Translator: AnubisTL
"How is this possible?!"
"There's a problem with the Grand Harmony Golden List!"
"Please slap me, I must be dreaming!"
"Stop slapping, can't you see many people's faces are already swollen?"
"Good heavens, 500 tied for first place, each receiving 400 points, exactly meeting the minimum requirement for the top scorer!"
"Impossible! The entire Nurtured Spirit examination hall only has 200,000 points. How could they all be concentrated on 500 candidates?"
"Look, there's Gu Feng's name, and a few other disciples from the Sunset Glow Sect!"
"Who are the other candidates? I've never heard of their names!"
"..."
Everyone was shouting at the top of their lungs, their expressions exaggerated to the extreme, and the scene was in complete chaos.
As the chief examiner, Ouyang Qi was also dumbfounded, staring blankly at the Grand Harmony Golden List.
His first reaction was that it was impossible.
Unless someone had secretly seized all the points and then evenly distributed them among the 500 candidates.
But—
Who in the entire examination hall had such formidable strength?
Without exaggeration, even if five Peerless Prodigies joined forces, they wouldn't be able to seize all 200,000 points.
However, cheating was also absolutely impossible. The examination organized by the Grand Harmony Academy had an extremely simple process, unless a peak Nurtured Spirit or Sea Condensation Realm cultivator had entered the examination hall.
But among the 50,000 candidates, no one reported such a situation, and the Array Formation showed no abnormalities, essentially ruling out this possibility.
This bizarre result left the Vice-Prefect of the Grand Harmony Academy, who was above the Sea Condensation Realm, utterly bewildered.
Ouyang Qi instinctively rubbed his eyes, but the result remained the same.
"Have you checked thoroughly? Is there a problem with the Grand Harmony Golden List?"
A group of examiners, their faces drenched in sweat, shook their heads in unison, remaining silent.
"Vice-Prefect Ouyang, what should we do?"
"What can we do? How should I know?"
Having seen many grand occasions, Ouyang Qi couldn't help but burst out in anger, beads of sweat appearing on his forehead.
If this matter couldn't be reasonably explained, the credibility of the Grand Harmony Academy would be completely lost, and its future would be in jeopardy.
Pfft—
Lin Xinhua and the others, who had been celebrating just moments ago, were now dumbstruck, the Spirit Wine they hadn't yet swallowed spraying out.
"Is this a joke?"
These words kept flashing in their minds.
As leaders of the Cloud Prefecture's forces, how could they not recognize the names on the Grand Harmony Golden List?
Gu Feng, Chu Youhuan, Yan Yexue, Pu Shaoxuan, Li Huixian...
These were all disciples of the Sunset Glow Sect!
Their eyes glanced toward the Sunset Glow Sect's direction, seeing Gu Feng and the over 400 elderly Nurtured Spirit cultivators, all looking as if this was completely expected.
Bao Tian and the others' expressions changed drastically. Even a fool could understand that the 500 top scorers listed were precisely the 500 cultivators from the Sunset Glow Sect who had entered the Nurtured Spirit examination hall—not one more, not one less.
"How... how is this possible? The Sunset Glow Sect couldn't possibly have such strength!"
"No one in the entire Sunset Glow Sect could match Hua Wenyue and the others. How could they have robbed them of their points?"
"How did he manage to do it?"
"Wasn't it said earlier that a large amount of points were in Monk Wu De's hands?"
"..."
They were deeply shocked, and an ominous premonition surged in their hearts.
If this result is recognized, the Sunset Glow Sect will receive five hundred top honors, with each honor rewarded with one hundred million low-grade spirit stones, totaling fifty billion, directly clearing their debts.
Not only will they fail to obtain ten percent of the shares, but they will also lose five billion!
Even more terrifying is that they had a small bet with Gu Feng. If they lose, three percent of the shares of their respective forces and sects will belong to Gu Feng!
Heavens, this is undoubtedly the greatest loss they have suffered since taking charge of their respective forces.
At this moment, they are extremely nervous, with no mood for drinking. They wish they could immediately approach Gu Feng to confirm the situation.
The candidates in the Nurtured Spirit examination hall were dumbfounded. They never expected such an outcome.
Monk Wu De, who was originally thought to be a sure candidate for the list, was nowhere to be found.
Heaven's Chosen like Hua Wenyue immediately turned their gaze to Monk Wu De, who snapped out of his shock. When he saw Gu Feng's name, everything became clear to him.
"I guessed it right, it's Gu Feng, it's him!
Hahaha—"
The emotion of being vindicated overwhelmed him. Unable to control his feelings, he shed tears while shouting at the crowd.
"See? If I'm not mistaken, the Grand Harmony Golden List is filled with disciples of the Sunset Glow Sect!!
It was Gu Feng who impersonated me, who ambushed you, who robbed you, who framed me!!
You bunch of idiots, open your damn eyes and see!"
"Good, Gu Feng!!! So it was you!" Hua Wenyue's eyes gleamed with fury as she gritted her teeth.
"What a masterful deception, treating fifty thousand candidates like fools!" Dugu Ao, holding a spear, wished he could poke a few holes in Gu Feng.
