I Have A Cultivation World

Chapter 1090: Chapter 598: Valedictorian Chapter 1090: Chapter 598: Valedictorian “Congratulations on becoming the first chief graduate of the Longevity Academy.”

Chen Mobai, dressed in the solemn Dancing Device Red and Black Robe, handed a graduation certificate he had personally written to the petite girl before him, who was visibly excited but was forcibly maintaining her composure.

She was none other than the daughter of the Alchemist Han Tingfeng, named Han Zhiling.

In the Longevity Academy, she had graduated with excellent marks in all subjects and went on to clear all rounds in the competition, overpowering the children of noble families as well as specially recruited geniuses, eventually ranking first in overall scholarly performance, and was chosen by Jiang Zongheng as the chief graduate of the Longevity Academy.

“This is your reward for being the chief graduate, a Foundation Building Pill. Take care of it!”

While receiving the graduation certificate, Han Zhiling managed to maintain a composed face, but when Chen Mobai smiled and passed her a transparent glass Jade Vial, she could no longer restrain herself, and her face showed an unprecedented expression of joy.

“Thank you, Principal!”

When Han Zhiling took the Foundation Building Pill, she felt countless burning gazes upon her, and even with her back turned, she could clearly sense the envy and jealousy.

This was a Foundation Building Pill, after all!

Although there had been rumors spreading around the Academy prior to graduation that the Principal would bestow a Foundation Building Pill as a reward to the chief graduate…

…the teachers in the Academy never gave an official announcement, so although the students were hopeful, they also feared being disappointed in the end.

So when she truly held a Foundation Building Pill in the palm of her hand, Han Zhiling felt like she had really reached the peak of her life.

After all, this was an elixir that even her father would have to scheme intricately for, perhaps even risking his life to obtain.

“Perhaps you now think this is a very great honor, but a thousand years later you will find that your name has become an eternal symbol because of this Longevity Academy.”

After having distributed the graduation certificate and the Foundation Building Pill to Han Zhiling, Chen Mobai smiled and said something that sent a shiver down her spine.

And it wasn’t just the students who attended this graduation ceremony; there were also the parents, cultivators from other forces and sects in the Eastern Wilderness witnessing the event.

For instance, Tan Rong from the Five Elements Sect’s Fire Vein, who had been talking with Ding Ying, suddenly heard Chen Mobai’s words and felt a grandeur that seemed to encompass the universe.

In Chen Mobai, she saw a pride and confidence she had never witnessed before!

It was as if there was nothing in this world that could stop him from attaining what he wanted to achieve.

As a disciple of the Fire Vein Golden Core, she had also met Zhou Ye and Nu Jiang, but compared to Elder Chen’s majestic and spirited appearance, both seemed a grade lower in stature.

He was like the Taoist Child in legends from the Holy Land—no… as a Saint Heir of the Longevity Sect, he was akin to those Taoist Children.

Such a character, appearing in the Eastern Wilderness!

The more Tan Rong looked at Chen Mobai, the more dazzling he seemed compared to this mundane and turbid world; this young man was simply too glaring.

It wasn’t just Tan Rong, all the cultivators present at the ceremony felt the sheer magnitude of Chen Mobai’s words, the grand aura that seemed to swallow the skies and roll across the earth.

This is the pride of the Eastern Wilderness, isn’t it!

Watching his daughter descend from the stage with her graduation certificate and a Foundation Building Pill in hand, Han Tingfeng suddenly felt an unprecedented sense of pride swell within him!

An intense impulse made him involuntarily raise his right hand, going against his usual low-profile demeanor in the Eastern Wilderness, as he stood up and pointed at Han Zhiling, who had returned to the class.

“This is my daughter!”

As soon as those words escaped his lips, he felt a tinge of regret.

In the Eastern Wilderness, where cultivation was the focus, how could he indulge in such ostentation? Was he not inviting trouble for himself and his daughter by not keeping a steady and low profile?

He wondered what had come over him at that moment, it was as if he was bewitched, unable to help blurting out those words.

“Brother Han, I had no idea your pure Yin body daughter was so remarkable.”

