49: Tianxin

The provincial examination was approaching.

The atmosphere within Qiao City grew increasingly tense.

This was naturally not due to the imperial examination; while the examination was a major event, its impact on ordinary people was minimal.

In recent days, the people of Qiao City had noticed that the sky seemed to darken earlier than usual.

One must know that although the summer solstice had passed, the autumnal equinox had not yet arrived, and this period was still the time of year with the longest daylight hours.

But now, for the sky to be dim shortly after noon was almost impossible.

No matter how impossible, it had already happened.

Besides the widespread panic, there was nothing that could be done.

At the same time, Qin Chuan’s attention was not focused on this matter.

Lying on his bed, his eyes were tightly shut, his hand gripping the login device, but his mind was already elsewhere.

Login Device: [Detected that the Affiliation human realm area is about to shift, with a probability of unforeseen danger. Do you wish to log into ‘White Deer Academy’?]

Human realm area shifting?

What does that mean?

Qin Chuan was puzzled, but he still chose to enter.

The great examination of White Deer Academy, which he had been waiting for, had arrived!

Thinking of the rewards he could obtain from it, he absolutely could not give up!

As for danger? Just physically log off, and it would be over, right?

The world's light and shadow flickered, and the White Deer, representing the Academy, arrived, treading on light.

White Deer: "Is the place you're entering this time very far?"

Qin Chuan wondered: "Far? I don't know how this distance is calculated."

The White Deer did not dwell on this question for too long. After Qin Chuan got on its back, it said:

"The great trial is about to begin. Let's go to the school hall."

"Okay!"

After entering the school hall, the White Deer leisurely walked to the lecturer's stand, below which were examination desks filled with papers.

Qin Chuan found a seat in the first row and sat down, leaning against the White Deer, asking curiously:

"Are you the invigilator?"

The White Deer shook its head: "I am the Spirit of the Academy and do not participate in its operations. I am merely looking around."

"Got it, you're just strolling."

There was not much more conversation. When the examination bell rang, a test paper appeared before Qin Chuan.

After reviewing the questions, he found nothing beyond the scope in the first few pages and answered them casually.

However, when he turned to the later pages of the test paper, Qin Chuan was stunned.

"On Qi" (Advanced Elemental Theory)

"Scars of the Myriad Realms"

"Understanding Heavenly Principles in the Multiverse"

Qin Chuan: ???

What the hell!

Was he taking an examination for a Confucian academy?

However, these questions only had problems and no answers, so Qin Chuan could only fill them in randomly.

He was the only person in the Academy, so what if he submitted a blank paper?

What he should be thinking about now was not whether he could answer them, but what the first-place reward and the last-place penalty were.

Writing furiously, whether he knew the answers or not, he just had to fill it up!

Finally, he quickly scanned it and pressed the submit button next to him.

[Evaluating grades—]

[Chen Chuan, your score for this great examination is: Medium.]

[Total number of participants in the great examination: 1. Your ranking is: 1]

[Distributing reward: Heavenly Heart.]

The guessed penalty for last place did not appear, but the reward for first place did.

Good news!

Just as Qin Chuan was about to study the use of this 'Heavenly Heart' ability, he heard the White Deer beside him say.

"You need to go back."

Qin Chuan: "Huh? Why? And what is the use of this 'Heavenly Heart'?"

White Deer: "The area you are in is shifting, moving away from the White Deer Academy entrance. If you don't go back, I'm afraid you won't be able to return. 'Heavenly Heart' is the foundation for you to manifest laws with literature in the future, and it also requires you to comprehend heaven and earth in the material plane. Go, go."

With that said, before Qin Chuan could press further, his vision went dark.

Immediately after, Qin Chuan saw several large characters.

[Virtual World connection interrupted.]

Hey! It's like his internet got cut off!

Speechless for a moment, Qin Chuan frowned, pondering the White Deer's words.

The area he was in was shifting?

And earlier, when he logged in, it also mentioned the human realm area shifting.

The user you are calling is not in the service area?

Then the base stations for this Virtual World are too few. Hurry up and launch 5G.

Qin Chuan finished his wild thoughts and tried to log into the Virtual World again, finding that he indeed could not connect.

He shook his head helplessly, able only to study the reward he had just received for being first.

Heavenly Heart?

He opened his personal panel and, sure enough, saw the skill 'Heavenly Heart' in the skill bar.

Since it was a skill, it could definitely be used.

He closed his eyes and tried to sense it.

At first, he didn't enter the state, but soon, he seemed to find his spirit suspended high in the air.

At the same time, endless emotions assailed him.

Pain, suffering, farewell... and—powerless struggle!

"Hmm?"

Qin Chuan really wanted to say: If you're being kidnapped, blink.

Immediately after, he understood.

He was comprehending the will of heaven and earth! Could he even be kidnapped?

But very quickly, he had no mind to pay attention to that.

His gaze suddenly shifted towards the south of the city—

"What is that?"

A blurry, dark red shadow condensed, like a huge wound tearing through a human body.

The most bizarre thing was that from this wound, endless crimson chains spread out, as if to bind the entire world!

Could it be that he was really kidnapped?

Midnight.

Three li south of Qiao City.

Commandant Cui, covered in blood, once again pinned a crawling worm to the ground with a cold glint from his hand, shouting:

"Where in the world did these ghostly things come from! Where are those scholars in the city?"

"Commandant, we've already sent people to notify them... You know, that group of people is hard to summon."

Commandant Cui roared: "These stinking scholars, tell them, are they really not afraid of being held accountable afterwards? If they don't come now, confiscation of property and extermination of their clans are imminent! I swear on the honor of the Cui of Qinghe!"

As soon as his words fell, someone in the distance said with a wry smile:

"Commandant, why so angry? We have arrived."

His gaze shifted, and indeed, he saw a group of scholars in green robes arriving together.

When this group of people arrived and saw the scene, they were all shocked—

Within the dark red area, strange shadows flickered from time to time: ugly monsters with snake-like long arms, two baboon-like heads, insect-like legs, and twisted tails.

The scholars' pupils constricted slightly:

"What are these things?"

"God knows where these things came from. I've already sent over a dozen teams of scouts to send messages for reinforcements. Until the reinforcements arrive, it's just us. Behind us is Qiao City, everyone must fight with all their might!"

"We are duty-bound!"

"Long-awaited rain after a drought!"

"Two spears back-to-back!"

"The drums beat loudly, let us leap into battle!"

As this group of scholars arrived, and various literary-path weapons and enhancements appeared, the pressure on the army led by Commandant Cui greatly eased.

But even so, facing the monsters emerging from the dark red area, they could only hold them back.

They could not counterattack.

Commandant Cui asked: "Where is the Prefect? Where are the great Confucian scholars in the city?"

A soldier said with a bitter smile: "The Prefect is not at his residence, Master Jingxuan went out to visit friends a month ago, and Master Gongchui cannot be found either..."

Commandant Cui was furious: "This is... this is..."

After a long while, seeing that the battle was stabilized, he finally did not utter any profanities.

At dawn, the monsters retreated like a tide.

The soldiers collapsed to the ground, exhausted, and the scholars also looked drained.

Someone stepped forward and asked Commandant Cui:

"Commandant, this is not a long-term solution. When will the reinforcements arrive? Relying on us, I fear we cannot last for many days."

"Pah!"

Commandant Cui spat out a mouthful of blood, gritting his teeth: "You want to know? I want to know too! None of the eighteen scout messengers have sent back any news. What can I do?"

"This..."

(PS: Two more chapters will be updated later. Give the author a little more time.)