Chapter 70: Upcoming Examinations (2)
After a while, Chen Hao finally recovered from his joy and recalled why he was here. He said, "The exam schedule is out. It's similar to the schedule last year. Do you want to see it?"
"Show me."
Su Yu accepted the schedule brought by Chen Hao and took a look at it before nodding. The schedule was similar to the previous year's schedule. The war academy examination would be held on the morning of the 25th. The cultural research examination would be held on the afternoon of the same day.
The schedule had been similar in the past years. Those below the third-stage Source Opening Realm would receive 10 marks per stage. They needed to have their cultivation confirmed during the examination.
From the fourth to the sixth-stage, one would receive 30 marks per stage. Similarly, one needed to have it verified during the examination. From the seventh to the ninth-stage, one would receive 50 marks per stage.
One would also receive 10 marks per certified language. That would also be tested during the examination. Additionally, one would receive ten marks per merit point earned through accomplishments unrelated to language mastery.
"I have 220 marks from my eighth-stage Source Opening cultivation, 10 marks for each of my twenty languages for a total of two hundred marks, 10 marks per merit point earned outside of language mastery for a total of 100 marks. Also...my formed Divine Characters can give me between 100 to 300 marks as well?"
While reading through the list, Su Yu noticed a sentence written in a font so small that he almost missed it. They had probably not expected any student from Nanyuan to obtain bonus marks through Divine Characters so they did not bother using a larger font for that sentence.
"In that case, I will have no less than 620 marks?"
Su Yu smiled. According to Nanyuan's past history, any student with two hundred marks and above could basically enter any academy they wished. Naturally, the marking system for the cultural research and war academies were different, but the differences weren't big.
The war academy had a restriction on the bonus marks a student could get from certified languages, capping the bonus at only 100 marks. Similarly, the cultural researcher academy had a requirement that each student must be certified for no less than eight languages.
Those requirements were put in place for preventing students from joining an unsuitable academy and ruining their own future. It would basically be a waste of talent if that happened.
"Well, that's unrelated to me. I meet the requirements of both sides."
Su Yu did not care. The examinations would not change the fact that he would be able to join an academy. He only cared about the rewards for placing first.
As for Chen Hao, he had 90 marks from his cultivation of fifth-stage Source Opening Realm, 30 marks from the three compulsory languages, and the bonus 30 marks from the killed cult member. In total, he had 150 marks. Since he had received bonus marks from the cult member, the three original earned merit points he received from the same kill would not be taken into consideration when calculating his overall score.
Additionally, the war academy examination also provided other tests a student could take for additional marks. Most students would have no trouble getting extra 30 marks from the tests. All in all, Chen Hao would have at least 180 marks.
"The Great Xia War Academy will be hard to enter, but the other war academies won't be that hard for him."
Chen Hao had never intended to join the Great Xia War Academy anyway. There were plenty of war academies around. Those with at least 150 marks could practically enter any war academy except the Great Xia War Academy and Martial Dragon War Academy.
Thus, there wasn't much pressure on Chen Hao. He only needed to pass the examination and he would be accepted by a war academy. In fact, students at the fourth or fifth-stage would not have much trouble joining a regular war academy. But those at the third-stage Source Opening Realm would find it hard to enter one unless they could demonstrate some exceptional talent.
Historically, most of the students from Nanyuan that had been able to join a war academy were at the fourth-stage Source Opening Realm and above. Even those at the fourth-stage would probably need to rely on their luck to enter a war academy.
While eating, Su Yu continued reading. Eventually, his gaze landed on the section indicating the reward for placing first. Previously, Nanyuan had promised a reward of three drops of source qi liquid for the student placing first in the war academy examination.
As for the cultural research academy examination, one would be rewarded a Great Strength original text. Those were the rewards provided by the city itself. As for the rewards provided by the academies, they weren't listed. He wondered if there were even any. He had heard that those rewards could only be claimed after entering an academy.
"Additionally, those placing first will also be given 10 merit points. This will also be added onto one's original earned merit."
When Su Yu saw that, his eyes lit up. That was the standard reward that would be given every year. So if he could place first in both examinations, wouldn't he earn 20 merit points?
Was he going to get rich?
Bang! Bang! Bang!
While Su Yu and Chen Hao were conversing, someone knocked on the door.
"Who is it?"
"Is Student Su Yu here?"
Curious, Su Yu stood up and walked to the door. He did not forget to take a saber with him. He stopped to the side of the door instead of directly behind the door and asked, "Who is this?"
Not far away, Chen Hao was dumbstruck to see Su Yu answer his door with a saber. Was this necessary?
"A comrade-in-arms of your father." Outside the door, Old Xie laughed, "You're quite careful, little fellow. I'm a Skysoar cultivator. Your saber won't do anything to me."
