The First Batch of Exchange Students

Splash!

The rain fell, drenching most of the city.

Although it was daytime, the sky was dark and thick clouds were everywhere in the heavy rain.

The rows of high-rise buildings and the apartment buildings of varying sizes were all lit up.

On major and minor roads, cars were surprisingly scarce on any given day.

The empty overpass, shrouded in rain, resembled a long road stretching to the horizon.

Chu Tianshu stood high on the overpass, holding a black umbrella, looking at the city in the rain.

After resting for a few days, he has softened the crystals on his body surface and melted them back into his body, and his hair has begun to grow back.

However, his original hair was completely white, while the newly grown hair was jet black, making it appear as if it were half white and half black.

She made some minor adjustments, tied her hair into a bun, and used a blunt Baiyu. The stray black hairs left in front of her forehead were all black.

Previously, when taking stock of the spoils at the Heaven and Earth Palaces, Chu Tianshu's original clothes were torn in the battle, so he simply found a set of robes that fit him better.

The clothes, enhanced by the incantation, were indeed comfortable, and he continued to wear them even after returning to reality.

He wore a cross-collar robe, with a white inner garment embroidered with delicate wildflowers. On the silver belt, tiny incantations were faintly drawn. On the outermost layer, he wore a black, wide-sleeved overcoat.

Recently, the advertising has been effectively disseminated through computers, televisions, mobile phones, and large screens in train stations, subways, and squares.

Even now, when it's raining, videos recorded by Qian Jin are still playing on the GG big screen.

"I am the commander of the Nineteenth Battalion the Hearth Guard of the Long Continent Kingdom. The vast majority of us, the Fangfeng Clan, are similar to the current human race. We are also subjects of Great King Yu, descendants of Yan and Huang. Please do not be overly alarmed..."

"All compatriots coming to this city, please abide by local laws and regulations, voluntarily report your identity, and accept reasonable arrangements..."

Everyone knows that today will see the first large-scale exchange between the real human population and the Spirit Realm population.

No one knows if they will be among the first group to be exchanged.

For safety reasons, they naturally cannot drive or work outside.

If possible, it's best to isolate yourself in a single room and play the official promotional videos on a loop.

Some people are still video chatting with their families on their phones, while others are writing furiously.

Some people are even livestreaming, discussing whether they will be part of this great adventure in the Spirit Realm.

Chu Tianshu's gaze fell upon an apartment building. On the third floor, a young man in a shirt, whose curtains were not drawn, was recording a video of himself.

"If anyone comes in, I don't know if it's my older brother or older sister, don't move around in my room, okay?"

"I'm still renting this room in Shencheng. It's not easy living here. I heard there are also migrant workers where you are. Please understand the hardships of those who work like cattle. I'm begging you."

"But these dishes are for my older brother and sister."

The young man held up his phone, making sure he and the food on the table were in the same frame.

"This red can is soft drink, a beverage, and it tastes better than the blue can."

"I also have two bottles of liquor I bought online. The baijiu is very strong and spicy, and the yellow one is beer..."

After recording the video, the young man used a phone stand to prop his phone up on the table and set the video to loop.

"Sigh, I heard that ordinary technology from the real world malfunctions in the Spirit Realm, and you can't even take your cell phone there."

The young man sat on his small stool, his right leg swinging involuntarily, looking somewhat anxious.

"Forty-nine days without a cell phone, ah, I'm going to die..."

He kept muttering about his phone, but the expression in his eyes was very complicated.

It's impossible not to feel uneasy when going to a place like the Spirit Realm.

However, we are all adults in this new era. After so many days of publicity, there's no need to keep crying and wailing.

"Be more carefree, be more carefree."

The young man patted his face. "Who knows, maybe my trip to the Spirit Realm will be the beginning of a cross-realm trading business, where I'll discover opportunities with my keen eye?"

He walked to the window, used the glass as a mirror, and fixed his hair.

"Great, very energetic!"

The young man vaguely saw what appeared to be a figure on the distant overpass and stared at it with a puzzled look.

Chu Tianshu smiled and said, "Hello."

The moment the words left his mouth, a different person appeared reflected in the windowpane.

He looked nine-tenths like the original young man, but he was wearing a blue coarse cloth outfit and his hair was tied in a bun.

Upon arriving, the man looked surprised, then seemed to realize something.

"The notice posted in the lower courtyard of the Earth Beam Palace, is it actually true?"

He didn't notice the figures on the bridge in the distance, but instead noticed the voices that had been echoing behind him, and turned his head to look.

The video call on his phone made him very wary.

But after watching it twice, he roughly understood what the video was about.

