I proved immortality through the imperial examination.

Chapter 44 The Dark Side
"I heard someone shouting 'Mr. Er Diao' from afar. Who is he talking about?"

Wei Yang rubbed her sleepy eyes.

Feng Jing took a snuff bottle and laughed, "Wei Ling is joking, isn't he? Something that happened in your Yunmeng is being asked of me, an outsider."

Wei Yang chuckled and said, "A mere military man surnamed Wei was promoted to city magistrate and forced to wear this beastly robe. He doesn't know much about the affairs of the Confucian scholars."

As he spoke, he summoned a junior official, who knew the inside story and explained the reason.

Feng Jing was so surprised that he stood up. "I've heard of these two pieces before, and I thought they were unique overseas works. I never expected they came from Yunmeng."

"What a wonderful line, 'Fishing Alone in the Snowy River.' Even a roughneck like me can glean some meaning from it. Haha, Professor Feng, Yunmeng has a long history of producing outstanding figures, isn't that well-deserved?"

Wei Yang's face was beaming.

Feng Jing nodded. "This boy is indeed extraordinary. Show me his performance record."

The clerk quickly reported Xue Xiang's performance evaluation. Feng Jing looked disappointed. "It's a pity. He's ranked after 20th and won't be able to enter the Qingyun Terrace."

Wei Yang chuckled and said, "Even someone like him can't make it into the top twenty, which just proves that under my rule, Yunmeng City's literary fortune is thriving."

"That kid is Er Diao?"

Feng Jing leaned over the railing and peered out, spotting Xue Xiang surrounded in the center.

The assistant nodded.

Feng Jing suddenly realized, "So it was this kid. He can produce two famous works, which shows he has exceptional talent. No wonder the literary black tiger keeps looking back at him."

Feng Jing felt relieved and became interested in the commotion below again, instructing his assistant to go down and listen carefully.

Before long, the clerk returned and reported, "It is the scholars who are making a fuss, wanting to test Xue Xiang's talent and ask him to compose a poem that is appropriate for the occasion."

Xue Xiang was forced to respond with a poem.

Feng Jing frowned. "This must be a trick played by someone who is jealous. What kind of masterpiece can a celebratory poem possibly be?"

Feng Jing drank his tea listlessly, too lazy to even ask what poem Xue Xiang had written. Seeing that the assistant was hesitant to speak, he asked him why.

The clerk said, "Xue Xiang wrote an essay, which I think is ten... ten out of ten excellent."

"Very good indeed. What poetry do you know? Recite it for me to appreciate!"

The official recited in a loud voice, "As the poem says, 'The sordid past is nothing to boast about, today's unrestrained thoughts are boundless. Riding a swift horse in the spring breeze, one can see all the flowers of Yunmeng in a single day.'"

Crack! The teacup in Feng Jing's hand fell to the ground.

Wei Yang laughed heartily, “What a wonderful time it is to ride the spring breeze and ride the horse swiftly, and to see all the flowers of Yunmeng in a single day.”

Professor Feng, if all scholars like you could write poems so simple and easy to understand, poems that make people want to applaud, I, Old Wei, might even be able to pass the imperial examinations.

Feng Jing glanced at Wei Yang, too lazy to pay attention, and savored the few lines of poetry, his heart filled with waves of emotion, and his sense of regret grew stronger.

How come such a talented person isn't in the top twenty?

Just as Feng Jing was sighing, inside the examination hall, Su Ziming's eyes were practically spitting fire.

He really wanted to pry open Xue Xiang's brain and see if it was filled with poetry collections.

Even a perfunctory congratulatory poem can be written like this, and it just comes out off the top of his head.

Is this a human being?
Just as he was getting angry, Xue Xiang squeezed through the crowd and came to Su Zimo's side, cupping his hands and saying, "Thank you, Brother Su, for raising my head so high. I have a reputation in the literary world today, and Brother Su deserves nine-tenths of the credit. Thank you very much."

Su Ziming was so angry that his teeth chattered. "Poetry is just a minor matter; prose is the real path."

No matter how good your poems are, you didn't even make it into the top twenty, which is enough to prove that being a poet isn't a sign of talent. What's there to brag about?

