C16 Qualification

As the chief examiner made his announcement, many in the room were left completely stunned. Some hadn't even begun to cut open their raw stones, and now, due to the commotion, the chief examiner was ending the assessment prematurely.

They were devastated by the outcome, regretting that their curiosity had led to such trouble.

"It's all that kid's fault. If it weren't for him, how could we have missed this chance?"

The disappointed contestants quickly directed their anger toward Huah Yunfei.

Indeed, it was Huah Yunfei who had sparked the disturbance that had so irritated the chief examiner, leading to the current predicament.

The group vented their frustration at Huah Yunfei with considerable resentment.

The chief examiner's authoritative gaze swept over them once more.

As they met his stern look, their faces instantly transformed.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let's move on to the evaluation!" he commanded.

At his behest, the participants lined up in five rows for their evaluations.

"These are three Spirit Stones, but the quality is just too poor! You're eliminated!"

The first contestant was promptly dismissed for the subpar quality of his Spirit Stones.

The next contestant, standing beside the examiner, nervously presented his three raw stones.

The examiner, unimpressed, furrowed his brow and sent the man flying with a swift palm strike, "You dare mock me! Who is here to appraise, you or me?"

Struggling to his feet, the contestant spat blood and protested, "My lord examiner, it's all that young man's fault. He's the one who delayed our appraisal of the raw stones."

"Next!" The examiner dismissed him without a second glance and called forward the next contestant.

One by one, each contestant had their stones appraised. Out of fifty, only ten would remain; the rest faced elimination.

Watching person after person being dismissed, Huah Yunfei couldn't help but feel that the eliminations were excessive.

When it was finally his turn, he laid out two massive Spirit Stones before the chief examiner, who was visibly taken aback.

"You..." The examiner was at a loss for words, "You've certainly got nerve! To risk selecting two such large stones... Generally, the bigger the stone, the more likely it's just a common rock, and the cost is substantial. The risk of a loss is significant. Such recklessness is not suited for the responsibility of the Golden Stone Token. You're eliminated."

Upon hearing this, Huah Yunfei was completely dumbfounded. The agreement had been to judge the value based on the original stone, yet now, simply because he had selected two large stones, he found himself disqualified.

Huah Yunfei's brow furrowed in frustration. This was utterly unreasonable. He immediately began to object.

"Esteemed examiner, I do have some expertise in this area. I deduced that there are Spirit Stones within these two stones, but as you mentioned, there is an element of risk involved. However, I believe that the role of the Golden Stone Token inherently involves embracing challenges. If conservatism were the only requirement, then anyone could fill the position. Why then the need for such an elaborate selection process?"

He had come so far, and Huah Yunfei, who was so set on success, was not ready to accept such an abrupt elimination. He had made a promise to Xie Feiyu, and he was determined to exert every effort to fulfill that commitment.

The chief examiner's frown deepened as he regarded Huah Yunfei, who had the audacity to speak up against him.

"Sir Examiner, this young man is too insolent! As a bearer of the Golden Stone Token, one is expected to serve the kingdom and obey the orders of the Wu County Prefecture Governor. His behavior, openly challenging authority and his elders, is simply not befitting of the position," Lau Suifeng chimed in from behind, seizing the opportunity to kick Huah Yunfei while he was down.

Yet the chief examiner, still frowning, considered Huah Yunfei's discerning gaze and pondered his words.

After a brief silence, he nodded: "Very well, you've passed!"

At those words, Huah Yunfei let out a sigh of relief. He had been genuinely concerned. Had he encountered a vindictive examiner, one who refused to reconsider their decision, he would have had no opportunity to plead his case.

Huah Yunfei bowed deeply to the examiner in gratitude. "Thank you, Lord Examiner."

Turning to face Lau Suifeng, Huah Yunfei paused and said, "Young Master Lau, it seems I'm going to disappoint you this time! When it comes down to it, I have proven to be the superior candidate. As for your visit to Wu County, consider it a vacation."

Previously, Lau Suifeng had been the one taunting Huah Yunfei. Now, it was time for Huah Yunfei to strike back.

Lau Suifeng's face was a mask of anger. Had they not been within the confines of the prefectural governor's mansion, he would have already engaged in a brawl with Huah Yunfei.

"I'll now announce that only six individuals have passed this round. Those who have passed, please follow me to the next examination hall," the chief examiner declared, addressing everyone present.

Initially, there were ten available slots, yet only six had passed. It was evident that the examination had been particularly stringent, adhering to a policy of quality over quantity.

