[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-eternal-green-immortal-sovereign":3,"chapter-eternal-green-immortal-sovereign-eternal-green-immortal-sovereign-chapter-51":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Eternal Green Immortal Sovereign",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2270059,4432,"Chapter 51: The Grand Examination","eternal-green-immortal-sovereign-chapter-51",51,"\u003Cp>\"The Grand Examination begins!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vice Captain Zhao Wei, acting on instructions from Tang Sheng and Dao Xiong, slowly rose to his feet and spoke with a strong, resonant voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Below the stage, everyone’s expression sharpened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All that year of grueling training was precisely for this moment—to stand out and achieve glory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An increase in the number on your waist token meant better cultivation techniques, elixirs, weapons, and other resources.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who among martial cultivators doesn’t seek fame and status?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Wei scanned the crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Huaqing Sect has specially reserved two slots for our branch to compete in their entrance trials; all outstanding individuals under thirty-five are eligible to vie for them.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At these words,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>everyone instantly showed expressions of shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the three vice captains were stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Wei’s lips curled slightly—he was the only one besides the captain who knew of this, and he had already secretly prepared for it a month ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was thirty-four this year, precisely at the thirty-five-year cutoff.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His strength had surged dramatically; he would spare no effort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having seen this opportunity, he would fight with all his might to seize it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Wei himself came from humble origins; he knew too well the hardships of having no patron, and understood even better the value of having a master’s guidance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he could join the Huaqing Sect, his martial path would stretch farther and become easier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yang’s face darkened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could see clearly that Zhao Wei had gotten advance word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then came a wave of helplessness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was already forty, far past the thirty-five-year age limit—not just him, but the other two vice captains as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps that was precisely why the captain had told only Zhao Wei.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the three of them out of the race,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>which of the section chiefs or officers down below could possibly challenge Zhao Wei?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, Zhao Wei was virtually guaranteed one of the two slots for the Huaqing Sect entrance trials.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had always been at odds with Zhao Wei; he certainly didn’t want to see his enemy gain such a great fortune.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Fine. I’ll just avoid him from now on.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yang sighed inwardly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two other vice captains, Zhou and Qian, exchanged glances, each seeing regret in the other’s eyes—too bad time showed no mercy; they could only blame their poor luck in rebirth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But down in the crowd, the section chiefs, officers, and disciples erupted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Wei was the only young vice captain, but among them, there were far too many under thirty-five.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many were eager to try.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The calmest fell into two categories: one, like Zhou Shulin, who met the eligibility but knew he had no chance; the other, like Li Rui, who had long surpassed the age limit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Thirty-five.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui hadn’t expected that even after being reincarnated, he’d still face workplace age discrimination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back in his past life as a programmer, those big tech firms never hired anyone over thirty-five.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He certainly wanted to join the Huaqing Sect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, according to the system’s achievement settings, joining a stronger sect would grant substantial achievement points.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he was philosophical about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I get it, it’s fortune; if I don’t, it’s fate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d endured too many uncontrollable things in his life—if he couldn’t accept it, he’d have been furious to death long ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the crowd, he happened to spot Liang He’s figure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He cast him an encouraging glance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Huaqing Sect never selected disciples based solely on strength; this time was likely no different—it might ultimately choose someone younger with greater talent to compete in next year’s entrance trials.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Tu sighed: \"Brother Li, I think they’re deliberately targeting us.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, like Li Rui, he had also surpassed the age limit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was just thirty-six this year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Tu nearly choked on rage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Don’t even think about faking it—the Huaqing Sect’s methods far exceed ordinary imagination; they’ll have bone-readers confirm your true age.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, remembering his abysmal root quality, he gave up any hope.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the crowd below grow increasingly excited,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Yan’s eyes flickered with cunning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her thoughts aligned perfectly with Li Rui’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Yan had only promised Qinghe County one relaxed age limit slot, but the final choice of who entered the Huaqing Sect still had plenty of room for maneuver.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They would select two each from the Tian Di Alliance and the Blood Tiger Gang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then choose the final candidate from those four.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"First, pick a strong, high-ranking person to help us hunt the Ghost Ming  Cult, then pick a young, talented one,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>and when Father makes his final selection, deliberately choose the young one,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>that way, we won’t violate sect rules, yet still get these people to do the work.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had already planned it all out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s why she’d carefully noted the ages of the high-ranking members of the Tian Di Alliance and Blood Tiger Gang, precisely setting the thirty-five-year cutoff.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Wei might understand this too—but with even a one-in-ten-thousand chance, men like him would fight to the death for it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ding!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bronze gong rang once—the Grand Examination officially began.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rules for the Tian Di Alliance’s trial were simple: challenge on the arena. Defeat the person on the platform, take their waist token, and your status rises automatically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even ordinary disciples could directly challenge the captain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, almost no one would be so foolish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, a man leapt onto the arena—a sturdy young man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gestured to another burly man below: \"Ma Dong, come up!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The burly man leapt onto the stage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two clashed fiercely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a stick of incense burned down, the burly man was stabbed off the platform by the young man’s sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His waist token number dropped from \"325\" to \"278\".\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young man didn’t greedily seek more; he promptly jumped down and vanished into the crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A strong start.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The atmosphere ignited instantly; ordinary disciples leapt onto the arena one after another, some winning, some losing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Waist tokens changed hands again and again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During this time, Zhou Shulin even climbed up once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a full two watches of combat, he barely won, his token rising from \"387\" to \"378\".\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The increase was minor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Zhou Shulin was thoroughly satisfied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another of Li Rui’s acquaintances also climbed up—Liu Tong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Tong had made great progress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With his powerful Tiger’s Might Saber, he drove his opponent back step by step, securing victory with ease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His token number surged from \"217\" straight to \"41\".\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many looked on with envy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Sheng on the high platform also showed interest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What’s that boy’s name?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yang hurried forward: \"Lord Tang, his name is Liu Tong—my wife’s younger brother. He trains hard with the saber and has considerable talent.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Sheng nodded: \"Good root quality, excellent comprehension—a promising talent.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Tang Sheng’s evaluation, Zhang Yang was overjoyed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Liu Tong gained favor, his brother-in-law would naturally benefit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This scene made the two other vice captains, Zhou and Qian, burn with envy—but what could they do? They had no relatives as accomplished as Liu Tong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Tian Di Alliance had no rules against favoritism; in fact, having a powerful relative was seen as a mark of prestige.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Li Rui was growing bored—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liang He leapt onto the stage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1214,"2026-06-19T22:01:09.077Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","7c44632bee40d82ad1c1f19135a2410b46eeee866e8655e955d55256272ed3a8","eternal-green-immortal-sovereign-chapter-52","eternal-green-immortal-sovereign-chapter-50",866,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Feternal-green-immortal-sovereign-cover.jpg"]