Wen Qi was able to receive a recommendation from Wu Zhengyu’s grandfather, Wu Wenfeng, all thanks to Dr. Chu Feng’s help.
Dr. Chu Feng and Old Man Wu Wenfeng had been close friends for many years, with a deep bond of friendship. When Dr. Chu Feng asked Wu Wenfeng to recommend someone for the assessment, Wu Wenfeng agreed without a second thought. His response was swift and decisive, without any hesitation, because he had absolute trust in his old friend. However, when he later saw the information Dr. Chu Feng provided—that it was a young man under 19—Wu Wenfeng couldn’t help but pause in surprise.
But that surprise lasted only a moment; he didn’t waver at all. After all, with so many years of friendship between them, he knew Dr. Chu Feng’s character inside out. Dr. Chu Feng had always been upright and meticulous, definitely not the type to pull strings or engage in improper dealings. If this young man didn’t have real skill or ability, Dr. Chu Feng wouldn’t have recommended him. Wu Wenfeng mused to himself that for Dr. Chu Feng to personally make such a recommendation, this young man must be an exceptionally gifted prodigy.
Though he was taken aback by Wen Qi’s youth, he quickly prepared the admission ticket for him. At the same time, Wu Wenfeng had his own little scheme in mind. He thought of his grandson, Wu Zhengyu, who had been getting a bit cocky lately, and saw this as a perfect opportunity. Having Wu Zhengyu interact with this young talent might knock some of that arrogant, overconfident attitude out of him. Wu Wenfeng knew his grandson’s temperament all too well—prone to pride with even a hint of success. He hoped this experience would teach Wu Zhengyu that there’s always someone better, making him set aside his conceit and work steadily toward improvement. Wu Wenfeng looked forward to this arrangement deeply impacting his grandson, and he also hoped Wen Qi would showcase extraordinary abilities in the assessment, proving that Dr. Chu Feng’s judgment and his own trust were well-placed.
On Wen Qi’s end, as he entered the building where the exam was held, he was immediately stunned by the sight before him. The interior of the building was incredibly spacious, so vast it seemed to stretch endlessly. He couldn’t help but exclaim, “This building is huge! No wonder it’s the Cultivators’ Association in a big city—they’re really rolling in money!” Walking slowly along the corridor, he carefully observed everything around him. Wen Qi noticed that the exam setup here was quite unique—each person had their own separate exam room. This arrangement effectively prevented cheating that might occur when people gathered together for the assessment, showing how seriously the association valued fairness.
Wen Qi quickly found his exam location—a room on the second floor. He stepped inside, and the layout was clear at a glance. A comfortable seat was set up, clearly for the written test. Next to it was a sizable workstation, with various tools and materials neatly arranged, presumably for making energy cubes. After thoroughly inspecting the room to ensure nothing was missing, Wen Qi prepared to leave.
At that moment, a few people were also touring the exam rooms in the building. But there were only about seven or eight of them. When they saw Wen Qi moving in and out of the exam room, they didn’t think he was there for the assessment at all. In their eyes, he seemed more like an association staff member just checking things out. Among them was a man named Zhu Ximing, who felt that Wen Qi looked oddly familiar. He frowned, straining to search his memory for any connection to Wen Qi. After all, he had only seen Wen Qi twice before, and never paid close attention. Now, that nagging sense of familiarity lingered in his mind, but he just couldn’t recall who Wen Qi was. As Zhu Ximing continued touring the exam rooms, he kept glancing at Wen Qi’s retreating figure, filled with confusion. He tried hard to remember more details, but in the end, he couldn’t. Helpless, he could only shake his head, set the doubt aside, and focus on the tour.
Unaware of these people’s thoughts, Wen Qi walked out of the building with steady steps, making final preparations for the upcoming assessment. He entered the exam room later than others, but he was the fastest to leave, taking only about ten minutes. While others meticulously inspected every corner, afraid to miss a single detail, Wen Qi appeared confident, as if everything was under his control.
Downstairs, Wu Zhengyu had been keeping an eye on the exam proceedings. When he saw Wen Qi come out so quickly, he couldn’t help but marvel inwardly. He thought that someone so young yet so capable was worth befriending. Although his attitude earlier hadn’t been great, Wen Qi didn’t seem to mind, so Wu Zhengyu took the initiative to ask, “Brother Wen Qi, done so soon? Any issues? If there’s a problem, you can tell me, and I’ll help pass it along.” Wen Qi was a bit puzzled by Wu Zhengyu’s sudden warmth, but since the other man was all smiles, he didn’t want to be cold in return. He replied politely, “It’s fine, everything’s good.” With that, he turned to leave.
Seeing Wen Qi about to go, Wu Zhengyu became conflicted. He really wanted to get closer to Wen Qi, but given their current lack of familiarity, he didn’t know what to say to keep him there. He stood rooted to the spot, watching Wen Qi’s figure grow distant, filled with regret. He silently scolded himself for being tongue-tied and not knowing how to strike up a conversation. Helpless, he could only let Wen Qi leave first, planning to ask his grandfather about Wen Qi’s details when he got home that evening. After all, the assessment was tomorrow, and then he could see Wen Qi’s true abilities for himself. If Wen Qi was really impressive, he’d find a way to befriend him. Wu Zhengyu took a deep breath to calm himself, then returned to his post, waiting for other candidates to come out.
The crowd in the hall, seeing Wen Qi exit so quickly, immediately started whispering among themselves, their faces full of mockery. Someone said sarcastically, “Some people just love showing off without knowing their own limits, daring to barge in here.” Another chimed in with a laugh, “Got kicked out, didn’t he? Haha!” The others joined in, laughing without restraint. Only Zhu Xiu among them felt that what Wen Qi had said earlier might not be a lie, so she didn’t join in the ridicule.
Wen Qi heard their words loud and clear and knew they were aimed at him. But he didn’t care at all, his expression calm. He understood that arguing at a time like this was pointless. With a determined look, he walked straight through the crowd toward the exit. Seeing Wen Qi stay silent, the group assumed he was too embarrassed to retort and could only slink away, so they laughed even harder. Wen Qi remained unfazed, not slowing his pace, thinking to himself: Once the assessment ends tomorrow, everyone will see who truly has skill and who’s just making wild guesses and talking nonsense. Arguing with these people now would be a pure waste of time and energy. He quickened his steps and soon left the Cultivators’ Association, leaving behind the crowd still jeering without restraint.