The third day, morning.
Blood Qi Value test.
There were five examination sites in Linjiang District for this major exam. Lin Ye's was at Linjiang No. 1 High School, which was also one of the largest standardized Martial Dao exam venues in the city.
At 8:05 a.m., he arrived at Linjiang No. 1 High School. Following the campus map, he made his way to his assigned waiting area: the Second Waiting Hall.
At that moment, hundreds of candidates had gathered in the hall. The atmosphere was solemn and tense. Some sat whispering among themselves, while others simply closed their eyes and rested as they waited for the test to begin.
Lin Ye swept his gaze across the hall and spotted several familiar faces from his school. There was Wang Tao, dressed in white casual clothes today. He looked rather nervous, clutching his admission ticket tightly, as if bracing himself for the final confirmation of his own mediocrity.
Zhou Qian and Zhao Qiang were there too, sitting together and quietly discussing something.
Oh, and... Chu Tiange.
Lin Ye had seen him before, so he recognized him. Chu Tiange stood alone near the entrance to the testing area, straight as a pine tree. He wore a well-tailored black outfit, his face cold and stern, his gaze fixed straight ahead. He paid no heed to the clamor around him or the stares directed his way.
He simply stood there in silence, yet naturally gave off an air of standing head and shoulders above the crowd.
The candidates around him unconsciously kept their distance. Their eyes were filled with awe, envy, and a touch of jealousy.
After surveying the hall, Lin Ye naturally headed toward Wang Tao and sat beside him. He gave him a pat on the shoulder, startling the already nervous Wang Tao. Wang Tao was just about to glare at him when he saw it was Lin Ye and his anger subsided. The two then chatted for a while, easing much of Wang Tao's nervousness.
"All candidates, please take note. Prepare to enter the testing area in order of your exam numbers. When your number is called, follow the attendant inside."
At 8:30, the broadcast sounded in the hall.
The Blood Qi test had begun!
The candidates were then called into the testing area in groups of five.
Before long, it was Lin Ye's turn.
"Group 18: Chu Tiange, Zhou Qian, Zhao Qiang, Wang Tao, Lin Ye."
Hearing his name, Lin Ye paused in surprise. He hadn't expected to be tested alongside so many familiar faces. The five of them followed the attendant into the testing area together. When Zhou Qian and Zhao Qiang heard Lin Ye's name, they looked toward him as he stood, their eyes curious and appraising.
The testing area was more like a high-tech instrument room. In the center stood a streamlined silver Detection Pod, connected to a web of complicated cables and a large screen.
Inside the testing room, the five lined up. An invigilator with a stern expression sat before the control console. He cleared his throat and addressed them.
"The test is about to begin."
"First, Chu Tiange."
The invigilator called a name at random.
Chu Tiange walked forward without expression and lay down inside the Detection Pod. The hatch closed at once.
About ten seconds later, the hatch opened. A flash of light appeared on the large screen, displaying the results.
[Candidate: Chu Tiange] [Blood Qi Value: 524] [Rating: Early Blood-Qi Realm]
"Hiss—"
Though they had already expected Chu Tiange's Blood Qi Value to be high, Zhou Qian and Zhao Qiang couldn't help drawing in sharp breaths when they saw the number with their own eyes. Wang Tao's eyes widened in shock, as if he couldn't believe someone could reach the Blood-Qi Realm while still in high school.
Lin Ye was shaken by the result too. He had suspected as much before, but actually seeing Chu Tiange display Blood-Qi Realm strength right in front of him still felt surreal. It brought home how this world was never short of geniuses.
The invigilator was also stunned by Chu Tiange's result. He stood there blankly for several seconds before calling Chu Tiange out. Chu Tiange himself showed no change in expression, as though he had merely completed some trivial task. He calmly stepped out of the Detection Pod and stood to one side.
"Second, Zhou Qian."
A moment later, the invigilator's voice rang out.
Zhou Qian steadied herself, then walked into the Detection Pod.
A moment later, the results appeared on the large screen.
[Candidate: Zhou Qian] [Blood Qi Value: 358] [Rating: Late Body Tempering Stage]
It was a good result, placing her among the top students in her senior year. Seeing it, a satisfied smile appeared on Zhou Qian's face.
"Third, Zhao Qiang."
The invigilator called out, and Zhao Qiang went in and lay down.
[Candidate: Zhao Qiang] [Blood Qi Value: 381] [Rating: Late Body Tempering Stage]
A Blood Qi Value of 381—higher even than Zhou Qian's. Zhao Qiang's hand curled into a fist, and he was very pleased with the result. It made him feel that all his hard work these past few days had paid off.
"Fourth, Wang Tao."
At the invigilator's call, Wang Tao took a deep breath and walked over, though his back looked somewhat stiff.
A moment later, the large screen flashed.
[Candidate: Wang Tao] [Blood Qi Value: 192] [Rating: Body Forging Mid-Stage]
Wang Tao's face paled slightly when he saw the number on the screen, but he quickly regained his composure. There was even a hint of relief on his face.
He had actually accepted reality long ago. Still, when he saw the number, he couldn't help feeling disappointed. As he came out, he even gave Lin Ye a wry smile.
Lin Ye fell silent. He could well understand how Wang Tao felt. Without his cheat, he wouldn't even have done as well as Wang Tao.
"Fifth, Lin Ye."
A moment later, the invigilator's voice rang out.
Lin Ye calmly walked toward the Detection Pod. Behind him stood Zhou Qian and Zhao Qiang, who had already completed their tests. Their attention was now fixed on him. Since they were in the same class as Lin Ye, they knew he had made great progress in the last major exam. But they had no idea how much he had improved this time, so they were quite curious about his test result.
Zhao Qiang in particular stared at Lin Ye's back, his lowered hands clenched tightly. His gaze held not only curiosity and scrutiny, but also a trace of anticipation.
Lin Ye reached the Detection Pod and lay down inside as instructed. It was quiet within, without the roar of machinery. Only a beam of green light swept across his body.
A few seconds later, the results appeared.
[Candidate: Lin Ye] [Blood Qi Value: 335] [Rating: Late Body Tempering Stage]
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