Chapter 33: The Examination Ends, On-Site Rating

The news of Zong Shichang's defeat still spread throughout the examination grounds.

Although no one saw clearly what had happened, the celestial phenomena of lightning and flying sand and stones could not be concealed.

Besides, when this fellow ran over to Zhao Xing's side he was fine, but when he came back he was limping.

If it wasn't from a fight, surely he didn't fall into a well, did he?

"Earlier the three of them, Huang Tao included, joined forces and lost. Now Young Master Zong went over and suffered another setback. This Zhao Xing must be a sure thing for the top grade."

"Another powerful contender this year. Sigh, why couldn't it be me?"

"Zhao Top Grade — looks like he'll become Zhao Second Top Grade."

"Who knows, by next year we'll have to call him Lord Zhao."

"One morning as an official, blessings and emoluments increase — truly the envy of me."

"..."

Zong Shichang's challenge cemented the impression that Zhao Xing was "not to be challenged by force."

And so, over the next two days, no one dared to touch Zhao Xing's tiger whiskers again.

Unconsciously, the crowd had already placed Zhao Xing in the same tier as Wen Nanxing, Li Chengfeng, and the others.

August 9th, the Start of Autumn examination reached its final day.

Zhao Xing walked out of the golden bamboo forest, quietly waiting for the examination to end.

"This time, the top grade rating should be beyond all doubt."

Because the effect of the Earth-Vein Convergence was unexpectedly good, after cultivating the 'Green Vine,' 'Diamond Bamboo,' and 'Fragrant Lotus,' Zhao Xing once again selected two more plants, both of second grade, middle quality.

If only there had been enough time, he would even have wanted to try a third-grade Celestial Origin Pear Tree.

He was having a fine time, but the people beside him were suffering.

For three nights in a row, Zhao Xing had cast Earth-Vein Convergence, causing the surrounding plants' progress to slow.

Wen Nanxing and Xiao Ze didn't manage to bring a single second-grade, top-quality plant to maturity until the very last day.

Zhao Xing glanced at his proficiency.

【Earth-Vein Convergence: Beginner Spell】

【Progress: 768/9999】

【Effect: Draws upon the power of the earth's veins, synthesizing the earth's vital essence】

"On the second and third nights of casting Earth-Vein Convergence, the proficiency surged. This spell is almost at first revolution." Zhao Xing was quite satisfied.

As time went on, although the crowd didn't know what was happening, they cast their spells more intently, carefully locking down their vital essence, instinctively resisting the influence of the Earth-Vein Convergence spell.

With resistance, the proficiency rose even faster. Zhao Xing could clearly sense how to handle the spell, so in just three days, his Earth-Vein Convergence was about to cross into the ranks of first-revolution spells.

"The hour of Wu has arrived. The Start of Autumn examination is over. All clerks, cease casting spells."

Chen Shijie's voice echoed throughout the Hundred Herbs Garden.

Sighs of lamentation immediately rose from all over the garden.

"What? It's already over?"

"My Celestial Spirit Flower was about to mature — just one more hour!"

"It's over? I wonder if I can make the second-grade list."

"So nervous."

As the voice rang out, the clouds over the planting area gradually disappeared one by one, the wind ceased, and the rain dispersed.

In their place came a single, larger white cloud that covered the entire Hundred Herbs Garden — that was the Moving Clouds cast by Chen Shijie.

Everyone found that they could no longer cast spells like Moving Clouds, Summoning Rain, or Raising Wind; all their vital essence surged upward toward the clouds in the sky.

"A Cloud Domain? Chen Shijie really does have some skill — worthy of someone who came from the military Agricultural Administration." Zhao Xing looked up at the sky and couldn't help but nod.

Chen Shijie's Moving Clouds had already completely departed from the realm of beginner spells; it should be called a 【Cloud Domain】.

Beneath his clouds, only Chen Shijie could cast weather spells.

If it were only this, it would be fine — a normal Cloud Domain could achieve this much.

