Translator: AnubisTL
"This lecherous monk has secretly hoarded so many female cultivators' embroidered bodices and undergarments, yet he shamelessly claims to be a virtuous monk. He almost fooled me!"
"What the hell does he mean by 'bathing in Buddhist scriptures since childhood'? Would a true Buddhist act like this?"
"I heard there's a kind of pervert who plucks a strand of their own hair every time they commit a shameful act. Could this dead monk be that kind of pervert? He plucked all his hair out and then pretended to be a monk!"
"Good heavens, how many female cultivators has this bald donkey harmed? The Great Chu Dynasty's number one lecherous monk!"
"He even dared to commit his crimes in the examination hall. He must be tired of living!"
"He acted so convincingly. If it weren't for the evidence, everyone would have been fooled by him!"
"..."
The scene erupted with thunderous curses. Some of the more emotional examinees picked up small stones from the ground and hurled them at the Fat Monk.
"Smash this shameless lecherous monk to death!"
"Smash him!"
For a moment, stones rained down on the Fat Monk like a storm. He didn't dare to resist, only crouched on the ground, covering his head with his hands, letting the stones bury him.
Gu Feng, the mastermind behind this, followed the crowd, lifting a boulder as tall as a person and hurling it at the bald donkey, shouting curses like "lecherous monk" as he did so.
Yan Yexue and Chu Youhuan exchanged glances, both seeing the speechlessness in each other's eyes.
Gu Feng, this kid, truly lives up to his reputation as the "God of Schemes." There's no one more cunning than him. Instead of using natural treasures to frame the bald donkey, he outrageously used female cultivators' embroidered bodices and undergarments. It's downright wicked.
"What grudge do you have against the Fat Monk to slander him like this?"
"This bald donkey has had his eyes on me since before the exam started. As soon as I entered the examination hall, he started tracking me and ambushed me. If it weren't for my formidable strength, I would have fallen into his trap," Gu Feng said as he lifted another boulder, several times larger than the previous one, and smashed it onto the Fat Monk's head.
"Stop!" The chaos at the scene made Ouyang Qi, the chief examiner, lose face. He shouted to stop everyone's impulsive actions.
"Do you have anything to say in your defense?"
Hearing this, the Fat Monk crawled out from under the pile of stones. At this moment, his head and face were covered in bruises, a pitiful sight.
However, he had no time to care about his own miserable state. He wasn't from the Chu Kingdom, nor was he a cultivator from either the Great Wei or Great Li dynasties.
He was born in a distant land, but after offending someone, he was forced into a deadly no-man's land. After more than a year, he arrived in the Chu Kingdom...
In this unfamiliar country, he was alone, without any sect backing him. If his exam violation were confirmed, he would undoubtedly be besieged by the Heaven's Chosen and meet his end.
For him, there was only one path left: to clear his name and gain admission to the Grand Harmony Academy. Only then could he save his life.
"Yes... yes, of course, I do!" Hearing Ouyang Qi give him a chance to explain, the Fat Monk immediately spoke up loudly.
"Everyone, to be honest, my head is still in a daze. I don't even know how those embroidered bodices and undergarments ended up in my storage ring..."
Before he could finish, he was drowned out by a torrent of curses, forcing Ouyang Qi to step in once again to restore order.
"Everyone, please let me finish speaking. You are all Heaven's Chosen, capable of discerning right from wrong...
Have you ever considered this question: why were the Natural Treasures you were robbed of not found in my Storage Ring, but only these items..." The Fat Monk spoke rapidly, instantly raising a crucial question.
Not far away, Gu Feng also nodded slightly, having to admit that this Fat Monk indeed had some skills. With just a few words, he had plunged the million Heaven's Chosen present into deep thought.
"Hmph! You lecherous monk, with your depraved mind and numerous evil deeds, it's no wonder you subconsciously treated those embroidered bodices and underwear as your own belongings and didn't remove them in time!" Zong Shixuan, the Peerless Prodigy of the Blazing Light Sect, shouted loudly.
As soon as these words were spoken, the eyes of the million examinees present immediately lit up. That made perfect sense.
Gu Feng also exclaimed in surprise, "Damn, Zong Shixuan is a real talent!"
The Fat Monk, confronted by these words, turned pale, and beads of sweat rolled down his forehead. Seeing that the crowd was about to erupt in anger again, he roared:
"Wait! I still have evidence. In fact, I am also a victim!"
After calming down for a moment, he finally figured something out. If someone had impersonated him and carried out large-scale robberies in the examination grounds, it would explain why he was immediately surrounded by the entire examination hall upon emerging.
The only person who could do all this was Gu Feng!
"Originally, this matter was quite disgraceful. I, too, am a Heaven's Chosen, and I didn't want to share this humiliating experience in public!
I admit that in the first ten days, my Kasaya and Demon Subduing Pestle were with me, and I was the one robbing for points.
However, later I was kidnapped. This person was incredibly powerful, and I was no match for him. After defeating me, he sealed all my acupoints and threw me into a hidden cave in the examination grounds. Then, he took my Kasaya and Demon Subduing Pestle and impersonated me to rob in the examination grounds!"
"Oh? You were kidnapped?"
"Absolutely true!" At this point, the Fat Monk felt a weight lift off his chest. What's true can't be false, and what's false can't be true.
"Then tell us, who kidnapped you?" Duan Yansheng sneered as he asked.
