Translator: AnubisTL
"Wow, so this is the capital!"
"So grand, so magnificent! The Grand Harmony Academy has nearly 300,000 candidates in a single session. How much land must it occupy in the capital?"
The elderly cultivators from the Sunset Glow Sect exclaimed in awe. Their turbid eyes seemed to brighten at the sight of the capital, as if they had never seen such a spectacle before.
"Hmph, country bumpkins. The Grand Harmony Academy isn't even located in the capital," a Heaven's Chosen sneered arrogantly at the Sunset Glow Sect disciples.
"Is that so?" The elderly cultivators from the Sunset Glow Sect murmured their thanks.
Then they turned to discuss among themselves: "These candidates who didn't make the rankings sure have broad knowledge. As top scholars, we must work even harder."
"Indeed, we're currently in a league of our own, but we mustn't get complacent, or we'll be overtaken by these latecomers!"
"Yes, yes, let's cultivate diligently and not waste any more time!"
The group of elderly cultivators encouraged each other, making the Heaven's Chosen feel so disgusted he could vomit his dinner from the night before.
These old men had no self-awareness at all, still flaunting their top scholar status shamelessly.
...
The Grand Harmony Academy, established just ten years ago, had already solidified its position as the top academy in the Great Chu Dynasty, unshakable in its prestige.
A few years ago, the academy was indeed located in the capital. However, as the number of students continued to grow, it was relocated outside the capital.
Gu Feng and the others followed the examiners to the Grand Harmony Academy, where their eyes were greeted by an endless stretch of buildings.
The Spiritual Energy here was abundant, even more concentrated than in the Sunset Glow Sect, which possessed a fragment of the Dragon Vein.
The buildings were intermittently visible amidst towering ancient trees, with Dao essence boiling in the air.
"Truly worthy of being the top cultivation sanctuary in the Great Chu Dynasty. It's extraordinary!" Gu Feng couldn't help but praise sincerely.
"Country bumpkin!"
"Ahem—what's your problem, woman? You've been following me the whole way, and now you're mocking me. Are you upset because I took your top scholar spot and planning to ambush me?" Gu Feng teased, looking at Hua Wenyue beside him.
He appeared calm, but his heart was pounding.
Apart from the exam hall, Gu Feng had never interacted with Hua Wenyue before. Her behavior was clearly unusual.
"Heh, she probably suspects me!"
Gu Feng chuckled inwardly. Seeing Hua Wenyue staring intently at him, he suddenly leaned in closer.
"Do you fancy me? Don't be shy, I'm unmarried, exceptionally talented, wealthy, and handsome. I'm worth your attention!"
At these words, Hua Wenyue turned away coldly, exuding an air of arrogance, not even deigning to let out a scoff.
"Be careful. Hua Wenyue is not to be underestimated, not just because of her talent, but also because her sister is the Crown Princess," Chu Youhuan whispered to Gu Feng after Hua Wenyue had walked away.
"This is troublesome. She might be suspecting me!" Gu Feng shook his head with a wry smile, though he wasn't panicked. Only he, Yan Yexue, and Chu Youhuan knew the truth.
Gu Feng was confident he could keep his mouth shut, and he trusted the two women wouldn't reveal a thing.
So what if Hua Wenyue suspected him? Without evidence, what could she do?
The group followed the examiners into the Grand Harmony Academy, where they were greeted by a massive square.
"Please, all new students, stand orderly on the square. The welcoming ceremony is about to begin!"
As newcomers, no matter how proud they were, they had to abide by the rules of the Grand Harmony Academy.
All 300,000 freshmen stood in the square, whispering among themselves.
Before long, a large group of cultivators dressed in the attire of Grand Harmony Academy teachers descended onto the high platform erected at the front of the square!
The examinees were astonished to discover that the teachers of the Grand Harmony Academy were at least at the peak of the Sea Condensation Realm, and some, judging by their aura, had already surpassed the Sea Condensation Realm.
On both sides of the square, densely packed figures floated in the air. They were nobles from the capital, here to attend the Grand Harmony Academy's welcoming ceremony.
After about half an incense stick's worth of time, the entire square, including the spectators on both sides, fell into an eerie silence at the same moment.
Boom—
Boom—
Boom—
Deafening explosions echoed through the heavens and earth, and all 300,000 freshmen looked up simultaneously as colorful fireworks burst into a dazzling display.
