"It really is Tang Yi of the Tang Family!"
"My heavens, this is the most incredible thing I’ve ever seen."
"A piece of trash who can’t cultivate got a waiver? You’ve got to be kidding me."
"It’s rigged! Absolutely rigged! I won’t accept this!"
When Tang Yi stepped forward, the discussions surged, growing louder and louder. The entire plaza buzzed with noise, like a chaotic marketplace.
The expressions of the four young geniuses standing with Tang Yi also turned sour.
They had received waivers, a symbol of their recognized strength, but...
What was the meaning of a piece of trash standing together with them?
Were they supposed to be on the same level as this good-for-nothing? Wouldn’t that mean they were trash, too?
That was why their faces were grim, but they didn’t say anything. After all, up on the high platform, Chief Examiner Wang Zongyao was still watching.
They couldn’t just loudly vent their dissatisfaction for the Chief Examiner to see, could they?
On the high platform, the Patriarchs of several Noble Families also had varied expressions, their thoughts unknown. Although they didn’t question Wang Zongyao’s decision, you could still see a hint of displeasure on their faces.
Others were not so restrained. Besides the clamoring spectators, the young geniuses participating in the qualification exam also broke into endless discussion, all of them looking at Tang Yi with contempt.
Of course, among them, Su Jian of the Su Family and Fan Chun of the Fan Family were making the biggest scene.
They both had run-ins with Tang Yi yesterday. Now, having a pretext to ridicule and question him was simply too satisfying.
Cursing him out felt incredibly good!
They even subtly hinted that Tang Yi had appeared at a Branch Mansion of the West Mansion yesterday, and they had seen him there.
This hint instantly made most people realize something, as if a light had gone on.
The crowd grew even more ferocious, everyone fervently and tirelessly shouting about some shady deal or inside arrangement between Tang Yi and the West Mansion.
Although the West Mansion was the sky of the Western Domain and everyone held it in great awe, being able to deliver a slap in the face to the West Mansion was still extremely gratifying for some of the common folk. It could satisfy their fragile egos.
"See that? I’ve even cursed out the West Mansion, and they have to listen to us."
This was exactly the mentality. It was why no matter where you went, there would always be some rabble-rousers who loved to jump on the bandwagon and slander the official powers that be.
"Senior Brother Wang... this Tang Yi was always a good-for... an ordinary person who couldn’t cultivate. It’s certainly astonishing that he’s participating in the qualification exam, but... giving him a waiver is a bit inappropriate, isn’t it? This will make Fengyue City a laughingstock."
Master Zhu Yan furrowed his brow, staring intently at Tang Yi. He knew Wang Zongyao had met with Tang Yi yesterday, but he never expected that Wang Zongyao had reached such an agreement with him.
To actually give Tang Yi a waiver spot...
"Do I need you to tell me whether he’s trash or not?" Wang Zongyao shot Zhu Yan a fierce glare and said, "I have my own judgment in this matter. Besides, a waiver doesn’t mean he’s guaranteed a spot to go to the Headquarter. If he’s not good enough, he’ll naturally be defeated in the third round."
Though he said that, Wang Zongyao thought to himself, ’Tang Yi, defeated? What a joke. He’s a Nine-star Battle Spirit whose strength can match a Battle King. He even slew a Battle King with a Slaying Strike. Even I am no match for him. How could he possibly be defeated?’
"Er." Seeing Wang Zongyao speak so firmly, Zhu Yan couldn’t say anything more. He could only frown at Tang Yi in silence.
Meanwhile, the scene was still a chaotic mess, and order had not yet been restored. Some spectators even looked like they wanted to leave the stands and walk to the center of the arena to protest.
Were they looking to die?
"Hmph!"
Seeing that both the participants and the spectators were dissatisfied with his decision, Wang Zongyao let out a cold snort. The aura of a Battle King erupted from him, spreading out in all directions.
At that moment, everyone below the high platform, except for Tang Yi, felt an immense pressure, as if a great mountain was crushing them. They couldn’t even breathe. A few of the weaker ones fell directly to their knees, their foreheads beaded with sweat.
The distant spectators felt their bodies become as heavy as mountains; even opening their mouths was an incredibly difficult task.
In an instant, the entire venue fell silent. Everyone had submitted to the pressure of the Battle King’s aura.
Once everyone had quieted down, Wang Zongyao withdrew his aura and spoke. "Who receives a waiver is a matter for the Chief Examiner to decide. There is no need for your commentary. If you feel that one of the five standing before you lacks the strength, then simply defeat him in the third round of the exam!"
The pressure bearing down on everyone dissipated, and they all breathed a sigh of relief, finally recovering. No matter how dissatisfied they were with what Wang Zongyao had said, they no longer dared to say another word.
After all, it was just as Wang Zongyao had said: deciding who gets a waiver was the West Mansion Chief Examiner’s business. It didn’t mean that receiving a waiver guaranteed a spot to go to the Headquarter; they still had to pass the third round.
If they couldn’t pass the third round, what was the use of waiving the first and second?
Now, if they felt Tang Yi was unqualified, they just had to defeat him in the third round.
Having figured this out, the young geniuses participating in the qualification exam weren’t so resentful anymore. As for the spectators, after experiencing that mountain-like pressure in the presence of such experts, they didn’t dare cause a disturbance either.
Seeing that order had been instantly restored, Wang Zongyao nodded with satisfaction. He then announced to the crowd below, "The five of you, rest on the side for now and wait for the third round to begin. As for everyone else, you will now proceed with the first round of the exam in order!"
Hearing this, Tang Yi and the other four moved away from the arena to watch from the side.
Under the West Mansion’s arrangements, the young participants in the center of the arena began the exam in an orderly fashion.
The content of the first round was a Power test.
Participants needed to lift a massive stone weighing nearly three hundred jin. As long as they could lift it, they would pass the test!
Three hundred jin was no easy task for a group of young participants at the Battle Master level.
The first participant stepped up.
He was a disciple from one of the Noble Families. His arms were thick and his posture was upright; he looked quite strong.
Furthermore, this disciple from a Noble Family had reached the level of a Three-Star Battle Master.
To have such strength at his age made him one of the young talents of Fengyue City, even if he wasn’t among the absolute top tier of his generation.
He walked up to the huge stone placed there by the West Mansion, gripped it with both arms, and clenched his teeth, wanting to lift it in one go.
"HAH!"
The disciple from the Noble Family shouted and abruptly exerted his strength.
Unfortunately, the massive stone didn’t budge. He had failed...
The disciple dejectedly walked off the arena, and it was the next participant’s turn.
The exam continued in an orderly manner...
For Tang Yi and the other four, this was all quite boring.
Just then, a voice spoke coldly beside Tang Yi’s ear. "Tang Yi, do you think you deserve to be watching from here?"

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