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Chapter 10: Disqualified
After standing around for several hours, a figure wearing black robes descended from the sky and hovered above the tens of thousands of people at the entrance exam area.
"The entrance exam for the Fleeting Sword Sect will officially begin after I give a brief explanation about the exam," said the middle-aged man in the sky.
"The first and second exams will test your Dantian's capacity and your cultivation talents. In the third exam, you will be given seven days to study one of our sect's basic sword techniques. At the end, you will be evaluated on your execution of the technique. The final exam will be explained to you if you pass the third exam."
"Those of you that are in the front, you will follow our disciple in the green uniform to the first exam site." The middle-aged man pointed towards the north, where a handsome young man was hovering on a sword.
The young disciple waved at the crowd and spoke in a loud and clear voice, "Follow me in a single-file line."
He turned around and began slowly flying further north, followed by a seemingly never-ending line of people.
Su Yang was located in the middle of the crowd, so he wouldn't move for a very long time.
Meanwhile, the young disciple guided the crowd another 20 miles north, leading them to an expansive platform where 50 examiners were gathered. These examiners were all disciples of the Fleeting Sword Sect, and each of them stood before a jade pedestal with a green crystal resting on it.
However, that wasn't all, as there were dozens of Sect Elders encircling the platform as spectators.
The examinees nervously swallowed as their eyes fell upon the Sect Elders. Despite being mere mortals, they could keenly perceive the profound aura emanating from these elders.
The young disciple that led them to the exam site jumped off his sword and landed in front of the person at the very front of the line.
"If you are at the front of the line and there's an open spot, you will take that spot. If there are no spots available, wait until one opens up. Simple, right? Now go."
The young disciple gestured for the examinees to approach the pedestals on the platform.
The moment someone reached the pedestal, the examiner said, "Place your hand on the crystal."
The primary objective of the first exam was to filter out individuals without a Dantian. Although it might seem like common sense to participate in the entrance exam only if one possessed a Dantian, there were always those who either lacked common sense or could not afford the test prior to the entrance exam.
Statistically, only approximately 60 percent of examinees pass the first exam.
If the examinee passes the first exam, they will immediately begin the second exam, where the capacity of their Dantian will be evaluated.
In the cultivation world, the vast majority of cultivators only have a small-sized Dantian. However, even among those with a small-sized Dantian, distinctions exist. Each Dantian size is categorized into three ranks: inferior, average, and superior.
Individuals with an average rank Dantian not only have a greater capacity for Profound Qi but also absorb it at a faster rate compared to those with an inferior rank Dantian.
As for the Fleeting Sword Sect's requirements, only those with an average rank Dantian are qualified to pass. Statistically, about 30 percent of examinees who passed the first exam will pass the second exam.
"Inferior medium-sized Dantian. Pass."
"Inferior small-sized Dantian. Fail."
"Superior small-sized Dantian. Pass."
"Average medium-sized Dantian. Pass."
"Inferior small-sized Dantian. Fail."
The examinees who passed the second exam are taken to another area, where they will be given a week to learn a sword technique. As for the Sect Elders watching, they are mostly there to scout for talented examinees so they know who to look out for in the future. Additionally, the Sect Elders at the exam site are only a fraction of the entire audience with the others watching from a different location.
Naturally, Senior Wu was amongst these spectators. He was watching through a projection from a treasure that showed the exam site.
"Are you looking for the one with the Perfect Sword Body, Master? What if he's already been accepted into the sect with the help of your medallion?" The young lady who was with Senior Wu when he met Su Yang also happened to be there.
"I would've been notified if that was the case, and he implied that he would be partaking in the entrance exam." Senior Wu sighed as he combed his beard with his fingers.
When Senior Wu still couldn't find Su Yang after watching for several hours, he stood up from his seat and said to his disciple, "Since the view is fixed on the exam site, I cannot see the examinees waiting in line. In that case, I will go there and take a look myself."
"Seriously...?" The young lady looked at her impatient master with a look of disbelief on her pretty face, his figure quickly disappearing from her view.
Meanwhile, Su Yang was still amongst the crowd at the beginning. Even though several hours had passed, he not only didn't advance but even took several steps back because people were cutting the line, as there were no supervisors in that area to watch over them.
"Who dares to block my—Ji Huan's path?! Get out of my way!"
"Scram, you trash bastards!"
Those from wealthy and prominent backgrounds forced their way to the front of the line with the help of their bodyguards.
'It will take days to reach the first exam at this rate!' Su Yang cried inwardly.
Eventually, Su Yang resolved himself and started pushing his way forward.
"Fuck! Who just pushed me?!"
"Who dares to cut me?!"
"Ah! Someone just touched my butt!"
It took Su Yang all of his strength and effort to reach the front of the crowd, and it was only a matter of time before he entered the single-file line.
Just as Su Yang entered the real line for the exam, Senior Wu arrived at the scene.
The Sect Elders and disciples were greatly surprised by his unexpected appearance and immediately went to greet him, even halting the exam temporarily to do so.
"This disciple greets the Grand Elder!"
"What brings you out here, Grand Elder?"
However, Senior Wu gestured for them to leave and said, "Act like I am not even here."
He then scanned the crowd with his cultivation, allowing him to look at hundreds of individuals at once and with clarity, as though he had hundreds of eyes.
'Found him!'
It didn't take long for Senior Wu to find Su Yang due to his mask.
'This boy... Why is he waiting in line when he already has my medallion? Does he not know its influence and power...?' Senior Wu shook his head inwardly, yet he was relieved to see Su Yang, as he was beginning to worry that Su Yang wasn't going to show up.
After confirming Su Yang's presence at the entrance exam, Senior Wu went to the exam site and patiently waited for Su Yang's turn.
'Since I am already here, I might as well watch his evaluation in person,' he thought to himself as he took a seat.
When the disciples saw this, they straightened their backs and stiffened their expressions, even becoming harsher with their evaluations.
After several hours of waiting, Su Yang arrived at the front of the line. When it was finally his turn, he approached the empty pedestal with excitement.
However, upon reaching the examiner, he was met with a frown and a remark, "Why are you wearing a mask? Do you think you're special or something?"
"I burned my face really badly when I was young..."
"I don't care! Take it off or walk away!" The examiner shouted at him.
Yet, Su Yang found it exceptionally hard to take off his mask, especially after his little lie just a few seconds ago. If he were to unveil his face after asserting it was badly burned, the examiner would undoubtedly perceive it as mockery.
After a moment of silence, Su Yang asked, "Is there a rule stating that I cannot wear a mask during the entrance exam?"
The examiner immediately became enraged and shouted angrily, "An examinee like you dare to question me about our rules?! Get out of my face! You are disqualified!"
"What?!" Su Yang exclaimed, feeling like he'd been wronged.