I proved immortality through the imperial examination.

Chapter 129 Winning the First Prize
The hustle and bustle outside the miasma valley was long left behind. Xue Xiang followed a mountain ridge eroded by the wind and found a cave.

The cave entrance, worn smooth by years of wind and sand, resembles the mouth of a beast, spewing out gusts of cold wind.

The cave is deep and winding downwards, only opening up into a spacious area at its deepest point.

The damp moss mixed with stalactites to create a faint earthy smell. At the bottom of the cave, there was only a flat stone platform, worn smooth by time.

Xue Xiang sat down on the ground and brushed the dust off his sleeves.

The sound of the wind outside the cave was like that of another world; it was so quiet that you could hear your own heartbeat.

He first took out the bright blue crystal cores from his talisman ring.

The crystal core is like a translucent jade bead, with fine points of light flowing inside, as if sealing a river of spirituality.

On the stone platform, a radiant glow, like starlight, suddenly appeared.

Xue Xiang took a deep breath, focused his mind on the literary palace, and with a wave of his long sleeves, the first crystal core was brought to him.

The secret method for refining crystal cores had long been recorded in his document ring, and he knew it by heart.

He released his talent and aspirations, enveloping the crystal core.

The crystal nucleus is suspended in the air, its faint light floating.

The spiritual light within seemed to be drawn away by some force, slowly withdrawing like wisps of moonlight flowing into the literary palace from between his brows.

The whole process was like Grandma Liu slurping noodles, incredibly smooth.

Within the Literary Palace, talent transforms into stars. Wishes transform into streams of light, revolving within the Literary Palace.

When the first ray of spiritual light from the crystal core flowed into the literary palace, talent and aspiration immediately radiated light, tightly enveloping the spiritual light emanating from the crystal core.

Talent and ambition, like two dedicated and skilled sculptors, gradually sculpted the flowing light into literary elegance, thus imprinting Xue Xiang with his unique mark.

Once the imprint is complete, the literary energy, like a fledgling returning to its nest, plunges into the sea of ​​stars and merges into the golden literary energy.

As each crystal core melted away, a faint aura appeared on Xue Xiang's body.

It started as a light blue, then mixed with a warm white light, and finally, the whole person seemed to be enveloped in a layer of pure white radiance.

One crystal nucleus after another disappeared.

Twenty, fifty, one hundred...

With each refinement of a single item, the literary energy within Xue Xiangwen Palace grows stronger.

Xue Xiang dared to swear to heaven that this was the most significant advancement in his literary skills.

In the past, even when talent and aspiration were combined to refine words, the increase in literary quality was extremely limited.

At this moment, the increase in literary talent is clearly visible.

When the two hundredth crystal core was refined, a wisp of literary energy from his literary palace transformed into a long ribbon, radiating golden light.

It is worth mentioning that within his literary palace, his abundant talent and ample ambition were undoubtedly powerful aids in his refining of crystal cores with the force of boiling water and pouring snow.

However, with such a long period of time and large scale of refining literary energy, Xue Xiang's abundant talent and aspiration energy were also being rapidly depleted.

In the blink of an eye, most of the day had passed, and the more than two hundred crystal cores that Xue Xiang had used to record the text in his ring had been completely used up.

He also recorded the remaining one hundred white crystal cores into the document ring.

However, the cultivation practice stopped there.

The main reason is that his talent is almost exhausted, and his aspirations are only one-tenth of what they were originally.

"gun!"

Xue Xiang spoke in a low voice, the words resonating with the spirit of the text.

Whoosh! The Gatling gun is back!

The cold, metallic gun body and terrifying barrel exude an aura of murderous intent.

Xue Xiang hugged Gatling and found it surprisingly heavy.

He knew very well that this was the solidification brought about by the increase in literary talent, and the power of the Gatling gun had reached a new level.

Xue Xiang put away the Gatling gun and took out the purple crystal core.

This purple crystal core, like a miniature star, has lightning slowly moving inside, and its deep aura is so chilling that it makes one's heart tremble.

He did not refine the purple crystal core.

