All the candidates were exceedingly anxious, even those seasoned individuals, the so-called "border warriors," recommended by the military, found their hands trembling slightly.
Qingluan Academy is a sacred place in the Yunqin Empire, and many approached it with a pilgrim's heart. However, apart from Lin Xi, it is likely that everyone else understood that the academy's entrance examinations were notoriously peculiar and rigorous, adhering to the principle of "better to have none than to have too many," with only about twenty to thirty percent of candidates being accepted each year.
Lin Xi, Zhang Ping, Li Kaiyun, Xiang Lin, and the still pale Meng Bai stretched their necks, intently watching the middle-aged lecturer in the black robe as he began to announce the selected candidates.
With the utterance of nearly every name, a wave of uncontrollable gasps and cheers erupted, drawing envious gazes from the crowd.
"Xiang Lin, total score 16, admitted to the Department of Civil Affairs…"
Suddenly, Xiang Lin could not contain his excitement, nearly brought to tears as the middle-aged lecturer in the black robe called his name!
"Congratulations!" Lin Xi, Zhang Ping, Li Kaiyun, and Meng Bai cheered, embracing Xiang Lin.
Although the Department of Civil Affairs was not the most coveted choice for the impassioned youths who had come with dreams, gaining admission to the academy was already a supreme honor.
"Liu Huajun, total score 17, admitted to the Department of Apothecary… Qiu Xiaoling, total score 17, admitted to the Department of Civil Affairs…"
At that moment, Li Kaiyun could no longer restrain himself; he jumped up, exclaiming in joy, tears of fervor welling in his eyes as the middle-aged lecturer in the black robe called out his name, "Li Kaiyun, total score 18, admitted to the Department of Stopping War!"
Not only had he passed the Qingluan Academy's examination, but he had also entered the Department of Stopping War, which he had longed for!
The middle-aged lecturer continued, swiftly announcing the names of over fifty candidates. After the cheers subsided, Zhang Ping and Meng Bai grew increasingly tense, especially Meng Bai, whose hair was slick with sweat, his lips quivering as he muttered to himself.
"Meng Bai, total score 20, admitted to the Department of Internal Affairs."
At that moment, the middle-aged lecturer in the black robe suddenly called Meng Bai's name.
The little chubby Meng Bai was so nervous that he hardly grasped the situation. When he heard his name, he was momentarily confused, thinking he was merely summoned for an examination. Instead of cheering immediately, he stumbled toward the lecturer in a panic, falling clumsily as the crowd looked on in bewilderment.
"Ah!" As he fell, he suddenly came to his senses and screamed, "I passed the exam! I'm in the academy! I actually made it into the academy!"
Under normal circumstances, most would have laughed at Meng Bai's antics, but at that moment, the majority of candidates were sweating from anxiety, thinking, "If even this gluttonous little chub can enter the academy, is there any justice?"
"Qiu Lu, total score 20, admitted to the Department of Stopping War."
As Lin Xi was unable to suppress a chuckle at Meng Bai's antics, he suddenly felt a hostile gaze directed at him.
"He passed the exam too?" Lin Xi turned to find the source of the glare was the youthful boy in a golden robe with whom he had previously clashed.
Seeing the triumphant and boastful expression on the golden-robed youth's face, Lin Xi surmised that Qiu Lu must be the name just announced by the middle-aged lecturer in the black robe.
Lin Xi, refusing to back down, shot a disdainful glance at the golden-robed youth before turning away to ignore him.
"Zhang Ping, total score 20, admitted to the Department of Ingenious Crafts."
At that moment, the middle-aged lecturer in the black robe called out Zhang Ping's name, prompting an immediate cheer from Zhang Ping as he embraced Lin Xi.
Lin Xi chuckled, patting Zhang Ping's back, only to realize that Zhang Ping's shirt was completely soaked with sweat.
The serious recitation continued, the atmosphere growing increasingly tense, particularly for those candidates who felt their performances had been lacking, their faces paling as they realized that while the criteria for passing at Qingluan Academy remained obscure, it was evident that higher scores indicated better performances, and with each name announced, the hope of hearing their own diminished.
"...Mu Shan Zi, total score 23, admitted to the Department of Stopping War."
"Lin Xi, it's him," both Li Kaiyun and Xiang Lin reminded Lin Xi simultaneously.
Mu Shan Zi was the one clad in a white robe embroidered with silver flowers, his hair slicked back, the "Golden Spoon" youth who had previously wagered with Lin Xi.
Zhang Ping's expression shifted, "His surname is Mu; is he from the Mu family of Qixia Province?"
Lin Xi quietly inquired, "Is the Mu family powerful?"
"Mu Liangzheng from the Mu family is the provincial governor of Qixia Province."
"Strangely enough, I haven't heard your name yet." Just then, the smug Mu Shan Zi approached Lin Xi with a cold laugh, causing Zhang Ping to instinctively take a step back.
