The Dao Sovereign of Shennong

Zhao Xing originally planned to eat after submitting his exam, but since Chen Shijie had already spoken, he had no choice but to stand by and wait.

The examiners were reviewing the papers separately, each responsible for a part, and then cross-reviewing the papers afterward.

There were only about five hundred papers, not too many, but they couldn't afford to make any mistakes.

The first paper that Xue Wenzhong picked up was the one with the question, "The wind blows violently from the south, causing drought in spring and autumn; while the river in the east brings floods in summer and winter, making it difficult for crops to survive. What is the solution?"

When he saw that Zhao Xing had avoided the trap in the question and had answered it perfectly, half of the weight on his heart lifted.

"He remembers the actions of True Lord Cao Xi quite well, which makes sense, as most of his techniques are passed down from the True Lord," Xue Wenzhong thought.

Next, he reviewed Zhao Xing's response to the question: "The land is cold in the spring, the wood cannot be used, and the heat of the summer leads to a plague of locusts. What is the solution?"

After reading Zhao Xing's answer, Xue Wenzhong's worries completely disappeared.

His face shifted from a frown to a smile, and he even laughed softly.

"I misjudged him. To answer this question so perfectly shows a deep understanding of the Five Elements and the Four Seasons. The rest of the exam should be no problem at all," he thought.

The old Shennong Officer felt quite pleased, and his mood visibly lightened, no longer concerned that Zhao Xing's success would make him arrogant.

Meanwhile, Gao Linong, Tang Wanchun, and Pang Yuan were reviewing the parts where Zhao Xing had to recite classical texts.

He answered every question correctly, with not a single error.

While memorization is a basic skill, what stood out was Zhao Xing's speed. He managed to complete thirty pages of the exam without a single mistake, even while working late into the night. It was quite remarkable.

"Marvelous, marvelous, marvelous!" Chen Shijie suddenly shouted.

This startled the other examiners.

Chen Shijie's voice was so loud that it probably echoed outside, where the examinees were waiting.

Indeed, some examinees heard it, as they weren't deaf after all.

Some even noticed Zhao Xing walking into the hall earlier after submitting his exam early.

Those who heard Chen Shijie were puzzled. Just how brilliant was Zhao Xing's answer for the chief examiner to be so excited that he even mimicked a cat's meow?

The phrase that had excited Chen Shijie so much was Zhao Xing's response to the last question:

"Among the Five Elements, none are more esteemed than the Earth. The Earth resides at the center and governs all directions, yet it does not vie for recognition with fire."

Chen Shijie, being an advocate of the Earth School, was especially thrilled by Zhao Xing's answer.

Zhao Xing's response, without a doubt, hit the mark for Chen Shijie.

Moreover, the statement perfectly aligned with the philosophy of the Earth School. Any member of the Earth School would be delighted by it.

Zhao Xing's answer elevated the importance of the Earth element, bestowing it with the title of "Master of the Four Directions." Though it was somewhat flattering, the logic was sound and not merely empty praise.

Zhao Xing's words directly appealed to Chen Shijie, scratching exactly where it itched.

"Ahem, I may have overreacted," Chen Shijie said, noticing the surprised expressions of his colleagues. He chuckled awkwardly, trying to downplay the situation. "No problem, everyone. Please review this paper fairly."

"How can you even pretend now?" Gao Linong silently complained. "Your enthusiasm is as obvious as a waterwheel. With such a clear bias, how can we possibly evaluate this objectively?"

Gao Linong refused to take Zhao Xing's paper, not wanting to be swayed into giving undeservedly high marks. Despite Chen Shijie's reaction, Gao Linong prided himself on being straightforward and principled.

However, the others had no such reservations and immediately took the paper to review it carefully.

"Hmm, truly brilliant," Tang Wanchun praised after reading the answer. Although he wasn't part of the Earth School, objectively speaking, Zhao Xing's answer certainly deserved high marks.

Pang Yuan and the other reviewers agreed as well. Without considering Chen Shijie's reaction, Zhao Xing's answer was indeed eye-catching, well-reasoned, and not mere fabrication.

As the papers were cross-reviewed, the other examiners also acknowledged Zhao Xing's cleverness.

"To correct the season by restoring spring and shortening summer? Using fire to balance the cold and heat? This answer is even more comprehensive than I originally thought."

"Using the land to build mountains in the south to block the wind, and building canals in the east to channel water, utilizing the Return-to-Origin Waterwheel? This was exactly what True Lord Cao once did!"

"This question was inspired by True Lord Cao and the ancient city. I didn't expect him to see through it so quickly."

Even Gao Linong, after hearing all the praise, couldn't help but take another look. After a moment, he gazed at Zhao Xing with a complicated expression.

"Why couldn't this student have been mine? Instead, he's been discovered by the old Shennong Officer!"

"Hmph, at least his handwriting is terrible!" Gao Linong thought, his jealousy showing. "Yes, among all the top performers, his handwriting must be the worst!"

There was no suspense—the examiners unanimously agreed to give Zhao Xing a top ranking of "A." Even Gao Linong couldn't bring himself to give him a lower mark. After all, the examiners' comments and grades would be recorded and submitted.

Using poor handwriting as an excuse to lower Zhao Xing's grade would make Gao Linong seem petty, and in this era, bad handwriting wasn't considered a significant flaw.

Once an official passed the exam and entered the system, their mastery of Qi would allow them to control their handwriting with precision, making it flawless, akin to carved prints. This was a minor issue that could not justify dismissing a promising candidate.

Although the decision for top ranking spots wasn't usually made so quickly, the unanimous agreement among the examiners meant that Zhao Xing was the first to receive a top "A" ranking for this exam.

Since other candidates were still testing, the examiners couldn't keep Zhao Xing for further questions. He respectfully bowed and quietly left the examination hall.

The next day, other candidates gradually handed in their papers. By the afternoon, the results for all five hundred candidates were announced.

Zhao Xing had once again earned a top "A" ranking. Due to the difficulty of this theoretical exam, only two others received the same ranking.

They were Ding Shan and Liang Bai.

Ding Shan was well-known among the group as the oldest clerk at the Huailiu Academy. He had spent years assisting Xue Wenzhong with administrative work, organizing documents and texts. His magic skills were average, but his vast experience with exams had paid off, allowing him to secure a top ranking.

Liang Bai was a first-time recipient of the top rank. Since this exam tested theory rather than magical skills, it was not surprising that someone with average cultivation could perform well.

Apart from the three top performers, there were nine others who made it to the "A" list, including Li Chengfeng, Wen Nanxing, and Xiao Ze.

Zong Shichang, however, was placed in the "B" tier—his weak point was theory.

"He got another top rank? It's one thing to be skilled at magic, but now he's a theory expert too? Is this man truly made to be an official?" Wen Nanxing and Xiao Ze, both hoping to outperform Zhao Xing, were greatly disappointed when the results came out.

"How could he get another top rank?"

"It must be favoritism from the old Sima! He must have given Zhao Xing special hints or extra tutoring before the exam," Huang Tao complained bitterly.

"Huang, are you upset just because you didn't do well? That's no reason to tear others down," someone countered.

"Exactly. It wasn't just the old Sima setting the questions. Your teacher saw them too."

All those meals prepared by Lady Cai hadn't gone to waste; more people were now speaking up for Zhao Xing.

"You lost to Zhao Xing before, but that's no reason to bear a grudge. After all, you were the one who challenged him for his territory."

"Huang, stop fooling yourself—it's pointless."

With more people defending Zhao Xing, Huang Tao's words fell flat. Realizing he was losing ground, he had no choice but to slink away, feeling utterly defeated.