Chapter 95

Without waiting long, a group of figures gradually appeared on the high platform of the square, immediately drawing the attention of everyone present.

"Quick, look at the one in the middle. It must be Yao Tuohai, the one who has shaken the southwest and is highly regarded by the current prime minister!"

"Thirty years ago, this Yao Tuohai passed the prefectural, provincial, and imperial examinations within a year, his extraordinary demeanor truly sets an example for us."

"Yes, it is said that Yao Tuohai now possesses the exalted cultivation of the Cave Heaven realm. In the entire empire, he can be considered one of the top figures!"

"Look, even the Dean of Donglin Academy Yu Canglin, the head of the Wu Clan Wu Chaoqun, and Mu Wansu, known as the Black Rose of Shiding Studio, can only accompany Yao Tuohai. What is power? This is it!"

In the square, over nine thousand disciples participating in the prefectural examination were all discussing excitedly, their excitement evident.

Lin Xun raised his eyes and saw a refined man sitting in the central position of the high platform, wearing a dark robe with a three-strand beard, exuding a sage-like aura.

He sat there casually, giving off an intangible dignity that seemed to connect with the heavens, his gaze calm and gentle, yet a casual glance revealed a daunting and intimidating presence.

This was Yao Tuohai!

A figure who had become famous in the imperial examination thirty years ago, in the current southwestern province of the empire, only Grand Marshal Liu Wujun could match him!

"Cave Heaven realm, I wonder what kind of terrifying power such a strong person possesses..." Lin Xun sighed inwardly.

The more he cultivated, the more he realized the difficulty and arduousness of cultivation, like climbing a mountain with bare hands, each mountain higher and more dangerous than the last!

For ordinary cultivators, reaching the Spirit Gale realm in their lifetime was already a fortunate event, let alone the higher and more mysterious realms like the Spirit Sea and Cave Heaven.

At the same time, Lin Xun also noticed Wu Chaoqun of the Wu Clan, a middle-aged man with a loyal appearance and a black hat, who seemed unremarkable but gave off a sense of depth.

Being able to sit as the head of the Wu Clan and serve as a guest of honor on the high platform today was a symbol of status, something ordinary people had no right to do.

Mu Wansu was also present, but Lin Xun only glanced at her and then looked away.

Ding!

A clear bell sound echoed over Donglin Academy, like a signal, announcing the start of the prefectural examination.

The atmosphere in the square became solemn and silent.

At that moment, the Dean of Donglin Academy Yu Canglin stood up and loudly announced the significance of the prefectural examination, briefly explained the rules, and then shifted the focus to Yao Tuohai.

As the chief examiner, Yao Tuohai smiled and stood up, his gaze sweeping over the entire square, and he said in a deep voice, "All of you here are the pillars of the empire's future. I hope you perform well today and strive to serve the empire soon, forging your own glorious achievements!"

His voice was calm yet carried a force that inspired awe, resonating clearly in every corner of the square.

Immediately, thunderous applause filled the square.

Some young men and women were so excited that their blood boiled, but Lin Xun found it boring. Such clichés could only fool those with immature minds.

The prefectural examination was indeed a major event in the empire, but a calm reflection would reveal that it was just the most basic level of the empire's assessment system. Even passing it only indicated decent potential, far from being linked to glory and honor.

In the thirty-four provinces and countless cities of the empire, every year, countless outstanding talents emerge from the prefectural examination, but only a small fraction can reach higher positions, while the majority remain obscure.

Fortunately, the boring time passed quickly. Under the announcement of the Dean of Donglin Academy Yu Canglin, the prefectural examination truly began!

The rules were simple: each participant would be tested by the "Bone Measuring Spirit Stele" and the "Spirit Realm Stele" to determine their age and cultivation.

Then, based on these two criteria, the top one thousand performers would pass the examination, while the rest would be eliminated.

It was really simple, no arena battles, no life-or-death tests, and no bizarre assessment methods—just a test of age and cultivation.

"Fan Xuanzhong, age fourteen, True Martial Second Level!"

"Liu Gangshan, age fifteen, True Martial Fourth Level!"

"Shi Hong, age eleven, True Martial First Level!"

...

After each participant was tested, their results were announced on the spot, and no one could cheat under the watchful eyes of everyone.

The assessment was fast, and in just a quarter of an hour, over three hundred people had been tested, with varying results, none particularly outstanding.

Lin Xun felt somewhat bored and calculated in his mind that with a total of nine thousand three hundred participants and a rate of three hundred per quarter of an hour, it would take four hours!

The thought of standing there for four hours made Lin Xun feel helpless, especially since the entire assessment site had only one Bone Measuring Spirit Stele and one Spirit Realm Stele. If there were more, the efficiency would be much higher.

