It Was All the Spicy Strips

Little Radish thought about it carefully and then said:

"I just asked you several questions, so you can ask me a few questions too. That would be fair."

"..."

Are your grades very good?

"Yes, I've already Qi Refining Sixth Layer. My mother said I should complete the Foundation Establishment during the nine years of compulsory education."

Hu Mang was taken aback.

When did education in Heavenly Gate become so complicated?

These guys have really put in a lot of effort; they've been practicing shooting and swordsmanship since they were kids, plus taking extra classes. But it seems like every generation has its own unique talents, and each generation is more dedicated than the last.

Hu Mang thought for a moment, then squatted down and looked the other person in the eye, saying:

"Since you're so capable, then I'll have to get serious."

"It's okay, I know everything, you can ask me anything," Little Radish Head said, patting his chest.

Why is compulsory spiritual education required for nine years?

"Because the Qi Refining Realm is divided into nine levels, each level corresponding to an academic year. In this way, the cultivation knowledge related to cultivation in each academic year can be used to make breakthroughs in Qi Training Refining. This was the first theme of cultivation education when the first emperor, Wang Jing, compiled 'The Myriad Methods Return to the Source,' which is on page 56 of the third chapter of 'The Myriad Methods Return to the Source.'"

"..."

Hu Mang pondered for a moment.

Is that how it is?

Is there such a well-thought-out arrangement behind the nine-year compulsory education system?

"Well, according to Heavenly Gate Television Station, the Cultivation Bureau is pushing for further reforms, attempting to extend compulsory education from nine years to twelve years. In that case, the Qi Refining Realm might be divided into twelve levels," the other person replied with the air of a little adult.

Hu Mang thought for a moment and then said:

"Then may I ask, after Qi Training, why are the Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul Spirit Transformation realms no longer divided into nine levels, but instead into early, middle, and late stages?"

"That's naturally due to the development of the Three Dantian. Starting from the Foundation Establishment in the Lower Dantian, the Golden Core enters the Crimson Palace, Nascent Soul resides in the Niwan Palace. Although each stage of cultivation mainly focuses on one Dantian, in fact, from the very beginning, each stage is preparing for the resonance of the Three Dantian. The early stage is the cultivation of one Dantian, the middle stage is the resonance of two Dantian, and the later stage is the resonance of three Dantian. This is also recorded in the fourth chapter of 'Myriad Methods Return to the Source,' the cultivation chapter, page twelve."

"..."

Hu Mang hesitated for a moment.

Are all elementary school students these days this awesome?

No, this should be a preschooler.

But kid, what you're doing makes me, your uncle, lose face.

Hu Mang finally came up with a question that the other party couldn't answer.

He drew a symbol on the ground that resembled both bird and seal script. This was from the ancient book that was dug out of Old Daoist Shen's tomb, which was also the "Ancient Method of Golden Core Elixir" certified by Mama Hu. The character he drew was one of the few scripts that Mama Hu recognized.

This is--

The upright boy stared wide-eyed and suddenly said:

"Jie, this is the word "Jie"."

Now, Hu Mang was completely dumbfounded. Dude, you actually recognize him!

Do you know what font this is?

"This is a High Antiquity script, originating from the era of the Ten Immortals, and is also one of the most complex 'cultivation scripts' in the world today."

"You teach this in preschool?"

"No, it's because my father teaches archaeology, so I received that kind of education from a young age."

Hu Mang's expression turned serious. He straightened his clothes and extended one hand.

"Brother, let me introduce myself. I'm Hu Mang, a graduate of the Zhong Mountain Academy."

The boy's expression also turned serious, and he stretched out one of his small, baby hands.

"Duanmu Ming, a first-grade student who will soon be attending Zhengyang Immortal School."

"Nice to meet you."

I've heard so much about you.

"Brother, could you help me translate a High Antiquity script Cultivation Method? Just tell me the requirements, and the price is negotiable."

Duanmu Ming stroked his chin and began to think seriously.

Is your Cultivation Method long or short?

"It won't exceed five hundred words."

"That would probably require ten packs of spicy strips."

"Absolutely."

So, Hu Mang and Duanmu Ming exchanged contact information. With Hu Mang's help, the other party recorded Hu Mang's phone number on his "Little Genius Cultivation Law Artifact".

"Okay, let's talk again after the exam."

When the exam bell rang, Hu Mang patted his bottom and stood up.

"If you don't know the answers to the exam, you can come to me," Duanmu Ming said earnestly, straightening his hair.

Hu Mang's lips twitched slightly.

"... Thanks."

Upon entering the classroom, to the astonishment of the two examiners, Hu Mang, a tall and thin man, sat in the last row and began answering the questions.

Please describe the Buddhist names of the Ten Lords of Heavenly Gate.

That's simple,"Hu Mang wrote with a flourish, "Heaven, Earth, Man, Gods, Ghosts, and all creatures with scales, fur, feathers, and insects."

Please objectively describe the names and contributions of the first generation of Ten Lords.

Name? Contribution?

Hu Mang's expression froze.

Are preschool assessments really that difficult now?

The first Heavenly Lord, well, Sun Peng, was the first human to achieve the Spirit Transformation in history. His achievement was the Northern Expedition, which overthrew the Old Heavenly Gate's Celestial Person hierarchy. Nascent Soul Realm, did he single-handedly defeat ten pseudo-Nascent Soul from the Old Heavenly Gate?

The first-generation Earth Lord, Lin Feng, known as the Dragon Severer, was a master of formations. During the period of the North and South Heavenly Gate, he repeatedly disrupted key points of railway transportation and Spirit Vein, guiding the major reversal of the Dragon Vein's fortunes. What else is there to say?

