Just when hundreds of "hidden dragons" were deeply shocked by Li Yao's amazing performance, Li Yao also broke out in a cold sweat, his heart was in a mess.
He was taking the last exam in the Wasteland Battle Network.
What made him break out in a cold sweat was not that the exam was too difficult, but that it was too easy!
The course he was taking was called "On Chivalry".
It sounded like the kind of course that was full of clichés, a big but useless course. As long as he shouted a few slogans like "We are all righteous sects, seeing injustice on the road, of course we have to pull out our swords to help", "The blood of the strong should flow for the weak", "Everyone has the right to kill evil" and so on, he could pass.
Moreover, in the textbook, it was indeed written like this.
Even half of the exam was more or less the same content. It was a complete giveaway.
However, the passing rate of this course was only 32%!
"It shouldn't be, if you can casually say some heroic words to pass, then everyone should pass 100% of the time. There shouldn't be anyone who doesn't even know how to say 'seeing injustice on the road, you have to pull out your swords to help', right? Why is the passing rate only 32%? "
As Li Yao answered, his mind quickly pondered.
Fortunately, there was still a lot of time left, he could slowly think about the answer.
The one presiding over the "On Chivalry" exam was a middle-aged cultivator with sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes. He was also condensed from countless telepathic thoughts. At first glance, he looked like the most standard chivalrous figure, especially warm-hearted. Every night before going to bed, he would behead three to five evil cultivators.
He seemed to be very satisfied with Li Yao's previous answers. He nodded again and again and concluded, "Good, good, what you said is very good. The reason why we righteous people have to root out the strong and help the weak. To uphold justice, it is because we are chivalrous, righteous, and hot-blooded, right? "
Li Yao was just about to nod when his heart suddenly beat wildly. He blurted out, "This is only one of the reasons!"
"Oh?"
This "chivalrous figure" was very surprised. "Then the second reason?"
"The reason why we have to root out the strong and help the weak, uphold justice, even at the cost of our lives, is because upholding justice is beneficial to us!"
Li Yao sorted out his thoughts and quickly answered.
"What are the benefits?" The chivalrous figure's eyes flashed and asked.
"What is justice? In my opinion, justice is the order of society, the law of civilization! And under the current social order, we cultivators are the ones who have vested interests. After enjoying the greatest benefits of this system of order, of course I have to protect it! "
"Vested interests? Explain yourself! "
The hero's smile disappeared and his face was expressionless. He seemed to be dissatisfied with Li Yao's statement that he only talked about benefits instead of good or evil.
Li Yao's words were like an arrow on a bowstring that had no choice but to be released. He braced himself and continued.
"In the current social order run by the Xing Yao Federation, we cultivators are the elites of all trades and professions. Whether it was reputation, status, or income, they were all much higher than ordinary people. Moreover, ordinary people respect us from the bottom of their hearts and desire to become Cultivators. Since ancient times, this has been the most suitable social order for Cultivators. No matter who wants to break this social order, we certainly can't let them succeed. Instead, we have to behead them as if they were evil spirits — this is justice! "
"In the ancient Cultivation World 40000 years ago, we had the same lofty status and were respected by people. However, I've never heard of many ancient Cultivators who would be chivalrous and sacrifice themselves for the weak!" The hero sneered.
"No." Ordinary people in the ancient Cultivation World only feared Cultivators, but they didn't respect them at all. What's more, the Cultivators in the ancient Cultivation World didn't live as comfortably as the modern Cultivators! "
Li Yao summoned his courage and said loudly, "Take me for example. I'm just a low-level Refinement Stage cultivator who has just entered the Cultivation World. If I lived in the ancient Cultivation World, I would be treated as a slave and ordered around by high-level Cultivators. Once I showed my talent or obtained a heavenly material or earthly treasure, I would have to constantly be on guard against others trying to kill me and rob me of my treasures. Moreover, my peers were also fighting and scheming against each other. Everyone wanted to step on each other's heads to climb up. If they could stab you in the back three times, they definitely wouldn't just stab you twice. In this kind of life of fear, I wouldn't eat well, I wouldn't sleep well, and I wouldn't even be able to defecate to my heart's content.
What kind of cultivation is this? "" It's different in the modern Cultivation World. Nowadays, civilization has advanced. Even a puny Refinement Stage cultivator like me can freely study the mysterious True Self Dao in the nation's top universities. Even if I obtain some kind of unique skill or heavenly material or earthly treasure, no one would dare to openly kill me and rob me of my treasures. Whoever dares to try would be the enemy of the entire Federation! "
"In this kind of environment, I can be at ease and boldly cultivate. My efficiency has increased by more than a hundred times! In the end, it would be great if I can become a high-level Cultivator. Even if I can't become a high-level Cultivator and remain a Refinement Stage cultivator for the rest of my life, it doesn't matter. After I go out into society, I can still find a good job and live a good life. "
"Tell me, is the social order that can allow me to be so free and unfettered worthy of my defense?"
The hero remained calm and collected. "You're right. However, we can also divide society into two parts. Among the Cultivators, we can talk about morality, law, and justice. As for those ant-like ordinary people, we can treat them like slaves and exploit them. We can force them to gather resources and create wealth for us to enjoy. This kind of social order can also allow you to live a comfortable life without having to bear the slightest responsibility. Isn't it better?"
