Volume 1 Chapter 24: Junior Sister, This Is Cheating

Volume 1 Chapter 24: Junior Sister, This Is Cheating         

While the examinees who had entered the venue earlier were still scratching their heads and agonizing over the question, both Pei Lengxue and Feng Yudie had already filled out most of their exam papers.

Naturally, this scene didn’t escape the eyes of Elder Wang and the white-bearded elder standing beside him.

The white-bearded elder stroked his long beard and asked, “Shouren, what’s the background of those two girls? You brought them into the exam grounds yourself.”

Upon hearing this, Wang Shaoren immediately bowed respectfully and replied, “That girl with silver-white hair is the direct disciple of True Immortal Tai Xu, so this disciple personally escorted her.”

“Tai Xu? That little lass has taken in a disciple?”

“Yes. Her name is Feng Yudie, a Heavenly Spiritual Root talent. As for the other girl—she’s her attendant.”

The white-bearded elder’s eyes, half-hidden beneath his long brows, opened slightly. He glanced in Feng Yudie’s direction and chuckled softly.

“Now that you mention it, I do see a trace of that rascal in her.”

—This white-bearded elder was named Qi Baishi, one of the Profound Star Sect Elder and the Head of the Profound Star Sect’s Dragon Star Academy. Though only at the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm and not among the sect’s most powerful, nearly all of the current elders of Profound Star Sect had once been his students. 

Wang Shaoren hurried forward to pour him tea, inwardly praying that Feng Yudie and Pei Lengxue would behave themselves and answer the exam questions properly—without pulling any of the sneaky tricks they’d whispered about on the way here.

If Elder Qi caught them cheating, he would most certainly erupt in fury. And then it would be up to him to bear the brunt of it and beg for mercy on Feng Yudie’s behalf.

Unfortunately, Feng Yudie was already thinking about how to pass the answers to Pei Lengxue.

“Xiaotian, go check how Junior Sister Pei is doing. See if there’s any way to send her the answer.”

Xiaotian sighed helplessly. Putting away its Heavenly Dao Scriptures, it floated off toward Pei Lengxue’s desk. The defensive formations around each desk couldn’t stop it.

『Let me take a look.』

Pei Lengxue and Feng Yudie were seated quite far apart. Xiaotian drifted for quite a while before arriving at her side.

Seeing her writing diligently, it figured that kid from the Hundred Lotus Sect—Ye something—had probably prepped her in advance.

That Ye brat somehow managed to get wind of Profound Star Sect’s exam topic ahead of time.

However, the moment Xiaotian saw what was written on Pei Lengxue’s paper, it was stunned.

Her answer was identical, word for word, to the passage it had just read aloud from the Heavenly Dao Scriptures for Feng Yudie!

『What the—』

There were countless valid ways to interpret the concept of “Dao Heart.”

But the passage Xiaotian had read to Feng Yudie wasn’t just any answer—it was the Heavenly Dao’s own explanation. No mortal, no matter how wise, could articulate the concept of “Dao Heart” with the same clarity and depth contained in those 500-some words.

Yes, some powerful cultivators who had trained for centuries might have independently grasped its meaning—but even they wouldn’t be able to express it the way the Heavenly Dao did.

So how in the world did this girl know that answer?

Xiaotian frowned deeply. It didn’t believe for a second that Pei Lengxue came up with this on her own. And even if that Hundred Lotus Sect brat had guessed the topic ahead of time, there’s no way he could have taught her to write this exact answer.

By this time, Pei Lengxue had already finished writing the last character. She signed her name at the bottom of the paper.

She didn’t hesitate—just gave her essay a quick glance and then softly said, “Finished.”

A shimmering light enveloped her, and she was instantly teleported out of the examination grounds.

Meanwhile, across the arena, Feng Yudie—who had just finished copying down the answer Xiaotian read for her—was stunned to see Pei Lengxue disappear. She blinked, then hurriedly called out, “Finished,” and let the teleportation formation whisk her out as well, taking Xiaotian with her.

Watching from the center of the arena, Wang Shaoren was surprised to see both of them finish the exam after just two incense sticks worth of time.

“Both of them finished the test that fast?”

