Chapter 17 – Focused on the Game, Unconcerned with Exams

Luocheng High School, Mystic Realm: Five Springs Mountain

“So this is the Five Springs Mountain Realm…”

Lu Chen stood in a forested area of Five Springs Mountain, carefully observing his surroundings.

Unlike the steel jungle of Luocheng filled with skyscrapers, Five Springs Mountain, being a special mystic realm, had exceptionally lush vegetation.

Towering trees reaching five stories high, shrubs as tall as a person, and tough vines covering the ground everywhere.

The scene before him resembled a primeval forest.

Facing such a complex environment, even cultivators had to proceed with caution.

After all, Five Springs Mountain wasn’t just home to them—it also housed a group of vicious demons.

“The first phase of the assessment lasts ten days. I just need to earn thirty points within ten days and safely reach the central area to pass the first phase.”

“According to the exam rules, the first phase shouldn’t involve too intense combat since students can’t attack each other. So during this phase, everyone will likely be in a special relationship of mutual testing and cooperation, hunting demons in Five Springs Mountain together.”

“By the second phase, some organized individuals will probably use their first-phase experiences to form temporary teams with other students nearby, then challenge those particularly strong students who hold large amounts of points.”

“At that point, the pace of the entire exam will accelerate significantly.”

“Within three days, except for a few exceptionally strong individuals, everyone else will likely appear in team formations.”

“Looking at it this way, going solo really isn’t a good choice in this mock exam…”

But what does any of that have to do with me?

After all, from the very beginning, he hadn’t planned to achieve an outstanding score.

He just needed to get a score that exceeded his previous performance.

Therefore, he neither immediately headed toward the central area of Five Springs Mountain nor rushed to find demons to earn points.

Instead, he simply sat down cross-legged before a large tree.

“Mock exams… how could they be more important than games?”

Lu Chen took out his phone and immediately focused on playing.

Compared to competing with other students in the mock exam,

he cared more about his progress in “True Immortal Cultivation.”

After all, he had already reached the third level of the Qi Condensation Stage, just one step away from the fourth level.

One of the completion conditions for the second novice quest was to reach the fourth level of the Qi Condensation Stage.

If not for this mock exam, Lu Chen would have already allocated experience points to his cultivation and found a way to become an Outer Sect Disciple of the Azure Cloud Sect to complete the second novice quest.

But because of the mock exam, Lu Chen had to focus his energy on the exam first, delaying his game progress.

After all, games are games, and reality is reality.

Games can be left idle, but reality can’t.

What he needed to do now was to explore methods for becoming an Outer Sect Disciple of the Azure Cloud Sect while his character completed daily cultivation.

That’s right—just having the cultivation level wasn’t enough to become an Outer Sect Disciple of the Azure Cloud Sect.

Some other conditions needed to be met as well.

Besides, his in-game character faced the same situation as in reality.That was how he should explain the changes in his Spirit Root and Aptitude to the people in the game.

As a cautious person, Lu Chen wasn’t sure what would happen if the Azure Cloud Sect discovered the changes in his Aptitude.

Although the Azure Cloud Sect wasn’t a Demonic Sect, Lu Chen still didn’t want to put himself in the spotlight.

The game’s main world was different from the Instances.

In Instances, one could revive infinitely, but not in the main world.

If he became too conspicuous in the game and attracted unwanted attention,

a single misstep could very well lead to his death and the dissipation of his Dao.

“Food must be eaten bite by bite, and the road must be taken step by step. Any recklessness is a gamble with one’s future.”

“As long as I cultivate step by step, I can grow stronger. There’s no need to engage in dangerous actions.”

“It’s best not to inform the Sect about the changes in my Spirit Root and Aptitude. While exposure might earn the Sect’s attention, it could also bring unforeseen dangers.”

“Moreover, the situation in the Ancient Cultivator Tomb served as a clear warning to me. The Azure Cloud Sect may be powerful now, but their future outcome might not be favorable.”

“If I become too deeply tied to the Azure Cloud Sect, I could very well be dragged into unknown dangers in the future, which would hinder my progress in the game.”

“Although I’m not sure how much the timeline of the Azure Cloud Sect differs from that of the Instances, it’s better to err on the side of caution. I should pay more attention to the Sect’s information going forward…”

Collect the requirements for entering the outer sect, conceal the changes in his Spirit Root as much as possible, and investigate the era’s background in the game’s main world.

At the moment, Lu Chen had far too many things to accomplish in the game.

As for the mock exam? It could wait.

As for his behavior of finding an open space to sit down and play games immediately after entering the Secret Realm, it naturally caught the attention of some proctors outside the realm.

“Which class is this student from? He’s actually playing games during the mock exam! If he doesn’t want to take the exam, he shouldn’t have come. Isn’t this a blatant disregard for the school?”

Chen Fugui broke into a cold sweat when he heard that a teacher had noticed Lu Chen’s antics.

As for Lu Chen’s situation, Chen Fugui had actually noticed it long ago.

But as Lu Chen’s homeroom teacher, he truly didn’t dare to point it out.

Why? Because it was embarrassing!

Unfortunately, Lu Chen couldn’t hear Chen Fugui’s internal screams. Completely absorbed in that damned game, he ended up playing under a tree for a full hour.

Even though he was a student in the Humanity Class and usually didn’t attract much attention from other teachers,

in this particular situation, there were bound to be teachers who would notice.

See? Now it’s been exposed!

“Well, isn’t this Lu Chen from your class, Old Chen? What’s wrong with him? Playing games during the mock exam—is he giving up?”

Li Youquan had somehow made his way to Chen Fugui’s side and spoke in a mocking tone.

Chen Fugui could only offer an awkward smile in response, not daring to say a single word.

If Chen Fugui had high hopes for Lu Chen, wishing for him and Mu Xiaoye to end up together,

then Li Youquan found Lu Chen utterly displeasing in every way.

What are you, trying to whisk away my top-scoring beloved disciple? Get lost!

However, Li Youquan wasn’t the unreasonable type. Although he disliked Lu Chen getting too close to Mu Xiaoye,

he still cared deeply about Mu Xiaoye’s feelings and wouldn’t go out of his way to make things difficult for Lu Chen.

In fact, on many occasions, Li Youquan had been exceptionally considerate toward Lu Chen.There was no helping it; he absolutely did not want to do anything that might affect Mu Xiaoye’s state of mind.

But in other situations, Li Youquan would not hide his disapproval of Lu Chen.

Especially since he was Chen Fugui’s student.

What was Old Chen’s relationship with him?

If Li Youquan was the second most powerful person in all of Luocheng, then Chen Fugui was the second richest man in Luocheng!

Chen Fugui’s father… was the wealthiest man in Luocheng!

The two of them had been teasing and mocking each other since childhood—calling them best friends wouldn’t be an exaggeration.

For any opportunity to criticize Chen Fugui, Li Youquan would undoubtedly charge ahead and lead the charge!

Chen Fugui stared at the image of Lu Chen on the screen and couldn’t help but scream inwardly.

My dear lord, if you want to play games, can’t you do it outside?

My old face is about to be completely shamed by you!

And just as Lu Chen was engrossed in his game, a dark figure silently approached him.

This scene was clearly observed by the teachers outside the Secret Realm, yet Lu Chen seemed completely unaware.

A stern-faced teacher with a square jaw immediately said in a low voice, “A Swiftwind Kamaitachi at the fourth layer of the Qi Condensation Stage… It looks like this kid is about to become the first student eliminated.”

“But that’s also a good thing. If he likes playing games, then let him come out and play! Don’t stay in there making a fool of himself!”

(End of Chapter)