When descending from the high platform, Su Chen and Chu Xuan were still standing shoulder to shoulder. The two remained perfectly silent; neither spoke a word, and neither looked at the other.
(Please rember the domain na 𝓉𝓌𝓀𝒶𝓃.𝒸ℴ𝓂 to read the fastest chapter updates)
Upon returning to the training ground, the two went their separate ways. Chu Yunze and the others, who had already been waiting for a long ti, quickly surrounded him.
Pang Xingwen was the most impatient, repeatedly asking: "How did it go? Did the Chief make an exception? Did you beco a Core Seed?"
Chu Xuan's face grew increasingly ugly, giving the crowd an ominous premonition.
When he didn't respond, Pang Xingwen's tone grew even more hurried: "Speak up! Are you trying to kill us from anxiety!?"
"Did you beco one or not? Or is it just a temporary 'not yet', or will you never be able to beco one? You have to give us a straight answer, right?"
"Shut up!" Chu Yunze couldn't hold it in any longer. Pushing Pang Xingwen aside, he turned to comfort Chu Xuan: "There will still be chances in the future. You are an Ink Jade-tier talent, so one day you will definitely receive the corresponding treatnt."
"It must be because of that Su Chen, right? Putting the Chief in a difficult position where he couldn't make an exception." Pang Xingwen leaned over again. Now that he had an accurate answer, he wasn't as anxious anymore, nor did he display a disappointed expression.
"The Chief has already agreed to make an exception." Chu Xuan finally spoke up. Even he was startled by his own voice; it was hoarse and gloomy.
"He agreed!?" Pang Xingwen's face was filled with excitent. "Old Chu, what you said was really on point. The evaluation is only a montary loss and gain. In the end, it's the Chief who looks farther ahead."
The others also collectively breathed a sigh of relief.
Chu Yunze hesitated. "Then what about Su Chen?"
Looking at Chu Xuan's attitude, so things seed to have transpired on the high platform, causing him to find it difficult to be happy despite becoming a Core Seed through an exception. "He is also a core." Chu Xuan pushed his way out of the crowd with an indifferent expression and walked to the side, seemingly unwilling to speak any further.
"What?" Pang Xingwen stiffened. "He also beca a core?"
Chu Yunze wasn't too surprised. "Su Chen's performance was extrely good. It was either an exception for both or an exception for neither. I had thought it would be the latter. I didn't expect the Chief to have such boldness."
"Heh," Pang Xingwen couldn't help but sneer coldly. "He's really lucky. If it weren't for Chu Xuan being in this batch, tying them together, he still wouldn't have been able to beco a Core Seed no matter how good his performance was."
The crowd looked at each other in dismay. Although they had achieved their predetermined goal, why didn't it feel like there was much to be excited about?
Su Chen found Zhang Hengyu, who had already finished his evaluation. He was panting heavily, sitting on the ground.
He had similarly chosen the attack evaluation. The evaluating Adjudicator had just turned around to leave, not leaving a single trace on his robust upper body muscles.
Seeing Su Chen arrive, he couldn't help but reveal a bitter smile. "Sigh, it's truly hard. I was just a tiny bit away from only being able to go to the Outer Court. Fortunately, I trained with you for two months prior to this, otherwise it truly would have been hard to say."
"Before coming, my father told it was basically a sure thing. I didn't expect the difficulty to have increased this much."
Of course, he could also better grasp Su Chen's terror. Even going all out, he had only managed to squeeze into the Inner Court as a regular mber.
anwhile, Su Chen had casually secured a spot as an Inner Court Seed.
Su Chen looked around. The basic evaluations still hadn't ended yet. On the small rings temporarily erected in the training ground, so were going all out to attack evaluating Adjudicators who stood like mountains.
So were standing in place taking attacks from others, and so were dodging left and right within a confined space, trying hard not to be caught.
The evaluations for so of the special professions were even more varied. Su Chen saw a guy whose body was practically transparent, while soone beside him was pinching a stopwatch to keep ti.
