ASER - Chapter 145
Chapter 145: Beauty
It is said that third-rate talents wait for a price, second-rate talents set their own price, and first-rate talents can demand an exorbitant price, and others won't even haggle.
But, a top-tier deviant would drive all geniuses mad.
Initially, only those from Tiger Skin Green Suburbs knew about this. Fearing being besieged by people from other zones, they dared not publicize it. They even wished for the news to die down, lest it attract the terrifying, peerless prodigies from the top thirty to hunt them down, implicating them as collateral damage. Internally, however, various inquiries and probing questions were made: Who was it? Who exactly was this number one? A lunatic! Courting death! Was it you, Old Dog Yin!
Yin Canghe, annoyed beyond measure by dozens of private messages, uniformly closed the application. Just as he was about to change his name, Xu Ye suddenly sent a message: "Quite impressive."
Yin Canghe was stunned. Was this person possessed? To actually contact him.
Did she think he did it? And did it quite domineeringly?
Yin Canghe: "It wasn't me."
Xu Ye: "Oh."
Yin Canghe thought for a moment. Considering that if any upcoming assessments required a team, he, unlike Xiao Du, wouldn't bother with any academy alliance.
What was the use of an academy alliance? Just a bunch of people dragging him down.
He only needed a few elites.
Xu Ye was fierce enough. If Xiao Du and that Han Zhuo were added, the survival rate of their foursome would be much higher.
As for the others, he didn't care.
Since that was the case, he wouldn't change his name. Let people misunderstand. It was fine as long as he gained Xu Ye's favor.
Besides, those prodigies at the very top probably wouldn't bother with such a trivial matter. As for those further down... he had no fear!
Yin Canghe considered everything thoroughly and quickly decided against changing his name.
Meanwhile, Xu Ye checked the clamorous online buzz for a while. Seeing that Yin Canghe hadn't changed his name, she put down her phone and began to inspect the room before her.
The rooms looked the same from the outside, but the internal facilities varied. The quality, however, was likely determined by points or overall ranking.
She was ranked beyond one hundredth place; she wondered what kind of treatment she would receive.
Just as Yin Canghe had predicted, those at the very top of the rankings made little noise. Perhaps they weren't paying attention, perhaps they didn't care, or perhaps they looked down from their lofty positions, considering it merely a buffoon's antics, beneath their notice. However, some people were indeed investigating.
Unfortunately, Lushan Academy was very reliable. It had divided different zones, and with ID name changes, one simply couldn't trace the real identity unless they locked onto all 998 individuals in Zone 13, Tiger Skin Green Suburbs, and screened them one by one.
Someone did find A'Diao, but quickly skipped over her. Even among the examinees within Zone 13, few were certain it was her.
Firstly, Rao Xueya had tipped A'Diao off from the beginning to change her name. Secondly... thanks to certain individuals from Donglin University for their prior "explosive revelations."
Someone with a cursed bloodline, unable to reach the Glimmer Realm, wouldn't possess such strong abilities or personality.
350 points. This score wasn't low. Many ranked lower were elites among elites from Kyoto's top academies and universities. To associate Chen Adiao, that timid girl who only got cocky when using Zhao Ritian's name to show off, with such a formidable character was something many found unacceptable. Most importantly, for such a troublemaking little girl who even had time to make desserts, the timeline just didn't add up.
Unless it could be confirmed that Chen Adiao was the one who KO'd those from Donglin University.
"The most obvious suspect is often the least likely. If she's so high-profile, wouldn't she expect to be suspected? And to dare offend those in the top thirty like this, unless she's brain-dead."
"I suspect it's someone with a grudge against Donglin. Zhang Shenghe was so arrogant at Donglin, he offended quite a few people. Or perhaps it's a genius who has a past with Zhao Ritian, helping her clean up?"
"Danzhou is a bit interesting. I have intel that the Ye clan isn't extinct yet, possibly hidden in Danzhou Academy or Hanzhou Academy."
"Danzhou and Hanzhou Academies?"
Some, with nothing better to do, started investigating. After all, they didn't need to do it themselves; most of those in the top hundred had backgrounds and extensive connections.
However, someone soon found out that the people from Donglin University who were KO'd were mostly connected to one person.
They were all members of the same individual's educational network, with strong ties of interest.
The people at the Zone 11 Rapeseed Flower Field exam point were also in their residences at this moment. Their zone had performed decently, producing two top-thirty powerhouses: Baili Xianyun and Nangong Zhuolie.
The two families were at odds, and so were the two individuals. But at this moment, both were annoyed with the same person.
This annoyance stemmed from their already foul moods.
In such a simple preliminary exam, they hadn't even made it into the top ten. Not making the top ten was one thing, but they couldn't even get into the top twenty.
A monumental disgrace.
And just then, some sneaky, shameless thing ranked after 30th had come up with such an arrogant ID.
Truly adept at grabbing attention, yet as timid as a mouse. Such a character... beneath contempt?
Certainly beneath contempt, but both of them had wild and fierce personalities and had no intention of letting the other party off.
Wife? You dog, you think you're worthy!
