Chapter Five — The Assessment Begins!

After some further exploration, Ye Chen discovered that he could control the Primordial Seal with his mind, and promptly stored it away.

Upon withdrawing, Ye Chen opened his eyes. It seemed that only the soul could enter that realm. Thinking this, he quickly glanced ahead and, seeing they had not yet arrived, grew puzzled.

"Old Shi, it’s been quite a while, and we still haven’t reached Qin Capital. How far is it?"

“Hey now? Qin Capital is about forty li from here. We’ve only been traveling for three hours, and you’re already thinking about arriving? Just fly over if you want.” Old Shi responded with some dissatisfaction upon hearing Ye Chen’s words.

Hearing this, Ye Chen fell silent. He had spent over ten hours inside the seal, but only three hours had passed outside.

Terrifying!

One day outside equaled three days inside!

Ye Chen knew this secret could not be revealed to anyone, or it would mean certain death.

“How much longer until we arrive?” Ye Chen asked casually.

“Riding hard, about another day,” the old man replied without hesitation.

“Oh.”

Ye Chen’s mind drifted into his sea of consciousness, surrounded by a vast and boundless ocean of awareness, shimmering like a brilliant starry river. Focusing his intent, he tried once again to touch the Primordial Seal, but felt an invisible barrier standing resolute before him, like a wall of bronze and iron, impenetrable.

Ye Chen furrowed his brows, eyes flashing with confusion and curiosity, as if his mental force took the form of an invisible hand, striking the barrier repeatedly, stirring ripples in his consciousness but never piercing it.

“What’s going on? Why can’t I get in?” Ye Chen was thoroughly perplexed.

“Looks like I’ll have to study this later,” he thought, withdrawing his awareness back into his body.

With a swift motion, he landed steadily atop the jolting carriage, his feet rooted firmly, unaffected by the vehicle’s movement. Ye Chen took a deep breath, raised his fists slowly, and began practicing the “Shattering Gold Fist.” His fists traced powerful arcs through the air, each strike accompanied by a deep explosive sound, the rushing wind causing the surrounding grass to sway slightly. His eyes fixed intently ahead, his expression focused and resolute; every punch was infused with his full strength, radiating overwhelming momentum.

“If I infused these punches with profound energy, wouldn’t they be incredibly powerful?” Excitement stirred within him.

---

One day later...

“Kid, stop sleeping—we’ve arrived at Qin Capital.”

Seeing Ye Chen still deep in slumber, Old Shi grew impatient and leaned close to whisper into his ear:

“Get! Up! Now!!!”

Startled, Ye Chen shouted and threw a punch, landing squarely on Old Shi’s laughing face.

Old Shi clutched his cheek, feigning indignation: “Hey now, I only told you to get up, and you hit me! Apologize!”

Ye Chen paused, observing Old Shi’s exaggerated expression and hand pressed to his face, and couldn’t help but twitch the corner of his mouth. He shook his head helplessly, silently muttering, “Honestly, Old Shi acts like a child—so immature.”

Old Shi’s eyes widened, as if ready to argue more, but Ye Chen had already leapt down from the carriage, landing silently on the ground without kicking up dust. He lightly brushed off his clothes, a hint of amusement in his gaze, made a playful face at Old Shi, then strode briskly toward the city of Qin Capital. Old Shi stood dumbfounded for a moment before mumbling and trailing after him.

Upon arriving at the Cangming Academy, Ye Chen was struck with astonishment.

The academy nestled at the southwestern foot of a towering mountain, shrouded in mist like a celestial realm. Its gates were built from bluestone, ancient and dignified, with six golden characters gleaming in the sunlight: “Great Qin Cangming Academy.” The entrance bustled with noise and excitement. Groups of youths in colorful attire gathered, some excited, some nervous, clutching recommendation letters, their eyes shining with boundless anticipation.

At that moment, a neatly dressed broad-faced man approached Ye Chen, bowing slightly with a smile that radiated aristocratic grace and calm.

“I am Shi Yunfan, heir of the Shi family from Wuli City. May I ask who you are?” His voice was warm and magnetic, like a gentle spring breeze, soothing to the ear.

Ye Chen turned and met Shi Yunfan’s gaze, which sparkled with curiosity and friendliness. Behind Shi Yunfan stood several attendants, all elegantly dressed with distinguished bearing.

Ye Chen smiled faintly and returned the greeting: “I am Ye Chen, from the Ye family of Liukong City, newly arrived. I hope Brother Shi will guide me well.” He lightly raised the package and recommendation letter in his hand, indicating his purpose to participate in the external academy’s proficiency examination.

Upon hearing this, Shi Yunfan sneered disdainfully: “I thought your family was some great power. Turns out you’re just second-rate. Hmph.” With that, he began to look around...

“Hey?” Shi Yunfan’s eyes suddenly brightened as he walked over.

“I am Shi Yunfan, heir of the Shi family from Wuli City. May I ask who you are?” he repeated with a faint smile, though a subtle arrogance lingered beneath.

The man named Wang Hu was burly and rugged-faced, wearing a splendid brocade robe and carrying an ornately decorated long sword at his waist.

Hearing Shi Yunfan’s introduction, Wang Hu’s eyes lit up. He strode over and bowed: “I am Wang Hu, heir of the Wang family from Linshi City.”

Shi Yunfan quickly patted Wang Hu’s shoulder, laughing heartily: “Brother Wang, I’ve long heard of your great name! What a coincidence to meet here today!” They smiled at each other as if longtime friends. The attendants behind Wang Hu hurried forward to greet Shi Yunfan’s retinue, adding to the lively atmosphere at the academy gate.

---

Witnessing this, Ye Chen was dumbfounded. Could things really be played this way?

Seeing Ye Chen’s expression, Old Shi chuckled: “Hahaha, isn’t this quite normal?”

“True enough. As the old saying goes: people die for wealth, birds perish for food,” Ye Chen mused, then resumed waiting.

Three hours later...

“All right, the time has come. I now invite the examinees to enter Cangming Academy,” the elder announced before departing.

As Ye Chen was about to move, Old Shi added: “Be extra careful.”

“Got it, got it,” Ye Chen replied and then rushed inside.

The venue for the first test was enormous, able to hold about fifty thousand people. At present, nearly seven thousand youths had gathered—some standing, some sitting in small groups. Some whispered softly, sharing experiences and hopes; others closed their eyes, silently preparing. The air was thick with tension and excitement, as if a great battle were about to begin.

“Wow, such a huge place and so many people—probably even more than our entire Ye family,” Ye Chen remarked.

An hour later...

An elder appeared atop the front platform. Clad in black, his hair and beard pure white, his eyes shone with sharp wisdom. He cleared his throat softly, but his voice boomed like a great bell, instantly silencing the crowd.

With his hands clasped behind his back, he paced slowly, each step seeming to strike a chord in the hearts of all present, causing a subtle tremor. His gaze swept over the youths, who felt an invisible pressure, as if the very air had grown dense.

The elder’s voice was low and authoritative: “I will serve as the examiner for this test. The entire Qin Kingdom will broadcast this event live. Only two hundred will be accepted as external disciples. Now, the exam officially begins—give it your all and do not disappoint us!”

“First test: The Great Wave Sifts the Sand!”

As the name implies, this test is designed to weed out those whose foundations are unstable, leaving only the steadfast.