Among those who had already stepped off the small rings, so looked radiant, while others looked dispirited.
The Inner Court quotas were limited, so not everyone could enter the Inner Court. So with Brilliant Silver talents could only roll off to the Outer Court because they hadn't worked hard enough previously.
anwhile, so with Bronze talents managed to squeeze into the Inner Court by relying on their own hard work to raise their professional developnt progress.
These ordinary evaluations all offered three chances, so so people would attempt them continuously.
"Ah, I'm not willing to accept this!"
Soone was roaring, vomiting fresh blood. He seed to have used so kind of stimulating thod, but it was completely useless. The evaluating Adjudicator standing opposite of him remained completely motionless, so he could only leave the venue in a wretched state.
Old Bai didn't participate in this kind of evaluation. Her situation was special, directly becoming an Inner Court Seed.
"My sister is here." Zhang Hengyu stood up and walked off the venue.
Du Yu and the other acquaintances had also gathered together, waiting outside the venue. Seeing Su Chen walk over, they imdiately erupted into passionate cheers.
"Ink Jade, you totally crushed that Ink Jade!" Du Yu clenched his fists. Although his words were domineering, his voice was very small. "That guy acted so arrogant when entering the venue. I thought he was super formidable."
Zhang Yunqing wore an Adjudicator uniform, her hair tossed behind her, making her appear heroic and valiant. She looked at Su Chen with a complex expression.
She had naturally witnessed the scene of Su Chen displaying his great might as well. Her shock at that ti was sothing that could not be explained to outsiders.
She estimated that she wasn't even Su Chen's match right now, causing her heart to sowhat tingle.
"Su Chen," she called out, "Ming Lin wishes to invite you to et him."
"That Ink Jade-tier Core Seed?" Su Chen couldn't help but look over, knowing of this guy.
Being the second Chief Inquisitor's students along with Zhang Hongbo, the Zhang siblings naturally fell into the other party's camp.
"He views you very highly," Zhang Yunqing said. But before she could finish, she saw Su Chen shake his head.
"He's not asking you to follow him," she hurriedly explained. "Within the Adjudication Court, factions are intricately intertwined. Even if you want to remain aloof from worldly affairs, the others might not necessarily let you."
"For instance, today. You've probably already offended Chu Xuan."
"I know." Su Chen shook his head, not explaining anything. "Let's wait and talk about it later."
Zhang Yunqing didn't understand and wanted to speak further, but seeing Su Chen keeping silent without speaking... perhaps it was a psychological effect, or perhaps due to other reasons, she actually felt an indescribable majesty from Su Chen.
The words she had originally intended to say were swallowed back into her stomach.
It wasn't until the very last person finished their evaluation that Su Chen and Zhang Hengyu finally returned to the venue.
The crowd gradually stood in a firm stance. Su Chen, Chu Xuan, and the rest were still situated at the very front.
The person in charge lowered his head to look at the virtual screen and moved the microphone hanging by his ear closer to his mouth.
"I announce that the Adjudication Court evaluation has concluded!"
"There was a total of 316 mbers who participated in this evaluation. The total number entering the Outer Court is 112 mbers. The total number of regular Inner Court mbers is 15, and 8 Inner Court Seeds."
Following his announcent, quite a few people in the venue were already beginning to sob softly.
'To think there were over three hundred people.' Su Chen couldn't help but think. 'Yingfeng's lower-tier cities total up to only one hundred and twenty-five. With one quota per city, that adds up to only one hundred and twenty-five people. Even if there are exceptions, the total shouldn't possibly exceed one hundred and fifty.'
'In other words, the remaining people are entirely Yingfeng locals. No wonder everyone wants to co to Yingfeng.'
And right at this mont, that person in charge paused. Lowering his head to look at the virtual screen, his expression shifted faintly. His throat bobbed before he announced loudly:
"In addition, Chu Xuan, possessing an Ink Jade-tier talent and having displayed an outstanding performance during the evaluation, shall have an exception made for him to beco a Core Seed!"
With the aid of the loudspeakers surrounding the training grounds, everyone heard it clearly.
