Immortal Devil Transformation

Chapter Volume 5 5: Evaluation is Only a Method

Right now, the various departments were holding a great examination ahead of time, but the lecturers didn’t drop the grading standards at all, so for most of the students of various departments, when all of their results from their mandatory and elective courses were totaled up, they still could only pass one or two. Passing three was already quite the accomplishment, so now that they heard someone passed five in a row, they naturally became extremely shocked, feeling both admiration and envy.

Green Luan Academy’s course point reward directly corresponded to rare pill medicines, weapons, and armor. Even though they could still get reevaluated after they came back if they didn’t pass, the more points that were obtained before leaving the academy, the more formidable they would be when they went out, giving them a higher chance of acquiring great achievements, leaving other students far behind themselves.

Even though the students that came out from Green Luan Academy before were always top-notch geniuses, even among students of the same batch, after twenty to thirty years, the difference between the best and the worst was still extremely far.

For example, among the students from Respected Cang Yue’s generation, there were some that just became a leisurely minor seventh rank officer, while Respected Cang Yue already became the extremely revered west suppressing great general, his authority tremendous, a legend the people revered.

“Turns out it’s Third Young Master Xu.”

When they followed the voice to see who it was, the surrounding students instead laughed in self-mockery, becoming calm again.

What most of the students knew was that of their year, there were three individuals whose backgrounds were the most noble.

Wen Xuanyu, Leng Qiuyu, and Yuhua Tianji.

Apart from these three, it would then be Xu Zhenyan’s level of status.

No matter how inferior these people were, as long as they didn’t make any mistakes that were too great, reaching a position of second rank wasn’t too difficult of a matter at all. Their achievements would definitely be above most students’.

This was how people usually were, when they saw people who were naturally inferior to themselves crawl up to their faces, they would definitely feel envy and jealousy, those who were narrow-minded would even be filled with hatred, try to take their place. However, for those who were naturally higher than themselves, no matter how high they went, they instead wouldn’t think too much inside, feeling like it was to be expected and proper.

When he heard that the various low voice discussions and saw that the eyes carrying different emotions were concentrated on himself, Xu Zhenyan felt pleased with himself, a modest smile appearing on his face. He gave Lin Xi a deep look. “That might not necessarily be the case. Who knows, he might indeed have some areas that are outstanding, perhaps even testing better than me.”

Wang Ling moved his jade fan slightly, saying with a smile “Brother Xu, you passed five courses in succession, this type of result is already something that makes us feel ashamed of our inferiority, yet you are still modestly saying you might be less than him. In that case, compared to him, wouldn’t we seem like we are dumb like pigs?”

The students around him immediately laughed, Xu Zhenyan’s eyes also filled with happiness. However, as he saw Lin Xi who walked closer and closer, for some reason, he always felt like the other party gave off a type of feeling that made him uncomfortable.

Normally, regardless of which course it was, when students of other departments saw him, even if they didn’t try to curry favor with him, they would still have some fawning or respectful feelings. However, Lin Xi instead treated him like empty air. Just like right now, when he was pleased with himself, praised by everyone, surrounded like a dazzling flower, Lin Xi didn’t seem to feel like he was anything special at all. Even if his eyes just happened to pass by, they wouldn’t carry any special feeling, just calmly passing by.

“Let’s go, we’ll get tested first.”

Because he didn’t wish for this excellent mood to be ruined by Lin Xi, Xu Zhenyan turned around, not looking at Lin Xi, nodding towards his good friends at his side, and then headed through the entrance.

There were originally several students who were waiting outside the door, already waiting to enter once the students inside finished. However, when they saw Xu Zhenyan and the others walk over, they all tactfully stepped aside, not willing to let this bring their future prospects in the academy any unfavorable influence because of this type of small matter.

In the last twenty to thirty years, facts proved that those with exceptional accomplishments, the academy students who held acknowledged roles in the empire weren’t golden spoons who had great backing, but rather those truly dauntless and unrivaled formidable figures who didn’t hesitate to risk their lives. Apart from this, it was those who knew how to benefit from both sides, the smooth and slick figures who could see the greater situation.

Making friends, hastening blessings and avoiding disaster, weaving one’s social network, in most people’s eyes, this was indispensable wisdom in the royal court.

…

Under many eyes of admiration, Xu Zhenyan walked into Spiritual Studies course’ exam room.

Originally, the one in charge of this Spiritual Studies course was a lecturer named Liu Yan, his age rather young, but for some reason, the one in charge of today’s evaluation was instead one of Spiritual Sacrifice Department’s old professors. Even though his hair was dry and sparse, it was dazzling golden, as if every single strand was gold.

On the long redwood table before him were five eggs of who knew what type of special beast. The shells were black with some sparse white spots.

Xu Zhenyan gave this old professor who was clearly from Yuhua Family a respectful bow. Then, the old professor who was in charge of this examination only slightly nodded in greeting, indicating for Xu Zhenyan to start.

Xu Zhenyan sat down in front of the five black eggs, closing his eyes. His hands slowly moved across every inch of the five eggs. A while later, he opened his eyes, a hint of disappointment flashing past his eyes.

He pointed at the second egg from the left, and then when he saw the old professor nod his head, he got up, giving the lecturer and old professor a respectful bow before withdrawing.

