Chapter 652: Final Exams and the College Entrance Exam
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 652: Final Exams and the College Entrance Exam
The small world of plant technology had already been in the Expansion Realm for several months, yet for the Witch Academy, barely more than half a semester had passed.
Or rather… at the midpoint of the semester, the Expansion Realm had already begun to undergo a quiet transformation.
When a world experiences destruction but its population remains, rebuilding their civilization is a long process that typically undergoes at least nine stages.
It begins with the first stage: "Survival and Stability."
They must solve the problems of basic continuity—the most fundamental needs like food and water. Fortunately, this civilization possessed enough basic supplies to buy themselves a relatively generous window for development. To achieve further stability, they required housing and proper medical and sanitary conditions.
These needs were quickly met by the Transcendent students who arrived, though their aid was limited to the areas surrounding Ninglan New City.
Other regions received no such help. Thus, the lifeforms of the Expansion Realm had to rely on themselves to survive.
This isn't stated to prove a point; it was simply the reality. While students rescued some refugees, far more wanderers gathered across the Expansion Realm, relying on their own abilities to congregate.
Through this, they reached the second stage: "Organization and Leadership."
Near Ninglan New City, however, the students skipped the second stage entirely, forcibly pushing the survivors into the third stage: "Infrastructure Reconstruction"—essentially building sanctuaries for them.
This was the exact opposite of my approach. My clones were constantly deepening the second stage throughout the Expansion Realm, allowing the inhabitants to fully utilize their own strength to shape their future.
Because my clones' power was limited, I had to choose this path, letting them select their own way and advance to the third stage through their own means.
This third stage was the general state of the Expansion Realm, though it remained far from final completion.
Yet, the third stage is the most critical, as every subsequent stage requires infrastructure as a foundation to be sustainable.
Take the shelters and sanctuaries in the Ninglan New City territory, for example. Infrastructure construction there was nearly complete, even including the laying of the Plant Network. Consequently, they had impatiently moved on to the sixth stage: "Reconstruction of the Economic System." This was the primary reason most clubs had come here. Perhaps not every individual was driven by profit, but a collective like a club certainly was.
As for the fourth stage following infrastructure—"Education and Knowledge Heritage"—they had ignored it entirely.
Within the sanctuaries, no areas had been zoned specifically for teaching. As for the heritage of knowledge… the only information remaining was stored within the Omni-Link Main Network Tree and the rare talents scattered across the Expansion Realm.
Then there was the fifth stage: "Technology and Innovation"…
It must be admitted that the students were indeed rebuilding in this area, but they kept a tight grip on the technology, never returning it to the rebuilders of the civilization.
They clung to these seeds of technology and innovation solely to facilitate the sixth stage: "Reconstruction of the Economic System."
As for the seventh stage, "Social and Cultural Reconstruction," it wasn't even a consideration. And the final two stages—"World Union" and "Environmental Restoration and Sustainable Development"—were left untouched.
They hadn't moved a finger on those; I was the only one pushing them forward. However, my own strength was still too weak. The union of the entire Expansion Realm was limited to the Plant Network.
Construction regarding sustainable development was limited to the level of Variant Beasts. However, the benefits of breeding Variant Beast populations would only become apparent once the civilization reached its peak.
Nevertheless, as time passed, the two major shelters and three major sanctuaries centered around Ninglan New City were indeed developing with the momentum of leaders in the Expansion Realm's reconstruction.
As plant technology was continuously "restored," the people within the cities situated upon the earth gradually returned to their former way of life.
Using the connected Plant Network as a hub, this influence radiated outward to every gathering area in the Expansion Realm.
As representatives of the reconstruction, they naturally had to set an example. Through the Plant Network, they took over the guidance of reconstruction efforts in other regions.
As they interacted with those people over the Plant Network, the students staying in Ninglan New City discovered something startling: the ordinary people rebuilding civilization across the Expansion Realm… actually possessed Transcendent power!
And they possessed it on a massive scale!
This realization brought a wave of unease, for it was a phenomenon they had never witnessed before.
