Chapter 58 (1/2)

Upon leaving the Keystone Business, Lin Xun only had a hundred and seventy-three imperial silver coins. Most of his money was spent on spiritual medicines and spiritual ink.

There was no other choice. All the goods used for cultivation were of great value, which ordinary people could not afford.

Lin Xun had also heard that some people with the aptitude for cultivation failed to involve cultivation in all their lives due to poverty and lack of financial support and had to be a common one of all mortal beings.

Fortunately, Lin Xun didn’t need to worry about it now.

As noon approached, Lin Xun had decided to venture back to Feiyun Village. Shue Liang sent two guardians to help Lin Xun escort the cargo.

The two guardians, who were also responsible for purchasing Feiyun Fire-copper, followed Lin Xun this time in order to explore the way, and thereafter they would go to Feiyun Village to buy Feiyun Fire-copper every other month.

In this way, even if Lin Xu left Feiyun Village later, there was no need to worry that no one could deliver and exchange goods for Feiyun Village.

Lin Xun clearly knew that this must be the arrangement of Yan Zhen and it also proved that Keystone Business always matched the action to the word.

From now on, as long as Lin Xun was alive and Keystone Business was still in Green-sun Tribe, surely no one dared to break the contract.

Besides, the backing of Keystone Business ensured that others dared not to encroach on the wealth of Feiyun Village.

Shue Liang saw Lin Xun off to the outside of Green-sun Tribe, which attracted a lot of attention along the way. However, when recognizing the people from Keystone Business, all the passers-by looked away quietly.

“Childe Lin, based on your present age and cultivation, why don’t you go to Donglin Town to attend the County Test?” said Shue Liang, who was surprised to learn that Lin was only 13 years old as they talked.

“County Test?” asked Lin Xun, in a daze.

Shue Liang patiently explained, “The Empire conducts several rounds of selection every other year, recruiting outstanding talents from all over the world…”

According to Shue Liang, in order to select talents, Ziyao Empire, on the basis of regional differences, set up four kinds of tests, namely County Test, State Test, Province Test and Nation Test.

It was easy to understand that covering a vast territory, Ziyao Empire (except the imperial capital – the Forbidden City) was divided into thirty-four provinces, each of which had several states. Similarly, each of the states included several counties.

In short, counties, states, provinces, and the imperial capital make up the grand Ziyao Empire.

And “County Test”, “State Test”, “Province Test” and “Nation Test” corresponded to different levels of assessment and selection.

Therefore, County Test, the lowest level of test, held a simple requirement, that was the participants must be young practitioners who did not exceed 15 years old.

All the people who met this condition could successfully pass County Test.

State Test, which was more rigorous, conducted accurate assessments on aptitude, perception and root bones of the practitioners, and only the outstanding ones could pass the test.

Province Test was super harsh. Shue Liang wasn’t quite clear about the specific content, but he knew that all the people who could pass the Province Test were the first-class figures in the world!

Nation Test, the top test in the Forbidden City, seemed to be unreachable. The participants of Nation Test were one-in-million peerless masters, the chosen ones.

It was worth mentioning that layers of screening and selection worked in the forms of the four tests.

The people who wanted to take part in Nation Test should be under the age of 18, and must pass the other three tests, none of which was replaceable.

After learning this, Lin Xun could not help but marvel at how many brilliant people would stand out through the annual tests. Those people who emerged from rounds of tests, without further ado, would certainly become the mainstays of Ziyao Empire in the future.

Soon a question came to mind and Lin Xun asked, “Uncle Shue, what are the specific benefits of participating in the tests? ”

Shue Liang fell silent for a long time and said, “There are numerous advantages. The participants will not only get fame, but also many opportunities for promotion and development. Most importantly, it is of great benefit to one’s future cultivation.”

After a pause, he continued, “Take County Test for example. As long as you pass the test, a lot of clans, chambers of commerce, military ministries and schools will try their best to cozy up to you by providing you with the wealth and resources needed for your cultivation.”

Lin Xun was amazed and asked, “Why?”

“The reason is simple. Although it’s just a County Test, all participants are teenagers under 15 years old with cultivation. Such people are raw clay with great potential. If they can be recruited and become one part of own forces, it would definitely bring great benefits to the forces in the future.” Shue Liang said, laughing.

Lin Xun nodded as if deep in thought, and then said, “I see. So, if you don’t want to join other forces, there is no benefit, right?”

Shue Liang said, “No, of course not. As long as you pass County Test, the Empire will reward you with money and you will get an opportunity to take part in State Test. Once passing State Test, you will enjoy more benefits. At that point, some large forces will also be paying attention to you.”

“If you can pass Province Test, that would be awesome. Even without the chance to take Nation Test in the future, you can have a very high status, enjoying endless wealth and inexhaustible resources for cultivation.”

“Passing Nation Test means you get a ticket to the Green-deer School, the most famous school in the Empire and the dream shrine of cultivation for countless practitioners!”