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Chapter 18: The Rankings and Examination
Once everything settled down, Lin Feng inquired about Tang Jiner, only to learn that she had been missing without a trace since her disappearance. A deep sense of worry and guilt filled Lin Feng's heart.
“She sacrificed her lifespan and Essence Blood for the sake of her memories. And what about you, Lin Feng? You watched her leave in weakness, indifferent to her plight. Is this how you treat her?”
That night, Lin Feng tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Lin Miaomiao observed him closely and understood the source of his distress. She watched as he sat on the rooftop, choosing not to disturb him.
It wasn't until the early hours of the morning that Antang appeared on the rooftop, speaking softly, “Senior Sister wants to see you.”
“Alright.”
The contact from Qijian Pavilion had finally arrived. Lin Feng suppressed his worries and sadness as he returned indoors. Inside stood a White-Clad Woman, though he couldn't tell when she had entered.
Antang stood at the door, vigilantly scanning the surroundings. He held a Broken Sword in his left hand and a damaged blade in his right, as if bracing for an impending battle.
Lin Feng had never seen Antang so cautious and serious before, which indicated the significance of this woman in his mind. It was clear how dangerous their situation was in Gaojing.
Lin Feng recognized that the White-Clad Woman before him was Qi Wan'er, the eldest disciple of Qijian Pavilion. After Lin Bai, she was one of the four extraordinary women of Jiuzhou. Despite her youth, she had already reached the Master Realm in cultivation.
Lin Feng respectfully bowed to Qi Wan'er and said, “Junior pays respects to Senior Qi.”
Qi Wan'er turned around, her white robes flowing gracefully and her long hair dancing lightly as if she were a Peerless Woman stepping out of a painting. Lin Feng found himself momentarily entranced. Her beauty emanated a refined essence cultivated through worldly experiences.
Understanding that time was of the essence, Qi Wan'er immediately said, “Tell me what you remember about the complex painting entrusted to you by my junior brother.”
“Senior Qi asked me to remember a complicated drawing.”
Lin Feng retrieved ink and paper, relying on his memory to recreate the intricate lines that Qi Si had shown him. In the end, the convoluted lines intertwined to form a strange image with gaps and disconnections.
Qi Wan'er glanced at the painting for a moment. Then, she waved her sleeve, and the rice paper turned to ashes. After that, Qi Wan'er took a slight step forward, ready to leave.
Lin Feng quickly stepped in front of Qi Wan'er, blocking her path.
Qi Wan'er looked at Lin Feng and asked lightly, "Do you have something else?"
"Senior, I have helped Qijian Pavilion with such a significant task. Could you grant me a Sword Technique?" Lin Feng was acutely aware of his precarious situation in Gaojing and urgently needed a powerful Sword Technique for protection.
"Fourth Disciple taught you Sword Techniques; your third junior brother saved your life. You owe nothing," Qi Wan'er replied.
With that, she slightly lifted her jade foot and took just one step, yet she crossed hundreds of miles and vanished into the night.
"Is this what it means to be in the Master Realm?" Lin Feng was left stunned and speechless.
Antang looked at Lin Feng and smiled, "Boss Lin, I must take my leave as well."
Lin Feng quickly regained his composure and grasped at the last straw, saying, "Senior An, please grant me a Sword Technique. After all, you’ve eaten so many bowls of my noodles."
"I was just helping you improve your culinary skills," Antang immediately retorted. Seeing the disappointment on Lin Feng's face, Antang comforted him, "Lin Brother, our Sword Techniques at Qijian Pavilion are not convenient to share with outsiders. It's truly difficult to accommodate."
"The people from Qijian Pavilion are really stingy," Lin Feng thought to himself. Suddenly recalling something else, he said, "I have one more request for you, Senior. Please help me with this matter. I will surely repay your kindness in the future."
"What is it? If it's within my ability, I won't stand by idly," Antang replied.
Lin Feng's face lit up with joy as he said, "I have a friend; she is Princess Jian'an of the Tang Dynasty. She has gone missing. Please help me gather information about her. If you happen to encounter her in the future, please find a way to rescue her. I, Lin Feng, will never forget this life-saving grace."