“Truly, a case of ‘like father, like daughter’ indeed!”

“How do you teach her on a regular basis? Could you share some tricks? I’ve toiled, selling my magic artifacts, to send my child to the Scholarly Mansion, but he ranks at the bottom in every annual test, infuriating me to no end!”

Before Han Tingfeng’s feelings of regret could fully surface, the parents who had heard his words began to crowd around him. Some recognized him, but many more were looking at him with eyes full of envy, seeking advice on raising a child.

A sense of immense satisfaction and achievement that had never bubbled up in his heart before caused Han Tingfeng to involuntarily grin, as he once again couldn’t resist flaunting his daughter, abandoning his usual principle of keeping a low profile.

“This girl has been smart since she was little. She just needs to see me perform an alchemy procedure once and she can almost replicate it entirely!”

“But mainly, it is due to the strict discipline at home. Even on holidays, I make her study her lessons rigorously.”

“While talent is important, I believe hard work is the key. Of course, her self-discipline is also a factor in her success…”

Han Tingfeng had never felt such an urge to talk before. He basked in the jealous and envious looks from the crowd, incessantly talking without a break.

In that moment, he felt a desire to soar into the skies and shout to everyone that the valedictorian graduate of the Longevity Academy was his daughter, Han Zhiling!

“Hahaha, daughter, you’ve really given your father a great amount of honor this time!”

When the graduation ceremony ended, Han Tingfeng cheerfully walked back with his daughter who was trying to behave modestly but couldn’t contain her joy, and his dejected-looking son who gazed at his sister with envious eyes, head held high and chest out, heading home in Northern Abyss City.

“Father, the Foundation Building Pill is incredibly precious. Why don’t you keep it safe for sister first, to prevent any accidents from happening and someone snatching it away!”

Han Tingfeng’s son, Han Ronglu, suddenly spoke up, only to be met with a displeased look from the latter.

“This is Northern Abyss City, the Large Formation also envelops the Longevity Academy, and Foundation Establishment Practitioners are always stationed in the city—it’s the safest place on the Eastern Desolation Plateau.”

“In the six years we’ve been living here, have you ever heard of any residents being robbed by Rogue Cultivators inside the city?”

“This isn’t some savage land like Lei Nation, and moreover, Elder Chen is here today. Your sister is now the top student of Longevity Academy, and her Foundation Building Pill was personally granted by Elder Chen himself. I would like to see who has the audacity to make a move here.”

Han Tingfeng spoke in a tone he had never used before, and there was even an urge to have Han Zhiling take the Foundation Building Pill out of her Storage Bag and flaunt it through the streets.

Fortunately, he finally came to his senses and did not do it.

“Father, I see a classmate. I will go say hello,”

When Han Zhiling spotted a youth rummaging through a stall on the street, she suddenly spoke up. Han Tingfeng nodded cheerfully and then took his son to a tavern on this commercial street to wait for her.

“Song Huangdae!”

After walking over, Han Zhiling called out the name of the youth directly. Song Huangdae, who had slightly dark circles under his eyes and a slightly chubby face, turned around upon hearing her, looking very surprised.

“It’s the class president! Congratulations on getting the Foundation Building Pill!”

Song Huangdae was Han Zhiling’s classmate, average in appearance with ordinary talent and mediocre grades. In magical duels, he could only use some defensive earth techniques, making him the least conspicuous person in the entire class.

Yet, during an unexpected incident, Han Zhiling discovered his true hidden strength.

It was strong enough to easily overpower her!

However, she was forced to make a Dao Heart Oath with him to not reveal the slightest thing about him or else her whole family would meet its demise.

Han Zhiling originally thought Song Huangdae was concealing himself to make a stunning debut at graduation, avoiding early attention from the other geniuses.

When it was time for the graduation duel, Han Zhiling felt utterly hopeless upon drawing Song Huangdae.

In the whole Scholarly Mansion, she had only ever lost to him.

Yet, to her surprise, Song Huangdae forfeited before even stepping onto the stage, claiming that he was used to the class president’s strength and surely wouldn’t be a match, so he didn’t want to embarrass himself.