Firstly, even if he refines it, the increase in his literary energy might not be comparable to that of these ordinary crystal cores.

Secondly, this item is his last trump card on the leaderboard, and it's not time to reveal it yet.

Finally, he was so short of equipment that he was willing to exchange even the treasures from the Martial Arts Hall at a discount.

The main reason is that high-level cultivation resources are almost never circulated.

The cultivation resources available on the market, such as those in the auction house of Jiahe Trading Company, are simply not comparable to the treasures of the Martial Arts Hall.

Having finally had the opportunity to enter a military academy of this caliber, Xue Xiang naturally did not want to leave empty-handed.

"It's time to leave."

Xue Xiang stood up, and the mountain wind howled outside the cave.

The mountain wind outside the cave carried sand and gravel, which lashed against the cliff face, making a rustling sound.

Just as Xue Xiang was about to step out of the cave, he suddenly noticed the clear, bright light emanating from the document ring.

He muttered to himself, "Oh dear," as if he had been so focused on cultivation that he had forgotten to pay attention to the information in his document ring.

His thoughts were drawn into the written precepts, and all sorts of information came rushing in.

First, the standings were updated twice.

According to the latest update, he still tops the list with a score of 313. (Originally it was 213, plus the 100 that was later recorded in the talisman).
But Lu Wenhou, who is in second place, has already reached "263", and is very close to his score.

Immediately afterwards, he used his mind to select a spot of light in the talisman ring.

The light burst open, but it was Pan Feng's voice.

"Brother Xue, important intelligence."

Lu Wenhou was no longer fighting alone. At this moment, he joined forces with Shen Nansheng and Lou Changqing, and in just half a day, they hunted down three white-level magical beasts and also hunted down a black-level giant ape.

What's more troublesome is that it's unclear what kind of deal they reached.

During each hunt, they deliberately let Lü Wenhou take more, clearly trying to dethrone you as number one.

Immediately afterwards, Xue Xiang clicked on the subsequent light spots, and various sounds came one after another.

These voices were all voiced by scholars from humble backgrounds, such as Wei Wendao.

Besides reporting on the situation in Yinsheng's area, he would also report where there were large monsters that were difficult to deal with, informing Xue Xiang of their exact location and asking if he wanted to join forces to hunt them down.

Xue Xiang carefully reviewed this information, eliminating low-value white-level monsters, and set his sights on three black-level monsters.

I. Broken Peak Blood Lion

Location: Northwest broken peak forest.

This monster was the size of a house, covered in crimson-gold mane, and the ground was scorched by the heat waves as it moved.

It feeds on blood, and its roar can shatter hearts.

II. Blue-scaled Thunder Crane

Location: Leiling in the eastern high altitude.

This monster's wingspan was over ten feet, and its feathers shimmered with golden-blue lightning.

It is extremely fast, can attract lightning strikes, and is helpless in aerial combat.

III. Dark Bone Sand Whale

Location: Southern shifting sand basin.

This monster is hundreds of feet long and lies hidden beneath the sand. With each breath it can stir up sand waves to form a sea.

There is a pale white bone spur on its back, which is said to be the source of its essence.

Perhaps worried that Xue Xiang wouldn't be able to find the exact location, they all gave these monsters their precise coordinates.

"Perfect timing to test the power of the Gatling gun after my literary skills have greatly improved."

Xue Xiang was not worried about being caught up by Lü Wenhou.

He wanted to acquire more black-grade crystal cores to help with the upcoming exchange at the Armory Hall.

Without hesitation, Xue Xiang summoned a gust of wind, and charged forward at full speed, heading straight for Duan Fenglin.

They arrived in the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea.

The Broken Peak Forest features jagged rocks, with fractured peaks piercing the gray-white sky like swords.

The air was filled with scorching heat, and the dead trees in the forest creaked and groaned from the hot wind.

Xue Xiang stepped in silently, and a figure in crimson gold was already lying among the rubble.

The blood lion was three zhang tall, its mane standing upright as if on fire. When it saw people coming, it suddenly raised its head, and the ground seemed to tremble slightly with each breath.

