Chapter 96: Insidious Foes
Surprised and suspicious sounds were sparse, distributed in different areas of the square.
It just proved that it was not very impressive that Lin Xun reached the sixth level of Martial Realm at the age of thirteen. His cultivation level was just a bit higher than normal, so it didn’t cause any big uproar.
But people who knew Lin Xun couldn’t keep calm at the moment. The reason was not how outstanding Lin Xun’s score was, but the name of Lin Xun.
For most people present, Lin Xun was just a stranger. But for those who had Lin Xun’s number, many of them felt bitter for Lin Xun.
Just like this moment, those surprised and suspicious sounds came from Yan Qun and his fellows. As the dudes of Donglin Town, they were captured by Shia Zhi and sent under escort to the gate of Donglin School yesterday, becoming the most miserable wretches due to a farce. Was it possible that they didn’t hate Lin Xun?
At the same time, Yu Canglin, president of Donglin School raised his head suddenly and threw his thoughtful eye on Lin Xun who was returning back to the square, thinking of the conversation with Wu Chaoqun, patriarch of Clan of Wu, yesterday.
Soon he also recalled the farce happening at the gate of Donglin School yesterday. With knitted eyebrows, he was lost in thought.
Yu Canglin didn’t perceive that next to him, Yao Tuohai also glanced at the back of Lin Xun in this moment, but seemed unperturbed. There was just some doubt in Yao’s mind that how could a teenager on the sixth level of Martial Realm let his daughter and Lian Fei suffer losses?
The corner of Wu Chaoqun’s eye twitched imperceptibly. He remembered clearly that when Lin Xun entered Donglin Town a month ago, he was just on the fifth level of Martial Realm. Who ever thought that this boy broke through to the higher realm only in a month!?
Once this kind of young person with potential, wit and means grew up, he was sure to be a big trouble in the future!
Wu Chaoqun had decided to kill Lin, but his intention wasn’t perceived by others.
The look of Mu Wansu was more complicated. If she remembered correctly, this young boy was only on the third level of Martial Realm when she met him for the first time in Feiyun Village. With the help of the big Childe Shi Shuan’s Wine of Four Seasons, he broke through and stepped in the fourth level of Martial Realm.
Just several months later, he should have reached the sixth level of Martial Realm. The speed of cultivation was so rapid that it made Mu Wansu shocked. She just realized that she had been only concerned for gains and losses with Lin Xun before and seemed not to find that the guy actually had an extraordinary talent in cultivation at all.
Lin Xun seemed not to perceive all this. He just returned to his original position, maintained a low profile, and kept silent.
He knew that when his name was called, he would be targeted in an instant by his foes who were just like hungry wolves smelling a wisp of blood. But Lin Xun didn’t worry that they dared to make trouble in County Test.
As the speculation of Lin Xun, his presence didn’t cause any trouble and County Test was still in process. The young boys and girls, who were excited and nervous, took the test with great expectations, got results and returned to their starting points one after another.
Hearing the scores of the test, some people were excited, some were sad, and some were uncertain.
When it was near noon, the test in which over 9,300 people participated was over, but the final result of County Test was not yet available. No one left and the atmosphere in the square became tense and depressing compared to the boredom during waiting just now.
All the people kept up their spirit and looked at the high platform in the distance, with longing, tension and expectation.
The final result would be announced. Who would be eliminated and who would be admitted would be revealed at this moment!
On the platform, the chief examiner Yao Tuohai didn’t let people wait for a long time. He stood up, glanced at all those present and said, “The County Test is an eye-opener to me. We have found many talents in cultivation. But it is a pity that only a thousand people can pass the test. I hope that those young friends who fail in the test won’t feel discouraged and will make persistent efforts to take the test next year. And those young friends who pass the test won’t be conceited. You have to know that County Test is only the first step and you are facing more challenges in the future…”
After a long speech, Yao Tuohai looked serious and said in a solemn voice, “Canglin, my friend of Taoism, you are to announce the result of this County Test.”
He gave an already-written scroll to Yu Canglin next to him when saying.
Yu Canglin braced himself up and accepted the order with a smile. But after he stood up and opened the scroll, he suddenly looked dignified and serious and his eyes flashed like lightning.
“In the test, those whose age is fifteen and cultivation is below the fifth level of Martial Realm are eliminated!”
“Those whose age is fourteen and cultivation is below the fourth level of Martial Realm are eliminated!”
“Those whose age is thirteen and cultivation is below the third level of Martial Realm are eliminated!”
