Why hasn't he arrived yet?

When Wan Qi Yu stepped out of the study, his expression had already returned to normal. He glanced up at the sky and asked calmly, “The state examination tally is about to begin, isn’t it?”

“Yes, my lord!” came the reply.

Wan Qi Yu nodded. “Then let’s hurry over.”

After he left, the maid entered the study as usual to tidy up. As soon as she stepped inside, she wrinkled her nose and frowned. “What is that smell? It’s awful.”

The study was neat and clean, with no abnormalities. The maid casually dusted off the surfaces and opened the windows to air it out.

In no time, the odor was completely carried away by the breeze from outside.

Meanwhile, on the training grounds beside the prefectural office, a small commotion was stirring.

One by one, the examinees arrived. They lined up in familiar formation, their eyes fixed on the “Heaven-Connecting List” faintly appearing above the reviewing stand.

The list displayed all the names of the candidates for this state exam, each followed by a number, arranged from highest to lowest. Some names had completely turned gray. In the past, this indicated students who had withdrawn midway, but this time, a heavy silence fell over everyone’s hearts.

This year’s Yushui State Exam was extraordinarily special—these grayed-out names all belonged to warriors who had died in battle.

Soon, their attention was drawn to the name at the very top of the list.

Jiang Feng, 98,979 points!

The score was staggering. The second-ranked candidate’s score was not only lower but missing an entire digit—still starting with a nine, but only a single digit!

In other words, Jiang Feng’s score was more than ten times that of the runner-up!

The Heaven-Connecting List automatically tallied the number of enemies each candidate had slain, displaying the figures on the list. This meant the score couldn’t be mistaken. Jiang Feng had truly killed that many demons and earned every point.

“Ninety-eight thousand nine hundred seventy-nine points in seven days—that’s over fourteen thousand points a day… How on earth did he do it?!”

“This score can’t be right! There must be a mistake!”

However, some who had followed Jiang Feng’s exploits across two battle zones over the past days had an explanation.

One candidate whispered, “He somehow managed to control a school-level demon. That demon was incredibly powerful. While under his control, the demon’s kills were counted under his name. Later, slaying demons became as easy as cutting melons, and all the points went to him!”

“…That’s allowed?”

Everyone was stunned.

“Of course it is! Whoever has the ability can control a strong demon to fight for them!”

“How did he pull that off?”

“To be honest, nobody knows even now…”

Amid the murmurs, dissonant voices arose.

“Hmph, it’s not by his own power—that’s cheating! His score should be revoked!”

At that moment, a loud curse echoed across the training ground.

“Bullshit!”

The shout was so loud it drowned out all other voices. Every examinee, even the officials standing above, turned to look.

Their expressions grew stranger still. Someone muttered, “Is that him?”

Standing in the center of the crowd was a youth clad in white robes, now stained with blood and dust, tattered in many places. Yet in his bearing and posture, one could still see the noble grace cultivated by a distinguished family. It was a stark contrast to hear such coarse words from him.

This was Ning Chang Kong.

Since Jiang Feng had gone to the Kulián Street battle zone, Ning Chang Kong had not seen him. At first, it didn’t bother him, but in the past two days, he had grown anxious. He had asked around, but no one knew Jiang Feng’s current condition.

Now, at the tally of the great exam on the training grounds, Jiang Feng’s absence gnawed at him. Hearing others spew nonsense, he couldn’t help but roar back. Normally, he wouldn’t use such vulgar language, but having spent much time among soldiers recently, his demeanor had subtly shifted. After shouting, he felt a surge of resentment release, a great relief.

He sneered, “If your score can’t compete, don’t embarrass yourself like this! We’re all candidates here. If Jiang Feng can do it, why can’t you? If you really can’t, then shut up! I tell you, I was in the same arena as him! Without him, our battle zone might not have held!”

He grabbed a small incense burner from a man’s waist and thrust it before him. “If you’ve got guts, don’t use the treasures he made! These past days, he’s been crafting and distributing these devices to protect everyone from demonic influence. Those efforts aren’t even counted on the Heaven-Connecting List. Honestly, just this alone should earn him a hundred thousand points!”

“Oh, so he made this too…”

Many who had received the exorcism incense burners glanced down quietly at the trinkets hanging from their waists. Ning Chang Kong’s words struck home. Even if Jiang Feng hadn’t slain a single demon himself, this achievement alone should earn the greatest honor.

