The Thirteen Trials of the Deceptive Monk

Lü Wenjun turned around blankly: "What letter?"

Old Fa chuckled, waving a manila envelope: "What other letter could it be? A reply from your family!"

Lu Wenjun's mind went blank. He hadn't had high hopes for the communication efficiency between the two sides, but he never expected that his letter would actually get a reply.

"No way! Holy crap! Thank you, Master Fa!!"

He hurriedly took the envelope and ran back to the Water Mirror Pavilion, instantly clearing his mind of all his chaotic thoughts. He carefully opened the envelope, took out the letter, and when he saw the familiar handwriting, his heart, which had been hanging in suspense, immediately felt much relieved.

[Wen Jun:]

The letter has been received; you can rest assured.

Lu Wenjun nestled in the sofa, smiling contentedly. The characters were neat, large regular script, clearly written by his father himself.

The letters in the Lu family were always written by Mr. Lu. This wasn't because he was particularly fond of literature, but because his mother had spent most of her youth fighting wars and hadn't had much time to learn any formal education. His mother felt her handwriting was unsightly and embarrassing, so when they corresponded, she always had her father, who came from a respectable family, write the letters for her.

Your letter came at just the right time, as your mother was extremely anxious and restless. I'm not as agitated as she is; after all, you've undergone a lot of training since childhood, so you won't die too soon somewhere in the world. You said the training courses were very effective, which makes me very happy, showing that our efforts and your hard work haven't been in vain.

You already have excellent grades. If you can maintain this level, you don't need to worry about not being able to go home due to repeating a grade or needing extra tutoring. We are not concerned about your studies, and you don't need to worry too much.

Lu Wenjun was completely relieved, knowing that his parents had understood his hint.

Now that he's in a place where he can make good use of his training results, life is naturally not very stable, and what he said in the letter is certainly not entirely true. But since the general direction and meaning are clear, there's not too much worry about what he'll be going through.

This might seem exaggerated to ordinary parents. But my dad has always been thick-skinned; knowing his son isn't dead, he can happily go traveling and having fun.

Children and grandchildren have their own blessings; what psychological pressure should elders have?

However, this is your first time living in a different place, and I have two things I need to tell you.

First and foremost, you must study hard. You mentioned that the teachers at your new school are responsible and the academic atmosphere is rigorous, which is a rare and excellent environment in today's society. Furthermore, the opportunity to learn skills that suit you is extremely valuable, and you should cherish it.

You must understand that the most important thing a person can rely on in this life is their "ability". You've been used to overthinking since childhood, and when faced with problems in new environments, you might often think of asking for help or resorting to petty tricks. But you need to know that the best way is to use the time spent thinking about these things to improve yourself.

Your father dared to cross the ocean to the West with only a bag of clothes on his back because he already knew how to deal with guns and cannons. If you truly possess exceptional skills, why should you worry about any difficulties? Remember, a truly capable person can support themselves anywhere.

Lu Wenjun could almost picture his father boasting as he picked up his pen, his mother nagging him about repeating the same old tune. He couldn't help but smile, feeling the fog before him clearing up a little.

Secondly, make more friends. Your focus on academics in high school, which resulted in a withdrawn lifestyle, was partly due to our laissez-faire approach, but also partly due to your own eccentric personality. University is a much larger stage than high school; you will meet many unexpected people. More interaction and communication will benefit you far more than rote learning. Because ten or twenty years from now, you may not remember the topics you were working on then, but you will remember the casual conversations and fun anecdotes with your friends.

That's enough of my rambling. Finally, Dad wants to say a few words from his heart.

Lu Wenjun swallowed hard, knowing that his father was speaking seriously at this moment.

[After receiving your letter, Dad was very pleased. Not only because you have achieved academic success, but also because you can finally be happy.]

You were born weak and had an eccentric personality. You didn't inherit much talent, but you did inherit your parents' competitive spirit. You strive for victory in every competition, and if you fail, you feel dejected and blame yourself for your incompetence. However, your talent and ambition lie neither in martial arts nor in ordinary academics. Therefore, no matter how hard you try, you are forcing yourself to grow in the opposite direction, stuck in a rut, forcing a smile—a heartbreaking sight.

Lu Wenjun clutched the letter, remaining silent for a moment. He knew his father understood him well, but he never imagined his father knew so much about him.

Looking at that group photo, I realize that you're smiling more happily at your current school than at any time in the past 18 years... If that's the case, why don't you continue living here?