At the same time, a towering figure strode steadily from the horizon, accompanied by a group of people.
Their bodies radiated Dao essence, and within them lay the power to destroy the heavens and the earth, like a cluster of stars descending upon the mortal world.
"Is that your father leading the group?" Gu Feng whispered to Chu Youhuan beside him.
The latter kept her head down with a detached expression, though her eyes occasionally flicked upward.
Soon, the group landed on the high platform.
A middle-aged cultivator stepped forward and announced in a loud voice, "Welcome, all new students, to the Grand Harmony Academy..."
The lengthy speech and tedious proceedings were reminiscent of the opening ceremonies Gu Feng had experienced in his previous life.
The speech lasted for half an hour, yet no one dared to show any sign of impatience.
Behind the high platform, Prefect Chu and others exchanged soft words.
"Prefect, this is always the most boring part of the welcoming ceremony," a deputy prefect, who was struggling to stay awake, complained.
"There's no helping it. Without this part, the welcoming ceremony would be over in the time it takes to burn an incense stick, which would seem too simplistic!" Prefect Chu clearly had no solution either.
"By the way, Ouyang Qi, what was the bad news you mentioned last night?" Suddenly, as if remembering something, he asked with a smile.
Even though he had a "get out of jail free card," Ouyang Qi still found it difficult to speak, stammering and unable to get a word out for a long time.
"Stop being so mysterious, just say it!" Prefect Chu scolded with a laugh, while the deputy prefects beside him also tilted their heads, looking at Ouyang Qi.
Seeing that he couldn't hide it, Ouyang Qi wiped the sweat from his forehead, prepared his words, took a deep breath, and said in a low voice:
"Prefect, in this year's Spirit Nurturing Examination Zone One, several cultivators tied for first place with Miss Chu!"
Chu Youhuan was the prefect's beloved daughter, and no matter what, mentioning her name always served as a bit of a protective charm.
"That's a good thing, it means the quality of this year's examinees is high!" Prefect Chu said dismissively.
The deputy prefects beside him also smiled and nodded in agreement.
"Well— besides Miss Chu, there's also Yan Yexue, who excels in both alchemy and martial arts, and Gu Feng, who possesses the Myriad Tribulations Physique..."
Starting with the positive aspects made it easier to accept.
"Gu Feng? That kid actually took first place? He's got something going for him!" Prefect Chu still hadn't grasped the severity of the situation.
"Besides them, there are a few others whose talents are quite ordinary!" Even though he had mustered his courage, Ouyang Qi still didn't dare to reveal the full truth.
"Luck is sometimes more important than talent, so it's not necessarily bad news!" Prefect Chu waved his hand and said with a smile, thinking this was the bad news Ouyang Qi had mentioned.
"Uh—" At the critical moment, Ouyang Qi hesitated again, stammering once more.
"Speak directly if you have something to say!" Prefect Chu glanced at Ouyang Qi, feeling somewhat exasperated. How could the Vice-Prefect of Grand Harmony Academy be so hesitant and indecisive?
"There are quite a few top scorers in Spirit Nurturing Examination Zone One!" Seeing Prefect Chu staring at him, Ouyang Qi steeled himself and blurted out the words.
"Quite a few top scorers? How many?" Prefect Chu was slightly taken aback, a sense of foreboding flashing through his mind. The phrase "quite a few" could mean anything.
Ouyang Qi still lacked the courage to say it outright and instead held up five fingers, then looked at Prefect Chu with pleading eyes.
"Five? That's not many. A reward of 500 million Low-grade Spirit Stones is something our Grand Harmony Academy can afford!"
"No!"
"Fifty!!!" Prefect Chu suddenly stood up from his chair, looking at Ouyang Qi in astonishment.
Fifty top scorers meant a reward of 5 billion Low-grade Spirit Stones, and when combined with the Spirit Stones needed to power the Cultivation Tower, it would be an enormous sum.
Although Grand Harmony Academy had over a million students, its finances were tight. Otherwise, they wouldn't have invested in Gu Feng's Swamp Fortress just to supplement their income!
"Ouyang Qi, how could there be fifty top scorers? Was there cheating or rule-breaking involved?" Prefect Chu was furious, his tone becoming stern.
"Speak up! What does your silence mean?" Seeing Ouyang Qi remain silent, Prefect Chu grew even angrier.
The other Vice-Prefects were also shocked. Fifty top scorers in a single examination zone was unheard of.