"Princess Jian'an? I've heard a bit about her. I can help with this."
Antang bid farewell to Lin Feng and left.
At the Divine General Manor, Xiaoxiang Academy.
The second trial of the Jiuzhou Gathering Conference was the Examination, held at the Divine General Manor's Xiaoxiang Academy. A notice was posted at the entrance of the academy, displaying the rankings of the disciples from the first trial.
There were three lists for the Jiuzhou Gathering Conference: the Initial Trial List, the Examination List, and the Martial Examination List. These three lists were compiled and ranked by the Mechanism Pavilion.
Although the initial trial was merely a showcase for the younger generation of strong contenders, the disciples still cared about their respective rankings.
After the list was released, many disciples gathered around it.
"He Rongsheng from Azure Cloud Sect, ranked under A, fastest speed."
"He Rongsheng from Azure Cloud Sect surprisingly isn't first; he took second place."
"The first place goes to Lin Feng from Solitary Moon City, ranked above A, with the highest score."
"Even though Lin Feng defeated Zhu Xi, a peak Fate Realization Realm disciple from Azure Cloud Sect, in the early stages of Fate Realization, he did so relying on the power of the Golden Dragon Armor. What qualifies him to be at the top?"
"Also, Lin Miaomiao from Solitary Moon City is tied for second with He Rongsheng. She is also ranked under A, selected for her Ethereal Body. Lin Miaomiao didn't even participate in the initial trial. How did she earn this ranking?"
"What is going on with the Mechanism Pavilion? Are these rankings reliable?"
The list drew criticism. The once-glorious Azure Cloud Sect at previous Jiuzhou Gatherings found itself overshadowed by Solitary Moon City.
Among the three selected disciples from Azure Cloud Sect, one had been eliminated after challenging Lin Miaomiao due to his arrogance and losing. The other had lost to a disciple from Solitary Moon City during the initial trial and thus missed out on advancing to the second round of the conference.
Now, above the Preliminary Rankings, the first place is not He Rongsheng of the Azure Cloud Sect's Eye of Destiny, but rather Lin Feng, a disciple of the Nameless Stone Tablet's Lone Moon Sect.
All the disciples stood outside the academy discussing the rankings, while debates also erupted within the academy.
The Elder Steward of Qingyun Sect looked dissatisfied and asked the Elder of the Mechanism Pavilion, "Why is Lin Feng in first place?"
The Elder of the Mechanism Pavilion replied calmly, "Everyone has seen Lin Feng's performance. He can sense the locations of a hundred entrances and can clearly perceive all the obstacles on each mountain path, distinguishing between true and false. With such rare perceptive abilities, his qualifications have already surpassed others."
The Elder Steward of Qingyun Sect scoffed, "Our disciple He Rongsheng is from the Eye of Destiny; surely he can do these things too? He simply looks down on them. He only wants to break through as soon as possible."
"The rankings for each trial are based on the actual performance of individual disciples combined with their contributions. Since He Rongsheng, as you said, looks down on it and did not perform as impressively as Lin Feng, it is only natural that his ranking is lower. Moreover, Lin Feng, with his early-stage Fate Realization cultivation, defeated Zhu Xi at the peak of Fate Realization, which adds to his score. It’s only fitting," replied the Elder of the Mechanism Pavilion.
Yue Huai Shan from Divine General Manor, as the host of the Examination, did not want the atmosphere to become too awkward. He stood up and said, "Whether it's the initial rankings or those from the Examination itself, they merely highlight different aspects of our disciples. Ultimately, what matters is who gets eliminated in the final Martial Examination. What is there to argue about?"
The Elder Steward of Qingyun Sect thought for a moment and coldly remarked, "Lin Feng better not run into my Azure Cloud Sect disciple He Rongsheng."
Elder Lin from Solitary Moon City heard this and dared not speak up. After all, his foundation was a level below that of the Elder Steward of Qingyun Sect. He could only think to himself, "Don’t celebrate too early; it would be interesting if this dark horse Lin Feng were to defeat He Rongsheng."
