abnabooks Chapter 89 Rewards and Punishments and Undercurrents
Chapter 89 Rewards and Punishments and Undercurrents
Chapter 89 Rewards and Punishments and Undercurrents
As dawn broke, a crowd had already gathered in front of the notice board at the entrance of the courtyard.
A red paper list was posted in the most conspicuous place.
The name at the top of the list, written in gold powder, stood out starkly in the early morning.
Gu Shenyan, overall assessment: A-level.
All the new disciples watching held their breath.
Second place goes to Han Sushuang, rated as Grade A.
Further down, there was a series of names, some joyful, some sorrowful.
At the very bottom of the list, almost touching the ground, are three words: Jia Shouren.
Rating: C below (barely passable).
"It's Gu Shenyan again—"
Someone in the crowd sighed softly.
"Even the eldest daughter of the Han family was overshadowed by him."
"I heard that his Fiery Sun Talisman yesterday triggered a firebird phenomenon, which even alarmed Senior Brother Cao."
Discussions rose and fell.
Gu Shenyan stood on the periphery of the crowd, his expression calm.
"Gu Shenyan, come with me."
Cao Wenjing's voice cut through the crowd, carrying an undeniable air of authority.
Gu Shenyan nodded and, amidst the envious gazes of the crowd, followed Cao Wenjing into the quiet room in the main building.
Inside the quiet room, the air was filled with the gentle fragrance of sandalwood.
Cao Wenjing sat in the armchair, scrutinizing Gu Shenyan with piercing eyes.
That look was no longer that of someone looking at a newly initiated disciple.
"sit."
Cao Wenjing pointed to the prayer mat opposite him.
Gu Shenyan sat down as instructed, keeping his back straight.
"You did very well in this assessment."
Cao Wenjing got straight to the point; his voice was still cold and hard, but his tone had become warmer.
"Not only is his basic skill solid, but what is even more remarkable is his composure under pressure."
As he spoke, he took out an exquisite jade box from his sleeve and gently placed it on the table.
"This is the Fire Spirit Sand I promised you before."
Gu Shenyan's gaze fell on the jade box, and through the translucent jade, he could vaguely see the flowing crimson luster within.
"Thank you, senior brother."
"Don't thank me yet, there's more."
Cao Wenjing flipped his hand, and another small porcelain bottle appeared.
The porcelain bottle was entirely emerald green, and its mouth was sealed with red silk. Even before it was opened, a refreshing medicinal fragrance could be smelled.
Gu Shenyan was slightly taken aback: "This is—"
"Nourishing Spirit Pill"
Cao Wenjing uttered three words calmly.
Gu Shenyan's heart skipped a beat.
Nourishing Spirit Pill!
He had seen a record of this elixir in "One Hundred Explanations of Cultivation".
Those are pills specifically for nourishing the soul and strengthening spiritual awareness; for cultivators who have just opened their sea of consciousness, they are considered sacred medicines.
One of them costs fifty yuan on the market, and often there is no market for them.
"I noticed that you seemed to have used some kind of visualization technique when you were drawing the Flaming Sun Talisman."
Cao Wenjing's gaze was deep, as if he could see through people's hearts.
"Your spiritual awareness far surpasses that of other disciples of the same level; this is your talent."
"But excessive rigidity leads to breakage, and overdrawing one's spiritual awareness is a major taboo."
"This bottle contains three Spirit Nourishing Pills, enough to stabilize your current realm and perhaps even advance further."
Gu Shenyan took a deep breath and accepted the porcelain bottle with both hands.
This gift is far too generous.
It's not just about money; it also represents the attitude of Cao Wenjing, or rather, the fortune teller Lu behind him.
"I will always remember your kindness and careful words."
"Take it, it's what you deserve."
Cao Wenjing waved his hand: "Remember, the tallest tree in the forest will be felled by the wind. Only by being strong enough can you be fearless in the face of wind and rain."
Gu Shenyan put the porcelain bottle into his bosom and placed it close to his body.
"Disciple understands."
When I stepped out of the quiet room, the sunlight was just right.
Gu Shenyan narrowed his eyes and subconsciously touched the porcelain bottle on his chest.
The warm touch from there gave him a sense of confidence.
Upon returning to the courtyard, he saw Han Sushuang engrossed in studying classical texts. Hearing footsteps, she looked up.
Eyes facing each other.
If it were in the past, her eyes would definitely have been full of defiant defiance.
But today, there was something different in his eyes.
"Congratulations, Senior Brother Gu."
Han Sushuang closed the book and spoke confidently.
Although there was still some awkwardness in his tone, the usual hostility was gone.
"Congratulations, Senior Sister Han."
Gu Shenyan smiled and returned the greeting: "I heard that the essential text annotated by Senior Sister Shen is a closely guarded secret."
"That's natural."
Han Sushuang raised her chin, regaining some of her arrogance: "Although I lost to you this time, with this book, things might change next time."
"I will win you back in the area where I excel."
Gu Shenyan nodded: "I'm looking forward to it."
Han Sushuang gave him a deep look, then turned and left.
Gu Shenyan withdrew his gaze and was about to return to his room when he saw a person sitting on a stone stool in the corner.
Jia Shouren!
The fat man, who was always grinning and joking, looked like a wilted eggplant, listless and dejected.
He was clutching a letter in his hand, the paper crumpled and wrinkled.
"Brother Jia?"
Gu Shenyan walked over and called out softly.
Jia Shouren trembled and hurriedly hid the letter behind his back.
"Ah—Senior Brother Gu."
He forced a smile that looked worse than a grimace: "Congratulations on first place! Hehe, I knew you could do it."
Gu Shenyan didn't reply, but just looked at his bloodshot eyes.
"What happened?"
