Chapter 40

June 7, clear weather, the day of the Immortal Examination.

Auspicious: breaking ground, burial, seeking medicine, travel.

Inauspicious: felling trees, laying beams.

……

At dawn, buses had already parked at the gate of Nanshan No. 4 High School.

Dozens of Immortal Examination candidates stood outside the school gate, fully prepared, their expressions solemn, a tense and serious atmosphere spreading through the crowd.

“Listen up, don’t get on the wrong bus.”

“All students below Qi Refining 7th Layer, and those not applying for the Nine Great Dao Academies, board the bus.”

“Those above Qi Refining 7th Layer, and candidates applying for the Nine Great Dao Academies, take the small car.”

Vice Principal Liao Wenbin’s voice boomed like a bell, his burly frame adding immense authority, instantly silencing the crowd.

The candidates who had been whispering fell silent at once, their nervousness somewhat eased.

The crowd began to separate…

Of course, “separate” was a misnomer—over ninety-nine percent of the candidates lined up for the bus.

Only two candidates remained standing where they were.

One was the “protagonist” Ye Chen; the other was Lin Mo, who had recently become infamous.

The former had long been famous in Nanshan; not long ago, he defeated Zhu Hongyuan and refused a direct admission offer from Xuan Yuan Dao Academy, so his application to the Nine Great Dao Academies was no surprise.

But the latter…

“Why the hell does this pretty boy get to?”

Even with Liao Wenbin present, someone still muttered under their breath.

“Pfft, he’s just sucking up to some rich woman!”

“Pah! He’s not even worthy! That’s Chu Wange!”

“I doubt it’s even true—how could Chu Wange possibly look at him?”

“Then explain how a guy who was only Qi Refining 4th Layer a month ago can even take the Immortal Examination?”

“Exactly! If he can take it, why can’t I?!”

“….”

As the crowd murmured, Liao Wenbin frowned and snapped:

“Are you here to take the Immortal Examination or to gossip like old hags? Shut up and get on your buses!”

After his shout, the crowd quieted considerably, though some still whispered complaints.

There was no helping it—the contrast was too stark.

Ordinary candidates rode the bus; Ye Chen and Lin Mo rode a luxury limousine.

This wasn’t the school playing favorites—it was simply that candidates applying to the Nine Great Dao Academies were inherently special.

Fame attracts gossip… Lin Mo had grown used to the chatter over the past weeks.

Since Chu Wange left, rumors about him and her had flooded the school, severely disrupting the senior class’s revision.

To curb the rumors, school leadership even temporarily shut down the campus forum, which helped a little.

Lin Mo himself remained calm, but Zhang Dahai beside him launched the first attack, spitting toward them and cursing:

“Mind your own damn business!”

This sight drew angry glares from many candidates.

Had it not been Immortal Examination Day, they’d have already rushed him with a combo.

“Pfft~!”

Zhang Dahai taunted them with a sneer.

Lin Mo watched, amused—this guy had gone completely off the rails since kicking Ye Chen a few times; even Old Li barely bothered to discipline him anymore.

Good thing he wasn’t taking the Immortal Examination today—even the written test was just a formality.

“Haizi, after the written test, get out fast—you’ll still make it.”

Lin Mo patted his shoulder, speaking earnestly.

Zhang Dahai’s boastful expression softened slightly: “Don’t be like that, Brother Mo—I’m just standing up for you!”

Thanks a lot…

Lin Mo muttered inwardly, then said flatly: “Chu Wange isn’t here today.”

Zhang Dahai shrank back: “Isn’t this the Immortal Examination? Shouldn’t she be here?”

Lin Mo shook his head: “She hasn’t shown up in over half a month—probably got direct admission to a Dao Academy and doesn’t need to take the exam.”

This was, of course, a lie to scare Zhang Dahai.

Sure enough, the latter’s expression immediately deflated, and he grumbled:

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

Then he chuckled: “Bro, listen to me—just barely pass the Immortal Examination. Right now, your priority is clinging to the campus beauty. One rises, all rise—you be the rooster, I’ll be the dog.”

Lin Mo: “….”

Zhang Dahai laughed loudly, pulling him into a tight hug: “Good bro, if you get rich… you get it?”

“Got it.”

Lin Mo nodded, hugged him back, then said: “Wait here.”

Without waiting for Zhang Dahai to react, he jogged toward the luxury limousine.

Zhang Dahai blinked: “Wait for what… damn it!”

By the time he realized it, Lin Mo was already inside the car—he could only raise his middle finger toward the limousine.

“Don’t embarrass me—do well!”

His shout was answered only by Lin Mo’s middle finger, extended out the window.

“Dad knows—go home, son!”

“Damn it!”

Zhang Dahai cursed.

Lin Mo chuckled, waved, and finally retracted his “Spiritual Insight Finger” from the window.

At that moment, an impatient voice rang out: “Shut up!”

Lin Mo turned his head and saw Ye Chen sitting in the back row, face cold. He smirked:

“Oh? Brother Ye’s wounds are healed? Congratulations, congratulations!”

Hearing his sarcasm, Ye Chen’s expression darkened: “Even with lowered requirements, the Nine Great Dao Academies’ Immortal Examination demands Qi Refining 7th Layer. When you get to the exam site, don’t embarrass yourself by failing to even activate the Heavenly Dao test—that’d be truly laughable.”

Lin Mo smiled: “No need to worry about me—if I can’t pass, I’ll just accept Nong Qing Immortal Master’s direct admission. After all, the regular Immortal Examination isn’t like the Heavenly Dao Examination.”

Seeing his shameless attitude, Ye Chen’s disdain grew even sharper—he’d already labeled Lin Mo in his mind as a “clown” who rode on women’s coattails.

Thinking this, he refused to speak further and closed his eyes to rest.

Lin Mo snorted softly, turned away, and ignored the arrogant fool.

Soon, both the bus and the limousine departed on schedule.

One headed to the Immortal Examination site outside Rongcheng’s Fifth Ring; the other to the teleportation array at Qingchen Dao Temple in the city center.

This year’s Heavenly Dao Immortal Examination site was in Wudu County, very close to Rongcheng.

Any Immortal Examination candidate from Rongcheng could use Qingchen Dao Temple’s teleportation array to be directly transported to the Wudu exam site.

Normally, tickets for such arrays cost several times more than first-class airplane fares—far beyond ordinary people’s reach; Lin Mo had never ridden one.

But today, Qingchen Dao Temple was covering all costs—any candidate taking the Heavenly Dao Immortal Examination could use it for free.

In short, Lin Mo could ride for free again.

With the driver steering steadily, they arrived at Qingchen Dao Temple in under half an hour—it stood in a prime, exorbitantly priced location within Rongcheng’s First Ring.

The driver followed the internal pathway straight to the teleportation array and stopped.

Lin Mo stepped out, stretched, and laughed loudly:

“So many… hey, why so few people?”

He looked up—and saw fewer than twenty candidates waiting near the teleportation array.

He looked up and saw that the number of immortal candidates waiting near the teleportation array barely reached twenty.