C9 The Evil Girl Made Things Difficult for Him.

Hsiao Rann never anticipated that he would spend the entire night in cultivation.

It must be acknowledged that the legacy left by the Pill Sovereign was truly remarkable. Despite practicing the Body Refining Chart all night, Hsiao Rann didn't feel the slightest bit fatigued. On the contrary, he was brimming with energy. Moreover, he could distinctly sense his body undergoing a profound change.

As dawn broke, Hsiao Rann completed the final movement. He felt invigorated, as though he had just taken a refreshing cold shower on a sweltering summer day.

"This sense of comfort is simply incredible," Hsiao Rann exclaimed. Clearly, he was growing increasingly convinced of his potential to advance to a Qi Refiner.

The Pill Sovereign's recollections suggested that the optimal time for Qi Refiners to practice was at night, when all was still. Vital Energy surged during the day, making the night the prime time for Qi Refiners to absorb it. With the sunrise, Hsiao Rann ceased his practice of the Body Refining Chart. After freshening up, he set out for school.

Northwest Polytechnic University was a good ten miles from his home. The morning rush meant that taking the bus to school could take an hour or more.

But this was routine for Hsiao Rann.

So when he reached the school gates, he had just ten minutes to spare before his first class.

Hsiao Rann was currently the least popular student in the Ancient Literature Department, having been reassigned there by the school.

As he entered the classroom, all eyes turned to him. A slender young man named Zhao Yan approached him with a warm welcome. They had met as freshmen during registration and had become quite familiar. Zhao Yan smiled, clapped Hsiao Rann on the shoulder, and said, "Hsiao Rann, you're back! You've become quite the celebrity around here. Not only did you play the hero, but you also had that close call with a meteor. A couple of days ago, some of our classmates went to visit you while you were still out cold. I'm amazed at how quickly you've bounced back."

After finishing his remarks, he recited a few lines of ancient poetry to celebrate Hsiao Rann's return to health. Zhao Yan's eloquence was a testament to his scholarly achievements in the Ancient Literature Department. Yet, Hsiao Rann was all too familiar with Zhao Yan's penchant for showing off. With a slight smile, Hsiao Rann chose not to engage further on the subject.

"Thank you, I'm doing quite well."

As Hsiao Rann prepared to bypass Zhao Yan and take his seat, he noticed the other students staring at him with a mix of odd expressions and avoidance.

Hsiao Rann's brow furrowed slightly as he wondered, "What's going on here?"

He was certain their behavior wasn't a result of the library incident from days past. Clearly, something else had transpired recently. Despite having mastered the Qi Gazing Technique, Hsiao Rann lacked the ability to read minds.

With a hint of confusion, Hsiao Rann resumed his conversation with Zhao Yan, casually inquiring, "Zhao Yan, anything happen in class while I was away these past couple of days?"

"Besides your hospital visit, I can't say there's been much else," Zhao Yan replied nonchalantly. After a pause, he added, "Actually, there has been one thing... and it involves you."

Intrigued, Hsiao Rann was about to question further when Zhao Yan leaned in and murmured, "I've heard that our counselor was reprimanded by the school leadership because of that library incident. She's been looking for you every day."

Hsiao Rann had harbored such concerns since his hospital stay but hadn't anticipated the counselor would actually seek him out.

His frown deepened, and he grew more alert. He doubted the counselor's intentions were benign, especially since she had faced disciplinary action because of him.

Zhao Yan feigned concern, advising, "Bro, take care these next few days."

Hsiao Rann didn't give much thought to Zhao Yan's eagerness to witness the unfolding events. He simply nodded, offered a brief smile, and settled into his seat.

Hsiao Rann had braced himself for the counselor's lack of leniency, but he felt helpless to alter the outcome. Thus, he was resigned to accept whatever punishment the counselor deemed fit.

Despite Hsiao Rann's thorough preparations, he hadn't anticipated the counselor would seek him out so swiftly. The sharp click of high heels on the corridor floor outside the classroom sent a wave of anxiety across his face.

As the counselor's presence became known, his classmates turned their gaze to Hsiao Rann, sensing the trouble that was brewing for him. The door to the classroom was flung open, revealing a figure standing 1.5 meters tall and weighing nearly 100 kilograms.

This was none other than Hsiao Rann's counselor, the infamous Old Spinster, Fong Mann. Everyone braced themselves, wondering how she would deal with Hsiao Rann this time.

Contrary to expectations, Fong Mann, upon entering the classroom and laying eyes on Hsiao Rann seated at his desk, refrained from exploding in anger. Instead, she remained eerily composed.