"Is this another version of me in the world? But why does it have such delicate skin?"

The man walked to the table, rolled up his sleeves, and compared his arm to the young man's arm in the video.

"This kid's not very strong. How can he become a factory worker?"

The livestock industry in the Long Continent Kingdom is exceptionally developed, and even ordinary workers do not lack meat.

The man didn't touch the food and wine on the table; instead, he sat down and began to ponder.

Suddenly, a drone approached from outside the window, emitting a soft, melodious sound.

"A citizen from the Spirit Realm has been detected. Please follow the instructions to complete the identity registration."

The man was startled and turned to look out the window.

On the overpass.

Chu Tianshu looked around.

All the drones deployed throughout the city have taken off.

At every intersection, on every street lamp, and inside every residential area.

These dutiful electronic guards are detecting every anomaly, flying past in the rain to provide guidance.

The torrential rain couldn't stop these latest products, painstakingly developed under the leadership of the Chang'an Institute of Science and Technology.

Whenever there was a refusal to follow instructions or a drone malfunction, the soldiers immediately sprang into action.

The two-headed snake slithered out of the brocade pouch at Chu Tianshu's waist, coiled around his torso, climbed up his back, and finally settled on his right shoulder.

"This area corresponds to the town of the Eighteen Camps, but Elder Feng Baili, the old professor he was associated with, was imprisoned thirteen years ago and died of stomach cancer two years ago."

"Elder Feng is very likely on the first list, but it's hard to say where he will be after he arrives in this world."

Chu Tianshu said, "Senior He gave him a communication jade pendant, but there's no guarantee he'll use it immediately."

Bubai, he immediately said, "Grandpa He borrowed a bit of our blood essence and left a hidden weapon on that old man. As long as he comes to this city, he won't escape our watchful eyes!"

Xiao Zuo has already said, "It seems to be over there."

Chu Tianshu rose gracefully and soared into the distance.

A short while later, he arrived outside a school campus.

In front of the empty campus, there were only large yellow lines painted on the road to regulate parking.

Raindrops pelted the earth, bursting into tiny, scattered petals.

Feng Baili was surrounded by a gentle breeze that shielded him from the rain as he looked up at the teaching buildings on campus.

"Is this your academy?"

"This should only be considered a local academy."

Chu Tianshu walked to his side and asked with a smile, "What is the elder's opinion of this place?"

Feng Baili truthfully replied, "The house is nice, but there aren't enough people; it feels a bit deserted."

"Hahaha!"

Chu Tianshu said, "That's because it's a holiday today. When school starts again, this place will be packed, if not overflowing with people, it'll be like a cacophony of horses."

Today's students have always been one of the most energetic groups on average.

Putting everything else aside, in terms of vitality, we will definitely not lose.

Feng Baili looked surprised. "Is it really that lively? That makes for a nice place."

Aside from the Heaven and Earth Palaces, the most common form of education in the Long Continent Kingdom is still private schools.

The Heavenly King Palace was arguably the place with the strongest academic atmosphere that Feng Baili had ever seen in his life, but unfortunately he could not stay for long, which he regretted.

Helai to win him over, so he sincerely came to set an example by taking him to see some evidence under the Heavenly King Palace, which made him doubtful and greatly shocked.

Unexpectedly, the first thing he saw upon arriving in reality was the school.

"Forty-nine days is plenty of time for you to enjoy yourself. Even if you return to the Spirit Realm in the future, you can come back again using methods such as possessing a soul."

Chu Tianshu said softly, "However, I can only accompany you for one day; after that, I'll have to hand you over to another tour guide."

Feng Baili bowed and said, "Young master is unfathomable. It is an honor for this old man to have the leisure to keep me company."

"The elder still has a grudge."

Chu Tianshu put his arm around his shoulder and said casually, "Let's go, we can talk as we walk."

"It's normal for everyone to be a little wary of each other, but that won't stop us from cooperating."

"Elder, you've managed to synthesize feed using the byproducts of the Curse Essence Hearth, bringing about a major reform in the aquaculture industry. The entire Long Continent will benefit from your achievements. Wouldn't it be a great pity if such a reputation were to simply wither away like grass and trees?"

"Taking advantage of this incident, shining brightly, doing something significant, and helping us appease the people of the Spirit Realm —I think this is just the beginning of the elder's later life."

Feng Baili simply smiled.

Chu Tianshu then asked, "Elder, do you know where all these lights in the city come from, and who supplies them with energy? We don't have any Curse Essence Hearth here."

Feng Baili's expression shifted, and he couldn't help but look at the city lights.

