The ranking list of the imperial examination quickly leaked out.
Meng Kui, Zhu Xuanji, and others were simply too late to stop it and couldn't help it.
The source of the leak came from loose cultivators.
Such explosive news spread rapidly and immediately stirred wide enthusiasm within the Lava Fairy Palace and Fire Persimmon Immortal City.
Even with the threat of the demon beast tide, countless people were attracted to this news!
"After the palace examination, it's time to decide the master of the Lava Fairy Palace, right?"
"Once the Lava Fairy Palace has a master, it will be able to unleash its full might and easily eradicate the demon beast tide, right?"
"It's said that the three superior sect leaders are really compassionate. The arrangements made for this temporary palace will save Fire Persimmon Mountain once again. Over the past years, the Lava Fairy Palace has done this countless times!"
Fei Si was grinding his teeth in anger.
He stared at the entry standards in the intelligence report and felt the sting of blatant mockery.
"Bukong Sect, Sun Lingtong!" He made a mental note of this grudge.
Fei Si prided himself on his strategies and was self-satisfied; such experiences of being blatantly toyed with were few.
Therefore, each such experience left a deep impression, even to the bone.
Afterward, he saw Ning Zhuo ranked before Meng Chong.
This made the corners of Fei Si's mouth turn up slightly: "This ambitious kid has really made a splash this time."
"You'd better be careful."
Fei Si obviously felt more empathy for Ning Zhuo.
Song Xiaoren threw the intelligence onto the ground, bellowing in frustration and fury: "Damn it! That sly and cunning brat actually sneaked into the final palace examination list."
"Why didn't I think of getting rid of this trouble back then?"
Song Xiaoren had already obtained his freedom by presenting the improved captives as planned by his father, emerging from the dungeons.
Officially, he had been expelled from the Ning Family and had become a wandering cultivator.
Following the Ning Family Clan Leader's advice, Ning Xiaoren also entered the Lava Fairy Palace to make an effort to get close to Ning Zhuo and earnestly sought his forgiveness.
But he was unsuccessful, Ning Zhuo didn't even give him a glance.
This was a tremendous humiliation for Song Xiaoren, making his hatred for Ning Zhuo grow even deeper.
Ning Family Clan Land.
Ning Xiaohui's grandmother was so angry that she wanted to tear up the intelligence report in her hands.
Her face contorted, she shouted with all her might: "Xiaohui, where is my Xiaohui? What is this Ning Zhuo thing? How dare he appear on the ranking list? If he is there, Xiaohui must be too."
"Xiaohui must be ahead of him."
Ning Xiaohui's grandmother pressed the intelligence report to her face, her eyes only a fingernail's distance from the paper.
She searched desperately, scrutinizing every word, but she found nothing.
Enraged, she screamed, tearing the intelligence report to shreds, hissing like a poison snake: "Fake, it's all fake! This report is fake!"
"Hehehe, hahaha!"
Lava Fairy Palace, main hall.
The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit was even weaker.
Because it had covertly interfered with the normal operations of the Lava Fairy Palace, using the demon beast tide to destroy one of the core mechanism buildings in the palace, it had been decapitated by a fire blade again.
Having been seriously injured for the second time, the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit's condition was only about fifty percent of its peak.
Within the entire palace examination ranking list, it focused on just three people.
One was Zhu Xuanji, naturally the first, from the Southern Bean Royal Family, famous throughout the country with outstanding strength.
Another was Meng Chong. The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit always hoped he would inherit the Lava Fairy Palace.
The last was Ning Zhuo.
"How did Ning Zhuo sense that the palace examination was about to begin?"
The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit had too many things to pay attention to, especially now, with the demon beast tide being the foremost concern.
So, recently, it had neglected Ning Zhuo.
However, it had witnessed Ning Zhuo boldly offering the Buddha Heart Demon Seal.
Such determination and decisiveness sent chills over the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit, a sudden coldness rising.
It was becoming increasingly afraid of Ning Zhuo, this little monster.
"We absolutely cannot let him obtain the position of palace master."
"Otherwise, if I can't escape, how will I live in the future?!"
People began to speculate who would be the winner of the final palace examination and who would laugh last, ultimately seizing the Lava Fairy Palace.
The most widely recognized first place was Zhu Xuanji. He ranked first, represented the Southern Bean Royal Family, was renowned nationwide, and possessed superior strength.
The public generally thought that the City Lord's side was too weak. Judging from the ranking list, there were only Meng Chong and some other Qi Refining juniors. But the real insiders understood that the Meng Family's main force was in the second echelon, coveting the top three spots with bated breath, ready to pounce.
As soon as discussions began to heat up, the first to be eliminated appeared.
To be precise, his corpse was found on the afternoon the list was announced.
It was an assassination.
The victim's heart was destroyed, his soul vanished without a trace.
This immediately reminded people of Zheng Jian, who died in a similar manner.
Thus, a heavy blame was conveniently placed on Yang Chanyu!
"Someone is impersonating me and has started eliminating competitors. Hmph!" Being framed and slandered made Yang Chanyu quite displeased.
But she didn't take action; instead, she and Sun Lingtong went deeper into hiding.
They were in a dangerous situation, and showing themselves would surely lead to being surrounded and attacked.
Before, Yang Chanyu was the main target of concerted attacks, but when it came to the "entry standard", Sun Lingtong drew even more hatred than Yang Chanyu.
Now, public opinion held that the top ranker in the palace examination would become the Master of the Immortal Palace.
Many cultivators were envious. Even those not listed wondered if by killing someone on the list, they might seize a spot for themselves.
Such an opportunity might only come once in a lifetime, so there were many who, thrown into the ring, chose to take a gamble.
