Zhang Xuan looked at the tall figures floating in the sky with slightly raised eyebrows.
Surprisingly, there were two familiar faces among the group. They were Nangong Yuanfeng and Tantai Zhenqing, who had paid a visit to the Luo Clan and Zhang Clan respectively not too long ago.
In order to preserve their lifespan, the Ancient Sages of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers likely spent most of their time in hibernation. Thus, most affairs were passed down to the Great Sage cultivators to handle. It was apparent that those two had a rather high position in the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism.
The Sempiternal realm consummation expert standing at the forefront of the group shot a sweeping gaze across the crowd before speaking with a booming voice. “Welcome. You are the most outstanding descendants from the clans of the seventy-two Sages in this generation, and I believe that you must have put in a lot of effort in order to come this far!
“However, the resources we have are limited, and I believe that I need not say anything more about the recruitment criteria of our Great Phrontistery of Confucianism. We only open up a hundred slots every year, and this year won’t be an exception!
“This year, we have a total of 2,143 applicants, which means that only one out of twenty of you will be able to join us. You’ll have to put your lives on the line in order to be the ones standing at the end of this intense battle. If you are afraid, I’ll allow you to step out right now!”
“The Great Phrontistery of Confucianism is only accepting a hundred people?” Zhang Xuan frowned.
The two thousand applicants who had gone there were all incredibly talented individuals who had reached Saint 9-dan in their twenties. On the Master Teacher Continent, geniuses of this caliber would indubitably become powerhouses in the future. Yet, the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism was going to eliminate so many of them at once…
Was this examination not a little too strict?
Noticing Zhang Xuan’s bewilderment, one of the two youths beside him spoke up. “Didn’t the clan head say it earlier before coming here? The Great Phrontistery of Confucianism has always been this strict. Besides… isn’t it the same for our clan?”
His name was Fan Xiaoxing, and while his cultivation was beneath that of Fan Xiaoxu, he was also a Saint 9-dan pinnacle cultivator.
“What’s the same?”
“The selections! There is an examination for us every single year, and those who fail will be denied cultivation resources and cultivation techniques, thus losing the privilege to cultivate. Have you forgotten how many battles we had to go through in order to come this far?” Fan Xiaoxing shook his head with a bitter smile.
“How could I possibly have forgotten all of that? I just can’t help but feel a little melancholic at this harshness,” Zhang Xuan replied with a slight smile to cover up his astonishment.
To hold examinations every year and deprive those who had failed of their cultivation resources… was it not a little cruel to enforce such rules within their own clans?
Was Kong shi’s goal not to nurture every human to become powerful, independent experts?
If so, why would the Hundred Schools of Philosophers intentionally deprive their own people of the resources required for them to grow?
“The examination this year is slightly different from the previous years, but it will be much simpler than before. I believe that every single one of you has noticed that the mountain in front of us have been sealed. This mountain will serve as the venue of your examination. Before entering the mountain, we’ll have every single one of you wear a teleportation jade token in front of your chest. As soon as you crush it, you will be immediately teleported out, thus losing your right to enter into the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism!
“You are free to make allies and make a move on others; there will be no restrictions on that. As long as you are one of the hundred survivors remaining at the end, you will have cleared the examination and earned the right to enter the Great Phrontistery of Confucianism!” the Sempiternal realm consummation middle-aged man standing at the forefront of the group above reiterated.
“We’ll be immediately teleported out if the teleportation jade token we are holding is crushed?”
“That’s unfair! If someone skilled in concealment hides himself as soon as we enter the mountain, such that no one is able to find him, won’t he be able to clear the examination without battling at all?”
“That’s the same for those who are skilled in formations! If he sets up his defenses well, no one will be able to eliminate him!”
“What if everyone hides and we don’t eliminate others?”
Such discussions sounded from the youths beneath.
They had thought that the examinations would take on the same format as previous years, such as a round robin tournament or some sort of trial, but who could have known it would just be a mass elimination battle?
