The Thirteen Trials of the Deceptive Monk

She unleashed the Demon-Slaying Arrow, nocked an arrow, and aimed it at the divine light within the talismanic cage.

"With the antidote arrows specifically designed to target evil spirits, dealing with the weak remnants shouldn't be a problem." She narrowed her eyes. "What do you choose, Your Majesty?"

The divine being immediately cowered, hesitating in the net. Linggong shouted, "Wenjun, will-o'-the-wisp!"

Without a word, Lü Wenjun conjured a ball of will-o'-the-wisp. The divine being, upon seeing the light, acted as if it had found a cave and quickly darted inside. Ling Gong commanded, "Eat it!"

Lu Wenjun opened his mouth and swallowed the will-o'-the-wisp, desperately swallowing it back down as if afraid it would escape. He felt a warm stream of fire enter his body, and then felt nothing more.

Vilsa grabbed the heretic's claw and extinguished the fire in a few swift movements. Faris untied the ropes: "So, you're wearing pants now?"

Lu Wenjun raised his hand tremblingly: "Bird!"

The bamboo grove was completely silent; no birds paid him any attention.

"wind……"

There is no wind.

Lu Wenjun trembled violently: "Light! Sunlight!"

The sky remained unchanged, its indifferent black face conveying the message, "What are you yelling about, you idiot?"

Lu Wenjun finally returned to normal life. He knelt on the ground excitedly, raised his hands, and shouted with his charred face, "I've put on my pants!! I've put on my pants!!"

The brothers clapped and congratulated her. Ling Gong put away the talismans and bow and arrows, a half-smile on her face: "Someone seemed to be doubting my professional skills before. What should he call me now?"

Lu Wenjun grabbed her trouser leg and said, moved, “Lord Linggong! Please accept my bow, my benefactor!”

Ling Gong, with the air of a noble young lady, tilted her head back and laughed three times. Velsa exclaimed, "I've witnessed a precious moment of humanity regressing into canine form!"

"He was an insect not long ago, so you could say he's evolved," Faris said. "But even with these pants on, his divinity is useless. What a waste of time!"

“Once the divine descent ritual is completed, it can be used flexibly. Generally speaking…” Ling Gong thought for a moment, “it can be used to enhance spells?”

Lu Wenjun summoned the will-o'-the-wisp again, still a fist-sized ball. He tried to activate his divinity, and the heat within his body immediately shot out along his gaze.

The will-o'-the-wisp burned fiercely, turning blood-red and swelling to a meter in height!

"Wow! This visual effect is amazing!" Faris exclaimed. "But it seems like there's still no damage?"

"The nature of the technique won't change; it will be more noticeable when used to cultivate or manifest techniques. Plus, the amount of divinity isn't large, so I estimate it won't be used too many times in a short period of time."

Lu Wenjun summoned the will-o'-the-wisp again, but this time, no matter how hard he tried, the divinity within him remained listlessly still. Nevertheless, he was still satisfied.

"Wearing pants can also serve as a trump card for enhancing spells, this is a sure win for me."

“It has far more effects than that. This is divine, a treasure that only those at least at the legendary level can hope to access.” Vilsa shook his head. “You are truly a wondrous magician.”

"It's also strange that he has divinity but uses it to be an exhibitionist."

"Please stop talking, please stop talking..." Lü Wenjun covered his face. "Let's go, it's lunchtime. It's my treat today, everyone order whatever you like..."

"Oh, does even your wallet have to be an exhibitionist?"

"When will this awful joke ever end? Stop reading it!"

·

Before treating everyone, Lü Wenjun made a special trip back to the store to return the discounted products he had bought that morning and pay for the cream puffs.

The true nature of divinity is not wish fulfillment but human allure; once he knew this, he could no longer take advantage of others with a clear conscience.

"I was originally testing a luck-enhancing spell, but the effect ended up affecting the people around me..."

It's worth mentioning that the shop assistants weren't surprised at all when they heard about this, and instead remarked, "This happens every year," and "It must be a freshman." It seems that similar incidents are not uncommon, even on campus.

The original plan of 300 magic coins had been severely overspent, reaching 400 magic coins. Lü Wenjun was already prepared to continue living frugally next week. The final episode related to divinity occurred after Senior Mingxiao returned home…

"Speaking of which, what did you gain from analyzing the original text yesterday?"

……

"Divinity? No, but... could it be? Could it be?"

………………

The rabbit ears poked Lü Wenjun's head repeatedly.

"Hey, can I take a look? I really don't have any bad intentions, I'm just doing a routine check for you."

"No."

"Don't let shame defeat you! Someone as cautious as you really allow something of unknown origin to stay in your body? What if it's poisonous? Better safe than sorry."

"Absolutely not."

Under Mingxiao's relentless pursuit, he finally wavered and released his divinity. The result...

