Chapter 120: Sorry, Zhen
In two months, go to the second layer with Zhang Pianpian?
Just as Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen were struck with astonishment, Zhang Pianpian continued, “In less than two months, the college entrance exams will begin.”
“After the exams, I will head to the second layer of Kunxu to attend interviews.”
“Under normal circumstances, students who pass their interviews will stay at the university. After all, time is tight, and all university students have to start their classes before enrollment.”
“So in two months, I will no longer be able to watch over you in Songyang City.”
Zhang Pianpian turned her head and looked at Zhang Yu, saying, “But as I said before, I have prepared a path for you: the Prodigy Class at Myriad Laws University.”
Zhang Yu knew of Myriad Laws University. It was the university directly under the Myriad Laws Sect, one of the Ten Great Sects, and was one of the ten top-tier universities.
Groups like the Immortal Resonance Group, the Deep Sea Education Group, the Myriad Stars Group… even Songyang High and White Dragon High, if one traced their lineage upward, could all be considered under the Myriad Laws Sect. From the perspective of the sect above, the competition between these companies and schools was all internal.
But… the Prodigy Class? What was that? Zhang Yu searched his memories but couldn’t recall anything about it.
“Sis, what is this Prodigy Class? Can I enroll as a first-year? I can enter university now?”
Zhang Pianpian explained, “The so-called Prodigy Class is a place where Myriad Laws University makes exceptions to recruit from first-year high school students, gathering a group of Immortal Dao geniuses for early cultivation. So yes, you can become a university student as a first-year.”
“The main applicants for the Prodigy Class are generally first-year students from the second layer, which is why very few people on the first layer know about it.”
Zhang Yu understood; it was a shortcut for the elites of the second layer.
Zhang Pianpian continued, “Your competition results recently have been excellent. As long as you place in the top three in the upcoming Dao heart competition and use your prize money and endorsement fees from this time to drastically improve your Daoist arts, you should meet the application requirements for the Myriad Laws University Prodigy Class.”
“Once you pass the Prodigy Class exam, you can enter Myriad Laws University with me.”
Hearing this, Zhang Yu’s heart filled with joy, especially at the thought of being able to bypass the inescapable net woven by the rich of Songyang City to stop the ‘poor from entering the Ten Greats,’ and he would no longer have to worry about the dangers after Zhang Pianpian left.
But the next moment, he turned to look at Bai Zhenzhen beside him and asked Zhang Pianpian, “Sis, what about Zhen? Are her results good enough to apply for the Prodigy Class?”
Zhang Yu had been worried about Bai Zhenzhen’s competition results.
Although Zhen’s rate of progress was already astonishing, and her results of top four in the martial arts meet and top five in the athletics meet were definitely excellent, but…
Zhang Pianpian shook her head. “I’m afraid she doesn’t meet the standard for the Prodigy Class.”
Hearing this, Zhang Yu’s heart sank. He turned his head again to look at Bai Zhenzhen.
But he saw Bai Zhenzhen force a smile. “It’s okay, Yu-boy. You guys go to the second layer of Kunxu and be my advance team. I’ll be up in another two years.”
Zhang Yu didn’t answer, instead looking at Zhang Pianpian and saying, “Sis, is there no way to make an exception? Can we use connections to buy a spot in the Prodigy Class exam?”
Hearing this, Bai Zhenzhen’s breathing quickened slightly. She looked nervously at Zhang Pianpian, her hands having unconsciously clenched into tight fists.
Facing their gazes, Zhang Pianpian said in a flat tone, “It can’t be done.”
“You need to understand that when it comes to crossing class boundaries, there are many rules in Kunxu that cannot be defied.”
“If you want to climb up layer by layer, there is no other way besides results and exams.”
“Only by passing one assessment after another within the scope of the rules, obtaining sufficiently outstanding results, and earning the required certificates can you climb higher in Kunxu.”
“This is the iron law of Kunxu. Anyone who tries to violate this law will only be met with a thunderous blow…”
Hearing these words, Bai Zhenzhen’s heart trembled.
In the ensuing silence, Bai Zhenzhen suddenly laughed. “I said it’s fine, Yu-boy. You go on up and compete with the second-layer elites first. I’ll stay in Songyang and suppress all the rich people here before I go up.”
Though she said this, Bai Zhenzhen knew she wasn’t telling the truth.
She really… really didn’t want to be left alone in Songyang City.
But there’s no other way. I can’t ask A’Yu to give up his chance to go to university and stay here with me, can I?
If I said something like that, A’Yu and I wouldn’t even be able to be friends anymore, right?
Just then, Zhang Yu spoke again. “Sis, is there really no way to take Zhen with us?”
A chill rose from the depths of Zhang Yu’s heart, because before his next words could even leave his mouth, the ritual’s countdown began in his mind.
It was as if it was urging him to hurry and seize this opportunity to get into university.
But under the pressure of this chill, Zhang Yu paused, and finally spoke the words he had to say, words the ritual did not want him to say.
Because he knew that if he didn’t ask this question, he would never be at peace.
Zhang Yu said, “Or… if I stay behind, do you think Zhen and I could take the normal route and get into the Ten Greats? Like you did, Sis?”