"No, it's not good at all. Not to mention that the efficiency of the slave system and the feudal system is low and can't adapt to the advanced Cultivator civilization. More importantly, we still have our biggest competitor, the Devil Cultivators! Ordinary people don't necessarily have to rely on the Cultivators. If we really push them too far, they can use blood sacrifice to lure the Heavenly Demons to descend. Thousands of people in the entire town will be completely demonized. Under the leadership of the Devil, they will form a Devil Army that can destroy the heavens and earth. Not to mention a few Cultivators, even a Cultivation Sect can be swallowed up without leaving behind any dregs! "
"Hehe, hehehehe!"
Hearing this, the hero suddenly laughed sinisterly.
Then, the surrounding light and shadow flashed and turned into a gloomy and terrifying cave. The hero also turned into an evil figure with disheveled hair and a skull necklace hanging around his neck.
"Since it's like this, we might as well shed all pretenses of cordiality and all become Devil Cultivators! Devil Cultivators are so good. Their thoughts are clear, they can do as they please, and they can be free and unfettered to the extreme! "
Li Yao blinked his eyes and said, "If a steamed bun shop that has been running for several decades suddenly changes its business to selling wontons, can it compete with the wonton shop that has been around for hundreds of years?"
The hero stared blankly. Among the telepathic thoughts condensed by countless experts, there was no response to this kind of strange question. He said sluggishly, "What?"
Li Yao explained:
"It's not impossible for us Cultivators to become Devil Cultivators. However, they have already cultivated for several hundred thousand years and have already accumulated an incomparable wealth of experience. We are just beginners, how can we compete with them?"
"It's like a steamed bun shop that has been selling steamed buns for several decades. Seeing that the business of the wonton shop next door is good, you change your business to selling wontons. Can you compete with them? Besides, the business of the wonton shop may not be good! After all, in the Three Thousand Boundless Worlds, Cultivators are still the mainstream while Devil Cultivators are just stray dogs! "
The hero pondered for a moment:
"You're saying that even if we cultivators transform into Demonic Cultivators, we'll still be the worst kind of Demonic Cultivators. We simply can't compete with authentic Demonic Cultivators and can only be reduced to the lowest rung of the Devil World?"
"That's for sure. Take you for example. Do you think that just because you have disheveled hair, a few skulls around your neck, and dim the light a bit, you're a Devil Cultivator? How could it be that simple! Devil Cultivators are meant to tempt ordinary people. Just look at you, how could ordinary people be tempted by you! "
Li Yao sized up the hero and shook his head again and again. "Devil Cultivator is just the name we Cultivators use for these evil spirits. They definitely won't consider themselves as' devils'. I've heard that some Devil Cultivators even call themselves' Immortal Cultivators' and they walk the path of the True Immortal Dao. Even if it's because they practice evil arts and are surrounded by psionic energy and have an ugly and ferocious appearance, when they appear in front of ordinary people, they'll still transform into a sage-like demeanor and Daoist appearance. That's the only way to make a move!"
The hero was silent.
The candlelight in the depths of the cave flickered, dragging the shadows of the two people very, very long.
Li Yao's heart thumped.
What he said just now was completely an impromptu reaction. He had to deal with every move as it came. He recalled a bit and found a lot of omissions.
If the examiner were to pursue him relentlessly, he certainly wouldn't be able to withstand it.
A moment later, the surrounding environment changed once again. They were once again back on top of the mountain where the wind was light and the clouds were light and the air was fresh. The hero also changed back to his righteous and awe-inspiring appearance.
"Congratulations, Student Li Yao. You … have passed the 'On Chivalry' course! You've obtained 3 credits! "
Li Yao's heart skipped a beat. Then, he became wild with joy. He simply wanted to hug the hero and spin him around three times. He blurted out, "I, I really passed? Did I say the correct answer? "
The hero smiled and shook his head.
"No, everyone's understanding of the word 'chivalry' is different. The laws of the Cultivation Civilization are even more mysterious and abstruse. How could there be a correct answer?"
"Some of your statements are admittedly brilliant, but some of them are just sophistry."
"However, this course isn't supposed to test you on the correct answer, but on whether you have your own understanding of the word 'chivalry'. As long as you don't follow the script and talk nonsense, but can speak with substance and speak from your heart, you'll pass."
"It's a pity that too many students only know how to follow the dogma in the book and talk nonsense like 'it's my duty to be a chivalrous hero'. They can only be brushed off."
"As for how to understand the true meaning of the word 'chivalry', how can you and I explain it clearly in one or two sentences? Fortunately, you have a lifetime to search for it. I hope that one day, you can find your own answer. "
"Come on, Student Li Yao!"
The illusion shattered with a bang. Li Yao returned to the main interface of the Wasteland Battle Network.
Three glittering diamond-shaped crystals whizzed from the sky and quickly entered his body.
A clear and melodious female voice rang out in his mind.
"Freshman Li Yao has passed the 'On Chivalry' exam and obtained 3 credits. He has a total of 207 credits and is ranked … first in the freshmen ranking!"
Chapter 144: Immortal Cultivator
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