At that moment, Verdandi seemed to sense her gaze.
She looked up and gave a cold smile, dragging a finger across her throat in a slashing motion.
She looked like she couldn’t wait to eliminate her.
“It seems you’re being specially watched,” Qing Ling said softly.
“However, after you tricked them yesterday, they were punished for the illegal use of the Calamity Star Rail. They lost a lot of resources and were fined 100 million.”
“It’s said the money will be given to you later as compensation, and the Ministry of Education will add a subsidy on top of that.”
‘Fined?’ Su Fu felt that her little scheme hadn’t gone to waste.
Meeting Verdandi’s murderous gaze, she calmly said, “No wonder they’re looking at me with such “passionate” eyes. They must feel sorry for what they did.”
The other three: “…”
‘That’s clearly the look of someone wanting to stab you, right? The kind they can’t even hide.’
Qing Ling thought to herself that Su Fu was indeed something else.
She had barely arrived in the Central Star System and already pulled off a major move, causing those proud prodigies to lose more than they gained.
Not only had they failed to stop her from participating, but they also had to pay a huge sum of money.
It was just a pity, she felt, that for people as wealthy as them, that money was barely a drop in the bucket.
It was a painless loss.
Verdandi and her group stood on the other side of the Sanctum.
“It seems she’s found some helpers.” Shin Fujiwara squinted as he studied the people around Su Fu.
“Smart enough to look among the Ancient Civilizations. No one else would dare help her.”
Aniru of the Indian Pantheon frowned, “The Guizang Clan seems to have always been low-key. There’s not much information on them. Why did Su Fu choose them?”
“Maybe because they cooperated on the last Exam Paper?” Set of the Egyptian Pantheon guessed, “The trending topics back then caused quite a stir.”
“That is a possibility. But Su Fu’s key ally should be the Paradise Pantheon,” Helios analyzed.
“Her relationship with them is deep. Yesterday, the Saintess herself even stepped up for her.”
‘Fortunately, we managed to test the waters yesterday,’ he added in his mind.
Although they paid a “small” price of a 100 million fine, they had finally figured out her trump cards.
Shin Fujiwara sneered, “That won’t be enough. Besides, how much sentiment can these people really have for her? How much can they actually help?”
His words made sense, and the others nodded in agreement.
Interest-based alliances between Divine Pantheons required actual interests to maintain.
What could Su Fu, a single person, provide?
Verdandi said regretfully, “If Emilia hadn’t interfered, knowing Su Fu’s temperament, she probably would have torn the whole academy apart. The accountability alone would have been enough for her to handle.”
“That is indeed her weakness.” Shin Fujiwara narrowed his eyes, “She’s vengeful. We can use that.”
“Not only that,” Helios added, “her self-esteem is ridiculously high.”
The group suddenly laughed, filled with a sense of superiority.
“Those traits are quite typical for people like her. Those who climb up from the bottom are all like that; they can’t stand the slightest bit of contempt.”
“Let’s not talk about her,” Verdandi interrupted, “Have any of you heard anything about this Exam Paper’s situation?”
The others looked at each other and shook their heads.
“There are no precedents,” Aniru frowned, “In the past, groups this large weren’t as strong as us, and strong groups were never this large. I’m actually curious to see what kind of Dungeon the Ministry of Education found for this assessment.”
“In any case, it definitely won’t be simple.”
Verdandi said solemnly, “An EX-rank Dungeon… there is a genuine risk of death. Everyone, act with caution.”
Verdandi took one last look at Su Fu and said, “Don’t let the ship sink in the sewer.”
Just then, the voice of Shen Yan rang out: [“The Central Star System Genesis Academy selection exam is about to begin. All Test Takers, please prepare.’]
Almost simultaneously, Su Fu felt the scenery before her eyes begin to change.
The surrounding figures, the Sanctum, and the sunlight all receded like ripples on water.
By the time she reacted, she had arrived within the Shen Yan Space.
[“Assessment space under construction…”]
[“Space stability: 99%”]
[“Welcome to the Genesis Academy Selection Exam”]
“[Please select your Divine Pantheon of faith”]
“Chinese Pantheon,” Su Fu answered without hesitation.