People come and go in this world, their desires and pursuits nothing more than "happiness" and "meaning." But in my father's view, only those who truly govern a region or a country, or those who risk their lives for success, have any real sense of meaning. For others, meaning is nothing more than a substitute for self-satisfaction, or a self-imposed prison; they are not as enlightened as those who seek happiness. Yet, the vast majority either cannot see through it or cannot achieve it, and thus, they always fail to obtain what they desire. Therefore, the world is often filled with resentment, and those as happy as my father are a minority.

Compared to most people, you are incredibly fortunate. You have come to a place where you can utilize your talents and abilities, and are living a life you truly love. So don't hesitate, boldly move forward.

Naturally, this lifestyle seems strange to outsiders. Your education and skills are likely quite extraordinary to them. But when your father went to the Americas to box, and your mother went to the Middle East as a mercenary, they never worried about these trivial matters. You're so young, what do you have to care about?

You are an adult now; how you live your life is your own decision. Don't hesitate, just act.

Lu Wenjun put away the letter, thinking that his father was really crazy. Other parents would probably be anxious and urge their son to return home as soon as possible after they found out that their son had transmigrated to another world. His father, on the contrary, was not in a hurry at all. Instead, he was fanning the flames, acting as if he couldn't wait for his son to become a peerless master and live a carefree life. Anyone who didn't know better would think that he was an indifferent bystander.

But isn't that more in line with his philosophy of life? My dad is a complete egoist; worldly wisdom and other people's opinions are utter nonsense. The most important thing in life is to be happy, and anything that makes him unhappy will be smashed to pieces with his fists. If you've already trained yourself to be invincible, why bother with dangers and traps?

He put away the letter, chuckled softly, and felt as if the fog had suddenly dissipated, revealing a bright and open road ahead.

Just then, the jade pendant's alarm clock rang, signaling the time to communicate with the prophet Sheen. He pressed the eye of the living sacrifice and called out, hearing a lively greeting.

"Good morning, Agent!" Miss Prophet seemed a little excited today. "I'm going to give you a new mission this week."

"Please speak."

Lu Wenjun found himself not in a hurry, perhaps because he had figured things out, and his mood was exceptionally calm. Even if he were to fight another battle against the Outer Gods, or face a random surprise attack, he was confident he could win.

Join the student council!

But the absurdity of the mission this time still exceeded his expectations.

"...Huh?"

"To track down the mastermind behind this, please join the student council!" Sheen repeated. "I specifically confirmed with an old colleague that the Trista Academy student council is an organization similar to an 'executive body,' responsible for handling all sorts of professional tasks for the teachers. In other words, they should also be involved in the investigation of this Outer God incident!"

"Oh...so you want to infiltrate the student council and use that channel to access the college's research findings?"

“Exactly! This also fulfills one of the conditions for the Academy Star, and it's helpful for the mission of stealing the Jade Record, so it's killing two birds with one stone.” Miss Sheen was quite pleased with her idea. “What do you think, Mr. Agent? For you right now, isn't this the best choice that won't arouse suspicion?”

Student council...

As scenes from various fantasy works he had read before flashed through his mind, Lü Wenjun smiled unconsciously.

"Isn't this quite interesting?" he replied flippantly. "Leave it to me!"

Chapter 76 When you're in the game, your drinking capacity is what matters.

The Trista College Student Handbook is a massive 643-page tome. Due to its excessive length and lack of relevance to actual campus life, as many as 98% of students never even open it before graduation.

However, the handbook contains a very wide range of information, actually covering most of the questions and answers one might encounter on campus. For example, page 56 records the selection criteria for the "Star of the College," the original text of which is as follows:

To be selected as a College Star, you need to meet the following criteria during your first semester of freshman year:

1. Achieved first place overall in the final exam

2. Obtain a "T" grade evaluation from no fewer than 3 required course instructors at the end of the semester.

3. Participate in or establish at least one official college club or organization, and become a club officer or core member.

4. Achieve a top-three ranking in any college activity.

5. Develop a relationship beyond friendship with at least one classmate (not mandatory, but highly recommended!)

Leaving aside the fifth point, which was clearly biased (and universally acknowledged as a personal addition by the principal), the criteria for selecting the Star of the College are quite clear: outstanding academic performance, unanimous recognition from teachers, active participation in various school activities, and demonstration of abilities beyond academics.

If a freshman could meet all the above stringent criteria, he would undoubtedly be a universally recognized celebrity, and calling him the star of the college would not be an exaggeration. However, in reality, due to the extremely strict selection criteria for this award, apart from a certain senior who is now living a leisurely life in the Thousand-Year Cave, it seems that no one else has won it in the past hundred years.

