C18 The Test!

Lin Xi disregarded the seething glares surrounding him and made his way to the end of the class line.

Observing Lin Xi's nonchalant demeanor, the academy's senior officials perched on the stage were taken aback. Could it be that this young man was unaware that today's test would determine his future at the academy?

"Lin Xi... The son of General Lin Sen, once a wastrel, and his father is none other than the Great General who recently plunged the entire capital into chaos. Like father, like son, they say. Heh, perhaps he's resigned to his fate," the third elder remarked with a sneer.

"Third elder, let's reserve judgment until the end. Otherwise, you might end up embarrassing yourself. If your son were missing, I doubt you'd fare any better than Great General Lin Sen, who, after all, is a defender of our borders," the second elder said calmly, casting a meaningful glance at Lin Xi, who stood with his head bowed and eyes closed, recalling his old friend Lin Xiong.

"Second elder... Don't pretend I'm unaware of your past friendship with Lin Xiong. Lin Xiong is gone, and what can his offspring stir up now?" retorted the third elder, his mouth twitching as he huffed, "Well, I do hope he manages to surprise me."

"Enough, time's up. Let's not waste any more time," the sixth elder interjected, cutting off their exchange.

The great elder gave a slight nod and rose to his feet, surveying the silent field before announcing in a resonant voice, "You are all the hope of the academy, the blossoms of the Celestial Enlightment Empire. You must understand the significance of the entrance exam. The academy conducts two exams: the Profound Examination and the Theory Examination.

Today, we are conducting the Profound Examination, which is a test of Clear Qi. The rules are straightforward: those who achieve the level of Purity Cultivator or higher will pass, while those who do not will fail. However, as per tradition, those who fall below the Purity Cultivator level may challenge those above it after the exam. A successful challenge will grant them passage to the qualified ranks! Those who fail to qualify will be subject to the academy's disciplinary measures."

"Since everyone is clear, let's begin the test!"

With the great elder's commanding voice, a wave of tension swept over the young men and women assembled on the field.

The field was predominantly occupied by the elite youth of the Celestial Enlightment Empire, including members of the royal family, nobility, and distinguished families. This test was, in many ways, a measure of the empire's upper echelons' prowess. Despite the College's efforts to maintain balance, the covert competition remained unchanged.

From the royal family to the six divisions, the Court of Judicial Review, and various imperial clans, representatives from nearly every power within the empire were present on the field, each engaged in their own struggles for influence.

The College prided itself on fairness, and though there were other fields, true fairness was relative. Nevertheless, the College strove for as much equity as possible.

Next to the purple stone tablet, the stoic examiner stepped forward, pulling a roll call from his pocket. His icy voice sent shivers down the spines of those whose names were called.

Lin Xi stood at the back of the line, his gaze calm as he observed his peers who were disheartened by their inadequate Clear Qi. He watched them with detachment, feeling no pity for those who reveled in belittling others less fortunate than themselves.

They never considered that one day, they too might face the same disappointment they inflicted on those beneath them.

"Cai Guanghui!" The examiner's frosty call prompted a slight arch in Cai Guanghui's brow, followed by a languid lift of his eyelids. The grandson of the Minister of War, Cai Si, he was known for his focus on military matters and his reputedly formidable martial skills, though he lacked real combat experience. His mastery of Clear Qi was strong, having been just below that of a Purity Cultivator a year prior.

"Young Master Lin, I've heard that Cai Guanghui has truly inherited his grandfather's talents. He might be a warrior on the battlefield someday," Lu Hao remarked.

"He's all theory, no practice," Lin Xi responded with a shake of his head. When it came to military strategy, no one had delved deeper into the subject than he had. Back on Earth, he was a military enthusiast, having poured over numerous texts on warfare, such as "The Art of War" by Sun Tzu and the "Thirty-Six Stratagems."

From a distance, several figures were quietly observing Lin Xi.

"Lin Xi seems different from before. How did he manage to survive in the Dark Void Abyss? Could our plan have failed? That's impossible... His father was practically losing his mind at court; the plan should have been a success. This Lin Xi... he's quite the enigma... He just doesn't seem the same as before!" Liu Linxiang mused internally. He wasn't concerned about the upcoming test; his aim was to gather some useful insights from it.

"Is that Lin Xi? He's returned!" Su Yan spotted Lin Xi among the crowd, her heart leaping with unexpected joy. She couldn't understand why seeing Lin Xi brought her such happiness. The sight of him always seemed to lift her spirits. Memories of their times in the Tripitaka Sutra Pavilion flooded her mind.

"Purity Cultivator: Initial Stage!" The purple stone tablet erupted in a blaze of light, the bold and stately characters floating on its surface.

"Cai Guanghui: Purity Cultivator, qualified!" The stoic examiner glanced at the tablet and nodded slightly before announcing in a resonant voice.

Cai Guanghui breathed a sigh of relief at the examiner's words, and a look of pride quickly spread across his young face. In just one year, he had advanced from the ninth level of Clear Qi to Purity Cultivator, a feat that placed him among the elite of the Celestial Enlightment Empire's nobility. With such an exceptional accomplishment, it was no surprise he felt a deep sense of satisfaction.

"I've upheld my family's honor!"

The examiner's announcement stirred up a buzz across the field, with many envious eyes turning towards Cai Guanghui.

Yet, there were also looks of indifference and scorn. Princess Jinger, the three princes, and Liu Linxiang all shared this dismissive gaze.

With a sense of contentment, Cai Guanghui made his way to the area designated for those who had qualified.

Following Cai Guanghui's high point, out of the several dozen participants that came after, only one achieved the rank of Purity Cultivator; the others were all eliminated.