So, they both mobilized their vast family resources to investigate.
On Baili Xianyun's side, looking at the subordinate's report filled with various speculative analyses and probability ratios, her eyes suddenly narrowed.
Chen Adiao, this name seemed somewhat familiar.
A'Diao couldn't care less if these people suspected her. It would be even better if they did; let them blow the matter up. Anyway, she was already living on Lushan Academy's grounds. As long as she didn't run around recklessly, she would be fine.
In any case, the first wave of ID changes had garnered 1 billion Mental Power, and the second wave 3 billion, and it was still skyrocketing.
Ah, this Lushan Academy assessment was truly her lucky star. The platform was incredible.
She was satisfied, but she glanced at the top twenty figures on the overall leaderboard.
Impressive, their mental fortitude was extraordinary; not a single one had contributed any Mental Power.
However, there was more fluctuation among those in the twenties, and one of them looked a bit familiar.
Baili Xianyun.
Oh, had she unintentionally provoked someone again? They were probably investigating her now. With the Baili family's capabilities, they should be able to find out.
That would be great.
"But is this first place cursed or something? 2000 points, twice that of the second place... Could they have found the black-clothed people's rest area and wiped them all out?"
A'Diao's casual guess actually hit the truth.
The prodigies in this world were limitless.
But that was someone else's business. She was now inspecting her residence. The main hall was nothing special, just classical and tasteful, showing that Lushan Academy had a rich heritage.
When A'Diao used her wristwatch to check the cultivation area, she was taken aback.
The cultivation area was divided into three sections.
Reading area, cultivation area, and medicinal area.
It was similar to the academy residences, but the quality was several levels higher.
Anyway, A'Diao didn't know what level others had, but the Spiritual Energy concentration in the cultivation area was comparable to the release concentration of two large spiritual gates. The ground was also equipped with high-grade spirit gathering arrays, mind-calming arrays, and other formations. The medicinal pool in the medicinal area also had corresponding arrays beneath it, and the shelves were stocked with many medicinal herbs, readily available for use. Although they were of medium grade, they maximally compensated for the deficiencies of some grassroots cultivators.
"Is it to let them catch up as much as possible these few days? It seems there will definitely be combat assessments later."
But these were not what A'Diao cared about, as she wasn't lacking in these aspects. Even if these benefits were doubled, they wouldn't affect her much. What made her eyes light up was the seemingly most inconspicuous reading area.
"My heavens, these are all ancient texts from the First Era! There are also contemporary scientists' research on spiritual energy science..."
A'Diao's eyes quickly fixed on one section.
First Era Bloodline Ancient Texts + Contemporary Top-Tier Bloodline Research Core Reports.
"This must be Lushan Academy's greatest sincerity. Truly magnificent."
While A'Diao was engrossed in her studies, Xiao Jin also learned about the day's preliminary exam situation.
For her, studying the movements of these top geniuses was beneficial for analyzing the power distribution behind them. However, her own younger brother "gaining a father" added a touch of amusement. Seeing the subsequent name change, she was thoroughly entertained.
After her amusement, she checked the intelligence gathered by Kyoto operatives regarding the Lushan assessment and raised an eyebrow.
Targeting the Chen family meant targeting Danzhou, and subsequently, the Five Prefectures.
Such petty tactics, typical of those people's sneaky ways.
She hadn't paid much attention initially, but when Xiao Jin saw that the ID incident had a minor connection to Chen Adiao and also involved Zhao Ritian, she felt something was amiss.
It seemed she would have to go to Kyoto earlier than planned; things were more interesting than she had anticipated.
"Zhao Ritian, Chen Adiao..."
If the avatar was already formed, then the other party's aptitude was far beyond her predictions.
She had practiced for three months, whereas Chen Adiao had only obtained the ancient stele twenty days ago.
But what about this bloodline issue?
The Chen family's ancestral information had been erased? Who did it?
"The historical gap from three hundred years ago was erased, but the Chen family isn't an isolated case. Those who suffered this fate were mostly related to the final devastating battle at the end of the First Era. This Chen family, seemingly ordinary, unexpectedly had ancestors who participated and were even cursed to the point of bloodline collapse."
What immense hatred must it have been? And how powerful was the person who could cast such a curse?
That night, her desk was covered with manuscripts, various array diagrams, and calculations. Compared to her previous fumbling, now, with these precious documents, she seemed to have faintly grasped some inspiration. However, it required deep study. After all, this matter was too significant, and she didn't want to rely on others and expose her secrets, so she could only work on it herself.
In the dead of night, her wristwatch suddenly buzzed with a message.
Tomorrow at 8:00 AM, Lushan Assessment First Exam: Literary Exam.
There was nothing else, just a note that they had to gather in the square at 7:00 AM to be collectively teleported to the examination site.
The next day, A'Diao, sporting dark circles under her eyes, woke up at six. After bathing, she looked at herself in the mirror. "Even my parents wouldn't recognize me."
She rubbed her face, transforming it into a suitable appearance. Although she loved beauty, being plain and unremarkable was the key to safety and survival.
