Chapter 26: The Dawn Approaches

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The testing hall buzzed with voices, lively and bustling. Not only were many children and their parents gathered, but also recruitment officers from the five major military academies, all on the lookout to directly recruit promising talents once spotted.

Zhuang Yun pushed through the crowd, quickly contacting Lin Yiwen: "Testing hall, come quickly!"

At that moment, Lin Yiwen was engrossed in repairing Zhuang Yun’s “Spirit Sky,” which was missing a leg.

“Alright,” he replied. Having been there once at fifteen, he had no desire to return, yet despite his reluctance, he was willing to come to congratulate Zhuang Yun.

Zhuang Qitong and his entourage marched determinedly to the ticket clerk and said earnestly, “Hello, please help us get five tickets.”

The ticket clerk glanced up and, seeing a group of loosely dressed, ragged-looking Taoists—clearly familiar faces—recognized them immediately.

These past few years, they had come annually, only to be repeatedly turned away, yet they never gave up.

“I’m sorry, today’s tickets are already booked until six o’clock. There are no tickets left now,” the clerk said with a professional smile, though a faint disdain flickered in his eyes.

“Look, there are still tickets here!” Zhuang Qitong pointed at the tickets on the table.

“These are standby tickets. The issued tickets are indeed booked until six. After six, the machines shut down. Even if you have tickets, they’re useless,” the clerk explained impatiently.

Zhuang Qitong protested, “Why are you like this? If they finish testing quickly, then it would be our turn!”

Still unmoved, the clerk remained indifferent.

Zhuang Qitong’s anger flared, “You’re even more inflexible than I am!”

Tensions escalated rapidly; a quarrel seemed imminent.

At that moment, Tang Jing, a recruitment officer from Tianfu Academy, approached upon hearing the commotion. She immediately recognized the arrogant and domineering Zhuang Yun from the trending news.

She liked this spirited child very much. If Zhuang Yun could truly enter Tianfu Academy, perhaps the school would gain fresh vitality. She walked over and said to the ticket clerk, “Give them the tickets!”

The clerk hesitated upon seeing the recruitment officer.

“I’ll take responsibility for whatever happens—Tianfu Academy stands behind them,” Tang Jing said firmly.

Helpless, the clerk handed over four tickets.

“We need five tickets,” Zhuang Yun said.

The clerk looked at Zhuang Qitong. “The maximum testing age is eighteen.”

“I know. This one is for the friend behind,” Zhuang Yun replied.

Just then, Lin Yiwen stepped down from the aircraft, looking confused as he accepted the ticket.

Lin Yiwen said to Zhuang Yun, “I don’t need to take the test.” He had been practicing the mind method Zhuang Yun taught recently. Though he could now meditate deeply, his body had not changed.

Taking the test now would be futile.

Zhuang Yun patted his shoulder. “Just try it. It won’t cost you anything.”

In front of the three testing machines, announcements sounded one after another: “XXX, psychic level S.”

“XXX, psychic level double S.”

“XXX, psychic level A.”

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At first, the crowd in the hall was fired up, confident that they or their children would secure an S or A rank.

But as a string of B-level results followed, the excitement was quickly dampened.

Zhuang Yun and the others didn’t yet understand the testing method. Fortunately, a girl nearby named Su Qingtian had just scored S-level. Zhuang Yun approached her for guidance.

Su Qingtian patiently explained, “Try to control your psychic energy and gradually raise the floating point at the bottom to the blue mark.”

“Got it, thank you!”

Zhuang Yun then shared the method with others as well.

Time passed by the minute; the sun slowly set.

Fewer people remained in the hall, each growing increasingly anxious.

Finally, it was Zhuang Yun’s turn. Just then, the six o’clock bell rang, and the military academy teachers began packing up and leaving one after another.

The tester was about to shut down the machine when Zhuang Yun called out urgently, “Wait!”

The ticket clerk sneered, blocking the way, “Kid, time’s up. Don’t break the rules.”

Zhuang Yun tried to argue but was cut off coldly: “Please leave.”

“Let them test!” a deep male voice suddenly rang out.

Following the voice, Zhuang Yun saw it was Mr. Lu Wei from Passa Academy—the same teacher she had met at the repair shop!

“Yes, sir!” The ticket clerk and tester, seeing him, dared not argue and promptly restarted the machine for Zhuang Yun.

Rules were merely decoration in the face of absolute authority.

“Thank you, teacher!”

“Go ahead!” Lu Wei was certain Zhuang Yun would pass. Even if she declined his invitation to join Passa Academy, he believed she was destined to be a gifted star wherever she went.

Zhuang Yun took a deep breath, activated her inner energy, and easily raised the floating point to the blue mark, unaware there were also purple and red marks above, signifying double S and triple S ranks.

“Zhuang Yun, psychic level S,” the announcement rang out.

Zhuang Qitong and his group cheered wildly, “Well done!”

Then, three disciples, inspired, entered the tester one by one.

“Zhuang Shangxiao, psychic level S.”

“Zhuang Shangyao, psychic level S.”

“Zhuang Shangyou, psychic level S.”

The second senior sister joyfully leapt onto Zhuang Yun, tears sparkling in her eyes. “We did it! We really did it!”

The eldest senior brother and the third junior brother’s eyes reddened slightly, their lips curling into gentle smiles as they looked at Zhuang Yun with overflowing gratitude.

Words fell pale and powerless at this moment.

Those Taoists had endured countless sneers and ridicule, but now, with their master’s arrival, times had changed.

“Thank you! Master—little sister!”

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Few people remained at the scene. Many staff recognized this group as the Taoists who had come in previous years only to repeatedly fail.

“Weren’t they all B-level last year? How did they suddenly jump to S-level? I haven’t heard of any drugs that can enhance psychic power.”

“Or did they go to preparatory military academies for advanced training?”

“Look at their poor appearance; they certainly can’t afford those expensive tuition fees.”

“I heard their temple is desolate and their lives are tight. The whole family relies on a small repair shop. How could they have money for aristocratic schools?”

“Maybe... they bribed the testers?”

“You’re silly. Bribery costs money! Where would they get that kind of money?”

Voices of speculation rose and fell.

Finally, it was Lin Yiwen’s turn.

Zhuang Yun looked at Lin Yiwen, her eyes full of encouragement.

Inspired, Lin Yiwen took a deep breath and stepped into the testing area.

“Lin Yiwen, psychic level A.”

The cold voice of the testing machine warmed Lin Yiwen’s heart at that moment.

Hearing his A-level, his heart raced. A-level meant he qualified for military academy, offering hope to continue his parents’ unfinished legacy!

Years of repression and frustration ebbed away like a tide, replaced by unprecedented joy.

He rushed forward and embraced Zhuang Yun tightly, burying his head in her neck, his voice trembling: “Thank you, Zhuang Yun!”

Thank you for pulling me from the abyss of darkness.

Thank you for giving me a second chance at life.

Flustered, Zhuang Yun gently patted Lin Yiwen’s back: “You earned this!”

Zhuang Qitong was already weeping, wiping tears from his eyes and murmuring, “At last, the sky is clearing for the old Zhuang family!”

“Lin Yiwen has finally untied the knot in his heart after all these years!”

“Good! Everything’s good.”

In an instant, the remaining teachers who hadn’t left swarmed forward.

“Lambert Academy welcomes you. We have many peak-level S-grade teachers with strong faculty…”

“Look at Santiago Academy. Our academy’s mechas are top-tier…”

“Why not join our Bell Academy? You’d have each other’s support. Come on, we’ll offer you a 40% tuition discount!”

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