165: Chapter 165 Master Zhang, who failed the exam six times in a row?!

Jiang Yun headed up the building.

The commotion behind him grew larger and larger like a rolling snowball.

The Appraiser assessment.

The higher one went,

the difficulty increased exponentially.

The fewer people there were who could participate in the assessment.

Normally, the higher floors appeared quite deserted.

Jiang Yun, an exception leading a hundred-person sightseeing group all the way up,

instantly shattered the tranquility of the upper floors.

The massive uproar caught the attention of the stewards on every floor and the sporadic examinees.

When the people above heard from the fanatical audience following from below about Jiang Yun passing the Low Grade Rank 1 assessment as easily as drinking water and his arrogant claim of taking the Grand Tutor Level assessment directly, their reactions were surprisingly consistent.

"What? There's someone so ignorant of the heights of heaven and depths of the earth?"

"Hmph, young and frivolous, not knowing the depth of the Dao of Appraisal!"

"Just a claptrap-seeking fellow, he will surely meet his downfall in the Medium Grade assessment!"

Some people wearing robes representing Mid-grade or even High-Grade Appraisers looked at the crowd surging up from below and the black-robed figure at the lead, their faces filled with disdain and cold sneers.

When Jiang Yun finally stepped onto the fourth floor,

the location of the Mid-grade Appraiser assessment,

a dense crowd of over a hundred people had already gathered behind him!

The grand momentum was completely out of place with the original quietness of the fourth floor.

This spectacle directly startled the fourth floor's steward, staff, and the only two or three Appraisers who had come for the assessment today.

The steward looked at Jiang Yun, who was leading the way, shrouded in a black robe with a mask covering his face and a mysterious aura, and his heart suddenly tightened.

He thought they were under some kind of terrorist attack.

His voice even carried a hint of panic.

"You... what are you trying to do? This is the Appraisers Guild's restricted area! Don't you dare cause trouble!"

Jiang Yun was stunned by this reaction.

But he still took a step forward,

and respectfully cupped his hands.

"Lord Steward, this Junior is Dong Xuan, and I am here to register for the Mid-grade Rank 1 Appraiser assessment."

"Assessment?"

The steward was stunned.

Only then did he notice that although the crowd behind Jiang Yun was excited,

they bore no ill will.

Instead, they all craned their necks,

their faces filled with the excitement of spectators who wouldn't mind if things got even bigger.

He understood instantly.

They were just onlookers!

But this scale of onlookers was just too exaggerated!

It's just a Medium Grade assessment... why go this far?

Seeing this, the crowd behind him

also began to explain one after another.

Their voices were noisy.

"Steward, don't panic! We're all here to watch him take the assessment!"

"Right! We want to see just how much weight this guy who boasted about taking the Grand Tutor Level assessment really carries!"

"I bet he won't even pass this Medium Grade stage! He's bragging to high heaven!"

"Hurry up and let him take the test! We can't wait to see him make a fool of himself!"

Listening to these various comments,

the steward's gaze toward Jiang Yun completely changed.

So the madman whose clamorous shouts were heard from below just now... was this person before him?!

This black clothing and mask,

and the scene of nearly a hundred people following him... just what is this person's background?

Just as the steward was filled with doubt and suspicion,

could it be someone from a Hidden Family emerging into the world?

A staff member stepped forward quickly

and whispered a few words in his ear.

Obviously, he was giving a quick report of everything that had happened downstairs.

The steward's face instantly went through a complex transformation from shock to realization,

then to disbelief and deep scrutiny.

He looked at Jiang Yun again,

his gaze now carried an indescribable meaning.

He asked in a low voice to confirm, "You... are Dong Xuan? Do you truly intend to undergo the Mid-grade Appraiser assessment?"

"Indeed."

Jiang Yun nodded calmly.

However,

before the steward could make arrangements,

the clamor among the onlookers, which had long been suppressed, erupted once more.

Especially those Appraisers who had been stuck at Low Grade Rank 3 for many years and knew well the difficulty of the Medium Grade; they were even more indignant.

"Steward Li! Stop dallying! Hurry up and arrange it for this kid! Let him know the perils of the Mid-grade Appraiser assessment."