Then, she went to the kitchen to prepare food. Just as she started frying an egg, she noticed the kitchen of the adjacent residence, whose window was also open.
She didn't see anyone, only a spatula and a pan moving on their own.
Remote-controlled cooking.
Impressive.
As A'Diao marveled, she saw that the person was Qi Biyuan.
She had observed earlier that the area wasn't divided by ranking, and many lower-ranked individuals lived nearby. So, being neighbors with Qi Biyuan was a genuine coincidence.
Qi Biyuan also saw her and greeted her, appearing quite amiable.
A'Diao smiled in response. Then, Qi Biyuan dished out the food from his pan and said through the window, "Miss Chen, be careful when you go out today. When I woke up, I found out that your incident with those from Donglin University has been exposed. Now, their families are accusing you of retaliating for personal grudges... You might be in trouble."
A'Diao was stunned for a moment. "Who? The families of those few people want to cause trouble for me? That can't be right. Lushan Academy will surely stop them. They can't just rush in and beat me up."
Qi Biyuan sighed, "That's true, it is indeed a bit of unreasonable pestering. But it's not just those few people, it's dozens. They all think you did it."
A'Diao scooped out the fried egg, which was a bit burnt. Annoyed, she said, "Let them be. They can't do anything to me anyway. But thanks for the reminder."
Qi Biyuan: "You're welcome."
A'Diao carried her plate to the dining room for breakfast. While eating, she used Zhao Ritian's perspective to check the intelligence submitted by the Grand Commandant's Office. After reading it, she frowned.
Toilet: "Last night, you said the Donglin University incident would definitely blow up, and someone behind the scenes would use it to target you. You had the intelligence experts from the Grand Commandant's Office prepare in advance, waiting to see today's developments. So, have you found out now?"
A'Diao: "I have. It's from the north, related to the military and political interests of the Northern Five Prefectures. Tsk tsk, they say the north is fierce, but they can't hold a candle to the south's resilience. Their asses are kissing up to the Imperial Clan and Kinsmen, trying to mess with the south. I'm just one node in their scheme."
"Qingzhou is too strong for them to touch, so they want to target the weakest, Danzhou. Coincidentally, Qu Jiangnan and the Qu family in Danzhou have pretty much fallen out, and the political system above the Song family doesn't dare to act rashly... They want to use the Chen family as a lever to destabilize Danzhou. Chen Ran happens to be in charge of the patrol camp, with half a foot in military power, and Chen Xun's side has already been set up. Now, all they need is to find leverage against Chen Ran, use the father and son's problems to directly push the blame to the central authorities, then they can replace him, gradually swallow Danzhou's military power, and finally split the Five Prefectures. That will be the time for the powers above to devour the Five Prefectures."
It wasn't a single independent force, but multiple groups working in concert, perhaps by coincidence, perhaps through long-standing conspiracy. In any case, their interests aligned.
Just like Chen Xun being targeted, it was also because he had encroached upon the interests of a group from Donglin University. The highest figure in this group was an academician at the Central Academy of Sciences.
Using small means to achieve great ends; it had to be said, from a strategic perspective, such a chess move was not wrong.
Many political maneuvers followed such a path.
"The only mistake was that the Chen family had no foundation and was too weak."
A'Diao didn't care now whether the Chen family was weak or not, but this world practiced collective punishment. Before she could break away from the Chen family, she could only strike first.
Everything depended on today.
At seven o'clock, the people from Tiger Skin Green Suburbs gathered in the square of this area.
Only then did everyone realize the name of this place in Lushan Academy. They hadn't paid attention when they arrived yesterday. Now, looking at the towering stone pillars, it was truly magnificent and imposing, but the name was a bit...
"Heaven on Earth?"
"Good name."
"Truly a good name."
A'Diao paused, and while sipping her milk tea, she blurted out, "Kyoto's number one club seems to have this name too."
When researching Kyoto, she had come across this information because a certain prodigy's family business was in the entertainment sector, a dominant leader, and this Heaven on Earth was their territory.
Everyone: "???"
Club? What club? Is it the kind of club I'm thinking of?
The atmosphere became awkward for a moment.
However... this person was truly carefree. It seemed it wasn't her.
"The parents of those from Donglin University are all up in arms. They've jointly petitioned the Ministry of Education to cancel Chen Adiao's Lushan examination qualification."
"What did the Ministry of Education say?"
"Say my ass. The Ministry of Education didn't even dare to bring this matter up with Lushan. Those parents were too rash, asking the Ministry of Education to go pick a fight with Lushan. Anyway, as long as Lushan doesn't say anything, no one can cancel her examination qualification."
Cheng Zhang and the others thought to themselves: Say my ass! The black-clothed people didn't even say anything after she PK'd them 350 times. Over twenty university students were taken down without even seeing who did it, and they still have the nerve to cause a fuss.
But it was clear someone was pushing this from behind, because online, people had already brought up Chen Xun, accusing him of academic misconduct and whatnot. For a time, the Chen family was in a precarious situation.
Everyone knew about the news online. Many were sizing up A'Diao, noticing she had no reaction, instead chatting with a few classmates about what they had for breakfast.