"So it was you, kid. You really fooled us."
"Check his storage ring!"
"No, check the storage rings of all Sunset Glow Sect disciples!"
The crowd was filled with righteous indignation. Their expressions were even more ferocious than when Monk Wu De was exposed!
Gu Feng had deceived them like fools. His actions were a hundred, a thousand, even ten thousand times worse than Monk Wu De's!
"Gahahaha—, Gu Feng, the Sky Net is vast but nothing escapes it. Your fox tail is finally exposed.
Buddha Emperor, heavens above, you have finally opened your eyes and cleared my name!"
Monk Wu De jumped onto a large rock, acting arrogantly and becoming the commander of the anti-Gu Feng army.
Ouyang Qi and the other examiners exchanged glances, choosing to remain silent and simply turned their gaze toward Gu Feng.
Gu Feng, the target of thousands of accusations, remained calm and composed. He stood tall and proud, like a pine tree on a steep cliff, unyielding despite the strong winds.
"Gu Feng, you have nothing to say now, do you!"
Tens of thousands of candidates glared at him with anger!
Gu Feng raised a finger to his lips, signaling for silence.
The angry candidates quieted down.
"How can I speak if you're all so loud!" Gu Feng spoke softly, then scanned the crowd.
"Do you even have brains? Believing every rumor, lacking any independent thought. It's truly embarrassing!"
As soon as he said this, curses erupted. Gu Feng shrugged helplessly, not panicking at all, simply standing there and waiting.
"Quiet, let him speak!" Hua Wenyue narrowed her eyes and shouted. Among the million candidates, she was the one most eager to get to the bottom of this matter.
"That's more like it! The Flower Sect truly has class!" Gu Feng smiled faintly, then extended a few fingers.
"Please, everyone, help me clarify the following questions, as I too would like to know the answers!"
"First, where did I get the strength to defeat that lecherous monk?"
"Second, how do you explain the fact that I was ambushed by that monk just a few days before the end of the exam?"
"Third, what is the total value of the Spirit Stones and Natural Treasures you were robbed of? Does it exceed one hundred million Mid-Grade Spirit Stones? I doubt it! Given my status, would I really take such a huge risk to rob you?"
"Fourth, even if I had the ability to deal with that monk and take his Kasaya and Demon Subduing Pestle, I would only need to steal the points. Why would I bother taking other items?"
"Fifth... never mind, let's focus on these four questions first!"
As soon as these four questions were raised, the crowd fell silent.
Just the first question alone was impossible to explain. Even if one tried to attribute it to luck or an ambush, it would still be far-fetched.
Gu Feng had only just broken through to the Spirit Nurturing Realm a few days ago. His strength was far inferior to that of the lecherous monk. In the face of absolute power, all schemes and tricks would be useless.
"Indeed, Gu Feng makes a valid point. He doesn't have the strength to do it."
"When he broke through to the Spirit Nurturing Realm, hundreds of thousands of examinees were witnesses. How could that be faked?"
"Moreover, given his status, he would only need to steal the points. Why would he bother with Spirit Stones and Natural Treasures?"
"Even if he wanted to steal points, he wouldn't need to be so obvious about it. He's not a fool."
"That's true. Besides, Gu Feng was also a victim of that monk. Everyone saw that!"
"..."
Seeing that most of the cultivators were nodding, as if they believed Gu Feng's words, Monk Wu De grew anxious and loudly addressed the crowd:
"Everyone, these questions are indeed difficult to answer!
But—
How do you explain Gu Feng's points?"
"Hmph, how do you explain it? Don't you know?" Gu Feng's eyes turned sharp as he stepped directly in front of Monk Wu De. His gaze was so intimidating that it sent a shiver down the monk's spine.
"You... you say—"
"Everyone, since you're all curious about the points, let me shed some light on the matter!"
Gu Feng jumped onto the large rock where Monk Wu De was standing and kicked him off.
"I truly didn't expect that, even now, you'd still try to frame me!" Gu Feng looked as if he was deeply disappointed.
"A few days before the exam ended, my fellow disciples from the Sunset Glow Sect joined forces with the five major sects to track down the lecherous monk. Of course, given the monk's cunning, it was impossible to find him.
After that, the sects dispersed. My Senior Sister Chu felt guilty for having accepted so many Natural Treasures from the five sects without being able to fulfill her role."
"I must say, my Senior Sister Chu is a noble and responsible person. After returning to the Sunset Glow Sect's camp, she couldn't sleep all night.
On the morning of the final day of the exam, she ventured out alone under the cover of darkness, hoping to once again search for the monk's whereabouts.
My attentive Senior Sister Yan noticed this and, fearing for her safety, secretly followed her!"
"Oh, let me add here that my Senior Sister Yan is a highly skilled Alchemist. Her alchemy level..."
"Perhaps it was a coincidence, or maybe the monk had already set his sights on my two stunningly beautiful senior sisters, but they miraculously encountered each other."
"Everyone knows that my Senior Sister Chu can sense the movements of the lecherous monk. The moment he appeared, she immediately detected his presence!"
