They didn't wait for too long before the old man who had received them came back. He still looked indifferent. He didn't enter the room, staying at the door and saying, "Come out, we're going to the kwoon. The leader is going to announce the beginning of the exams. Don't make him wait!" huffed the old man, before turning around and leaving.
Xiao Qing watched the old man go unhappily, but she was afraid the old man would get angry so she didn't say anything. She looked at Lin Feng and smiled broadly, "Let's go, brother."
"Alright, let's go," Lin Feng said, nodding calmly. He didn't get angry because of the old man this time. The old man didn't wait for them and walked away. Xiao Qing walked quickly, but she couldn't catch up with him.
When Lin Feng saw that, he understood that there was something wrong. Lin Feng walked ahead gracefully and disappeared, then suddenly reappeared in front of the old man. He glared at him icily and stretched out his hand, grabbing the old man by the neck.
The old man began to panic. He struggled to break free from Lin Feng's grasp, but in vain. He released his strength of the eighth Godly Emperor Layer, but nothing worked.
Suddenly, he understood that he might be in danger, and he had offended someone he shouldn't have. The old man forced a smile and whined imploringly, "Prince, please release me!"
"I'm warning you once, I won't warn you twice. Don't blame me for being impolite otherwise," Lin Feng said icily. He didn't care about this old fool. He was far stronger than him, anyway.
Lin Feng threw the old man away, then turned around and went back to Xiao Qing. Xiao Qing understood what Lin Feng had just done.
"Ahhhh!"
The scream rang through the government offices. It was naturally the old man. He crashed against one of the city's walls, collapsing it. The old man had the impression all his bones were broken.
Lin Feng and Xiao Qing walked past him. Xiao Qing glanced at him, but Lin Feng didn't.
—
Very quickly, Lin Feng and Xiao Qing arrived at the kwoon. It was tens of thousands of square meters in size. Apart from the disciples of the government offices, there were also the representatives of all the different villages. Some villages were more powerful than others, and had sent three people.
Slums and poor places in general had just sent one person. The government offices thought they were already benefactors by allowing that, because they wouldn't have selected even a single person from those slums otherwise.
Xiao Qing and Lin Feng chose a relatively calm place. They didn't mingle with the crowd.
—
After a little while, some disciples rushed over and announced that everybody was there and that they could start.
When Hu Yan Zan heard that, he nodded in satisfaction. He stood up and looked at all the representatives. There were people who only had the strength of the first Godly Emperor Layer whereas some others had the strength of the top of the Godly Emperor Layer. There were many people, but they were at very different strengths.
"Alright, since everybody is here, we can start. Ten people are going to participate in San Country's great competition.
"But before, we need to do some tests to choose eight people who will follow my two sons there. You will all fight for our honor."
Hu Yan Zan seemed excited when he said that. He really hoped that his government offices would get some people into the top six this time. It would be beneficial for them, they would have access to more resources that way.
"Hu Yan Qing, read your list of candidates out loud," Hu Yan Zan told his son. Then, he looked at Hu Yan Hao, "Read your list of candidates out loud, as well."
"Yes." "Yes, father," nodded the two men. Then they glanced at each other angrily. They didn't have a very good relationship.
"Li Biao from Feng Yun Village, Fu Yu from Tang Village."
"Chen Village, Chen Tian Yi."
"Xiao Qing from the slum." ...
Hu Yan Qing announced the names of the ten representatives he had chosen. In the end, he looked at Xiao Qing, but when he saw Lin Feng next to her, his expression changed.
It wasn't…?
Hu Yan Qing looked at the fellow skeptically. He doubted himself. The man had just rescued Xiao Qing, but nothing more? They weren't related in any way, were they?
But if it wasn't the mysterious man who had saved her, who was that man? He knew Xiao Qing was alone, she had no father, no brother, no lover, nothing…
—-
After Hu Yan Qing, it was Hu Yan Hao's turn to read his list. He hadn't found the mysterious man, though. He had failed to accomplish the mission his father had assigned to him, unfortunately.
When Hu Yan Zan heard his sons, he nodded in satisfaction. He had seen the lists before. There were about twenty Godly Emperors of the fourth Godly Emperor Layer, six people had the strength of the sixth Godly Emperor Layer and above, and they were under five hundred years old. They were younger than the Great Elders of the government offices, but they were already just as strong; they could be considered geniuses.
"Let's start the exam!" shouted Hu Yan Zan.
The representatives were nervous, including Xiao Qing. Lin Feng was extremely bored, though. He had seen so many competitions and exams in his life, and much bigger events, much better too, and far more interesting. Besides, he had nothing to do with this tiny little event. He was just there because of Xiao Qing, so he had to be patient.
"Xiao Qing from the slums against Wei Lin from Wu Ying Village," said Hu Yan Qing. The opponent he had chosen for Xiao Qing was three cultivation layers stronger than her, having the strength of the seventh Godly Emperor Layer.
Xiao Qing only had the strength of the fourth Godly Emperor Layer. They didn't even need to fight.
Xiao Qing was angry. She knew that Hu Yan Qing had chosen an opponent who was much stronger than her on purpose. She couldn't give up, giving up came down to betraying the government offices. The representatives had to try and fight, so Hu Yan Qing didn't fear that she would refuse.
Hu Yan Qing looked at Xiao Qing icily. His eyes were filled with killing intent.
He looked at Lin Feng again. Even though he seemed different from the mysterious man, he had no choice but to sound out the situation to see if he was the one who had killed Manager Tian.
—
Sound out?
When Lin Feng heard Hu Yan Qing, he immediately understood that Hu Yan Qing was trying to test him and see whether he was the mysterious man or not. Xiao Qing might get injured if she fought against that much stronger man, in which case the mysterious man would probably intervene.
Lin Feng realized the situation was complex. Hu Yan Qing's plan wasn't that bad.
"Brother, I'm going," said Xiao Qing. Her heart was pounding though. She already knew she was going to suffer a crushing defeat and the thousands and thousands of people from her slum would feel humiliated.
"Take this and enjoy," Lin Feng said. He took a step forwards so that Hu Yan Qing couldn't see Xiao Qing anymore, then quickly took out a blood pill and gave it to Xiao Qing.
Even though Xiao Qing didn't know what the pill was, she took it without any hesitation. Lin Feng stepped aside. Xiao Qing walked to the center of the kwoon. Wei Lin also came out of the crowd. He looked tall and sturdy, weighing at least a hundred and fifty kilos. Xiao Qing seemed extremely weak and skinny in front of him.
Many people sighed on the inside. Xiao Qing didn't stand a single chance…
Xiao Qing was scared and worried, but she could also feel something was happening inside her body. The blood pill Lin Feng had given to her was starting to take effect. She had the impression an ocean of pure Qi was roaring and rolling in waves inside her body. She wanted to charge and bombard the big fat guy in front of her!
"Start!"