CHAPTER 154: 153. THE TEN EXCELLENCE ASSESSMENT BEGINS (1/4)

It was noon.

Wen Ping followed Luo Qianye to the first trial ground located in a plaza on the west side of Huangli City. Scanning the area, Wen Ping felt that the plaza was large enough to accommodate fifty to sixty thousand people with ease. However, even so, over thirty thousand people were not all being assessed here; they were scattered across ten locations, with only a little over three thousand at each site.

At this moment, the plaza’s perimeter was surrounded by over ten thousand spectators, appearing as densely packed as ants at a glance.

As they approached the plaza, Luo Qianye said to Luo Mi beside him, "Remember, don’t embarrass your father!"

"Don’t worry!"

Luo Mi giggled, looking confident.

Luo Qianye patted his son’s shoulder, then said to Wen Ping, "Sect Leader Wen, let’s take our seats in the stands; this trial will last quite a while."

"Mm."

Wen Ping responded.

Watching Yang Lele and them leave, he followed Luo Qianye towards the stands at the front of the plaza. There were already a dozen or so people seated there, about half in the Profound Realm, including Black Demon whom he had met that morning. Of course, such a large assembly of dignitaries required more than just two simple chairs.

Beside each square chair was an array of refreshments, and standing next to the chairs was a pretty maid, seemingly no older than 18.

Truly the treatment reserved for big shots!

As they reached the front of the stands, Luo Qianye pointed to an empty seat above and said, "Sect Leader Wen, feel free to pick a seat there."

Then, Luo Qianye prepared to sit in the front row.

"Mm."

But as Wen Ping nodded, he followed Luo Qianye and also steadily sat in the front row.

Seeing this, Luo Qianye was momentarily stunned. He turned to glance at those sitting in the back rows, who seemed to have no objections. He wanted to tell Wen Ping that he couldn’t sit there, but didn’t know how to start, "Sect Leader Wen, you..."

Although there was no fixed seating policy for the stands, and no rule stating that only Two-star Sects could sit in the front row, it had become an unwritten rule over these years. Apart from Two-star Sects, One-star Influences were not supposed to sit in the front row, let alone a Starless Sect.

Wen Ping was the first to break the rule!

At this point, seeing Luo Qianye standing beside him hesitating, Wen Ping frowned and asked, "Sect Leader Luo, do you prefer standing to watch?"

Hearing this, Luo Qianye shook his head and sat down beside Wen Ping, thinking to himself: Good thing this seat is extra, otherwise it would create trouble again.

As soon as he sat down, he heard Wen Ping complain next to him.

"This tea... doesn’t taste very good."

Upon hearing this, the little maid beside him hurriedly apologized, "I’m sorry, sir. What kind of tea would you like? I’ll prepare it for you right away."

Seeing this, Wen Ping quickly pressed down the maid’s hand holding the teacup, thinking helplessly: I really have had too much Spiritual Water these days.

"No need to change it. The water used to brew the tea isn’t good; changing the tea won’t help."

Although Wen Ping explained seriously, the maid became even more embarrassed.

Upon hearing Wen Ping’s words, Luo Qianye didn’t know what to say.

This front-row tea costs a thousand gold per cup.

The water is from a natural spring.

Yet he says it’s not good.

Luo Qianye promptly said, "Sect Leader Wen, it’s about to begin. Let’s not waste time on the tea issue."

Luo Qianye hurriedly redirected Wen Ping’s attention to the plaza, fearing Wen Ping might find other faults.

Yet, he also admired Wen Ping’s audacity, being the first time in Huangli City, not only sitting in the front row but also the first to criticize the tea served in the stands.

Both are experiencing something for the first time, and he admired Wen Ping’s courage.

But Luo Qianye didn’t know that those behind were casting envious glances.

Sitting on equal footing with Luo Qianye, it was clear they had a good relationship.

The tea, between the front and back rows, was of completely different qualities; they wanted to taste it but couldn’t, yet he was still dissatisfied.

Out of curiosity, a middle-aged woman immediately asked the person beside her, "Sect Leader Ma, which Two-star Influence big shot is this?"