“Those whose age is under twelve and cultivation is below the second level of Martial Realm are all eliminated!”
Although he spoke neither too fast nor too slow, every word, like thunder, shocked the square. Especially the word “eliminated” which was mentioned again and again made young boys and girls present terribly frightened and hard to calm down.
Those young boys and girls who were sentenced to fail in the test looked pale, sorrowful and unwilling to accept the reality. Many of them even couldn’t help crying on the spot.
Cry was indeed comical and easy to be laughed at. But this also proved that these young boys and girls were only kids, impressionable and innocent. If they were experienced adults, they wouldn’t cry in public even they were unwilling to accept the result.
“Now, those who fail in the test, please leave the square!”
Yu Canglin said seriously. The square at the moment became a land of wailing and despair, which was easy to lead to chaos. If those losers didn’t leave, when they heard the list of those who passed the test, they might refuse to accept and cause some troubles.
Soon, over seven thousand people left disappointedly.
Many people felt sorry for them. Because among the over seven thousand losers, some had rather good scores. If they took the previous County Tests, they could pass the test easily.
But it was a pity that County Test of this year was different. Because of Yao Tuohai, the number of practitioners taking the test boomed. The competition was fiercer and more rigorous than ever due to the participation of practitioners from other cities.
Lin Xun didn’t care much about that. There was just some doubt in his mind at the moment. The final result of the test had been announced. Could his foes still refrain from taking actions?
Of course, it would be nice if they were willing to see him pass the County Test smoothly. However, Lin Xun didn’t think that would happen.
At the moment, there were still over two thousand young boys and girls in the square. In other words, over one thousand people would be eliminated later!
Soon, Yu Canglin started to talk again, “There are still over two thousand people in the square. Among you, most people are the same age and have the same cultivation. It is really hard to make a choice. So to be fair, Excellency Yao Tuohai has decided to have an additional test!’
An additional test!
All those present were in an uproar. No one could have imagined that, at this crucial moment, another test was required, which was very rare.
The empire had the example of determining the finalists through the additional test in previous County Tests.
But it was the first time for Donglin Town to have an additional test in County Test!
Lin Xun squinted his eyes and suddenly felt that the additional test wouldn’t be smooth for him.
“Of course, I will announce a list before the additional test. Practitioners whose names are on the list are all with outstanding scores. They don’t have to take the additional test according to their performances and can pass County Test directly!’
These words of Yu Canglin caused another uproar among the young boys and girls present. But when thinking about it, they felt it was fair. Practitioners, like Wu Feicong, Yu Miao and Shiao Hen, who got high scores and caused a sensation among all people present, were sure to pass the County Test smoothly. It made no sense to have them take the additional test. Instead, it was a waste of time.
After the uproar, all those present couldn’t help holding their breath in deep concentration, eagerly hoping that their names could be included in the list so that they didn’t need to take the additional test.
Soon, Yu Canglin started to announce the list, “Wu Feicong, Yu Miao, Shiao Hen…”
A total of six hundred names were announced one after another, leading to bursts of surprise and sensations. Some ones were envious of those on the list and some ones felt lost and sighed.
Lin Xun couldn’t help sneering in his heart when confirming that his name wasn’t included in the list. As expected, it aimed at him!
When County Test was going on just now, Lin Xun seemed to be absent-minded. In fact, the name, age and cultivation of each practitioner had been memorized in his heart. Lin had roughly known the level at which his score was.
In the list which Yu Canglin just announced, many people had the same age and cultivation as Lin Xun. It was abnormal that they could pass County Test but Lin Xun couldn’t!
After all, only over six hundred people were included in the list. One thousand people would be admitted at last. The quota of people admitted was not full. Why couldn’t his name be included in the list?
Lin Xun didn’t expose this. He knew that it was no use to expose. There was no one present who would uphold injustice for him. And the list announced by Yu Canglin seemed to be biased. But even if someone looked into it, it didn’t violate rules after all.
Because it was not the final list of this County Test, but part of it! Yu Canglin had various reasons to explain all this!
In Lin Xun’s view, maybe other people were to disgust him and irritate him, in order to enable them to have enough reasons to eliminate and suppress him.
Lin Xun wouldn’t let their dreams come true.
What surprised Lin Xun was that although he didn’t intend to expose these, someone took the initiative to stand up for his injustice. And the person was one who made Lin Xun especially surprised.
Mu Wansu!
However, when seeing this, with his heart jolting, Lin Xun realized that it was not good!