Oh right, this person was still holding a milk tea, clearly brought along to drink.
Yin Canghe had already been squeezed out by many, both overtly and covertly, especially those from the north. But this person's notorious reputation wasn't for nothing; he didn't care about them at all. Instead, he was carving words on the coffin he was sitting on.
If anyone cursed him, he would carve their name on it.
Not very damaging, but extremely insulting.
Soon after the people from the south arrived, they discovered that the coffin under this person's butt was covered in a dense pattern.
It looked like the classic pattern of an LV brand.
Many from the south were amused, but those who were amused soon couldn't laugh anymore.
Because their names were also on it.
Damn, you even carve the names of people from your own academy?!
The people from the north hated him to death, and the people from the south were furious.
A'Diao saw her name, and it was even carved several times.
Repeatedly.
Damn!!!
A'Diao initially thought she had gone to some trouble to make this person take the blame, but now she realized it was superfluous.
This underworld player had already self-destructed, and incidentally, dragged her down with him.
Very good.
However, some also suspected it wasn't Yin Canghe, because they had some understanding of him. This person was malicious and sinister, but not so... mischievous and arrogant.
Like a mantis shrimp.
Those with good information, like the people from the Northern Seven Stars, based on the experiences of those from Donglin University, had locked onto three targets.
1. Chen Adiao.
2. The hidden Ye clan member within Danzhou Academy.
3. Zhao Ritian's connections. After all, someone of Zhao Ritian's background would naturally know top-tier talents. It wasn't impossible for them to take down Donglin's students and score 350 points, and it also fit the cause-and-effect of venting anger for Chen Adiao.
Anyway, as soon as A'Diao arrived, Lian Tingbi approached her.
"Making such a big scene, have you thought about the consequences?"
Trying to sound me out?
A'Diao, drinking her milk tea, glanced at him, took a sip of the chewy pearls, and pulled out her phone, dialing Zhao Ritian's number.
"This brother here likes to chat with people early in the morning. My Brother Ritian does too. Why don't you two have a chat?"
"..."
A'Diao didn't even give him a chance for an early morning squabble, and Lian Tingbi walked away with a dark face.
The teacher from Lushan Academy who came was still the same one. Since her name was unknown, let's just call her Teacher Green Pepper; it sounded better than Teacher Tiger Skin, after all.
Teacher Green Pepper had a good temperament. Even knowing A'Diao was a troublemaker, she could remain calm and composed, not revealing anything, and then led everyone into the teleportation array.
This teleportation took a little longer.
After a while, A'Diao and the others opened their eyes to find themselves in... a dusky world.
Gobi, lakes, Populus euphratica forests, red maples, dawn redwoods, clear skies.
Colors merged with heaven and earth, drawing a line between the rainbow and the departing wild geese.
A'Diao liked this place as soon as she saw it.
A good place.
"This looks like the Gobi, located between the ancient city of Loulan and the Dunhuang Grottoes!!!"
"We're in the Gobi?"
The Gobi was a directly administered territory of Wuzhou Province in the west of Tang Song Nation. It had been designated a key area for cultural tourism development in its early years and had been well-developed over the years. Even people from other countries often came to travel. But they hadn't expected that just moments ago they were in Kyoto, and in the blink of an eye, they were in the Gobi, thousands of kilometers away in a straight line.
This teleportation array was truly amazing.
A'Diao thought of her own spatial abilities and lamented that they were still child's play. When could she achieve long-distance teleportation? That would be truly awesome.
The overwhelming visual beauty persisted. For someone like A'Diao, who had risen recently and had never traveled much since childhood, she still had a bit of a youthful disposition, her eyes not straying. Unlike many others who had been here before, some recognized the place at a glance and weren't as excited as she was.
"Teacher, are we taking the exam here today?"
Teacher Green Pepper smiled faintly. "To be precise, it will be held within the Dunhuang Grottoes. Lushan Academy made arrangements in the Gobi long before this, setting up the examination in the Dunhuang Grottoes within the inner ring of the ancient city. This way, it neither damages the cultural treasures nor does it fail to enrich the content of the examination. We are now at the Zone 13 entrance in the outer ring of the ancient city. Once you go in, according to your group, your group has been designated as Group 13. The literary exam will further screen out a batch of people..."
Upon hearing "screen," everyone immediately recalled the brutality of yesterday's preliminary exam, which had cut down half the participants, and they all became cautious.
But screening people with a literary exam?
Not even leaving a chance for the martial exam later?
Everyone was a bit bewildered, feeling that this completely violated their previous understanding of examinations.
Seemingly noticing everyone's confusion, Teacher Green Pepper said indifferently, "Lushan Academy does not accept trash with inadequate brains. If your brain isn't good, your comprehension will likely be poor. If you only have aptitude, such people are more suited for the Three Famous Schools."
Holy crap!
Were you dissing the Three Famous Schools?
If they couldn't get into Lushan, the Three Famous Schools were basically their first choice. No one dared to respond to that.
However, it also proved that Lushan's status was indeed far superior to the Three Famous Schools. So, the university student brothers and sisters from the Three Famous Schools were probably also in this assessment.
