What? I've Already Become Immortal and I Still Have to Take Exams?!

"If Guang Chengzi is really as he says, then we can only hide for a while, not forever.

"Perhaps Senior Brother Guang Chengzi might even postpone this assessment and combine it with the next one."

Duobao was slightly stunned. He turned to look at Bai Ze and thought, Now that you mention it, with Guang Chengzi's strictness, that really is possible!

But he quickly cast the thought aside and said indifferently,

"Who cares? We'll hide for as long as we can!"

With that, he began swaying leisurely and casually asked,

"Little Brother Bai Ze, what are you thinking? Why abandon perfectly good weapons and make a dharma body instead? It can't even fight enemies!"

Bai Ze smiled faintly. He had just been about to transmit his voice, but when he thought of Venerable Lingbao's wicked sense of humor, he immediately gave up on the idea.

"Brother, you'll know in the future!"

The future?

Duobao raised a brow. This kid was actually keeping him in suspense!

But before he could say anything,

Suddenly, his brow furrowed!

Sensing that something was wrong, he looked at Bai Ze beside him and asked,

"Little Brother Bai Ze, do you feel like we're falling?"

Bai Ze looked at the ground drawing ever closer and was also slightly stunned. Then he realized what was happening and said joyfully,

"Brother, it seems our punishment is over!"

Upon hearing this, Duobao's face instantly turned bitter as a melon. He shouted, "Not good! Run!"

Bai Ze was somewhat confused. "Why run? Isn't this a good thing?"

But Duobao did not care about any of that. Seeing that Bai Ze was not listening, he hurriedly fled!

Then Bai Ze saw a streak of purple light flash before his eyes. Immediately afterward, he heard a familiar voice:

"Since your wall-facing punishment is over, let's begin the assessment!

"It just so happens that this elder brother can inspect how much your cultivation has improved after ten years of tempering!"

Before Bai Ze could react, Guang Chengzi had already appeared before him, carrying Duobao.

Bai Ze looked at Duobao's utterly lifeless face. Like a lump of mud, he was being held by the back of the neck by Guang Chengzi.

Somewhat bewildered, he asked, "Senior Brother, this is...?"

Guang Chengzi smiled gently. "Duobao is being a little naughty. Come, Huanglong has been waiting for us for quite some time."

Bai Ze nodded and followed Guang Chengzi to the front courtyard.

The front courtyard differed from the rear courtyard. The rear courtyard was where the Three Pure Ones lived, with only three houses, a stone table, and a medicinal field. It was exceedingly simple.

However, Bai Ze had learned while chatting with Duobao that the Three Pure Ones usually comprehended the Dao within a mysterious space they had opened up, and rarely lived in the courtyard.

The front courtyard, on the other hand, was much livelier. There were artificial hills, a pond, and a bamboo grove.

These three places had originally been the birthplaces of Duobao, Huanglong, and Guang Chengzi.

After they entered the sect, the Venerables had used great divine abilities to move their birthplaces here in their entirety.

Bai Ze had barely stepped into the Purple Bamboo Grove.

A gentle breeze rushed toward him. The cool air refreshed his heart and mind, and the stray thoughts in his heart were instantly soothed away.

When they arrived at an open space deep within the Purple Bamboo Grove, they all sat directly on the ground. However, Duobao's seat was rather special, placed beside Guang Chengzi.

Even so, Duobao still twisted uncomfortably, as though protesting without a word.

Guang Chengzi glanced at him and ignored him, instead looking toward Bai Ze.

"Junior Brother Bai Ze, your residence is behind my bamboo grove. You may go there yourself later."

Bai Ze nodded in acknowledgment.

Then Guang Chengzi introduced Huanglong's and Duobao's residences to him. The two also told him to come play with them whenever he had free time.

Bai Ze returned their smiles and nodded. "Certainly."

Afterward, Guang Chengzi began assessing the cultivation results of the three of them. With a wave of his embroidered sleeve, three bronze cauldrons and three tables appeared.

Bai Ze raised a brow at the sight. He knew what the bronze cauldrons were for—they were used for artifact refinement. Guang Chengzi had taught him for ten years, all in theory, so it was only natural that he now let him put it into practice.

But the sheets of white paper on those tables...

Damn it, why did they look so familiar?

Wasn't this an assessment? Why were there written test questions too?

Wasn't this just an exam from his previous life?

So the Primordial World had already started making people do problems?

Seeing Bai Ze's astonished expression, Guang Chengzi explained, "Although we cultivators possess extraordinary memories, there will always be some fellows who do not listen attentively in class.

"These are mainly prepared for those fellows."

Bai Ze understood at once. He subconsciously glanced at Duobao.

Duobao instantly widened his eyes. "What are you looking at? He wasn't talking about me!"

Bai Ze shrugged. "I never said it was you."

Upon hearing this, Duobao looked furiously at Guang Chengzi. "Senior Brother, look at you. You've ruined my reputation."

Guang Chengzi shot Duobao a sidelong glance and said calmly, "Your reputation is plain for all to see. Do I even need to ruin it?"

Duobao crossed his arms, pursed his lips, tilted his head, and huffed without saying a word.

At this moment, Bai Ze also noticed that there was only a thin stack of paper before Huanglong and himself, while the stack before Duobao was a full twenty centimeters thick.

He was inwardly amazed, but when he recalled Duobao's conduct during lessons, it made perfect sense.

The three then began answering the questions.

He had listened especially attentively during Guang Chengzi's lessons, and with his Insight Talent, these questions were effortless to him.

When he handed in his paper, Guang Chengzi saw how deeply he understood the material and praised him without stint.

He even told Duobao to learn more from him.

The result was a glare from Duobao.

After finishing the written questions, he began refining artifacts.

Guang Chengzi had already demonstrated the steps of artifact refinement for him. They were nothing more than five steps: selecting materials, controlling the fire, liquefying them, inscribing restrictions, and forming the shape.

As it was his first attempt, he could not help feeling somewhat excited. His hand trembled while inscribing the restrictions, and the refinement failed. A puff of black smoke rose up.

Bai Ze looked at Guang Chengzi somewhat awkwardly. "Sorry, my hand shook."

Guang Chengzi did not blame him. Instead, he waved his sleeve, swept away the slag, and buried it underground.

"It's fine. Failure is normal for your first refinement attempt. Just try again."

Bai Ze nodded heavily and continued.

Selecting materials, controlling the fire, liquefying them, inscribing restrictions...

He held his breath and carefully inscribed the restrictions. Yet the golden flames beneath the bronze cauldron suddenly surged upward!

The next moment, the liquid mass burst apart. The restrictions erupted, and cracks instantly appeared across the bronze cauldron. Blinding rays of light shot out from the fissures.

Guang Chengzi reacted with lightning speed. He raised his hand, transforming it into a great palm of purple qi that seized the bronze cauldron and flung it into the air.

"Rumble!"

The next moment, the bronze cauldron became an enormous ball of light and exploded.

Guang Chengzi swept his sleeve, brushing the countless fragments raining down from the sky aside. Then he took out another bronze cauldron and looked at Bai Ze.

"It's fine. Furnace explosions are normal. You're simply unfamiliar with it. Try a few more times and it'll be fine."

Bai Ze nodded embarrassedly, then continued trying without a word.

One explosion, two explosions, three explosions...

Explosion, explosion, explosion—he kept exploding them!

Every time, the furnace exploded due to one problem or another.