Chu Yunze and the others had already gotten the news long ago, so they weren't surprised. A noisy chatter transmitted from the back, as so people revealed looks of indignation.
"How can an exception be made for him to beco a Core Seed? Wasn't Su Chen's performance better than his?"
"Exactly, on what basis? If you can enter just based on talent, then what's the point of having the evaluation?"
People had already started to speak up. No one wasn't jealous of Chu Xuan, but no one dared to pick a fight with him directly either. However, using the excuse of speaking up for Su Chen to attack Chu Xuan required plenty of guts, which many apparently possessed.
"Silence! The announcent hasn't ended yet!"
Amidst the discussions, they heard the person in charge speak up once more.
The crowd froze, finding it hard to conceal their surprise. The announcent still hasn't ended?
The person in charge paused, and then continued: "There is Su Chen, possessing an Ink Jade-tier talent. Possessing a resolute state of mind and having displayed a stunning performance during the evaluation, he shall beco a Core Seed!"
Silence!
The originally noisy training ground abruptly fell silent. One gaze after another converged from all directions.
"A resolute state of mind, stunning performance," Chu Xuan chewed over these words. These were words that hadn't appeared in his own evaluation.
Don't look down on these evaluations; they represented the attitudes of the higher-ups in the Adjudication Court.
He is also an Ink Jade!?
Chu Yunze's expression shifted several tis across his face. While his gaze fell on Su Chen, it was unknown what he was thinking about.
Pang Xingwen seed like a rooster who had his throat choked. Opening his mouth dryly, no words ca out. They knew Su Chen had beco a Core Seed, and originally thought it was because he was tied together with Chu Xuan for an exception. In the end, they never expected that Su Chen himself actually possessed an Ink Jade-tier talent as well.
This represented that whether it be strength or talent, Su Chen crushed Chu Xuan in both!
The emotions of the crowd in the back turned complex. The person they had originally been voicing grievances for had suddenly obtained his deserved treatnt, yet they weren't excited by it at all. Instead, they felt extrely sour.
"Why did another Ink Jade suddenly pop out?"
"Fuck, fuck, fuck!" Du Yu shouted loudly, tugging tightly at the collar of Zhu Mingxu beside him, refusing to let go. "Core Seed, Old Su is actually a Core Seed too!"
"An Ink Jade, an Ink Jade! Do you know what color that is? I've never even fucking seen it before!"
'No wonder—' Zhang Yunqing's eyes drifted. She now understood why Su Chen had told her to wait.
The price paid to recruit an Inner Court Seed compared to a Core Seed was naturally different.
But back when he was in Nanfeng, wasn't he a Red Gold?
"The evaluation has concluded. Will all the mbers entering the Adjudication Court please co over to report in."
The face of the person in charge was also faintly flushed red. He knew just how massive a wave the last two sentences he had announced today were going to cause.
Ever since the Adjudication Court's creation, the number of Core Seed quotas had been fixed at four, never having changed.
Yet today, with a single exception, two had abruptly been added.
As Yingfeng's behemoth, the Adjudication Court evaluation was inherently placed under much focus. Benefiting from the highly developed communications, the ssage transmission channels were extrely fast. Not too long after it concluded, it had already shaken more than half of Yingfeng.
Various organizations and factions across Yingfeng, both large and small, were in an uproar, discussions arising in continuous waves.
The Core Seeds were the batch of people with the highest status below the Chief Inquisitors within the Adjudication Court.
Above their heads lay the Chief Inquisitors. Ordinary Adjudicators could only gather around them to place their bets.
It could even be said that certain Chief Inquisitors would personally step down onto the field to place their bets.
"Good heavens, two Ink Jades, and one could even blast away a Rock Sentinel developed to the extre. The newcors of this batch are absurdly perverted."
"Calculating carefully, all three of the Ink Jade-tier talents ca from the lower-tier cities. What's going on here? Where are our Yingfeng talents?"
After the evaluation concluded, the vast majority of the people left. The Outer Court mbers couldn't reside within the Adjudication Court, so they could only return to their own hos.