In fact, if there hadn't been a resurgence of Spiritual Energy, most of them would have been the next batch of students for the Three Famous Schools. This could be considered a PK between five consecutive cohorts of the Three Famous Schools.
After all, on the current preliminary exam overall leaderboard, the largest proportion of those at the top were students from the Three Famous Schools, various provincial academies, and Kyoto Academy. Especially high school students from the three strongest academies in Tang Song Nation: Kyoto Academy, Beichuan Academy, and Minghai Academy. They were extraordinarily terrifying, accounting for 50% of the top three hundred in the preliminary exam overall list. The remaining 30% were from the Three Famous Schools, and the final 20% came from various universities, academies, other social institutions, and so on.
This also confirmed the saying of the "Golden Generation."
It was truly a crushing dominance.
Of course, it also proved the monopoly on talent held by Kyoto and other key metropolitan areas. They had probably started recruiting people even before the resurgence of Spiritual Energy.
A'Diao lowered her eyes, thinking: It seems the other two countries also have such a model. So, is the resurgence of Spiritual Energy related to the imperial families of the three countries?
What the hell, the three countries fought each other like cross-eyed roosters, yet they were united on this matter.
The visually stunning, majestic beauty was still present as everyone entered the ancient city. Lushan Academy wasn't overbearing; they didn't clear the area, so there were still many tourists. Many of them started taking photos as soon as they saw the examinees.
While snapping pictures, someone shouted, "Are these people from Tiger Skin Green Suburbs?"
"Looks like it! Quick, take pictures! Let's see which one is that 'Upstairs Downstairs' tough guy."
"Hahaha, let's do a poll!"
The faces of the people from Zone 13 turned green.
Shen Yexi gritted her teeth and muttered, "What a troublemaking sprite!"
Song Ling and the others: "..."
Little girl, you actually hit the nail on the head.
Inside the ancient city was a circular structure. The outer ring was a large cultural shopping mall, and the core of the inner ring it surrounded was the Dunhuang Grottoes. The circular space between them was five hundred meters wide, making the area very spacious and grand, enough to race horses on the spot.
After A'Diao and the others entered, they arrived at the Zone 13 entrance to register. However, during sign-in and registration, they saw many tourists at the adjacent entrance also registering and buying tickets. So?
Would these tourists still be visiting the Dunhuang Grottoes while they were taking the exam?
Teacher Green Pepper denied it. "No, they will be observing you. There is still one hour until the exam. Sign-in is at 8:00 AM, and the exam officially starts at 9:00 AM. There will be broadcast announcements. Anyway, don't leave this outer ring. As soon as you hear the broadcast, gather in Zone 13 of the square."
Perhaps only a few, like A'Diao, were surprised. Many people weren't surprised at all.
Song Ling said, "My parents are all coming today."
For a major event like the Lushan exam, although her parents were usually busy with work, they had taken leave early. Their work units approved it quickly and even proactively arranged transportation. Of course, they also required them to provide real-time updates so they could bask in the glory.
The most prestigious exam in the country. Their work unit was considered the strongest concentration of intellect in all of Danzhou, after all, they were all top-tier education executives. Yet, in the entire unit, only the Song couple's only daughter had passed the preliminary exam. The value of this exam was undeniable.
So, you ask if they're invested? They only lamented that their own children weren't up to par!
"Ah, I'll get my parents to buy tickets right away!"
"Damn, we can even come watch the competition?! I'll call my parents immediately!"
"I'll pass. If I don't make it, they'll definitely be disappointed..."
Those eager to buy tickets found that they had sold out long ago. Clearly, this news had leaked early, and countless people from all over the country had flocked over.
It's over!
Many were disappointed.
"My family has tickets, I can sell them to everyone. If you need them, find me," Yuan Shu suddenly said.
Everyone looked at him.
Even people from Qingzhou and other prefectures stared at Yuan Shu.
Yuan Shu felt a bit uncomfortable and said, "I bought out a thousand tickets in advance, including transportation and admission tickets. If you need them, find me."
Everyone was surprised, but they quickly swarmed over, and the tickets sold out in the time it took to form a queue.
Yuan Shu, after his daze, looked at Zhongchuan Mingxiu. This old dog was quite clever. The latter smiled faintly: After a semester, little rich boy brother still fell into my, Zhongchuan's, pot, hmph hmph.
However, Yuan Shu's thousand tickets weren't enough.
"I have five thousand here. Anyone else want some? After selling to you, I'll transfer the rest to people from other zones," Zhou Yi said calmly...
Then, the five thousand tickets also sold out.
There was no chance to sell to others, none!
The 998 individuals mostly had relatives and friends. Distributing a few tickets to each person used them up, not to mention that most people had families.
But did this Zhou Yi and Yuan Shu have connections to get advance notice?
As expected of business tycoons.
A'Diao didn't care much about this, just sipped her milk tea and looked at the ancient script on the gate wall of the ancient city in front. As she was looking, her phone suddenly rang. Glancing at the unremarked number, she tilted her head, seemingly lost in thought, and answered.
