Commotion

Chapter 042: Commotion

In front of Qin Shaofeng and Du Meng, the long queue stretched for at least three to five hundred people.

However, the testing process was quite fast.

In just half an hour, Qin Shaofeng saw the testing apparatus.

At the end of the line stood a massive gate. Unlike a regular gate, it was a standalone structure with rings on either side.

Whenever an examinee passed through the gate, the rings on both sides would light up.

Qin Shaofeng had some understanding of the gate. The rings on both sides, ten in total, would illuminate during the test.

The rings on the left indicated age. If a white light lit up, it meant the person was under ten years old. Each ring lit up represented one year. If they were over ten, the white light would turn silver.

However, ever since he saw the gate, Qin Shaofeng hadn't seen the white light on the left rings. They were basically all silver, indicating that most of the people being tested were over ten years old.

No examinees under ten had appeared yet.

The rings on the right side of the gate were for testing cultivation realms, displaying three types of light: pale gold, gold, and purple-gold.

The lowest was pale gold. One pale gold ring lighting up represented the first layer of the Houtian Realm.

As for those whose cultivation was below the Houtian Realm, they didn't even need to be tested. Unless they were child prodigies, Lianyang Academy wouldn't recruit them.

Pale gold represented the Houtian Realm, gold represented the Spirit Meridian Realm. The final purple-gold was for the Spirit Meridian Realm.

However, it wasn't just about the purple-gold. Even the gold of the Spirit Meridian Realm was rarely seen in Lianyang Academy's enrollment assessments in previous years.

This doesn't mean that no such geniuses joined Lianyang Academy. It's because those kinds of geniuses didn't need to participate in the enrollment assessment; they had already been admitted to Lianyang Academy, or even taken under powerful mentors.

Therefore, since the testing began, no examinees at the Xiantian Martial Master realm had appeared.

The occasional one or two geniuses who lit up ten pale gold rings had already caused quite a stir.

Suddenly, at a certain moment, the crowd erupted in noise.

"Heavens! What am I seeing!"

"No way, is that a golden light?"

"That's right, it's the golden light that represents the Xiantian Martial Master realm!"

Golden light?

Hearing the crowd's discussion, Qin Shaofeng's heart stirred. Had an Xiantian Martial Master finally appeared?

Following the crowd, Qin Shaofeng looked ahead.

Currently, on the right side of the gate, only the first ring was lit, but that ring was golden.

Golden!

That's right, it was indeed the Xiantian Martial Master realm!

Qin Shaofeng nodded inwardly, but the next moment, upon seeing the figure within the gate, his pupils contracted sharply, and a storm surged in his heart.

He saw a short figure inside the gate, no taller than 1.2 meters.

Upon seeing the short figure, Qin Shaofeng's heart jolted, and he immediately looked at the left side of the gate.

White!

Nine rings!

An Xiantian Martial Master under ten years old!

Qin Shaofeng was shocked, followed by a wry smile.

Becoming an Xiantian Martial Master at nine years old, such a genius was truly...

Incredible!

In Lanjiang City, such a thing was unimaginable.

Soon, several figures with powerful auras appeared at the gate. After a brief exchange, the nine-year-old boy was quickly taken away.

A nine-year-old Xiantian Martial Master didn't need to participate in the enrollment assessment.

This scene drew envious glances from countless people.

As if setting a precedent, soon, others at the Xiantian Martial Master realm also appeared.

However, most of the Xiantian Martial Masters who reappeared were over eighteen years old, generally around twenty.

Such Xiantian Martial Master examinees couldn't attract the attention of the academy's mentors or powerhouses.

There were even quite a few Xiantian Martial Artists whose ages exceeded twenty!

Lianyang Academy didn't hesitate and directly sent people to expel them.

However, even so, quite a few excellent talents still appeared.

"Age sixteen, cultivation: Innate First Layer Early Stage!"

Listening to the voice of the person in charge of recording the results by the gate, Chen Yuanxin breathed a sigh of relief.

"Excellent!"

It seems, excluding that monstrous talent, I'm currently the most outstanding candidate.

A surge of excitement filled Chen Yuanxin's heart, a hint of elation appearing on his face.

Although the first two tests—age and cultivation level—didn't award points, standing out somewhat could still catch the attention of some academy powerhouses.

It wouldn't be a waste of the great price his father paid to help him break through to the Houtian Realm.

What a shame, though, that he hadn't been noticed by an academy powerhouse and taken on as a disciple!

As he walked down from the main gate, a flicker of disappointment crossed Chen Yuanxin's eyes.

It couldn't be helped, after all. He had only reached the Houtian Realm by consuming elixirs, and he was already over fifteen years old. To some powerhouses, that still wouldn't warrant their serious attention.

But Chen Yuanxin wasn't discouraged. He was confident that if he could shine in the third assessment, perhaps a powerhouse would notice him and take him as a disciple then.

As for whether he could achieve a good result in the third assessment, Chen Yuanxin wasn't too concerned. His father had once been a student at Lianyang Academy and was intimately familiar with its enrollment assessments.

To ensure he achieved a good result, his father had gone to great lengths to find a treasure.

With this treasure, it would be a piece of cake for Chen Yuanxin to rank in the top three of the assessment, and even first place wouldn't be a problem.

Whoosh!

Just as he was envisioning himself winning first place, Chen Yuanxin suddenly heard a commotion from behind him.

