From a loser to an immortal sage

Chapter 197 On the Way to the Great Examination: Xiao Yao Breaks Through

This……

What the hell is this?

I stared at the complex runes on the stone tablet, feeling my mind go completely blank.

It was like a tangled mess, completely illogical, and I couldn't even tell whether it was a single rune or multiple runes intertwined.

The initial excitement from solving the problem deflated like a punctured balloon.

The surrounding examinees also began to whisper among themselves.

"What kind of rune is this? I've never heard of it before!" "Yeah, I've searched through the entire rune encyclopedia and I've never seen anything like it..." Their chatter buzzed around me like mosquitoes, adding to my anxiety.

I felt as if I were in a dark abyss, everything around me was blurry, and only boundless fear and loneliness tightly enveloped me.

"Hey, Junior Sister Xiao, what's wrong? Can't do this problem?" Senior Brother Wang's nauseating voice came from the side, his tone full of sarcasm.

I turned and glared at him, only to see him secretly hiding a palm-sized jade plate under the table.

I sneered inwardly; this guy must have come up with some new cheating method again.

"What's it to you!" I replied coldly, trying hard to suppress the urge to punch him.

"Tsk tsk tsk, Junior Sister Xiao, don't be so temperamental." Senior Brother Wang said sarcastically, "If you can't do it, just give up early to avoid wasting time." As he spoke, he deliberately showed the jade plate and shook it, the provocation was all too obvious.

A surge of anger welled up inside me, and I abruptly stood up and snatched the jade plate from his hand.

The jade plate felt warm and smooth to the touch, covered with densely packed runes, emanating a faint spiritual energy.

I recognized it at a glance; it's a high-level message symbol, used to transmit information.

This guy actually dared to cheat in the Immortal Sect's Grand Examination!

"Senior Brother Wang, you've got some nerve!" I glared at Senior Brother Wang, the jade plate in my hand nearly falling from his grasp due to his hasty movements. "Cheating in the Immortal Sect's Grand Examination, aren't you afraid of being expelled from the sect?"

The atmosphere in the examination room instantly became tense, and the surrounding candidates stopped what they were doing and all looked in our direction.

Elder Li also noticed the commotion. He frowned and walked towards us.

"What's going on?" he asked in a deep voice.

Just as I was about to speak, I saw Senior Brother Wang suddenly pounce on me, trying to snatch the jade plate back from my hand.

I was prepared and dodged his attack by sidestepping.

He staggered and almost fell to the ground.

"Xiao Yao, you..." He pointed at me, his face flushed red, "How dare you slander me!"

"Slander?" I sneered. "The evidence is irrefutable. What else do you have to say?" I held the jade plate high. "Elder Li, please take a look!"

Elder Li took the jade plate, examined it carefully, and his face immediately darkened.

He raised his head, his gaze piercing like a knife as he looked at Senior Brother Wang. "Wang Tao, do you have anything else to say?"

Senior Brother Wang's face was deathly pale, his lips trembled, but he couldn't utter a single word.

Elder Li snorted coldly, "Men, take Wang Tao away and await further instructions!" Two deacons immediately stepped forward and took Senior Brother Wang away.

The examination room returned to calm, but the anger in my heart could not be quelled for a long time.

I took a deep breath, sat back down, and forced myself to calm down.

I have something more important to do—finish the exam.

I looked at the runes on the stone tablet again, trying to concentrate.

However, I just couldn't calm my thoughts down.

The other test-takers around me had already started writing furiously, but I was still completely clueless.

Senior Sister Zhao... she's already answered several questions...

Senior Sister Zhao had already finished several questions. Her neat handwriting was like a series of leaping musical notes, composing a confident melody on the answer sheet in front of her.

My heart sank, and a chill ran from the soles of my feet to the top of my head.

I could almost see her already reaching the summit, while I was still struggling at the foot of the mountain.

The gap between us is like an insurmountable chasm.

My hand trembled slightly, and the pen tip left crooked marks on the paper, much like my flustered state of mind at that moment.

The tense atmosphere was like a thick dark cloud, shrouding the entire examination room. The air became heavy, making it hard for me to breathe.

The pressure, like an invisible giant hand, gripped my throat tightly, almost suffocating me.

To make matters worse, Deacon Lin had intensified his supervision at some point, his sharp eyes scanning the examination room like a hawk, leaving no corner unchecked.

I felt like my every move was under his watchful eye, and I even became careful when I breathed.

I didn't even dare to look up at the runes on the stone tablet, for fear that a careless action would be misunderstood as cheating.

The examination hall was no longer a sacred place of assessment, but rather a huge cage that imprisoned me.

Anxiety surged into my heart like a tide, almost overwhelming me.

"There is half an hour left." Deacon Lin's voice rang out in the examination hall like a booming bell, every word striking my heartstrings and making my scalp tingle.

Half an hour...

How could I possibly solve this problem in such a short time?

My vision blurred, and the runes on the stone tablet, like a group of twisted monsters, jumped and spun in my sight, mocking my incompetence.

Despair, like a cold hand, gripped my heart tightly, chilling me to the bone.

Suddenly, a hand gently rested on my shoulder.

“Xiao Yao…” a deep voice sounded in my ear.

