Wen Qi walked along the corridor, quickly emerging from it and arriving in front of a building. He noticed a sign beside him that read "Advanced Cultivator Examination Office," and next to it, someone was sitting at a table, presumably responsible for registering examinees' information.
At that moment, Wu Zhengyu, seated in the chair, was in a foul mood. He had originally planned to spend the day having fun with some young ladies, but his grandfather had dragged him here to work, assigning him the tedious task of registration. Wu Zhengyu felt deeply aggrieved. After all, he was only 23 years old and had already passed the Intermediate Cultivator exam, making him a standout Intermediate Cultivator. He was confident, believing he could become an Advanced Cultivator before 30. While such an achievement wasn't extraordinary in human history, calling himself a promising prodigy wasn't an exaggeration. Yet now, he was being wasted on such a menial task. If his grandfather, the vice president of the association, hadn't forced him to help, he wouldn't have come at all.
Wu Zhengyu had been sitting here since early morning, but after a whole morning, only a few people had shown up, leaving him incredibly bored. This was actually normal. Although Changqing City was a major city in the southwest, and the Cultivator Association held exams every year, not many people could participate in the Advanced Cultivator exam. Typically, only thirty to forty people took it annually, and of those, only three or four passed—a very low pass rate. Wu Zhengyu sat in his chair, swinging his legs idly, muttering complaints about his grandfather under his breath.
Just as he felt he was being consumed by the tedium, a figure caught his eye. It was Wen Qi. The moment Wu Zhengyu saw him, his spirits lifted slightly, as Wen Qi was the youngest person he'd seen all morning. The previous registrants had all been around thirty years old, but Wen Qi looked like a young man no older than twenty. At that thought, Wu Zhengyu's fleeting interest faded. He curled his lip and muttered to himself, "Probably another lost soul." So, he kindly warned, "Hey, young man over there, you must be in the wrong place. The beginner exam is elsewhere. This is the Advanced Cultivator Examination Office—not somewhere you should be. Leave quickly. I'll let you off this time for wandering around."
Wu Zhengyu said this with a casual, impatient air. In his mind, he was already being generous. If it weren't for how boring today was, he wouldn't bother with someone who'd taken a wrong turn. After speaking, he stopped looking at Wen Qi, lowered his head again, and sank back into his gloomy mood, hoping for a real Advanced Cultivator candidate to appear.
But Wen Qi, as if he hadn't heard Wu Zhengyu's words, kept walking steadily until he stood right in front of him. With a calm expression, Wen Qi said softly, "Brother, could you please register me? I'd like to go in and check out the exam venue."
Wu Zhengyu, already bored, felt a surge of irritation when he heard Wen Qi ignoring his advice and insisting on entering to see the exam site. "What's going on? Don't young people these days listen to reason? I've said both good and bad things, and you still won't listen!" His eyes widened, his face flushed red, and a scolding was on the tip of his tongue.
Just as Wu Zhengyu was about to lose his temper, Wen Qi handed over an admission ticket. Wu Zhengyu glanced at it instinctively, and in that moment, he froze as if struck by a spell. The words he was about to say died in his throat. His eyes bulged as he couldn't believe what he saw—the ticket clearly read "Advanced Admission Ticket" in bold letters. Wu Zhengyu was at a loss, his hands trembling slightly as he held the ticket. Suspecting it might be forged, he quickly examined it closely, turning it over and over, scrutinizing every detail with a focus that seemed intent on piercing through the paper.
Wen Qi stood quietly beside him, initially patient, but as time ticked by, his patience began to wear thin. He frowned slightly, feeling a bit annoyed, but held back from saying anything. Just as Wen Qi was about to lose his patience, Wu Zhengyu finally confirmed the ticket was genuine. And when he saw the recommender's signature—his own grandfather, Wu Wenfeng—he was so shocked his mouth hung open. The familiar, bold signature was unmistakable, meaning the ticket couldn't possibly be fake.
Wu Zhengyu slowly raised his head, looking at the young man before him with eyes full of confusion, surprise, and disbelief. His mind was a mess, a thousand words stuck in his throat, unsure which to say first. As he stared blankly at Wen Qi, he suddenly remembered why his grandfather had made him the registrar this time. His grandfather had said he'd become arrogant after some recent success, and that there were even more talented people out there he didn't know about. Being a registrar was meant to show him what a true genius looked like. Back then, Wu Zhengyu hadn't taken his grandfather's words seriously, dismissing them as an excuse to force him into hard labor. He'd even silently resented his grandfather for not understanding him, thinking he was deliberately making things difficult.
But now, looking at Wen Qi, Wu Zhengyu suddenly realized his grandfather had been telling the truth. There really was always a sky above a sky, and people beyond people! His own proud achievements paled in comparison to Wen Qi, who, at under 19, was already attempting the Advanced Cultivator exam. Wu Zhengyu's gaze fell back on the admission ticket, which clearly showed Wen Qi's age. Under 19—so young, yet with the courage and skill to challenge the Advanced Cultivator exam. This was a true genius! And Wu Zhengyu knew that his grandfather's signature meant he had endorsed Wen Qi's abilities. If Wen Qi lacked real talent, his grandfather would never have recommended him. So Wen Qi genuinely had the strength to take the exam—even if he might not pass, he at least met the qualification level.
At this thought, Wu Zhengyu's emotions were a tangled mess. He regretted his previous arrogance, was moved by his grandfather's thoughtful intentions, and felt deep admiration for Wen Qi. He couldn't help but mock himself inwardly: he'd thought himself a prodigy with a bright future, but compared to Wen Qi, he was nothing. Wu Zhengyu's face shifted between red and white. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. He knew this moment was a huge shock and a valuable lesson.
Finally, Wu Zhengyu looked up at Wen Qi, his eyes no longer holding the earlier disdain and impatience, but instead filled with respect and admiration. He opened his mouth, hesitated for a long while, and then said, "Brother, sorry about that—I was blind earlier. Go on in, and good luck with your exam!"