"I don’t know, he looks unfamiliar."

An old man shook his head, showing a look of confusion.

While everyone remained puzzled, Black Demon seated at the front row responded, "Why don’t you ask Sect Leader Luo yourself, they seem very close. Wouldn’t you know which star Sect Leader he is with a simple question?"

With that, Black Demon smiled secretly.

He wanted to see what their reactions would be once they realized that the so-called Sect Leader Wen was just the leader of a Starless Sect.

Hearing Black Demon’s words, everyone chuckled awkwardly.

Knowing he was a friend of Luo Qianye, naturally, no one truly dared to ask.

.....

Before long, the trial began.

First, a steward from the Hundred Sects Alliance gave a speech, after which the assessment began.

Following this, two thirteenth-level cultivators carried a massive stone to the center of the plaza, and the Profound steward from the Hundred Sects Alliance spoke again, "This stone is called the Suppression Stone; it can emit pressure, making it difficult for you to move an inch. As Body Refining Cultivators, strength, perseverance, and explosive power are all indispensable. The Suppression Stone is the best tool to test all three aspects. The passing criterion for this session is: Participants aged 15 enter the red circle around the Suppression Stone to pass, and thirteenth-level cultivators must touch the Suppression Stone to pass."

The Profound steward from the Hundred Sects Alliance glanced around, then shouted, "Let the assessment begin!"

As soon as these words fell, the two thirteenth-level cultivators who brought in the Suppression Stone drew a large red circle ten meters away, and only after completing this did they remove the white cloth covering the pressure of the stone.

Once uncovered, the black Suppression Stone was revealed to everyone.

In the blink of an eye, over three thousand people rushed toward it, yet stopped struggling to move after covering only a short distance.

The crowd surrounding the plaza immediately began to shout loudly.

"Chiba Sect’s Ye Yuan, go for it!"

"Black Rock Sect’s Luo Chen, go for it!"

"Brother Cao Pu, keep it up!"

Facing the shouts from the masses, those under the pressure began quietly exerting themselves.

After the shouts continued for some time, a young man in black clothing touched the Suppression Stone, using merely 100 breaths, far surpassing everyone else. However, no one knew his name, so everyone watched him closely as he walked toward the registrar, and a few breaths later, the registrar announced.

"Hong Kai from the Black Rock Sect is the first winner!"

The crowd erupted into a round of enthusiastic applause.

"Hong Kai!"

"Hong Kai!"

"Is this Hong Kai the first thirteenth-level master of the Black Rock Sect?"

"Yes, that’s him."

Amidst the crowd’s cheers, Black Demon’s Black Rock Sect stood up, waved to everyone, and nodded with a smile towards Luo Qianye.

"Sect Leader Luo, sorry, I clinched the first victory this time."

Seeing this, Luo Qianye snorted coldly, then picked up his teacup and drank continuously.

Phooey!

This tea is really damn awful.

Like bitter gourd water.

Spitting out a couple of times, he heard congratulations from the One-star Sects behind and the Two-star Sect leaders beside him.

Just then, the registrar announced again.

"Luo Mi from the Chiba Sect wins first place in the youth category!"

Luo Qianye immediately stood up, looking at the sole standing figure within the red circle, laughed heartily, and began enjoying the incoming praises.

"Sect Leader Luo, successors are upon you!"

"A tiger father begets no dog son!"

.....

Time ticked away slowly.

Wen Ping sat on the square chair, glanced at the empty square table beside him, and curiously asked the nearby maid, "Miss, don’t you think something is missing here?"

"What do you want, sir?" The maid replied promptly.

"Do you have particularly hard paper?"

"Huh?" The maid seemed to not understand what Wen Ping meant.

"Never mind, just pretend I didn’t ask."

With these words, the registrar shouted loudly, "The last two spots for advancement go to Yang Lele and Yun Liao from the Immortal Sect, a Starless Sect!"

"Yeah!"

Wen Ping immediately stood up, waving to the surrounding crowds.

He felt secretly delighted.

With thousands watching.

Is the task completed just like this?