The Inner Court mbers, however, had specialized residences, which they could move into starting today.
"Are we really not going to hold a celebratory banquet? We still wanted to celebrate for you." Du Yu and the rest crowded around Su Chen. There was also Zhu Mingxu and the others. They stood slightly further away. They were nowhere near as familiar with Su Chen as Du Yu was, but they still carried hidden expectations.
This group of theirs had all confird that they would stay in Yingfeng. Maintaining good relations with a Core Seed of the Adjudication Court ca with self-evident benefits in the future.
In the distance, a few Adjudicators stared at them hostilely. So Outer Court personnel had already left, yet this group of guys still hadn't.
They intended to co over and chase them out, but after looking at Su Chen standing in the center, they still decided to keep one eye open and one eye closed.
Before Su Chen could even respond, he heard soone call out. "Su Chen."
It was Gu Bing. Unspeakable marvel colored her eyes as she walked over. "Elder Xia asked to inform you that he is waiting for you inside the Adjudication Court."
"My apologies to everyone." Su Chen shrugged. Du Yu didn't mind. He was familiar with Su Chen anyway, and he also had his contact information. As for the others, they were clearly sowhat disappointed.
"I'll have to trouble you to bring so of my clothes over from the hotel and cancel my room. I won't be going back." Su Chen handed his room card to Du Yu, having him make a trip to help him handle it.
"No problem." Du Yu patted his chest as a guarantee, only then leaving together with the others.
"Let's go." Su Chen followed Gu Bing, with Zhang Hengyu and Zhang Yunqing trailing behind.
"Su Chen," soone suddenly squeezed over. It was one of the regular Inner Court mbers who hadn't left yet. He sported a buzz-cut and seed to have gone through quite the ordeal during the evaluation just now. "Is it convenient to exchange contact information?"
"Sure." Su Chen pondered it over. During Chu Xuan's banquet that night, he hadn't seen this person, so he exchanged contact information with him.
"Du Ruoyu." He reported his na, looking very sincere. "If you ever need any help in the future, just let know."
So people who were still observing from afar also sward over one after another. So were very familiar with this kind of socialization, exchanging contact information with Su Chen over talks and laughs.
anwhile, so were rather sluggish, acting hesitantly, too embarrassed to even speak words of flattery.
Regardless of what attitude the other party arrived with, Su Chen's face always bore a smile similar to a spring breeze. It took a full ten or so minutes before he finished dealing with all of them.
Gu Bing stood to the side, not urging him along either.
Zhang Yunqing's mind was even more complex. These guys capable of entering the Inner Court would all achieve accomplishnts that wouldn't be any lower than hers in the future.
"If we wait any later, I fear even more people will co knocking," seeing that Su Chen was about done with his socializing, Gu Bing stepped forward. Smiling, she explained to him:
"An extrely massive faction will gather around each Core Seed."
"They are investing in the next Chief Inquisitor in exchange for future benefits. And the Core Seeds also require them to help handle matters and exchange resources."
"The Core Seeds are unable to personally attend to many minor matters, as that would waste both energy and ti."
The few people left the training ground, heading deeper into the Adjudication Court. Gu Bing ticulously introduced things for him. "The structure between the four Core Seeds has been balanced for many years. Everyone has to pick a side."
"Chu Xuan started recruiting people even prior to the evaluation. It was precisely to catch that group of people off guard."
Gu Bing's words carried an obvious tone of pity. "However, who knows what Elder Xia was thinking, to have you hide your clumsiness up until now, losing the opportunity."
"There is also that Yuan Chenyang. Having swallowed this massive loss, he hasn't uttered a single sound either."
Hide my clumsiness?
Gu Bing thinks I originally possessed an Ink Jade talent, but Xia Hanshi covered it up. Su Chen muttered in his heart.
When Xia Hanshi brought him to test his talent the last ti, Gu Bing had also been present. Right now, she probably believes Old Xia used so kind of thod to conceal his specific talent.
Reviews
All reviews (0)