Even so, the reward of choosing one's own original text remained enticing, and generation after generation of young magicians relentlessly pursued their goal of becoming the Academy Star, developing various tricks for skipping classes. For example—

"Those who want to meet the requirement of forming a club usually choose to create their own club."

Faris placed the plate on the table and began to speak eloquently: "The standards for establishing a club at our school are very lenient. As long as you have five people, you can apply. Even if you don't produce any results and don't receive funding, the club will be disbanded a year later. It's very profitable to use them to fill the quota."

Lu Wenjun looked at the "AAA Idol Chasing Club" and "1111 Coping Club" on the club list and slowly nodded: "I understand..."

"Secondly, if you find it troublesome to join a club, you usually choose a small group because it's more cost-effective!" Faris added. "Things like the Deduction Assimilation Club and the Monster Condensation Club, hardly anyone gets to be a core member. Becoming a core member in the three major clubs is exhausting and interferes with your studies, so the cost-effectiveness is extremely low!"

Lü Wenjun repeated, "I understand..."

Faris shrugged: "The logic is so clear, yet you want to join the student council? Dude, what's gotten into you?"

Lu Wenjun buried his head in his textbook and let out a long, desperate sigh.

Among the many clubs at Trista College, the student council is arguably the least cost-effective. It's common knowledge that university student councils are synonymous with menial tasks; besides mediating student conflicts and handling odd jobs, the various chores before and after events can be incredibly frustrating. And the college's student council is even more troublesome than those outside the college…

Because they are still following the elite route!

The student union doesn't have any peripheral members. They have direct jurisdiction over all other clubs. Therefore, so-called peripheral members of the student union are just laborers drawn from other clubs. It's impossible to climb from the periphery to the core...

There are only six spots for core members of the student council, and the opportunity to run for core members is only available once a year during club recruitment. Freshmen who want to join have to compete with upperclassmen.

Unfortunately, student council affairs are hectic, and once you join, all sorts of miscellaneous tasks make it impossible to concentrate on studying. It's said that the current student council president set a record of 90 consecutive days of missed classes last semester, and this semester he's barely attended any classes, potentially breaking the record to 100 days. If you want to get first place in the entire grade after joining this club, you'll need both exceptional intelligence and unwavering perseverance.

Lu Wenjun covered his face with his hands: "Just think of me as having a death wish and wanting to challenge the student council president."

With special agent missions coming up, what else can he do but join? ... In a couple of days, he'll report to Sheen that the dignified special agent Vess was rejected in the student union membership test at a certain university.

Putting aside how much that girl would laugh, his image as a secret agent would probably be ruined on the spot. He had no choice but to go in!

"Good, that's ambitious! Master Lü truly lives up to his prestigious lineage, perfectly embodying all the stereotypes we foreigners have about people from ancient China!" Faris gave a thumbs up. "The club recruitment is the day after tomorrow, anyone else want to challenge Master Lü?"

Velsa raised her fork in an encouraging gesture: "The student council has too many miscellaneous tasks, I'll go to the Heroic Martial Arts Club."

"Oh, is that the violent group that supposedly uses fighting as a club activity?"

“I asked the president, and he said that everyone is just exchanging ideas in a friendly manner, much more peaceful than the student council,” Vilsa said. “It is said that the atmosphere in this year’s student council is particularly hellish, with many regular members unable to bear the burden and leaving the council, and even the core members are fighting amongst themselves.”

"Does the student council refer to the students' fighting tournament?" Kukumu asked curiously.

Linggong pushed up her glasses: "Probably... God, do you still remember the fire in the school building last week?"

"Yeah, half the building turned red in an instant, and my hair was on fire."

"That incident seemed to be an internal power struggle within the student council..."

Linggong pulled out today's "College News" from her bag; the headline photo was of a disheveled, brown-haired student.

·

The internal strife is over? The chairman's faction wins another resounding victory!

The third internal power struggle within the student council this year has come to an end, with the president once again decisively defeating the vice president and successfully demolishing half of the teaching building. Vice President Mr. Giltan stated in a reporter interview that the president's reckless actions showed a complete disregard for dignity.

Giltan: "The student council represents the glorious tradition of the academy! Every member of the student council should aspire to be a role model for young mages and strive to be an exemplary figure in the academy. In this era of moral decay, we are among the few nobles who uphold honor and integrity! But the current president has made the student council a laughing stock. The disciplinary committee has been disbanded, the etiquette department no longer exists, and now she even wants to turn club recruitment into a cocktail party. It's simply outrageous!"