Feeling awkward, Su Yu sank into silence. Since the other party could sense what he did, even if that person wasn't a Skysoar cultivator, that person would still be much stronger than him. After putting his saber down, he opened the door.
Two people were standing outside. Standing at the front was Old Xie. The second person looked familiar. When he focused, he finally recognized that person and hurriedly greeted, "Uncle Qian."
The man called Uncle Qian smiled and nodded, "Yu, it has been almost a year since we last met."
"Please come in, Uncle Qian."
Su Yu hastily invited them in. This was his father's friend. However, he did not have much contact with this person before. Uncle Qian was a comrade-in-arms of his father but they weren't actually the soldiers of the same batch. Nevertheless, they were both fellow veterans of the Devil Subduing Army.
Su Yu did not remember exactly what Uncle Qian did in Nanyuan. All he knew was that this Uncle Qian was serving as a minor official in some government agency in the city.
Old Xie entered the house and laughed heartily, "Good vigilance, lad. You act the same as us retired soldiers. Truly worthy of being a son of a soldier. Your father must have taught you well. You're making all of us from the military proud!"
Su Yu merely smiled and said nothing about the praise. He only looked at Uncle Qian doubtfully, wondering who the other person was.
Uncle Qian coughed slightly and introduced, "Yu, this is Sir Xie from the Martial Dragon Guards."
"Don't be too formal. I'm only a little bit older than you. Just call me Uncle Xie."
Old Xie then walked around the house like it was his own house before he looked at Chen Hao and laughed, "This is your friend...Chen Hao?"
Chen Hao was stunned. He had no idea no this person was. But since this was someone from the Martial Dragon Guards, he asked in excitement, "I'm Chen Hao. Uncle, you're from the Martial Dragon Guards?"
"Yeah. I used to be a member of the Devil Subduing Army as well. Subsequently, I was transferred to the Martial Dragon Guards. However, both armies are the same as one family."
Old Xie laughed heartily. He was not behaving like a strict military man at all.
"Su Yu, aren't you going to invite us to sit?"
Only then did Su Yu recover from his shock. He hurriedly invited the two to sit before giving Chen Hao a kick, "Go make some tea!"
"Yu, you don't have any tea here!"
"..."
Su Yu cursed inwardly. Couldn't Chen Hao pretend for a bit and just serve them some plain water?
Old Xie smiled, "It's fine. I don't need any tea."
He then beckoned at Su Yu and said, "Come sit down. This is your home so don't act like a stranger. Since your dad is in the military, we're basically family."
Su Yu sat down, still confused as to what was going on. His father wasn't around so why were these people visiting? It didn't seem likely that these people would be here just to visit him.
"Oh, you're reading the enrollment schedule and rules?" When Old Xie noticed the schedule on the table, he smiled, "So which academy are you two planning to join? Since we're all military, are you planning to join the Martial Dragon War Academy?
"That's understandable, I guess. As one of our own, if you join the Martial Dragon War Academy, we can easily help you out if you encounter any trouble."
Chen Hao awkwardly said, "I might not be able to pass the exam for Martial Dragon War Academy."
"Says who?" Old Xie smiled, "The Martial Dragon War Academy is naturally difficult for outsiders. But we're family. Things will be easier for you. Little Chen, you have 30 bonus marks, right? You're also a fifth-stage Source Opening Realm. With that, you can easily join the Martial Dragon War Academy. A word from me will be enough to get you in."
"..."
Chen Hao was dumbstruck. So had he been accepted? What was going on? Was this uncle here to mess with him?
At that point, Su Yu finally understood something. He did not know what to feel as he coughed and said, "Uncle Xie...you’re from the Martial Dragon War Academy?"
"Oh? You know that as well?" Old Xie smiled, "Yes. I'm now an instructor at the Martial Dragon War Academy. I am one of the proctors for the exam this year as well. Therefore, if I want you to enter the academy, you'll be accepted.
"We're family. You're the sons of our comrades from the Devil Subduing Army. How can I not look out for you?"
Chen Hao really wanted to say that his father wasn't from the Devil Subduing Army.
Su Yu did not give him a chance to speak. With a smile, Su Yu said, "Uncle Xie, I'll thank you on behalf of Chen Hao, then."
He looked at Chen Hao and said, "Hao, if you can't enter the Great Xia War Academy, you can just enter the Martial Dragon War Academy. Uncle Xie knows that place well so he can take care of you there."
"..."
Old Xie smiled without saying anything.
Interesting kid. He's even using my words against me.
However, with Chen Hao's current marks, he would probably be able to get into the Martial Dragon War Academy even without any special treatment.
Old Xie did not say anything. He waited until Su Yu was finished before saying, "Are you two not going together? If you go together, you can look after each other in the academy. You also won't feel so lonely at an unfamiliar place with each other there."