C151 The Second Stage of the Exam Is Over!
Lee Zi was once the pride of Adirang Academy, but she has since become its disgrace.
If Lee Zi's downfall were an isolated incident, it wouldn't be such a disgrace. After all, every year there are geniuses and prodigies who fall from grace for a myriad of reasons.
However, the real issue arose when Sun Wei went to Seventeenth High School with the intention of forcibly bringing Lee Zi back. That incident significantly tarnished the reputation of the entire Adirang Academy.
Now, the mere sight of Lee Zi reminds many of Adirang Academy's dishonor.
Although Sun Wei acted on his own accord without reflecting the will of Adirang Academy, there were many who deliberately fanned the flames.
Adirang Academy, while under the Ministry of Education, is not the only prestigious institution. In Redmarsh alone, there is the North Capital Academy, a rival institution that is every bit as esteemed, not to mention the other first-rate academies that are eagerly vying for prominence.
Thus, what might have been a minor issue for Adirang Academy was exacerbated by those with ulterior motives, and the scandal quickly spread to the surrounding area, further marring the academy's reputation.
If Lee Zi were out of the public eye, the matter might fade with time. But her continual presence makes it impossible to forget.
Moreover, the greater Lee Zi's future accomplishments, the more they serve to highlight Adirang Academy's embarrassment.
Consequently, an observer felt compelled to speak out.
He was determined to demonstrate that Lee Zi was now worthless, and her success was merely a facade bolstered by external resources.
Upon hearing this, many smirked. Although they believed it to be true, they couldn't help but feel a deep sense of disdain for Adirang Academy's previous actions.
Of course, these thoughts were kept to themselves, as Adirang Academy remained an imposing force in their eyes.
"If it were the Chu family, perhaps there would be a chance."
Many people may not be familiar with the Chu family, but those immersed in the world of cultivation are well aware of them. They recognize that within Redmarsh City exists the Chu family, an entity of immense strength yet incredibly discreet. Their power is so formidable that even the most influential forces hesitate to cross them.
"So, is Chu Yi a member of the Chu family?" someone asked, seemingly connecting the dots. The connection between Chu Yi and Lee Zi was obvious to anyone paying attention. The observer had mentioned Lee Zi's rise to prominence with the support of the Chu family, and with Chu Yi sharing the same surname, it wasn't hard to put two and two together.
"I've heard that the last three generations of the Chu family have all been daughters. I've never heard of a Chu family son," remarked someone in the know.
"Could it be?" a realization dawned on many.
"That's right. It's very likely that Chu Yi is a secretly trained disciple of the Chu family!" With this thought, many felt a sense of clarity. It was almost too astonishing to believe that a commoner could possess Gold Level abilities. But with the Chu family behind Chu Yi, everything made sense.
"But why didn't the Chu family just have Chu Yi appear during the third or even the fourth stage of the assessments?" This was common knowledge among them. Bronze Level geniuses were exempt from the first stage of the assessment, Silver Level from the second, and Gold Level prodigies from the third.
"Who knows?" someone mused.
"Perhaps the Chu family isn't interested in staying under the radar anymore. Maybe they're deliberately promoting their third generation to fame!" This seemed the most plausible explanation, as no other theories came to mind.
"At this point in the assessments, the third round is essentially meaningless for Chu Yi and Lee Zi," someone pointed out. "Their scores are already high enough to advance to the third stage."
Everyone agreed. Currently, both Chu Yi and Lee Zi had amassed 1,450 points, more than double the score of the runner-up. Essentially, even if they skipped the third round, they would likely still rank first and second. Moreover, Chu Yi's Gold status and Lee Zi's Silver were simply overwhelming compared to the other talents. Thus, the two spots were all but officially claimed.
"I just don't know how many others besides these two will make it into the third stage of the exams!"
Some sighed, while the rest fell silent.
With fifteen exam venues, the top three from each, regardless of their scores, were guaranteed a spot in the third stage.
In our twelfth venue, Chu Yi and Lee Zi were shoo-ins for two of those spots.
Given the previous performances, Lu Feng should easily secure the third spot.
So, essentially, those three had the top spots locked down.
The remaining places would be determined by the overall rankings in Redmarsh City.
Out of 128 spots, minus the 45 guaranteed, only those ranked in the top 83 would qualify for the third stage.
Keep in mind, the number of Bronze Level talents in Redmarsh City is not insignificant!
Just in our venue alone, there were more than thirteen contenders, making the top 83 a real challenge to break into.
The family elders felt a tinge of regret. In past years, the elites they cultivated would have certainly advanced to the third stage, with a good shot at the fourth.
Previously, unless it was an exceptionally prosperous year, the fourth stage would be at a Silver Level at best.
This year's competition is unprecedented in its intensity.
"Let it go, all we can do is give it our best."
"Besides, we've already changed the grouping rules ahead of time, giving those talents a head start."
"If they still can't make it, then it's on them..."