A soft, affected, and clear voice came from the other end.
"Hello... Is that Diaodiao? We came to watch your exam today, is that okay? If you don't agree, it's fine, we'll go back now... Although if we go back, we'll have to wait seven hours for the shuttle bus, and the tickets we bought would be such a waste. But it doesn't matter, I can wait. Anyway, everything is according to your wishes."
Do you take me for a fool? The Grand Commandant's Office airship can fly directly to the Gobi. With the Grand Commandant's rank, direct relatives don't even need to buy tickets to enter the Dunhuang Grottoes.
A'Diao was about to speak, but in the next second, Xie Yuqing continued softly, "I also personally made your favorite sweet and sour pork ribs, mapo tofu, pumpkin with salted egg yolk, fish with pickled mustard greens, double-cooked pork slices..."
Alright! Are you trying to tempt me with food?!! Do you think I'll fall for it?!!!
Three seconds later, A'Diao gave her current zone's location.
Cheng Zhang, at the side: "..."
Next time, I'll just buy food. It feels more effective than anything else.
Let's see how that Rao fellow competes with me!!!
After the queue for registration ended, everyone entered the outer ring corridor. Upon entering, they reached the central open-ring plaza. Looking back, they saw the ring-shaped large shopping mall, but on the inner side of this mall, a circular spectator stand had now been built against the wall.
Could it be for these tourists to watch their competition?
What was there to see in a literary exam?
Many were confused, but soon they saw the principals and teachers who had originally brought them.
The people from Danzhou turned their heads and saw Jiang Zhou, dressed very fashionably and carrying large and small bags.
Jiang Zhou said faintly, "From your astonished gazes, I see the outrageous thought: 'Damn, why is this old geezer still here?'"
Everyone looked sheepish.
You even noticed that?
Jiang Zhou didn't have much to instruct them on. Anyway, all 20 of them passing the preliminary exam was within his expectations. It was just that number one...
"The feng shui in your Zone 13 isn't too good. That 'Upstairs Downstairs' person appeared. Isn't that a rotten apple? And a big one at that, too arrogant. They'll be beaten to death sooner or later. Don't let it affect you. Just rely on yourselves."
He earnestly advised, but everyone listened distractedly.
Later, when many parents arrived, he pulled A'Diao aside alone and said, "Your teacher is outside and can't come. But it doesn't matter, she was always a secondary teacher. I am your true master. Listen to your master, take the exam with peace of mind... Don't be influenced by that rotten apple."
A'Diao thought this old man had seen through everything and was taunting her, but she soon realized that wasn't the case.
The Principal was referring to—a group of people not far away.
It was the parents of those Donglin University students. People from the north were watching coldly.
Great, they've even chased her here, and it seemed they were about to cause trouble for her.
"Come, hide behind Master. Master will take care of it for you."
"Okay, Principal."
"Call me Master."
"I've recorded it and already sent it to Teacher."
"..."
Just as Jiang Zhou's face darkened, he suddenly heard someone paying respects. The parents who were originally coming over aggressively also suddenly froze, and the atmosphere became much more solemn.
Because Xiao Du's parents had arrived.
The presence of Xiao Mieluo and Xiao Jin was too strong; they were high-ranking court officials with significant power.
Even Lord Song from the Song family proactively paid his respects.
The people from the north, whose arrogance had previously suppressed the south, now collectively restrained themselves. However, Xiao Mieluo and Xiao Jin were rather casual today. Xiao Jin, in her wheelchair, was very amiable, smiling and greeting the students from the Southern Five Prefectures, and then... looked at A'Diao.
"Is this the new sister Lord Zhao has acknowledged?" Xiao Jin asked with a smile.
A'Diao's heart skipped a beat.
No way, are these two so perceptive that they suspect me?
But could this also be a way to bail out the Chen family? What virtue or ability did that dog Chen Ran possess? It must be that he's basking in my glory!
A'Diao met Xiao Mieluo's gaze, feeling there was something in his eyes.
She was just about to respond.
"Diaodiao..."
This voice was so captivating that everyone, without exception, subconsciously looked over.
At this sight, the 997 examinees from the Tiger Skin Green Suburbs zone, including the parents who were about to cause trouble, were all stunned.
The Chen family was very low-key, extremely low-key, so low-key that others only knew the Chen family had Chen Ran, Chen Xun, and Chen Adiao.
But what they were actually famous for were their past deeds. In terms of conduct, the first two never proactively caused trouble. If they did, it was in private, never brought to light. They were incredibly low-key, protecting themselves wisely. It was only Chen Adiao who was such a troublemaker.
The other members of the Chen family were even more low-key.
Perhaps because they were too low-key, their sudden appearance today seemed excessively high-profile.
But it could also be because... they themselves couldn't be low-key.
Any appearance they made had an explosive effect.
The moment Xie Yuqing, in a modest long green dress with a grey satin sash at her waist, and Xu Zhaoyin, in red, following unhurriedly behind, came into view, many subconsciously thought of lyrics from a song.
Jiangnan dreams of misty rain again, the long river flows into the homeland, smoke from kitchen chimneys drifts far, crossing a thousand rivers and ten thousand li.
