Chapter 270: The Province Test Began

Gu Liang was startled. To tell the truth, Lin Xun was the first one he thought about when he began to select candidates to advertise Golden Hall.

But he did not do so in the end. Lin Xun had already helped him by giving him those peerless spiritual materials, which valued more than 100,000 gold coins.

Under such circumstances, how could he have the face to ask Lin for another favor?

Gu Liang was an arrogant teenager who valued his self-esteem very high. If he always sought help from Lin Xun whenever he met difficulties, he thought that it would show his incompetence.

Therefore, when Lin Xun mentioned this matter, Gu Liang hesitated at that moment. There was no doubt that Lin Xun was the most effective influencer. He was now a well-known figure in Mist City, and if he was willing to lend a hand, he was definitely the most suitable one.

But Gu Liang couldn’t ask for a favor from him.

“Okay, that’s the deal.”

Lin Xun seemed to have seen through Gu Liang’s thoughts, clapped his shoulder, and announced, “Remember, since we are friends, it’s natural to help each other. After all, I’m still waiting to get rich through our Golden Hall, so how can I watch my business fail?”

Gu Liang laughed bitterly and was interrupted by Lin Xun when he was about to explain, “Tell me, how do you plan to boost your name?”

Gu Liang bantered. “Let’s make it clear first: it’s your initiative to do me a favor.”

Lin Xun laughed and said, “Of course, let’s go and have a good chat in Golden Hall. I haven’t seen you for a long time.”

Gu Liang couldn’t help laughing, too. He felt so warm with Lin Xun, just like returning to his childhood friend.

…

Lin Xun left Golden Hall late in the night. He had consulted Gu Liang for a long time and finalized a set of advertising strategies.

According to Gu Liang, he actually had a more perfect marketing, but it was too late to carry it out. He could only find opportunities later.

Lin Xun was amazed at Gu Liang’s strategies and ideas. He found that Gu Liang really had a talent in this art. Maybe in cultivation, Gu Liang was far inferior to himself. But on the commercial road, Gu Liang was a rare genius.

The propaganda concepts and plans elaborated by Gu Liang tonight were marvelous. It broke the secular conventions and was a rare scheme in the empire.

Lin Xun was now looking forward to the news he would bring when he began publicizing Golden Hall in the Province Test.

Although it was late at night, Shue Jin did not go to sleep as usual. He sat alone in the courtyard, drinking while deep in thought.

Seeing Lin come back, he casually said, “In half a month, the Province Test will begin.”

Lin Xu nodded and replied, “I know.” Immediately, he keenly noticed that Shue Jin was somewhat absent-minded tonight.

“Old Jin, something on your mind?”

Lin Xun couldn’t help but ask.

“It’s nothing. I’ll leave when the Province Test is over.”

Shue Jin took a sip of wine and sighed.

Lin Xun was stunned. Unconsciously, he and Shue Jin had been together day and night for more than half a year, and now it was almost time to separate.

This made him feel a bit complicated.

Shue Jin had helped him a lot. He would have hardly gained a foothold in Mist City without Shue Jin’s deterrence.

Knowing Shue Jin was leaving soon, it would be a lie to deny his feeling of dismay.

Suddenly, Shue Jin said with a smirk, “Let me guess, are you feeling sad?”

Lin Xun nodded his head. He wasn’t in the mood to joke at this time. Instead, he earnestly asked, “Old Jin, where are you going after you leave?”

Shue Jin thought about it and then answered, “I will go to the Wasteland of Turbulence.”

The Wasteland of Turbulence!

That was the headquarters of the Empire of the Dark. There were three dark races in the Empire of the Dark: Voodoo-barbarian, Abyssal Devil Spirit, and Moon-ghost Ethnic.

In the Bloodthirsty Camp, Lin Xun had learned that the Wasteland of Turbulence was an ancient stretch of land vaster than the Empire’s territory with numerous dark races. It was the most dangerous region in this world.

Among them, although the real enemy of the empire was only Voodoo-barbarian, it had still brought about countless bloodshed and destruction to the Empire in the past thousand years.

Even now, the Empire had no power to defeat the race of Voodoo-barbarians.

From this, one could imagine how terrible the power of Voodoo-barbarians was. In the Wasteland of Turbulence, there were many more races, maybe even horrific than the barbarians.

If Shue Jin went there, of course, he would have to face terrible dangers.

“Why there?”

Lin Xun frowned and asked.

“In recent years, the Empire is becoming stronger and stronger, so the dark races have also become more and more uneasy. Therefore, there have been many frictions between humans and the dark races. A war might break out at any time. My trip is to explore the real situation, and it shouldn’t be that.”

Shue Jin explained casually.

