Chapter 46 - Astounding the Crowd

Once all the examinees were seated, Teacher Sun blew a copper whistle, and the Xiyou Bird raised its head, calling out twice with a 'woo woo' sound. With a powerful flap of its wings, it stirred up a strong wind that violently shook the nearby trees, and then it soared up into the sky with the help of the gust.

The examinees on the bird's back were thrill beyond measure.

This bird carriage was not only fast, but the bird driver's excited 'woo woo woo' was exhilarating indeed. It was truly a thrilling experience.

Only Kevin and Pei Jun were left on the clearing.

Kevin, always one to make himself at home, walked up to Pei Jun with a grin and struck up a conversation.

At first, Pei Jun engaged out of politeness, exchanging a few words, but he couldn't stand it for long—Kevin was not only speaking in a strange tone but was also a chatterbox who, once he started talking, wouldn’t stop, louder than five hundred ducks. He didn't just chatter on his own, he insisted on making his conversation partner chatter along, and the topics were extremely dull, neither poetry nor philosophy.

How could Pei Jun tolerate this?

He wasn't Su Mu, who could endure half a day with five hundred ducks as long as the pay was good.

Besides, Pei Jun was naturally not a man of many words.

He had to make an excuse, claiming he needed to call his family with good news, to escape Kevin, and ran into a small grove in the distance, pretending to be on a phone call.

Kevin didn’t follow him, showing he understood social cues.

However, as soon as Pei Jun put away his phone, Kevin immediately tried to approach again.

Seeing this, Pei Jun got scared and quickly took out his phone again, put on earphones, and started mumbling into the phone, pretending to be studying with a 'please do not disturb' demeanor.

Kevin, being a smart man, got the hint. He shrugged with a wry smile, not pursuing the futile effort, and found a stone bench to sit and play with his phone.

Su Mu inside the Shangqing Palace was unaware of the events outside.

Following the recruitment teachers into the palace, he was seated in a bamboo chair.

Wen Wubin personally brewed him a cup of tea, saying with a smile, “Don't be nervous, Student Su Mu. We asked you to stay because we have a few questions for you.”

He paused, then continued, “Here, have a sip of tea first. This is Snow Bud Spiritual Tea from Zhangren Peak of Qingcheng Mountain, prepared with our mountain's unique spiritual mist and dew. It is rich in spiritual qi and regular consumption can purify the internal organs and meridians, strengthening muscles and bones, which is greatly beneficial for spiritual practice. You can't get Snow Bud Spiritual Tea just anywhere else.”

Wen Wubin's words clearly had an underlying motive, especially as he emphasized 'our Qingcheng Mountain's unique'.

This kind of self-promotion didn't sit well with the recruitment teachers from other schools.

But the tea was indeed extraordinary.

The tea leaves were elegantly curled, with white fuzz visible on top, resembling snow dew covering them, a beautiful blend of green and white.

The tea itself was a bright tender green, clear like autumn waters, akin to jade, utterly captivating.

Above the cup, spiritual qi lingered and tumbled, full of charm.

As for the aroma, it was subtle yet enduring, concentrated without being cloying, with a hint of wild mountain essence. Closing one's eyes and inhaling deeply was like standing atop a mountain peak, watching the sunrise and sunset, the ever-changing weather...

It truly lived up to the name 'Spiritual Tea'.

"Thank you, Teacher."

Su Mu cradled the tea in his hands, looking it over and taking in the scent, marveling at its wonder and finding it quite interesting, though it was too hot to drink just yet.

The other recruitment teachers became anxious upon seeing this.

While cursing Wen Wubin internally for his shamelessness in using such tactics to entice Su Mu, they chimed in, "Although the Snow Bud Spiritual Tea from Qingcheng Mountain is delightful, the spiritual tea from our school is also exceptional. You should come and taste ours when you get a chance. Compare them and see which tea suits your palate better; after all, you'll want to drink it often."

Wen Wubin remained silent but shot the others a glaring look, which they returned without hesitation.

