Provincial Examination (III)

"Yin Six, Grade A Top!"

The minor official was stunned for a long while before finally calling out the result in a drawn-out voice.

After announcing it, he stared at the youth before him with a gaze usually reserved for inspecting a monster.

Passing the first round with Grade A Top was certainly excellent, but not enough to leave him so flustered. What was truly horrifying was that there was not the slightest sign of surging qi and blood around the youth's body.

He had not used thermal force!

How was that possible?!

"He used a banned drug!!"

A roar of jealousy and hatred exploded from the back row.

The minor official and the others followed the sound, only to see a young martial artist in brocade training clothes forcing his way forward through the crowd.

That brocade-clad martial artist was Sun Li.

Once Qi Yu's attendant, Sun Li had resolved to sever himself completely from his former master after switching allegiance to Qi Feng. Not to mention, he had already sworn a vicious oath before the matriarch.

Now that the minor official was looking over, Sun Li pointed straight at Qi Yu and declared emphatically, "This humble one, Sun Li, begs Your Honor to investigate this matter!

"This man is named Qi Yu. He is a notorious wastrel in the eastern part of the city, spending his days loitering in taverns and brothels. It was only last winter that he barely began practicing martial arts!

"It took him a full month just to enter Eighth Rank. For him to perform like this today, he must have taken a tiger-and-wolf drug that temporarily increases strength!

"This matter has long since spread throughout the eastern city. Everyone knows about it! I hope Your Honor will investigate clearly!"

The minor official's expression darkened, and his voice turned cold and hard. "Making an accusation means accepting responsibility... If no evidence is found, you will receive fifty military cudgel strikes in public, have this misconduct entered into the records, and be permanently stripped of your eligibility to take the examination. Even if you pass this time, your honors will be voided."

Sun Li said, "It is absolutely true. I have not spoken a single falsehood!"

The minor official said, "Can you bear the consequences?"

Sun Li hesitated, then gritted his teeth and looked toward Qi Yu in the distance before shouting harshly, "Qi Yu! You used a banned drug yourself, yet you still refuse to admit it?! When I went to your residence last year, I smelled the aura of a secret medicine. A brief investigation will make it clear. If you confess now, you may still receive a lenient sentence!"

Qi Yu calmly swept him with a glance, then looked toward the minor official. "I did not take any medicine."

The minor official said impatiently, "Sun Li, are you willing to bear the consequences?"

Sun Li's breathing quickened. He clenched both fists, hardened his heart, and said, "I am willing!"

At Qi Yu's level, he would certainly make it through to the third round.

All he needed to do was drag Qi Yu out of the examination by exposing him. Then he would have rendered great service, and his family would not mistreat him in the future.

Besides, he had already mounted the tiger and could not dismount.

Seeing that Sun Li was willing to accept responsibility, the minor official finally turned his head and whispered a few words to his assistant.

The assistant immediately turned and hurried toward the command platform in the distance.

Besides the chief examiner, two deputy examiners were stationed on the platform.

Though the three belonged to different factions, all of them were government officials.

The chief examiner, Mei Ying, was an inspector assigned by his superiors to Mount Wei City. He wore a dark cyan official robe, had a lean, refined face, and possessed a tranquil gaze.

The deputy examiners, Fang Jiang and Zheng Bao, one a civil official and the other a military man, were both trusted aides of the city lord's residence.

Fang Jiang wore an elegant blue scholar's robe and had a gentle, refined air;

Zheng Bao, by contrast, wore black training clothes. He was broad and powerfully built, radiating authority without needing to show anger.

After hearing the minor official's report, the three exchanged brief glances.

Fang Jiang stroked his beard and smiled lightly. He was the first to speak, praising, "Passing the first round with Grade A Top without relying on thermal force—this child is indeed unpolished jade and pure gold. Impressive!"

As for the matter of using a banned drug, he filtered it out directly.

The reasoning was simple...

If he had used a banned drug, would he let you know?

Besides, if he was capable to begin with, he could pass the examination without using a banned drug; if he was incapable to begin with, even a banned drug could not let him reach the point of earning Grade A Top without using thermal force.

Moreover, such banned drugs were rare in the first place, and their aftereffects were endless. They could even damage one's potential. Using them by force was no different from destroying one's own future.

Anyone with discerning eyes could tell at a glance that this was merely a ploy in an internal family struggle.

The chief examiner, Mei Ying, suddenly asked, "Yin Six—who is that?"

The minor official bowed and replied, "In answer to Your Honor, I heard his name is Qi Yu."

"Qi Yu?"

Mei Ying looked around.

Mei Ying's gaze swept over the two men beside him. Eighth-Rank martial artists appeared every year in droves, like carp crossing a river; he naturally had no time to remember them all.

"Lord Fang, Lord Zheng, have either of you heard of this child?"

Zheng Bao and Fang Jiang exchanged a glance, then both shook their heads.

Mei Ying nodded slightly and looked at the minor official. "Go and find out."

A moment later...

The minor official hurried back and reported with a bow, "Three Lords, I have confirmed it. That Qi Yu is the only son of the Qi Family's third branch."

The platform fell briefly silent.

Zheng Bao's eyes shifted. He suddenly slapped the table before him, making the teacups ring. "The reckless use of banned drugs is no small matter! Since there has been a real-name denunciation, the two of them should immediately be taken away and strictly interrogated! Otherwise, where would the rules be?"

Fang Jiang adjusted his sleeves and said with a gentle smile, "Brother Zheng, in my view, the one who made the false accusation should be punished more severely. If a little jealous malice is enough to let someone make baseless accusations at will and delay a truly talented candidate from taking the examination, the future of Mount Wei City will be bleak indeed."