Following this, the true top student of the Longevity Academy graduated inconspicuously.

“With your strength, you could have easily defeated me to become the chief. Why didn’t you do it?”

The two found themselves in a quiet alley, and Han Zhiling asked with confusion. Song Huangdae only smiled faintly, fidgeting with a reddish-brown ore he had just purchased from the stall, and posed a question in return.

“Since we’re both entering the Divine Wood Sect, what difference does it make between being the chief graduate and a regular graduate?”

At the graduation ceremony, the admission list for the Divine Wood Sect also was posted. Though Song Huangdae had forfeited against Han Zhiling, he still barely made the cutoff and appeared on the list.

“But the chief gets a Foundation Building Pill!”

Han Zhiling couldn’t help but interject.

“Oh, I did not know that before.”

Song Huangdae made a comment that caused Han Zhiling to frown slightly—the news about the Foundation Building Pill had been the talk of the entire Scholarly Mansion; it was impossible for a student not to know.

“As long as I enter the Divine Wood Sect, I can get a Foundation Building Pill by becoming a true successor in the Sect’s grand competition that takes place every ten years. By then, I should be around the Ninth Layer of Qi Cultivation, which would be just right.”

Seeing the disbelief on Han Zhiling’s face, Song Huangdae shared a part of his thoughts.

Although he also greatly coveted the Foundation Building Pill, he did not wish to expose himself to the likes of Elder Chen from the Divine Wood Sect.

After all, even though he had forged his identity well, if the Divine Wood Sect were to discover his true origins, he would be executed without question.

If not for the mission he had, he would never have placed himself within the main camp of his enemy, the Divine Wood Sect.

“After we join the Divine Wood Sect, we should help each other out as classmates,” Han Zhiling hesitated a bit, and finally said. A trace of sarcasm appeared at the corner of Song Huangdae’s mouth after hearing this.

“Your father is Han Tingfeng, a Rank-2 Alchemist who holds some sway even among Foundation Establishment Practitioners in the Northern Abyss City, and the chief graduate personally mentioned by Elder Chen. After entering the Divine Wood Sect, you will surely be under the tutelage of a Foundation Establishment mentor. You won’t be in the same circle as an ordinary Loose Cultivator like me. It’s better we interact less,”

Having said that, Song Huangdae left the alley with the ore in hand.

If killing someone in the Northern Abyss City wouldn’t have drawn the attention of the Divine Wood Sect, he would have dealt with Han Zhiling when he was first exposed.

However, once inside the Divine Wood Sect, in the vastness of the Giant Tree Ridge, he could well conceal himself and would no longer have any dealings with her.

Seeing Song Huangdae walking away, Han Zhiling frowned slightly but was helpless to do anything.

Just as she turned around, she staggered in shock.

Han Ronglu was standing at the mouth of the alley, watching her with a strange expression.

“Father sent me to find you. He has prepared a great meal!”

“Oh, alright!”

Han Zhiling, fearing that Han Ronglu had caught on to Song Huangdae’s true nature, and since she had made a Dao Heart Oath, if she revealed anything, her whole family would perish.

But at that moment, she didn’t dare ask, frightened that if Han Ronglu had indeed seen something, speaking out would validate the oath.

Fortunately, Han Ronglu did not inquire further.

After a brief conversation, they left the alley one after the other.

…

Following the first graduation ceremony of the Longevity Academy, the happiest person had to be E Yun.

When the news of Chen Mobai giving the Foundation Building Pill to Han Zhiling spread, the previously tepid real estate market suddenly became bustling.

E Yun had not experienced the term “demand exceeding supply” in many years. Apart from keeping some for Sect Disciples to reside in, he sold all the Rank-1 and Rank-2 Cave Dwellings during this opportunity.

Just by doing this, he collected over eight million Spirit Stones.

This was even with E Yun not being blinded by the influx of Spirit Stones, having chosen not to sell any Rank-3 Cave Dwellings; otherwise, it would have surely surpassed ten million.