Without wasting words, Xue Xiang immediately summoned the Gatling gun, which hovered heavily in front of him.

The Blood Lion seemed to sense the approach of death; the ferocity in its blood-red eyes faded, and it took a step back.

"despair!"

The gun barrel rotated slightly, and the nozzle lit up with a cold light.

The next instant, the Blood Lion seemed to sense the danger, and suddenly raised its head, its crimson-gold eyes flashing with a bloodthirsty light.

"Da da da!"

Xue Xiang raised his hand and fired three bursts, the flames short and sharp, the bullets like steel needles engraved with literary spirit, cutting through the wind.

The Gatling gun is powerful and domineering, yet its literary qualities are precious.

If we were to use sweeping fire, it would consume too much energy and be too wasteful.

Xue Xiang chose to fire in bursts, and every shot hit its mark.

The first shot pierced the blood lion's forehead fur, sparks flying.

The second shot tore open half of its ear, and the blood turned into mist.

The third shot hit the throat!

The blood lion roared, and a wave of heat surged forth, as if the entire forest was distorting.

It stomped its hooves wildly, shattering boulders as it pounced.

Xue Xiang used the tree trunk to sweep sideways, twisted his body, closed the distance, and suddenly raised the gun barrel, firing another burst of shots!
The blood lion roared, unleashing a barrage of black wind blades.

However, the bullet, formed from concentrated literary energy, possesses formidable penetrating power.

Three bullets easily pierced the black wind blade, going straight through its neck.

The heatwave abruptly stopped, and the giant beast, halfway through its attack, smashed a section of stone forest with its momentum, sending dust billowing into the sky.

The moment the Blood Lion fell to the ground, its crimson mane gradually dimmed, and blood flowed all over the ground.

Xue Xiang stepped forward, reached out and swept away the black-grade crystal core that was still radiating a scorching aura.

Of course, he didn't spare the blood lion's remains either.

………………

Thunder Ridge, swirling clouds and thunderous roars.

A long, cyan-gold shadow streaked across the sky, its wings like blades, tearing through the thick clouds.

The aura of lightning made the entire mountain range resemble a battlefield suspended beneath the sky.

Xue Xiang stood atop the cliff, the wind whistling. He closed his eyes and used the literary energy to lock onto that fleeting figure.

As the Azure-Scaled Thunder Crane swept past, lightning tore through the sky, as if a bolt of divine thunder had descended.

Xue Xiang leaped into the air, like a willow leaf fluttering in the wind.

He held the gun with both hands, the black and gold muzzle pointing towards the sky. Then, multiple nozzles spewed out fire like electric snakes.

Xue Xiang knew that he only had one chance to make a move against the lightning-fast Azure Scale Thunder Crane.

Therefore, he disregarded the importance of maintaining his literary style and immediately turned the Gatling gun to its maximum power.

In a single exchange, the Azure-Scaled Thunder Crane that pounced upon it was riddled with holes.

Even the protective shield created by the Twin-Winged Ghost-Faced Monkey King, which was attempting to break through to the Purple Rank, couldn't stop the Gatling gun's Qi bullets, so the Azure-Scaled Thunder Crane was naturally helpless as well.

His enormous body, crackling with electricity, plummeted from the clouds into the valley with a deafening crash.

Xue Xiang descended on the wind, picked up a black-grade crystal core crackling with cyan lightning, as if the power of thunder was pulsating in his palm.

After gathering the remains of the Azure-Scaled Thunder Crane, Xue Xiang prepared to head towards the desert.

Just then, the literary ring emitted a clear light that shot into the spiritual platform, and a new message arrived, informing that the trial would end in half an hour, and that students who had not yet opened their literary palace should hurry up and do so.

Strangely, an additional message was added at the end of the message.

The recording of crystal cores for the Wenlu Jie (a type of document) will be suspended until the unified examination hall is returned, after which the calculation will be carried out.

Xue Xiang sensed something ominous.

With only half an hour left, it would be too late to rush to the desert and kill the sand whale.

