Chapter 58: Deceiving and Revitalizing the Cultivation World (58% complete)

Intimidated by Jun Huilian's actions, some restless individuals suppressed their inner turmoil.

Although most people advocate that strength is paramount and believe that if you have enough strength, you don't need to care about your reputation.

But not caring is one thing, while taking a picture and having it displayed high in the sky and broadcast across four continents is quite another.

Cultivators with status and position still care about their reputation and don't want to be ridiculed even by ordinary people in the mortal world unless absolutely necessary.

Furthermore, if we're talking about strength being paramount, then the Heavenly Evolution Dao Ancestor, who can simultaneously project his power across the four continents from outside the realm, is more than capable of crushing everyone. It's not shameful to bow down to the Heavenly Evolution Dao Ancestor.

After figuring things out, the other candidates who behaved properly and did not cheat were completely focused on their own thoughts, forming a stark contrast with the ashen-faced candidates who had violated the rules.

Some people, unwilling to give up, opened the communication stone and were speechless after seeing the image marked with their own name.

After advancing to the next level, Su Xiaoyao felt that her strength had taken a big leap forward. Her hearing and sight were so sharp that even the fluttering of a butterfly's wings from a hundred miles away could not escape her keen senses. However, she did not sense any spiritual energy fluctuations during the test just now.

Curious, she opened the communication stone and randomly clicked on a hapless person who had brought trouble upon themselves, only then realizing what had happened.

Even the cunning woman couldn't help but marvel at how creative these people were.

Methods like taming insects to spy, using broken mirrors for refraction, or secretly communicating with the outside world are all minor tricks. Some people even select one person before entering the examination room to use a timed possession talisman, allowing them to be possessed briefly and unnoticed during the examination.

Unfortunately, the devil is always one step ahead, and no matter how cunning the tricks were, they couldn't escape the proctor's watchful eye.

After finishing her reflections, Su Xiaoyao remembered the plans she had made before the exam and sent a message to Jun Huilian.

[Xiaoyao: Tap Tap]

【Jun Lai Ye: Part 1】

Su Xiaoyao blinked. Hey, Xiaoye learns things from the new world pretty quickly.

[Xiaoyao: Not strictly prohibiting plagiarism before the exam, and using entrapment as a pretext—that was your idea, wasn't it?]

She believed that such a playful act was definitely not something that person, who possessed a divine and fleeting glimpse, would do.

[Junlaiye: You guessed right]

[Xiaoyao: I knew it, this style is very much yours.]

Then send a thumbs-up emoji.

[Junlaiye: Isn't this hilarious? They went to great lengths, only to find that everyone drew different exam questions, and their attempts to contact the outside world were cut off. In the end, it was all for nothing. I'm even planning not to cancel their rankings after the exam results are released. Maybe someone will cheat but still be ranked high, which would be even more interesting.]

On the other side, Jun Huilian was playing with the communication stone while looking at the blue screen in front of him filled with test papers, and the little Pixiu next to him came over.

"Are you texting Su Xiaoyao?" Jun Feibai asked.

Jun Huilian nodded, remembering the bet they had made earlier.

Jun Feibai became interested: "Quickly ask her how she did on the exam."

Jun Huilian also wanted to know. She glanced at the tens of thousands of exam papers and realized that she wouldn't be able to finish grading them in a short time, so she continued to send messages.

[Xiaoyao: Killing someone is like destroying their spirit, my dear Ye]

[Jun Laiye: I don't object to using tricks, but trying to undermine the fairness of the exam and thinking you can escape being tracked shows a complete disregard for me as the proctor. A stupid and wicked person doesn't deserve to stay.]

[Xiaoyao: As expected of a large-scale spiritual artifact, nothing on the island can escape your notice.]

[Jun Laiye: It seems that not many people have realized that Tianyan Academy is essentially a spiritual artifact.]

[Xiaoyao: So I'm still the best]

[Xiaoyao: These days, some talented people want to do something big. Want to invest in their business?]

