Chapter 27 – A Tool Delivered Right to the Doorstep

Though Lu Chen was unaware of the teachers’ confusion outside the secret realm, he could roughly guess the reason.

After all, when he had previously searched for Azure Darkwood, the first place he looked was the school’s Treasure Pavilion.

Yet there was no Azure Darkwood in the Treasure Pavilion.

But now, within the secret realm, he had encountered Azure Profound Trees that didn’t exist outside.

What did this mean?

It meant these Azure Profound Trees had either appeared so recently that the school hadn’t yet placed them in the Treasure Pavilion.

Or the value of Azure Darkwood was so great that the school didn’t want to put it in the Treasure Pavilion.

But either way, this represented his best opportunity to obtain Azure Darkwood.

Even if the school later placed this Azure Darkwood in the Treasure Pavilion, wouldn’t he still need to exchange credits for it?

And right now… he could completely get it for free!

Getting things for free might be shameful, but it brought joy.

Lu Chen would never let slip any opportunity to get something for nothing.

“Chopping trees in the game, chopping trees in reality.”

“This world… is truly marvelous.”

After a moment of reflection, Lu Chen immediately raised his Magic Sword and began his lumberjack enterprise.

Thump, thump, thump…

Soon, rhythmic chopping sounds echoed through the quiet Five Springs Mountain Realm.

First playing games during the exam, now chopping trees during the exam.

In the teachers’ eyes, Lu Chen was no longer just a game-addicted youth.

But a strange youth addicted to both games and rebellion!

After all, what proper student… would chop trees during an exam!

Could you at least show some respect for the school, some respect for us teachers who prepared the exam questions!

Six hours into the mock exam.

Though only six hours had passed, the original 92 examinees had already dwindled to 50.

A full 42 students had been eliminated, nearly half.

However, with the reduction in examinee numbers and other students finding their original first-phase teammates,

The elimination rate would certainly begin to slow, until nearing the end of the second exam phase.

Only then would intense battles erupt again, accelerating the elimination process.

As for all this, Lu Chen, wholly focused on woodcutting, paid no mind.

You fight your battles, I chop my trees – we all have bright futures ahead!

Meanwhile, in a forest one kilometer from Lu Chen’s location.

A Heaven’s Path Class student acting alone had surrounded five Earth Class students.

That’s right, one person surrounding five.

“Bian Shouyi, are you sure you want to fight all five of us?”

“Even with your Innate Sword Physique and clear sword heart, you’re only at the seventh layer of Qi Condensation Stage.”

“If all five of us attack together, you can’t be certain of victory.”

“Rather than both sides suffering losses, wouldn’t it be better if we each took a step back and went our separate ways?”

Facing the five Earth Class students’ persuasion, Bian Shouyi remained unmoved, still advancing slowly toward them with sword in hand.

An intangible Sword Intent emanated from him, like a sharp sword revealing its edge, too dazzling to look at directly.

Seeing this, the five Earth Class students’ expressions grew even more unpleasant.

Damn, damn, damn, why did they have to encounter this freak Bian Shouyi, who only wanted to spar and temper his Sword Intent, right after they finally managed to gather together?Watching Bian Shouyi approaching steadily, the five exchanged glances before finally reaching a decision.

You, Bian Shouyi, may be strong, but the five of us aren’t pushovers either.

Even a cornered rabbit will bite—if all five of us attack together, sheer numbers should overwhelm you!

You forced this upon us. So you’re the Sword Obsessed from the Heaven’s Path Class? Today, we’ll let you taste defeat!

“Attack together!”

“Agreed!”

Bian Shouyi observed the five who had ceased fleeing and were now charging toward him.

His icy, expressionless face finally shifted, his eyes gradually brightening.

As excitement surfaced on his features, he murmured to himself, “My father once said, the sword is the king of all weapons. Thus, those who wield it should seek righteousness directly, not through deceit.”

“Therefore, a Sword Cultivator’s shame lies not in death, but in turning their back… to the enemy.”

At this, Bian Shouyi lifted his head to face the five.

Beneath his disheveled bangs, his gaze was clear and resolute.

He had always known where his path lay, never lost in doubt.

As the five rushed toward him, Bian Shouyi drew the long sword at his waist and declared earnestly, “I am Shouyi—the one who guards the mean. My Sword Path… does not permit retreat.”

“Fellow students, I seek your guidance.”

Half an incense stick later…

“Madman! Bian Shouyi, you’re truly a madman! Someone as inflexible as you won’t achieve anything, not just in this exam, but in the future too!”

The last member of the Earth Class quintet shouted curses at Bian Shouyi while being teleported away.

Yet Bian Shouyi remained utterly unmoved by these words.

Only after the person had completely vanished did he lower his head to glance at his sword and whisper, “I don’t desire flexibility. I only wish to walk my path farther than anyone else…”

With these words, Bian Shouyi strode directly toward a certain direction in the forest.

He didn’t know why he was heading there, but an intuition told him that only by taking this route could he find what he sought.

“Six hours to chop down just one tree. It seems the Azure Profound Trees here are much older than those in the game.”

Lu Chen wiped the sweat from his forehead, smiling at the fruits of his six-hour labor.

An unexpected delight, truly an unexpected delight.

As the saying goes, freeloading brings momentary joy, but consistent freeloading brings eternal bliss.

Who would have thought he could exploit the school’s resources during an exam!

At this moment, things like mock exams and credits were completely pushed to the back of Lu Chen’s mind.

His eyes held only the endless expanse of Azure Profound Trees before him.

“I’ll rest a bit, then later…”

Just as Lu Chen prepared to take a short break before resuming his lumberjack endeavors, a sharp whistling sound suddenly pierced the air.

In an instant, Lu Chen vanished from his original position.

The next moment, a sharp Sword Qi pierced through his afterimage and struck a nearby tree stump.

The Azure Profound Tree stump, comparable in toughness to a Body Cultivator at the ninth layer of the Qi Condensation Stage, now bore a thumb-deep sword mark—a testament to the Sword Qi’s power.

“…Bian Shouyi?”

Lu Chen, who had retreated to a clearing, looked at Bian Shouyi in surprise. He hadn’t provoked this Sword Obsessed fellow, so why had he suddenly targeted him?

“Is there something you need?”

In response to Lu Chen’s inquiry, Bian Shouyi offered no explanation but instead raised his sword excitedly.”Classmate, please advise.”

Lu Chen looked at Bian Shouyi’s intense Battle Intent and rubbed his temples with a headache.

Compared to fighting a Sword Obsessed individual, what he really wanted right now was to peacefully continue being a lumberjack.

After all, duels could happen anytime, but opportunities to get free labor didn’t come every day.

However, based on his understanding of Bian Shouyi, once this Sword Obsessed member of the Heaven’s Path Class set his mind on something,

he wouldn’t give up easily – quite the troublesome fellow.

What a predicament…

Just as Lu Chen was contemplating countermeasures, he inadvertently noticed the sword marks on a nearby tree stump.

A bold idea instantly emerged in his mind.

If he remembered correctly, while Bian Shouyi might be stubborn, he was also a man of his word.

If he made helping with lumberjacking the bet, Bian Shouyi probably wouldn’t break his promise if he lost.

The perfect toolman!

Not only that, if Bian Shouyi could become his lumberjacking toolman, couldn’t other classmates do the same too!

At this thought, Lu Chen felt like Columbus discovering the New World – his perspective suddenly broadened.

Even the way he looked at Bian Shouyi became more interesting.

With this strength, this Sword Qi… Bian Shouyi, you were born to chop wood!

(End of Chapter)