38: Chapter 38 Mysterious Light Stele

Upon hearing the County Academy Instructor loudly announce the entry regulations, all the young students present who had come for the exam immediately composed themselves, consciously splitting into several long lines, waiting in an orderly fashion for verification.

Everyone took out their admission tickets from their chests, holding them with both hands as they handed them forward to the on-duty Instructor for inspection, verification, and registration.

Each admission ticket clearly stated the candidate's name, County Academy student status, place of origin and age, physical appearance, family background, and resume, along with the vermilion official seal stamped by the County Yamen. It was the only valid entry credential for participating in the County Exam.

The students stepped forward one by one, and the Instructors compared their appearances and verified the admission tickets one by one, strictly guarding against imposters and cheating; the atmosphere was extremely solemn.

Seeing this, Chen An did not hesitate. Together with Shen Qinglan, he took out his admission ticket, casually chose a line, and stood quietly at the back of the line to wait for verification.

"All students who have completed verification, enter immediately and proceed to the number one Martial Arts Arena within the academy to gather. Do not linger, do not make noise. Anyone who violates the rules will have their examination eligibility cancelled immediately!"

As the voice fell, the young Martial Artists who had passed the inspection composed themselves, stepped through the vermilion gate of the County Academy one by one, and walked toward the number one Martial Arts Arena in the depths of the academy.

After verification, Chen An and Shen Qinglan also walked together toward the number one Martial Arts Arena.

"What is going on? Why do I feel like Liu Qingyun wishes he could eat your flesh and drink your blood? Did you offend him?!" Walking together, Shen Qinglan thought of the expression on the Liu father and son just now and couldn't help but ask with a hint of worry.

As fellow students of Class Jia, Shen Qinglan naturally knew Liu Qingyun, and also knew that Liu Qingyun's father was the Instructor of Geng Class, Instructor Liu Zhixing.

It was precisely because of this that Shen Qinglan felt a little worried in her heart.

After all, not to mention Instructor Liu Zhixing, even just Liu Qingyun, a Martial Artist who was at least at the Late Stage of the Qi Condensation Realm and approaching Perfection, was not someone Chen An could handle.

"It's nothing. It's just that his father and he wanted me and the other nine Geng Class students to give up the County Exam, and they even planned to secretly sell us to the Jubao Trading Firm as menial laborers. Fortunately, the matter was exposed and was discovered and stopped in time by the Elder in charge of the academy."

Chen An's expression was indifferent, his tone calm and waveless, as he slowly recounted the dirty dealings of Instructor Liu Zhixing and his son yesterday, as if he were just talking about a trivial matter.

"What?! They actually dared to do such a vicious thing?!"

Upon hearing this inside story, Shen Qinglan's pretty face changed suddenly, her delicate brows knitted tightly, and her face turned cold.

She gritted her silver teeth, her gaze glancing coldly at Liu Qingyun's figure not far away, a flash of cold light flickering in her beautiful eyes as she said: "Don't worry, if I meet Liu Qingyun on the Martial Examination arena this time, I will definitely help you break his dog legs and vent your anger for you!"

"Alright, then I'll thank you in advance!" Looking at her righteous indignation and gnashing of teeth, Chen An couldn't help but smile, nodding his head with a smile.

"By the way, if you meet Liu Qingyun on the arena, just admit defeat directly!"

Shen Qinglan suddenly changed the subject, earnestly exhorting: "Don't try to be brave. Liu Qingyun has cultivation close to the Perfection of the Qi Condensation Realm; you are no match for him. As long as the green hills remain, there's no need to worry about firewood!"

"Hmm, don't worry!" Chen An nodded slightly.

Soon, the two of them walked into the number one Martial Arts Arena together.

The number one Martial Arts Arena was the largest martial practice ground in the County Academy, covering an area of a hundred acres. The ground was entirely paved with black iron stone, which was comparable to refined iron in texture; it was hard and flat, and even if it withstood the full-force bombardment of martial arts experts, it would not leave a single crack.

