Chapter 4

Xu Fei and Ma Rulong, who passed smoothly, were ecstatic. The blood qi and light flames in their bodies could illuminate an area of one zhang, with a brilliant red glow. They raised their fists in celebration, having passed the test smoothly.

As for Gu Zhao, who was eliminated, he was dressed simply, even a bit shabbily, and looked to be around fifteen years old. The blood qi and light flames from his body only radiated a distance of less than one foot, extremely weak.

Upon hearing the verdict, this young man from a humble background seemed to lose the last bit of strength in his body, instantly wilting on the spot, tears streaming down his face.

He knew that from now on, the path of a martial artist would be forever closed to him.

After the age of fifteen, one would exceed the age limit and could no longer apply to Bai Lu Academy. For children from poor families like Gu Zhao, without cultivation resources or techniques, they could only struggle through this chaotic world like ants, living an ordinary life...

"Number 8888..."

Finally, it was Ye Qingyu's turn.

Handing over his nameplate to the examiner, he walked toward the stone tripod in the field.

Every time he participated in the test before, Ye Qingyu was eliminated here.

Because he could not even move the lightest eighty-jin stone tripod, let alone lift it, and there was not a trace of blood qi or light flames in his body, he became the biggest joke in Bailu County City.

But only Ye Qingyu himself knew the real reason...

And today, let all the cold ridicule end.

Because today, he no longer needed to hide his true strength.

Ye Qingyu could almost feel the blood burning in his body.

If it were not for that agreement, Ye Qingyu believed he would have already amazed the entire Luming County City.

But just as his hand grasped the rough, cold ear of the stone tripod, before he could lift it, a faint voice from behind him suddenly said, "Wait, are you Ye Qingyu? Nonsense, who allowed you to take the exam? You cannot participate in the test for now, step aside."

Ye Qingyu was taken aback and turned to look.

He saw the chief examiner, a middle-aged man with a triangular face and a goatee, sitting leisurely in a reclining chair under a seven-colored canopy, looking at him expressionlessly.

This man was the chief examiner of the blood qi test.

"Why?" Ye Qingyu frowned.

The middle-aged man with the goatee still had an expressionless face, speaking in a condescending tone.

"Why? Haha, if I tell you to wait, you should just wait. I am the chief examiner here. Do I need to explain my decision to a waste like you, who has been eliminated the fastest four times in a row?"

Ye Qingyu's anger flared, and he was about to say something.

But in the next moment, his gaze swept over and saw a young figure standing beside the middle-aged examiner, with a mocking and scornful expression, looking at him with a vicious and resentful gaze.

It was the young man in brocade clothes whom he had slapped earlier.

Ye Qingyu suddenly felt amused.

So it's you, you little brat, causing trouble here.

But this young man was just the legitimate son of a merchant family, not a noble. For him to be able to make the examiner of Bai Lu Academy do his bidding, it must not be that simple; there must be someone else behind the scenes.

Thinking of this, Ye Qingyu was no longer in a hurry.

He had endured for so long these years; some people in Luming County City still did not relax their guard.

Ye Qingyu decided to play along and see who was behind the scenes.

With this thought, Ye Qingyu felt calm, his gaze intense, and he said to the middle-aged man with the goatee, with a smile, "Are you sure you want me to wait?"

The middle-aged man with the goatee sensed the challenge in the young man's words.

This made him, as an examiner, feel a sense of being insulted, and he coldly snorted, "You, a waste like you, participating in the test is a waste of others' time. Just wait, hehe, as long as there is even one person left to take the test, you will have to wait, until the very end, obediently."

Ye Qingyu nodded straightforwardly, "Alright."

Then he crossed his arms and waited patiently on the side.

This time, Ye Qingyu did not show his bronze badge.

Because he knew very well that this badge might intimidate some shallow, wealthy young men without titles, but it could not make the chief examiner of Bai Lu Academy bow his head.

After all, the academy's examiners were not part of the royal family, and their status was relatively independent.

Moreover, Ye Qingyu's mischievous nature had resurfaced.

He wanted to play a big game, to draw all the attention here, and then announce to the entire Luming County City—

The real Ye Qingyu is back!

On the other side—

"Next, continue the test..."

The middle-aged man with the goatee smiled in victory, lazily announcing that the test would continue.

The pleasure of using his power to toy with others' fates was intoxicating.

And the events here quickly spread like wildfire.

In fact, every year at this time, any action or word of the "Four-Crowned Fool" Ye Qingyu would become a hot topic.

At first, some people might still have had hope for this young man.

But now, he had become a complete joke.

As the news spread and time passed, more and more people gathered at the blood qi test site.

