Chapter 24: Junior Sister, Cheating by Collusion
While the other examinees, who had entered before them, were scratching their heads and struggling with the questions, Pei Lianxue and Feng Yu Die’s examination papers were already more than half-filled.
This scene was undoubtedly observed by Elder Wang and the white-bearded old man beside him.
The white-bearded old man stroked his long beard and asked, “Shouren, what’s the origin of those two girls? Why did you personally escort them into the examination hall?”
Elder Wang immediately cupped his fists and bowed, replying, “The girl with the silver hair is a direct disciple of Grand Void True Person, so I specifically went to look after her.”
“Taixu Zi’s? He has taken a disciple?”
“Yes, her name is Feng Yu Die, with Celestial Spiritual Root aptitude. As for the other one, she is a companion reader.”
The white-bearded old man’s eyes, hidden beneath his long eyebrows, widened slightly. He glanced at Feng Yu Die again and chuckled.
“Now that you mention it, I can see that mischievous spirit of Taixu Zi in her.”
—The white-bearded old man’s name was Qi Baishi. He was an elder of the Dragon Star Academy of the Xuan Xing Sect, currently at the middle Nascent Soul stage. While his cultivation was not considered high within the Xuan Xing Sect, all the elders of the Xuan Xing Sect had been his students in the past. Therefore, even the Sect Master of the Xuan Xing Sect would greet him respectfully and address him as “Mr. Qi.”
Elder Wang busied himself by pouring tea for Qi Baishi, praying in his heart that Feng Yu Die and Pei Lianxue would answer honestly and refrain from any illicit actions they had secretly discussed earlier.
Otherwise, if Elder Qi discovered anything, he would undoubtedly fly into a rage, and Elder Wang would have to bear his anger and plead for Feng Yu Die.
However, at this moment, Feng Yu Die was already contemplating how to pass the answers to Pei Lianxue.
“Xiao Tian, go see how Miss Pei is doing with her answers, and think of a way to pass some answers to her.”
Xiao Tian was somewhat helpless. After putting away its Heavenly Scroll of the Dao, it flew directly towards Pei Lianxue’s seat. The formation around the desk could not stop it.
“Let me see.”
Pei Lianxue and Feng Yu Die were quite far apart. Xiao Tian floated for quite some time before reaching Pei Lianxue’s side.
Seeing that she was answering quite seriously, Xiao Tian thought that the Young Master Ye from the Hundred Lotus Sect had likely prepared her beforehand.
After all, Young Master Ye had somehow obtained the examination questions of the Xuan Xing Sect in advance.
However, upon seeing what she had written on her paper, Xiao Tian was instantly dumbfounded—Pei Lianxue’s answers were exactly the same as the passage Xiao Tian had just read aloud to Feng Yu Die from the Heavenly Scroll of the Dao.
“This…”
There were countless ways to answer the question about “Dao Heart.”
However, the passage Xiao Tian had read to Feng Yu Die was the “Heavenly Dao’s” understanding of the Dao Heart. No one could interpret the words “Dao Heart” in the same way as that passage.
There might be cultivators in the world who had comprehended that passage, but they were generally powerful cultivators who had been training for hundreds or thousands of years, and it was impossible for them to interpret the two words “Dao Heart” as clearly and concisely as the “Heavenly Dao” did in about five hundred words.
How did this girl know the answer?
Xiao Tian’s brows furrowed. It did not believe that Pei Lianxue could have come up with this answer on her own. Even if the Young Master of the Hundred Lotus Sect had given her the questions in advance, she could not possibly have written this answer.
At this moment, Pei Lianxue had also finished writing the last word and signed her name at the end.
Without hesitation, she simply glanced over her roughly five-hundred-word answer and then softly announced, “Finished.”
Following this, a halo enveloped her, and Pei Lianxue was teleported out of the examination hall ahead of time.
Feng Yu Die, who had finished writing her answers with Xiao Tian’s help in advance, was slightly taken aback when she saw Pei Lianxue leave. She quickly and softly announced, “Finished,” and was teleported out of the examination hall with Xiao Tian.
Elder Wang, who was guarding the center of the venue, was somewhat surprised to see that both of them had submitted their papers after only writing for two ke*.