Unlike Su, who is qualified to ascend the Azure Cloud Platform, refine literary energy, and perhaps even temper his body with literary energy to achieve the Mysterious Night Eye.

Fireflies are just fireflies; they can never compete with the bright moon...

As soon as Su Ziming finished speaking, a red-robed inspector floated into the air, a blue pagoda appearing in his palm, emitting a soft, shimmering light.

Then he announced loudly, "Those who pass the exam shall be placed at the front."

In an instant, rays of moonlight shone down, and some drifted down above Xue Xiang and Su Ziming's heads.

Not far away, Zhou Mengyu jumped up and down excitedly.

A ray of moonlight also shone down on his head.

This step is the ultimate reward for all successful candidates: to be imbued with literary talent.

From then on, evil spirits could not invade, and demons retreated. Soon, a group of highly skilled individuals, marked by the clear light, stepped forward.

Once everyone had gathered, the cyan pagoda emitted a magnificent, clear light, locking onto Xue Xiang and the others.

Amidst the envious gazes of those who failed the exam, a grand, sacred, and compassionate spirit enveloped those who passed.

Xue Xiang's restless mood instantly became calm and peaceful.

Time passed, and the moonlight faded, and everyone returned to normal.

Everything seemed unchanged, but everyone knew that the new students had already been imbued with literary refinement.

"The top twenty newly appointed scholars will ascend the Azure Cloud Terrace, where they will refine their literary energy and have their names announced!"

The inspector shouted like thunder.

Then he waved his hand, and the blue pagoda in his palm transformed into a blue platform that soared into the clouds.

Beneath the green platform, a beam of golden light shone directly onto the ground.

On the high platform, the red-robed official announced loudly, "The city examination is over, and all students are to be listed."

This year, Yunmeng City will select 201 candidates.

The top twenty will ascend the Azure Cloud Terrace.

First place, top scorer, Wei Wendao.

"Wei Wendao is here!"

Wei Wendao strode forward and entered the golden light. With each step he took, he walked on a golden road paved in mid-air.

Below the high platform, countless students were captivated by it.

I feel that as a scholar, I have endured half a lifetime of hardship, and today I have finally achieved my goal.

Su Ziming was also filled with envy, then smugly glanced at Xue Xiang beside him, and whispered in his ear, "No matter how amazing your poetic talent is, can you ascend to the Azure Cloud Terrace? Are you qualified to participate in the garden party? Can you pay homage to the Academy of Literature..."

"Seventeenth place, Xue Xiang!"

"Ok?"

Su Ziming felt a sharp pang in his heart. "Was I hallucinating?"

He looked in the direction of the sound and saw the red-robed official on the high platform looking in his direction.

"Xue Xiang is here!"

Xue Xiang loudly agreed.

Su Ziming felt as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over his head on a sweltering summer day, freezing all the blood and energy in his body.

How could Xue Xiang be in the top twenty? That's impossible.

It felt as if a thousand steel needles had instantly pierced his mind.

What's even more terrifying isn't that Xue Xiang made it into the top twenty, but that if Xue Xiang is in the top twenty, then the original twentieth place will be the biggest loser, as they will be pushed down to twenty-first place.

And the poor, unlucky guy's name just happens to be Su Zimo.

Su Ziming was in so much pain that he couldn't breathe until Xue Xiang gently put his arm around his shoulder, which brought him back to his senses.

Then Xue Xiangru, like a close friend, leaned close to his ear and whispered, "Everyone has the ability to pull off some shady dealings, huh?"

Having said that, he strode towards Qingyuntai.

Just then, the assistant sang out the first twenty names.

Watching Xue Xiang step onto the platform, Su Ziming trembled violently. Finally, he could no longer control his emotions and roared, "A conspiracy! A colossal conspiracy..."

Everyone was surprised and puzzled, when suddenly someone else started shouting.

With over three thousand applicants, only two hundred will be selected, meaning the vast majority will fail.

Countless people among them were filled with despair and indignation, finding no reason to live.

Su Ziming's roar was like pouring kerosene into a pile of dry firewood and then throwing a torch into it.

In an instant, a raging fire erupted.

(End of this chapter)