Moreover, the demons he controlled and killed with his curved blade were very real. He single-handedly defended the Kulián Street battle zone and greatly eased the pressure on the Shizi Street front.

Other candidates had played only supporting roles in the battle for Taicang City; Jiang Feng’s influence shaped the entire conflict. He was unquestionably the top candidate.

Standing to the side, Teng Zhi and Hong Cheng exchanged a glance, their expressions complex as they listened.

Teng Zhi whispered, “Jiang Feng is truly formidable… This means there are two top scorers now.”

Hong Cheng frowned. “But why isn’t he here yet? And what about Lao Ping…”

They both looked toward the bottom of the Heaven-Connecting List. Ping Luan Shan’s name was still golden, indicating he was alive, but his score ranked third from the bottom. This effectively excluded him from the exam. He couldn’t pass.

They knew Ping Luan Shan’s skill and resilience well. Though sometimes restless, he always found calm when it mattered, and was never one to shy from battle. So how had his score fallen so low?

...

Wan Qi Yu arrived at the training ground and sat upon the reviewing stand. Below, all the candidates had assembled and stood in formation.

An official nearby inspected the candidates with satisfaction. “These youngsters have all changed so much!”

Another said gravely, “That’s forged through iron and blood!” His gaze was heavy with sorrow. The first official cleared his throat and his smile faded.

Only three-quarters of the original candidates remained. One-quarter had been lost forever. Nearly half of the survivors bore wounds.

Yet, the heavier the injury, the calmer and more mature their expressions. They stared straight ahead, eyes unwavering and resolute. The rare flicker of anxiety in their gaze was not for the exam, but for the state of Taicang City and the demonic lair.

Seeing these youths, all smiles vanished.

Wan Qi Yu sat upright above, expression unreadable. He quickly scanned the list and was surprised to find Jiang Feng absent.

It was not unexpected.

Hua Su had seen Jiang Feng in the dungeon, and so had he. He knew exactly how Upang Qing had battered him.

Such injuries would take a long time to heal even for martial cultivators. In so short a time, Jiang Feng couldn’t even rise from his bed.

This meant Jiang Feng faced disqualification from the great exam. Failing to complete the state exam closed the door to the prefectural exam. Without that, he could never enter the upper echelons of martial cultivation; his resources and connections would remain trapped at the lowest levels...

Wan Qi Yu clasped his hands, a faint smile curling his lips.

For a young man, every day was precious. Delaying a year was no small matter. It was like forcibly holding him back during his foundation-building phase. For an ordinary youth, perhaps it was negligible, but for a genius like Jiang Feng...

As the evening hour approached, the numbers on the Heaven-Connecting List began to flicker. Countless beams of light shot forth, sweeping over the candidates below.

One by one, they felt something rising on their foreheads, resonating with the list above.

This was the final identity verification. Only upon completion would the list confirm and display the final results.

Teng Zhi and Hong Cheng stood one after the other, with Ning Chang Kong not far to their side. When the light from the list passed over their foreheads, their bodies shuddered simultaneously.

Teng Zhi touched his forehead and looked up to see his name solidify. His gaze drifted to the name above his own, which flickered as if dimming.

He glanced back toward the prefectural office gates and murmured, “Hurry up, or the results will be invalidated!”

He was not alone. Hong Cheng and Ning Chang Kong kept looking back as well. Their actions prompted more candidates to turn around. An increasing number of examinees searched behind them anxiously.

Thinking of Jiang Feng’s score and deeds, their anxiety deepened. None were acting for themselves, but for another—someone far beyond their own abilities.

Wan Qi Yu noticed their restlessness. His smile faded, and his brow furrowed.

If there had ever been a chance to win Jiang Feng’s allegiance, Upang Qing’s deeds had surely pushed him to the opposite camp. The more respected and influential Jiang Feng became, the more disadvantageous it was for Wan Qi Yu.

His heart grew cold, his eyes flickering with calculation.

The names of candidates whose scores were confirmed turned golden. Names in gray could no longer be restored. Some names dimmed, about to turn black—signifying voluntary withdrawal. Once blackened, the score was invalid.

Would Jiang Feng, nearing one hundred thousand points and within grasp of the top honor, be declared disqualified?

Wan Qi Yu smiled once more as the final moment approached. Rising from his chair, he stepped forward.

On the Heaven-Connecting List, Jiang Feng’s name flickered—about to be fixed in place.

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