Listening to the sheng and di flute, one can anticipate the simple joys of the mortal world.
Xie Yuqing was that "joy." Even in her restrained green attire, she possessed a pure and exquisite beauty that made one fantasize about hibiscus in full bloom, a night of pleasure. And Xu Zhaoyin was too "pure." Even wearing the traditionally elegant red, she appeared light and composed, capable of suppressing all vibrant colors, and steadying the grand atmosphere of this vast Gobi.
As everyone was too shocked to speak.
A'Diao rubbed her nose, walked over, and bowed politely enough, "Greetings, First Madam and Mother."
Everyone: "!"
Then, Xu Ye from among the examinees stepped out and bowed to Madam Xu, "Daughter greets Mother, and greets Lady Qing."
Within the Chen family, Xie Yuqing's status was unique. Chen Ran had given her supreme affection and respect; even Chen Xun would bow to her.
But everyone: "!!"
The people from Qingzhou Academy were shocked. Yin Canghe and others looked at Xu Ye and A'Diao, their minds like mush.
Wait, are these two sisters? Impossible!
Their appearances were too... And why did the two of them act like they didn't know each other at all?
At this moment, from the group of servants behind Xu and Xie, a twelve-year-old boy with devastatingly handsome features, even surpassing Han Zhuo, emerged. He carried a food container, looking a bit shy, but still joyfully and respectfully bowed to the two women.
After not seeing him for a while, the little tyrant's manners had become quite presentable. Or perhaps he had simply been thoroughly disciplined by his two older sisters and had become obedient.
"Greetings, Sister, greetings, Second Sister."
Everyone: "!!!"
At that moment, looking at the Chen family, then at Chen Adiao and Xu Ye.
Including Lord Song and others, everyone had the same thought: That old dog Chen Ran.
Xiao Mieluo looked at Xie Yuqing, then at A'Diao, and lowered his eyes.
The little girl was starting to grow up, resembling her mother, but perhaps she would surpass her in the future.
This Chen family... cursed bloodline, so their looks were off the charts?
To what extent were they off the charts?
By the time the Chen family went to their private box, those from Donglin University who wanted to cause trouble had forgotten to come over.
Beauty can kill.
And pierce the heart.
However, even Xiao Mieluo couldn't escape the common sentiment in the end: That old dog Chen Ran...
His luck is too good.
In the spectator box, Xu Zhaoyin rested her cheek on her hand, quietly watching Xie Yuqing coax A'Diao in a soft voice to eat this and that.
Xie Yuqing also called Xu Ye and Chen Yang to eat together.
Xu Ye initially wanted to refuse, but was Xie Yuqing someone who could be refused?
Apart from that terrifying old ancestor, no one in the Chen family could refuse her, no one!
With Xu Zhaoyin's tacit approval, she sat down opposite A'Diao, glanced at her, said nothing, and picked up her chopsticks to eat elegantly.
But when the two sisters' eyes occasionally met, neither spoke, and the atmosphere was a bit strange. Anyway, Chen Yang was trembling with fear, not daring to make a sound.
"Diaodiao, how is it? Delicious, right? Mother made it herself."
Xie Yuqing asked gently.
A'Diao: "You made it?"
Xie Yuqing: "I personally watched the cooks make it. I guided them with my thoughts."
She didn't even have the skill for verbal guidance; would you believe thought guidance?
In terms of linguistic artistry, mother and daughter were cut from the same cloth.
However, while eating, A'Diao glanced at her phone and saw that news had come out.
Someone had pointed out that the eliminated Donglin University examinees mostly came from under a certain academician of the Central Academy of Sciences. The internet is a terrifying place; these people were quickly doxxed to the core.
Those without issues were fine, but anyone with problems or flaws had them infinitely magnified.
Dark histories like academic trash, womanizing king, scumbag, high school bullying, etc., were all brought to light. Coupled with the fact that they had ganged up to bully Chen Adiao in the early stages of the assessment, this gave online onlookers a different kind of buzz.
The uproar completely ruined the reputations of these "victims."
If they were all retaliated against by Chen Adiao or someone behind her, then the main culprit was this academician from the Central Academy of Sciences.
What about this piece of news?
Nothing much.
But the hype had already been pushed up because the parents of those students exploded. They suspected this academician had used their children to target Chen Xun, leading to everything that happened. He had to take responsibility!
A'Diao coldly watched as these parents, who originally wanted to besiege her, turned around to cyberbully a certain academician, shifting all the blame to him, causing the popularity of this news to soar.
In the end, even the Central Academy of Sciences had to step in... Anyway, it was a complete mess now.
Because someone online had dragged both the Ministry of Education and Lushan into it.
The more they wanted to take down Chen Xun and Chen Adiao, the more this force spiraled out of control, and the backlash was now even more severe.
Toilet: "Seeing that they couldn't touch Lushan and couldn't revoke your examination qualification, coupled with the irreparable damage to their children's future and reputation, they couldn't bear this loss, so they turned back to target that academician. The person behind this underestimated human nature."