“Can’t you have someone else go?”

Lin Xun asked.

Shue Jin suddenly said, “Do you remember the words on the stone tablet in front of the gate of Bloodthirsty Camp? The Ziyao Flower blossoms for the bloodthirsty and the Empire survives because of its wars.”

Speaking of this, his usual ruggedness and unruliness disappeared. He became very solemn. “As the Empire’s practitioners, we must step up and be responsible for our duties when the time calls for it.”

Lin Xun was shocked, and his heart was inexplicably touched. He remembered instructor Shu Sanqi, Young Ke, Young Man, and Old Mo.

“Come, have a drink with me.”

Shue Jin suddenly changed the topic.

“Okay.”

Lin Xun nodded and joined him.

They stopped talking and drank in silence.

Overnight, neither of them mentioned the matter anymore, and they did what they would do in the past. Nothing seemed to be different.

But Lin Xun knew that Shue Jin was doomed not to stay after this Province Test.

…

With the passage of time, the Province Test day was getting closer and closer, and the Mist City was becoming more and more lively. All kinds of topics could not be separated from the discussion of Province Test.

Nearly all the inns in the city were full, and the streets were packed with practitioners from other cities of the southwestern province. Most of them came to see the bustle, while some came on behalf of their forces and families, shouldering heavy responsibilities to seek geniuses in the Province Test.

The reason was simple. In this Province Test, more than 5,000 young talents were participating, but only a hundred could pass the examination.

Although thousands of people would eventually fail, these rejected were all outstanding people with great potential. If they could be drawn into their organizations and clans, it would undoubtedly add new blood and be a boon.

That was why Gu Liang was refused by these practitioners to help spread the name of Golden Hall. Those who could take part in the Province Test—no matter how rich or poor—were all the targets of the major forces. They had good prospects so how could they think highly of the reward offered by Gu Liang.

In short, the Province Test was a grand gathering for the whole empire to select talented people. When these gifted people gather, those who were fortunate enough to pass the examination were bound to be like a carp leaping through the Dragon Gate, and his status would shoot like a comet.

For those major forces and clans, this was a feast of dividing up and attracting talents that must not be missed.

Similarly, for all the ordinary people in the whole southwestern province, this was also a fantastic event to see the performance of the younger generation of practitioners, which could also encourage their children to make good efforts to become a wonderful cultivator.

In short, Province Test was different from County Test and State Test. It had extremely high norms just below the Nation Test. No ordinary one could reach this stage. Similarly, an assessment jointly attended by them was bound to be an unprecedented event.

Soon, the Province Test in the southwest of the Empire that countless people were waiting for finally came.

On this day, the sky was clear, and the breeze was gentle and smooth. As soon as it was dawn, Mist City became lively. Looking down from above, the streets of Mist City were teeming with people going in the same direction.

Their destination was Mist College.

As the site of Province Test, Mist College had an open space that could accommodate more than 100,000 people.

Every year when Province Test began, besides those who participated in the assessment, other practitioners could also enter the venue with the certificate already prepared to watch the assessment competition.

That meant it was impossible for others to enter without a certificate.

Lin Xun also went out early in the morning. When he arrived at the Mist College, it was already crowded with people. Looking at it, there were black heads everywhere. Truly magnificent.

In front of the college, many guards had been arranged to maintain the order. Only those who held the token to participate in the examination or the certificate to watch it could be allowed in.

Even so, it didn’t affect the enthusiasm of the spectators at all. This was THE Province Test. The popularity of this festival alone was enough to show how incredible the attention this festival received was.

Lin Xun did not rush in. He waited for a moment and saw Gu Liang’s figure rushing toward him.

“See how popular this event is! If we can carry out the plan successfully, the name of Golden Hall will be everywhere tomorrow.”

Gu Liang said excitedly.

Lin Xun said with a smile, “I’m ready.”

Gu Liang nodded.

At that moment, they queued up and entered Mist College.

It was a whole different atmosphere inside the Mist College. Almost no ordinary person could be seen, and all of them were practitioners.

There was no need to ask for directions at all. Lin Xun followed the crowd in front of them and soon arrived at an empty field.

In the center of the site, there were a hundred platforms. Each of them was about 666 square meters in size and were scattered magnificently.

Around the venue, there were rows of seats, enough to accommodate 100,000 people. At this time, those seats were already full of spectators, talking among themselves.

Their voices accumulated, echoing in this space like thunder.

When Lin Xun saw this scene, he could not help sucking in a cold breath. It was too magnificent!

Gu Liang’s eager eyes glowed, and his mouth muttered, “Combining your perfect performance with my scheme, it’s impossible for us to keep our Golden Hall unknown this time.”