Xue Xiang then stopped, focusing his mind on the document ring to exchange information with Wei Wendao and the others.

The news gathered that the Yinsheng had joined forces to conquer the Demon Wolf Valley, and some people even heard the wolf king's mournful howl.

Clearly, the gains of Lü Wenhou and his entourage were considerable.

Half an hour passed in the blink of an eye.

The literary ring emitted brilliant white light, enveloping Xue Xiang. In the next instant, everything shifted, and Xue Xiang appeared inside the examination hall.

The West Square was bathed in sunlight.

The poor and the privileged stood on either side, while the demon race occupied one side, the crowd like two taut strings.

Some people looked excited, while others secretly bit their lips, quietly waiting for the final victory.

Everyone knows that once the cultivation test has reached this stage, an individual's performance is basically set.

The only key point is the competition for the top spot in this county examination.

Lu Wenhou was only a few dozen points behind Xue Xiang.

And this was the result settlement from more than two hours ago.

The latest rankings will be determined at this moment.

Wang Zongjing, representing the examination hall, stood solemnly on the high platform, his voice calm yet carrying an undeniable air of authority:
"The trial is over, and the results will be officially calculated."

I believe you all know that what everyone is most concerned about is the battle for the championship.

"Xue Xiang, Lü Wenhou, do you two still have any crystal cores to be entered into the register ring?"

Wang Zongjing looked relaxed; he already had a vague idea of ​​the outcome.

After all, the wolf pack in the Demon Wolf Valley had been almost completely hunted down, and judging from the number of examinees gathered there, they could only be from the Yin Sheng group.

If, in the end, Lü Wenhou surpasses Xue Xiang to become the top scholar in the county examination.

Then all his previous efforts were not in vain.

Conversely, if Xue Xiang were to become the top scholar, he truly wouldn't know how to explain it to the governor.

As soon as Wang Zongjing finished speaking, the air in the hall seemed to freeze for a moment.

"Brother Xue, please."

Lu Wenhou calmly cupped his hands, his eyes as still as an autumn breeze, serene and composed. Xue Xiang said, "I have been cultivating and have neglected to kill monsters. I only managed to hunt two black-level demonic monsters and obtain two black-level crystal cores."

As he spoke, he pulled out two black-grade crystal cores, causing an uproar throughout the room.

"Hunting down a Black-level monster all by himself?"

"Brother Xue truly deserves to be the number one among our generation."

"What a boastful person. Anyone can talk big."

"Even with Brother Lü's combined efforts, we were only able to kill the Black-level Wolf King. What strength do you, Xue Xiang, possess to dare to boast like this?"

"........."

The crowd was buzzing.

Wang Zongjing stared at the black crystal core in Xue Xiang's palm with a solemn expression, seemingly lost in thought.

Lu Wenhou's eyes shimmered with a hidden turbulent light, as if he were deep in thought.

Shen Nansheng and Lou Changqing looked like they were laughing at the story.

Ling Xueyi cupped her hands in a gesture of respect from a distance.

Xue Xiang put the two black crystal cores into his document ring, and his scoreboard was immediately updated, with his total score jumping to 413 points.

Someone gasped.

A score of over 400 is an almost unattainable number, surpassing Lu Wenhou by more than 150 points.

Lu Wenhou slightly raised his eyes, his expression still indifferent, a seemingly composed smile playing on his lips.

Lu Wenhou stepped forward and saw him wave his hand, from which crystal cores like waves were flung out from his sleeves.

Before him, blue light converged into hills, faintly dotted with white and black light, dazzling the eye.

After Lu Wenhou accepted these crystal cores, the points ranking in his document ring changed once again.
Five hundred and forty-three points.

Lü Wenhou actually used this to overtake Lu Wenhou by a margin, even surpassing him by 130 points.

Inside the main hall, the cold air seemed to be sucked away instantly, and everyone fell silent for a moment.

Lu Wenhou withdrew his hand, a faint smile still playing on his lips, like someone detached from the storm.

"The victory has been decided."

He said calmly.

