First Place Secured!

What the hell was going on?

Looking at the golden pillar of light in the distance, Qin Shaofeng was utterly unable to make sense of it.

Just moments ago, that examiner had told him that those capable of triggering an Innate Golden Pillar were few and far between. For Lianyang Academy to recruit even one such person in a hundred years would already be quite good.

Yet the moment he finished saying that, a thunderous tremor rang out.

Another Innate Golden Pillar had appeared!

Qin Shaofeng looked uncertainly at the examiner, his eyes filled with suspicion.

He had just said they were few and far between, and one immediately appeared.

Sir Examiner, were you sure you were not fooling this pure and innocent young man?

Were you taking advantage of my young age because you thought I was easy to fool?

Yet that examiner paid no attention whatsoever to Qin Shaofeng's questioning expression. Staring fixedly at the golden pillar in the distance, he kept muttering, "How is this possible? How is this possible?"

Well then!

He understood the situation even less than I did!

With a helpless sigh in his heart, Qin Shaofeng ultimately asked no more questions. Instead, he walked directly over to Du Meng's side and waited for the assessment to end.

The second Innate Golden Pillar also lasted for a quarter of an hour before vanishing.

Yet because of this, a considerable stir was raised throughout Lianyang Academy.

And Qin Shaofeng had no idea that, because he had triggered an Innate Golden Pillar, he had brought himself no small trouble.

At that moment, Qin Shaofeng stared speechlessly up at the sky, wondering whether another one of those Innate Golden Pillars would appear.

Unfortunately, Qin Shaofeng was destined to be disappointed.

Until every participant had finished the assessment, a third Innate Golden Pillar never appeared.

However, there was one person at the Innate First Layer who cleared the tenth stage.

Had Qin Shaofeng and the other person who triggered an Innate Golden Pillar not appeared, this person would likely have drawn countless gazes.

Unfortunately, beneath the radiance of those two Innate Golden Pillars, that person could only fade into obscurity in the end.

The final results were out!

Of the thirty thousand people taking the strength assessment, only a little over two thousand ultimately cleared five stages—not even one-tenth.

After learning this, Qin Shaofeng felt somewhat puzzled.

It was only the fifth stage. Such a simple assessment, yet only this many people passed?

Qin Shaofeng remembered that he had seemingly thrown one punch at the fifth stage.

Oh, it was two punches. There had been two Assessment Puppets at the fifth stage!

Fortunately, Qin Shaofeng did not voice the doubt in his heart. Otherwise, he would definitely have been cursed to death.

The Assessment Puppets at the fifth stage were usually at the late stage and peak stage of the participant's own level. And two appeared at once—how could ordinary people possibly be their opponents?

For more than two thousand people to pass was already considered quite a good result.

More than two thousand passed the fifth stage, but at the sixth stage, more than half were immediately eliminated, leaving only a bare thousand.

As for the seventh stage, even fewer people could pass—only a little over one hundred, and most of those hundred-plus people possessed Xiantian Realm cultivation.

Compared with those in the Houtian Realm, people with Xiantian Realm cultivation found the seventh stage somewhat less difficult.

But by the eighth stage, things were different.

Whether Xiantian Realm or Houtian Realm, the eighth stage's difficulty increased severalfold. Only twelve people passed.

Among them were Qin Shaofeng, Du Meng, and Chen Yuanxin, who had used pills to cheat his way through the eighth stage.

As for the ninth stage, only four people passed.

Qin Shaofeng, Du Meng, the other person who had triggered an Innate Golden Pillar, and the sole Xiantian Martial Master who passed the tenth stage.

Thus, the rankings were decided!

First place naturally went to Qin Shaofeng.

Second place went to the other person who had triggered an Innate Golden Pillar.

The Xiantian Martial Master who passed the tenth stage was ranked third.

Fourth place naturally belonged to Du Meng.

As for Chen Yuanxin, apparently because he had taken pills to cheat his way through the stages, the examiner did not think highly of him. In the end, he did not even make the top ten and was ranked twelfth.

Facing such a result dealt Chen Yuanxin no small blow.

In order to stand out in Lianyang Academy's recruitment assessment this time, he had prepared thoroughly. His father had even paid a huge price to obtain an extremely precious pill for him, one that could increase his strength for a short period.

Yet in the end, he had not even made the top ten.

How could that not be a blow?

But Chen Yuanxin not only failed to reflect on himself, he even glared furiously at Qin Shaofeng and Du Meng, placing all the blame for his miserable result on them.

In his view, if Qin Shaofeng and Du Meng had not appeared, he could at least have ranked tenth!

"Damn it! Who knew where these two lowly commoners came from? They actually caused this young master to fall out of the top ten! Just you wait. This young master will not let this go!"

That worked too?

He made his own mistakes, yet blamed others for the problem. Chen Yuanxin's way of thinking truly was bizarre!

Qin Shaofeng had no idea that just like that, he and Du Meng had gained an enemy for no reason at all.

If he had known, Qin Shaofeng would certainly have cried injustice.

Who did I provoke? Even if I am handsome, heavens, this is not how you should be jealous!

System Prompt: Congratulations, player Qin Shaofeng, for completing the "Assessment" mission. You obtained first place in the assessment. Completion rating: Perfect!