"Exactly! Let's see if his strength is as tough as his talk!"

"Hmph, I bet he won't even be able to grasp the basics of Origin Analysis! The Medium Grade assessment isn't something you can bluff through with rote memorization!"

Just then,

an exceptionally loud and resentful voice drowned out the noise, sounding particularly piercing.

"Steward Li! Quickly arrange the assessment for this kid! I want to see what kind of tricks such an arrogant madman can play in the Medium Grade assessment where I have failed six times!"

As soon as these words were spoken,

everyone looked toward the source of the voice.

They saw a middle-aged man wearing a Low Grade Rank 3 Appraiser robe that was somewhat faded from washing, his face showing a bit of weariness and stubbornness, squeezing out from the crowd.

The way he looked at Jiang Yun

was filled with blatant disdain and a long-suppressed resentment.

"It's Master Zhang!"

"Holy crap, it's that Master Zhang who failed the Mid-grade Rank 1 assessment six times!"

"No wonder he's so angry. Anyone who failed six times would feel uncomfortable seeing a newcomer being so arrogant!"

Someone immediately recognized him.

This Master Zhang,

his real name was Zhang Yuan.

He was quite a celebrity in the Starfall District's low-rank Appraiser circles.

Of course,

he was famous for repeatedly failing yet continuing to fight.

He was obsessed with appraisal,

but his Aptitude was limited.

He had been stuck at Low Grade Rank 3 for over ten years.

To break through to Medium Grade,

he had nearly exhausted his family fortune.

He had taken the assessment six consecutive times,

and failed every single time,

yet he remained undaunted.

Steward Li was clearly very familiar with him; he sighed, his tone carrying a hint of helplessness and habitual encouragement.

"Master Zhang, you're here again? I hope you can stay calm this time and achieve a Breakthrough."

Zhang Yuan slammed his Low Grade Rank 3 Appraiser Token heavily onto the registration desk.

He was full of confidence, yet also paranoid.

"Don't worry, Steward Li! I've studied for three years this time; I will definitely pass!"

Before entering, he suddenly turned back

and glared fiercely at Jiang Yun,

squeezing a sentence through his teeth.

"Junior, the Dao of Appraisal relies on painstaking effort and true learning, not seeking attention! Let's see how you end up later!"

This posture

vividly displayed the resentment accumulated from years of failure, his obsession with his own efforts, and his instinctive loathing for a shortcut-taker like Jiang Yun.

Facing this hostile gaze,

Jiang Yun simply looked back calmly.

His face under the black robe showed neither joy nor sorrow.

After all, the 'true learning' in the other's eyes,

he didn't need it at all!

Zhang Yuan snorted coldly,

turned around and was the first to enter the Assessment Area.

Only then did Steward Li turn to Jiang Yun,

he said perfunctorily, "Little friend Dong Xuan, please show your Low Grade Rank 1 Assessment Certificate."

Jiang Yun handed over the certificate given by the first-floor steward.

After Steward Li verified it,

he took a deep look at him

and stepped aside to clear the path.

"Go in. I wish... you good luck as well."

Although he somewhat scoffed at Jiang Yun's arrogant and overbearing behavior,

his duty required it,

he had to remain impartial.

"Quick! Get in there and grab a good spot!"

"Hmph! I want to see what this guy can actually do! It'd be best if he shows his true colors right in the Medium Grade assessment!"

"I think it's unlikely. Even Master Zhang couldn't pass after six tries; how can he, someone who just passed Rank 1, do it?"

"That's not necessarily true. What if he's a real Genius?"

"Let's go, let's go, stop talking nonsense and get in!"

Just as Jiang Yun stepped into the entrance of the Assessment Area,

the hundred-plus spectators behind him were like a bursting flood,

surging toward the spectator area.

The place was bustling with noise and discussion.

Everyone's face carried extreme anticipation and curiosity.

They all wanted to witness with their own eyes

this Dong Xuan who had caused such a massive stir.

Just how he would end up.

Would it be a miracle once more?

Or would his boasting be exposed?

Everyone's gaze

was focused on that black-robed figure walking toward the assessment position.