But Zhao Xing discovered that Chen Shijie's Cloud Domain also had a suppressing effect on other spells.

For instance, his Earth-Vein Convergence — the moment Chen Shijie's voice rang out, Earth-Vein Convergence could no longer be maintained and directly collapsed.

Under the Cloud Domain, everything is under my control, even the vital essence. At this point, even if the clerks cast cultivation spells, none of it would land on the plants — it would all drift toward the sky.

So when he says the examination is over, it really is over — you can't cast spells even if you want to!

"No wonder he could become a chief official at only thirty-something. He really does have something."

Zhao Xing made no move, standing quietly in place, waiting for the Agricultural Administration's people to verify the results.

Xue Wenzhong was the one who set the questions, but the one verifying the results was Chen Shijie, this chief official of the Agricultural Administration. Accompanying him were deputy officials Gao Li-nong, Tang Wanchun, Pang Yuan, and others, along with two supervisors and recording clerks from the county office.

The verification order proceeded from west to north, then through south and east, and finally back to the western gate.

The examinees in the planting area were all waiting anxiously.

The first to be verified was Li Chengfeng.

"Five second-grade, top-quality Purple Fire Orchids, from the seedling stage until the maturity stage, with a rich, mellow fragrance that lingers without dissipating; their medicinal value has reached the excellent tier."

"Twelve second-grade, middle-quality Nectar Fruit Trees, from the seedling stage until the maturity stage, flowering and bearing fruit, the fruits plump, eating them fills the lips and teeth with fragrance, the taste sweet and refreshing, with an excellent effect."

Chen Shijie nodded at Li Chengfeng, then said to those beside him: "I wish to rate him top grade. What does everyone think?"

The verification and evaluation also required consulting the other rank-nine Agricultural officials, but no one objected, because Li Chengfeng was indeed outstanding and worthy of a top grade rating.

"This subordinate concurs."

"This subordinate also agrees."

Passed unanimously, Li Chengfeng received the top grade rating.

The county office's recording clerk immediately registered it in the book, including Chen Shijie's evaluation comments.

"Thank you for your hard work, my lords." Li Chengfeng cupped his hands in thanks, then left the examination grounds with a洒脱 flourish and waited at the outer perimeter.

For someone like Li Chengfeng, the grade was obvious at a glance — nothing to dispute, so it was straight to Upper Grade A and done.

For those whose plantings had died, the logic was the same. Chen Shijie walked over and said in a single line: "Less than one in ten seedlings survived — incompetent official!"

This evaluation would also be recorded in the register, because clerks were not purely students — they also belonged to the unofficial official ranks.

In the future, they might become actual officials.

Chen Shijie had given people the option to withdraw. If they withdrew in time and hadn't wasted seedlings, at worst they'd simply have no score and could retake the exam.

But those who knew they lacked the ability yet clung to侥幸 hopes and continued wasting time in the examination grounds would earn his "incompetent official" evaluation.

Right now your lack of self-awareness only wastes a few seedlings, but if by some luck you were to govern a region someday, wouldn't the common people have to suffer under someone like you?

How many common people depend on their fields for their meals!

"Wuwu~" The clerk who received this evaluation immediately covered his face and fled in tears.

The other officials were likewise unfazed — they all knew this Lord Chen despised fools, and once he encountered one, he would show no mercy whatsoever.

This minor clerk basically had no hope of being promoted to a full official.

Still, this phenomenon was rare after all.

Most clerks would choose what they were confident they could grow alive, and extreme situations wouldn't arise.

Even with the influence of the ley lines' complex elements, if you picked an ordinary first-grade lower-quality seedling, with spell support you could still keep at least half alive.

"Three second-grade lower-quality seedlings, grade Middle B."

"One second-grade lower-quality seedling, grade Upper C."

"Twelve first-grade lower-quality seedlings, one first-grade mid-quality seedling, grade Middle C."

"……"

Walking and stopping, they soon finished inspecting more than half and arrived at the area where Wen Nanxing, Xiao Ze, and Zhao Xing were.