Murmurs of confusion spread among the students. "She's behaving quite oddly today."

Hsiao Rann sat with an unwavering serious demeanor. Since mastering the Qi Gazing Technique, he was far from ordinary. Unbeknownst to the others, he noticed a faint smile curling at the edge of Fong Mann's lips.

With a decisive application of the Qi Gazing Technique, Hsiao Rann detected an ominous green glow emanating from Fong Mann's face—a sure sign of malevolence.

The thought of Fong Mann's impending punishment sent a shiver of nervousness through him. And as expected, without giving him much time to ponder, she slammed her hefty arms onto the lectern, casting a palpable sense of intimidation over the room.

"Students, you've been diligently working on your graduation theses. I commend your hard work," she announced.

Something was definitely off with Fong Mann, and the students took notice.

"I've just been informed by the department that students in the Ancient Literature Department are no longer required to submit their graduation theses."

Could it be that all the Ancient Literature students were now assured a smooth graduation?

The news was so unexpectedly positive that, aside from Hsiao Rann, the room was momentarily stunned into silence before a ripple of elation spread through the crowd. But before they could fully process their good fortune, Fong Mann spoke up once more.

"Per the academy's requirements, we need to assess the knowledge level of our students. Therefore, we will be conducting spot checks with academic tests. Should any selected student fail this test, they will not be permitted to graduate!"

A sharp glint flashed in Fong Mann's eyes as she fixed her gaze on Hsiao Rann, who was seated in the classroom's corner.

With a heavy expression, Hsiao Rann frowned involuntarily.

"Within the month leading up to graduation, we'll be evaluating a number of students' academic performance. I will now announce the list of these students."

Fong Mann pulled a stack of papers from beneath her arm and laid them out on the lectern.

"First up, Hsiao Rann!"

The classroom fell into a hushed silence, all eyes turning to Hsiao Rann, filled with sympathy. It was clear to everyone that Fong Mann was deliberately targeting him.

'So this is how the Old Spinster plans to punish me? If I can't pass this test, she'll prevent me from graduating,' Hsiao Rann mused.

Once he grasped Fong Mann's motives, Hsiao Rann's demeanor became serene, his face betraying no sign of worry or fear.

Rising from his seat, Hsiao Rann met Fong Mann's gaze with unwavering confidence.

"May I ask what the subject of my exam will be?"

The reaction was one of astonishment, not just from the students but from Fong Mann herself, who after a lengthy pause, finally said, "The test will consist of cloze passages."

"In three days, I will extract three thousand sentences from the ancient literature you've studied over the past four years. I will select certain words for you to fill in the blanks!"

The task seemed insurmountable.

Upon hearing Fong Mann's declaration, everyone was taken aback.

The sheer volume of three thousand ancient sentences was daunting, presenting a significant challenge to Hsiao Rann's depth of knowledge. If the sentences were well-known, Hsiao Rann might stand a chance at passing. But it was clear that Fong Mann had no intention of making it easy for him.

Yet, against all odds, Hsiao Rann remained composed even after learning about Fong Mann's rigorous examination topic.

"How many questions must I get right to pass the exam?"

Hsiao Rann offered a frosty smile. To him, it seemed Fong Mann was merely feigning composure.

"You need to achieve a 90% accuracy rate to pass the exam," she declared.

The students murmured among themselves, thinking Fong Mann was being unreasonable. Clearly, she didn't want Hsiao Rann to succeed.

Yet, contrary to everyone's expectations, Hsiao Rann remained unfazed. He even posed a few courteous questions to Fong Mann.

"Ms. Fong, if I pass this assessment, does that mean I've graduated? There's no need for me to attend classes anymore, correct?"

Fong Mann, seeing Hsiao Rann ensnared in her ploy, dropped all pretense and smirked triumphantly.

"Pass, and I'll personally hand you your diploma, allowing you to graduate early!"

Hsiao Rann's excitement was palpable upon hearing the exact words he'd been waiting for.

"Great! I'll look forward to your evaluation in three days!" he accepted the challenge.

The classroom buzzed with disbelief. Could Hsiao Rann truly be serious about this decision? Had he lost his mind?

What they didn't realize was that Hsiao Rann had no fear of Fong Mann's machinations.

Three thousand ancient texts were a trifle to him. Having embraced the Pill Sovereign Lineage and unlocked the full potential of his brain, the task was laughably simple. He had agreed to Fong Mann's terms solely to elicit her final offer: early graduation.

Only with an early graduation could he dedicate enough time to become a Qi Refiner and honor his commitments to Godly Doctor Gu and Elder Soong. Fong Mann's challenges were, in fact, playing right into his hands.