[“Ding—”]
A notification sounded, and Su Fu knew it was the usual advertisement time.
Since the Chinese Pantheon was still in its seven-day advertisement period, that meant…
A gold and red divine bird suddenly flew in from the distant horizon.
Its entire body was gold and red, its feathers like burning flames and molten gold, its vibrant tail feathers trailing a flowing glow of dawn.
It was the Phoenix.
The Phoenix raised its head and let out a long cry, its clear voice piercing the clouds.
It circled upward before suddenly diving like a shooting star, plunging straight down into a patch of golden flames.
The fire surged toward the sky, and as the brilliance slowly faded, a brand-new Phoenix was born from the ashes.
It spread its wings and soared high, its cry shaking the heavens, carrying endless vitality and hope.
Su Fu admired it for a long while.
The Phoenix was truly beautiful and truly powerful.
It was worthy of being the supreme divine bird of China—rebirthing through fire, nirvana and immortality.
Just like Chinese civilization itself: enduring hardships but never perishing, living on forever.
‘I wonder if the other test takers are seeing various Chinese gods too?’ she thought. ‘Let them have a good look!’
Just then, the advertisement time ended, and the Phoenix’s figure gradually faded until it vanished.
[“Loading Exam Paper…”]
[“Exam Paper loading complete”]
[“Your Exam Paper is: Great Desolation · Investiture of the Gods. Randomly matching login location for you…”]
Su Fu was instantly stunned, “What?!”
“A Great Desolation paper?!”
Was it the Great Desolation she knew?
The one with supreme saints like Hongjun, Sanqing, Nuwa, Zhunti, and Jieyin?
The Great Desolation with myths like Pangu Opening the Sky and Nuwa creating humans?
That era where powerful beings were as common as clouds, where even a minor god could turn the world upside down in later ages?
As for the second part of the title: Investiture of the Gods…
Su Fu stared at the exam prompt, her vision going dark.
The sky was falling.
‘My god, this exam is actually the Great Tribulation of the Investiture of the Gods?’
This was a lethal tribulation of heaven and earth where even Golden Immortals could perish!
At the end of the Shang Dynasty, King Zhou was corrupt and tyrannical.
Jiang Ziya assisted the benevolent and people-loving Zhou Wenwang to raise an army in revolt.
What seemed like a struggle between mortal dynasties was actually a chessboard for several Saints of the Great Ultimate.
Behind the Shang Dynasty was the support of Grandmaster Tongtian of the Sect of Interception.
Behind Xiqi stood Yuanshi Tianzun of the Chan Sect.
Not to mention Lady Nuwa passing judgment because of King Zhou’s desecration, the Western Sect secretly recruiting people, and all sorts of rogue Immortals and Demons joining the fray…
In the end, one would either be placed on the Investiture of the Gods to become a formal deity of the Heavenly Court or vanish into smoke and dust amidst the tribulations of heaven and earth.
“Wait… just how many gods are there…” Su Fu’s voice trembled, her scalp tingling.
The difficulty was off the charts.
Moreover, there was still no Divine Power Light Pillar, which meant all test takers had to complete certain key tasks within the assessment to receive assistance from Shen Yan.
It was a selection exam indeed; they had pushed the competition to the absolute limit.
If you were weak, you might not even get a single chance to use a Divine Power Light Pillar before being eliminated.
There would be no freeloading off Shen Yan here.
Just then, the Shen Yan prompt rang out again: [“Loading complete”]
[“Your login location is: Chao Ge.”]
The scenery before Su Fu’s eyes changed abruptly.
First, she saw a bustling and magnificent city.
The city was teeming with people; vendors crowded the streets, and there were wine shops, tea houses, and silk stores everywhere.
In the distance, the royal palace stood tall and golden, with the sounds of music drifting from the Deer Terrace.
‘Is this the prosperity of the last capital of Shang?’
Before Su Fu could finish her observation, her vision suddenly dropped rapidly, changing from a bird’s-eye view of the city to a simple, dilapidated house.
Mud walls, a thatched roof, a few vegetables growing in the yard, a well in the corner, and a few chickens pecking at the ground.
[“You have automatically obtained an identity.”]