Lin Xi smiled casually, "It should be coming up soon."
"Is that so?" Mu Shan Zi paused, his face suddenly contorting with barely concealed anger, unable to fathom Lin Xi's calm demeanor at this moment.
Lin Xi's subsequent reaction only deepened the flush of frustration on Mu Shan Zi's face, as Lin Xi nodded earnestly, stating, "Indeed."
"Very well, don't regret it," Mu Shan Zi spat out slowly, suppressing his rage.
"Truly foolish…" Lin Xi turned away, muttering to himself while a smile crept onto his lips.
From the current circumstances, the number of candidates who had passed the examination, as announced by the middle-aged lecturer in the black robe, had surpassed one hundred sixty. The remaining slots for admission would not be many, and among those one hundred sixty candidates, ninety percent had scores below 20, indicating that Mu Shan Zi had indeed achieved a remarkable score.
Unfortunately for him, his rival was Lin Xi, who possessed unwavering confidence; the longer his name remained unannounced, the more certain Lin Xi became that his score would be higher.
…
"Leng Qiuyu, total score 27, admitted to the Department of Apothecary… Yu Huatiangji, total score 27, admitted to the Department of Spiritual Rituals…"
When the middle-aged lecturer in the black robe announced these two names, many candidates could no longer contain their tears, the sound of their sobbing merging into a chorus by the lakeside.
Most had witnessed the aptitude tests of Leng Qiuyu and the golden-haired Yu Huatiangji; no matter how proud they were, these youths understood that they could not surpass the talents of the Leng and Yu families.
"Not her? Could it be she didn't pass?"
Amidst the wails and tears, Lin Xi's gaze traversed the crowd, landing on a tall girl in a blue robe.
Aside from the few "country bumpkins" around him, he had been keeping an eye on this blue-robed girl who made his heart race.
Now, as the announcement neared its conclusion, it was evident that the middle-aged lecturer had yet to call her name. What surprised him further was that the blue-robed girl appeared utterly composed, radiating youth and vitality, casually observing the surrounding scenery.
Her features, which Lin Xi found strikingly appealing, coupled with her relaxed demeanor, left him momentarily entranced.
"Still claiming you're coming up soon?" A sharp rebuke shattered Lin Xi's reverie as he turned to see Mu Shan Zi glaring at him with a furious expression.
"Everyone who has passed is already being called; how can you still claim to be waiting?" Upon seeing Lin Xi turn, Mu Shan Zi sneered again.
Lin Xi frowned, taken aback, while Meng Bai and Zhang Ping exchanged glances, rendered speechless.
At that moment, the middle-aged lecturer in the black robe had indeed paused, suggesting that the list of successful candidates had been exhausted.
Lin Xi's astonishment and disbelief did not go unnoticed by Mu Shan Zi, who relished the moment, his mocking demeanor intensifying as he spoke with a sharper tone, "If I hadn't come to keep an eye on you, you would surely have snuck away unnoticed, wouldn't you?"
"What are you talking about…" Meng Bai's face flushed crimson, wanting to speak up for Lin Xi, but just then, the middle-aged lecturer in the black robe resumed, "Gao Yanan, total score 30, Destined Selection…"
"Destined Selection?" A collective shock rippled through the crowd, and Lin Xi was momentarily stunned, unable to grasp the meaning of those words before the lecturer continued to announce, "Lin Xi, total score 31, Destined Selection. Wen Xuan Yu, total score 31, Destined Selection."
"What! Lin Xi, you!"
A chorus of incredulous exclamations erupted, especially from Meng Bai, who nearly screamed in shock.
Mu Shan Zi's previously mocking expression froze, his face paling dramatically: "Total score 31… Destined Selection… How is that possible!"
"Lin Xi, how did you manage that?"
Zhang Ping, Xiang Lin, and Li Kaiyun were also engulfed in utter astonishment; while they had hoped for Lin Xi's success, this score was beyond their wildest expectations.
"Destined Selection… how is that even possible!"
Mu Shan Zi's complexion shifted from ashen to ghostly pale, utterly disoriented.
Coming from a prestigious background, he understood far more than Meng Bai and Zhang Ping.
He realized that the total score was a combination of initial cultivation aptitude and subsequent examination performance, and since Lin Xi's aptitude was merely two, it followed that his examination score must have surpassed even Gao Yanan and Wen Xuan Yu!
Typically, as long as one or two of the six professors conducting the interviews found a candidate appealing, that candidate would likely gain admission to the academy. However, the "Destined Selection" indicated that an overwhelming number of professors had taken a particular interest in the candidate, leading to an indecisive competition for their admission!
What could a "country bumpkin" like him, with mediocre cultivation aptitude, possess that could entice so many professors to vie for his admission to the "Destined Selection"?
"Hey… what does 'Destined Selection' even mean?" What nearly caused him to spit blood was that Lin Xi, at that moment, still appeared somewhat foolish, asking him such a question.