Meanwhile, in a secret chamber deep within the Examination Hall, the atmosphere was so heavy it felt like it might start to drip.
The lamps were brightly lit, stretching the shadows of the three examiners long across the room.
The results for the first two of the Daoist School’s three assessments were settled, leaving no room for dispute.
The third pass, however, was unique.
The results for the Heart Inquiry Pass weren’t based on a fixed standard; they were determined solely by the examiners.
The three of them would each give an evaluation, and once there were no disagreements, the result would be considered final.
Therefore, the results for this pass could not be given on the spot, and the final rankings could only be determined after multiple discussions.
But at this very moment, the three were at odds.
Zhang Cheng, Li Wenyuan, and Zhao Wu sat around a circular table. A Law Net projection hovered above the tabletop, repeatedly playing the moment Chu Bai broke free from the illusion in the Heart Inquiry Pass.
"Freeze frame."
Zhang Cheng spoke in a deep voice, lightly tapping a finger on the tabletop.
The projection froze on the instant Chu Bai opened his eyes.
Those eyes were crystal clear, without a trace of confusion, only a firm, unyielding resolve.
"What do you two think?" Zhang Cheng’s gaze swept over the other two.
"How else could we see it?" Li Wenyuan slapped his folding fan heavily against his palm, his tone excited. "He broke free from the illusion in less than the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea, and his Dao Heart is pure and untainted. Such a disposition is as rare as a phoenix feather even in the Prefecture City’s Daoist School! I believe he should be graded Class A!"
"Class A?"
Zhang Cheng’s brow furrowed, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the rim of his teacup. "Brother Li, do you understand the weight of a ’Class A’ grade?
It’s been ten years since the Anping County Daoist School selection has produced a Class A in the Heart Inquiry Pass. By convention, only a genius with the potential for Foundation Establishment, or even the aptitude for the Purple Mansion realm, deserves such an evaluation."
"And you think he doesn’t deserve it?" Li Wenyuan retorted. "He got an Upper-Class A in the first pass, Qi Absorption, and a Lower-Class A in the second, Spirit Control. If we give him another Class A for this third pass, he’ll be the undisputed top of the list! If we rated such a prospect as Upper-Class B, wouldn’t we be burying his talent?"
"Whether he deserves it or not isn’t for us to decide."
Zhao Wu, who had been silent all this time, finally spoke, his voice a low rumble. "Old Li, don’t forget the rules. To grant a Class A for the Heart Inquiry Pass, we must report it to the State Daoist School and ask the presiding official there to make the final judgment. If the official approves, then all is well. But if it’s rejected..."
Zhao Wu glanced at Zhang Cheng and said meaningfully, "’Poor judgment of character, reckless evaluation of talent.’ If we get saddled with that label, our performance reviews for the year will be ruined. We could even be held accountable."
This wasn’t an empty threat. Although he too valued Chu Bai highly, it was clear that reporting this for a higher ruling was a significant risk.
Zhang Cheng nodded. This was precisely his concern.
He had always been cautious, and now as the County Captain, he felt as though he were treading on thin ice, unable to afford the slightest mistake.
Chu Bai was indeed outstanding. ’But is it worth taking such a career-threatening risk for a lower-class youth?’
"An Upper-Class B is already a very high evaluation," Zhang Cheng said slowly. "With his scores from the first two passes, his total score will still be the highest, so it won’t affect his selection. Why must we fight over an empty title?"
"This isn’t an empty title! It’s about respecting a genius! It’s also about fighting for more resources for him!"
Li Wenyuan stood up and looked Zhang Cheng straight in the eye, his tone growing sharp. "County Captain Zhang, you’re also aware that the quotas were cut this year. You know how the Prefecture City looks down on us subsidiary counties!
If we don’t even dare to fight for our own promising prospects, what kind of talent will Anping County ever produce in the future? Are we just going to stand by and watch those noble family descendants monopolize all the resources?"
"This..." Zhang Cheng was at a loss for words.
"Besides, this boy roared ’Forward!’ in the Illusion Realm. Hasn’t his pure Dao Heart moved you two?" Li Wenyuan’s voice grew low. "If we give him an Upper-Class B out of cowardice, and the Daoist School discovers in a future review that we underestimated him, that would be a true dereliction of duty! I, Li Wenyuan, am willing to bear that responsibility!"
The secret chamber fell into a brief, deathly silence.
Zhang Cheng looked at Li Wenyuan’s resolute gaze, then back at the face of the young man in the projection.
He recalled his own youth, when he too had been that spirited and full of vigor, only to be gradually polished into a smooth and worldly man by the grind of officialdom.
Indeed, whether they gave Chu Bai the Class A grade or not, his admission to the Daoist School was already set in stone.
But could the attention and resources one would receive for entering with three Class A scores possibly be the same?
A single choice could determine the future growth of a promising seed.
An examiner’s role wasn’t just to decide grades; otherwise, how could they earn the title of Master?
To be accepted into their hall for teaching is to be as a student sitting at their feet.
Those who became accomplished cultivators were willing to acknowledge the favor of such a Master precisely because that Master had the discerning eye to recognize a gem and not let it be obscured by dust.
’Besides, just as Li Wenyuan said, if we make an unfair decision out of a moment of cowardice, wouldn’t that also be a dereliction of duty?’
SIGH...
Zhang Cheng let out a long sigh. The hesitation in his eyes gradually faded, replaced by a long-lost decisiveness.
"Forget it. Brother Li is right. The quotas may be cut, but our spirit can’t be broken. If there’s truly a hidden dragon in the abyss, we, as elders, should give it a push."
He slammed his hand on the table and declared in a deep voice, "Fine! Since you dare to bear the responsibility, then I, Zhang Cheng, won’t be the bad guy here. We’re giving him the Class A! We’ll submit a joint report and request a ruling from the Daoist School!"
Seeing this, Zhao Wu also grinned, revealing a set of white teeth. "Since you’re both crazy, then I, Old Zhao, will be crazy with you! Damn it, I’ve long been sick of those arrogant bastards from the Prefecture City with their noses in the air. Let’s use this Chu Bai to give them a good shake-up!"
They had reached an agreement.
Zhang Cheng no longer hesitated. He took out the Official Seal symbolizing his authority as County Captain from his robes and placed it in the center of the table. Li Wenyuan and Zhao Wu also produced their own Instructor’s Seals.
"Invoke the Law Net!"
The three men channeled their Magical Power into the seals simultaneously.
The three seals vibrated, shooting a golden beam straight at the ceiling. It instantly pierced through the heavy stone and tiles, soaring into the clouds and connecting to the distant State Daoist School.
「In an instant.」
The air in the secret chamber seemed to freeze. A vast, boundless, and supreme will crossed an infinite distance to descend upon them in an instant.
The entire Examination Hall felt as if a gentle breeze had swept through it, but the pressure contained within that breeze was so immense that the three cultivators couldn’t help but bow, not even daring to breathe.
That will did not linger. It instantly swept across the scene recorded by the Law Net, seeing the young man who roared "Forward" in the Illusion Realm.
Time seemed to stand still for a moment.
Then, from the void, came a clear, cold, and majestic Daoist voice.
It was only a single word, yet it boomed like a great bell, shaking their hearts and echoing deep within their Seas of Consciousness.
"Approved."
As this single word fell, the golden light dissipated, and the immense pressure vanished.
Zhang Cheng and the other two straightened up, the backs of their robes already soaked through. But as they exchanged glances, their faces showed unrestrained ecstasy.
"We did it!"

Comments

Loading...