The Textbook Ran Away

Initially, when Mo Cuidao handed the first two artifact-refining techniques to Ning Ri, the elders watched with the mindset of people observing a spectacle…

Especially Zhou Hai, who already knew about Ning Ri's talent in techniques, gloated even more.

Give him artifact-refining techniques, and he'll learn them all!

Mo Cuidao had a stubborn and foul temper, notoriously rigid within the sect. Compared to other elders, he was more serious and traditional.

Artifact refining was like that for him – demanding high standards and meticulous execution.

Therefore, only Mo Cuidao would be triggered by being asked, "Do you like the sea?" The other elders would just smile and answer such questions.

But at this moment, watching Mo Cuidao stumble over Ning Ri, seeing his face turn greener and angrier, they were even happier. It wasn't malicious, just a bit of playful mischief, teasing Mo Cuidao about trivial matters.

This also added a little fun to the calm disciple trials.

But as they watched, they suddenly felt something was wrong… They knew Mo Cuidao was indeed a serious and upright person, but that didn't mean he was an idiot.

If Mo Cuidao were truly angry, he wouldn't be shoving cultivation methods one after another at Ning Ri. This made them finally realize something was amiss…

If Mo Cuidao truly felt ashamed and furious, wouldn't he have directly pulled out a Foundation Establishment cultivation method and handed it to Ning Ri?

Given Ning Ri's talent, he absolutely couldn't learn a Foundation Establishment cultivation method.

But you, Mo Cuidao, why have you been continuously pulling out systematic artifact-refining techniques?!

What are your intentions?

Are you planning to have Ning Ri join Casting Sea Peak as soon as he finishes the trial?

Now, it's all clear—

They, the elders, were probably Mo Cuidao's amusement.

At this moment, hearing Zhou Hai's accusation, Mo Cuidao said in a deep voice, "You are mistaken, Elder Zhou!"

"Precisely because it is a disciple trial, I must act impartially."

"If he hasn't met the requirements for the trial's end, I must honestly continue."

"The rules for this disciple trial state that the trial can only end when the mountain bandit dies or disappears from the trialist's perception."

"Now, Ning Ri has already controlled the mountain bandit. If I don't honestly make the mountain bandit reveal his cultivation method, what else can I do?!"

"Am I supposed to violate sect rules? I cannot do that!"

"Therefore, this matter, I must do!"

"The techniques, I must give!"

"And, I truly feel very ashamed."

"For him to repeatedly learn techniques I'm proud of, how can I face myself? You still want to stop me? How can I stop? You cannot stop me anymore…"

Saying this, Mo Cuidao took a deep breath, twisted the corners of his mouth, suppressed the curve, and then continued sternly, "Otherwise, my Dao heart will shatter."

The crowd immediately fell silent. Everyone felt like they were getting to know Mo Cuidao all over again.

How could this guy be so shameless?

After two seconds of silence—

Zhou Hai immediately flew into a rage, "Shatter what? Shame what? What kind of Heaven Defying bullshit is this? You've clearly been holding back laughter all along?!"

The inner disciples below, seeing the elders getting so worked up they were starting to discuss the Dao, looked at each other in bewilderment…

So, they also started whispering amongst themselves, sitting and discussing the Dao.

"This Ning Ri is quite something. Before even formally joining the sect, he's caused two male elders to argue over him. If Ning Ri really likes that Yang Yi Yang or whatever, then… it's over, he's a femme fatale."

"It's understandable. Junior Brother Ning Ri does have a certain handsome charm…"

"Senior Brother, please speak with caution. The situation is not yet settled, why are you calling him Junior Brother? Does Ning Ri have any connection to your Casting Sea Peak? Ning Ri clearly intends to join our Joyful Union Courtyard…"

"Haha, is your Heaven Defying Dao meant to make the Heavenly Dao die laughing? Get real. Your Joyful Union Courtyard is just a niche sect that Ning Ri respects. Junior Brother Ning Ri has a common appeal, unsuitable for your strange place."

"You're spouting Heaven Defying bullshit…"

Meanwhile, more than a dozen trialists who hadn't officially joined the sect yet had all finished their trials.

Listening to the discussions of the disciples behind them and the elders in front of them, their eyes went blank…

What, what is this sect even doing?!

Why do they feel like both the elders and disciples are just messing around?

Is it too late to withdraw from the sect now?

Just then.

Hum—

An invisible force swept across the entire venue.

Elder Guan Yan, with a displeased expression, spoke, "Cautionary Talisman!"

"Making such a racket, what kind of proper conduct is this?!"