I turned my head abruptly...

It's Wen Chen!

He stood behind me, his gaze gentle yet firm, as if instilling a powerful force within me.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart.

His appearance was like a beacon in the darkness, illuminating the way forward for me.

Wait… Wen Chen’s gaze seems to have fallen on the stone tablet… Could it be…?

I followed his gaze and saw that the complex runes were still tangled together like a mess of hemp, with no clue whatsoever.

But just then, a flash of inspiration struck me!

I felt as if I had grasped something crucial, and an unprecedented sense of clarity welled up inside me.

Those seemingly chaotic lines gradually became orderly in my eyes, like dancing musical notes, playing a beautiful melody in my mind.

I understand!

This is not a single rune at all, but rather a clever combination of multiple runes that form a completely new rune array!

I was so excited I almost jumped up, and a strong sense of confidence welled up from the bottom of my heart.

I grabbed my pen and quickly wrote down my thoughts on the answer sheet.

The pen tip dances across the paper, flowing smoothly like clouds and water, each character brimming with power.

The other candidates looked at me in surprise, and their senior sister Zhao also stopped writing and stared at me with complicated expressions.

I could feel the pressure in her gaze, but that only fueled my fighting spirit.

“Xiao Yao, you actually… you actually…” Senior Brother Wang’s voice rang out again, filled with disbelief and jealousy.

His face was ashen, and his fists were clenched so tightly that he looked as if he wanted to tear me apart.

I looked up and gave him a cold look.

"What? You're not convinced?" I said coldly, without the slightest fear.

"You...you must have cheated!" he shouted hysterically. "How could a good-for-nothing like you possibly solve this problem!"

"Cheating?" I sneered. "Senior Brother Wang, are you just jealous of my talent?"

"You..." He was trembling with rage, pointing at me, "You just wait! I won't let you get away with this!"

I stood up, walked up to him, and stared at him sharply.

"Senior Brother Wang, I advise you to tone it down a bit." My voice was deep and powerful. "Otherwise, I won't hesitate to make you pay the price."

The air in the examination room froze; the tension reached its peak.

All eyes were on us, as if they were waiting for a storm to break.

"You..." A flicker of fear flashed in Senior Brother Wang's eyes, but he quickly regained his fierce expression. "You dare threaten me?"

I curled the corners of my mouth slightly upward, revealing a cold smile.

"A threat?" I smiled dismissively. "I'm just telling you a fact." I gently placed my hand on his shoulder, and a powerful surge of spiritual energy instantly flowed into his body.

"What...what are you doing?!" he cried out in terror, his face turning deathly pale.

"Shh..." I put my finger to my lips, making a shushing gesture, "Don't make a sound..."

I smiled slightly and increased the spiritual energy in my hand. Senior Brother Wang's face grew even paler, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He could only stare at me in terror. The surrounding examinees held their breath and dared not utter a sound, for fear of getting into trouble.

“Remember,” I whispered in his ear, in a voice only the two of us could hear, “there are some people you can’t afford to mess with.” I withdrew my hand, turned back to my seat, and continued answering the questions.

Senior Brother Wang collapsed to the ground, like a lump of mud, no longer daring to cause any trouble.

My thoughts flowed like a spring, and my pen danced across the paper, producing complex runes that seemed to come alive.

I felt like I had entered a strange state where everything around me disappeared, leaving only me and the exam paper in front of me.

Time seemed to stand still as I became completely absorbed in the joy of solving the problem, forgetting everything around me.

One way, two ways, three ways...

I kept solving problems, getting faster and faster, and more and more fluently.

I feel like an artist, creating a beautiful painting with runes.

Each rune has been meticulously crafted by me, and every line is full of power and beauty.

The surrounding examinees were stunned. They stared at me, including Senior Sister Zhao. Her eyes were filled with complex emotions—surprise, envy, and a hint of...

envy?

I smiled slightly, revealing a confident expression.

I not only want to surpass her, but also become the focus of this exam and the object of everyone's attention!

"Time's up!" Deacon Lin's voice rang out in the examination hall like thunder, jolting me out of my reverie.

I put down my pen, let out a long sigh, and felt a great sense of accomplishment.

I looked up and around; everyone's eyes were fixed on me.

I stood up, walked up to Elder Li, and handed him my answer sheet.

"Elder Li, please take a look." My voice was calm, confident, and full of power.

Elder Li took my answer sheet and carefully read through it, a look of surprise gradually appearing on his face.

He looked up at me. "Xiao Yao," he said slowly, "you did very well."

I smiled slightly, my heart filled with joy.

I know, I succeeded.

I not only proved my abilities, but also made those who once looked down on me look at me with new eyes.

“Xiao Yao,” Wen Chen’s voice suddenly rang in my ears, “Congratulations.”

I turned to look at him, and his presence warmed my heart; a sweet feeling welled up inside me.

"Thank you," I said softly. "I have to thank you for this."

He smiled slightly, said nothing, and simply took my hand gently.

I felt my hands being enveloped in his warm, large hands, and my heart was filled with a sense of security and happiness.

Suddenly, a thought flashed through my mind... Wait...

“Wen Chen…” I turned my head sharply to look at him, “I…”