Some family heads maintained perspective, understanding that fretting over the situation was pointless.
They had done all they could; now it was up to fate...
...
After two rounds, Chu Yi and Lee Zi remained tied for first.
Yes, tied for first place.
Lu Feng was likely to take second or third.
His abilities were well recognized, so barring any surprises, the top three would be them.
Regarding the other geniuses, the margins were slim, and anyone could potentially claim a top spot. It all hinged on the final round of assessments.
The final round of the assessment was quite straightforward, much like it had been in previous years. It was a test of one's maximum attack power. However, this year's examination had done away with the division by levels. Everyone faced the same challenge, regardless of whether they were Gold, Silver, Bronze, or just an ordinary person. This might seem a bit unfair to those without special abilities, but on closer inspection, it's not such a big deal. After all, the age of the participants was the same across the board. If someone was at the Gold level, it was simply due to their exceptional talent. Besides, this world has never known absolute fairness.
In the center of the small plaza, a mirror-like surface had been set up. The task for the examinees was to strike this mirror. As explained, the mirror would change colors depending on the force of the attack, displaying yellow, green, red, blue, purple, and black—each color signifying a different score, from ten to three hundred and twenty points. There was an added twist: if you managed to strike a red, you wouldn't just earn the forty points for red; you'd also claim the ten and twenty points for yellow and green. This meant that achieving the legendary black color would net you a perfect score of six hundred thirty points!
This stage was seen as the final opportunity for those prodigies vying for top rankings. Many had come to realize that even if Lu Feng, currently in second place, scored full points and both Chu Yi and Lee Zi opted out of this round, the two would still maintain their lead. The top two spots were secure, leaving the third place as the only one with potential for change. Although third place seemed fairly certain, the outcome was still anyone's guess.
The assessment got underway quickly. For the first time, even the ordinary participants began to score points. Given their inherent limitations, the highest score they could hope for was thirty points. "Yellow signifies an attack by an ordinary person, while green indicates a Bronze Level strike," the proctors explained. "Red is a true Bronze Level attack, and blue is the pinnacle of Bronze Level. Purple and black are reserved for ordinary Silver and peak Silver, respectively."
These are the attack levels represented by the six colors.
Most geniuses could typically achieve an ordinary Silver Peak strike, but Lu Feng was the only one who could reach the pinnacle of Silver with his attacks. And even that was a struggle for him.
As for Chu Yi and Lee Zi...
Chu Yi was Gold Level. Any strike from him would easily transcend this realm, naturally earning the color black.
Yet, that wasn't even the most frightening aspect. Many could distinctly sense that under Chu Yi's assault, the mirror began to quiver, and faint traces of cracks appeared to form.
Chu Yi had merely launched a casual attack!
These individuals were aware that a standard Gold Level attack should have been within the mirror's tolerance.
However, Chu Yi's effortless strike resulted in such a horrifying spectacle, clearly indicating that even his casual attacks reached the zenith of Gold Level lethality!
Was it terrifying?
Indeed, it was terrifying beyond measure!
The Gold Level examiner's view of Chu Yi had shifted repeatedly, from initial admiration to treating him as an equal.
Now, it had evolved into wariness and even fear. The change was profound.
Yes, fear.
The punch from Chu Yi was something the Gold Level examiner admitted he could never replicate.
And that was merely one of Chu Yi's routine punches.
Considering everything Chu Yi had demonstrated in the first and second rounds, then...
If he were to engage in a battle to the death with Chu Yi, he would undoubtedly be the one to fall!
The thought alone made the Gold Level examiner inhale sharply.
His appointment by the government to serve as an examiner here was a testament to his strength.
Yet now, he found himself unable to defeat even one candidate.
This was quite a revelation...
"All I can say is that this year's crop of geniuses is excessively extraordinary..."
After three rounds of assessments, the top three spots were claimed as anticipated: Chu Yi, Lee Zi, and Lu Feng.
Of course, if we're being precise, Lu Feng was not quite in the same league as Chu Yi and Lee Zi, but that hardly mattered.
As long as Lu Feng was somewhat stronger than the other geniuses, that was sufficient.
And indeed, that was the case.
Lu Feng was decent, but that was all.
Based on the Warrior Association's assessment criteria, Lu Feng was likely a genius somewhere between Third and Fourth Level.
He was still some way from reaching the true pinnacle of a Fourth Level Genius.
Yet, in the past, such strength would have been considered astonishing. However, in this year's exams, it hardly stood out.
It was unexpected that the examination could be completed in a single day.
The pace was indeed swift.
Of course, this was partly because the subsequent tests took up less time.
Otherwise, it would have spilled over into the following day.
Typically, the second stage of the examination was allotted two days.
Thus, even though the twelfth examination hall managed to wrap up quickly, the selected geniuses would have to wait until the third day to advance to the next stage, which takes place on the grand stage of the Redmarsh exams.