Everyone wanted to see what kind of commotion Ye Qingyu would create this time.

Countless eyes were focused on Ye Qingyu.

Even the young men and women taking the test could not attract the attention of others.

And throughout, Ye Qingyu waited patiently.

In the blink of an eye, a day had passed.

...

The second day.

Ye Qingyu still appeared on time at the blood qi test site.

His face showed no sign of impatience or anger, but rather a smile that was intriguing.

Countless eyes, some malicious, some mocking, some pitying, swept over Ye Qingyu, but he seemed oblivious.

The test continued.

The chief examiner kept announcing the results, and the same tragedies and comedies played out on different young men and women.

Another day passed.

The third day...

The fourth day...

The fifth day...

The seventh day...

By the ninth day, the number of people taking the test had gradually decreased.

The originally crowded test site gradually became sparse.

Most of the young men and women had completed their entrance exams, with varying results. Occasionally, some candidates from afar came to Luming County City, received their nameplates, and quickly took the six tests.

Ye Qingyu, however, still waited by the first blood qi test site.

Because of Ye Qingyu's presence, this test site became the one with the most onlookers among the six test sites.

The middle-aged man with the goatee sat calmly on the wooden chair.

Occasionally, his gaze fell on Ye Qingyu, filled with disdain, mockery, and barely concealed anger. Ye Qingyu's persistence had drawn more and more people to watch, making the middle-aged man feel embarrassed, but he forgot that he was the one who had first made things difficult for the young man.

Another day passed.

It was the tenth day.

The last day of Bai Lu Academy's admissions.

In the entire morning, only three young men rushed in, received their nameplates, and took the tests. By the afternoon, no one came to take the exam.

"This middle-aged examiner is going too far. No matter how useless Ye Qingyu is, he cannot deprive him of the right to take the exam!"

"Exactly, besides, Ye Qingyu's father died in battle for Luming County City and was awarded the heroic bronze medal. How can they treat the son of a hero like this? It's disheartening. Is he not afraid of the royal family's punishment?"

"You don't know, Ye's father died long ago. Although Ye Qingyu inherited the heroic bronze medal, he is not the original owner and is from a humble background. According to the laws of Xueguo, the medal can only protect him until the age of fourteen. After fourteen, the city hall will take it back..."

"Ye Qingyu is also a pitiful and unfortunate child!"

The crowd was in an uproar. Apart from the wealthy and noble young men who were gloating and some people with ulterior motives, most people felt some sympathy for Ye Qingyu.

Ye Qingyu looked at the sundial in the distance. The time was about right, and he walked toward the test site.

After a few steps, a faint fragrance suddenly wafted over.

A bright and beautiful girl walked out from the crowd.

She blocked Ye Qingyu's path.

This girl looked to be around thirteen or fourteen years old, wearing the fourth-year fire-red swordsman uniform of Bai Lu Academy. Her skin was as smooth as white jade, her collarbone delicate, her features finely drawn, her nose and lips exquisite. In the tight swordsman uniform, her figure was slender and graceful, her legs long and her waist slim, with a hint of bewitching charm in her eyes.

She was definitely a potential beauty.

"Did I hear that you are causing trouble again?" The girl stared at Ye Qingyu, with a reproachful look.

Causing trouble?

Ye Qingyu was taken aback, frowned, and said, "Xiao Han..."

This beautiful girl was named Jiang Xiaohan, the neighbor girl who, in the most difficult times, had told Ye Qingyu "never to see him again" in that desolate graveyard.

More than three years had passed, and she was now a formal student at Bai Lu Academy, with excellent grades, like a phoenix that had flown to the treetop, becoming radiant and beautiful, no longer the little girl with pigtails who always needed Ye Qingyu's protection.

"Please don't be so familiar. Call me by my full name, Jiang Xiaohan." The red-clothed girl interrupted impatiently, speaking condescendingly, "Four years have passed, Ye Qingyu. Why can't you just accept your fate and be content with being ordinary? Without martial talent, your struggles are in vain and only make you a laughingstock. It would be better to be a normal person and live a peaceful life."

So you came to say this?

Ye Qingyu chuckled, suddenly not wanting to speak anymore, too lazy to explain.

------------

Today, I did something particularly stupid. I got up at five to accompany my father for a medical check-up in Xi'an, and it wasn't until six in the evening that we finished. I took the subway to the train station, but there were no tickets back to Baoji... My god, when did the tickets from Xi'an to Baoji become so tight? After much deliberation, I took the same subway back, changed several times, returned to the hospital, and found a hotel nearby to stay temporarily.

I'm so tired.

Also, everyone, please help to liven up the book review section. Thanks, and if you have the energy, help me promote my new book!

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