"Vice-Prefect Ouyang, the Prefect is asking you a question!"
Seeing the anger on Prefect Chu's face growing more intense, a kind-hearted Vice-Prefect whispered a reminder to Ouyang Qi.
"Pre... Prefect, it's not fifty, it's five hundred!" Ouyang Qi adopted a look of resolve, fully committing to his revelation.
As soon as these words were spoken, the high platform fell into complete silence. Even the Vice-Prefect who was reading the opening remarks paused, his mind momentarily blank, unable to think. He could only repeat the same sentence, leaving the new students below wondering if they were hearing things.
"Ouyang Qi, you're not joking, are you?" Prefect Chu forced a smile, leaning closer to Ouyang Qi's face and asking cautiously.
"Reporting to the Prefect, there are five hundred top scorers in Spirit Nurturing Examination Zone One!" As if he had unlocked some hidden potential, Ouyang Qi no longer felt nervous and met Prefect Chu's gaze with the utmost seriousness.
"How is this possible? The entire examination zone only has 200,000 points, and the minimum standard for a top scorer is 400 points. Five hundred top scorers would mean that all five hundred evenly divided the points of the entire zone?" One Vice-Prefect, suppressing his shock, looked at Ouyang Qi with disbelief.
"As incredible as it sounds, that's exactly what happened!" Ouyang Qi said gravely. "That's why I conducted an additional test, which is also why we were delayed by a day!"
By now, Prefect Chu no longer held onto any hope that Ouyang Qi was joking. He wouldn't joke about something like this.
Furious, he laughed bitterly, glaring at Ouyang Qi and growling:
"Is this what you meant by a few top scholars? You must have a misunderstanding of the word 'few'!
Five hundred top scholars, and you tell me it's a bit much? If that's not much, then what is?"
He was truly going mad. Ouyang Qi had described five hundred top scholars as 'a few' and 'a bit much,' showing a complete lack of cultural understanding and leading him astray.
"Prefect, I reported this to you before, and you said..."
"Shut up!" Prefect Chu gasped for breath, glaring at Ouyang Qi, who immediately shrank back and wisely kept his mouth shut.
Huff, huff, huff—
After taking several deep breaths to calm his turbulent emotions, he asked in a low voice:
"There must be something wrong here. Tell me the details!"
"Yes, Prefect. Here's what happened..."
Ouyang Qi spoke rapidly, recounting the entire sequence of events in detail.
The expressions of the Grand Harmony Academy's higher-ups, including Prefect Chu, were a sight to behold.
"Are you stupid? It's obvious that Gu Feng is up to something!" Prefect Chu, upon hearing this, immediately grasped the situation. Considering Gu Feng's past behavior, he was almost certain that the young man was behind it all.
"That's what I thought too, but no one in the examination hall pointed him out. Even Monk Wu De bowed his head and admitted his mistake. There's no evidence at all!" Ouyang Qi was no fool. Judging from the scores, he was almost certain that Gu Feng was the mastermind behind it all, but there was no evidence.
At this point, the deed was done, and Prefect Chu had no choice but to accept it. He could only blame Gu Feng for being too meticulous and leaving no trace.
Even though he was filled with a thousand regrets, he had no choice but to swallow his pride.
"The Spirit Stones in the treasury probably won't be enough. Everyone, hurry and gather some from the teachers. Tomorrow, we'll sell some Natural Treasures to pay them back!"
His voice was low, his spirits downcast, and he silently wept inside.
Spending a staggering seventy billion to recruit five hundred students wouldn't be too bad if they were exceptionally talented.
But were they Heaven's Chosen? Calling them trash would be an insult to the word 'trash.' Not to mention they were several rounds older than him, but the key point was that these cultivators had all broken through using the Innate Realm-Breaking Pill. What future did they have?
It was utterly laughable!
"I'm not feeling well. I'll go rest. You all handle the welcome ceremony."
This sentence seemed to drain all his energy.
With a deep glance at Gu Feng in the square, Prefect Chu waved to the vice-prefects on the platform and left, his figure desolate and forlorn.
"Gu Feng, you troublemaker!"
After a while, a faint sentence drifted through the air.
"Achoo—"
Gu Feng, who was feeling drowsy in the square, suddenly sneezed and rubbed his nose. "Why do I feel like someone's cursing me?"
(End of the Chapter)
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