In that instant, the sudden ferocity unleashed by the weary elder left most of the youths wide-eyed in astonishment. To them, the elderly man's demeanor had transformed entirely.
"Only an elder from the Border Brutes could possess such a fighting style and aura of menace. It's astonishing that such a master would personally drive a carriage. We must investigate this youth's background."
Amidst the gathering of a thousand carriages, a short-haired man clad in a blue silk robe stood at the front of a black lacquered carriage, his gaze sharp as an eagle. At the moment the exhausted elder shot forth like an arrow, he addressed the two burly men beside him, who were also dressed in blue silk robes, their bronzed skin gleaming as though oiled, standing tall with an air of distinction. Upon hearing his words, they slightly bowed, their eyes betraying a natural respect and humility. "Yes, my lord."
"Noise and conflict are strictly prohibited within the camp."
At that moment, Xia Yanbing, who had remained silent until now, spoke in a clear voice. After delivering his admonition, he paid no heed to Lin Xi or the weary elder in front of him, nor did he glance at the burly middle-aged man sprawled on the ground, blood frothing from his mouth and crooked nose. He simply picked up a lantern and, enveloped by the glow of fireflies, made his way toward the distant tents by the lakeside.
A stir of commotion erupted among the youths by the lakeshore.
To issue a warning only after the altercation had transpired seemed blatantly biased.
"Not recognizing the prowess of the opponent is one thing, but to act so arrogantly in the presence of the academy's representatives is to invite trouble," thought many among the onlookers. As their gazes swept over the pale-faced youth in the golden robe, they could not conceal their disdain, but when their eyes fell upon Lin Xi, a hint of intrigue surfaced.
The elderly man, referred to as Liu Bo by Lin Xi, kept his head bowed, as if nothing had transpired, calmly continuing to drive the carriage. Once he set Lin Xi down before the stone tablet, he turned to leave, gently indicating the gathering of carriages and whispering to Lin Xi, "If you fail to gain admission to the academy, I shall wait for you there."
"Very well, Liu Bo." Lin Xi beamed with a radiant smile, not sparing a glance at the still-looming youth in the golden robe, and made his way toward the bonfire, drawn to the enchanting spectacle of the lakeside tents, reminiscent of the Quidditch World Cup.
Observing Lin Xi's pure smile and recalling his unassuming nature, the elder found him far more endearing than the other youths. Yet, contemplating the potential negative impact of his earlier actions on Lin Xi, the elder's brow furrowed slightly.
...
As Lin Xi walked, he took in his surroundings.
The tents were constructed from thick white cotton fabric, spaced roughly five to six paces apart. At that moment, the majority of the youths gathered for the examination congregated around the tents near the stone tablet. Many watched Lin Xi discreetly; some appeared visibly anxious and retreated into their tents, while others chatted animatedly in front of several tents, oblivious to their surroundings.
"Ah, it's hardly worth the fuss; I expected a lively spectacle," Lin Xi overheard a round-faced youth sigh as he passed the first bonfire.
"It's not that it's not worth the fuss; it's that old man's prowess is extraordinary. That fellow has already reached the Fabrication Realm and yet still had his nose broken by a single punch; that elder must be at least at the Enhancement Realm," remarked a tall youth with naturally brown hair.
"Is he from the Border Brutes?" As Lin Xi curiously observed the two youths, a few individuals approached him, posing the question.
"From the Border Brutes?" Lin Xi paused, taken aback. The newcomers were somewhat stooped and slender, with short hair, yet exuded an air of formidable resilience. They appeared older than Lin Xi and his companions, and two of them bore long knives sheathed in black.
"Are you from the Border Army?" The leader, a lean young man with a scar above his left eyebrow, frowned upon sensing Lin Xi's confusion and inquired again.
Understanding the question, Lin Xi shook his head. "No."
The initial friendliness on the faces of the rugged young men faded upon hearing his response. One, adorned with a wolf-head tattoo on his hand, coldly remarked, "I knew you didn't look the part. How could someone from the Border Army appear so feeble?"
"Let's go." The scarred young man turned away, dismissing Lin Xi without further ado.
"You're not a Border Brute, then what are you—a Golden Spoon or a Local Bumpkin?" a chubby boy chimed in, approaching Lin Xi, who stood awkwardly in the wake of the others.
"What do you mean by Border Brute, Golden Spoon, and Local Bumpkin?" Lin Xi asked, looking at the chubby boy, who was of similar age but half a head shorter, his face dotted with freckles.
The chubby boy brightened, grinning widely. "You don't even know that? You must be a Local Bumpkin like me... By the way, I'm Meng Bai, from Yangguanling in the Southern Lin Province."