Ning Zhuo had already placed his bet, risking his future on the Righteous Path, his name, his life, and even his Buddha Heart Demon Seal.
"Once the palace examination begins, it will be hard for me to find an opportunity to achieve Foundation Establishment in a short period of time," Ning Zhuo sighed.
As soon as he learned of the list, he ran to Ning Jiufan's side.
"Clan Leader, this is terrifying. I am also on the list, and I'm so scared of being killed," Ning Zhuo didn't hide his intention to seek protection.
Ning Jiufan scolded him for lacking backbone, but he still took him along.
It wasn't just Ning Zhuo; others like Ning Chen and Ning Yong, who were also on the list, were taken under Ning Jiufan's wing for protection.
Soon after, Zhu Xuanji gathered everyone together.
Ning Zhuo then realized that not only Ning Jiufan but also the Golden Core Ancestors of the Zhou and Zheng Families were bringing along their Qi Refining juniors, keeping them under close protection.
After all, they were merely at the Qi Refining Level, and their strength was too weak to defend themselves.
Previously, the prime suspects were Sun Lingtong of the Bukong Sect and Yang Chanyu, but now that the palace examination list was announced, even Righteous Path cultivators could become murderers!
It was this consideration that led Zhu Xuanji to gather everyone once more, seeking to unify the front and agree to cooperate as much as possible, rather than squander energy on internal conflicts early on.
His proposal was immediately acknowledged and approved by the Golden Core Cultivators of the three families.
Zhu Xuanji also reminded them, if possible, to try and collect fragments from the Golden Furnace.
He never let go of this crucial lead.
Previously, the Golden Furnace had been nigh inaccessible, a key location within the Immortal Palace. Even for trial disciples, it was the same.
But now, as the Flame Demon Beast Tide spread to the outer ring of the Immortal Palace, there was a constant threat to the inner circle.
Should the Demon Beast Tide affect the Golden Furnace area, then the defensive prohibitions of the Lava Fairy Palace would inevitably be relaxed, allowing cultivators to approach.
"The fragments of these Golden Furnaces all hold value in tracing back their origins," these were Zhu Xuanji's exact words.
Ning Zhuo listened intently on the spot, silently marveling at how tough this Divine Hunter was. Even at this stage of the palace examination, he was still fixated on some clues.
"He's probably hoping to use these clues to find Yang Chanyu and Boss Sun," Ning Zhuo thought to himself.
"If this scene really happens in the future, we'll rely on the Five Elements Turret to sweep the area," he reminded himself.
The palace examination came sooner than anyone expected.
A teleportation circle and a message appeared simultaneously—
The first round of the palace examination has begun.
Please step into the circle, proceed promptly, delays are deemed forfeitures.
Without hesitation, everyone stepped into the circle.
In the next moment, they arrived at a huge plaza.
On the plaza, tables and cushions were arranged.
Each table was piled with a dozen or so Jade Slips.
Every cultivator was assigned to a table.
They looked at each other, then at the tables before them. Some, impatient, directly sat down on the cushions.
New information came through, and everyone understood: this was the first round of the palace examination, which would use a question-and-answer format to earn points.
Rankings would be adjusted based on specific scores.
The bottom ten of the list would be eliminated.
Interfering with others, scheming, and cheating would result in disqualification!
In an instant, everyone tensed up.
Ning Zhuo especially so.
After all, his current rank was at the bottom.
"Hey, can you handle this or not?" Yang Chanyu shouted to Sun Lingtong, "You are the last one, you know."
Her shout immediately attracted everyone's attention.
"Indeed!" In an instant, everyone's suspicions were confirmed.
Meng Chong glared angrily at Sun Lingtong; it was this child-looking demon cultivator who had made a fool of him!
Sun Lingtong was full of concern for Ning Zhuo in his heart, always avoiding looking in Ning Zhuo's direction. He laughed with a carefree air, exuding abundant self-confidence.
The palace examination officially began.
Ning Zhuo's heart sped up slightly as he quickly picked up a Jade Slip, pressing it against his forehead to examine it.
There were many questions, and he needed to imprint his answers one by one into the Jade Slips with his Divine Sense.
Ning Zhuo's eyebrows twitched slightly, and his mood lifted.
Question one: "A mirror unites yin and yang, to see both inside and out." The Mirror Stand Spirit Communication Technique uses mirrors to scrutinize affairs, but how can it unite yin and yang, discerning the truth of matters? Please combine the concepts of yin and yang, and elucidate the way of Spirit Communication via the Mirror Stand.
Question two: "If the sinews are dyed, the bones are also strengthened." The Demon-infused Bloodline Technique involves a method of dying sinews and bones with blood, but how does this fortify both sinews and bones, doubling one's strength? Please discuss the relationship between sinews and bones, and explain its effects on cultivators.
Question three: In the Five Elements Spiritual Conversion Disk, there are traces of Five Elements Mana, with one for each element. How many ways are there for a cultivator to cancel out three Fire-attribute Spells, leaving two instances of both Water Element and Wood Element Mana?
The crowd mused: "So the Demon-infused Bloodline Technique really is one of the Three Superior Sect Techniques, but the content at the fifth level of Qi Refinement doesn't touch upon dyeing sinews and bones with blood at all?"
"And what is the Five Elements Spiritual Conversion Disk?"
"What's the Mirror Stand Spirit Communication Technique? It looks like it's also one of the Three Superior Sect Techniques, but I've never seen it before!"
"We're done for, totally done for!"
"Don't panic, stay calm. If I don't know it, neither will the others, right?"
"Yes, yes, yes, nobody knows, so there won't be major changes in the rankings. We won't know!"