He raised an eyebrow, intending to go over and take a look at their papers himself—but before he could take a step, Qi Baishi beside him waved his hand, summoning the exam papers of Feng Yudie and Pei Lengxue with spiritual sense.

“Shouren, both of them drew the question ‘Dao Heart’, didn’t they?”

“Ah, yes,” Wang Shaoren replied with a respectful bow.

“The concept of the Dao Heart is far too abstract for people their age. I wonder how Tai Xu taught them…”

“Then I must trouble you, sir, to be lenient in grading. Both girls are only fifteen—this topic is likely far beyond them.”

“Don’t worry, I know where to draw the line.”

Qi Baishi stroked his beard and took the two papers from midair, then looked upward to begin reading.

He began with Feng Yudie’s paper. Upon seeing the crabbed, tiny script that looked like ants crawling across the page, he let out a tired sigh.

“This handwriting…”

Wang Shaoren leaned in and took a look, then quickly chuckled and chimed in, “Haha… Well, that girl definitely inherited her master’s handwriting. True Immortal Tai Xu’s writing has always been chicken-scratch.”

“Of all the things to copy… she had to learn that to perfection…” Qi Baishi sighed again, suppressing his irritation as he continued reading.

But as he read, his thick white brows suddenly furrowed.

The answer was simply too flawless. Even if he wanted to deduct points, he could only take a few off for the nearly illegible handwriting.

Qi Baishi sighed.

“As expected of that rascal disciple… this Yudie is able to comprehend things to this degree.”

He didn’t believe for a second that Feng Yudie came up with this answer on her own. Naturally, he assumed Tai Xu must’ve dictated it to her and had her memorize it beforehand.

Upon hearing that, Wang Shaoren secretly breathed a sigh of relief and smiled.

“She is the personal disciple of True Immortal Tai Xu, after all.”

However, in the next instant—when Qi Baishi saw Pei Lengxue’s paper—he suddenly slammed the table.

Smack!

“Utter nonsense!”

The sound startled Wang Shaoren, who quickly asked, “What’s wrong, sir?”

“See for yourself!”

Qi Baishi threw both exam papers at him.

Wang Shaoren took them and quickly scanned both—then couldn’t help but gasp.

Pei Lengxue’s handwriting was neat and elegant, a clear contrast to Feng Yudie’s messy scrawl—but the content of the answers was identical, word for word.

Same question, same start time, and two people submitted answers that didn’t differ by even a punctuation mark.

“… …”

Wang Shaoren couldn’t help cursing inwardly:

‘You two stupid girls! If you’re going to pass along answers, at least change a few words or add a sentence or two! Copying it verbatim? You’re asking to get caught!’

After a moment’s pause, he hurriedly tried to cover for them.

“Sir, perhaps… it was just a coincidence?”

“Coincidence?” Qi Baishi shot him a glare. “Whether it’s the one who gave the answer or the one who received it—both will be given a score of zero, and their exam qualification will be revoked!”

“Ah… but sir, Feng Yudie is True Immortal Tai Xu’s disciple…”

“And what of it?” Qi Baishi said coldly. “Even if she’s Tai Xu’s disciple, those who break the rules will find no mercy from me.”

Wang Shaoren hesitated, then leaned in and whispered, “Sir… Feng Yudie isn’t just Tai Xu’s disciple—she’s also of the Immortal Emperor bloodline. Within our Profound Star Sect…”

“Immortal Emperor’s bloodline?” Qi Baishi narrowed his eyes slightly but did not waver in his judgment.

“So what? Does the Sect Master plan to give her special treatment? Hmph—then have her come speak to me directly.”

“… …”

Wang Shaoren found himself at a loss for words.

The Sect Master had previously instructed him to keep an eye on Feng Yudie—to offer some quiet assistance if possible.

But if Qi Baishi really disqualified Feng Yudie, he was sure to get an earful when he returned.

After thinking for a moment, he said, “Sir, we don’t yet have conclusive evidence that this wasn’t a coincidence. Why don’t we use the Heart-Questioning Cauldron to verify the truth? What if… it really was just happenstance?”

Qi Baishi looked at him in silence for a few moments, then finally gave a nod.

“Very well. Go retrieve the two girls at once. I’ll question them with the Heart-Questioning Cauldron myself.”

“Understood.”