The entrance to the grassland examination venue, a teacher was in charge of checking the props brought by the students.
Huang Qingqing and Shen Yueru successively took out the magical treasures, talismans, and elixirs they were carrying, and the inspection process went very smoothly.
When it came to Huang Wutong, the inspecting teacher couldn't help but frown.
This was the Sword Cultivation Academy, where ordinary students would bring swords and magical treasures for the exams, yet Huang Wutong had actually brought a pair of shoes.
What did that mean?
Was he participating in a race?
Of course, the examination rules didn't explicitly state that one couldn't bring shoe magical treasures, so after confirming Huang Wutong's shoes complied with the regulations, the inspecting teacher didn't ask further.
However, the talismans that Huang Wutong displayed next were even more heavyweight.
Two first-rank Nameless Talismans with healing effects.
Cultivators with a slight understanding of talismans could generally deduce the function of a talisman from its design.
As a result, the inspecting teacher, relying on a hundred years of experience and his Foundation Establishment cultivation level, was completely stumped as to what abilities Huang Wutong's talisman had.
He could only deduce that it was related to healing and was of the first rank.
"What's this talisman for?" the inspecting teacher couldn't help but inquire aloud.
Huang Wutong honestly replied, "It's for relaxing muscles."
Relaxing muscles?
To relax after getting tired from running?
Reasonable.
"Alright, you may pass, go take the exam," he said.
Huang Wutong sighed in relief.
The trio reached the examination field, facing a bald teacher cloaked in the "Golden Iron Robe" magical treasure.
Huang Wutong was on the verge of tears.
It was over; the grassland terrain coupled with the mean-looking bald man, buffs were completely stacked.
Graduation seemed hopeless now.
...
High above the Tianheng Sword Cultivation Academy, teachers in groups of three each focused on their corresponding examination fields. They would grade the students' practical exams based on judgments of the students' combat strength and tactics.
Passing the practical test was quite easy if one aimed for just a passing grade.
If a trio formed by students could withstand the attacks of a teacher for half an hour, and at least one of them remained unbowed, they would pass.
But if the students wanted to score high, they would need to trouble their teacher or even collaborate to take the teacher down.
"Taking down a teacher" was a theoretical possibility in the exams.
Because not only were the teachers at the level of Foundation Establishment as opposed to the students' ninth level of Qi refining, but they were also augmented by second-rank magical treasures, one tier higher than the students'.
Although there were three students, they lacked the experience, cultivation level, and magical artifacts compared to the teacher.
Causing trouble for the teacher was an achievement at best; taking down the teacher was simply unrealistic.
At the Tianheng Sword Cultivation Academy, the majority of students' best results were that all three were not taken down by a teacher.
Those who could withstand the teacher's onslaught and still cause trouble were already considered exceptionally outstanding students.
As for those genius students who could beat those at the Foundation Establishment while at Qi refining, or Core Formation while at Foundation Establishment, it wasn't that they didn't exist, but they could enter the Immortal Sect directly with their innate talent or study in an affiliated high school of the Immortal Sect. With a bright future and grand prospects, there was no need for them to spend their days at the Tianheng Sword Cultivation Academy.
Dean Lei Buxiao and several counselors from the graduating class formed an inspection group that shuttled between the various examination fields.
If they encountered students showing outstanding performance in the exams, even the usually stern Dean Lei wouldn't skimp on giving praise.
"Not bad, knowing to use the lush plants to ambush in the rainforest. There's also tactical coordination among these three. One in the open, one on a tree, and one hiding in the underbrush, encircling from three sides—quite thoughtful. I thought the young people nowadays lacked blood qi, but it turns out some are even braver than I was back in the day. Whose students are these?"
A teacher replied with a smile, "They are my foolish disciples."
Dean Lei nodded in approval, "Very good. If everyone in our academy had such a standard, why worry about not being promoted to a first-class academy? In a couple of days, the inspection team from the Imperial College will come to inspect our academy for promotion conditions. Only if the inspection is passed can the official procedure for promotion begin. I hope all colleagues can work together with me, for the sake of the academy, and give it your all."
The inspection group made their way to the grassland examination field.
There, on the flat grassland, two female cultivators were struggling against the bald teacher, while the sole male cultivator was running a marathon around the edge of the field.
