Chapter Five: The Entrance Exam Mix-Up

The afterglow of the setting sun shone through the window, passing right through the nearly translucent body of "Bai Jingyan."

"I never imagined your insight would be so keen. It seems you are some ancient monster reborn." The youth smiled, though the expression appeared somewhat forced.

However, he had only guessed half of it. The entity currently within his body did indeed originate from ancient times, but it was no monster—merely a youth of similar age to himself.

"Now that you have appeared once more, is there any unfulfilled wish you still harbor?" Bai Jingyan asked. Or rather, it was less a wish than an obsession.

"Bai Jingyan" shook his head. "I appeared this time only to tell you: beware of Nanmen Chuyao. She..."

Before the sentence could be finished, "Bai Jingyan" dissipated into nothingness.

Bai Jingyan furrowed his brow. He had felt something was amiss with Nanmen Chuyao for several days, especially when she brought him medicine; he had barely sensed her presence before she knocked on his door.

...

Three days later, Liu City Square.

The entrance examination for the Star Feather Sect was held as scheduled, and the area around the plaza had been crowded since early morning. Located in the heart of the city, the square spanned dozens of acres. Many had already taken their seats, waiting with palpable excitement for the trials to begin.

"Have you heard? That young master of the Bai family is supposedly participating in this exam too."

"Is that for real? I heard he was beaten half-dead by that fellow from the Duan family just half a month ago. How could he possibly be ready after such a short time?"

Before the trials had even commenced, the square was already a cacophony of noise. Aside from the Bai family, the other three major clans of Liu City—the Duan, the Liu, and the Feng—had all arrived.

Although the Star Feather Sect was merely one of fourteen third-rate sects within the Wuhou Kingdom, receiving a recommendation from its sect leader granted one the qualification to enter the Nine Nether Academy. The Nine Nether Academy was a magnificent institution built by the collective efforts of all the nations across the Clear Void Continent; more than half of the cultivators who entered its gates went on to achieve enlightenment and ascend.

"Ahem."

A voice, elderly and resonant, drifted down from the sky. Several figures in blue-and-white robes, standing atop flying swords, slowly descended. The leader among them stowed his sword, wore a faint smile, and nodded slightly toward the crowd.

"I am Wu Yaoqing, an outer sect elder of the Star Feather Sect. First, I would like to thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend..."

Wu Yaoqing began with a formal, perfunctory introduction. The audience was polite enough, their applause constant since the moment the group landed, though many were already growing restless in their hearts.

Then, Wu Yaoqing suddenly gestured toward the right side of the plaza and smiled, "Next, allow me to introduce the judges for this competition..."

There followed another long-winded introduction, consisting of nothing more than various deacons and elders from the Star Feather Sect, making the listeners drowsy and bored.

Finally, someone in the crowd could not help but whisper, "Why is this man so long-winded? More annoying than an old woman."

The person beside him replied with a wry smile, "Oh, these things must be said. You can't blame him."

Whether or not he heard the remark, Wu Yaoqing finally ceased his opening remarks and moved straight to the point: "Very well, enough talk. Now, I invite the candidates for this entrance examination to take the stage!"

No sooner had he finished speaking...

*Whoosh! Whoosh!*

Two figures emerged from the crowd and leaped onto the plaza.

One was a tall, dark-skinned youth with a full head of red hair, looking quite imposing. To his right stood a scrawny, rat-faced young man who looked to be in his teens. The contrast between the tall, heroic-looking youth and his shifty, cunning-looking counterpart was stark.

"That red-headed one must be Liu Shihong, the second young master of the Liu clan."

"I heard he was infected with fire poison last year, and the sudden rush of heat caused his hair to turn red."

"And they say he's only sixteen, yet he's already a fifth-rank martial apprentice."

Whispers rippled through the stands. Bai Jingyan observed Liu Shihong, whose dark skin, fur-clad torso, and fiery hair gave him an air of boundless energy, like a volcano ready to erupt at any moment.

"The second young master of the Liu clan is certainly tall; he's already taller than me at just sixteen," a farmer in the crowd muttered.

Bai Jingyan then shifted his gaze to the other youth. He appeared malnourished and, aside from a certain wretchedness, seemed to have no distinguishing features.

"That boy, I remember his name is Feng Yeshen, the third in the Feng family. It's said his two older brothers have high hopes of entering the inner sect of the Star Feather Sect as inner disciples."

"More than that, I heard Feng Yeshen has also reached the level of a fifth-rank martial apprentice!"

"It seems the top two spots for this exam will surely go to the Liu and Feng families."

Many nodded in agreement. While most of these spectators were commoners who knew nothing of the intricacies of cultivation, it was human nature to love a spectacle.

"Fifth-rank martial apprentices?" Bai Jingyan muttered. He was currently only at the mid-stage of the third rank.

Once on stage, the two candidates exchanged polite bows before standing on either side to await further instructions.

Wu Yaoqing smiled and said, "Every year, our assessment consists of demonstrating one's talent and mastery of techniques, but this year, the Council of Elders has decided to hold a tournament-style match!"

With that, Wu Yaoqing glanced at his entourage. They nodded, and after performing a series of hand seals, a large arena manifested before the crowd.

As the arena appeared, the expressions of Liu Shihong and Feng Yeshen soured. Clearly, they had been caught off guard by this sudden change, which meant all their prior preparations had been in vain.

The crowd broke into a heated discussion. "Are you kidding? Only four families are participating; this 'entrance exam' was supposed to be a formality. What is the meaning of this?"

Wu Yaoqing scanned the crowd and laughed, "Everyone, the list for the first round of matches has been determined. First match: Duan Luoyun versus Nanmen Chuyao!"

"???"

The crowd was filled with confusion. "Then why did you make those two go up there?"

Wu Yaoqing just smiled, leaving Liu Shihong and Feng Yeshen standing on the sides of the plaza in an awkward state, unsure whether to stay or leave.

Upon hearing the names for the first match, Bai Jingyan turned his gaze toward Bai Huaiwu. Bai Huaiwu sensed his gaze and gave a nod, signaling him to watch and wait.

*It seems they do not trust me,* Bai Jingyan thought to himself. *They even pushed Nanmen Chuyao onto the stage. But perhaps that is for the best—it is a perfect opportunity to see what she has been hiding.*