"I am Jiang Mo, one of your examiners. Let me explain the rules," the examiner Jiang's heavy, monotone voice cut through the air like a blade, grabbing everyone's attention. "This year's competition is divided into three rounds. Final positions will be decided by combining the scores of all three rounds."
"First round is a test of your knowledge. Everyone look at the desk in front of you," Jiang Mo instructed, his tone as cold and clinical as the room itself.
Yuan glanced down at his desk. A token, a piece of paper, and a pen were placed on it. He picked up the token. The number "857" was engraved on its surface. He looked around and realized that everyone's token number was different.
Examiner Jiang's next words proved his thoughts. "This token number represents your identity in the tournament. Guard it well."
Yuan nodded and carefully set the token down, only to hear the examiner's next command: "Now, pick up the question paper in front of you."
Everyone followed the instructions, picking up the question paper from the desk and flipped it over. Yuan did the same.
The first page was the guidelines. After skimming through them quickly, Yuan got the gist of them. Question paper contained 50 questions with 100 marks in total. Each correct answer rewarded 2 marks, while each wrong answer resulted in a penalty of negative 1 mark.
Unanswered questions earned nothing, but no penalty either.
The second page was a form requiring basic personal details: name, age, token number, and cultivation realm. There was nothing difficult there. But the third page... The third page was where the challenge began.
"You all have 3 hours to complete the paper. A score of 70 marks is required to pass," Examiner Jiang's voice was matter-of-fact, devoid of emotion. "Anyone scoring lower will be disqualified immediately. Now start."
Examiner Jiang threw the hammer down. The tension in the room thickened, as hearts began to race. No one had been explicitly warned against cheating, but even a fool wouldn't try it in front of so many watching eyes.
Yuan filled out his basic information and then dove into the questions. He began by answering only the easy ones that didn't require much time to think. Then, he tackled the ones that demanded some time and thinking, leaving the toughest for last.
The seconds bled into minutes. The air grew heavier. Even the audience, previously murmuring, had grown quiet. The same situation was happening in the other 7 sections as well.
Yuan found some tricky questions. If it weren't for his hellish training during the last month, these questions might have been tough for him to answer. But now, they were a piece of cake for him.
Two and a half hours later, he placed his pen down. Six questions remained untouched, which he didn't even bother to answer after reading them only once.
"Time up!" Half an hour later, Examiner Jiang's voice rang out again, harsh and final. "Everyone place your paper on the desk and exit the examination hall to the participants' area. During the next 3 hours, we will announce the results."
Yuan followed the others into the participant's area, finding a corner where he sat down next to Lu Ze. The air in the participants' area was thick with nervous energy. Some candidates whispered anxiously to each other, comparing answers, while others spoke loudly as if to draw out their fears.
Those speaking out of turn were quickly silenced by glares. Gradually, the room fell into a hush, save for the occasional murmur. Many closed their eyes, trying to maintain a focused, calm state while waiting.
Yuan was unbothered by any of this as he lay down on his back on the ground and closed his eyes to rest. Within minutes, he was snoring—loudly. Because of the still silence, his snores were too loud to bear, especially for those who were already feeling anxious.
Lu Ze's eyes twitched in irritation. Without a word, he kicked Yuan in the side. Yuan rolled over but continued to snore, undeterred. Lu Ze sighed, glancing at Ming Kai and Han Mu. They looked just as embarrassed, though they knew there was little they could do.
The agonizing wait stretched on, the atmosphere thick with anticipation.
Soon, three more hours passed. Eventually, the doors to the waiting area opened, and Examiner Jiang reentered, flanked by two other examiners. Everyone focused their eyes on the square-shaped, rocky face of his, their eyes filled with anticipation.
"This guy is definitely an Earth Element cultivator." Yuan thought, glancing at the Examiner Jiang's face.
Examiner Jiang's voice boomed, cutting through the tension. "Attention! I will now announce the results by token number."
Yuan held his breath.
"Token number 622, 70 marks."
"Token number 890, 70 marks."
"Token number 1102, 70 marks."
The numbers continued to be called out, each one met with cheers. Yuan's heart began to race as he realized that his number hadn't been announced.
Confusion clouded his mind. He was sure he had answered at least 70 marks' worth of questions. Why wasn't his number on the list? He glanced nervously at Lu Ze, who shared his unease. His token wasn't called either, but at least Han Mu and Ming Kai had made it through.
"Token number 205, 85.5 marks."
"Token number 10. 85.5 marks."
Then Examiner Jiang paused, giving people the impression that he was done announcing the results. The participants whose token numbers weren't called felt their hearts in their throats.
Yuan suddenly thought of something, and his heart fell. His face immediately turned pale. He knew if he failed on the very first stage, then he was done for. His mother will definitely put him on that hellish training again.
But examiner Jiang's following words ease his anxiety. "I will now announce the top 10."
"Token number 2, 86 marks."
"Token number 83, 86 marks."
"Token number 1052, 86.5 marks."
"Token number 722, 86.5 marks."
"Token number 911, 87 marks."
"Token number 171, 87.5 marks."
"Token number 857, 88 marks."
Yuan's heart skipped a beat. His number. "857." He exhaled sharply, relief washing over him like a cool breeze. He wiped an imaginary bead of sweat from his forehead, barely able to believe it.
"Token number 206, 90 marks."
"Token number 43, 91 marks."
"Token number 9, 91.5 marks."
Many faces in the crowd paled. Some even broke into tears. This wasn't just a competition—it was a lifetime opportunity. For those who failed, the disappointment was a crushing weight.