[Junlaiye: Is there a lot of fun?]

[Xiaoyao: Guaranteed to be interesting]

[Junlaiye: Investing in one share]

[Xiaoyao: Aren't you going to ask me what kind of business I'm planning to pursue?]

【Junlaiye: Tell us what you think】

[Xiaoyao: Haha, I'll keep it a secret for now, I'll show you the finished product another day]

[Junlaiye: Okay, I'm looking forward to it.]

[Xiaoyao: But before that, I need a space to set up a storefront. Is renting land allowed on campus?]

[Jun Laiye: Of course, if you're rich enough, you can even rent out a bamboo forest to find peace and quiet. The Dao Ancestor doesn't think that cultivators renouncing the mortal world is necessarily a good thing, so he has always encouraged his students to engage in worldly cultivation, and he doesn't object to his students trying new things.]

[Xiaoyao: That's great! So spirit stones can be exchanged for quite a few resources.]

[Jun Laiye: No, no, no, only unimportant resources like land can be exchanged with spirit stones. Once you enroll, you'll basically need to exchange points for everything.]

[Xiaoyao: What are points?]

[Junlaiye: You can obtain these points by accepting quests, ranking in the top three in exams, winning competitions, and unlocking regular trial arenas. They are very valuable. You can find details on the intranet using the keywords "points" and "credits".]

[Xiaoyao: Oh~ I'll go sell the information right away, and I'll give you half later]

[Junlaiye: Okay, I admire your business acumen. By the way, how did the exam go?]

[Xiaoyao: Confident and prepared, I'll pass every exam!]

[Junlaiye: Looking forward to your good news]

Jun Feibai is happy, and Jun Huilian is not bad either.

One bet on Su Xiaoyao to rank first in this round, and the other bet on her to rank first overall; both placed high hopes on Su Xiaoyao.

After hanging up the call, Su Xiaoyao was also beaming.

Nan Rongjiao, who was closest to her, was packing her things to leave when she saw her beaming smile and asked, "Looks like you did very well on the exam."

Su Xiaoyao, the academic genius, habitually shook her head: "I didn't review properly, I didn't predict the questions, I didn't know half of them, I just guessed. I'm sure I'll fail this time."

Her answer was too quick and her attitude too firm; Nan Rongjiao couldn't tell if it was just modesty or the truth.

Su Xiaoyao realized what she had said and changed the subject with a warm smile: "The thing we talked about before the exam will be done in a couple of days."

Nan Rongjiao was completely confused.

Su Xiaoyao left in a hurry, and only after thinking it over did she recall their previous conversation.

"A restaurant?" she asked herself uncertainly. "Is that what she meant? To open a restaurant near the university?"

She instinctively felt it was impossible.

But that wasn't just anyone; it was Su Xiaoyao, who had always been unconventional.

So she became uncertain.

However, she has to admit she's somewhat looking forward to it.

She looked forward to the day when she could find freedom even in the most restrictive imperial city, and she believed that people would soar even higher after gaining access to a wider sky.

Su Xiaoyao skipped and hopped towards the exit of the examination hall. A moment later, she spotted Xiao Tingyuan walking with the flow of people in the crowd, and she immediately waved her arms:

"Hey, Aotian~"

Xiao Tingyuan stopped.

A crowd of people thronged in front of him, and the noise around him was deafening. He couldn't quite make out who was calling him, but he immediately recognized the voice from the convoluted ending.

He turned his head helplessly and met Su Xiaoyao's almond-shaped eyes, which shone like stars.

Seeing her unusual expression, he had a feeling that something bad was about to happen.

"From now on, just call me Xiao Tingyuan." Xiao Tingyuan silently took a step back, his hands behind his back in a defiant posture, exuding an air of noble aloofness and disdain.

"Yes, Aotian, I understand, Aotian." Su Xiaoyao stood at attention and saluted.

