The murmurs were originating from a large crowd waiting outside the court. Yang Qing surmised the massive crowd standing outside the court were the organizations Bu Zhe was talking about, who had already arrived. He detected Bu Zhe's aura in their midst along with other core formation experts, who Yang Qing guessed were part of his team.
…
Seconds later Bu Zhe's aura separated from the crowd as it headed Yang Qing's way.
"Master Yang Qing, the organizations are already here. I can send them in any time you wish to. The palace guards will ensure the order is maintained as they come in," said Bu Zhe when he entered the hallway.
"If it's not too much trouble, please invite them all in within the court grounds.
They can lineup when they're inside the court's compound," Yang Qing answered.
"As you wish," Bu Zhe answered as he swiftly.
"Captain, let me join you to help expedite things," prince Jia Wenyan suddenly said as he joined Bu Zhe on the way out after cupping his fists to Yang Qing to excuse himself.
Yang Qing took out two hundred scrolls, the foundation white haze crystal, and the heart stone steele as he simultaneously scanned the crowd outside.
"Mmmh is that?" Yang Qing's brows furrowed as a murderous look flashed in his eyes.
"Since you came in here, you can forget about leaving," Yang Qing coldly muttered as his gaze turned normal.
It only took three minutes for the crowd of over two hundred people to be neatly arranged within the courtyard grounds.
From the crowd, only a hundred people were to be evaluated, while the rest were their entourage like how Murong Yan from the Murong family was accompanied by her elders during her evaluation.
…
Once everything had settled, the eldest prince and Bu Zhe both came back to the hall. The prince took his seat next to Yang Qing's side while Bu Zhe manned the door.
He was awaiting Yang Qing's order for those outside to start being ushered in.
"My name is Yang Qing and I am a judge of the Superior core court of the Order. I will be in charge of conducting your evaluations for today. Please follow the arrangements of the Summerfield guards when it comes to the order of lining up.
As I'm sure you have been told before when you applied for the rank-up promotions, the moment you agreed to the evaluations you submitted yourselves to article 34 of ranking protocols and guidelines. If found in breach you're subject to its punishment.
For those who have second thoughts, you still have the option of leaving. If you are all still here after ten breaths it means you all surrender yourselves to the stipulations of the article."
Yang Qing controlled his voice perfectly to reverberate within the court's compound. His voice seemed like it was coming from all directions and the people within the compound were caught in the middle of that voice storm.
Yang Qing paused and gave the crowd exactly ten breaths to mull over his words. In those ten breaths, no one left, though those present all exuded an air of tension completely opposite to the excitement they had when they came in.
"Okay then, since no one has left it means you all are now under the subject of the article.
The evaluation will be a two-step process. The first will be, the person to be evaluated will pour his/ her qi into a foundation white haze crystal. If it triggers a response from the crystal that will be proof of having a foundation establishment cultivation.
After that they will then proceed to the last step of the verification process which would be to pour a drop of your blood essence into the heart stone steele.
Once everything checks out, I will issue you a copy of the certificate acknowledging your promotion into a rank 5 organization. All the privileges afforded to that rank will be in effect the moment I make that declaration.
WE CAN NOW BEGIN," Yang Qing's voice sounded like a thunderclap within the compound as he made the last part of the announcement.
"Captain Bu Zhe would you please," Yang Qing softly said with a polite smile which made Bu Zhe, the eldest prince, and a few of the servants in the hall, have dumbfounded looks at how fast Yang Qing switched his demeanors.
One second he was exuding such a domineering aura with an accompanying pressure that made all who were enveloped by it struggle to breathe and the next second he was a genial youth that someone would choose to approach due to how easygoing he seemed to be.
Could one person have such contrasting personalities? Or was one of them a mask? If so which of the two was the real him?
The eldest prince was the one most affected by this since he had been calling Yang Qing, brother Yang Qing to bring their relationship closer. However after feeling Yang Qing's overbearing pressure, some part of him felt inferior like a subordinate.
The short interlude of complex emotions didn't last long as Bu Zhe led the first organization to be evaluated into the hallway.
The first organization had a party of three people. It was two old men and a young boy. The two elderly men had on white robes with an embroidery symbol on their robes of a mountain that had been severed at the peak.
Yang Qing's eyes flashed with interest as he saw the two elderly men. They had identical facial features, the way they dressed and how they tied their hair in a half topknot was similar down to even how they walked. The only thing that differentiated them was the color of their eyes. One had silver-colored eyes while the other had dark golden colored eyes.
From their close resemblance, they were twins. The young boy accompanying them looked to be about 8 years old. Despite the aging look disparity between the twin elders and the young boy, one could see a familial resemblance among the three members.
...
The young boy was eyeing everything around him with childish curiosity completely oblivious of the tense atmosphere in the room.
"The Broken peak sect submits itself to the evaluation of the Order."
Both brothers simultaneously said as they cupped offered daoist salutes.
"My name is Feng Jiao, the sect master of the Broken peak sect and this is my brother Feng Lei the vice sect master of the sect, and behind us is our grandson Feng Yu.
Yu'er say hello," Feng Jiao said as he pushed the 8-year-old forward.
"Greetings master.."
"Yang Qing," Feng Jiao whispered in embarrassment when he saw his grandson struggling to remember Yang Qing's name.
"Greetings master Yang Qing," Feng Yu said as he clumsily offered a daoist salute while smiling foolishly.
Yang Qing lightly chuckled at the display as he offered his greetings.
Feng Jiao was the silver-eyed brother while Feng Lei was the one with the dark golden eyes.