"I'm Lin Xi, from Ludongling in the Eastern Lin Province." Lin Xi instinctively extended his right hand, but when he realized this was not the customary greeting in this world, Meng Bai, believing it to be a local custom, happily wiped his hands on his blue silk robe and shook Lin Xi's hand.
"I know the Eastern Lin Province is the farthest east, but I've never heard of Ludongling," Meng Bai admitted after their handshake.
"That's still more than I know. To be honest, I've never even heard of the Southern Lin Province. Is it located to the south?" Lin Xi replied.
"Haha." Both Lin Xi and Meng Bai erupted into laughter.
"What exactly are Border Brutes, Golden Spoons, and Local Bumpkins?" After a moment of mirth, Lin Xi asked the increasingly likable chubby boy.
"It's quite simple. Border Brutes are those who have earned sufficient military merit or are recommended by someone with the authority to do so within the Border Army. Golden Spoons are the naturally privileged noble youths eligible to participate in the examinations. Local Bumpkins are those recommended from the local area—either wealthy merchants who have donated generously or local tycoons who have purchased their recommendations. Essentially, they lack any significant background," Meng Bai explained.
"Local Bumpkins... Does that mean they are like Muggles?" Lin Xi found the concept amusing and smiled at Meng Bai. "It seems these three titles are hardly flattering."
"Indeed, none of them are complimentary; they are terms of derision exchanged among peers." Meng Bai shrugged. "Golden Spoons and Local Bumpkins view the Border Army as uncouth, while the Border Army regards Golden Spoons and Local Bumpkins as inept, spoiled children. Golden Spoons consider Local Bumpkins to be unsophisticated and ignorant, while Local Bumpkins see Golden Spoons as arrogant and haughty. The one who clashed with you earlier must be a Golden Spoon... By the way, you're a Local Bumpkin, right? How did you come to have such an impressive bodyguard?"
Lin Xi pondered for a moment. "I suppose I am a Local Bumpkin. My parents own a few shops, and Liu Bo is unrelated to my family; it seems a local official recommended me."
"Then you're a Local Bumpkin with talent! This means your potential must be quite high," Meng Bai exclaimed, his voice rising in excitement.
In an instant, Lin Xi felt the gazes of many youths around him shift, tinged with newfound interest.
"What does 'local bumpkin recommending the worthy' mean?" Lin Xi lowered his voice, feeling somewhat embarrassed as he continued to inquire.
"It refers to local officials with the power of recommendation choosing to endorse an ordinary local bumpkin rather than their own legitimate offspring. Such recommendation rights are rare, and once utilized, one must accumulate additional military achievements or other contributions to obtain them again," Meng Bai murmured softly. "Typically, good fortunes are bestowed upon one's own kin, seldom shared with others, unless a local official identifies an exceptionally talented individual and recommends them, in which case the recommending official receives considerable accolades."
"Is it truly the case of a local bumpkin recommending the worthy?" From a distance, by a fire, a cold, long-haired youth in black observed Lin Xi and Meng Bai, sneering inwardly, "I cannot believe your talent surpasses that of Wen Xuan Yu."
"What are you incessantly chewing on?" At this moment, Lin Xi felt somewhat at a loss; he had no idea why he had been brought here, and regarding talent, he was completely bewildered. Not knowing what else to say, he noticed Meng Bai had been chewing on something since their greeting and decided to ask this question.
"Over there is a local bumpkin from Jinzhou Ling, selling Jinzhou beef jerky. It's quite delicious, albeit a bit tough," Meng Bai remarked, occasionally chewing as he pointed with his finger. Lin Xi then noticed a somewhat shy, square-faced youth nodding at him, appearing quite earnest. "Shall we move over there to talk? There are a few other local bumpkins I can introduce you to. We can't just stand here chatting," Meng Bai suggested. "You can also enjoy some of that tough beef jerky."
"I am Xiang Lin, from Jinzhou Ling in the Great Prosperity Province."
"I am Li Kaiyun, from Jinghua Ling in the Northern Prefecture Province."
"I am Zhang Ping, from Shuilong Ling in the Xiaoxiang Province."
In just a minute, or precisely sixty breaths in this world, Lin Xi and the four "local bumpkins" found themselves seated in a tent, chewing on the Jinzhou beef jerky brought by Xiang Lin.
Li Kaiyun was a somewhat frail youth with notably yellow hair, while Zhang Ping, the eldest, appeared the most composed. According to the chubby Meng Bai, at least half of the apothecaries in Xiaoxiang Province belonged to Zhang's family.
"Lin Xi, which department at Qingluan Academy do you most wish to enter?"
After a few initial pleasantries, the most composed Zhang Ping turned to Lin Xi and posed this question.
Lin Xi was suddenly choked by the beef jerky he was chewing, coughing as he replied, "Are there different departments at Qingluan Academy?"