Lian Yuan glanced at the paper, then back at the examiner with a knowing smile. "Indeed, her answers aren't exactly the most polished, but..." He paused, considering his words carefully. "She answered with sincerity. And while the spells weren't executed perfectly, she did follow the guidelines in her own way. She might not be the most conventional, but she has a point in everything she does."
As Lian Yuan continued explaining Ling Xi's answers, the room fell silent, the examiners listening closely.
"Now, take this first one," he began, pointing to the question about summoning fairy dust. "While Ling Xi didn't manage to make the usual sparkling dust, she still summoned something. It wasn't the expected result, but she demonstrated an understanding of the spell's core concept—an attempt to control the magic. She may not have achieved it perfectly,
One examiner raised an eyebrow. "She summoned ashes instead of fairy dust... that's a bit far from the mark."
Lian Yuan smiled. "Yes, but look here. In her written answers, she didn't simply copy from the standard texts. She added her own flavor. She included her favorite vegetable—cauliflower—in the flower spell. While it might not have been a 'proper' flower, it showed that she was thinking outside the box, trying to make the spell her own. That's more than most students do."
Another examiner, slightly hesitant, nodded. "So, you're saying the uniqueness in her answers... makes them worth considering?"
Lian Yuan's expression softened, his voice carrying a quiet warmth. "Exactly. It's not about perfection. It's about creativity. Ling Xi might not fit the mold, but she certainly doesn't lack insight. Her approach is... unconventional, but it's genuine."
The examiners exchanged looks, considering his words. Slowly, one by one, they began to nod in agreement.
"Indeed, unique," one of the examiners murmured.
"Yes, she has a different way of thinking," another added.
"And that's worth something," a third examiner agreed.
Lian Yuan gave a small smile, his eyes warm with pride as he looked at Ling Xi's paper one last time. "Sometimes, it's the most unique answers that lead to the greatest discoveries."
As the examiners reviewed the other fairies' papers, they saw familiar answers: summoning dragons, phoenixes, unicorns, and even goblins. These creatures were impressive, powerful, and often the standard choices for a spell like this. But when they reached Ling Xi's paper, they couldn't help but pause.
Ling Xi had written about summoning a toad. A humble, unassuming creature, not the grand and majestic beings her peers had chosen.
Lian Yuan, watching the group's reactions, couldn't help but smile softly. "Strange, yes," he agreed. "But do you see the point? These other students wrote about summoning dragons and unicorns—grand, mythical creatures. But almost all of them learned about those creatures from the same textbooks and recitations. None of them, I bet, could truly summon one of those animals without dedication and practice. It takes time, mastery, and deep connection."
He paused, allowing the weight of his words to settle.
"Meanwhile, Ling Xi," he continued, "wrote about a toad. Some might think it's small, insignificant. But in the poetry class, I saw her with that very creature—a little pond toad she often played with during lessons. She connected with it, he didn't choose to summon a grand creature to impress,
Lian Yuan smiled, his eyes glinting with approval. "Exactly. Ling Xi didn't choose the easy or grand path. She chose what was real to her, what she had an actual connection with. That's true understanding of magic—being able to bring life to something meaningful, no matter how small or humble it seems."
The examiners fell silent,
As the examiners finished reviewing the papers, the assistant leaned toward Lian Yuan with a thoughtful expression. "Master, you really know how she thinks," the assistant remarked, observing Lian Yuan's insights into Ling Xi's answers.
Lian Yuan smiled, his gaze softening as he looked at Ling Xi's paper once more. "Indeed," he said quietly, his voice tinged with affection. "She's like a sister to me. I've known her for so long, seen her grow and struggle in her own way."
The assistant raised an eyebrow. "How did you come to understand her so well?"
Lian Yuan's expression grew distant for a moment as memories flooded back. "I remember when her father brought her to the Heavenly Realm. She was so small, so fragile. She barely spoke, and her eyes were full of uncertainty. She had a lot to learn.
He chuckled softly, his voice carrying a hint of nostalgia. "I took her under my wing, guiding her, even when she didn't always follow the rules. I knew she had potential, but she needed to find her own path. Sometimes that meant stepping off the beaten track, even if it looked a bit... strange."
The assistant nodded, understanding now why Lian Yuan was so patient with Ling Xi. "She's grown a lot since then, hasn't she?"
Lian Yuan's smile deepened. "Yes, she has. She still has a long way to go, but I know she'll find her way. Just like today—
The assistant chuckled, shaking his head. "She certainly keeps things interesting around here."
Lian Yuan's eyes twinkled with amusement. "That's one way of putting it."
Outside, the fairies gathered around Fairy Yunxi, the top student in the class. Everything about her seemed perfect—her beauty, grace, and kindness were admired by everyone. She was the embodiment of gentleness, her every move leaving a trail of elegance. The other fairies couldn't help but crowd around her, eager to hear her thoughts.
"Fairy Yunxi, how was your paper?" one of the fairies asked, her voice full of admiration.
Yunxi smiled softly, her eyes twinkling with warmth. "It went well, thank you for asking."
Then, her gaze shifted to Ling Xi, who was standing a little off to the side, her usual mischievous grin playing on her lips. "And how about you, Ling Xi?"
The fairies around them giggled, knowing exactly how Ling Xi would respond. It was no surprise that Yunxi's question was met with the usual answer.
Ling Xi straightened up, her eyes sparkling with humor. "Well, how could it not go well? I wrote a spell to summon a toad,
The group burst into laughter, the contrast between Yunxi's composed demeanor and Ling Xi's carefree attitude never failing to amuse them.
Little Flower, who had been standing by Ling Xi, looked up at Yunxi with a wide-eyed expression. "See? I told you she'd say something funny," he said, giggling.
Yunxi, bending down to Little Flower with a gentle smile, patted his head. "Little Flower, don't tease her too much. Ling Xi is just... unique." She then turned her gaze back to Ling Xi, her voice warm and friendly. "Don't let them get to you, Ling Xi. You know we all appreciate your... creativity."
Ling Xi chuckled, crossing her arms with a playful tilt of her head. "Oh, I know. I'm not bothered. They just can't handle the genius.
Yunxi laughed softly, her smile never wavering. "Of course. You're always full of surprises, Ling Xi."
Despite the teasing and the differences in their personalities, there was no animosity between Ling Xi and Yunxi. They were opposites in many ways, but that made their friendship even more special, with Yunxi's calm, caring nature balancing out Ling Xi's wild energy.
as they were called inside