An invisible force swept through, and everyone immediately quieted down…

And at the same time.

Inside the water screen.

Ning Ri was already oblivious to the world with the mountain bandit.

From this, one could see the benefits of artifact refining—

Mo Cuidao's ability to multitask was too strong!

While discussing the Dao with other elders, he still remembered to "organize" the artifact refining system for Ning Ri.

One after another…

He didn't stop at all!

With the "angry" help of Mo Cuidao, Ning Ri had now established a complete and thorough artifact refining system.

Now, as long as there were sufficient materials, Ning Ri could complete an entire, complete artifact refining production line, from setting up the artifact refining furnace, to selecting materials, to practical artifact refining, to maintaining magical treasures, to refurbishing them, and even to remelting and remaking them.

There was also some more complex knowledge, such as [Recycling and Reuse of Second-hand Magical Treasures], [Selection of Raw Material Suppliers and Top Ten Selling Locations], [Discussion on Possible Career Transitions for Failing Artifact Refiners in Their Later Years]…

What do you call going from a beginner to an artifact refining tycoon!

This is it.

At the same time, Ning Ri watched the mountain bandit, seizing the opportunity to learn frantically, while his heart pounded—

It's over!

This mountain bandit…

Is Elder Mo Cuidao of the Heaven Defying Sect?!

Mo Cuidao wasn't stupid, and Ning Ri was even less of an idiot.

When he first finished learning fire control, Ning Ri already had a premonition that something was wrong.

After watching the mountain bandit pull out one technique after another, if he still hadn't realized this, then there must be something wrong with his brain.

How could this possibly be a real mountain bandit?!

Your average Qi Refining mountain bandit can pull out so many major sect techniques, right?

At this moment, Ning Ri finally understood—

His previous "failed Heart Questioning trial" was probably not a real failure, but a play staged by the Heaven Defying Sect to make him mistakenly believe he was eliminated.

A classic fake trial.

And after leaving the Heaven Defying Sect, encountering the distressed maiden and the ferocious mountain bandit on the road… these two clichéd characters were probably the real trials.

He himself was probably still in the disciple trial!

And the one responsible for his real trial should be Mo Cuidao.

Thinking of this, Ning Ri couldn't help but fall silent.

He figured the other party must have heard him mention that he had held him when he was a child…

He was really sorry for fabricating a familial relationship unintentionally…

Ning Ri continued to ponder—

If his guess was correct, the theme of this trial should be acting bravely for a just cause.

As long as he saved the woman and defeated the mountain bandit, he would have passed the trial.

Then…

A new problem arose.

He had not only defeated the mountain bandit but also robbed him…

How should this be counted?

Does this count as passing or failing?

However, no matter how the disciple trial ended, Ning Ri cared more about the techniques.

Even though he had seen through the mountain bandit's identity, he hadn't exposed him and had continued to frantically learn artifact refining techniques.

After all, this was artifact refining!

To be able to create a nuclear bomb with one's own hands, isn't that thanks to artifact refining?

Laziness is the driving force of human progress, and greed is the ladder of human progress.

Ning Ri wanted to improve too much!

Fortune favors the bold; since Mo Cuidao was willing to let him learn, he would learn until he died.

Even if the techniques had problems, it was fine, as he had already figured out a new function of the Panel—Optimization!

And at this moment, he had already gone through a whole set of artifact refining. If the Heaven Defying Sect still eliminated him, then with no other options, he would go see if the Golden Strategy Immortal Sect and the Lingxi Immortal Sect would accept him…

This is why Ning Ri simply kept repeating one sentence to the mountain bandit:

"I've studied it."

"Give me another one."

He even wondered if the mountain bandit would pull out some Foundation Establishment Cultivation Methods later on...

Just as he was lost in thought, he suddenly noticed the mountain bandit bolt upright and flee at an incredible speed, emitting an aura that far surpassed the Qi Refining realm.

Ning Ri: "?"

It's over!

My textbook ran away!

When the mountain bandit disappeared from Ning Ri's senses, before he could even react, everything in front of him vanished instantly, replaced by a vast expanse of white void.

It was the waiting area he had entered during the disciple trial before.

Ning Ri's expression changed, and a thought popped into his mind--

This trial must be over!

As soon as the thought formed, a mix of regret, emptiness, and wistfulness instantly dispelled the sense of fulfillment he had felt just moments ago, immersed in the ocean of knowledge.

Regret, emptiness, wistfulness...

With this thought, Ning Ri walked towards the exit. A dazzling light filled his vision, causing him to squint slightly. When his eyes opened again, he was back on Kite Plaza.

