Chapter 30 (2/2)
The other proctor said, “Zuo Dao.”
Sun Yuzhen looked at Xing Jun, and Xing Jun glanced at Zhou Bai’s test again. He said in a quiet voice, “Zhou Bai.”
The next moment, the four proctors all turned their heads to Zhao Shouyi.
***
In the lounge, the applicants started to feel confused.
“Why is it taking so long?”
“Didn’t they say it’d be over in half an hour?”
Jing Xiu looked at the big screen with intrigue, “Brother Zhou, it’s been almost an hour. Why do you think the grades aren’t out yet?” As she said this, she turned around and saw Zhou Bai lying on the ground. She was befuddled. “Brother Zhou, why are you lying on the ground?”
Zhou Bai’s lips twitched. He looked at the Laziness value that hadn’t changed, then said, “I have nothing to do anyway, so I might as well practice.”
Jing Xiu watched him with admiration, “Brother Zhou, you work so hard.”
At that moment, the big screen lit up. Countless names and numbers flashed on it.
Jing Xiu exclaimed, “It’s here! Brother Zhou, they’re releasing the rankings! Your grades from the previous two rounds were so good, you’ll be in the top ten.”
Zhou Bai looked up too. Although he felt pretty confident when he’d copied the Tao Te Ching, by now he was a little worried that it didn’t suit this place and wouldn’t impress the proctors.
He looked at the rankings with overwhelming anxiety. Meanwhile, Jing Xiu said with glee, “Haha, I ranked ninth! I made it into the top ten. Mom and Dad will be so happy!”
The next moment, Jing Xiu continued reading, “Third place, Qian Wangsun.”
“Second place, Zuo Dao.”
“First place…Zhou Bai?”
Jing Xiu looked at Zhou Bai with deep respect, saying with admiration, “Brother Zhou, you ranked first! You’re the top candidate!”
Zhou Bai’s expression froze for a second, then he said quietly, “Not bad. This year’s proctors are pretty good.”
“Tch.” Christina tsked disapprovingly. “This Zhou Bai, in the first round he used the auxiliary system to add points. He raised it to ninety-nine points in ten days.
“In the second round, he relied on the auxiliary system too and confirmed his Primordial Spirit Value didn’t change. Plus he was already running out of strength…
“In the third round…hmph, who knows where he stole that comprehension from.
“He just cheated…slacked off, and managed to get first place in the entrance exam…Donghua Tao Academy has really gone downhill. Ugh, I didn’t serve any purpose at all. I thought that through this exam, I could make Zhou Bai more dependent on me.”
After the ranking was released, the top 600 were all very happy. The bottom 600 looked somber and sighed to themselves.
Zhao Shouyi walked out with the other four proctors. He said to the applicants in the lounge, “Everyone, this year’s grades are out now. The students who made it, don’t be proud. The ocean of Tao is boundless; getting into school is only the beginning. You still have many hardships to endure. I hope you can continue to work hard and see me on your graduation.”
Then, he looked at the applicants who failed the exam and said, “Those who have failed, don’t be discouraged. You were able to defeat the other applicants and become one of the twelve hundred people here. That already proves your gift and will. If you have the chance, try again next year. Even if you miss Tao academy, Paradise still has countless positions waiting for you.
“To resist against Mara, to take back our home, to protect our family, humankind needs every person’s power. I hope that even if you didn’t get into Tao academy, you can shine in other positions, and fight for the future of humankind.”
In these times of war, efficiency came first. After a few short words, Zhao Shouyi let the applicants scatter.
As for the students who passed the test, they had one day to prepare. They would officially enter the school on the third day and begin their career at the Tao academy.