They could understand the leaders of the two major shelters possessing power granted by Teaching Assistant Xiao Han. But for so many people outside the Ninglan New City region to wield Transcendent power… that was terrifying!
Though they discovered this power was granted by the fruit of the Omni-Link Main Network Tree, they had no way to obtain those fruits themselves.
The Omni-Link Main Network Tree in the Calamity Shelter was being studied by the Mentors; the students had no right to touch it. As for the one in the Second Shelter… it was "guarded" by those eighteen leaders. They couldn't simply snatch it. This protection was spontaneous; although the guardians were weak, the Witch Contracts the students signed upon entering the Expansion Realm strictly forbade them from attacking the locals.
Unless the other party struck first. But those eighteen individuals were now shelter leaders; they had gathered a great deal of intelligence and shared certain taboos, so they tacitly agreed not to be the first to act.
Of course, there were also warnings from a certain group—specifically, the members of the Xiao Han Fan Club.
To be more precise… Millian.
She was intimately familiar with the tactics of those clubs. Thus, toward the end of her involvement in building the Second Shelter, she had already communicated with those eighteen "hot-headed" leaders.
Even so, these people were no match for the old foxes in the clubs. While they didn't lose anything physical, the club members used various schemes to get their hands on the fruit of the Omni-Link Main Network Tree.
They needed to confirm the potency and growth potential of the Transcendent power these people had acquired.
Upon consuming the fruit, they discovered the game-like interface.
This was not the "Awakening of an Ability" model they had expected.
This fruit was definitely abnormal!
What kind of fruit gives you this kind of ability just by eating it?
But it reminded them of a certain group…
Players!
Wasn't that exactly how those "Players" who claimed to be world invaders operated?
The club members who gathered this information immediately sent it back.
If the fruit of the Omni-Link Main Network Tree could achieve this, it was undoubtedly linked to the Mentors gathered in the laboratory.
Due to the nature of information transmission and confirmation, this intelligence became the "evidence" the families needed to conclude that the Players were the handiwork of the Transcendent Mentors!
Even if they weren't, the Mentors clearly possessed the means to create such Players. The fruit of the Omni-Link Main Network Tree was the best proof of that technique!
Some students were blunt enough to ask the Mentors directly—for instance, Mentor Elena, who had been staying in Ninglan New City.
The response they received, however, was that these "Players" were not the same as the ones created by the fruit. This was merely an "inspiration" taken from those Players for a new trial; the Academy was preparing to mimic that model.
Whether those who received this information believed it was another matter entirely.
But one thing was certain: the Transcendent Witches never cared about such trivialities.
If there was any worry, it was only felt by those with guilty consciences. Any struggle or resistance on their part was utterly meaningless.
In truth, many keen-eyed observers could see the difference. For example, the forms of power held by these two types of "Players" were different. One wielded power similar to pixels and used firearms as weapons.
The Players of the Omni-Link Main Network Tree, however, possessed "Classes" and "Skills." The stylistic difference was obvious.
It was roughly the gap between "Sci-Fi" and "Fantasy."
Furthermore… the skills from the Omni-Link Main Network Tree were quite weak. Even a simple Fireball Spell required a casting bar and lacked power. As for the sub-professions like Planter or Architect, they had almost no combat capability.
Thus, they speculated that this was a tool developed by the Mentors to help the people of this world rebuild their civilization.
While marveling at the terrifying methods of the Transcendent Mentors, they also worried: if the Omni-Link Main Network Tree ever appeared in their society back home… it would likely trigger a massive global upheaval!
Therefore… the truth about the Players no longer seemed important.
The Mentors had already begun laying the foundation for change. The stable social structure of the outside world… was likely facing a massive reshuffle.
As members of the Transcendent Academy, where would they go?
Would they follow the Academy as executors of this change, or obey their families and become obstacles to it?
In reality, they didn't seem to have a choice. They couldn't resist the power of the Transcendent Academy, but the people back in their families—those who hadn't seen the truth with their own eyes—didn't know that.
They still possessed a blind confidence in their control over the outside world. They were blinded by profit; asking them to give up everything and start over was impossible!
They would rather march toward death alongside their power and interests!
That was the fatal issue.
