20: It must be true

The next day, the internet completely exploded.

The single massive transaction of 300 million last night caused a huge stir online.

When Li Heng checked the total amount of crowdfunding again, he saw:

"Current Crowdfunding for Academy Construction: One Billion, Seven Million, Three Hundred Twenty Thousand Yuan."

One billion!

This number made Li Heng's brain freeze for a full three seconds.

He remembered that before he left last night, the number was still over 700 million.

How did it increase by another 300 million after just one night's sleep?

This speed of earning money was even faster than his lightning-guided flight!

He refreshed the page, and the number was still growing rapidly at a visible pace.

Li Heng had to admit that he had underestimated the enthusiasm of the people.

He originally thought the 10-billion goal would take three months to achieve.

Now, it seemed it wouldn't even take a month.

This Immortal Cultivation craze, ignited by Han Li and then fueled by Zhang Tianwang's most intense fire, had completely swept across the entire Dragon Nation's internet.

The authorities finally couldn't sit still.

Major official media platforms all stepped in to voice their opinions.

Their words were very restrained, not directly labeling it as fraud, but merely appealing to the vast number of netizens to remain calm, view online hot topics rationally, refrain from blindly following trends, and guard against property loss.

However, this lukewarm advice seemed pale and powerless in the face of the immense temptation of "drawing talismans to summon Dragons" and "Immortal Cultivation for all."

In the comment section, netizens' replies were even more varied.

"The authorities have spoken! Everyone, look! They're getting anxious!"

"Translation: We can't manage this, you're on your own, but don't come crying to us if you get scammed."

"Hahahaha, I declare this an officially certified True God!"

Li Heng looked at these comments and shook his head.

He didn't care about these.

As long as the money arrived, he didn't care what they said.

What he needed to consider now was another, more practical problem.

The money was almost enough, where should the academy be built?

He couldn't possibly tell everyone that the academy wasn't ready yet and they needed to wait a few more months, after the money was collected and students were enrolled.

He'd be drowned in netizens' spit.

"Kunlun Cultivation Academy... the campus, naturally, must be in Kunlun."

Li Heng made up his mind.

He prepared to set off and personally visit the Kunlun Mountains to find a propitious location and put the academy's construction on the agenda.

He opened WeChat and sent a message to Han Li.

"I'm going out for a trip. You can lower the tone of the recent propaganda; don't be too ostentatious."

No sooner had the message been sent than Han Li's call came directly.

"Principal! You're going out? Where to? Take me with you! I'll carry your bags!"

Han Li's voice on the other end of the phone was as excited as if he had won the lottery.

"No need," Li Heng refused succinctly.

"Oh, oh, alright then!"

Han Li didn't pester him and immediately changed to a fawning tone, "Principal, don't worry! I'll handle the publicity! Oh, and Principal, a lot of people have been contacting me through various channels recently, all wanting to meet you. I've turned them all away! I told them I don't even know where you are!"

"Mm," Li Heng responded and then hung up the phone.

What he wanted was precisely this kind of "not knowing" from Han Li.

A mysterious and elusive principal, a Dragon that shows its head but not its tail, would best fit the public's imagination... Meanwhile.

In a residential building in an ordinary neighborhood.

Inside Li Qingyuan's room, the atmosphere was so oppressive it was suffocating.

She stared blankly at the official website of the "Kunlun Cultivation Academy" on her computer screen, the crowdfunding amount exceeding one billion yuan stinging her eyes.

She was conflicted.

Or rather, she had been conflicted for an entire day.

Ever since she saw that lightning Dragon video yesterday, her worldview had been repeatedly teetering on the edge of shattering and rebuilding.

What if it was real?

This thought, like the whisper of a devil, constantly echoed in her ears.

"Just consider it buying hope... take a gamble!"

Li Qingyuan bit her lip, as if she had made up her mind about something.

She comforted herself, thinking that there was no hope in retaking the exams anyway, so she might as well use this money to bet on a vague future.

With trembling hands, she opened her mobile banking app and found the crowdfunding account.

Transfer amount: 1000.

This was all the pocket money she had saved by being frugal.

Just as she was about to click confirm.

Outside the door, she heard her parents' hushed, yet still clear, argument.

"...It's all your fault! You spoiled her too much! Look at her exam scores, I'm embarrassed to even mention them!" It was her father's voice, suppressing his anger.

"Why are you yelling at me? If you're so capable, you go manage her! What can you do besides curse people?"

Her mother's voice was sharp and cutting, "Old Wang's son next door, he was in the same class as our Qing Yuan, and he scored over six hundred! Now look at ours!"

"Enough! Stop arguing! I've already found a place; that cram school in the west of the city has military-style management, and I hear the promotion rate is very high! We'll send her there after the holiday! For this year, she's not allowed to touch her phone or computer!"

"She must go! She has to go whether she wants to or not!"

Her parents' voices outside the door were like needles, piercing Li Qingyuan's heart.

Retaking exams... again!

She pouted, and her eyes instantly turned red.

She didn't want to go to that so-called "military-style management" prison!

She didn't want to face those endless test papers and rankings again!

A strong sense of rebellion and longing surged from the deepest part of her heart.

To hell with retaking exams!

I'm not doing it anymore!

She looked at the transfer page on her phone screen, her finger no longer hesitating, and pressed down hard.

"Transfer Successful."

After doing all this, Li Qingyuan felt as if all her strength had been drained, and she slumped into the chair.

She looked at the gloomy sky outside the window, clasped her hands together, and prayed in a low voice with an almost fanatical piety.

"Kunlun Cultivation Academy... please, please be real..."

"Please, admit me..."