"Brother Lü's divine might is truly admirable; we are completely convinced."

"Brother Lü is a man of great talent, which enhances the prestige of our family."

"........."

Amidst the shady scene, a loud cheer erupted.

"It's unfair, it's terribly unfair."

Wei Wendao could no longer contain himself. His face flushed red, and he took a step forward, shouting angrily, "I saw with my own eyes that Lu Wenhou and his cronies formed a team to hunt down monsters, and all the monster cores they obtained went to Lu Wenhou alone."

I have no idea what agreement was reached between Lu Wenhou, Shen Nansheng, Lou Changqing and other patrons.

But what I do know is that the exam tests individual skills!
This is so blatant... how can we talk about fairness!

Wei Wendao ultimately dared not utter the word "cheating".

After all, this is still an examination hall, so there's no chance of being severely punished if there are any doubts.

Anyone who dares to label an exam as cheating will be severely punished.

As soon as he finished speaking, the camp of those from humble backgrounds erupted in cheers and agreement.

"shut up!
Wang Zongjing's gaze was cold as he raised his hand to suppress the boiling discussion. "Who said the assessment only looks at individual performance?"

In this land of demons, the ability to lead companions and cooperate effectively is itself a skill.

Collaboration and individual sharpness are not contradictory.

If you can unite people's hearts and work together, why complain about others?

Wang Zongjing was clearly arguing illogically and stubbornly supporting Lü Wenhou.

Xue Xiang's brow twitched slightly; the unexpected turn of events was exactly what he had anticipated.

Fortunately, he had a trump card up his sleeve, and this little change was nothing to him.

Just as he was about to take out the purple crystal core, a poor scholar dressed in a gray long robe stepped out from behind the crowd, cupped his hands, and said loudly:
“Brother Xue, you previously gifted me a crystal core, which helped me open up the literary palace. I have always been grateful for this and have never been able to repay you.”

These three crystal cores, which were not recorded in the literary register, are now being returned to Brother Xue to repay his kindness.

With that, he waved his hand, and three crystal cores flew to Xue Xiang's front.

The entire audience suddenly froze, which then ignited a wildfire.

"Brother Xue, I have two more here. I was thinking of setting up an ambush to quietly improve my ranking, but since the underlings are doing it this way, we can too."

"And then there's mine. Brother Xue is a man of utmost sincerity and a model of Confucianism. If he doesn't win first place, it would be against all reason."

"........."

The second person, the third person, the fourth person...

They stepped forward one after another, some offering five coins, others three, and exclaimed, "Thank you so much, Brother Xue!" and "I will repay you with a spring of gratitude!"

Those poor students who had received Xue Xiang's help during the trial straightened their backs and presented Xue Xiang with the crystal cores that had not yet been recorded in their talisman rings.

In an instant, a sea of ​​crystal cores formed around Xue Xiang.

The young man from a poor family had a determined and stubborn look on his face, and his eyes were burning with passion.

The students, however, looked grim, their expressions stiff.

Xue Xiang did not accept it immediately. His gaze swept across the crowd, and a warm light appeared deep in his eyes, like moonlight soaking into a lake of his heart.

At this moment, a silent power seemed to fill the air of the hall—heavier than any number.

"Brother Xue, I have a black-grade crystal core. I was planning to show it off when the final results are announced."

But someone won the championship through trickery, and Ling, dissatisfied, gifted this item to Brother Xue.

Ling Xueyi suddenly stood up and handed a black crystal core to Xue Xiang.

The scholars were all shocked, and Wang Zongjing's face was particularly grim.

Most of them were intelligent people. While observing the situation, they all stared at the crystal cores surrounding Xue Xiang and quickly counted their number.

Without Ling Xueyi's intervention and the crystal cores gifted by the scholars from humble backgrounds, Xue Xiang would still not have surpassed Lü Wenhou.

Therefore, Wang Zongjing remained a cold observer.

The situation completely reversed when Ling Xueyi revealed her black crystal core, which was comparable to fifty cyan crystal cores.

"Nonsense!"