Failing to recognize their true status and identity in this world was the "toxic tumor" that had accumulated within the families over generations.
Even if a family grew through constant accumulation until they could command the wind and rain in the outside world, it was all hollow. Everything had to return to the foundation. What was the foundation of their family's existence?
It was the tolerance of the Transcendent Academy. Without that foundation, the families were nothing.
This was where the divergence lay. The people in the families had begun to see themselves as the true masters of the Main World.
And those who entered the Transcendent Academy had benefited from their family's nurturing, upbringing, and resources. They were indoctrinated with these philosophies and educational methods from childhood. Even if they recognized the truth upon reaching the Transcendent Academy… the invisible shackles binding them tightly… forced them to make the most emotional choices.
This was a headache for every Transcendent Academy. The students they trained were working for their families. Despite being only a step away from the Transcendent level, they chose not to ascend and embrace the race they represented.
Many things cannot be solved by brute force, even at the Transcendent level.
Even the current reshaping of order was merely a solution of last resort: flipping the table.
It was a helpless choice, but also the most convenient and dignified method.
Since the order could not be maintained, they would overturn it and start again. At least the order that followed for a time would be the one they wished to see.
If there were a gentle solution, they would never have chosen such a drastic method. But they saw no other way—primarily because they couldn't let go of the status prejudice between Transcendent and non-Transcendent. They refused to have Transcendents negotiate and compromise with ordinary people.
So, they chose the most direct path. Besides, the tide of the times was moving in that direction anyway.
It just so happened to coincide with the Witch Academy mastering the World Ley Line Repair Technique. That was the root cause of everything.
But regardless of how things developed, time continued to march forward.
Soon, two major events were about to occur in the Main World.
One was related to the Transcendent Academy. Once every academy completed the final Monthly Exam of the semester…
The final exams quietly approached.
This semester's Monthly Exams had been a novel experience for every student, especially those at the Witch Academy, as they integrated with other academies and experienced the friction between different institutions.
And this final exam was a heavyweight arrangement.
Last semester, the various academies had held a Multi-School Joint Exam, taking over the entire Bobapus Archipelago for the assessment.
This time, rumors said the Multi-School Joint Exam would take place in the Expansion Realm. Eligibility for the joint exam would depend on which academies had established stable teleportation channels to the Expansion Realm this semester.
The teleportation channel was the credential for participation.
Furthermore, this Multi-School Joint Final Practical Exam involved another initiative: the "Multi-School Joint Knowledge Seed Sharing Program."
Although many people didn't know much about Knowledge Seeds, it didn't stop those who did from yearning for them!
Aside from the final exams within the Transcendent Academy, there was another vital event in the outside world!
The globally unified… College Entrance Exam!
This was a crossroads in life that everyone had to face.
At this stage, the subjects for the College Entrance Exam were actually quite few. The only standard subjects were "Common Language" and Mathematics. The remaining three were "Basic Meditation," "Spell Theory," and "Elemental Theory."
Of course, these three courses were taught only at the introductory level. Even if one memorized the textbooks cover to cover, they would only gain a basic understanding. Aside from some fundamental meditation used to strengthen mental power, there were no means or material foundations for actually wielding Transcendent power.
True knowledge and the paths to mastering Transcendent power could only be obtained within a Transcendent Academy.
As for subjects like Physics, Chemistry, Politics, History, and Biology… from a Transcendent perspective, they were unnecessary. They still existed, but there were no formal exams for them. These subjects served to shape a person's cognition; they might not tell the whole truth, but they were essential to have.
The process of the College Entrance Exam also included assessments for a person's Mental Affinity and Spirit Vision Awakening.
For example, if one wished to enter a Transcendent Academy, Spirit Vision had to be awakened before submitting their school preferences.
To reach a higher-tier Transcendent Academy, a high Mental Affinity would add significant weight to a student's score. Of course, affinity was more important for a student's choice of path, but it wasn't the deciding factor. Everyone started as an ordinary person; even geniuses wouldn't differ too much at that stage. Therefore, many Transcendent Academies—such as the Witch Academy—didn't even look at Mental Affinity.