Chapter 27 (2/2)

His willpower was as strong as steel!

Ding Hao could understand why Zhang Fan was hanging on so obstinately. After all, he was already fourteen and had an average showing during the earlier test of property. This meant that his chances of entering Swordsmans.h.i.+p-seeking Sect were very slim, so he would have to give it his all during this final a.s.sessment by relying on pure human strength to even win a silver of hope.

Ding Hao could also see the hunters who had accompanied Zhang Fan monitoring the situation anxiously outside the sword formation picture. Their eyes were filled with hope.

Indeed, to these ordinary hunters, Zhang Fan’s perseverance probably signified their best hope.

Ding Hao bowed his head and thought for a moment. Then he stopped trying to resist the pressure and slowly rose to his feet to leave the sword formation picture.

In accordance with Swordsmans.h.i.+p-seeking Sect’s tradition, the final partic.i.p.ant remaining in every sword formation picture would receive bonus points. Ding Hao could have carried on, but he had been touched by this ordinary young man.

Ding Hao suddenly felt that he should let this struggling young man receive the bonus points. This might even give him the boost he needed to enter Swordsmans.h.i.+p-seeking Sect.

“Thank…thank you…”

As Ding Hao walked past Zhang Fan, the bloodied figure eked out these words from his lips that had already been destroyed.

Ding Hao gave him a small smile. “All the best!”

Then, he strode out of the sword formation picture.

The elder clad in a silver robe and the third-generation disciples standing outside the sword formation picture all looked at Ding Hao with the same strange expression.

The other young men who had been waiting for the final result also looked at Ding Hao with more warmth than before.

Everyone could tell that Ding Hao had been the most relaxed person in his group and could have easily carried on, but instead, he deliberately let the struggling young man come in first.

“Young master, thank you, thank you!” The several hunters approached Ding Hao and expressed their grat.i.tude.

Among them was a middle-aged man of about forty who was probably Zhang Fan’s father. His body was like an iron tower, his skin dark and covered with scars. As he spoke, he made to kneel to Ding Hao in grat.i.tude.

Ding Hao quickly held him up.

…

The entrance exams were finally over with six hours to go before nightfall.

Close to 10,000 young men had partic.i.p.ated in the day’s entrance exams, but less than a thousand stood a chance of entering Swordsmans.h.i.+p-seeking Sect, which was a reflection of how grueling and cruel the entire process was.

Those who had been eliminated were allowed to spend the night at Swordsmans.h.i.+p-seeking Sect, but they would have to leave the following morning.

As for those who currently still had a chance to enter Swordsmans.h.i.+p-seeking Sect, the sect extended their hospitality and they were led to the guest lodgings.

The entrance exams continued on the second day.

As usual, there were many travel-worn young men who came from afar to take part in the entrance exam.

The same feelings of happiness and despair were seen on their faces on the second day.

The ranking list continued to be updated on Swordsmans.h.i.+p-seeking Sect’s announcement board.

As time pa.s.sed, the names on the list continued to change.

Ding Hao’s ranking continued to drop. From his initial 10th place, he ranked 35th among 1,100 partic.i.p.ants after the end of the second day’s entrance exams.

The names of the top ten on the list remained covered with red paper. No one knew who they were.

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