Unfortunately, Donglin City was a remote city on the southwestern border of the empire, and it was impossible to have more Bone Measuring Spirit Steles and Spirit Realm Steles.

"Wu Feichong, age nine, True Martial Fifth Level!"

Just as Lin Xun was lost in thought, a result caught his attention.

Not only Lin Xun, but the entire square was in a commotion, amazed by the nine-year-old with True Martial Fifth Level cultivation! This was truly a born cultivation prodigy, extremely rare!

With such a result in the prefectural examination, it was clear that he would excel, and passing the examination was a matter of course.

"Wu Feichong? I've heard he is a prodigy born in the Wu Clan, with a powerful divine soul, and the Wu family has high hopes for him, planning to spend all resources to cultivate him into an outstanding spirit pattern master!"

"The Wu Clan is indeed fortunate. If Wu Feichong grows up, the Wu Clan's status in Donglin City will surely rise!"

The discussions were rampant, and even Wu Chaoqun on the high platform was flushed with joy, as Wu Feichong was his grandson, and the attention he received brought him glory.

Especially when he heard Yao Tuohai praise him with a smile, calling him "rare," Wu Chaoqun felt even more pleased.

"Hmm, so he's from the Wu family. If I were to cripple this child, would it deal a heavy blow to the Wu family?"

Lin Xun stroked his chin, deep in thought. If Wu Chaoqun knew what Lin Xun was thinking, he would likely fly into a rage and kill him!

The assessment continued, and soon, an eleven-year-old boy named Xiao Hen and a ten-year-old girl named Yu Miao, with True Martial Seventh Level and True Martial Sixth Level cultivation respectively, caused another stir in the square.

While their potential was not as outstanding as Wu Feichong's, it was still considered exceptional.

Notably, Xiao Hen was the nephew of the current treasure shop owner Xiao Yuanzhong, who had been sent to Donglin Academy for cultivation since childhood.

And Yu Miao was even more remarkable, being the granddaughter of the Dean of Donglin Academy Yu Canglin!

Lin Xun, however, remained unperturbed by all this.

He knew that while Wu Feichong, Xiao Hen, and Yu Miao had excellent potential, what was more important was that they had the support of powerful forces behind them, with guidance from renowned masters and various cultivation resources, far surpassing the education received by those from humble backgrounds.

At least until now, after nearly two hours of assessment and over four thousand participants, no name or result from a humble background had caused a stir.

Lin Xun was not looking down on those from humble backgrounds; he himself had come from such a background.

But he knew that even if those from humble backgrounds had extraordinary cultivation talent, they were often constrained by a lack of cultivation resources, and by the time they truly began cultivation, it was already too late, burying their potential.

This was the harsh reality. While it might be too absolute to say that talented individuals rarely emerge from humble backgrounds, compared to those from prestigious families, it was indeed much harder for those from humble backgrounds to stand out.

A moment later, Lin Xun gathered his thoughts and dared not think further, as it was his turn to be assessed!

Swish!

As Lin Xun's figure approached the Bone Measuring Spirit Stele, which was several zhang tall, Mu Wansu, who had been sitting idly on the high platform, immediately sat up straight, her beautiful eyes filled with a complex expression, gazing at him from afar.

Noticing Mu Wansu's actions, many of the important figures on the high platform were secretly speculating: Could this young man have a connection with Shiding Studio?

Wu Chaoqun, who knew Lin Xun's background, narrowed his eyes, a cold glint flashing in the depths of his eyes, thinking to himself: Little brat, no matter how well you perform in the assessment, you won't escape this time!

As for Yu Canglin and Yao Tuohai, they showed no reaction.

At the same time, in the crowd, Lian Fei and Yao Susu also looked over. Lian Fei's face was dark, while a meaningful sneer appeared on Yao Susu's lips.

In a secluded corner of the square, Xia Zhi, who had not raised her head since the assessment began, suddenly lifted her clear eyes and gazed at Lin Xun.

But immediately, a familiar irritation rose in her heart, making her subconsciously shift her gaze to the other side, where the gate of Donglin Academy stood empty, with only some guards maintaining order, and no one of note.

This made Xia Zhi's eyes fill with a sense of loss, her brows furrowing.

Lin Xun, oblivious to all this, stepped forward, calmly undergoing the assessment at the Bone Measuring Spirit Stele and the Spirit Realm Stele, and then returned to the square, never once glancing at the high platform.

"Lin Xun, age thirteen, cultivation True Martial Sixth Level!"

However, as soon as this result was announced, the square was filled with exclamations of surprise.

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PS: Today is Goldfish's birthday, and I've been busy. I'll have to attend an event in the book club later, so I can only update once today. I'll do three updates tomorrow. Finally, please vote for the monthly ticket, for my birthday, okay...