imperial exams, I'll keep taking them, even until I die."

"..." Xu Fei was speechless. To keep taking the exams until one's hair turns white was not unheard of, but he never thought he would meet someone so determined today. However, some things really depend on talent. No matter how persistent one is, it might not help, like someone who can't become the top scholar no matter how many times they take the exam.

He wanted to advise, but thinking it was the first time this person came to the capital for the exams, saying he wouldn't pass would be inauspicious, as scholars were superstitious about such things. He decided to hold back and save his words for after the provincial exams. "Brother Shi Heng, whether you can pass the imperial exams has nothing to do with this. If you can win first place in front of the governor, it's not a bad thing. There's no need to consider me."

Yu Qing wouldn't give up, "That's not true. It's not just about helping you; it's also about helping myself. If I can pass the imperial exams this time, does it matter if I'm not first? Since it can help Brother Xu, why not help him? If winning first place can truly assist Brother Xu in his career, and if it can help him become an official smoothly, Brother Xu will still be an official in Lizhou, and I might rely on him in the future."

It made some sense, and Xu Fei began to understand, hesitating and about to speak.

Yu Qing grabbed his wrist and increased his persuasion, "I come from a poor family, with no wealth, no power, and no background. Seeking the immediate reward is for the long term. If I fail the exams, I'll have money to support my studies, avoiding the humiliation of begging for food, and I can prepare for the next exam. If I keep failing the imperial exams, and one day I feel disheartened and want to find a position to settle down, Brother Xu will be my fallback. After you are familiar with the system, you can introduce me to the right people. I wouldn't dare to speak from the heart to anyone else, but after these few days of interaction, I see Brother Xu as a true man, and I dare to form a deep bond. I hope Brother Xu will help me!"

So that's it! Xu Fei suddenly understood, his eyes brightening, and his view of Yu Qing changed. Someone who could plan so far ahead, even if he couldn't pass the imperial exams, would surely not be a failure in the future.

Just for these words, Xu Fei was willing to form a bond with him. After a moment of hesitation, he said, "If Brother Shi Heng can help me, I will not let you down. But... do you really have such confidence in winning first place?"

Yu Qing lightly patted his back, "Don't worry, just give it a try. It won't hurt to try."

Xu Fei thought about it and realized there was no harm in it, so he smiled, "Alright, let's do it."

The matter was settled, and the two laughed as they walked on.

Hearing their laughter, the book boy Chong stuck his head out of the door to look. Seeing the two of them walking back arm in arm, he was surprised. He never thought that 'A Shi Heng' would suddenly become so close to his master.

When they arrived, Chong politely said, "Master, Master A."

Xu Fei: "Bring me my writing materials."

Yu Qing, who had followed, interjected, "If there are extra, could you lend me a set?"

Chong's big eyes blinked, not understanding, and looked to his master for a cue.

Xu Fei said, "We have plenty of writing materials, but no extra inkstones. Chong has one for practice, but you might not be used to it. Use your own; it's just a short trip upstairs. Brother Shi Heng, why don't you go back and get yours?"

Yu Qing, a bit embarrassed, said, "I came in a hurry and didn't bring any writing materials."

Xu Fei and Chong both looked skeptical. A scholar coming to the capital for the exams without bringing writing materials? Was he joking?

Yu Qing quickly added, "It's all the fault of the escort. They threw away my writing materials and made me pretend to be someone else, so I wouldn't look like I was going to take the exams." The things were actually thrown away by himself, but he blamed it on the escort. "It's fine, just a few words, I'll use Chong's."

Xu Fei understood what was going on and immediately asked Chong to get the materials.

A moment later, the two each carried their writing materials and left. Chong, standing at the door, scratched his head, puzzled, but didn't dare to ask more in front of Yu Qing.

When they arrived at the gathering place, most people were already there, and more were coming. It didn't take long for everyone to gather, and then they set off together.

They were led to the scenic Yuxiu Garden and into a large hall. Inside, each table was paired with a mat, and they were being arranged at equal distances.

The existing tables were clearly not enough, so some were temporarily brought from other venues.

Over three hundred tables were placed in the hall, making it a bit crowded. Normally, the hall wouldn't seat so many people during lectures, as the Yuxiu Garden had several sections for different grades. The spacious place was the Fenghua Hall, which could accommodate all the students in the academy, but it wasn't necessary to use such a large space, and moving hundreds of tables would be troublesome.

After the candidates arrived, they waited for a while. Once everything was arranged, an official loudly announced, "Everyone, find a seat and sit down."

The crowd immediately became chaotic as everyone searched for a seat.

Yu Qing first observed the airflow, thinking it was not good. The hall had been closed before, and now all the doors and windows were open to ventilate. The strong wind today made the airflow inside the hall quite chaotic.

The reason he was determined to win the first place reward was not just because of the rich rewards, but also because the "one incense stick" time limit for the exam made him decide to take a chance.

Since it was said to be "one incense stick" of time, it was likely that incense would be burned to time the exam.

The "Observation Technique" and "Sound Technique" combined into the Linglong Temple's ultimate skill, "Observation and Sound."

Ordinary people hear sounds, but the "Sound Technique" hears "sound momentum."

Ordinary people see objects, but the "Observation Technique" sees "atmosphere."

Dust rises as people pass, smoke disperses in the wind, clouds form and disperse, and mist and dust float in the sky. Plants grow and wither with the seasons, and the weather changes with the seasons. All these are observable "atmospheres."

The three levels of the "Observation Technique" are: Small Atmosphere, Great Atmosphere, and No Atmosphere.

At the Small Atmosphere level, one can observe small things and infer small movements within a certain range.

At the Great Atmosphere level, one can observe small things to infer large movements, and large things to infer small movements, integrating all kinds of atmospheric changes and inferring larger movements.

The No Atmosphere level is almost mythical.

According to the technique, those who reach the No Atmosphere level can sense movements within their line of sight, but that's just a small part.

By looking at the sky, they can tell where it's sunny and where it's raining, where there are strong winds and waves, and when it will rain and when it will stop. By calculating, they can predict good and bad fortune, where mountains might collapse and block roads, and even what someone far away is doing.

Yu Qing asked his master if anyone in the Linglong Temple had ever reached the third level. His master didn't know but said the founder of the technique must have reached the third level, otherwise, how would they know about it?

Even his master, after years of practice, had not truly entered the second level, only laying the foundation and touching the threshold.

At the Small Atmosphere level, his master could sense movements around him without carefully observing the atmospheric changes. The "Observation Technique" at this level had become a reflex or a result of accumulated experience. Just a glance, and the movements within a certain range were clear.

At this level, the "Observation Technique" was easy to use and not tiring.

Unlike Yu Qing, who was still a beginner and had to strain his brain to infer movements based on subtle atmospheric changes, which was very mentally taxing.

With his current level of the "Observation Technique," Yu Qing found it hard to cheat without directly observing the incense smoke.

The external wind made the incense smoke even more chaotic, increasing the difficulty of his "Observation Technique."

If he only focused on one candidate, the wind wouldn't be a big issue, but he needed to pay attention to all the candidates at once.

After observing the hall, Yu Qing gave Xu Fei a nod, and Xu Fei followed him to sit in the corner at the back.

Sitting in this position, Yu Qing could easily observe the entire hall, while Xu Fei, though not fully understanding, followed the plan they had discussed on the way.