Chapter 58: The Artifact Forging Exam

Chen Meng was naturally unaware of the thoughts of the dean of discipline. He hurried back to his classroom.

“Permission to enter!” he called from the doorway. Inside, the invigilator for the exam, the Artifact Crafting teacher Xu Shan, glanced at him and scoffed, “I thought you wouldn’t dare show up. Last time you promised me you’d score over 120 points in this exam. You haven’t forgotten, have you?”

Chen Meng nodded; he certainly hadn’t forgotten.

Xu Shan checked the clock. “It’s been almost fifty minutes since the exam started. I doubt you can manage it this time.”

“Only fifty minutes?” Chen Meng pulled out his phone and confirmed it. He smiled lightly. “There’s still time. Give me a test paper, please.”

Without waiting for Xu Shan’s reply, he moved a chair to the teacher’s desk and sat down. He didn’t need Xu Shan to fetch a paper; several unused test sheets lay on the desk, and he grabbed one, writing his name at the top.

The students in the class looked at Chen Meng, surprised.

He smiled and glanced down at the class, catching Tang Wenjing’s eye and giving her an OK sign.

“I said I’d be a top student, so I’ll be a top student. For a top student, letting you start fifty minutes ahead means nothing,” Chen Meng thought to himself. It was as if he wielded a forty-meter-long broadsword and letting you run thirty-nine meters first was hardly a challenge.

He began answering questions. As he read through the paper, knowledge surged in his mind, making the problems seem effortless.

Time ticked away. His once pristine test sheet was soon covered with answers.

“Time’s almost up.”

Chen Meng glanced at the clock. Only five minutes remained, and he had just one big question left unfinished.

He had to admit Xu Shan was right; he wouldn’t have enough time. The sheer volume of problems was overwhelming—even working nonstop, he couldn’t finish everything.

“But I’ll definitely score over 120,” he calculated, quickly jotting down the answer to the first part of the last big question. There were three parts to it; the last two were worth fourteen points, but he simply didn’t have enough time, otherwise he could have solved them.

“Time to turn in papers.”

Before Xu Shan could speak, class president Ni Hu stood up to announce.

The students in the front row started collecting the exams, and Chen Meng put down his pen. He’d been late, so he couldn’t take even a minute longer.

Soon, all the papers were collected.

Xu Shan nodded and walked to the desk. He picked up Chen Meng’s paper. “I’ll grade this now. If you don’t get at least 120, fine. But if you don’t even reach 90, I won’t let it slide this time.”

Chen Meng shrugged, stepping aside.

Xu Shan looked around at the students. “If you’re done, you can go home. Don’t just sit here.”

A few of the weaker students slipped out the back, but most stayed, eager to see how Xu Shan would grade Chen Meng’s paper.

Xu Shan found himself surrounded, a bit exasperated.

He decided to place Chen Meng’s test sheet on the classroom’s overhead projector, displaying it for all to see.

“Alright, don’t crowd around. If you want to watch, go back to your seats,” he shooed them away, and Chen Meng returned to his seat as well.

“Chen Meng, you really overdid it this time. Just wait to be scolded by Teacher Xu,” Ma Yiqun whispered. Like most students, he didn’t believe Chen Meng could score above 120. Even a hundred seemed impossible, given he’d missed fifty minutes out of the total 150.

Chen Meng said nothing, watching Ma Yiqun and remembering his ambition was to get into Jiangzhou University—a school Chen Meng had just refused a special admission offer from.

Without realizing, his world had undergone a dramatic transformation.

On the podium, Xu Shan began grading. This live grading process was unusually captivating.

Many students watched as Xu Shan rapidly marked answers correct, as if grading their own papers, and indeed, many estimated their own scores based on Xu Shan’s progress.

“Correct, correct, all correct—he didn’t miss a single question on this page.”

Xu Shan murmured as he flipped to the back. If he’d calculated correctly, the front page alone nearly reached ninety points.

That meant, with just a bit more on the back, Chen Meng could easily score above ninety.

But as he flipped the sheet, he was startled to see the back almost completely filled out—aside from the last two parts of the big question, Chen Meng had answered everything.

