Chapter 92
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Chapter 92: Cheating in Front of Everyone
During the three-day exam, Guan Shanqing spent most of his time alongside Yi Qianmo. After defeating a spirit beast on the first day, the rest of the time was consumed by running and hiding. This made Guan Shanqing increasingly anxious.
On the leaderboard, Wu Qing held a commanding lead in first place. Xu Zhou, in second, trailed far behind but remained untouchable by anyone below him. The gaps between third and tenth place were smaller, but even the tenth-place participant had over 400 points.
Guan Shanqing knew all too well that his meager score wouldn’t even break 400 points.
Not far away, Xu Zhou noticed Guan Shanqing’s nervousness. Smirking, he reveled in what he saw as the other’s inevitable defeat.
“Relax,” Yi Qianmo said, patting Guan Shanqing’s shoulder. “You’ll make it into Tianyuan Academy. Trust me.”
Though touched, Guan Shanqing could only muster a weak smile. Yi Qianmo’s words felt more like empty comfort. The rules of Tianyuan Academy were clear: without sufficient points in the big exam, only the Tianyuan Decree could grant admission.
Even if Yi Qianmo offered him such a decree, Guan Shanqing couldn’t accept it. Yi Qianmo had already done enough for him, and Guan Shanqing still had his pride.
When it was his turn to present his materials, Guan Shanqing’s points were tallied. As expected, his score left him in twelfth place—just outside the top ten.
“Is that all?” the examiner asked.
The examiner recognized Guan Shanqing, particularly for his unique golden spirit light.
Guan Shanqing could only nod helplessly. Meanwhile, Xu Zhou’s smirk widened. If Guan Shanqing failed to enter Tianyuan Academy, Xu Zhou was certain the storage bag would eventually fall into his hands.
Just as Guan Shanqing resigned himself to his fate, Yi Qianmo stepped forward with a confident grin.
“Ah, my dear brother, you forgot some of the spirit beast materials you left with me,” Yi Qianmo said casually.
Before Guan Shanqing could react, Yi Qianmo placed the materials from ten spirit beasts on the table. The total points added up to an additional 420.
“How is this possible?!” Guan Shanqing exclaimed, both surprised and overwhelmed.
Yi Qianmo smiled. “It doesn’t matter how it happened. You killed them, so the credit is yours. You deserve this—not just for yourself, but for your family too.”
Guan Shanqing’s lips trembled as he tried to respond. A man hardened by the sea and countless storms now felt tears welling in his eyes.
Nearby, Xu Zhou’s smug expression vanished in an instant. The crowd began murmuring among themselves, suspicion brewing.
“That’s cheating!” Xu Zhou shouted, stepping forward. “This is blatant cheating! The rules of Tianyuan Academy are clear—this behavior disrespects the academy’s principles!”
Li Feng chimed in, “Examiner, this is unacceptable. Su Muzhi and Guan Shanqing are openly disregarding the rules. Their scores should be canceled!”
The examiner hesitated, visibly conflicted. He thought, If Yi Qianmo wanted to help Guan Shanqing, why do it so openly now, in front of everyone? If I let this pass, what will that say about Tianyuan Academy’s integrity?
“Did you really kill these spirit beasts?” the examiner asked Guan Shanqing, his tone sharp.
Faced with the stern question, Guan Shanqing’s face turned red. He was clearly not adept at lying. His discomfort only deepened under the judgmental gazes of Xu Zhou and Li Feng.
“No,” Guan Shanqing finally admitted, lowering his head.
Yi Qianmo sighed inwardly. His intention wasn’t to stir trouble, but to ensure Guan Shanqing secured a place in the academy. He hadn’t anticipated such fierce competition or the number of hidden talents among the participants.
Before the examiner could speak, Yi Qianmo interjected.
“Dear examiner,” Yi Qianmo said calmly, “may I ask which specific rule forbids participants from helping one another?”
The examiner froze. He realized, to his dismay, that there was no such rule.
“That may be true,” the examiner admitted, “but handing over materials so openly during the scoring process shows a blatant disregard for Tianyuan Academy’s principles.”
Xu Zhou seized the opportunity. “Exactly! This kind of behavior undermines the academy’s rules. It’s unacceptable!”
To Xu Zhou’s dismay, his outburst failed to rally support. Most of the crowd regarded him with disdain.
While Yi Qianmo’s actions might bend the rules, he had not stolen or forcibly taken anything. By contrast, Xu Zhou’s eagerness to call out Guan Shanqing felt petty and ungrateful—especially since Guan Shanqing had previously shown him mercy.
Even Su Muyu and Su Yucheng frowned at Xu Zhou’s behavior.
“Silence!” Su Yucheng barked, cutting off Xu Zhou’s protests.
Yi Qianmo addressed the examiner again.
“The rules of Tianyuan Academy are the rules of Tianyuan Academy,” he said. “But the rules of this big exam are separate. You can’t enforce rules that were never stated.”
He continued, “Guan Shanqing and I teamed up during the test, and we agreed to share the materials equally. What’s wrong with that? Unless the exam specifically prohibits collaboration, this cannot be called cheating.”
Placing a reassuring hand on Guan Shanqing’s shoulder, Yi Qianmo added, “Without his help, I might not have survived the lake incident. He deserves this credit as much as I do.”
Minister Professor Yu, observing the exchange, took the opportunity to interject.
“The young man makes an excellent point,” he said. “The exam rules do not prohibit teamwork. What’s your opinion, Grand Princess?”
Su Muyu, though reluctant, responded evenly. “I have no objections.”
“Your Highness!” Xu Zhou protested, only to be silenced again by Su Yucheng.
Finally, the examiner relented. With the additional points, Guan Shanqing’s score rose to 820, securing second place ahead of Xu Zhou’s 790.
Yi Qianmo’s actions earned him widespread respect. The ease with which he presented the materials suggested he had more resources than he revealed—perhaps even a storage bag, a symbol of significant status.
Yet, Guan Shanqing couldn’t help but worry. He knew Yi Qianmo had spent most of the exam avoiding danger. How could he possibly have more spirit beast materials to present?
When Yi Qianmo stepped forward, the crowd watched in anticipation. He placed a handful of golden fur on the table.
“Let’s count the points,” Yi Qianmo said.
The examiner stared at the fur, baffled. The crowd murmured in confusion.
“What is this? Fur?” someone whispered.
Xu Zhou sneered. “Su Muzhi, are you mocking the examiner? This is blatant disrespect for Tianyuan Academy!”
Only Guan Shanqing knew what the fur truly signified—and he was stunned that Yi Qianmo dared to reveal it.