At this moment, the Martial Arts Arena was already bustling with noise. In the central area, three arenas stood firmly, their platforms wide and stable, surrounded by stone steps for viewing, reserved for the proctoring Instructors and waiting students to stand and watch.

On the open space to the right of the Martial Arts Arena, there were five ancient stone steles, each about a zhang high, neatly arranged. The steles were deep ink-colored throughout, with a heavy and frigid texture. In the middle of the stele, at a position of about 1.5 meters, a silvery-white area that was lustrous and emitted a faint flowing light was embedded, with patterns faintly appearing, revealing an arcane fluctuation.

Besides this, there seemed to be some scales faintly carved on the stone stele, though it was unknown what they were used for.

"I didn't expect that for this County Exam, the County Academy would actually bring out the mystic light stele!" Seeing those five stone steles, Shen Qinglan couldn't help but sigh slightly.

"The mystic light stele?!" Chen An raised an eyebrow.

"The mystic light stele is said to be a strange instrument crafted by a third-rank artifact master, which can be used to test the strength of True Qi."

Seeing that Chen An did not understand, Shen Qinglan said in a low voice, "It seems this County Exam is truly different. In previous County Exams, I had never heard of using the mystic light stele."

Test the strength of True Qi?!

Upon hearing Shen Qinglan's explanation, a strange look flashed in Chen An's eyes. He had not expected that this world would actually have such an instrument.

Besides this, Chen An also noticed that a wide viewing platform had been specially built at the back of the number one Martial Arts Arena.

The platform was built with solid wood, the eaves were ancient and simple, and the atmosphere was solemn. At this moment, several upright figures were sitting there.

Among them, three people had auras as deep and imposing as a mountain, and thick Innate True Qi was faintly circulating around their bodies; they were clearly martial arts experts of the Innate Realm.

Not long after, all the thousands of students participating in the Martial Examination arrived, lined up neatly, and were led by the team-leading Instructors to below the viewing platform at the back.

The whole venue instantly quieted down, and no one dared to make noise again.

At this moment, a middle-aged man on the high platform, wearing a black brocade robe and with three strands of long beard under his chin, slowly stood up. His demeanor was steady, and his gaze was as sharp as an eagle's, scanning the sea of young students below.

He was none other than the Instructor of the Wurong County Academy, a Innate Realm expert, Instructor Fan Suiyun!

When the venue was so quiet that a needle could be heard, Instructor Fan Suiyun spoke in a deep voice, his voice wrapped in faint True Qi, clearly spreading throughout the entire number one Martial Arts Arena:

"Students, I am the Instructor of Wurong County Academy, Instructor Fan Suiyun!"

He scanned the whole venue slowly, and then with a dignified expression, said: "Today's County Academy Martial Examination strictly prohibits favoritism, cheating, private fights, picking quarrels, or intentionally hurting others off the arena. Those who violate this will be expelled from the examination on the spot, never allowed to enter the County Academy again, and never allowed to participate in future Martial Examinations!"

"This Martial Examination will be conducted in two rounds: the first round is a cultivation inspection, based on the mystic light stele in the arena. Those whose cultivation has not exceeded the fifth level of the Qi Condensation Realm will be eliminated!"

"The second round is a real combat duel on the arena. Pairing will be done by drawing lots, and you will compete on the same stage. It will be decided when one side admits defeat or falls and loses the ability to resist!"

"The results of this Prefecture Exam will be comprehensively evaluated based on cultivation Realm and arena battle records. Those ranked in the top thirty will be recorded in the Prefectural Academy register and can go to the Chengtian Prefecture thirty-six counties unified examination, and even the Five Prefectures Joint Examination, to step onto a higher path of martial arts!"

Whoa!!~~

When Instructor Fan Suiyun stated the rules of the County Exam, especially when they heard that for the first round of cultivation verification, one must reach at least the fifth level of the Qi Condensation Realm to advance, the thousands of students in the venue instantly exploded into chaos.

Many young people whose cultivation was stuck at the third or fourth level of the Qi Condensation Realm turned pale instantly, their faces showing expressions of despair.

The students who originally still held onto luck and wanted to try their luck were all ashen-faced, each with a face full of astonishment and unwillingness...