The Examination only concerns rankings; it is not an elimination match. It serves merely as a supplementary view of outstanding disciples.
Court officials and nobles from Gaojing place great importance on the rankings from the Examination.
With a rustling sound echoing through the air, the Imperial Guard arrived at Great Zhou Capital. Accompanied by them were the Great Zhou Princess and Prince, who walked slowly down the Stone Steps along a long corridor into the academy.
Ding! Ding! Ding...
The clear sound of bells rang out from behind the academy's mountain. This marked the first assembly for the Examination at Xiaoxiang Academy under Divine General Manor. Disciples from various sects outside were guided by disciples from Divine General's Mansion as they entered in an orderly fashion.
After the Bell Sound rang three times from the back mountain of the academy, it signaled the completion of the gathering. Latecomers would be considered out of the competition.
This time, speaking at the Divine General Manor was the Third Figure of the Fang, Third Divine General Meng Ji. Coming from the Divine General Manor, he represented the Great Zhou Empire in welcoming disciples from various states and sects.
He looked at the top talents of the younger generation from across the Nine Provinces gathered here and revealed a smile as warm as spring. He spoke clearly, "Young heroes, you should all possess a spirited demeanor. Today's Examination, while not an elimination round, will reveal where your aspirations lie and what you hold in your hearts."
"As you all know, the list for the Examination has been compiled by Elder Ji himself, based on your answers. Through this, we can glimpse a part of your future."
"The list written by Elder Ji is well-known. Among the cultivators emerging from the Jiuzhou Continent, none have contradicted what Elder Ji has stated."
"I believe no disciple underestimates this Examination. It not only concerns Elder Ji's rankings but also draws the attention of Divine Ruins, the foremost among the four secret sects."
The mention of Divine Ruins stirred excitement among all present. Every disciple, including He Rongsheng, yearned for the attention of Divine Ruins Sovereign Market and hoped to be taken under its wing.
Yet, no one knew where Divine Ruins was located. The whereabouts of the Market were as elusive as smoke. The world only knew that the Market accepted disciples and that it had a significant connection to the Examination and Martial Examination of the Jiuzhou Gathering Conference.
Years ago, Dark Horse Dugu Po made a stunning impression during an Examination, which sparked the Market's desire to take in disciples. It was rumored that Dugu Po became a disciple of the Market during the Jiu Zhou Gathering.
"Divine Ruins."
He Rongsheng silently repeated these two words in his heart. He had come to participate in the Jiuzhou Gathering Conference for the sake of Divine Ruins. In his mind, neither the Examination nor the Martial Examination held any allure; he only wished to gain the attention of the Market and enter Divine Ruins to become a disciple.
Because Divine Ruins was known as the strongest existence in the realm of Walkers.
Observing everyone discussing Divine Ruins with fervor and longing in their eyes, Lin Feng felt deeply aware of its transcendent status among Walkers.
Here, every individual was a top cultivator from their respective sects, yet they all aspired to enter Divine Ruins.
If not for becoming the best among everyone, what qualifications would one have to enter the Divine Ruins?
Lin Feng understood the meaning of Master Da's words. A Divine Ruins Disciple, unmatched in the world.
How could someone who stood out among the top disciples of the Nine Provinces not be a unique powerhouse? Lin Feng suddenly felt a tremendous pressure. Without the Golden Dragon Armor, facing the top ten ranked experts on the monument, Lin Feng's chances of victory were slim. His ultimate techniques, such as the Blood Devouring Cauldron, were unavailable. The Moon City Sword did not heed his command.
Beside him, Lin Miaomiao softly said, "Lin Feng, have you heard of the Divine Ruins?"
Lin Feng nodded and replied, "I've heard of it (Miaomiao, actually I am a Divine Ruins Disciple)."
Lin Miaomiao looked a bit hopeful and said, "Master said that this time in the Nine Provinces, the greatest gain is not taking first place but being chosen by Senior Xu."
Suddenly feeling a sense of pride, Lin Feng looked at all the talented individuals around him and thought to himself, "Sorry everyone, but I have already secured the only spot for a Divine Ruins Disciple." (To be continued...)
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