“Both of them are so fast?”
He raised an eyebrow and intended to go over to retrieve their papers for examination. However, before he could move, Qi Baishi beside him waved his hand and retrieved Feng Yu Die and Pei Lianxue’s papers using his spiritual power.
“Shouren, did both of them draw the question ‘Dao Heart’?”
“Ah… yes.” Elder Wang cupped his fists.
“The interpretation of the Dao Heart is too abstract for someone their age. I wonder how Taixu Zi taught her…”
“Then please, sir, be lenient when you grade their papers. Both of them are no older than fifteen, and this question is likely too difficult for them.”
“I have my own judgment.”
Qi Baishi stroked his beard, took the two papers from mid-air, and looked at them.
He first examined Feng Yu Die’s paper. Upon seeing the writing that resembled ant tracks, he sighed with exhaustion.
“This handwriting…”
Elder Wang leaned over to take a look and quickly chimed in with a fawning smile, “Haha… that girl has certainly picked up her master’s handwriting. Grand Void True Person’s handwriting has always been a mess.”
“They don’t learn good things, yet they learn these things so well…” Qi Baishi sighed softly, then suppressed his discomfort and began to read the content.
However, as he read, his white eyebrows furrowed suddenly.
The answer was too perfect. So perfect that even if he wanted to find fault and deduct points, he could only deduct a few points for Feng Yu Die’s illegible handwriting.
Qi Baishi sighed, “As expected of Taixu Zi, to be able to comprehend to such an extent.”
He did not believe that Feng Yu Die had comprehended the interpretation of the Dao Heart on the paper herself. He naturally assumed that Taixu Zi had dictated it to her and made her memorize it.
Elder Wang also breathed a sigh of relief at this, saying with a smile, “After all, she is Grand Void True Person’s direct disciple.”
However, the next moment, as Qi Baishi saw Pei Lianxue’s answer, he suddenly slammed the table.
Bang—
“Outrageous!”
This action startled Elder Wang, who quickly asked, “What is it, sir?”
“Take a look for yourself!”
Qi Baishi threw the two examination papers in his hand to Elder Wang.
After receiving them, Elder Wang glanced at them and immediately gasped.
Pei Lianxue’s handwriting was neat and elegant, but her answer was exactly the same as Feng Yu Die’s, word for word.
In the same examination hall, they started the test at the same time, yet their two written essays were identical, even down to the punctuation and pauses.
“…”
Elder Wang couldn’t help but curse inwardly: Those two stupid girls! If they were going to pass answers, they could have at least changed a few words or added something. Writing the exact same thing, weren’t they just asking for trouble?
After a pause, he quickly made an excuse for Pei Lianxue, saying, “Sir, perhaps this is just a coincidence?”
“A coincidence?” Qi Baishi glared at him. “Whether it’s passing answers or receiving them, they will be disqualified with zero points and their qualification for the sect selection will be revoked.”
“Ah… sir, this… Feng Yu Die is a disciple of Grand Void True Person.”
“So what if she’s Taixu Zi’s disciple? I never show leniency to those who break the rules.”
Elder Wang paused, then quickly leaned in and whispered to him, “Sir, Feng Yu Die is not only Taixu Zi’s disciple, but also a descendant of the Saint Emperor. This Xuan Xing Sect…”
“A descendant of the Saint Emperor?” Qi Baishi narrowed his eyes slightly but did not change his decision. “So what? Does the Sect Master intend to grant her special privileges? Heh, then have the Sect Master come and talk to me himself later.”
“…”
Elder Wang was speechless for a moment.
The Sect Master had instructed him earlier to keep an eye on Feng Yu Die and help her a little if possible.
But if Feng Yu Die were truly disqualified by Qi Baishi, he would be in serious trouble later.
After thinking for a moment, he said, “Sir, the matter of whether this is an accident or not has not yet been determined. It needs to be verified with the Heart-Questioning Cauldron. What if it really is a coincidence?”
Looking at him, Qi Baishi was silent for a moment and nodded. “Then bring the two of them back immediately. I will personally question them with the Heart-Questioning Cauldron.”
“Ah… yes.”
……