"I am no longer worthy of being called Aotian." Xiao Tingyuan's eyes were full of vicissitudes. "You are the Long Aotian from the storybook. I am waiting to follow you to the heavens."

His appearance clearly showed that he was severely affected by the exam.

Su Xiaoyao could tell that her friend had lost confidence, so of course she had to step in and help her rebuild it.

"My friend, how could you say that about yourself! You are the best in my eyes!"

“This is not a direct quote from you…” Xiao Tingyuan said.

Su Xiaoyao said with emphasis, "Aotian! Your skills are unparalleled and beyond the reach of ordinary people. You should make the most of your strengths and shine in your area of ​​expertise. Do not underestimate yourself!"

Xiao Tingyuan felt a warm glow in his heart at first, but then he sensed something was amiss.

He scrutinized her with suspicion.

Su Xiaoyao's lips curved into a perfect smile, giving her an air of trustworthiness.

"I have a great way to accelerate your cultivation. Want to try it? I guarantee you'll reach the Nascent Soul stage in three years and the Deity Transformation stage in five."

"You've been possessed?" Xiao Tingyuan cautiously stepped back. "Are you still the Su Xiaoyao I know, the one who claimed she would choose to work hard or give up?"

"How could you question me like that? There's only one of my kind, innocent, cute, positive, and hardworking fairy-like nature in the world. Even Nuwa wouldn't be able to replicate her in ten thousand years. I'm so sad that you don't recognize me." She covered her chest and pretended to wipe away tears.

"Fairy sister, let's talk this out." Xiao Tingyuan chose to surrender.

Many passersby turned their heads to look, and he felt a little embarrassed, so he quickly stopped Su Xiaoyao.

Su Xiaoyao grasped his wrist as he offered it to her, her eyes sparkling, and said, "Then I'll get straight to the point."

“…Hmm.” Xiao Tingyuan seemed to be bravely going to his execution.

Su Xiaoyao met his gaze with bright eyes and passionately expounded her grand ideal: "Let's open a restaurant at Tianyan Academy! Everything is ready now, all that's missing is your joining us!"

Xiao Tingyuan looked completely bewildered: "A restaurant? Me?"

Su Xiaoyao said firmly, "I have an extremely important position for you. It's crucial for understanding the entire operation and management of the restaurant!"

Xiao Tingyuan said expressionlessly, "Oh, you need a cook."

Su Xiaoyao corrected: "He is a business partner and technical director."

Xiao Tingyuan remained expressionless: "You need a cook."

Su Xiaoyao's gaze was firm and unwavering, emphasizing each word she uttered: "He is a business partner and technical director."

“Okay, business partner and CTO.” Xiao Tingyuan closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead.

He convinced himself that if he was brainwashed, so be it; he couldn't win the argument by arguing or glaring at each other.

"Is it inappropriate for us to open a restaurant in a university?" he wondered.

Su Xiaoyao continued her brainwashing: "There's nothing inappropriate about it. I've already obtained the business license."

By bringing Junlai into the group, she had already obtained verbal permission. She thought to herself.

“I don’t care. I inherited the mantle of the God of Cookery, and I can have an epiphany just by sitting by the stove.” Xiao Tingyuan still hesitated. “But you are different. Wouldn’t this delay your cultivation? Wouldn’t that be a waste of the opportunity given by the Dao Ancestor?”

"Don't worry, there's a saying that goes, 'If you can't lead a team, you'll work yourself to death.' I won't put all my energy into the business."

Su Xiaoyao's gaze was intense.

"Secondly, everyone who can get into Tianyan Academy is a genius. Their talents and efforts are about the same. If you want to stand out from others, you can't just bury yourself in cultivation."

She took a breath and whispered seductively, like a siren: "Just think about it, is a year of seclusion as useful as absorbing a single spiritual vein?"

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Author's note: Happy New Year everyone! May the new year bring you good fortune!

Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 2024-02-07 23:12:15 and 2024-02-10 22:06:19!

Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: One World (5 bottles); Female Human and Fu (1 bottle each);

Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!