"Zhao Yuelun: Purity Cultivator, qualified!" The crowd stirred once again.

Zhao Yuelun cast a proud and indifferent glance at Lin Xi, exuding an air of natural superiority. His demeanor seemed to say: "Lin Xi, you're not even in the same league as me, Zhao Yuelun."

"Hmm? Is that so... I'll make sure you find out!" Lin Xi stated coolly, his face devoid of emotion.

"Young Master Lin, should we call it quits on the test? I can round up some guys to teach him a lesson!" Lu Hao was clearly not pleased with Zhao Yuelun's smug look.

"No need, he'll be wallowing in his own disgrace soon enough!" Lin Xi didn't even spare Zhao Yuelun a glance, his face the epitome of a smirking scoundrel.

The examiner then announced several more results, each one bringing the examination to a new peak of excitement.

"Eldest Prince: Purity Cultivator Late Period..."

"Second Prince: Purity Cultivator Late Period..."

"Third Prince: Purity Cultivator Late Period..."

Surprisingly, the results for all three princes were identical.

"Imperial power..." Lin Xi mused to himself. He was aware that in the ancient Celestial Enlightment Empire, imperial power was supreme. However, on the Clear Profound Continent, if one's cultivation was sufficiently strong, it could surpass even that.

Yet, the three princes were visibly discontent, exchanging glances filled with animosity, prompting the senior officials on the platform to shake their heads in disapproval.

Truth be told, none of the princes should have passed, but for various reasons, the academy chose to overlook the underhanded dealings.

"Princess Jinger: Purity Cultivator Middle Period." As the examiner's voice rang out, Lin Xi's gaze turned icy. He stared at Princess Jinger, whose cunning nature was now apparent. Her face betrayed her true manipulative character.

Lin Xi's fists tightened, his eyes tinged with anger. He longed to confront the princess who had wronged him, to give her a taste of her own medicine. But he had to restrain himself; impatience would only disrupt his greater plans. He lacked the power now, but once he gained enough strength to rise above the imperial authority, he would have his chance to retaliate and ensure Princess Jinger paid dearly for her actions.

Princess Jinger, feeling Lin Xi's stare, simply sneered and looked away, her indifference cutting deep. In her eyes, Lin Xi was nothing more than a frivolous noble, unworthy of pursuing her, the imperial family's prized jewel. She thought him delusional for even trying.

"Young Master Lin, stay calm!" Lu Hao could distinctly sense the murderous aura emanating from Lin Xi.

Lin Xi inhaled deeply, steadying himself.

"This Lin Xi is something else," Liu Linxiang mused to himself as he covertly watched Lin Xi.

"Su Yan: Purity Cultivator Late Period," announced the examiner in a measured tone.

Lin Xi's gaze shifted to the field where he spotted a graceful figure—Su Yan.

"It's her..." Lin Xi's heart skipped a beat. His mood seemed to be swayed as he envisioned tender moments, and a smile unwittingly graced his lips.

"Su Yan, the granddaughter of Minister of Revenue Su Ming, is the Sunn family's pride and joy," Lu Hao explained.

"Young Master Lin, you don't mean..."

"I... I'm not sure," Lin Xi replied quietly. He genuinely didn't know. He sensed an unexplainable affection for Su Yan, yet it was indescribable.

Standing at the end of the line, Lin Xi noticed the queue dwindling as fewer people remained to be tested. His attention remained fixed on the nobles as they continued to step forward for their assessments.

To cultivate Clear Qi to the level of a Purity Cultivator by eighteen required notable talent, and even then, success wasn't guaranteed. Not everyone could possess such gifts, and even within the Celestial Enlightment Empire's capital, only about thirty to forty percent met the criteria.

This implied that many would be departing from the academy.

With an increasing number of failures, a somber mood settled over the field. Those who hadn't passed wore dejected expressions, yet a hint of schadenfreude flickered across their faces each time another candidate was disqualified.

Lin Xi's legs grew weary; he had lost interest in the ongoing evaluations. Out of the several hundred participants, merely a handful had achieved the rank of Purity Cultivator, and none had yet reached the status of Great Purity Cultivator.

As the field thinned out with fewer names left to be called, one individual was summoned and completed their test.

"Liu Linxiang: Early Great Purity Cultivator!"

The crowd erupted into a commotion. This individual had achieved the highest Clear Qi Cultivation Level in the test, nearly the strongest among them, elevating the test to a new climax.

Yet, Liu Linxiang remained unflustered, as if everything was unfolding naturally. Even under the scrutiny of the three princes, he maintained his composure. His Clear Qi Cultivation progressed rapidly, placing him among the elite of the Celestial Enlightment Empire, which sparked envy in many, though they kept their feelings hidden. After all, Liu Linxiang was a figure even the Emperor held in high regard.

As the test neared its conclusion, Lin Xi was taken aback to see that Lu Hao had also passed. Upon reflection, Lin Xi realized it wasn't all that surprising. As the grandson of Minister of Works Lu Hong, it wasn't beyond the realm of possibility for Lu Hong to use his influence to ensure Lu Hao's success. Such practices were an open secret within the academy, which often turned a blind eye to them.

With each passing moment, the number of candidates left unsummoned dwindled. Eventually, only a handful remained, Lin Xi among them.

The final young man nearby rose to take his test, but after a short while, he too returned, dejected and unsuccessful.

In truth, everyone was well aware that the last dozen or so places were occupied by the lowest echelons of the empire's nobility. If not for the sake of maintaining a façade of fairness, it's possible these spots would have been summarily dismissed.