The students watching gasped, incredulous that Chen Meng had managed to answer so much, especially with fifty minutes less.

“The score’s enough,” Ni Hu muttered, his expression souring.

The ten-point question at the top matched his own answer, surely correct.

Sure enough, Xu Shan marked it right, and someone gasped—the score had surpassed ninety!

Tang Wenjing covered her mouth, turning in astonishment to look at Chen Meng.

Xu Shan took a deep breath, realizing he’d underestimated Chen Meng. This student was extraordinary—even with fifty minutes less, he doubted he could do as well himself.

He continued grading—correct, correct—right up to the last two parts of the final question, which were also correct.

“How is this possible?” Xu Shan muttered, looking up at Chen Meng, who was chatting with Ma Yiqun.

Several students turned to look at Chen Meng.

“Is it finished? What’s the score?” Chen Meng asked, curious.

Xu Shan nodded. “More than enough. Out of 150 points, you scored 136. How can there be a student as freakish as you? And you did it with fifty minutes less? What about the last two parts of the final question—did you not know how to solve them?”

Chen Meng shrugged. “There just wasn’t enough time. Like you said, I lost fifty minutes. Even if I wrote with both hands, I couldn’t finish.”

Ma Yiqun was dumbstruck—136 points?

Unbelievable.

He suddenly wondered, back when he’d bragged alongside Chen Meng, did Chen Meng see him as a fool? He’d thought they were both boasting, only to find out Chen Meng was the real deal while he was just pretending.

Xu Shan had nothing more to say. Such a student needed no instruction. “Good. Very good. Aim for a perfect score on the college entrance exam.”

Chen Meng smiled. “I’ll do my best.”

Ni Hu clenched his fist. His highest score in Artifact Crafting was 140, and today Chen Meng had nearly surpassed him. Once, Xu Shan had only said such things to him—now it was Chen Meng’s turn.

Ni Hu felt the pressure; he might not hold onto first place.

“Alright, go home if you’re done,” Xu Shan said, taking Chen Meng’s test sheet as well—likely to show it off in the office.

After all, teaching such an outstanding student was a badge of honor, though he had no idea it really had nothing to do with him.

…

“Let’s go home,” Ma Yiqun said, then remembered, “You’ve got tutoring tonight, right?”

Chen Meng nodded.

Ma Yiqun sighed. “Before, when you said you had tutoring at night, I thought you were lying. Now I believe you.”

Chen Meng was helpless. “I’m just that diligent, just that hardworking.”

Ma Yiqun thought for a moment. He couldn’t just go home; he needed to work harder. After all, if someone with better grades was still striving, what right had he to slack off?

So, he unpacked his books again, planning to study for a few more hours before leaving.

Watching Ma Yiqun, newly motivated, Chen Meng felt his achievements inspired his friend—perhaps with one last push, Ma Yiqun might actually make it into Jiangzhou University.

But Chen Meng had to go, or he’d be late for his evening tutoring.

Just then, Tang Wenjing approached. She looked at Chen Meng, hesitated, and said, “I believe you now. You can get into Jiangdu University.”

Chen Meng was puzzled. Tang Wenjing seemed troubled lately.

The evening tutoring session was on Prehistoric Language—the subject Chen Meng dreaded most, taught by Yan Ruoxi.

He hadn’t seen Yan Ruoxi for several days, and noticed a change in her demeanor—perhaps her advancement potion had finally taken effect.

He happened to have some questions about advancement potions he wanted to ask Yan Ruoxi.

“Senior Yan Ruoxi, a living encyclopedia—she’s the real top student,” Chen Meng mused. Not everyone could coast like him; Yan Ruoxi’s vast knowledge was earned through true ability.

“What’s wrong? Is there something off about me?” Yan Ruoxi noticed Chen Meng staring and wondered if something was wrong with her appearance.

“Oh, nothing’s wrong. I was just distracted,” Chen Meng replied awkwardly. “Senior, can we pause the tutoring? I have some questions about advancement potions.”

Yan Ruoxi frowned, thinking Chen Meng was getting ahead of himself.