“There’s no need to worry. Since we have already set the rules, there’s no way we’ll allow that sort of problem to occur. The Great Phrontistery of Confucianism will be dispatching an enforcement squad to eliminate those who hide or proactively avoid battles. Furthermore, the duration of the examination is only six hours. If you are unable to reduce your numbers to a hundred people by the end of this duration, we’ll deem all of you to have failed the examination!” the Sempiternal realm consummation middle-aged man said.
“Six hours?”
“Enforcement squad?”
Everyone’s eyes widened in astonishment.
There were still some who had been thinking that they would be able to exploit the rules to clear the examination with ease, but they dared not to harbor such thoughts anymore.
To eliminate more than two thousand people within three hours was no easy feat. In order to ensure that the number was reduced to a hundred people by the end of the duration, they would have to actively seek out individuals to eliminate. Furthermore, if they dared hide, they would risk being weeded out by the enforcement squad.
In other words, if they wished to be one of the hundred survivors at the end, they would have to try their best to eliminate others.
The Sempiternal realm consummation middle-aged man looked at the crowd after explaining all of the rules. “Are there any other questions?”
“No!” the crowd replied resoundingly.
The Sempiternal realm consummation middle-aged man waved his hand, and an elevated platform materialized at the center of the crowd. On it were several thousand jade tokens.
“Verify your identities and claim your jade tokens,” he instructed.
One of the youths took the lead and walked up to the elevated platform. He bit his finger and squeezed out a droplet of blood on the elevated platform.
Weng!
There was a slight buzz as a line of words appeared above the elevated platform: Ancient Sage Zi Qi.
Hu!
With the acknowledgement of his bloodline, a jade token flew over and pinned itself to his chest.
Following which, the second youth walked up to the elevated platform.
“Their procedures sure are strict…” Seeing this, Zhang Xuan could not help but pat his heart in relief.
It was fortunate that he had knocked out Fan Xiaoxu in advance to disguise himself as the other party. If he had not sent Zheng Yang and Wei Ruyan away, their disguises would surely have crumbled in the face of this verification method, thus putting the Hundred Schools of Philosophers on their guard.
The crowd around Zhang Xuan slowly moved toward the elevated platform, and soon enough, it was finally Zhang Xuan’s turn to claim his jade token. He squeezed his blood on the elevated platform and successfully obtained a jade token too.
Fan Xiaoxing and the other youth, Fan Xiaofeng, then went up.
In less than an hour, all two thousand examinees had claimed the jade tokens that they would have to lay down their lives to protect during the course of the examination.
“Good! Quickly head over to the mountain. As soon as the last participants steps into the mountain, the six hours will officially start ticking down!” The Sempiternal realm consummation middle-aged man in the air waved his hand grandly.
Huala!
The seal around the mountain opened up, and the crowd swiftly dashed toward the peak.
Those who first headed in would be able to claim the advantageous terrain, thus significantly boosting their chances at clearing the examination.
Fan Xiaoxing and Fan Xiaofeng were intending to rush right in as well, but they felt someone tugging their clothes from behind. It was Fan Xiaoxu.
“It’s likely that we’ll be forcefully separated after entering the mountain. Find somewhere to hide first. I’ll come looking for you!”
Zhang Xuan noticed that there were Teleportation Formations set up along the perimeter of the mountain, so it was likely that examinees would be randomly teleported to various places on the mountain.
Otherwise, if those from the same clan huddled together, it would make an unfair battle.
“Hide?” Fan Xiaoxing and Fan Xiaofeng frowned.
In truth, the three of them would not form too powerful a force even if they did group together. They would just become a larger target for others to attack if they huddled together, so they might very well fare better going off on their own paths.
“Listen to me. I’ll make sure that all of us clear the examination!” Zhang Xuan said confidently.
Since he had knocked out the real Fan Xiaoxu and assumed the latter’s identity, he should give something back to Ancient Sage Zi Chi’s descendants in compensation.
Seeing how adamant Fan Xiaoxu was about this matter, Fan Xiaoxing and Fan Xiaofeng hesitated for a moment before nodding in agreement. “… Alright then!”
Zhang Xuan also did not bother explaining how he would go looking for them after they went into hiding. Instead, with a light smile, he swiftly flitted over to the mountain.
Hula!
Light burst forth from the Teleportation Formation and shrouded his figure, causing him to vanish.