At this moment, all eyes were fixed on him.

As Ning Ri became the most dazzling figure on Kite Plaza, he remained unfazed, his face devoid of emotion, appearing as indifferent as a stone.

He was already accustomed to being the center of attention.

He enjoyed even more stares when he practiced his saber skills in the village.

An old artist's stage presence is always steady!

At the same time, Ning Ri felt no embarrassment.

Even among the sea of gazes, one was particularly cold and hostile...

He knew with his backside that this gaze most likely belonged to Prince Liang Chengdao, whose identity he had borrowed.

He merely thought to himself that he would have to sincerely apologize to Prince Liang later, while also musing--

Look at how this turned out...

After a trial, he became Liang Chengdao and gained a relative in Mo Cuidao.

Didn't everyone get socially ruined!

If the trial was some kind of illusion, they should have said so beforehand.

Then I wouldn't have had the mountain bandit and Elder Mo fall into my Infinite Tsukuyomi.

Meanwhile.

Elder Guan Yan, clad in gray robes, walked slowly and stopped before Ning Ri, smiling warmly at him, "Little friend Ning, thank you for your assistance. Please wait here; the trial results will be announced shortly."

Ning Ri couldn't discern Elder Guan Yan's attitude towards him, so he could only bow respectfully, "Yes, thank you, Elder!"

He stopped guessing the outcome of his trial, whether good or bad, and decided to simply wait...

After bowing and thanking the elder, Ning Ri calmly walked towards the group of trial participants and plopped down beside Gao Hong.

Gao Hong was the only familiar face.

Zhou Hai and Mo Cuidao, seeing this from afar, had intended to approach and strike up a conversation, but Ning Ri walked too quickly, and they had no choice but to give up.

As Ning Ri sat down, several trial participants looked at him with barely concealed fear...

This guy is too terrifying.

Who learns things like this?!

If the disciple trial was an elimination round, wouldn't they all be eliminated by Ning Ri?

Gao Hong, sitting beside Ning Ri, looked at him with bright, admiring eyes, "Ning Ri, you're amazing!"

"Brother Gao flatters me."

Ning Ri smiled, then asked in a low voice, "Brother Gao, how much did you see just now?"

Gao Hong wasn't foolish and knew what Ning Ri was asking. He replied in a low voice, "Liang Chengdao came out faster than me. We basically saw the entire thing."

Ning Ri nodded, understanding the situation...

So, he had been witnessed from start to finish.

Then, he gave a friendly smile towards Liang Chengdao in the distance...

Liang Chengdao snorted and stopped looking at him.

The disciple trial was originally very fast, but it was slightly delayed because of Ning Ri's appearance.

Now that Ning Ri was out, the results came out quickly.

The Heaven Defying Sect only eliminated one person!

This person harbored resentment after being eliminated by the Heaven Defying Sect. After descending the mountain, he went on a killing spree out of spite. After killing the mountain bandits, he still felt unfulfilled...

He even planned to make a move on that woman, and thus, he suffered his second elimination...

Killing mountain bandits was not a problem, but making a move on that woman was an act of malice gone too far.

Naturally, such a person could not be kept.

The disciple trial was not testing strength.

One must know that among those participating in the trial, there were even several ordinary people who had not officially begun cultivating yet, and the mountain bandits they encountered were petty thieves that ordinary people could handle.

What this simple disciple trial was truly testing was character.

Anyone with even slightly normal character could pass.

Therefore, this disciple trial did not involve anything messy like Dao heart, wisdom, combat techniques, etc., etc. It was a very basic assessment.

It's just that while the trial was basic, the trial-taker was not.

They hadn't expected there would be a villain, nor had they expected there would be a Ning Ri.

Ning Ri forced the mountain bandits to hand over their cultivation methods. It was one thing to make the rescued woman hand over her cultivation methods, but he learned them on the spot. It was one thing to learn them on the spot, but he also claimed to have already learned them and forced the other party to continue teaching him...

Because of this, even though there was a beast among the trial-takers, everyone else's attention was still uncontrollably focused on Ning Ri...

Meanwhile.

The elders were also discussing:

"Strictly speaking, the trial-takers this time are relatively normal."

"Is Ning Ri also considered normal?"

"Of course."

"Ning Ri's methods are impressive, he is sharp and intelligent, he knows how to protect himself, and he also knows what is most important to him. This cannot be considered abnormal."

"Right."

Someone raised an objection: "There's a little beast who kills people out of spite, and you still call this normal?"