On the streets of Divine Capital at dawn, Li Qingxian swayed gently with the horse's gait and said, "Our Eighth Rank Azure Cloud Examination is still the same old three things—very simple. Fight a few puppets, test your strength, then have a simple match. But the Seventh Rank Myriad Phenomena Azure Cloud Examination is different. Bai Ge, don't let your guard down."
Song Baige said, "What can we do about it? No one knows where the Myriad Phenomena Diagram will appear each time it opens, and the rules are made up on the spot. Still, be careful yourself. Don't capsize in a gutter. Every year, some especially favored candidate stumbles and falls."
"I know. That's why I brought plenty of talisman paper. Once the examination starts, I'll draw talismans first," Li Qingxian said.
"You're really fucking promising," Song Baige said, torn between laughter and tears.
Qiu Ye smiled. "I think that's quite good. A careful sailor sails for ten thousand years. Qingxian is a Fate Arts Master; he was never good at fighting to begin with. Though his Daoist arts are powerful, there simply isn't enough time in the Azure Cloud Examination or in battle for him to set up an altar and cast spells. Talismans are still more useful."
Laughing and chatting, the group rode out of Divine Capital through the western gate and slowly headed toward the Lower Rank Azure Cloud Examination grounds.
With so many people in the convoy, they traveled slowly and had covered only a little over fifty li by noon.
At mealtime, the convoy stopped in the wasteland beside the official road, and everyone took out the dry provisions and cold food they had prepared.
Song Baige and the others, however, came empty-handed and gathered around Li Qingxian.
"Our meals for the next few