System Prompt: Congratulations, player Qin Shaofeng, your level has increased by one. Current level: Houtian Ninth Layer!

System Prompt: Congratulations, player Qin Shaofeng, you obtained 1,000 points. Current points: 1,000!

System Prompt: Congratulations, player Qin Shaofeng, you obtained one Normal Draw. Current Normal Draw Chances: 1!

When it was announced that he had taken first place in the assessment, Qin Shaofeng heard four consecutive System Prompts.

The corners of his mouth split into a delighted smile.

Why had Qin Shaofeng gone all out to clear the stages? Why had he spared no expense in consuming large quantities of Qi Replenishing Pills to ensure he could pass the ninth stage, and even the tenth?

Was it not all to obtain first place, complete the system mission, and earn a huge amount of rewards?

After putting in so much, he had finally received a return!

Naturally, Qin Shaofeng was delighted!

Just as Qin Shaofeng happily accepted his rewards, Lin Zhihao of the Heavenly King Party arrived at a certain location within Lianyang Academy.

Lin Zhihao was incomparably excited at that moment. He had never expected that as soon as he reported someone triggering an Innate Golden Pillar, it would actually draw this lord's attention.

Thinking of this lord's identity, merely being granted an audience with this lord was enough to leave Lin Zhihao so excited he could barely speak.

Led by a high-ranking member of the Heavenly King Party, Lin Zhihao arrived before a small house.

The house's door was tightly shut, showing no intention of opening even after Lin Zhihao arrived.

Naturally, Lin Zhihao dared not voice any objection. He stood respectfully before the door and waited quietly.

Not long afterward—after waiting about a quarter of an hour—a voice came from within the small house.

"Someone triggered an Innate Golden Pillar?"

The owner of the voice did not waste words. The moment he spoke, he went straight to the point.

"Yes, sir, and there were two of them!" Lin Zhihao replied respectfully.

Even as he spoke, Lin Zhihao's heart remained far from calm.

One person triggering an Innate Golden Pillar would have been one thing, but two had appeared today. It was truly unbelievable!

The owner within the small house was also slightly stunned, seemingly somewhat surprised.

"Two? Adding the girl from the Meng Family, that makes three. This will be troublesome."

As though speaking to himself, the owner of the small house murmured softly. There seemed to be concern in his tone, and perhaps his brows were faintly furrowed at that moment.

This left Lin Zhihao extremely astonished. He knew very well who the master of the house was, and precisely because of that, the fact that even this lord was worried showed that this matter was more serious than he had imagined.

"What are their exact cultivations, ages, and backgrounds?"

After a moment of silence, another question came from the small house.

"In reply to you, sir, both are fifteen years old. One is at the Houtian Eighth Layer, while the other is at the Houtian Tenth Layer."

At this point, Lin Zhihao paused slightly before saying hesitantly, "Sir, one of their backgrounds presents no issue. He comes from a remote small city in our Lianyang Kingdom. But the other's background is somewhat unclear. According to the academy's records, he seems to come from a tribe somewhere in the Black Horn Mountain Range region of our Lianyang Kingdom."

"Black Horn Mountain Range?"

The owner of the house murmured softly, his tone seemingly grave, as though he were pondering something.

Lin Zhihao did not dare interrupt and remained respectfully bent over.

Only after quite some time did the owner of the house suddenly realize that he had forgotten about Lin Zhihao.

"Very well, you may leave. Go to the Contributions Department and collect one thousand Contribution Points."

The owner of the house spoke indifferently, but his words filled Lin Zhihao with delight.

He had merely investigated some basic information, yet he had received one thousand Contribution Points. This was truly a good thing!

"Thank you, sir!"

After respectfully voicing his gratitude, Lin Zhihao withdrew in high spirits.

After Lin Zhihao left, That Great Person's voice rang out again from within the small house.

"Two people. That is rather troublesome. Fortunately, they are only in the Houtian Realm. Even if they qualify to enter that place, it will only happen after they reach the Spirit Vein Realm. There is still some time. However, the one from the Black Horn Mountain Range is somewhat problematic."

"If he belongs to that clan, then the trouble will be immense. No, I should go speak with Imperial Brother, lest some great problem truly arise!"

With that, the small house's door suddenly opened, and a young man who appeared only twenty-one or twenty-two years old stepped out.

Although this person was young, the aura around him was exceptionally powerful. Compared with Lian Chenghao, he was likely only stronger, not weaker.

From this, it was clear that his status within the Heavenly King Party was probably not low!

With a single step, after several flickers, the young man's figure vanished completely.

If Qin Shaofeng had seen such speed, he would definitely have been shocked speechless!

This was no longer human speed. Just what level of cultivation did this young man possess?

At the same time, similar events occurred within the Lone Wolf Gang. More than that, various factions throughout Lianyang Academy all experienced some degree of disturbance.

What was so special about those who triggered an Innate Golden Pillar?

Judging from the reactions of the upper echelons of the various factions, triggering an Innate Golden Pillar seemed to grant one the qualification to enter a certain place.

What kind of place was that?

And what sort of relationship did it have with Lianyang Academy?

There were simply too many questions.

Yet Qin Shaofeng did not know that the moment he entered Lianyang Academy, he had already been drawn into certain struggles within it.

Sometimes, trouble truly came knocking on its own.