The first ruler, Wang Jing, was known to Hu Mang. He compiled "The Myriad Methods Return to the Source," creating a new system.

Who was the first generation of divine ruler?

Heaven have mercy! Hu Mang's peak of knowledge was all in the lead-up to the college entrance exam, and he wasn't good at history anyway.

After barely managing to fill in the word count.

Please describe the two core tenets of True Person Ma's "On Dragon Vein" from overseas during the Second Spiritual Revolution.

Hu Mang perked up; he really knew this.

Historical View of Spirit Qi and Theory of Surplus Spirit Value

The Historical View of Spirit Qi —the fundamental driving force behind the development of cultivation societies lies in the contradiction between "cultivation" (i. e., the ability to absorb, refine, and utilize spiritual energy) and "Dao-Affinity Relations" (the relationship of possession and distribution of cultivation resources such as Spirit Vein, Cultivation Method, and elixirs).

The Theory of Surplus Spirit Value —In the old cultivation world, the value created by cultivators (especially the vast majority of low-level Rogue Cultivator and menial disciples) through labor (planting spirit medicine, mining Spirit Stone, maintaining magic arrays, etc.) or cultivation (condensed into Spirit Stone, pills, Law Treasure, or their own cultivation improvement) far exceeded the basic Cultivation Resources they obtained. The difference between these two is called "residual spiritual value"...

Please select the creator of city communication symbols from the four options.

The Heavenly Gate Lightning Research Institute, through its research on natal crystals, developed the "Lightning-Pattern Vacuum Tube" (formerly known as the electron tube). From then on, weapon refiners were able to inscribe higher-level "Heavenly Mystery Talisman" onto micro-chips. Please select the founder of the "Lightning-Pattern Vacuum Tube" from the following four options.

??

Multiple choice question: Please select several cultivation schools of "Electronic Cultivator".

???

Please write a 500-word paper titled "The Essence of Tribulation: The Overload Tempering of the Dantian by the Ultra-High Pressure Electromagnetic Field Between Heaven and Earth."

????

Are preschool tests this difficult these days?

Hu Mang glanced at the test paper and found that he was unsure about at least half of the questions.

Dude, are you sure you won't fail your course?

Hu Mang flipped through the exam paper and finally came to a conclusion that made his stomach ache.

His gaze couldn't help but sweep around the examination hall, and he noticed that the two proctors in front of him were looking down at their phones.

After walking around again, I found my newly adopted five-year-old brother, Duanmu Ming, writing with great speed and confidence.

He couldn't resist picking up a small crumpled piece of paper and tossing it over.

Duanmu Ming looked at him blankly, Hu Mang stammered, "Dude, help me, help me!"

Duanmu Ming suddenly realized, and a cunning look appeared on his serious little face.

He gestured ten, then twenty.

Hu Mang nodded without hesitation.

Duanmu Ming thought about it carefully for a moment, then gestured thirty.

"..."

Young man, are you still raising prices on the spot?

Hu Mang nodded helplessly.

With Duanmu Ming's assistance, Hu Mang successfully completed the exam.

Because Hu Mang was sitting in the last row, he was the last to hand in his paper. After he finished, the proctor looked at him with a complicated expression.

"Fellow Daoist, this is just a preliminary test. Who would prevent these children from going to school because they failed the test?"

"Similarly, this Foundation Establishment qualification certificate is just a formality. As long as you don't submit a blank paper, you'll at least get a passing grade. You're being too careless."

Clearly, the other party witnessed Hu Mang's cheating throughout the entire process.

"..."

Damn, it turns out it was all just formalism. And he took it so seriously!

Ten minutes later, Hu Mang and his newly acquainted little brother Duanmu Ming were squatting at the school gate, each with a bag of spicy strips.

Duanmu Ming ate with shining eyes and greasy lips.

This perfectly normal little kid actually likes to eat this stuff.

Hu Mang glanced at the other party with a puzzled look, while Duanmu Ming, realizing what was happening, readily took charge:

"Don't worry, I'll definitely do what I promised you. Just wait for my good news."

Hu Mang nodded.

"So what are you going to do with the rest of the spicy snacks? Can you finish them all by yourself?"

"I'll store it with you for now, and I'll contact you when I want to eat it. My family won't let me eat this junk food."

"... OK."

Next, the well-behaved little boy seemed to have started talking, complaining about how serious his father was and how strict his mother was with him, and so on.

Hu Mang hesitated for a moment, but ultimately interrupted him.

Why don't you turn around and look?

"What?"

The boy turned around and found a female cultivator, exquisitely dressed and with a cold expression, staring at him with an aloof look.

A drop of chili oil dripped from the corner of Duanmu Ming's mouth.

"Mother!?"

The female cultivator first glared fiercely at Hu Mang, then grabbed Duanmu Zheng's ear and, without any hesitation, gave him a good spanking, all the while scolding him. Her routine was quite familiar: things like not listening properly, eating random things, and interacting with strangers indiscriminately.

Hu Mang's appetite was whetted. He ate while watching his opponent cry and scream as he was brutally beaten.

The child was beaten until his face was covered in a mixture of chili oil, tears, and saliva; the scene was quite touching.

After finishing his meal, Hu Mang pondered for a moment, then said meaningfully, "Do you know why I'm still unable to break through to the Foundation Establishment at such an advanced age?"

The mother and son both looked at him.

"It's from eating spicy snacks."

After saying that, he turned and left without looking back.

Duanmu Ming was beaten even worse.