He had long noticed that the city lights were so stable, far surpassing the flow of candlelight, that they seemed to possess an aura of thunder.

It's unbelievable that the Thunder could be so docile.

Moreover, what kind of extraordinary thunder magic treasure would be needed to summon heavenly thunder to sustain the entire city?

"That's why I said, Elder, you still have a lot to achieve in the second half of your life."

Chu Tianshu smiled slightly, noticing the curiosity in his eyes that rivaled that of a young man.

A moment later, the two arrived at a building.

On the top floor of the building, everything was ready for the live broadcast, and the accompanying guests were all in place.

All that's left is for Feng Baili to take his seat, read through his prepared remarks, and if there are no objections, he will begin his live speech.

Although Chu Tianshu somewhat enjoys fame, he's too lazy to participate in such lengthy live streams.

He was resting in the next room of the studio, half-lying on the sofa, holding a pear to his nose and sniffing it, his mind absorbed in the cultivation technique he had recently been studying.

After much deliberation, he decided to focus on the Earth Governor's characteristic "Measure the Heart and Gauge the Shadow" as the main element, merging other materials for this optimization.

[... The mixing of materials is complete.]

The simulation has been completed.

"The Nine Springs Mountain Collapse Combat Calculation".

The soul enjoys ultimate bliss, while life returns to the netherworld.

The Mountain Collapse Divine Palm, a finger-calculation technique.

With a heart as deep and mysterious as the deepest spring, one uses a thousand techniques to exert force outwards, obtaining the counterforce from countless external objects, tempering the body with blood and sweat, and achieving the intention of lasting joy.

The palm and fingers can not only grasp the physical texture of objects, but also measure the psychological scale of both friend and foe.

Once this method is mastered, one can use it to calculate and apply it in battle. Whenever a brilliant move fails to kill, one can assess the opponent's physical and mental state.

With a flick of the fingers and a palm strike, Mount Mountain Collapse; with a single finger strike, all beings of the same kind are annihilated.

It must be said that Chu Tianshu chose to focus on the characteristics of the Earth Governor to optimize his cultivation technique.

To a large extent, this still takes into account the existence of the General Outline of Superior Methods.

The Mountain Collapse Combat Calculation is good at learning moves, but it only requires mastering the form and spirit. One must also rely on one's original physical strength to support its power.

The General Outline of Superior Methods is to be good at understanding the corresponding vital energy from the intention of a move.

These two sets of techniques are naturally a perfect match, far superior to the results obtained by deriving the Mountain Collapse Divine Palm from other characteristics.

The Mountain Collapse Combat Calculation, the General Outline of Superior Methods, Grand Void Radiation.

Practice the techniques, borrow the energy from the mind, and enhance your physical strength.

In this way, Chu Tianshu's three main sets of techniques now form a progressive and smooth framework.

The efforts made in each of the three techniques can be completely absorbed by the other two techniques, without much redundancy, waste, or contradiction.

Click!

Chu Tianshu took a bite of the pear, chewing slowly with his eyes closed.

The sound of each juicy pear bursting in my mouth seemed to blend seamlessly with the overwhelming sound of raindrops outside the building.

In today's context of the Mountain Collapse Combat Calculation, the force of rain hitting a building can be seen as corroborating the force emanating from oneself.

Some people on the same floor, those near the windows, noticed this with surprise.

When raindrops hit the windowpane, they no longer shatter or gather into streams.

Rather, they are like tiny, bright pearls that linger on the windowpane and tremble slightly.

Then, they rolled off the glass one by one.

The water stains remaining on the glass are decreasing.

In the end, a strange scene emerged: while it was pouring rain outside, the windows and tables were bright and clean.

The clear windowpane was spotless, except for countless round beads that rolled down in droves.

The clerks by the window were all stunned.

Click!

Chu Tianshu took another bite of the pear, wanting to try to expand this technique—the ability to sense and precisely target all raindrops—to the next level.

Just then, the token screen suddenly popped up automatically.

"Um?"

Chu Tianshu had already discovered that after accumulating enough Fortune Bar in his hometown, he should be able to rest for ten more days before transmigrating.

Today is only the seventh day.

The "Destiny" section of the Youdu Token Fortune shining brightly, giving the impression that it was about to take him through time.

What happened?

He had barely shown a look of confusion when his figure vanished from the sofa.

The two-headed snake slumped onto the sofa, its four eyes wide open, looking around in confusion.

The little snake was sleeping soundly in the brocade pouch, but suddenly the pouch disappeared.

Oh wait, the snake breeder has completely disappeared!

(End of this chapter)