Mingxiao, who had been lying on the stairs, burst into wild laughter. He laughed so hard that he couldn't stand up and slid down the stairs one step at a time, rolling around in the hall while clutching his stomach.

"Hahaha, hahaha, ahahahahahahahaha!"

"You can laugh yourself to death here, I'm going back."

Lu Wenjun turned to leave. Mingxiao quickly grabbed Lu Wenjun's leg and said softly.

"It's okay, Wenjun, you really don't need to worry about it... Small ones are cute too, hahaha!"

At that moment, Lü Wenjun thought to himself from the bottom of his heart.

—I would rather die than become a god in my entire life.

Chapter 40 Everyone has someone they don't like.

The pleasant weekend ended with Lü Wenjun's screams, and the second week, piled high with coursework, began. Since the first morning of the week, the classroom atmosphere for the new students had changed somewhat, as a new notification popped up on the jade pendants of all the new students:

Notice on Implementing an Incentive Point System

Dear new students:

To cultivate a magician's way of thinking, deepen understanding of textbook knowledge, strengthen the construction of a rational learning style, and comprehensively encourage students to actively participate in class, the school has decided to officially implement the "incentive points" system starting this week.

1. Incentive credits are independent credits separate from regular course credits and exam credits. They are not included in the annual semester final evaluation, but they account for a significant proportion in the evaluation of college honors such as college star and scholarships.

2. Incentive points can be exchanged for regular performance points at a certain ratio (see the attachment for the exchange formula and method). A maximum of 5 regular performance points can be exchanged for one required course per semester.

3. Students who effectively utilize textbook knowledge or achieve tangible results in teaching practice through clever methods will receive incentive points. Bonus points may also be awarded at the discretion of the examiner for students who provide rich and detailed responses or demonstrate innovative arguments during classroom Q&A sessions.

4. Starting today, all first-year courses will increase the investment of teaching resources in practical sessions to ensure that every student can fully participate in the interaction.

Faris stared at the scene for a long time, a fried dough stick dangling from his mouth, utterly puzzled: "What does this mean? It says it won't participate in the overall evaluation, but it also says it can be exchanged for participation points. So, does it participate or not?"

"It's to motivate us to learn in all aspects," Lü Wenjun explained. "If you were only participating in the evaluation, would you want to get this score?"

"I'm just hoping to pass and thank God, I can't even dream of a scholarship."

“The teachers thought the same way, which is why they added this exchange feature,” Lü Wenjun pointed out. “Let’s assume you got 55 points on your Druid class final exam…”

“It’s not that high,” Faris corrected.

“You were so close to passing, but you had to take the make-up exam during the winter break. That’s a real shame, isn’t it?” Lu Wenjun clapped his hands. “But you just happened to have some incentive points that can be exchanged for 5 participation points. Now, even if Old Mo Ding doesn’t like you, he’ll have to give you a passing grade of 60.”

Faris suddenly realized: "Holy crap, so it's used to bail people out! What a great deed!"

Faris's words were not an exaggeration. In fact, some of Trista's courses are notoriously difficult, especially "Spiritology" and "Introduction to Druidism," which are considered killer courses throughout history, with about 30% of freshmen failing each year. A 5-point participation grade may seem small, but it can actually save an entire course, which is quite a mercy.

After realizing this, Faris spent the morning diligently studying the textbook and actively answering questions, successfully earning two incentive points in the easy-going history class. At lunchtime, as he munched on his roasted meat, his expression became increasingly interesting.

"No, something doesn't feel right to me."

"Faris, weren't you very diligent in your studies today?" Ling Gong smiled.

“Look, to ensure I don’t fail, I need to earn incentive points. To earn incentive points, I need to understand the textbook. To understand the textbook, I need to listen attentively in class…” Faris said, “But if I listen attentively in class, why am I worried about failing?”

Lu Wenjun looked pleased: "Look, you've been inspired."

"Is this the kind of incentive method?!"

The teachers' little tricks were quickly seen through by the slackers, but even so, most of them fell for it. After all, it was quite easy to get incentive points from good-natured teachers like Turiman and Bill, which could always be used to make up for the losses in the Killer class. The ones most affected were actually the top-ranked students.

“I got a zero on my motivational score last class,” Vilsa pondered. “It seems the professors at Tenkain don’t encourage knocking down monsters with your fists.”

“Because the last lesson was about exorcising kappa, right? The recommended method for exorcising this kind of monster is to ‘make the water in the plate on its head drain out.’” Reiko adjusted her glasses. “It’s hard to say that smashing the head along with the plate is a practical application of what you’ve learned…”

“That’s too rigid. You won’t find that kind of opportunity in real combat,” Virsa frowned.

Linggong pointed to the sandwich destroyer next to her: "He made a very long straw and hid it in the grass to suck the kappa dry one by one."

Lu Wenjun showed off the extra-long straw. Velsa held the straw and looked at it for a long time before saying, "My head hurts so much."

“That’s good, it means he’s getting smarter,” Faris said.