Zheng Bao's thick brows furrowed. "Brother Fang, what do you mean by that?"

Fang Jiang smiled but did not say anything more.

Seeing his composed expression, Zheng Bao recalled the discussions at the residence in the past. He felt it would still be better to listen to the scholar, so he fell silent and said no more.

Seeing this, Fang Jiang turned toward the seat of honor. "Lord Mei, this subordinate believes..."

Before he could finish, Mei Ying raised a hand to interrupt him. With a stern expression, he continued Fang Jiang's words, saying, "Do you think this Provincial Examination hall is the official court where your city lord's residence holds meetings?"

Fang Jiang was stunned.

Mei Ying said, "Let them continue the examination as usual. After the entire examination ends, have them invite a physician to verify whether medicine was used."

With that, he waved his hand.

The minor official withdrew directly.

Mei Ying looked toward Zheng Bao and said, "Lord Zheng is arranging the military cudgel strikes, correct?"

Zheng Bao replied, "Yes."

Mei Ying said indifferently, "If Qi Yu did not use a banned drug... fifty military cudgel strikes. Have them beat him properly."

Zheng Bao hesitated briefly, then lowered his voice. "The city lord is currently trying to win over Commandant Qi of the Poison Water Army. That boy who made the denunciation is probably his man..."

Mei Ying said indifferently, "What does that have to do with this official? Mount Wei City is territory under my sect's jurisdiction. Selecting talent for the sect is precisely this official's duty."

When Zheng Bao remained silent, Mei Ying pressed him. "Lord Zheng, is it impossible to carry out?"

Zheng Bao hurriedly forced out a smile. "Lord Mei, you jest. If it truly is a false accusation, then fifty military cudgel strikes—there will certainly not be one strike fewer."

Mei Ying said indifferently, "Then let me make myself clearer."

A cold glint flashed through his eyes. "After the fifty strikes, I do not want to see him stand up again. Otherwise, it might chill the heart of a heaven's favored."

"A heaven's favored? Him? Lord Mei, are you not... praising him too highly?" Zheng Bao's brows drew tightly together, and faint anger showed on his face. He had never liked being ordered around so directly.

Fang Jiang hurriedly smiled and smoothed things over. "Do as Lord Mei says. Do as Lord Mei says."

Zheng Bao took a deep breath and turned his head away. Anger he could barely suppress spread across his face, yet he did not dare say anything more.

It was true that he was the city lord's trusted aide, but Mei Ying was an inspector from the Upper Sect.

One rank of official was enough to crush a man to death.

There was nothing more for him to say.

After returning, the minor official announced in a clear voice, "The lord has ordered that the examination continue as usual."

Sun Li's face paled, and he hurriedly asked, "Then... then what about the banned drug?"

The minor official said, "The lord said it will be investigated after the examination."

Sun Li grew frantic. "I am a member of the Sun Family of the eastern city. I guarantee that he definitely—"

The minor official impatiently cut him off. "If you make another disturbance, you will be expelled from the examination hall immediately!"

Sun Li opened his mouth, but in the end, he did not dare say anything more.

Qi Yu gave a cold glance to that former attendant of his, who was frantic with anxiety. He looked at the "21~34" above Sun Li's head, then at his own "38.8~63.5." Without saying anything, he headed toward the Wooden Man Formation and Iron Man Formation area for the second round.

Of the six people ahead, five had passed. The pass rate was fairly high; the first round was simply like that.

Qi Yu continued waiting in line while observing the Wooden Man Formation and Iron Man Formation before him.

The rotating wooden stakes stirred up the sound of wind. They were fast, but somewhat lacking in strength; the iron men emitted a dull metallic grinding as they moved. They were somewhat slower, but their force was heavy and imposing.

As he watched the formations, he pondered inwardly.

If he were a martial artist without roots, connections, or backing, he would most likely maintain the middle path, neither rising nor falling, and muddle through to a ranking in the third round. Passing the test would be enough.

But he was not.

His father had even released a fugitive like Uncle Yan and risked his life to teach him Hunyuan Contending Force, while the first and third branches had joined forces to help him organize the materials...

At this point, how could he possibly lower his head again and silently endure injustice and suppression?

The first-round assessment continued.

Sun Li was Yin Twenty-Five.

When his turn came, he gritted his teeth and directly chose the Twelve Force Bow, then pulled it.

The veins on his arms bulged, and his face flushed red.

Yet... the bow did not move in the slightest.

He drew a deep breath, let out a low growl, and forcefully burst his blood qi. His blood qi left his body by an inch, and just as he was nearly reaching his limit, the Twelve Force Bow was finally drawn open bit by bit.

After holding it for one breath, he hurriedly released it.

Thunk!

The bowstring snapped back and let out a muffled sound.

Still gasping, Sun Li walked toward the stone-lock area. His gaze shifted between the seven-hundred-pound and six-hundred-pound stone locks for a moment before he finally reached for the slightly smaller one.

A moment later...

The minor official called out, "Yin Twenty-Five, Grade A Middle."

Sun Li exhaled in relief, excitement showing on his face. His goal was to scrape together a ranking in the third round, for only then could he better join the Poison Water Army.

He steadied himself and silently walked toward the line for the next round.

His eyes swept toward the former "master" at the front of the line. Recalling the difficulty he had just experienced while testing the Twelve Force Bow, he felt somewhat reassured and thought, I had to force my blood qi out with all my might just to barely draw it. That wastrel is truly an idiot—he cannot even pretend properly. How could he have done it so easily without taking a banned drug?