Chapter 15: Three Mock Exams! I Choose the Immortal Exam!

May 10, clear weather. Today only lost 1,010 merit points; the aftereffects of recent sleep deprivation hit me—I nearly fell asleep during meditation in the spiritual energy chamber. Tomorrow I must adjust my schedule properly.

I’m already eighteen. I need to grow up. Can’t get overly excited over every little thing. Merit points? I’ve got to pace myself.

Picked up two hundred yuan. The free-loader showed up again… Hmm… She’s pretty, but her face is thick as leather. I’ve asked her out so many times and she still won’t treat me?

By the way, after two more days of effort, the purity ratio of my Wood elemental root has risen from 19% to 39%. Congratulations, congratulations!

May 11, overcast turning to partly cloudy. After yesterday’s good rest, my condition improved slightly. Today’s merit points deducted: 1,100. This seems the most reasonable number so far.

The free-loader’s here again… Huh? Why didn’t I say “again”? Have I gotten used to it?

By the way, today the free-loader switched from her Daoist robe to casual wear. Hmm… Confirmed—it really is big…

Daily pick-up: two hundred yuan (struck out). Money already spent doesn’t count.

May 11, overcast turning to showers. Merit points deducted: 1,110—ten more than yesterday. Good. This is the rhythm.

Two hundred yuan, free-loader, casual wear.

May 12, clear weather. Merit points deducted: 1,105. Two hundred yuan, free-loader, casual wear.

May 13, clear weather. Two hundred yuan, casual wear.

May 14, clear weather. Two… Forgot to log merit points yesterday. Adding them today.

Merit points (2 days): 2,210.

Two hundred yuan, Daoist robe, damn…

May 15, clear weather.

Wu hu! The purity ratios of all five elemental roots have finally reached 39%. Hard work really pays off. Now, even if I’m not a genius, I’ve at least escaped the ranks of mediocrity…

Also, today I poured all remaining merit points from root enhancement into my technique. The experience bar shot up by nearly half. After holding back for so long, I finally got to level up in such a satisfying way!

Now, tomorrow I can finally start my next plan: Level up! Level up! Still damn level up!

…

…

…

Time flies, but years don’t rush.

May 17, clear weather.

Nanshan No. 4 High School, Grade 12, Class 10.

Li Xiang stood on the podium, tapped the desk to quiet the murmuring students, then spoke:

“Pay attention. The form sent to your interfaces is your selection for this third mock exam. This is your final chance before the real Gaokao—take it seriously.”

“Especially you few in class—I won’t name names—but there’s not much time left. Stop slacking off!”

“Let me stress this one last time: though the school doesn’t mandate it, choose your exam track based on your actual situation!”

Lin Mo opened the system interface and pulled up the group message.

It listed every student’s name, each followed by two options: 1. Immortal Exam, 2. Cultural Exam.

Option one, Immortal Exam, was simple—nothing underneath.

Under Cultural Exam were five elective subjects; students choosing the cultural path had to fill in their specific exam subjects.

But what Teacher Li meant wasn’t the elective choices under Cultural Exam—it was the choice between Immortal Exam and Cultural Exam.

The reason they held this mock exam just twenty days before the real Immortal Exam was to help weaker students abandon illusions and choose Cultural Exam.

As expected, classmates’ faces twisted into faint smiles upon hearing Teacher Li’s words.

A few students who’d been about to pick randomly paused, their fingers hovering over the screen.

By now, they’d already pushed themselves to the limit. If they couldn’t reach it, they simply couldn’t.

Of the entire class’s fifty students, only about five had reached Qi Refining Mid-stage, and four of those barely scraped into Qi Refining Level 4.

Even so, they were rare top performers.

Compared to the gloomy faces of others, their expressions were clearly smug, their eyes darting occasionally toward classmates with heads bowed—barely holding back from boasting.

This was understandable. Students assigned to this class had little difference in elemental root quality.

Their advancement to Qi Refining Level 4 came not just from luck with high-quality rewards, but from relentless, round-the-clock cultivation—they were among the top grindmasters in class.

Their dark circles proved it. They had none of the aura of Qi Refining Mid-stage; their faces were pale, bloodless.

Of course, Ye Chen, the so-called “Child of Fortune,” was a completely different breed from these “grindmasters.”

He sat calmly in the second-to-last row, seemingly unimpressed by the fact that he could choose the Immortal Exam.

Seeing the smug expressions on those students’ faces, he even let out a dismissive “Pfft.”

The few Qi Refining Level 4 students felt embarrassed, but dared not say anything.

Because rumors said Ye Chen had already broken through Qi Refining Mid-stage into Qi Refining Late-stage.

In other words, Ye Chen, who had defeated the immortal scion Zhu Hongyuan head-on on the arena, had firmly secured second place among this year’s Nanshan Immortal Exam candidates.

So now, Ye Chen didn’t just look down on them—he looked down on every student in this school except Chu Wange.

Hey hey hey, tone down that middle-schooler’s tyrant aura—it’s practically overflowing… Lin Mo muttered inwardly.

At the same time, he turned his gaze to the options before him, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

Before, I had no choice. Now…

He clicked the Immortal Exam option without hesitation.

[Candidate Lin Mo selected Immortal Exam.]

A selection notification flashed in the group message.

Among the already sparse list of Immortal Exam candidates, a new name suddenly appeared, immediately drawing attention.

“Lin Mo, why did you choose Immortal Exam?”

Someone exclaimed in surprise.

Everyone knew exactly how many Qi Refining Mid-stage students were in class—Lin Mo’s choice was utterly unexpected.

Homeroom teacher Li frowned slightly, noticing Lin Mo’s name, and said:

“Ridiculous! Lin Mo, don’t pick randomly. This isn’t the path for you!”

His tone wasn’t overly harsh—Lin Mo was, in his eyes, another kind of “good student.”

No cultivation talent, but a sharp mind. On the cultural path, he might still achieve something in the mortal world.

So Teacher Li spoke earnestly: “Your most important task now is rational thinking and careful choice. Don’t regret your decisions for the rest of your life.”

“Cultivation is absolutely not the only path in life!”

Classmates chimed in.

“That’s right, Lin Mo. Your cultural grades are excellent—you’ll still get into a great university.”

“Hahaha, I was hoping to go to the same university as you, Lin Mo!”

“Lin Mo, stop pretending. Don’t think I don’t know you sneak-study cultural subjects every day? You’re the sneakiest in class!”

“… ”

Hearing Teacher Li and classmates’ advice, Lin Mo felt a warmth in his chest.

But before he could speak, Ye Chen from the back row snorted.

“Hah. The most important thing is knowing yourself. Don’t take on tasks you can’t handle.”

Damn. There’s a rat turd in the pot…

Hearing this, Lin Mo’s short temper flared. He turned to glare at him.

Ye Chen sneered, eyes narrowed, dripping with mockery: “What? Did I say something wrong? Or did you somehow jump from Qi Refining Level 2 to Level 4 in a few days?”

Hah. You’re right.

Lin Mo chuckled inwardly. You just handed me your face to slap.

He mirrored Ye Chen’s sneer, ready to stand up and show off his newly attained Qi Refining Level 4, when suddenly a notification sounded:

[Candidate Zhang Da selected Immortal Exam.]

The voice rang clearly—every student heard it.

Lin Mo turned, startled. Zhang Da slapped his shoulder and said:

“Bro, I get you!”

Then he gave a determined “through fire and water together” expression, and shot a haughty glare at Ye Chen.

Lin Mo’s emotions turned complicated.

Moved?

A little. But not much.

More than anything, he felt like he’d swallowed a fly—his urge to show off had already faded considerably…