Volume 1 Chapter 12: Upright Swordsman
As soon as Lin Xi left the tent, this middle-aged larger married woman gave the others a look, resolutely and decisively saying, "Our Medicine Department wants this Lin Xi."
"Professor Lan, it isn't only your Medicine Department that lacks geniuses." The black-robed, witch-like old woman whose hair tips were golden retorted, "It's not like you didn't see for yourself that he has an innate talent for the Natural Arts."
The wizened elder with the golden hair gave these two a look, his voice unprecedentedly clear and resolute. "The two of you should still leave him to my Spiritual Sacrifice Department. Our Spiritual Sacrifice Department's members really are too few, if this continues, Yunqin Empire's priests might become fewer and fewer."
When they heard this skinny and shriveled elder's words, the large middle-aged married woman and the black-robed old woman first stared blankly, but then the rigid middle-aged man spoke up, pausing with each word, "If we are to talk about a need due to scarcity, then it will obviously be our Internal Study Department."
The black-haired male with the most grave and stern expression also suddenly spoke up, simple and direct. "Our Self Defense Department also wants this person."
"Professor Qin, are you really going there?" When this black-haired male spoke, the middle-aged larger woman and black-robed woman really couldn't take it any longer, furiously shouting, "Lin Xi's aptitude is only second level, what are you trying to fight over him for?!"
When faced with these two's anger, the black-haired man's expression was still stern and calm, speaking in an unperturbed voice, "Professor Lan, do not forget that he is just an ordinary youngster from Deerwood Town, yet when facing those bloody and terrifying articles you purposely placed there, he instead remained inherently cool-headed. Moreover, everyone has seen how calm he was throughout this entire examination process, not a trace of nervousness or mistake. Moreover, I had him choose a weapon, yet he didn't have any hesitation... cool-headed, decisive, excellent memory. Furthermore, swordsmen are normally upright, their hearts honest, together with his own aptitude not being too shocking, this is the most optimal candidate for becoming an undercover spy in our Self Defense Department."
After pausing for a moment, the black-haired man calmly said, "Moreover, with his performance, I can guarantee that as long as he joins our Self Defense Department, even if his aptitude is a bit lacking, even if he doesn't become an undercover spy, he should still have great accomplishments in the future."
The large middle-aged married woman and the others who were familiar with this black-haired man's personality were all momentarily left with their mouths dry, unable to say anything. The entire tent entered a silence that was hard to break.
"The one she recommended is indeed a bit different... since this is the case, then let's just let the heavens choose. Let's not delay the examinations of the others, you all shouldn't be in a rush to fight over him either. Perhaps there might be students who aren't bad to come." The single-armed elder who watched quietly suddenly laughed, saying with a warm voice.
"Yes." The six professors who clearly all wanted Lin Xi in their departments all felt that this was the best solution, all of them nodding. "Next." The black-haired man's strict voice quickly sounded.
...
"There shouldn't be any issues, right?"
Lin Xi walked into the room where those who had already completed their test were waiting in, inwardly thinking. He immediately saw Zhang Ping.
Zhang Ping was still sitting in that corner, only, his face was slightly red, having a nervous and excited expression.
"Lin Xi, how did your test go?" When he saw Lin Xi walk over, Zhang Ping immediately suppressed his voice, taking the initiative to ask.
Lin Xi revealed a faint smile, saying, "I think it went alright, should probably be able to enter the academy."
"You are that confident?" Zhang Ping was shocked. He then looked around him, saying next to Lin Xi's ears, "This time, it's all thanks to you. During that Natural Arts professor's test, there were two of them that seemed to be similar to what you said."
"Could it be that the refined metal and runes are changed each time?" Lin Xi was surprised. He asked quietly, "What refined metals were the four pieces that were brought out?"
Zhang Ping said quietly, "One piece was black, one was silver, and two were bronze-colored refined metals."
Lin Xi knew that he made a mistake in what he had planned, saying rather apologetically, "It's a pity I only saw those recordings before, unable to help you too much."
"This is already quite the lucky coincidence!" Zhang Ping found it hard to suppress his excitement. "From what I saw, the Natural Arts' professor's expression seemed to already be satisfied. Together with the fact that my aptitude isn't bad, I have a good chance of entering the Natural Arts Department."
"If that is the case, then that's the best." Lin Xi pursed his lips slightly, "When you took the test, did they have you choose a weapon, then match refined metal with runes, memorize medicinal herbs, and then guess which egg can be incubated?"
Zhang Ping nodded. "It seems like this is how it was for everyone."
Lin Xi was a bit dumbfounded. "Isn't this a bit like playing games? Wouldn't this all depend on luck?"
Zhang Ping shook his head with a serious expression. "The academy's professors are all extremely capable individuals. What seems like games to us definitely carry deeper meaning for them, just that we cannot understand it."
Lin Xi rubbed his head. Frantically memorizing those medicinal herbs just now indeed gave him a bit of a headache. At the same time, he nodded in half agreement, "Do you know why that black-haired man had me choose a weapon from the start?"