"She and Senior Sister Yan are close friends. Sometimes, just a glance is enough for them to understand each other's intentions."
"The two of them worked together—Senior Sister Chu pinpointed his location, while Senior Sister Yan crushed a Tracking Pill she had developed. Unexpectedly, the pill worked wonders, and the powder stuck to the monk's kasaya!"
"Without his kasaya, my two senior sisters, though still no match for him, were at least not instantly defeated!"
"After that, our Sunset Glow Sect received the message and launched a collective attack!"
"The points were taken from him. I, Gu Feng, feel guilty about this, but the exam is a competition, and I couldn't just hand over the points to you!!"
Gu Feng's explanation was logical and well-reasoned. Combined with the earlier scene of thirty Sunset Glow Sect cultivators besieging the lecherous monk, nearly ninety-nine percent of the candidates present believed him.
Even the sect elders outside the venue, including Ouyang Qi and the other chief examiners, nodded slightly.
The explanation was flawless, with no loopholes to be found!!
"You... you're slandering me!!"
"Bastard, you bald donkey! I initially thought of letting you off the hook since you've already offended so many Heaven's Chosen!
But now, it seems I was too naive!"
"Today, I'm going to settle the score with you for the vile words you used to insult my two senior sisters!" Gu Feng roared.
"You bald donkey, how dare you still try to deny it at this point!" Chu Youhuan and Yan Yexue appeared together, one in a red dress, the other in a white robe. They complemented each other perfectly, like celestial maidens descending to the mortal world, radiating a holy light.
Now, even the remaining one percent of the cultivators were convinced of Gu Feng's words. With such beauties, it was indeed hard for the lecherous monk to resist temptation.
His repeated attempts to frame Gu Feng were likely driven by the allure of these women.
"Everyone... don't believe him! Gu Feng is lying! I never coveted the two female benefactors. You must believe me—
It was him who ambushed you! The two female benefactors are in cahoots with Gu Feng. Their words can't be trusted..."
Monk Wu De was furious, his chest nearly bursting with frustration. But no matter how much he protested, no one believed him!
A sense of despair slowly spread, and a feeling of helplessness washed over him.
He was truly in a situation where even jumping into the Yellow River wouldn't wash him clean. He was utterly defenseless!
"Lecherous monk, if you don't apologize to my two senior sisters today, I'll fight you to the death!"
"Chief Examiner Ouyang, I request your permission for a life-and-death battle. The disciples of the Sunset Glow Sect will fight this lecherous monk to the death!"
Gu Feng directly unleashed his ultimate move, startling Monk Wu De, whose heart began to race.
How could he possibly defeat Gu Feng? A life-and-death battle would mean certain death for him.
By then, even if Gu Feng revealed his true strength, it would be useless because he'd already be dead.
What made him even more disheartened was that among the millions of fools present, not a single one believed him.
In an instant, all his energy and spirit dissipated. Better to live a wretched life than die a noble death. A gentleman's revenge can wait ten years!
And so—
He chose to lower his proud head!
"I'm sorry, two female benefactors. This humble monk was momentarily possessed by demons. I will surely cultivate my character and temper my mind from now on!"
He gritted his teeth, his eyes bloodshot, as he apologized to Chu Youhuan and Yan Yexue.
"The one you should apologize to the most is our Sect Master," the two women said expressionlessly.
Apologies come only once or countless times, and Monk Wu De completely let go.
"Patron Gu, this humble monk has wronged you and deeply regrets the trouble caused to you!"
"Everyone makes mistakes, and recognizing them is a great virtue. It shows there's still hope for you! I hope everyone can give him a chance to correct his mistakes," Gu Feng said indifferently, his demeanor earning nods of approval from many seniors present.
"Thank you, Patron Gu, for your magnanimity and kindness!"
Monk Wu De was nearly driven mad. Although he had been hunted and vilified before, never had he felt as humiliated as he did today. This man before him was his demon, his nemesis!
Monk Wu De had become numb, too weary to even cover his ears, standing there woodenly as the crowd hurled insults, his heart ashen.
With the truth revealed, Ouyang Qi was now in a headache. Five hundred top scholars—what was he to do? If they were Heaven's Chosen, it would be one thing, but the disciples from the Sunset Glow Sect were simply unbearable. Each older than him, having broken through with the Breakthrough Pill, they had no potential whatsoever. Recruiting them would only be a burden. Yet, not recruiting them would be no different from slapping the Grand Harmony Academy in the face.
Thus, he could only toss this dilemma to the Prefect for a decision.
"Prefect, something significant has happened. At the Nurtured Spirit examination site, there were many tied top scholars, and among them, a few have rather poor talent."
Fearing reprimand, he cleverly used vague terms like 'many' and 'a few' in his message.
Sure enough, Prefect Chu on the other end didn't even think before replying, "Since they are top scholars, then admit them as such!"
"Got it!"
With this affirmation, Ouyang Qi felt immensely relieved. The Prefect had personally approved it—what did it have to do with him?
(End of the Chapter)
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