A'Diao sneered, "Because I have no weaknesses, and I ranked first in Zone 13. Others don't know, but the people at Lushan Academy know. Since they tacitly acknowledge this first place, they won't allow others to dictate terms. This puts me in an invincible position. But those people can't stand to have their interests harmed, and all power is a double-edged sword."
From the moment she ruined those people's prospects, she knew that academician would end up taking the blame.
Because they couldn't touch her, who was currently within the Lushan assessment circle, those parents could only find someone they could touch to vent their anger, as their children's interests were their highest core interest in this life.
And do online onlookers really care about truth and right or wrong? When the hype has already spiraled into a vortex, with all sorts of people mixed in, even a power at the level of the Baili family probably couldn't control it. And every individual hidden behind a computer in this vortex would only drill into every discoverable hole, magnify everything, and finally let the blades of swords draw blood, to make it seem like they had returned victorious.
This is human nature.
Therefore, the terrifying and omnipotent internet would dig up everything unsightly about this academician for her.
And then... crush him!
But this academician was just one dish. She had to finish off the other dishes in this literary exam.
After finishing the meal, it was about time. Xu Zhaoyin didn't put on airs or waste words, only saying gently, "Take the exam with peace of mind. Let victory or defeat be as it may."
Both girls agreed and then went one after the other to the plaza to await the start of the exam.
The Chen family members, none of them mentioned the crises Chen Xun and Chen Ran were facing in their careers.
This was the Chen family's ethos: Do not speak lightly of matters beyond one's ability to influence.
Xie Yuqing was very worried about the exam. She glanced at Xu Zhaoyin, "Aren't you afraid they'll do poorly? Don't cry then."
Xu Zhaoyin glanced at her, picked up a book, and said nonchalantly, "I'm more afraid of you crying. You cry endlessly."
Xie Yuqing: "..."
This person was truly annoying. Her, Xie Yuqing, cry? What a joke!
When they left the box and reached the plaza, Xu Ye said lightly, "You recognized me early on?"
A'Diao played dumb: "Huh?"
Xu Ye: "As expected. You've disliked me since childhood, only clinging to Chen Xun."
A'Diao snorted lightly, "Likewise."
One had disliked her third younger sister, who only clung to her brother, since childhood.
The other had disliked her second older sister, whose stunning beauty made her feel like a foxtail weed by comparison, since childhood.
Wasn't this very normal?
Anyway, that's what A'Diao thought.
The two seemed to find each other repulsive, and neither paid any attention to the other afterwards.
The people from Danzhou and Qingzhou initially wanted to ask, but seeing this, they didn't dare make a peep.
Song Erhu looked back and forth between the two, thinking to himself: Is this a family heirloom of mutual dislike?
The Chen family's genes are something else!
The central open ring was divided into 15 blocks. Zone 15 had a total of nearly twenty thousand people.
It seemed Zone 13 had eliminated more people, while other zones had quite a few remaining, which also inversely proved that Tiger Skin Green Suburbs was indeed weaker.
Twenty thousand people divided up was still a lot. Anyway, from the perspective of the audience in the stands, they could see with their naked eyes the several hundred to two thousand examinees in the blocks ahead. Because they were all high-level elites with impressive auras, they all felt awed, not to mention the sheer number of twenty thousand.
Anyway, everyone was now choosing to sit in the blocks they were interested in or paying attention to.
At 8:55 AM, a broadcast and a floating light screen appeared in the plaza, with synchronized voice and text.
"Tang Song Lushan Academy First Exam, Literary Exam – Dunhuang Grottoes Assessment will begin in five minutes."
"Examination rules are as follows:
Rule One: The Dunhuang Grottoes are divided into 15 examination blocks. Each block contains 300 seated Buddha grotto statues. They will release exam question scrolls at irregular intervals. If no one is waiting in front of a statue to grab a scroll, the question scroll will fly. Questions can be captured by flying, and points are awarded for solving them.
Rule Two: Exam questions are divided by difficulty, with five color-coded levels from highest to lowest: Purple, Gold, Red, Yellow, and Blue. Questions of each level are worth 100, 50, 20, 10, and 2 points respectively. The examination will last for 12 hours. The total score will be converted into the literary exam score according to a certain calculation ratio.
Rule Three: Within the 15 examination blocks, crossing zones, fighting, and killing are permitted, as long as no one is killed or crippled in cultivation. Means are limitless. However, cross-zone movement is fixed to the last hour. Only then will the zone restrictions be lifted; otherwise, crossing zones is impossible."
Twenty thousand people were diligently memorizing these assessment rules. When they heard that crossing zones was allowed, many people's faces stiffened.
What the hell? Couldn't some of those terrifying prodigies then go on a killing spree in other zones?
Fortunately, it was only for the last hour.
"It seems this last hour is equivalent to a bonus question hunting time for the prodigies," A'Diao mused to herself.
At this time, five minutes passed quickly. At exactly nine o'clock, all examination entrances opened. Amidst a dazzling light, at the Zone 13 entrance, A'Diao and the other 998 people entered consecutively.
The exam begins!
Comments
Post a Comment