But Zhang Pianpian shook her head. “My path was only suitable for me. You can’t walk it.”
“Idiot!” the evil god, disguised as a prayer bead, cursed. “Have you lost your mind?”
“It’s perfect if you can’t take Bai Zhenzhen with you! Kill her, and take her spiritual root.”
“Relying on the resources of Myriad Laws University, plus your talent and her spiritual root, reaching the Nascent Soul realm within one or two hundred years will be no problem at all! Financial freedom and cultivation freedom will be within your grasp in the future!”
At this moment, the evil god felt nothing but incomparable rage.
It felt as if it had never seen such a moron, someone ten times stupider than the poorest, lowliest, most foolish mortal it had ever tricked.
“Damn pauper! You deserve to eat dirt on the first layer of Kunxu for the rest of your life!”
And Bai Zhenzhen, hearing Zhang Yu’s words, also spoke up. “Are you being stupid? Yu-boy, if you have a chance to get into the Ten Greats, you should hurry up and take it…”
Looking at Bai Zhenzhen’s forced cheerful expression, Zhang Yu said suddenly, “You’ll be played to death, Zhen.”
“Zhen, if we both leave and you’re the only one left here, those people will play you to death.”
Hearing this, Bai Zhenzhen fell silent.
Especially after this period of time, after gaining a deeper understanding of the Student Council, the high school, and the corporations’ methods, and after training hard with Zhang Yu and studying under Zhang Pianpian’s care.
Bai Zhenzhen found that she could no longer face moving forward alone as calmly as she had in the past.
And as Zhang Yu’s words laid bare the very things she had just been deliberately trying not to think about, not to contemplate.
At this moment, Bai Zhenzhen felt as if her entire being had been plunged into a frozen lake. Before her was an endless darkness and cold, and she could only sink deeper and deeper, unable to see the path ahead.
So scared…
I’m so scared…
Bai Zhenzhen wanted to say something, wanted to smile and tell Zhang Yu to be rational and go to the second layer first.
But the fear of the future, the terror of the devouring darkness around her, made it impossible for her to speak those words with composure once more.
Sorry, Yu-boy… Bai Zhenzhen lowered her head, her fists clenched tighter and tighter, her heart filled with bitterness. I’m too useless. I really… really can’t just tell you to go.
On the other side, Zhang Yu looked at Zhang Pianpian, as if waiting for her answer.
But with Zhang Pianpian’s silence, the chill from the bottom of Zhang Yu’s heart grew deeper and deeper.
Clearly, the power of the ritual, which had always been the force pushing Zhang Yu to study hard, cultivate diligently, and get into a top-ten university.
At this moment, it could not tolerate Zhang Yu giving up such an opportunity to enter Myriad Laws University.
“Please abide by the ritual’s agreement. Work hard to fulfill the wish. Do not deliberately slack off or delay. 5.”
“Please abide by the ritual’s agreement. Work hard to fulfill the wish. Do not deliberately slack off or delay. 4.”
As the countdown in his ears neared its limit, Zhang Yu knew his time was running out.
He could not hold on any longer.
At this moment, he thought, Sorry, Zhen.
But if I insist on staying… this ritual will just kill me.
Not daring to look at Bai Zhenzhen beside him, Zhang Yu knew that he had to accept Zhang Pianpian’s plan before the countdown ended.
The qi and blood in his body surged violently.
A furious rage rose in his mind. This broken world, this trash Kunxu world…
Just as Zhang Yu was about to speak at the last moment, a sigh escaped Zhang Pianpian’s lips.
“Sigh, I knew it. You two are really… must you go together?”
Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen’s heads snapped up, their eyes wide as they looked at Zhang Pianpian.
Sensing the expectation in their eyes, Zhang Pianpian said helplessly, “If you don’t join the Prodigy Class, it means that after I leave, you must stay on the first layer of Kunxu, honestly finish three years of high school, take the college entrance exam, and get into a university.”
“Without my protection, to avoid the rich families’ siege and get into the Ten Greats in the next two years… I can only think of one other way.”
“But this way is difficult, extremely difficult. Even I, in my three years of high school, never managed to succeed.”
Zhang Pianpian’s words about ‘another way’ stopped the countdown in Zhang Yu’s mind, and made him ask impatiently, “What way?”
“The way is…” Zhang Pianpian said slowly, “after I leave, before you graduate from high school, you get your Foundation Establishment certificate while you’re still in school.”
What?!
That was the Foundation Establishment certificate!
Zhang Yu thought to himself, Why does your tone make it sound as simple as ‘pass the Level Four English exam before graduating high school’? That’s the Foundation Establishment certificate, not some English test.
A Foundation Establishment certificate that many university students couldn’t pass, and you want high school students to take the test?
Besides, could high school students even take the exam for the Foundation Establishment certificate?
And how could they possibly get the certificate before graduating from high school?
Zhang Yu asked in shock, “The Foundation Establishment certificate? Isn’t that… something only university students can test for?”
Bai Zhenzhen, equally stunned, said from the side, “Can high school students take the test for the Foundation Establishment certificate?”