The old method of using force to throw bricks is no longer effective, and the school's proud teaching tradition has finally been maintained: there are no more flying fireballs, scattering ice, or iron fists that leave chunks of flesh, because those who want to be recognized for their excellence must prove that they know how to apply what they have learned, rather than using force to suppress others.

Most freshmen were happy to see this happen, as watching top students get their comeuppance is always a timeless source of amusement. From the second week onwards, even the two super-achievers were no longer invincible, and the polarized landscape of the first year finally came to an end…

?

·

History class, Tullijman's question.

"The question of motivation: In the original version of the 'Cinderella' story, what was the force that helped this poor girl?"

“The hazelnut tree that was the incarnation of its birth mother,” Pershka replied.

Spiritualism: Ji Chuanjun's Classroom Practice.

"Lv Wenjun +2 points. Please share your method for solving the 'drowning ghost seeking a substitute' problem with your classmates."

Lü Wenjun stepped onto the podium and spoke generally: "The so-called drowning ghost seeking a substitute is actually a phenomenon similar to earthbound spirits caused by the ancients' fear of death and their ignorance of the underworld. Therefore, it should be pointed out that there is no such thing as a 'substitute' in the underworld; ghosts go there on their own. For details, please refer to a certain section in Volume Three of 'Xu Zi Bu Yu'..."

The Alchemy Elements Class: The Earl's Reward.

"A truly brilliant analysis of the development of the water sprite's character. Let's applaud Miss Pershka!"

Druid basics, Merdin's cold smile.

"It's obvious you've read quite a lot on your own. I don't encourage excessively advanced learning... but considering you've memorized it, I'll give Mr. Lü an extra point."

After the last class ended, most of the students in the classroom looked dazed. Faris slammed his fist on the table and shouted, "Why are the same two heroes still the strongest after the update?!"

Ling Gong chuckled dryly, "Is this what they call hard power..."

"Nothing has changed!" "What the hell did this end?!" "Impossible, defeating those two is impossible..." "The difference in strength is too great!"

The confident, above-average students suffered an unprecedented blow on their very first day. It turned out that the two top contenders were not only highly skilled in techniques but also possessed top-tier knowledge. After the physical battle turned into a battle of wits, the polarized power structure of the first-year students not only became more stable but also officially entered a Cold War era.

Pershka packed his bag and left the classroom, not forgetting to smile at Lü Wenjun: "You were very proactive today. I look forward to your performance tomorrow."

Lu Wenjun responded with a smile: "Likewise, I also look forward to seeing Miss Pershka's true strength."

Those similar smiles concealed a fighting spirit that struck fear into the hearts of onlookers. After the Cold War officially began, the friction between the top students intensified. Whenever two of them appeared in class together, they were sure to deliver brilliant answers; whenever they participated in practical exercises, they always came up with eye-opening solutions.

History has shown that the Cold War always brought about great scientific progress. Even onlookers who did not participate in the competition benefited greatly from the competition between the two sides. This is because the two top students would often attack the knowledge points where the other had failed after class, and the one who lost for a time would prepare to launch a sharp counterattack.

After the monster class, Pershka happily passed by Lü Wenjun's desk, where the latter was anxiously biting his nails.

"Wenjun, you have a misunderstanding of the spirits in the German region. I am really surprised that you didn't point out in time that the drik monster has the ability to give food its properties."

After history class, Lü Wenjun laughed three times arrogantly, while Pershka vented his anger on a poor Chinese dictionary.

"It's truly astonishing that the knowledgeable and ancient True Witch would confuse the origins of the images of Da Yi and Yi. It seems she still needs to brush up on her knowledge of ancient mythology!"

During the self-study period of the Druid class, Pershka sneered: "Someone who doesn't even know the medicinal effects of osmanthus leaves really had the nerve to talk about me before."

After the urban legends class ended, Lü Wenjun banged on the table: "Does the lady who extended the birth time of the human-faced dog by ten years have a problem with me?"

Pershka, bracing himself on the table, refused to budge: "Where does a man who hasn't even read the first edition of Grimm's Fairy Tales get the audacity to say I'm ignorant?"

"The woman who confused the evolution of zombie images is really confident."

"That's far from being as bad as that one who confuses fairies with little devils!"

The geniuses stared at each other with forced smiles, turning the pitiful long table into an invisible battle line. The classmates were all too intimidated to utter a sound. To avoid being caught in the crossfire, Blair hid under the podium, while Bill was the first to run out for a smoke.

The ping-pong match, with knowledge as the ball, went back and forth fiercely, but then, like debates and arguments in all fields, it devolved into the simplest and most efficient form of personal attack.

Pershka's speech quickened: "Lü Wenjun, you're deliberately trying to find fault with me, aren't you?"

Lu Wenjun simply dropped his smile: "I should be saying that, Miss Pershka."

There is a limit to arrogance.

"Do you even have the right to say that?"