“Brother Xu, how was it?”

When they saw Xu Zhenyan walk out, Wang Ling and the others immediately asked in concern.

Xu Zhenyan shook his head, saying quietly with a slight frown. “I have no idea what those five eggs are from. Even with my perception, I couldn’t sense anything, I don’t have a shred of certainty.”

“Teacher, isn’t this a bit too difficult for them?” At this time, in the exam room, the Spiritual Sacrifice Department lecturer Liu Yan who had just swapped the black shelled eggs around frowned, quietly saying this to the old professor next to him, “Moreover, we already told them that there is one among these that is alive, this in itself is extremely misleading.”

The old professor’s face was originally serious and peaceful, but when he heard the words of the disciple at his side, he also frowned slightly, revealing a hint of displeasure. “Liu Yan, even though it has only been one year since you’ve been promoted to lecturer, you already followed me for two years before. You should understand that our Spiritual Sacrifice Department’s ultimate objective is to help Yunqin foster priests with noble and pure hearts. Moreover, even if it is only priests who have just obtained qualifications, they must still be able to defy threats and violence, dare to doubt, be able to make decisions themselves. If one’s perception isn’t high enough, they naturally cannot pass this test. However, if their perception is high enough, but they don’t dare to make the correct judgment because of what we said at the start, then they naturally can’t pass our Spiritual Sacrifice Department’s course evaluation. The evaluation is merely a method, it isn’t the goal. If this test can make them understand some more principles, leave them with deeper impressions, then it will be far more useful than giving out two points for no reason.”

Liu Yan’s expression became a bit firm, nodding, and then he didn’t say anything else.

…

Xu Zhenyan’s good friends also entered the exam room one after another.

Those people were originally still a bit worried that if they really did end up sensing which one it was, passing, but Xu Zhenyan didn’t, then it would make Xu Zhenyan look bad, but after they entered the exam room, Wang Ling and the others instead released a sigh of relief.

It was because they had no idea what kind of eggs these five were. There was no way of recognizing just which one was different by relying on their perception. They could only randomly point at an egg without any confidence.

When they saw that Xu Zhenyan didn’t intend on leaving, Wang Ling and the others naturally knew that he wanted to see how Lin Xi’s test went. Thus, they all gave Lin Xi who was waiting in queue a look filled with malicious intent before withdrawing to the side.

Lin Xi didn’t notice Wang Ling and the others’ gazes.

Ever since his aptitude was declared to be two, ever since he became Self Defense Department’s heaven’s choice, he was always surrounded by all types of weird looks, moreover, he was completely unaware of Xu Zhenyan’s background to begin with. When he walked into the exam room, he was only a bit curious as to why the evaluation for Spiritual Studies course today was similar to the one that Spiritual Sacrifice Department held by Summer Spirit Lake.

While carrying this type of attitude, Lin Xi entered the spacious and empty exam room. Just like the previous students, he first gave the Spiritual Sacrifice Lecturer and old professor a respectful greeting, and then he sat down in front of the long table.

After closing his eyes and sensing the surroundings for a moment, Lin Xi frowned, and then opened his eyes.

He wasn’t in a hurry to make his decision, instead respectfully asking, “Teacher, what kind of spiritual beast’s eggs are these?”

The solemnly silent old professor wasn’t impatient either. After giving him a look, he slowly said, “These are the eggs of our Heaven Ascension Mountain Range’s Frost Crow.”

Lin Xi continued to seriously ask, “If there are dead eggs that cannot be bred, will there be a huge difference between them and eggs that can be bred?”

The old professor frowned, raising his head, seemingly a bit displeased. He gave Lin Xi an expressionless look, and then nodded. “There are differences, you can tell just from the color.”

“Many thanks to teacher for dispelling my doubts.”

Lin Xi smiled, and then he reached out a hand, sticking out two fingers. With a kacha sound, a Frost Crow’s egg was broken.

Ink-black egg white and a slightly red yolk flowed out, the odor a bit fowl. Moreover, the yolk that flowed out immediately separated. This was clearly a dead egg that couldn’t give birth at all.

However, even though Lin Xi broke a dead egg, his actions really were still a bit too daring.

The entire exam room, inside and out, became sluggish. Xu Zhenyan and the others were gathered close to the entrance, when they saw Lin Xi’s movements, the jade fan holding Wang Ling was beyond shocked. He directly shouted fiercely in alarm, “What are you doing!... Lin Xi, you actually dare destroy the things used in the exam!”

Lin Xi didn’t care about the reactions of the people outside at all, after breaking one Frost Crow egg, he directly struck the second one.

“Wait!” Right at this time, the old professor instead narrowed his eyes slightly, saying this while looking at Lin Xi seriously.

When he saw that both this old professor and Liu Yan both didn’t seem to be truly furious and how they were about to stop him, Lin Xi stopped. He looked at this old professor, waiting for what he had to say.

The old professor narrowed his eyes, looking calmly at Lin Xi, saying with a serious voice, “According to the rules of my evaluation, examinees naturally aren’t permitted to break these Frost Crow eggs.”

Lin Xi nodded. “This student knows.”

The old professor also nodded. “Then will you still continue to break the eggs?”

Lin Xi nodded. “I will break them.”