Wang Zongjing flew into a rage, veins bulging on his face. "You accuse others of blatant cheating, but I think you are the ones who disregard examination rules."

Lu Wenhou and the others cooperated to destroy the demons, and how to divide the spoils was up to them to decide.

And what about you? Is this some kind of secret exchange?

A clever way to get a good name?

"If you do not retrieve the crystal core, I will report this to the authorities and have your written records of origin destroyed."

These words infuriated the group of impoverished scholars.

Wang Zongjing was clearly applying double standards; those from privileged backgrounds could take shortcuts, but those from poor families couldn't.

Seeing that the atmosphere had been compressed to the extreme, Xue Xiang waved his hand and sent out his spiritual power, distributing everyone's crystal cores back to their hands.

"I appreciate your kind intentions, but Lord Wang is right. To win, one must win honorably. Fate will not favor those who seek opportunism."

After saying that, Xue Xiang produced a crystal core in his palm.

This crystal nucleus is completely different from ordinary crystal nuclei.

Its entire body is deep purple, like a silent night sky condensed into a star, so profound that it can draw one's soul in.

In that deep purple depths, faint threads of light intertwined, like lightning and galaxies flowing, sometimes bright, sometimes dim, as if an invisible pulse was breathing.

Each movement creates an illusion.

It was as if a world was being nurtured inside this crystal core.

The purple light was not dazzling; it resembled a ghostly fire in the abyss, burning silently, yet dimming the sunlight across the entire square.

The first to suffocate was Wang Zongjing, who was closest to him.

His usually cold and stern gaze suddenly tightened, his pupils contracted sharply, and his heart felt as if an invisible knife was dullly pressing down on it.

Even for a seasoned proctor like him, it was almost unbelievable: a purple-grade crystal core!
Next up is the Yinsheng camp.

Shen Nansheng's mocking smile froze on her lips, like a statue dried by the wind and sand.

Lou Changqing abruptly stopped raising his chin, his Adam's apple bobbing as if he wanted to say something, but the words stuck in his throat.

Even the usually indifferent Lu Wenhou's eyes seemed to suddenly crack open like the surface of a lake, causing an undeniable tremor for the first time.

Those from poor families were equally shocked.

Countless eyes were fixed intently on the purple crystal core, their pupils reflecting the purple light, as if even their breath was being held captive by the purple light.

Some students subconsciously held their breath, their chests heaving, and you could even hear their heartbeats.

Some people's fingertips trembled violently, as if they wanted to touch it, but dared not.

That feeling is like facing the bright moon hanging high in the sky, both so close and yet so far away.
The entire plaza was utterly robbed of its vitality the moment the crystal core appeared.

It was as if all sound and movement had been stripped away, leaving only that deep purple hue.

"A purple...crystal core..."

Someone murmured softly, their voice hoarse and trembling, like a pebble thrown into a still lake, stirring ripples in the hearts of everyone present.

Then, the entire crowd, regardless of their humble origins or privileged backgrounds, was as if struck by lightning, erupting into an uproar.
"Purple level! This is impossible!"

"He...killed a purple-level monster!"

"How, how is this possible?!"

"I know, it was that Black-level Monkey King. It was trying to break through to the next realm, but it succeeded. How could it still die!"

Disbelief, fear, shock, speechlessness...

  All the emotions, like a river bursting its banks, erupted suddenly and instantly engulfed the entire hall.

The shady students could no longer maintain their calm and composed demeanor.

Shen Nansheng's face was deathly pale;
Lou Changqing's breathing became rapid, and some people even took a step back, no longer daring to look directly at that purple light.

Lu Wenhou's smile had vanished, his face was as stiff as a stone carving, and his fingers tightened subtly, veins bulging.

For students from impoverished backgrounds, it was like seeing the first ray of dawn breaking through the oppressive darkness.

Some people's eyes reddened, while others couldn't help but clench their fists in excitement, their knuckles cracking.

Their eyes were filled with fervor and reverence.

Wang Zongjing's breath also froze at this moment.

