Chapter 10: Admission in progress
After walking half a dozen laps around the huge square, Xiao Ming finally stopped in the center of the square.
He originally wanted to look for some weak spot with fewer people, but apart from the back of the square, which was empty because the heavily armed army surrounded it in two or three layers, all the other spots were equally crowded.
Xiao Ming also did not have the ability to get those soldiers to let him through the back gate, and in the end, he could only return to the same place.
'Come on, it's better to get in honestly.'
With his height advantage, Xiao Ming squeezed through the crowd of people at least ten years older than him for half a day before finally walking out with his head full of sweat.
"Phew ~, I finally came out, good thing most of these fun-watching guys don't have a cultivation as high as mine, otherwise, I would have to stew and die inside." Looking at the open green tent not far away, Xiao Ming let out a sigh of relief.
The crowd was a short distance away from the tent, and there were several aisles between them, with apprentice-like youths holding fist-sized red crystals in their hands to test people.
Xiao Ming joined the queue in one aisle and a teenager next to him caught his eye.
Looking at the tiny Xiao Ming, he couldn't help but inwardly ponder.
This kid didn't look any older than seven, he couldn't think this was a fun game to come to, could he?
Out of kindness, he spoke, "Little friend, you are at the wrong place, this is not a fun game, this is about an entrance to the Jia Nan Academy, hurry up and leave, or you will be scolded later'.
His words also attracted the attention of the others, who turned their heads.
"What about this child?"
"Wow, how cute!"
"Heh, heh, what are the antics of children."
"Little boy, go home quickly."
"Hahahaha, look at his indifferent look, he really can't be here for the test, at such a young age being eight-star Dou Disciple, who does he think he is, Xiao Ming of the Xiao family, the first genius of Wu Tan City?"
"...Wait, that's the Xiao family's suit!"
"He can't really be Xiao Ming, can he?"
"I don't know, it's not like we've seen him before."
Xiao Ming didn't mind the conversation around him, he had expected this situation.
It wasn't strange that the people around him didn't know him, ever since he had revealed his strength, he didn't go outside the front door of the Xiao family when he could, and he had to cover himself when he went out, thus creating a situation where he was very famous in Wu Tan City, but not many people knew what he looked like.
That was what he wanted.
However, everyone was going to go to Jia Nan Academy, so it didn't matter if he exposed himself now.
Therefore, Xiao Ming politely greeted the teenager who had been kind enough to remind him earlier and thanked him, "Thank you for the reminder, I'm Xiao Ming from the Xiao family and I'm not here to have fun, I'm here to take the exam."
"Wow, it's really him! I didn't make a mistake."
"I didn't expect Wu Tan City's first genius to look like this, he's kind of cute."
"A five-year-old boy with seven stars Dou Disciple, he should be called the first genius of the empire!"
"I wonder what strength he has now."
"..."
Hearing the chatter coming from the surroundings, the teenager knew he had made a mess and his face turned red "I'm sorry, I didn't know you were Xiao Ming, I've caused you trouble."
Some of the people who had spoken out of turn earlier also fell silent.
Xiao Ming waved to show that he didn't mind.
After such a small incident, Xiao Ming felt that there were more eyes watching him in the queue.
Don't look at the sea of people outside, as it wasn't the first time there were Jia Nan Academy admissions and the conditions had already circulated, so there weren't really many young people who were of the right age and confident enough to go to the test, so the sea of people outside was really for fun.
"You don't pass, next."
It wasn't long before it was Xiao Ming's turn.
Thanks to the previous commotion, the student did not look down on him, but instead smilingly handed him the red crystal in her hand.
"Little brother, this test crystal is very simple. Inject it with Dou Qi and it will automatically glow as soon as your strength reaches the eighth stage of Dou Power, that way, you will be considered to have passed the preliminary test."
"Mm." Xiao Ming nodded in understanding and stepped forward to extend his palm and rest it on the crystal ball for a moment, and after the crystal glowed, he withdrew his palm.
This, it actually glowed!