Reporter: "From another perspective, Blazing Blood Princess was also one of the earliest guild leaders to start innovating..."

Giltan: "Oh my, thank goodness. If you want to innovate, you first need to understand the old ways thoroughly. Has she ever seriously run a club? She didn't even run for election; she fought her way up to become president!"

Reporter: "Might makes right, right? (laughs)"

Giltan: "Can you guarantee that such a person can clear out the Millennium Cave in a crucial year like next year or the year after? Now they're even turning recruitment into a cocktail party. Seriously, they don't care about saving face at all."

·

"Vice President Giltan exudes the aura of a defeated man," Faris remarked. "By the way, what's the meaning of turning recruitment into a cocktail party?"

"The point is to get all the clubs and freshmen drinking together," Pershka said.

The little witch happened to walk past their table, looking at someone with ill intent: "The student council is at the very back of the recruitment area. If you can't hold your liquor and can't finish drinking, you'll just have to join the nearest club."

Lu Wenjun gave a forced smile: "This is indeed interesting information, but I am somewhat surprised that Miss Pershka would be interested in such matters."

"It's nothing, after all, I'm going to join the student council."

Lu Wenjun propped himself up on the table and jumped to his feet: "Huh?! If you want to be the star of the academy, finding an easy club to join is the best solution!"

Pershka put one hand on his hip: "If you're going to join a club, you should choose the best one."

"Did you know there's only one spot for a core member of the student council this year? Besides, it's very dangerous for a girl to drink so much!"

"Are you that worried about losing to me?" Pershka laughed. "Could it be that our No. 1 drinker is surprisingly bad at drinking?"

Lu Wenjun gritted his teeth: "You better watch out, or I'll get you drunk!"

"Likewise, I look forward to seeing you drunk and passed out by the roadside."

Linggong was used to it and had become too lazy to even sigh anymore. Jiujiumu asked curiously, "Who will win?"

“It’s hard to say,” Faris said gleefully. “I just know there’s bound to be a good show.”

·

And so, two days later, on Saturday afternoon, the air at Trista College was thick with the aroma of liquor. Temporary stalls lined both sides of Philosophy Avenue, and bright red maple leaves drifted over the heads of upperclassmen, landing in freshly opened jars of liquor.

This avenue of fine wine stretches all the way down the Crystal Mountains, ending only at the top of the waterfall above Frostmourne Lake. This end is the starting point for the new students; they must drink their way up to the academy at the mountain's summit. Only those who have conquered all the clubs and reached the deepest recesses of the academy are qualified to join the student council.

"That being said, club activities are ultimately a matter of mutual consent," said Lü Wenjun.

Faris said expressionlessly, "Open your eyes and take a look."

Lu Wenjun turned his head: "I guess the seniors are just playing by the rules, they won't actually do something like getting newcomers drunk and forcing them to join the club."

Vilsa's expression also turned grim: "Let's face reality..."

"How am I supposed to look directly at those things?!" Lü Wenjun screamed in agony.

If the starting point of the Wine Avenue could be summed up in one word, it would be "a chaotic dance of demons." Numerous muscular mages gathered, using their powerful pectoral muscles, biceps, and glutes to support wine jugs larger than their heads; slightly weaker theorists wore the standard trench coats of bootleg DVDs, the lapels ripped open to reveal neatly arranged bottles and jars underneath; there were also ranged soldiers who had already occupied high ground, ready to throw alcohol grenades! There were even suicide bombers who had already started drinking themselves! And assassins whose ten fingers gripped small wine bottle-shaped projectiles like darts!

"Hehe..." "Hehehe." "Come on!" "Can't wait!"

All the upperclassmen wore terrifying smiles. Their faces, stretched out with excessive excitement and anticipation, resembled giant goblins enhanced by metallization magic. Their expressions were enough to leave a lifelong shadow on any child.

If it weren't for the pink-haired twin-tailed girl from the student council leading a group of equally imposing muscular men to block the starting line, these drunken devils would probably have already run off like wild dogs!

Lu Wenjun exclaimed in horror, "These bastards have 'I'm going to get you drunk' written all over their faces! They don't even care about species, they're just grabbing anyone they see. Are the school's clubs really that short of people?!"

Reiko flipped through the handbook: "Because the standards for abolishing clubs at our school are as low as those for establishing them, clubs with fewer than 10 members will be abolished... The seniors are also fighting with the future of the club on their shoulders."