That purple crystal core was like a resounding slap in the face, severely damaging all his carefully laid plans.

He could almost foresee how terrifying the changes on the leaderboard would be once this crystal core was recorded into the talisman ring!
413 points? 543 points?

None of it matters.

One purple-grade crystal core, according to the rules, is equivalent to five hundred ordinary cyan-grade crystal cores.

What's the point of comparing these?
All schemes and plans become a joke in the face of this purple-grade crystal core.

Xue Xiang remained silent.

Purple light floated silently in his palm.

He stood with his hands behind his back, his clothes fluttering even without wind. Under the gaze of countless people, he looked like a god who had walked out of the Milky Way, and the air around him seemed to condense into an invisible sharpness.

With the overall situation settled, everything will fall into place naturally.

Half an incense stick later, the official final list of the county examination was announced, with Xue Xiang ranking first.

As soon as the exam results were announced, the crowd erupted into a sea of ​​joy.

Xue Xiang didn't know how many "congratulations" he heard, nor how many "congratulations to you" he replied in return.

He was finally able to find peace and quiet when a proctor led him to a private room.

Not long after, Wenlu Jie sent another message.

However, everyone was required to bring their unrefined crystal cores and the demon corpses obtained from the Demonic Land to Tongqing Hall to be converted into points and exchanged for cultivation resources.

Once the exchange is complete, the document ring must be handed over, at which time any unexchanged crystal cores will automatically dissipate.

Just as Xue Xiang was about to make a move, Wenlu Jie sent another message, this time requesting that everyone enter Tongqing Hall in order of their points, from lowest to highest.

Xue Xiang shook his aching arms, and just as he was getting bored while waiting, a figure walked over. It was Wei Fan.

This man was no longer the submissive figure he had been in front of the Wenxu Blessed Land Cave; instead, he stood tall and proud, exuding an imposing aura.

Xue Xiang quickly cupped his hands in greeting and addressed him as "My Lord".

Wei Fan waved his hand calmly, first introducing himself and offering a few words of encouragement to Xue Xiang, before getting to the point, "You did very well on the exam, living up to your reputation for talent."

But I want to tell you that the real test has not yet begun.

There is a second trial, which was originally scheduled to take place immediately, but it must be postponed for reasons that cannot be disclosed.

This free time is your opportunity to grow and develop yourself.

The second trial was less of a trial and more of a stroke of good fortune.

What will be opened is a virgin territory in the Land of Demonic Obstacles, which has attracted a great deal of attention.

There's controversy in the court too, and when the time comes, it might not just be a stage for you newly promoted top candidates in the county examinations.

You must seize the time and cultivate yourself diligently.

The trial token will be issued shortly. Keep it safe and wait for the trial to begin.

Before long, I believe a single trial token will fetch an astronomical price.

Xue Xiang got first place in the exam, so Wei Fan didn't really need to come over and give him a lecture.

After all, there's a first place every year; getting first place in the county exam isn't anything special.

The key point is that Xue Xiang is someone valued by the Lord of Mingde Dongxuan.

He came in first place, and Wei Fan felt that he had gained some prestige in front of the Lord of Mingde Dongxuan.

If Xue Xiang were to meet the Lord of Mingde Dongxuan one day, he might have to repay his favor by saying a few good words for him in front of the Lord of Mingde Dongxuan.

After chatting for a while, Wei Fan told Xue Xiang to rest assured and that he would personally arrange for someone to take Xue Xiang to exchange for the treasure later.

You can tell that person anything you need.

Wei Fan then left, and shortly afterward, someone brought him tea and snacks.

After eating lard cakes for several days, Xue Xiang couldn't hold back any longer and immediately started eating and drinking.

After eating and drinking his fill, and before anyone could inform him, he lay down on the soft couch and soon fell into a deep sleep.

He didn't know how long he had slept when he was woken up by someone. He opened his sleepy eyes and saw a composed young man standing in front of him.

He claimed his surname was Fan and that he was a close confidant of Wei Fan. He said that Lord Wei had instructed him to do anything he needed to do.

(End of this chapter)