[“Name: Su Er’ya”]
[“Identity: Peasant on the outskirts of Chao Ge”]
[“Background: The family’s farmland was recently forcibly seized by Master Fei Zhong to fund the military. Your parents died of illness brought on by anger. You now live alone in this broken house.”]
[“Specialty: Hardworking and kind”]
[“Items: One bag of herbs, thirty copper coins, one set of coarse cloth clothes”]
[“The current historical point is the eighth year of King Zhou’s reign. Public resentment in Chao Ge is beginning to rise, but large-scale unrest has not yet occurred.”]
Su Fu: “…”
She looked down at her coarse cloth clothes and remembered the silk-clad nobles she had seen in the city earlier, each with beautiful jade tinkling at their waists.
She laughed from sheer irritation.
‘So you’ve given me the script of a bereaved peasant girl at the absolute bottom of society? Oh, and the land was just taken away.’
Furthermore, this point in time was just as King Zhou was becoming corrupt and Daji had recently entered the palace.
The entire city of Chao Ge was on the verge of falling into massive upheaval.
This meant that the chaotic era was about to begin.
Shen Yan continued: [“Please play your identity seriously. Treat everything as real and act with caution.”]
[“Additionally, due to the nature of this restricted Dungeon, the state of death may not be entirely avoidable.”]
[“Certain choices you make may also result in you remaining in the Dungeon forever. Please choose carefully.”]
[“Furthermore, space-time within the Exam Paper forms its own system. Please adjust accordingly.”]
[“Good luck.”]
Su Fu: “?”
‘Wait, what did I just hear? There’s even a possibility of staying in this map forever?’
“…”
This was a catastrophic start.
Starting in Chao Ge—a capital that was destined to fall—as a peasant already had her debuffs maxed out.
And now she was told she might be stuck here forever?
Was this a hint that some anomalies in the Exam Paper might have replicated certain high-ranking gods?
Su Fu’s hands trembled slightly.
The worst part was that while it currently looked like a simple change of mortal dynasties, once the actual fighting started… that would be the chaotic brawl of the Chan Sect’s twelve Golden Immortals and the Sect of Interception’s ten thousand immortals.
EX-rank, you truly deserve your name.
Suddenly, Su Fu paused.
“Wait…” Her eyes gradually lit up, “If those immortals are here, there must be a Great Desolation map, right? Doesn’t that mean all those heavenly treasures and earthly riches will be here too?”
The Jianmu, the pillar of heaven that connected the mortal realm and the heavens—China’s own World Tree.
The Fusang, the divine tree growing in the Tang Valley of the East Sea where the Golden Crows rested.
The Seven Treasure Tree of the Daoist Zhunti, said to brush away all things in the world, capable of knocking down all sorts of magical treasures and weapons.
The Innate Spiritual Roots of the Jade Void Palace on Kunlun Mountain…
The Kongtong Seal, one of the most famous treasures of the human realm…
Not to mention the God-Beating Whip, the Immortal-Slaying Sword Array, and the Map of Mountains and Rivers…
Any one of these legendary treasures could change one’s fate and let them soar to power.
Su Fu decided she couldn’t limit herself to this tiny corner of Chao Ge.
“The vast Great Desolation is full of possibilities!”
Just then, a hurried knocking sounded from the door.
“Er’ya! What are you dawdling for? The village head is urging everyone to the fields! If you don’t go, he says you won’t get any lunch!”
Su Fu: “…”
She looked down and saw a broken hoe on the ground, its blade incredibly dull.
Her expression turned fierce.
‘It’s one thing not to assign me the identity of a Saint’s disciple or a child of an immortal sect upon entering the Great Desolation, but at the very least, I should have been a wealthy person of leisure, right?’
‘But now? I start with a single hoe, and I have to dig for my own lunch?’
‘Don’t panic,’ she took a deep breath.
In Chinese history, there was someone who started with nothing but a bowl and ended up becoming the founding emperor.
What was wrong with her starting with a hoe!
The wind blew through the window frame, bringing in the bustle of the marketplace.
In the distance, someone seemed to be shouting advertisements at the top of their lungs.
The cries drifted over the city of Chao Ge, floating toward an unknown future along with this era that was about to undergo a massive change.
The Dungeon had begun.