"N-nothing, I just didn't sleep well last night—"
Jia Shouren avoided eye contact, not daring to look at Gu Shenyan.
"Has something happened at home?"
Gu Shenyan's voice was steady, yet it carried a reassuring power.
Jia Shouren's pretense finally crumbled.
He lowered his head, his voice choked with emotion: "My father—a letter has arrived."
He said that business hadn't been good for the family these past few months, and several of their shops had been squeezed out by competitors.
"He asked me how my cultivation was progressing."
"If I can't draw a decent talisman within six months, then—then let me go home."
"Go back and take over those cloth shops. Don't waste money here."
Jia Shouren clutched his hair tightly, squatting on the ground in anguish: "Senior Brother Gu, do you know?"
"I really want to cultivate immortality!"
"I want to be like you, picking up a brush to draw talismans and drawing upon the spiritual energy of heaven and earth."
"But I—I'm just stupid!"
"I draw ten Earth-type talismans, and nine of them are useless. Even the one I manage to draw is a defective product."
"I barely passed this time; I was just lucky."
"Am I really not suited for this place?"
Gu Shenyan looked at the fat man crying his heart out and felt a pang of emotion.
The path to immortality is never just about flowers and applause.
Many more people struggle in this muddy waters, only to leave helplessly in the end.
Just as he was about to offer some words of comfort, a soft, feminine voice suddenly came from not far away.
"Oh my, isn't this Junior Brother Jia?"
Song Qingyuan strolled over slowly, fanning himself with a folding fan.
His face wore an extremely hypocritical concern, but his eyes were like those of a venomous snake flicking its tongue.
"Why are you crying like that?"
"Could it be because the results of this assessment were not ideal?"
Jia Shouren hurriedly wiped away his tears, stood up and bowed: "Brother Song, Senior Brother Song."
"7
Song Qingyuan walked over to Jia Shouren and patted him on the shoulder.
"Junior Brother Jia, it's not that I'm criticizing you."
"While your talent may not be top-tier, it's certainly not at the bottom."
The reason for the slow progress is probably because—
He glanced meaningfully at Gu Shenyan beside him, deliberately drawing out his words: "It's because you didn't follow the right person."
Gu Shenyan frowned slightly and looked coldly at Song Qingyuan.
"What do you mean by that, Senior Brother Song?"
"It doesn't mean anything, I just feel sorry for Junior Brother Jia."
Song Qingyuan chuckled and leaned close to Jia Shouren's ear, his voice loud enough for Gu Shenyan to hear: "Some people are just naturally gifted, and they also have Senior Brother Cao giving them extra help."
"He rose to prominence on his own, won first place, and received a bunch of rewards."
"But he always treats you like a brother, so why haven't I seen him teach you any real skills?"
"Could it be that they're afraid of teaching their apprentices and then starving themselves?"
Jia Shouren was stunned and subconsciously glanced at Gu Shenyan.
Seeing this, Song Qingyuan's smile deepened: "Junior Brother Jia, if you want to make rapid progress, you not only need to work hard, but also need to choose the right path."
"I have some truly practical 'quick fix' methods, if you're interested—"
"You can come see me anytime."
After saying that, he glanced at Gu Shenyan triumphantly, then turned and left.
The air seemed to freeze.
Jia Shouren stood there with his head down, his expression unreadable.
Gu Shenyan remained silent.
At times like these, any explanation is futile.
Trust is like a piece of paper; once it's wrinkled, it's hard to smooth it out.
"I'm going back to my room now."
Jia Shouren said something in a low voice, and without even glancing at Gu Shenyan, he hurriedly ran away.
Gu Shenyan watched his departing figure and sighed softly.
That's a really vicious move.
By taking advantage of Jia Shouren's vulnerability and anxiety at this moment, the seeds of doubt are sown.
Although Song Qingyuan was not good at using talismans, he was a master of psychological manipulation.
"It seems you're in trouble."
A cold voice sounded from behind.
Gu Shenyan turned around and saw Shen Qingyi standing under the locust tree.
She was dressed in white, her clothes fluttering in the wind, like a fairy from the moon palace.
"Senior Sister Shen."
Gu Shenyan bowed with his hands clasped in greeting.
"Song Qingyuan is a narrow-minded man, but he is also quite clever."
Shen Qingyi walked over slowly, her gaze cold: "If he can't do anything to you, he'll target the people around you."
"Isolate you, turn you into an island in this tenement."
Gu Shenyan nodded: "I understand."
"Jia Shouren is simple-minded and easily manipulated."
Shen Qingyi looked at Gu Shenyan and said earnestly, "Shenyan, you must remember this."
"The cultivation world is not only about the camaraderie among fellow disciples who strive together, but also about the treacherous intrigues and backstabbing."
You need to be careful with your words and actions.
"Especially—you need to see the people around you clearly."
Sometimes, a knife in your back is harder to defend against than a sword in front.
Gu Shenyan was silent for a moment, then raised her head, her gaze firm: "Thank you for the reminder, Senior Sister."
"But I believe in Brother Jia."
"Oh?"
Shen Qingyi raised an eyebrow slightly, seemingly somewhat surprised.
"Although he was timid and of mediocre talent."
Gu Shenyan gazed in the direction where Jia Shouren had disappeared: "But he's a man with principles."
"Song Qingyuan's small favors may sway him for a while, but they cannot buy his conscience."
Shen Qingyi gave him a deep look, and a faint smile suddenly appeared on her lips.
"Since you're so confident, then you'd better do your best."
"However, if it really gets to the point of no return—"
"You can come find me."
After saying that, she turned and left, her white robes fluttering, disappearing at the end of the corridor.
Gu Shenyan stood still, clenching his fists.
This undercurrent has already begun to stir.