Although the cadet had guessed it before, she couldn't help but be a little surprised.
After all, Xiao Ming's age was really too young.
"I've passed, I guess."
Xiao Ming's voice woke her up, "Pass, come in."
Xiao Ming walked slowly toward the tent.
As he approached the large green tent, he saw that, in the shadows of the tent, more than a dozen men and women were clustered in several small circles gossiping with each other, and seeing their carefree expressions here, he thought they must be the same as those who were testing outside, all being students of Jia Nan Academy.
Beyond the shadows, a dozen young men and women were sitting on the ground in the hot sun; their faces were sweating from the heat, but their expressions were full of restraint, and they appeared to be new students who had just passed the outside test.
Someone among the new students saw Xiao Ming and shouted in surprise, "Cousin Xiao Ming is here."
When his eyes peered out, Xiao Ming discovered that it was a member of the Xiao family sweating profusely and waving at him.
Undoubtedly, his shout attracted the attention of many other people, especially the rookies who stayed with him.
Ignoring the curious glances of the others, Xiao Ming approached that Xiao family member.
"In the family, are you the only one who passed the test?"
It didn't surprise anyone that someone from the Xiao family had passed the test since it was at least one of the three big families in Wu Tan City, but that it was only one person was a bit worrying, because if we say it harshly, the Xiao family's adulthood ceremony required seven-star Dou Disciple at the age of sixteen, which was no less than the eight star Dou Disciple required for admission to Jia Nan Academy at the age of eighteen.
But very few people passed the requirements of Jia Nan Academy, so one could only say that those people were negligent.
"I am the only one who came and passed."
Seeing that Xiao Ming seemed to be somewhat displeased, as a member of the Xiao family he quickly helped the others explain.
"In fact, there were people who met the requirements, but didn't want to go to Jia Nan Academy, like young senior master Xiao Ding."
Xiao Ming nodded in a daze, although Xiao Ding's talent was not as good as Xiao Yan's, he was actually considered the best among the Xiao family's youth.
Indeed, it was not difficult to pass the tests of Jia Nan Academy.
As for the reason why he did not enter Jia Nan Academy, only he himself knew.
Perhaps for many people, Jia Nan Academy had a great appeal, but it was not so attractive. It is contradictory, but it is not hard to understand.
Against the bright sun, sitting cross-legged, Xiao Ming continued to chat with this clan member with a word or two.
he didn't know how much time passed, but the number of people around had increased by a dozen.
After the casual conversation just now, Xiao Ming already knew that the name of the clan member next to him was Xiao Shan. Xiao Shan had big eyebrows, dark skin, and a stocky figure, but he was a talker.
The two of them already knew each other quite well, and Xiao Shan grumbled a little, "It's really abominable, we've been sunbathing here almost all day while those old students talk and laugh in the shadows, and no one has come to take care of us."
Xiao Ming looked at the indignant Xiao Shan.
It was almost an unwritten rule of the Jia Nan Academy to frustrate new students during admissions, after all, those who could reach the admission threshold were generally considered to be quite talented.
It must be said that this kind of person, generally, in the small place where they belong, is pampered and rarely the subject of ridicule and teasing, and with such a mentality entering Jia Nan Academy, where there is an almost infinite number of outstanding people, it is easy to get into a fight at the drop of a hat and end up causing some unnecessary trouble.
Therefore, at the time of admissions, it is a realistic and important matter to make new students clearly understand their place and sharpen their newborn spirit.
Xiao Ming, Xiao Shan, and the others around them were undoubtedly going through this process.
Xiao Ming personally did not feel anything, this kind of behavior was a bit over the top, but he was not someone temperamental, and as long as it was not blatantly directed at him, he would not bother too much to make a fuss over such things.
If someone suddenly jumped up and forced him to punch him in the face, he might reluctantly show his hand.
But until now he had not come across such a villainous character.
He was called by Xiao Shan as soon as he entered the tent and talked for half a day.
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N/A:
The next chapter will be released very soon and will conclude the first volume of many to come.
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