Chapter 36 - 32: Move with Emotion, Persuade with Reason

Chapter 36: Chapter 32: Move with Emotion, Persuade with Reason

"Although I want to be an Alchemy genius, even a genius has to follow basic logic.

"My previous record of fifty consecutive failures in Alchemy was clearly witnessed by everyone on Danyang Peak.

"If my Alchemy Skill were to improve by leaps and bounds in just a few days, it would seem too abrupt, lacking a gradual process of progression.

"Besides, upgrading the Basic Alchemy Skill from entry-level to Proficient requires a full one thousand Experience Points.

"This proves that this Skill not only requires a massive amount of time to grind, but also consumes a considerable amount of resources along the way. That’s why the required amount is so high.

"Furthermore, even if I could explain away reaching the Proficient level in a few days as a sudden epiphany, what about the future?

"As the saying goes, the greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment. I want to be an Alchemy genius, not an Alchemy monster.

"Therefore, what I need to do now isn’t to immediately raise my Skill Level in Alchemy, but to accumulate as many Experience Points as possible. Then, I’ll pick a specific time to level it up.

"As for that specific time... I’ll set it to one month later in the game.

"This way, it won’t seem too abrupt, and it will fully showcase my potential in Alchemy.

"And one month in the game... is only three short days in reality.

"Three days is a wait I can afford."

With this in mind, Lu Chen’s short-term goals became crystal clear. First, he would focus on Cultivation to gain daily Experience Points. Then, after an in-game month, he would instantly raise his Alchemy Skill to Proficient. Finally, after displaying his Alchemy potential, he would apply to the Danyang Peak Elder for a Thousand-Year Spirit Lotus to cultivate the Cyan Lotus Flower Pupil.

No matter how he looked at it, this plan was highly feasible and perfectly safe. It wouldn’t significantly impact his life within the Cyan Cloud Sect. After all, the massive Cyan Cloud Sect lacked many things, but geniuses were not one of them. As long as he didn’t act too high-profile, he likely wouldn’t be pushed to the frontlines when the Sect faced massive changes in the future.

Stability above all else—this was a principle Lu Chen strictly adhered to, both in and out of the game. After all, a dead genius was no genius at all. Only by staying alive... could he have a future!

"There’s no point in staying at the Scripture Pavilion any longer. It’s time to head back to the cave dwelling and focus on Cultivation..."

Having clarified his future direction, Lu Chen immediately controlled his in-game character on his phone to return to his new cave dwelling. Truth be told, this new dwelling was more than just a little better than the old one. It increased his daily Cultivation Experience Points from fifty to seventy—a massive upgrade!

The second day of the second phase of the mock exam. Outside the Five Springs Mountain Secret Realm.

"No, seriously, what on earth is Lu Tongxue doing? What is he trying to achieve!

"During the first phase of the mock exam, he didn’t take it seriously and played games the whole time. I tolerated it, since there’s no rule against playing on a phone during the exam to relax.

"During the second phase, he still didn’t take it seriously and just kept chopping down trees. I tolerated that too, since there’s no rule against students chopping trees to gather resources during the exam.

"But his current behavior—playing games himself while forcing other students to chop trees for him—is something I absolutely cannot tolerate!

"This is sheer lawlessness! It’s completely outrageous!

"If you want to willingly degenerate and squander your own talent, fine. But how can you drag other students down with you!

"Deduct his points! We must deduct his points! If the school doesn’t severely punish this behavior, won’t the studious atmosphere that First High School spent a century building be destroyed in a single day?

"What do you think, Teacher Chen?"

Chen Fugui looked at the furious, square-faced teacher, his own chubby, amiable round face covered in cold sweat. Wiping the sweat slipping down his forehead, he replied awkwardly, "T-Teacher Luo is right. I also think this kid Lu Chen has gone a bit too far. Who forces their classmates to chop trees while sitting on the sidelines playing games?