"I do not." Zhang Ping looked at Lin Xi and said quietly, "The one I chose was a pair of long needles. What did you pick?"
Lin Xi said, "I chose the sword."
After quietly chatting with each other, two more people walked out from the tent those lecturers were in one after the other.
"Meng Bai, Meng Ren is your grandfather?! You actually still want to enter the Medicine Department! You..."
Right at this time, suddenly, the large middle-aged married woman who looked the most amiable roared out in anger, voice extremely loud, sounding even through the heavy layers of curtains. Even those in the tent with Lin Xi and Zhang Ping could hear everything clearly.
Lin Xi and Zhang Ping immediately looked at each other in dismay. Just from this sound alone, they could imagine just how furious the expression of that middle-aged woman was.
A moment later, a pale-faced, as if scared stiff Meng Bai staggered out into Lin Xi and Zhang Ping's field of view.
"Just what is going on? Your grandfather and that Medicine Department professor have some kind of conflict?" Lin Xi and Zhang Ping asked Meng Bai curiously, filled with curiosity.
The six professors who sat upright behind the long table in that tent, as well as the one who watched from the side, the single-armed elder who seemed to have even higher status, all had extraordinary presences. Someone who could make someone lose themselves to such a degree definitely wasn't just a normal type of character.
"I don't know." Meng Bai gasped for breath, but his face was completely sullen. "I only took the initiative to state that I was interested in the Medicine Department, and then she only gave my face a look, immediately screaming out in anger... based on normal reasoning, my grandfather's age should be much greater than hers, so there shouldn't be anything between them."
"She shouted your grandfather's name, and then from what you said, only gave your face a single look before immediately screaming in anger? It definitely has something to do with your grandfather." Lin Xi shook his head in disapproval, starting to analyze this. "Is there a chance that because their cultivation levels are high, these professors' true ages are much greater than what they look like?"
"This should be the case." Zhang Ping immediately nodded continuously. "From what I heard, the professors in the academy are all old freaks with extremely great ages. The ones who are overseeing the exam... should all be academy professors as well."
"If it was just a short fling, she shouldn't have been that upset. Could it be that your grandfather, he..." Lin Xi and Zhang Ping both seemed to have realized something, wishing to ask Meng Bai if his grandfather had an intimate relationship with this professor but then dumped her, but after giving Meng Bai's completely pale face a single look, the two of them immediately chose to shut their mouths.
...
There were over a thousand examinees, the entrance examination lasting until noon the next day before it was completely finished.
After continuing for a day and night without rest, the six professors from different departments and the single-armed elder who watched from the side didn't seem all that tired, some of them instead unable to control the looks of excitement in their eyes.
"The number of examinees with extraordinary potential really isn't that few, even someone from Wen Family coming..." When the last student left, the old man with the grizzled great beard immediately said impatiently. "If that Lin Xi doesn't end up joining our Statecraft Department, then don't fight me over this Wen Family kid. Either way, he hasn't displayed that much talent in the other fields."
"This type of aptitude, training it up will also be extremely fast. If he is let into our Self Defense Department, it will also be extremely suitable." The black-haired man spoke with a hint of mockery.
"You!" The gold man with the grizzled great beard trembled.
The black-haired man said unhurriedly, "However, if Lin Xi's heaven's choice doesn't allow him to enter our Self Defense Department, then it is enough if I get that surname Li youngster. I am willing to step aside on the Wen Family individual for you."
The elder with the great grizzled beard stared blankly. "The one surnamed Li?"
"The Li Kaiyun from Chaste Blossom City?" The large middle-aged married woman gave the black-haired man a strange look. "His aptitude is three. I don't really understand, what is so special about him?"
The black-haired male's expression jumped. "Loyalty and honor, I saw in his eyes a light most suitable for a soldier, a devout faith."
"Then what about that Gao Family's young lady? I reckon you all will definitely want to fight over her as well." The rigid middle-aged man in the hat said slowly.
"Wen Family's Wen Xuanyu and Gao Family's Gao Yanan, we should just leave it up to heaven's choice as well." The single-armed elder on the side said. "Let Lin Xi pick first, whichever one he chooses, then we will eliminate that as an option for the other two. If Lin Xi doesn't choose Spiritual Sacrifice, then when it is Wen Xuanyu and Gao Yanan's turn to choose, we will also remove Spiritual Sacrifice as an option. Professor Yuhua, after all, your Yuhua Family's little fella has quite the talent as well already, belongs to your Spiritual Sacrifice Department. What do you all think about my arrangements?"
"We will just do things as the vice principal suggests." The six professors all stood up, respectfully bowing towards the elder, starting to put away the respective items on the long table before them.
Two hours later, all of the examinees gathered in front of a tent.
The black-robed lecturer with the strict expression held a long sheepskin scroll in his hands, standing before the thousand plus examinees, starting to read in a calm and serious voice, "Zhang Qin, composite score 15 points, chosen to enter the academy's Statecraft Department... Deng Xin, composite score 15 points, chosen to enter the academy's Medicine Department... Wang Xinglun, composite score 16 points, chosen to enter the Self Defense Department..."