"Full marks for the literary exam are ten points. How exactly is that ten determined?"Huang Chengyan asked aloud when he heard the explanation.
"If one can still produce over nine feet of talent energy even under the pressure of my measuring ruler, and even manifest a phenomenon, then they can be awarded the full ten points," Cai Yong replied without hesitation."As the chief examiner, I will not lower the bar. This is about selecting talent for the Great Yi Dynasty. It is not about sentimentality or personal preference, but about choosing the most outstanding candidates without being swayed by any external influences."
Judging by talent energy to determine precise scores was the most efficient and fair method.
Otherwise, reviewing hundreds of thousands of examination papers would require an inconceivable amount of manpower. Such inefficiency was simply unacceptable.
Many essays weren't even worth reading. After all, examinees came from all walks of life; not all were true scholars. Expecting them to write remarkable articles was overly optimistic. The chance of a truly outstanding article being buried was extremely slim, because any extraordinary piece would definitely radiate extraordinary talent energy, which could not be overlooked.
This method was undoubtedly the fastest and most accurate.Gold would always shine.
Only the essays brimming with literary spirit and talent would be read personally by Cai Yong or Huang Chengyan. The rest would be backed up and read later by others to leave a record.
"Brother Bokai speaks wisely. This method will help complete the preliminary review swiftly and assign scores efficiently," Huang Chengyan nodded in agreement.
"Very well. Let's begin."Cai Yong smiled and waved his hand.
He placed the measuring ruler atop the examination papers. Instantly, the papers began to separate one by one. Wisps of talent energy rose naturally from the sheets.
Some didn't even lift off the page—clearly indicating the articles were incoherent trash with no value. These were less than a foot in talent energy—and there were tens of thousands of such papers.
"Even these, though under one foot, deserve at least one point,"Cai Yong said with a frown, sweeping them aside. He didn't bother giving them another glance but still awarded the bare minimum score—there was no need to assign zero.
"Your Excellency is most merciful,"Jia Yucun chuckled, then led the clerks to record the results.
First, they logged the candidate names, then finalized the scores, which were immediately recorded into the StarNet for secure, tamper-proof documentation.
Each paper was marked by the candidate's identity via their Heaven Registration Card, making forgery impossible.
The papers were then grouped.
Talent energy of one foot was most common, numbering over 100,000.
Two or three feet were still plentiful.
Four to five feet were fewer but notable.
From six to seven feet, the count sharply dropped—these essays had depth and strong foundation, worth careful reading.
Reaching eight or nine feet, only a few dozen remained. These were real scholars with profound learning and insight.
A few papers even exceeded nine feet and manifested rare literary phenomena, dazzling to behold. Witnessing such scenes made even the seasoned examiners gasp in awe.
While the examiners were busy reviewing, the examinees had already returned to their quarters to eat, sleep, and rest after the first day's literary exam.
Unknowingly, the night passed.
The Next Day
As dawn broke, the gong of the Examination Hall rang out again. Constables called the candidates to the examination grounds.
Having experienced it once, the examinees were more at ease now.
After breakfast, they entered their assigned rooms—though not necessarily the same as yesterday. But that didn't matter; the test was the same.
Then came Cai Yong's voice across the examination grounds:
"All candidates, focus your minds into your Communicator. Enter the StarNet. In your private virtual space, you will find a passage. Step into it, and you will be transported to the real examination site."
"What? The exam is not taking place here but inside the StarNet?"
"The other nine subjects will be tested in the virtual world?"
Shock and curiosity swept through the examinees.
Nonetheless, with a thought, they all connected their consciousness to the Communicator, entering the StarNet, where they arrived in their own private virtual space.
Each person's Natal Star formed their unique domain. Previously, these spaces were unused, limited to messaging and video calls. But now, they had been unlocked.
In their space, a multicolored pathway appeared.
Despite the novelty, they stepped in without fear.
The Trial World
As soon as they entered, a message appeared in their minds:
"Attention candidates: The other nine subjects of the Imperial Exam will now be tested inside the StarNet's trial space. Inside, you will become the ruler of an Immortal City, granted your own citizens and territory. How you develop your city over the next three years will determine your exam scores."
"This is a trial of governance. Without real-world experience, one cannot become true talent. These three years in the trial world will pass as only one day in the real world. Take it seriously. Though this is a virtual world, it is also real. The experience gained here will benefit you for life."
The candidates were stunned.
This was a function of the StarNet never previously announced, as creating such a space required tremendous spiritual power—something that had only recently become possible thanks to a rare treasure:
The Myriad Mirage Pearl (万象蜃楼珠)
This mystical artifact, obtained by Yi Tianxing from the Divine-Demonic Battlefield, could create an incredibly realistic illusory world. Once trapped within, even one's spirit and will would be affected, unable to distinguish illusion from reality. It was said to be connected to the mythical Shen Dragons (蜃龙).
Once fused with the StarNet, the Pearl caused the StarNet to evolve drastically. Using the Mirage Pearl as its core, the virtual world was born—complete with life, nature, and change indistinguishable from reality.
Thanks to this treasure, Yi Tianxing had the confidence to hold a revolutionary Imperial Exam—a full simulation-based assessment.
No move made in the simulation could escape StarNet's monitoring. Every decision would directly affect the fate and progress of the candidate's city.
Survival, strength, and prosperity—each depended on real ability.
The trial world mirrored the wilderness of the real Great Yi Dynasty but lacked unification. It was a chaotic landscape with fragmented Immortal Cities, each candidate ruling one.
Success or failure was entirely up to them.
"Let's see who can truly govern,"Yi Tianxing murmured in the royal palace, smiling meaningfully.
"You wrote about survival yesterday. Today, you'll live it. No matter how beautiful the essay, it can't compare to a real experience."