Chapter 42 – The Outer Court Exam Begins (1/2)

In these last three days, Yang Ye didn’t cultivate the Sword Control Technique, and he placed all his attention onto the Sword Qi Finger and Energy Split Sword Technique. Even though the Sword Control Technique was formidable, it was unable to be of any use in a short period of time, whereas, he’d already learned these two techniques, and they could be of use during the exam.

Three days of time pa.s.sed in the blink of an eye.

The Outer Court Exam wasn’t held on the training grounds, and it was held on Exam Peak instead. Exam Peak was a small peak that was originally desolate and extremely cold. However, if the day of the Outer Court Exam arrived, then this peak would become the most bustling place in the entire Sword Sect.

Early in the morning, the sky had just lit up slightly when around 3,000 youths were standing on the enormous square on Exam Peak. These youths were all around 17 years of age, and there were even some that were younger. Even though they were young, no one dared to look down upon them because they were the geniuses that came from cities in the Sword Sect’s surroundings.

It wasn’t exaggerated to call them geniuses because it was extremely difficult to attain the sixth rank of the Mortal Realm before the age of 17. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be only around 3,000 people that had come to partic.i.p.ate in the Outer Court Exam from amongst the population of a few million in the cities in the Sword Sect’s vicinity.

As he stood in the crowd, Yang Ye gazed at the excited and happy expressions of those youths, and he couldn’t help but sigh with emotion in his heart. He was just like these youths when he’d just arrived at the Sword Sect. However, after he experienced the life of a Labor Disciple, no matter if it was his mentality or other aspects, all of them had matured. So, he would definitely not be excited and happy like these youths in the surroundings.

In his opinion, becoming an inner court disciple was his true objective. He wasn’t reaching for something beyond his grasps, and it was instead because he was extremely confident of his own ability.

When the sun gradually rose into the sky and sunlight shone down onto Exam Peak, three Outer Court Elders appeared on the platform at the front of the square. When they noticed the appearance of these three elders, all the youths beneath the platform instantly became restless. They hadn’t become restless because of these elders, and it was instead because the exam was about to begin.

As he gazed at the 3,000 youths beneath the platform, Cao Huo frowned lightly, and his gaze swept from left to right before he sighed in a low voice in the end. “There are only 3,200 plus people this year, and its much fewer than last year. If this continues, then our Sword Sect would have no successors!”

Feng Yu nodded while standing at his side and said, “Yeah, I heard that there are around 100,000 geniuses that partic.i.p.ate during the Origin School’s Outer Court Exam. The two palaces have a few tens of thousands as well, and even the other two sects have over ten thousand geniuses. However, our Sword Sect only has a few thousand. If this continues, and if we don’t reduce the standards for recruitment, then our Sword Sect’s outer court will probably be in an embarra.s.sing state of having no one within it!”

“Lowering the standards is only a temporary relief!” Elder Qian shook his head and said, “If the standards are lowered, then the Sword Sect would only deteriorate with every generation and would be unable to avoid becoming a second-rate power in the end. I think that we should strive to obtain resources, and if a disciple of the Sword Sect can kill his way into the Ascension Rankings, then we’d be able to obtain a few more cities. With that, this sort of situation would definitely be turned around!”

When then they heard him mention the Ascension Rankings, Feng Yu and Cao Huo instantly sighed lightly, and Cao Huo said while laughing bitterly, “Brother Qian, how could the Sect Master and the others not be aware of this principle? However, how difficult is it to enter the Ascension Rankings? Are any one of those geniuses on the Ascension Rankings not heaven defying fellows? Especially those geniuses from the Imperial Academy and Origin School, even we might not necessarily be able to obtain any advantages while going against them!”

Feng Yu sighed and said, “To think that my Sword Sect was so prosperous a hundred years ago. At that time, even the Origin School had to avoid the edge of our swords. I never expected that it would decline to such a state after a hundred years.”

Elder Qian revealed a bitter smile as well when he heard this, and then he said, “Yeah. In the last ten plus years, since Fairy Su entered the Ascension Rankings, there actually hasn’t been a single disciple that was able to enter the Ascension Rankings, causing our Sword Sect to face such a situation. At the bottom of it all, all of us failed all those years ago!”

Cao Huo swept the people beneath the platform with his gaze, and then he said, “I heard that a 16 year old young man from Snow River City that has attained the ninth rank of the Mortal Realm will be partic.i.p.ating in the exam. If he didn’t utilize any medicinal pills and other external forces to improve his cultivation, then attaining the ninth rank of the Mortal Realm at the age of 16 would definitely allow him to become another monstrous genius of our Sword Sect!”

Feng Yu nodded and said, “I’ve heard of him as well. That young man seems to be called Jiang Yuan. Supposedly, he’s known as the most outstanding genius from Snow River City in the last 100 years. If the rumors are true, then after those fellows on the Outer Court Rankings become inner court disciples, this kid will probably be able to become the number one expert in the outer court!”

Elder Qian smiled with ridicule at the side. Most outstanding genius in 100 years? Is it more monstrous than Yang Ye’s gold element Profound Energy? If the others knew that Yang Ye possessed gold element Profound Energy, then those peak masters and all the elders of the Sword Sect would be shocked. However, he wouldn’t tell them about it because he respected Yang Ye’s choice.

Meanwhile, Cao Huo raised his head to glance at the sun above him, and then he said, “Brother Feng, you preside over the first stage!”

When he heard this, Feng Yu adjusted his mental state before taking a few steps forward. He gazed at the slightly immature youths below while a wisp of a gratified expression floated up into appearance within his eyes. He raised his hands, causing the originally slightly clamorous voices from below to instantly vanish, and everyone went completely quiet.

Feng Yu said, “Everyone, I’m an Outer Court Elder, Feng Yu. All of you can call me Elder Feng. I’m one of the elders that will be presiding over the exam this time. Firstly, I represent the Sword Sect in welcoming all of you. Secondly, congratulations because being able to stand here proves that you’re extraordinary. Even if you’re unable to become an outer court disciple of the Sword Sect, your accomplishments in the future will definitely be outstanding….”

After speaking for a long time, Feng Yu got to the point and said, “The exam is divided into three stages. The first stage will test the foundation of your cultivations. The objective of this stage is to eliminate those that improved their cultivations through the use of medicinal pills or those who possess unstable cultivations. Now, I’ll emanate the imposing might of my cultivation at the King Realm, and those that are able to endure it until the end will be considered to have pa.s.sed!”

As soon as he finished speaking, Feng Yu’s figure flashed, and he flashed into the sky above the youths. After that, the Profound Energy within his body circulated, and a strand of terrifying imposing aura surged out explosively from his body. In the end, it pressed down like a hill towards all the youths beneath him.