"Take some time to rest here! The upcoming test will require a significant amount of Spiritual Energy. Once you've all recovered, we'll proceed with the examination," the chief examiner instructed, leading the group to a martial arts field before allowing them to pause and recuperate.

The six candidates sat down cross-legged, focusing on replenishing the Spiritual Energy within their bodies. Having expended little energy so far, they soon ceased their meditative breathing and started speculating about the upcoming examination.

The content of the examination was a mystery to all, sparking intense curiosity among them.

The vast martial arts field was dotted with ten makeshift houses, clearly erected for temporary use.

"These ten rudimentary houses must correspond to the original ten slots. It looks like the next examination will take place inside these structures. What's with all the secrecy? What exactly are they planning?" pondered the candidates.

Huah Yunfei was not the only one to take note of the ten simple houses; the other five candidates had also observed them with clarity.

"Haha! I've figured out what the next test entails!" someone suddenly burst into laughter, clapping his hands with glee as he gazed at the simple houses ahead.

His outburst drew the attention of the others.

Huah Yunfei, intrigued, turned to look and was surprised to find that the jubilant figure was none other than Lau Suifeng.

"Spill the beans, what's it about?"

"Come on, don't keep us hanging!"

The group grew impatient, eager to learn what Lau Suifeng had deduced. They were keen to prepare themselves in advance to avoid being caught off guard.

Upon hearing those words, Lau Suifeng regarded them with contempt and stood up, chuckling mockingly.

"Have you guys lost your minds or something?"

His comment instantly provoked the ire of the four individuals. Clearly, Lau Suifeng's remark was directed at them, and they quickly stood in his way.

"Kid, why the arrogance? Don't think I can't handle you. So you're the third son of the City Lord? Do you really think you're something special just because of your father? Take a good look around. Once I get the Golden Stone Token, you're in for it."

"Oh, you're from the Buried City! What kind of talent could possibly come from such a backwater? Everyone, let's break it up. This kid's just making a scene. He doesn't know anything."

"If you mock me again, I swear I'll punch you dead!"

Among them, only one remained silent, arms crossed over his chest, not uttering a single word from start to finish.

The other three spared no effort in expressing their dissatisfaction with Lau Suifeng, not giving him any breaks despite his status as the City Lord's son.

Fuming at their taunts, Lau Suifeng retorted sharply, "Get this straight, there's only one Golden Stone Token up for grabs! Whoever comes out on top in this assessment will rightfully claim it! And you expect me to help my competition? Have you lost your minds?"

After giving them a piece of his mind, Lau Suifeng approached Huah Yunfei.

"Huah Yunfei, we're both from the Buried City. You heard them, didn't you? These guys don't give a damn about our home, calling us country bumpkins from nowhere. The Golden Stone Token is our ticket to making a name for ourselves. But too bad for you, running into me means that token is as good as mine."

Huah Yunfei let out a resigned sigh. Lau Suifeng, unable to find any sense of superiority among the others, had sought refuge in confronting him.

But Huah Yunfei was having none of it, responding with a cold laugh, "Young Master Lau, don't be so sure of yourself. Who the Golden Stone Token will go to is still up in the air. For all you know, the strength of the other four might just surpass yours."

"Hey! This guy sure has a way with words! Look at that dude, what on earth is he up to?"

Huah Yunfei's remarks quickly earned the admiration of the onlookers, who applauded in agreement.

"Just so you know, I've figured out what the next challenge is going to be! And I'm aware it's not exactly your forte!" Lau Suifeng, slightly irritated at first, raised his eyebrows and said to Huah Yunfei with a smug grin.

Upon hearing this, Huah Yunfei grew curious. Could it be that Lau Suifeng had actually figured out what the next event entailed?

This left him somewhat puzzled, and the others watched with bated breath, brimming with curiosity.

Glancing at the several houses, Huah Yunfei scoffed, "What does it matter if you've guessed it? When the time comes, the examiner will inform us all the same. The answer lies within those ten houses. Even if you've just come out, all you've done is learned it a bit earlier, which is meaningless."

Huah Yunfei's counterargument sparked a moment of clarity among the crowd. They had been so caught up in their curiosity that they hadn't considered this simple truth.

Lau Suifeng, too, had a moment of realization. With a frustrated raise of his eyebrows, he snapped, "Fine, Huah Yunfei. Go ahead and undermine me! Let's see how you handle weapon refining!"

At those words, Huah Yunfei felt his mind reel.

"Refining! I have no clue how to do that!"