"Just you wait, Teacher Luo. As soon as this exam is over, I will definitely confiscate his phone and lock him in the school’s Cultivation Chamber to train rigorously for a month or two. That’ll fix his frivolous attitude."

Chen Fugui thought his words would win Teacher Luo Yang’s high approval and quell the anger in his heart.

To his surprise, upon hearing the intended punishment, Luo Yang—who had been fuming with rage just a moment ago—completely abandoned his disgust for Lu Chen and began to defend him instead.

"Teacher Chen, going to such extremes is a bit much. Although this child Lu Chen is a bit too playful, his nature isn’t bad.

"We’ve both been through it, so we should understand that guiding is better than blocking.

"Lu Tongxue is so obsessed with games. If you force him to change with such a heavy-handed approach, it might not only make him harbor resentment toward you and the school, but it could also deepen his obsession. It might even breed a Heart Demon, which would be detrimental to his future Cultivation.

"In my opinion, Teacher Chen, you should just lightly discipline him once the exam is over. As for his gaming habit, just guide him patiently. You absolutely must not rush things."

"Wow, I never realized Old Luo was such a tough-looking but soft-hearted guy," Chen Fugui mused inwardly. "So everything you just said was spoken out of anger, but deep down, you’re still deeply considerate of the students. Still, I never planned on actually doing anything to the kid. After all, no matter what... he really made me look incredibly good during this mock exam!"

Though he thought this, the ever-tactful Chen Fugui played along with Teacher Luo Yang’s words. "Teacher Luo is right," he agreed aloud. "I’ll give Lu Chen a proper talking-to later and try to get him to focus his energy on Cultivation."

Luo Yang nodded. "Mm, that would be best. After all... the kid is undeniably talented. We underestimated him before."

In truth, Teacher Luo Yang couldn’t be blamed for having such a huge issue with Lu Chen. The things Lu Chen was currently doing were simply too inhumane!

In the Profound Celestial Mirror, Lu Chen sat alone on a tree stump, looking down at his phone. Not far away from him, a total of five students—including Bian Shouyi—had been "persuaded" through his emotional appeals and sound reasoning. They had joined his grand logging enterprise, working with fiery enthusiasm.

If one were to ask what kind of "reasoning" Lu Chen used... he could only say it was physical reasoning!

The choices were simple: be eliminated immediately, or help him work first and be eliminated later.

Faced with Lu Chen’s physical persuasion—a longsword pressed casually against their necks—most of the students had quickly given their answers. As for the rare few who refused to listen to Lu Chen’s reasoning?

Welcome to the massive elimination zone party!

Persuading people with reason and driving them with a sword—this was the reasoning Lu Chen had comprehended. You help me chop trees, and I’ll help you delay your elimination. It made perfect sense, didn’t it?

After continuously persuading several students, Lu Chen even delegated the job of capturing others to Bian Shouyi. The promise he made to Bian Shouyi was that if he could get five more people to help chop trees, Lu Chen would fight him one more time after the mock exam ended.

For Bian Shouyi, such a condition was undeniably tempting. So much so that later on, Lu Chen didn’t even need to lift a finger; Bian Shouyi would take the initiative to deal with any latecomers.

Lu Chen had successfully become a completely hands-off boss, just sitting back and waiting for lumberjacks to deliver themselves to his doorstep.

Look, wasn’t there another enthusiastic lumberjack arriving right now?

"W-What’s wrong with all of... you?"

An Earth Dao Class student who had stumbled in by accident stared in astonishment at Bian Shouyi and the others working hard to chop down trees nearby, his expression filled with confusion.

Seeing a new student appear, Bian Shouyi silently stopped what he was doing and slowly walked toward him.

As for the other four, they all looked at the unlucky student with sympathetic eyes. Their little logging squad was about to gain a new member very soon.

Bian Shouyi stared expressionlessly at the newcomer and said flatly, "Chop trees or get eliminated. Pick one."

"Huh?!"