The battle inside the array came to an end and the disciples all gazed at the viewing platform after the last two prime disciples came out of the battle array. Yang Dao looked at Elder Bai on the side who said, "The first segment is over. The second one is the proficiency test. You all are learning more than just martial arts in the sect, so now we will test your knowledge in those departments. Come forward, report the subject that you are learning and collect the test paper. The prime disciples will be judged in public while the rest will be scored by the supreme elders. The time limit is two hours."
The disciples all moved toward the viewing platform where the deacons of various halls distributed them a set of paper. Yang Dao asked, "How will you judge the proficiency by theoretical knowledge master?"
He directly questioned Sun Eckhart. The man smiled and said, "Inside these papers is an array. This array will transport the consciousness of the applicant to a mental space where they will have to perform practical actions to complete the answers of the questions mentioned."
Yang Dao was surprised and said, "This sounds interesting. I want to try too."
Elder Jing Shui patted his head and said, "Next year it will be your turn child. Have patience."
The boy sighed and said bitterly, "Why am I so young? The old people all have fun."
The people chuckled at his expression. The tests began and Yang Dao watched the disciples standing there in a daze. Suddenly he found a paper catch flame and vaporize. He asked, "What is that?"
Elder Chime said, "More than three mistakes and your paper will vaporize, meaning you failed the exam." his voice had a bit of glee in it.
Yang Dao shook his head as he felt sorry for the disciples. These supreme elders were all cruel to the roots. He focused his eyes on Yue Jing and Yue Ming. The two people were still holding on to the paper calmly, meaning they were progressing slowly yet steadily. He squinted his gaze at Yue Ming and Elder Jing Shui said, "Dao, do not create trouble."
She spoke as if she could read his mind and had known him for years. Yang Dao stopped gazing at Yue Ming after this. If someone asked what he did to get a sentence like this from Jing Shui then he would tell you, how he planned to set fire to the paper held by Yue Ming and make him fail.
Yue Jing suddenly moved and said, "Master, I am done."
The elders gazed at her in surprise, while Elder Jing Shui raised her chin slightly in pride. Her disciple has finished the test first among so many people and it did not catch fire which means she did not make any mistakes. Sun Eckhart said, "Let me see."
Yue Jing nodded and walked forward to the viewing platform and handed over the piece of paper to Sun Eckhart with both hands respectfully. She said, "Here, Sect Master."
The man nodded and took the paper in his hand, and after a few seconds, he said, "Good. Elder Jing, your disciple is a gem."
Elder Jing smirked and said, "I know that already, Sect Master. Thank you for your praise."
Yue Jing also bowed her head to the sect master. Yang Dao walked over to her side and said, "You must be tired no? Come you can sit here, I have some snacks we can eat together."
The girl sighed and said, "Dao, Ming is still here. He will get more suspicious."
Yang Dao said, "I sent a message to grandma when you were kicking his butt. Also, Elder Jing is here, what can he do. Humph, you think too much. Come."
Then he held onto her hand and made her walk over to sit behind the elders and they ate the snacks he was carrying in his space ring together. The boy did not worry about his image in front of the elders. What was even more the elders did not mind him either. They did not find him to be a nuisance, however, if it was any other disciple, he would have been expelled by now.
They cherished Yang Dao's talent and his genius. The boy did not care for all this and he stayed the way he wanted to be. Slowly the other disciples all began to wake up and handed in their test papers. Yue Ming also woke up and cast his gaze at the spit where Yue Jing was earlier. If it was past he would have thought that she failed the exam but he was not so dumb to still think like that after he saw how Yue Jing almost killed him in the exam.
He was a smart person and he was aware that Yue Jing had changed and she was no longer the weak and pitiable girl whom he could bully as he liked. He woke up from his thoughts and handed his paper to the supreme elders responsible for checking and scoring him.
As time passed more people came forward to hand in the papers. After everyone was done with the exams, Elder Bai said, "Now the rankings will appear on the glory monument. Also, the ranks in both the physical and theoretical tests will be displayed separately. You can challenge anyone within ten ranks higher than you and if you won your rank will be swapped with that person. However, if you lost, you will not be able to challenge anyone from the list.
But if someone else challenges you you will have to accept it or you will be demoted and after two consecutive losses, your name will vanish from the ranking. The glory monument can only display the top hundred names. The rest of the people will receive a token with a number corresponding to their rank will be engraved on it. You have a month to challenge and advance before this list becomes permanent."
The disciples all turned their heads to the side and began to look at the glory monument. The monument was a ten-meter high monolith and the people looked at the names that magically began to appear on it. Starting from the top hundredth to the first. The disciples were all silent when they saw the ranks.
They did know that their favorites were all in high ranks but suddenly they saw a name they had never heard of. Someone talked out loudly, "Who is Yue Jing? How did she get full marks on the test just now?"
Yue Jing became a sensation as soon as the result came out. The rest were surprised to find that they had such a genius among them. However, there was someone more shocked than the rest, Yue Ming.
He never thought his sister was so strong. His sister has always been mediocre. She had the natural talent for alchemy but never had she displayed such prowess. Given his intelligence level, the boy could only figure out one reason for all this.
Yue Jing had been deliberately hiding her skills. She was not a mediocre person, she was laying low, awaiting the moment where she could surprise him. Well, the latter part was just his imagination, Yue Jing never wanted anything more than the peace and love of her family. She thought, that if she was lower than Yue Ming, then maybe he will treat her with care.
Yang Dao became her support when she had almost resigned herself to her fate. When she was almost at the point of despair, that boy whom she had never met held her hand and dragged her out of the darkness. He gave her reasons and dreams to strive forward and be what she really was.
This assessment was an opportunity for Yue Ming to show his skills in front of the family elders. Only when you have a strong successor will you be a successful elder. Only a successful elder can get the throne of the family. The quality to be the best and to bring out the best was the necessary unspoken criteria of judgment, whether you were worthy of the throne or not.
How was he to know that the sister that he always treated like a stain on his glorious self was so much more dazzling than she outshone him? As Yue Jing's name spread through the sect a lot of alchemy peak disciples came forward and told everyone about her benevolence. They told them how she would help people selflessly.
The instant rise of the alchemist sword fairy undermined the year-long efforts and planning of her brother and now the biggest enemy, Yue Ming. What worried the boy was not what to do with his sister, but how to face his father.
Yue Jiren will not spare him, because it was his task to keep this girl in the lower position among the two. The reason was when Jing Shui selected the girl as her disciple, Yue overlord held a great feast lasting seven days and seven nights in order to celebrate.
Yue Jing's rise was his downfall, and things have just begun.