Chapter 537 - 232: The National Rankings Are Announced, Who Under Heaven Doesn’t Know You

Dong Dongchen chuckled when he saw the comment.

"Good question! I can tell you all with absolute certainty that, yes, that guy did take this year’s exam."

"As for whether or not he’ll make the list... well, you’ll just have to wait and see. Who knows, you might just get to see his name on this roll!"

As soon as he said that, the chat exploded.

[HOLY SHIT! For real?]

[We’re already at number 80! Does Chen mean that guy is at least in the top eighty nationwide?!]

[Hiss... That’s terrifying!]

[I bet it’s even higher! He broke the record and got a near-perfect evaluation. His rank has to be in the top fifty, at least!]

[Don’t be so optimistic. This isn’t some online competition; it’s the actual National Martial Arts Exam! I heard the final assessment for the top 100 geniuses this year was insanely difficult. It’s a completely different league from breaking some online record, okay?]

At this moment, it wasn’t just Yanjing.

Sky Screens rose simultaneously in over a dozen of Great Xia’s first and super-first-tier cities.

Countless martial arts clans and ordinary families alike tilted their heads up, gazing at the Golden Roll with a mixture of nervousness and anticipation.

Each time a familiar name appeared, it was met with a deafening roar of cheers.

Some prominent clans, upon seeing their scion’s name appear on the Golden Roll, immediately set up massive feasts at the gates of their manors, inviting all passersby to celebrate the honor with them.

All of Great Xia was immersed in an unprecedented, nationwide atmosphere of celebration.

...

Dongjiang City.

"Mom! Mom! You have to come see this!"

"Get away from that stupid TV!"

Lin Wei pushed open the door and poked her head in, her eyes fixed on the shifting display of light in the sky outside as she urged her mother on with excitement.

Hearing her, Li Wan put down the remote and trotted out of the house.

Although Dongjiang City didn’t have a true Sky Screen system, thousands upon thousands of micro-drones now hovered over the city like a well-trained swarm of bees.

Each drone was responsible for a small section of the image, and through a precise matrix algorithm, they managed to simulate a pseudo-Sky Screen large enough to cover the entire city!

The mother and daughter looked up at the equally brilliant display of light and the names that continuously appeared on the Golden Roll, their hearts pounding.

"I wonder what rank my brother will get..."

Lin Wei’s fists were clenched, her palms sweating with nervousness.

Li Wan, however, wore a constant smile. "His rank doesn’t matter. Even if his name doesn’t appear on this roll, I still think he’s done an amazing, outstanding job."

"Jeez, Mom! Don’t sell him short and boost their egos!"

Lin Wei pouted. She pointed at the silhouettes of geniuses from big cities and powerful clans on the Sky Screen and huffed, "Look at them! It’s not like they have extra arms or legs. Why can’t my brother compete with them?"

Li Wan chuckled at her daughter’s antics.

"Alright, alright, he can compete! In that case, why don’t you just imagine him coming back as the national champion!"

"And why can’t he be the champion!" Lin Wei retorted, so provoked that her local accent slipped out. "The fact that his name hasn’t appeared yet just means his rank is even higher!"

...

Imperial Capital.

A black, extended hovercar came to a silent, steady stop on a sky-terrace with a wide, open view.

The doors slid open.

A smiling Li Kai Nian stepped out first and personally opened the rear door.

"Alright, we’ve arrived."

He gestured to the private terrace, which offered a superb view. "This is one of the best observation decks in the Imperial Capital. Let’s watch from here."

"We have an old saying in Great Xia about the four greatest joys in life. One of them is the moment your name is inscribed on the Golden Roll."

"Go on. Savor this moment of glory. It belongs to you."

From the back seat, Dongfang Zhen, Zhang Daoxuan, Chen Qingyao, and finally, Lin Ye, stepped out of the car one by one.

The four of them looked up at the Sky Screen, which was overflowing with a golden light so brilliant it was almost blinding. Their faces held looks of joy and anticipation.

Just then, the light on the Sky Screen shifted once more.

[Rank 76, Zhang Daoxuan, Ninghai City, Ninghai Province. Total Score: 1267.6]

As his name appeared, a highlight reel of Zhang Daoxuan from his combat assessment materialized on the vast Sky Screen, showing him calmly sparring with an instructor, his fingers held together like a sword.

"Daoxuan, congratulations!"

"Congratulations!"

Dongfang Zhen and Lin Ye congratulated him at almost the same time.

Chen Qingyao, standing to the side, also offered a quiet congratulations, her eyes full of admiration.

Zhang Daoxuan himself, however, flushed bright red and waved his hand with a forced smile.

’My face isn’t ugly, I guess,’ he thought, ’but having it plastered on a screen this huge for the whole country to stare at is going to trigger my social anxiety.’

"Stop teasing me. Compared to you two, this result is nothing."

"Making the top one hundred in the nation is enough to make anyone proud."

Li Kai Nian stepped forward and patted Zhang Daoxuan on the shoulder. "I’m sure your family is feeling incredibly proud of you right now."

Dongfang Zhen pulled his gaze away from the Sky Screen. He glanced at the placid Lin Ye beside him and suddenly spoke, his voice filled with deep emotion.

"Lin Ye..."

"Do you remember back when we graduated from the training camp?"

"I told you that you’d surely become a little famous in the province, remember?"

Lin Ye nodded.

He didn’t understand why Dongfang Zhen was bringing it up now.

Dongfang Zhen took a deep breath, his voice tinged with admiration. "But after today, you’ll be famous nationwide. No, even people and organizations across the globe will know your name."

"You truly deserve the saying... ’Is there anyone in this world who would not know you?’"