Haoyue Branch Hall!
Balza led Yang Tian into the Branch Temple, a building with a formal architectural style and a strictly ordered layout.
The man who received them was a stern-looking third-tier professional who appeared to be in his thirties or forties.
After Balza and Yang Tian gave a simple Knight Salute, Balza said, "Greetings, honored Knight! We've come from the Odin Sub-Temple to take the Squire examination!"
Yang Tian looked at the Knight, and the Knight looked back at him.
Upon reaching the third tier, one could apparently stay at a Branch Temple and take on certain jobs.
But that meant missing out on joining a Demon Hunt Squad.
Working in the rear was safe and stable, but it also meant giving up a journey filled with danger and the many opportunities offered by a Demon Hunt Squad.
Opportunities to improve one's strength, choose secret techniques, obtain better positions, and so on.
Serving in a Demon Hunt Squad was a trial even the Holy Temple's senior leadership had to undergo.
"This way. Submit your documents, then we'll begin the test!" At last, the cold-faced older man spoke.
Yang Tian paused, quietly glancing around and studying his surroundings.
In the end, he saw no models of the Six Divine Throne.
He could not help feeling a little disappointed.
Finally, the three of them entered the Squire Examination Room on the ground floor.
Balza knew the procedure well and had all the documents ready.
However, he had increased Yang Tian's age slightly.
He had added five years, listing Yang Tian as twelve in the documents.
With Yang Tian's small build, he looked about that age anyway. No one would notice anything amiss.
Balza had therefore already explained this to Yang Tian once. Otherwise, if the documents were rejected, he would not even be allowed to take the examination.
Passing the Squire examination meant preparing for awakening. The Branch Temple would arrange each Squire's awakening according to his age and spiritual power.
"All right. Strike the Test Pillar with your sword. This Testing Device can measure spiritual power up to three hundred!"
The Knight spoke flatly.
Balza looked at Yang Tian and motioned for him to begin the examination.
Generally, age was a primary consideration in a Squire examination.
Balza did not know that if the Branch Temple discovered Yang Tian's exceptionally high external spiritual power and young age, he would receive special attention.
But there were advantages and disadvantages. Balza had thought only of the drawbacks and falsified Yang Tian's age out of concern for him.
Yang Tian nodded, then stepped forward.
Without rushing, he respectfully gave the Knight a Knight Salute.
Seeing that someone so young possessed a Knight's humility, the stern man gave a slight nod.
"Begin!" the Knight said.
He did not rush Yang Tian, instead allowing him time to prepare. There was only one chance to take the examination.
"Yes, honored Knight!" Yang Tian nodded in reply.
Then he drew the Fine Iron Sword from his back!
Smack!
With a full-force strike, the Fine Iron Sword slammed into the stone pillar.
Hummm!
Accompanied by a series of hums, a stone bead shot upward.
Balza watched expectantly as well.
At the Odin Sub-Temple, Yang Tian's reading had already exceeded the testing machine's limit. He certainly had at least one hundred points of spiritual power.
But how far beyond one hundred was he? Balza was eager to see how much Yang Tian had grown in the two years since he began meditation.
Finally, the stone bead stopped.
The Knight lost his composure.
"O-one hundred and eighty-three points of spiritual power!"
That made him a level-eight Squire! This was hardly someone just starting out with his Squire examination.
Then he looked at Balza, seemingly suspecting that Balza had specially trained the boy.
His spiritual power was simply too high!
The machine could not have malfunctioned.
But a Squire with spiritual power at this level required further investigation.
"One hundred and eighty-three!" Balza was also so shocked that he lost his composure.
The Knight stared at him, and Balza suddenly looked back at the Knight.
Finally, both turned to Yang Tian in unison.
Yang Tian gave an awkward smile and thought, This has nothing to do with me!
Was doing too well in this examination a mistake?
Usually, those taking the Squire examination had just over one hundred points of spiritual power. Very few reached level two.
Reaching level eight straight away was indeed rather excessive.
If only I'd known, I would have listed Yang Tian as seventeen or eighteen!
Balza was filled with regret. Yang Tian's talent truly defied all reason, yet Balza had witnessed it firsthand.
If the other children worked as hard and diligently as Yang Tian, perhaps all of them could have come to take the Squire examination!
"You've passed the examination. However, we need to confirm a few things and review the examinee's information before awarding the Squire Badge."
At last, the cold-faced Knight spoke solemnly.
If someone reached level-eight Squire in his teens, he would certainly become a Knight before twenty and could become a Grand Knight in the future.
Balza nodded. "All right. We'll fully cooperate with you, honored Knight!"
Then the Knight led Balza and Yang Tian to a waiting room!
They waited a short while!
The Knight who had left returned with a Grand Knight.
A Grand Knight was a fourth-tier professional.
Balza felt apprehensive as well. If only he had not falsified the age!
"This is the chief official in charge of our Squire examinations! Next, he and I will question you separately!"
The Knight introduced the Grand Knight.
Then the two were separated.
The chief official was the one who questioned Yang Tian.
"Hello. First of all, I'm very pleased that you passed the Squire examination! My name is Lin Zhan. You can also call me Uncle Mu!"
The middle-aged man introduced himself. Having cultivated to the fourth tier, his appearance was not particularly unattractive.
Yang Tian nodded. "Greetings, honored Grand Knight. I will answer all your questions truthfully! I swear on a Knight's honor that everything I say is true!"
The Grand Knight nodded, then took out the documents the Knight had prepared.
"Hmm, your name is Yang Tian, correct?"
"Yes!"
"How old are you this year?"
"Seven!"
The questions and answers proceeded smoothly.
But the question of his age immediately revealed far too much.
The honesty a Knight was required to uphold did not allow Yang Tian to lie.
At that moment, Yang Tian's heart was filled with sincerity.
"Seven. Hmm!" The Grand Knight nodded and was about to continue questioning him.
Then his eyes widened, and he suddenly looked at Yang Tian.
The documents clearly said twelve!
"What did you say!" Lin Zhan, who had appeared so calm, suddenly stood up.
He was extremely excited!
Seven years old-a level-eight Squire at seven! What monstrous talent was that!
But he did not know that Yang Tian had begun learning about Squires at three and had studied diligently for three years!
"My real age is seven!"
"Honored Grand Knight, Instructor Balza put that age in the documents so I could get through the examination smoothly. Please don't blame or punish my instructor. He was looking out for me..."
Yang Tian continued honestly, his face so innocent that he seemed untouched by the harsh realities of life.
However, it was precisely the way he had trained his heart that brought him closer to nature.
"All right. Your situation is already beyond what I can handle."
"You and your instructor may need to wait a little longer. I must report this to the Temple Master!"
"Child, thank you for your honesty as well. You're a good boy, and your instructor is a good instructor!"
Finally, Lin Zhan spoke earnestly.
He asked Yang Tian to wait, found the Knight, verified the information, and then reported it.
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