Although they refrained from the previous overt arguments, their rivalry was still intense, albeit more subtle in front of Su Mu.

"Let's talk business," interjected Wu Jian, casting a disapproving glance at the teachers comparing teas.

Well, mainly because the Southwest University of Science, Technology, and Cultivation didn't offer a Spiritual Plants major, hence no spiritual tea either. He couldn't compare runic scripts to spiritual tea—after all, one cannot eat runic scripts.

It was time to focus on the matter at hand.

Wu Jian raised his hand, and the Spirit-Channeling Runes appeared in his palm.

"Let's discuss these Spirit-Channeling Runes, Su Mu. The ones you drew seem to differ from what's taught. Where did you learn to draw them?" Wu Jian inquired.

Su Mu was well-prepared and responded smoothly, "I hadn't learned them before; I picked it up during the exam."

"Why did you draw them this way? Especially these parts that differ significantly from what's taught. What were your thoughts?" Wu Jian pressed with critical questions that made all the teachers pause their silent battles and wait for Su Mu's answer.

Su Mu explained, "It felt quite awkward to me, as if there were issues and deficiencies in these parts of the runes. So, I tried modifying them, and that's how I ended up with the current version... Teacher, is the modified Spirit-Channeling Rune effective?"

This question was rhetorical.

But Wu Jian and the others didn't know that, assuming Su Mu genuinely didn't know, as despite his intelligence, he was still just an examinee who hadn't truly begun his spiritual practice. Even if he had improved the Spirit-Channeling Runes, he couldn't verify their efficacy.

Little did the teachers know, Su Mu's understanding of the Spirit-Channeling Runes was deeper than any of them!

Wu Jian praised, "We've tested it, and the results are very good. Your modifications are correct and worth promoting."

The other recruitment teachers took this opportunity to heap praise on Su Mu.

Wu Jian had no choice but to wait until the accolades subsided before asking, "Did you come up with the modifications to the Spirit-Channeling Runes all on your own?"

"Yes," Su Mu nodded.

"Could you elaborate on the principles and theory behind these modifications?"

Wu Jian posed a very professional question, clearly aiming to assess whether Su Mu's successful modifications were a fluke or if he had a unique insight.

He asked only about the theoretical basis, not the specific pathways and changes of the spiritual qi when drawing the runes, as a way to avoid conflict of interest and to prevent the novel drawing method from being leaked.

In this world, intellectual property is held in high esteem.

Whether it's luck or strength, Su Mu's keen insight and exceptional learning ability in the field of runic formation knowledge have been proven.

In Wu Jian's eyes, Su Mu is already a genius. Now, he wants to see just how strong this genius truly is!

Su Mu, aiming to dazzle everyone, certainly wasn't going to hold back at this moment.

"This is what I think..."

He set down his teacup, beginning an endless and detailed explanation.

He started with his understanding of the Spirit-Channeling Runes, discussed how he identified the flaws and weaknesses in the runes, then moved on to the rationale behind his modifications, as well as the design principles of the new method of drawing the runes.

The theories of the Spirit-Channeling Runes were part of his studies. After spending money to upgrade, this set of theories was also revised and perfected, deeply embedded in Su Mu's mind.

However, Su Mu intentionally explained it in a somewhat scattered fashion, giving the impression that his knowledge was not yet fully polished.

This actually made it seem more reasonable to the recruitment teachers.

But the shock in their hearts was not diminished in the slightest.

An examinee who had never systematically studied Runic Formation Studies, upon first encountering Spirit-Channeling Runes during the exam, was able to grasp their theory and drawing method so thoroughly and make such significant and excellent improvements.

Although the theory was a bit disorganized, with just a bit of organization, it could become a groundbreaking paper capable of shaking the cultivation world!

Before, everyone wanted to see just how strong this genius, Su Mu, really was. Now, they were all stunned by him.

So much so that after Su Mu finished explaining, no one in the room spoke for a while; they were all savoring what he had just said, marveling at his performance.