He turned around and smiled.

Because he saw an incredibly burly individual.

He's this old and still participating in Lianyang Academy's enrollment assessment?

Another deluded individual hoping for a fortuitous encounter at Lianyang Academy after three months?

He lightly shook his head, but the next moment, his eyes widened in disbelief.

What was he seeing?

Four strands!

Silver light???

That burly figure, whom he had judged to be at least nineteen or twenty, was actually only fourteen?

How was this possible?

And he was at the Houtian Tenth Layer realm!

This…

Soon, Chen Yuanxin's expression turned somewhat grim.

Such a physique indicated the person practiced some body-refining cultivation technique, and he was at the Houtian Tenth Layer realm.

Unlike others, Chen Yuanxin knew very well what the third assessment entailed.

But precisely because he understood it so well, upon seeing the fourteen-year-old youth with such an exaggerated physique, Chen Yuanxin suddenly felt a sense of threat.

A threat to his first-place standing!

In a place unseen by ordinary people, a group of individuals with powerful auras were currently discussing Du Meng.

A fourteen-year-old youth with an exaggerated physique, possessing a physique comparable to that of an adult, and at the Houtian Tenth Layer realm—if not Du Meng, who else could it be?

It was precisely because of this, such a special genius, that he naturally attracted the attention of these powerhouses.

"Nobody fight me for him. I've taken a liking to this boy; his physique is most suited for my cultivation technique!"

A burly man, built like an iron tower, suddenly stepped out from the crowd. With bulging, bull-like eyes, he gruffly addressed the other powerhouses.

As soon as he spoke, someone immediately objected.

"Most suited for your cultivation technique? You iron block, don't even think about it! This boy should belong to me!"

"Nonsense, this child is clearly most suited for me. If he comes with me, I'm confident I can make this kid an elite disciple of Lianyang Academy within five years!"

"Five years? Old Man Xiao, I only need three years, so this little tyke should belong to me!"

"Mine!"

"No, he's mine!"

"..."

In an instant, the previously quiet area became noisy and chaotic.

If the students of Lianyang Academy were to witness this scene, their jaws would drop in astonishment.

When had these high-and-mighty mentors become so agitated and so undignified?

It was understandable, though. As soon as they saw Du Meng's physique, everyone knew he possessed some kind of special constitution.

Otherwise, how could a fourteen-year-old boy grow to look like that?

Suddenly, amidst the commotion, a voice of surprise rang out.

"Huh, why does this kid look so much like that brat Lian Chenghao brought three days ago!"

As this surprised exclamation rang out, the scene suddenly fell silent.

Three days ago, the two people Lian Chenghao brought had attracted quite a bit of attention.

Especially the arrival of the white-clothed girl, which had alarmed the entire higher-ups of Lianyang Academy.

The little princess of the Meng Family, and the niece of Lianyang Academy's Vice Principal's wife.

Either of those identities could cause quite a stir.

Especially the white-clothed girl's talent, which had reached a transcendent level. She was already at that realm at just fifteen years old.

Truly worthy of being a direct descendant of the Meng Family bloodline!

Du Meng's existence, on the other hand, had been significantly downplayed. However, upon remembering Du Meng's identity now, these powerful figures were startled.

After all, Du Meng was the pre-selected disciple of that certain person!

Thinking of that person's temper, these powerful figures immediately lost heart.

To contend with his chosen disciple?

Wasn't that courting death?

"Sigh, I didn't expect this. I actually forgot about this matter!"

"Sigh, what a shame!"

"Yeah, it's a real shame!"

A chorus of sighs filled the air, and the gazes of a group of powerful figures towards Du Meng were filled with immense regret.

Even though he was just a genius with excellent potential, he was already pre-selected!

Everything happening in this place was unknown to ordinary people, and Du Meng, who was undergoing the assessment, was naturally unaware of it as well.

"Fourteen years old, cultivation Houtian Tenth Layer!"

Under the examiner's strange gaze and extremely uncertain tone as he recorded the assessment results, Du Meng suddenly rushed out of the large door and grinned at Qin Shaofeng.

However, he didn't know that not far from him, an unfriendly gaze was sweeping over him several times.

Qin Shaofeng had long anticipated the strange reactions Du Meng would cause.

After all, Du Meng's appearance was truly unbelievable.

Without any delay, Qin Shaofeng lined up behind Du Meng. After Du Meng's test was completed, Qin Shaofeng quickly walked towards the large door.

Buzz!

The moment Qin Shaofeng stepped through the large door, it vibrated slightly, and the circular ring on the left side suddenly lit up.

Silver light!

Five rings!

Fifteen years old!

No issues detected!

Qin Shaofeng glanced at it calmly, then shifted his gaze to the right side.

Swish!

Just then, the circular ring on the right side of the large door suddenly lit up.

From bottom to top, a pale golden light bloomed.

One ring, two rings, three rings...

Finally, eight rings lit up on the right side of the large door.

There were no exclamations from the crowd regarding this.

Compared to the other geniuses, Qin Shaofeng, a fifteen-year-old Houtian Eighth Layer Martial Artist, seemed rather ordinary.

But in reality, only Du Meng knew that his Brother Feng was no ordinary fighter!

Houtian Eighth Layer realm?

Du Meng scoffed inwardly!

He wasn't even Brother Feng's match. What did the Houtian Eighth Layer realm matter?

You'll all be surprised then!