The two female cultivators were being pushed back by the bald teacher, and far from lending a hand, the male cultivator was running faster and faster.
Dean Lei's face turned dark.
Huang Wutong's counselor broke out in a cold sweat, hastily stepping forward to smooth things over.
"Huang Wutong was born with defective spiritual roots, making cultivation difficult. This must have been a strategy the three of them came up with."
Dean Lei's expression soured, his tone displeased, "Their strategy is to let a female cultivator kill the enemy while the male cultivators hide behind like cowards? We're a Sword Cultivation Academy, not a Cowardice Academy. What kind of sword cultivators are afraid of death?"
"This..."
Huang Wutong's counselor was at a loss for words after being scolded by the dean.
Dean Lei continued, "If our students dare not even draw their swords, once the people from the Imperial College arrive, not to mention rising in rank, we can't even preserve our current 'B' grade title!"
The more Dean Lei looked at Huang Wutong, the angrier he became. A student from the prestigious Sword Cultivation Academy going to an examination without drawing their sword, just relying on running away? What kind of standard is this?
"Liu Qi! Don't go easy on them!"
The bald teacher Liu Qi that Huang Wutong mentioned stiffened his arms, and with two punches, knocked out Huang Qingqing and Shen Yueru.
Now, there were still a full ten minutes left before the exam ended!
Everyone at the examination site knew that the exam was already over. Alone, Huang Wutong simply couldn't last ten minutes.
Outside the examination site, many onlooking teachers felt it was a pity.
Just moments ago, these three students might have passed the exam, but now with Dean Lei enraged, these three were definitely going to be sacrificed as an example.
The so-called "killing one to warn a hundred."
Huang Wutong and his team were the chickens to be slaughtered.
Just as Dean Lei was about to say something else, he saw Huang Wutong toss a Healing Talisman at Liu Qi.
Suddenly, all the teachers' eyes widened.
Healing the enemy?
What kind of student would make such a move?
Huang Wutong's counselor's toes curled as if he had dug out a three-room apartment. The thing he regretted most in his life was having a "genius" student like Huang Wutong.
On the examination field, the toppled Huang Qingqing cursed loudly.
"Huang Wutong! Have you gone mad? Why are you healing him? Run!"
Huang Wutong, watching Liu Qi approaching slowly, thought to himself, how could he still move when the Muscle Relaxation Talisman was supposed to control him for a minute?
Although Liu Qi's movements were extremely slow and accompanied by strange convulsions, the frightened Huang Wutong failed to notice these abnormalities.
He only thought the Muscle Relaxation Talisman had not worked.
Instinctively, Huang Wutong cast another Muscle Relaxation Talisman.
Another Healing Talisman flew towards Liu Qi.
A candidate healing the enemy twice in a row was unprecedented in the history of Tianheng Sword Cultivation Academy.
Huang Qingqing and Shen Yueru despaired, convinced that after failing the exam, they would probably have to retake it with Huang Wutong. But in another exam, they would definitely not bring Huang Wutong along!
Outside the examination field, many teachers sympathized with Huang Wutong's counselor.
Facing such a student was no longer an issue of counseling, but sheer bad luck.
Just when everyone was certain of Huang Wutong's imminent defeat,
on the grassland exam field, the teacher Liu Qi, clothed in the second-tier Magical Treasure "Golden Iron Robe," suddenly rolled his eyes back, foamed at the mouth, and collapsed backward, fainting on the spot!
Even as he lay unconscious, Liu Qi convulsed on the ground as if his legs were frog legs shocked by electricity.
21 minutes and 31 seconds!
On the grassland exam field, candidate Huang Wutong knocked out his opponent, and Huang Wutong's team passed the exam ahead of time!
Score: 30 (Full Marks)
The news of Huang Wutong's full marks passing the exam flashed across the big screen in the waiting hall.
And Huang Wutong's team's score instantly topped the leaderboard, achieving a groundbreaking lead.
Knocking out a teacher in an instant? How did he do it? Is this kid a genius?
Dean Lei and the inspection team had not yet recovered from Huang Wutong's victory when they saw the teacher scheduled to replace Liu Qi hurriedly flying over.
"Dean, you must go see Director Liu Qi; he seems to have fainted from pain!"