In her memory, this was the first time Sun Rong had ever taken the initiative to strike up a conversation with someone.
There was something distinctly different about this boy in a plain white shirt, his dark bangs neat and fresh, compared to the usual crowd of flashy, attention-seeking guys she had encountered before.
He didn't come off as aloof, exactly—but he definitely gave off a unique, deeper vibe. A quiet intensity. A heavy... air of mystery?
"Hi there, are you here for the Class 1-3 interview too?"
"What's your surname, classmate?"
All along the way, Sun Rong tried her best to close the distance between them, but Wang Ling remained completely deadpan as usual—expressionless, ignoring her entirely.
Which was... incredibly awkward.
As for Wang Ling, this was probably the first time he had ever gone out of his way to give someone directions.
If it weren't for the coincidence that Sun Rong was also headed to Class 1-3, he wouldn't have even bothered to lift his arm.
He really didn't enjoy talking to people—especially not people like Sun Rong, who acted all friendly on the surface while harboring different intentions underneath. Wang Ling could see straight through her.
After all, when he was seven years old, he'd had a dream that taught him the secret art of Telepathy.
This girl was simply refusing to accept being ignored.
Honestly, Wang Ling thought someone like Sun Rong was totally overqualified for a school like No. 60 High. With her cultivation strength, she could easily stand out as a top student in any prestigious city-level academy.
But while Wang Ling came here to avoid attention, Sun Rong came to gain it—two completely opposite objectives.
And perhaps, buried even deeper beneath the surface, was something more... like destiny?
In a place like No. 60, where the competition wasn't so intense, Sun Rong figured she'd have no trouble becoming the center of attention.
What she didn't expect was to be flat-out ignored by a guy her very first day. What the hell? Was this guy emotionally numb?
And Wang Ling didn't expect to be targeted by a girl before school even started.
—What the hell is this nonsense?!
Side by side, both of them sighed inwardly at the same time.
The current entrance interviews were similar to the placement exams of centuries past. Their main purpose was to help each student find their rightful place within the school. There was no talk of discrimination—every student admitted to No. 60 High was already at the Foundation Establishment stage of cultivation. But even within that stage, there were different levels of proficiency.
A student in the early phase of Foundation Establishment was nowhere near the level of one in the late phase. The difference in actual combat ability was like night and day. No way could they be placed in the same class.
The classroom wasn't very large, but it held three examiners seated in a row.
Already, a handful of boys and girls had trickled in, waiting for their turn.
Wang Ling walked in silently and chose the most inconspicuous seat in the room.
But when Sun Rong stepped through the doorway, she instantly captured the attention of everyone inside—students and examiners alike.
The younger boys blushed. The older men blushed. Even the few girls in the room shyly lowered their heads.
"I'm Sun Rong. We'll be classmates from now on, so I hope we all get along!" With her usual charm, Sun Rong bowed politely, tucked her hair behind her ear, and offered a bright, confident smile.
She loved this feeling—being the center of attention.
The only thing that annoyed her was that Wang Ling was still sitting there with that stone-faced look, as cold and unbothered as ever.
Was there really a guy out there that she, Sun Rong, couldn't win over?
As she began to scheme about how to "conquer" Wang Ling…
...the three interviewers at the front were reacting very differently to her introduction.
"Sun... Sun Rong?" one male examiner said, eyes wide in disbelief.
"You mean that Sun Rong?"
Another examiner quickly opened the interview roster and flipped through it, until—
"Holy crap?! Sun Rong, the eldest daughter of the Huaguo Water Curtain Group?!"
This was no ordinary family. The Huaguo Water Curtain Group was one of the world's top 500 corporations, specializing in premium-grade spiritual elixirs!
Wang Ling, who had been silently observing, furrowed his brows at this. He'd expected Sun Rong to come from a privileged background—but this level of influence? He hadn't seen that coming.
He had chosen this "low-profile" public high school specifically to keep a low profile. But school hadn't even started yet, and trouble had already found him…
He watched helplessly as Sun Rong, still smiling brightly, walked over and pulled out the chair right next to him, sitting down without hesitation.
Unbelievable.
A daughter of a top global cultivation company… attending this shabby little school to stand out?
What is this—rich kid cosplay?
Wang Ling closed his eyes and ignored the suggestive glances she kept throwing his way.
He figured, as long as he didn't stand out during the exam and deliberately underperformed a bit, he could shake her off.
The last thing he wanted was a fangirl staring at him all day long in class.
A moment later, a voice from the front of the classroom announced, "The interviews are about to begin. All students, please prepare yourselves."
For a room full of Foundation-stage students, the entry tests weren't too complicated. Most of the assessments focused on raw strength.
According to modern research, the Foundation Establishment stage wasn't as difficult to reach as it once had been. With proper nutritional supplements during childhood and a touch of natural talent, getting there was very achievable.
Of course, there were some rare monsters who didn't need supplements at all and still advanced steadily—like Wang Ling, who leveled up once every two years, like clockwork.
Compared to the nutrient-starved era Wang Ling's parents had grown up in, this new generation was spoiled with resources. City kids had access to all kinds of cultivation-enhancing health products—Diamond Combo, Brain Gold, all designed to strengthen body, mind, and spirit.
And all of them? Produced by the Huaguo Water Curtain Group.
But the downside to advancing on supplements alone was that it often resulted in style over substance.
While more kids than ever were reaching Foundation stage, schools couldn't be sure how many of them had the real stuff.
That's why entrance assessments existed—to separate the genuine from the hollow.
And when Wang Ling's generation eventually graduated, how many could break through to Golden Core stage would directly affect the school's reputation and its chances of applying for top-tier university status the following year.
From the podium, a stern-faced male examiner said, "No. 60 High has historically had a Golden Core conversion rate of 0.02%. That means for every 10,000 students, only about two may reach Golden Core by the time they graduate—fulfilling the dream of entering the elite universities and starting on the path to the Nascent Soul stage.
"We hope all of you will work hard over the next three years, to become worthy successors of the modern cultivation era."
0.02% sounded a little awkward, especially since No. 60 only enrolled about 300 students per year.
But Wang Ling knew that, compared to truly bad schools, this was decent. Some institutions didn't even hit 0.0002%.
"Now then, we'll begin with the strength test. Students will be called up one by one. Please come to the front, put on the virtual headset, and begin Phase One of the assessment."
One examiner held a roster, cleared his throat, and read out the first name:
"First up—Sun Rong."
(End of Chapter)
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