"Gu Feng, that bastard, he..."
"Nonsense!" Before the Fat Monk could finish, he was interrupted by Wu Sheng of the Sword Gate. "Do you really think we're fools? You can't just pin the blame on someone randomly to clear your own guilt!"
"If you want to find a scapegoat, at least put some effort into it. Gu Feng? Not to look down on him, but he doesn't have the capability!" Dugu Ao spoke with arrogance, even casting a disdainful glance at Gu Feng.
"Examiner Ouyang, there's no need to say more. Just expel this lying bald donkey from the examination grounds!"
"That's right, expel the bald donkey, and we'll deal with him!"
"..."
Faced with the disbelieving eyes of the crowd, beads of sweat reappeared on the Fat Monk's forehead.
"Please believe me, it really was Gu Feng. His strength surpasses everyone's imagination. I was wearing a hidden Kasaya, but I failed to strike him and instead was beaten until I vomited blood.
After that incident, I became extremely cautious, trying my best to avoid encountering Gu Feng. But I was truly unlucky and ran into him... For the last ten days of the exam, I was imprisoned by him!" The Fat Monk was now completely desperate, his words spilling out as fast as popping beans.
"Enough!" At this moment, Ouyang Qi spoke up.
"Gu Feng broke through to the Spirit Nurturing Realm during the exam... If you cannot provide substantial evidence, I, the chief examiner, will have to expel you from the examination hall!
You should know what will happen next!!!"
"No, no, no... Chief Examiner Ouyang, please give me a little more time. I want to confront Gu Feng!!!" The Fat Monk, pale as a ghost, shouted hoarsely. Without waiting for Ouyang Qi's approval, he roared at Gu Feng, "Gu Feng, do you dare to confront me?"
"Haha, although this request is utterly ridiculous, I, Gu Feng, have nothing to hide. Why wouldn't I dare?" Gu Feng smiled casually, with his hands behind his back, and walked fearlessly up to the Fat Monk.
"Did I ambush you?"
"Yes!" Gu Feng replied frankly.
"Did it fail?"
"That time, it indeed failed!" Gu Feng answered without hesitation.
"Hahaha, did everyone hear that? I ambushed Gu Feng, and it failed. Doesn't that prove Gu Feng is stronger than me?" The Fat Monk exclaimed triumphantly, shouting to the crowd.
"Does the success or failure of an ambush have anything to do with my strength?" Gu Feng said with a smile. Before the Fat Monk could respond, he continued, "My Senior Sister Chu from the Sunset Glow Sect is not as strong as you, but if you tried to ambush her, it's not impossible!"
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the Spirit Nurturing examination hall nodded in agreement.
"Everyone knows that I, Gu Feng, have some expertise in the path of the Soul. To put it bluntly, among the candidates here, there may not be anyone with stronger Soul Power than me!
The Demon Subduing Pestle used by this bald donkey is primarily a soul attack. It's perfectly normal for me to withstand a single strike!
If anyone doubts this, we can have this bald donkey test it right now!"
As he spoke, Gu Feng turned to the Fat Monk and smiled, "Shall we give it a try?"
The Fat Monk was furious. Of course, he knew that a single strike from the Demon Subduing Pestle wouldn't be enough to take down Gu Feng. What was the point of trying?
"This... this—"
The Fat Monk stammered for a while, his throat seemingly choked, unable to utter a single word.
He glanced at Ouyang Qi on the high platform, and seeing the latter's grim expression, he shuddered and desperately racked his brain.
Suddenly, an idea struck him, and the panic on his face dissipated, replaced by a confident gleam.
"Gu Feng, I must admit, your move was indeed ruthless, almost pushing me into an inescapable predicament!
But—what's fake will never be real!
No matter how thorough your planning, there's always a flaw!"
"Oh? Do you still have some trick to frame me?" Gu Feng smiled, completely unfazed.
"Everyone!!
There's one irrefutable piece of evidence that proves it wasn't me who robbed you, but Gu Feng!!"
"Didn't you notice something strange? In the last ten days before the exam ended, no one saw Gu Feng!
Because..." The Fat Monk spoke boldly, but halfway through, he noticed Gu Feng's unchanged expression and the looks from the people around him. His heart sank.
He quickly changed his tone, "Whenever the mysterious robber appeared, Gu Feng was nowhere to be seen! And when Gu Feng showed up, the mysterious robber couldn't appear!! Hahaha, isn't that right!!"
"This proves that the one who robbed you was Gu Feng, not me!"
After saying this, the Fat Monk looked at Gu Feng triumphantly. However, the calm reaction from the crowd left him utterly confused.
This wasn't the reaction he expected. What on earth was going on?
"Damn bald donkey, how dare you still try to argue! Look at my forehead—these three ancient characters were struck by your Demon Subduing Pestle!" Gu Feng's face was filled with rage as he shouted.
The Fat Monk was completely panicked. Trembling, he asked a question, as if directing it at Gu Feng but also at everyone present: "When... when were these three ancient characters struck onto him?"
In fact, he didn't need anyone to answer—he already knew the truth.
He looked up in confusion, feeling as if his mind was in chaos. If it wasn't Gu Feng, then who was it?
In that instant, he began to doubt his own judgment.
Now that he thought about it, there were indeed many suspicious points. The biggest one was Gu Feng's combat power. Even with the Myriad Tribulations Physique, it was impossible for him to improve to such a formidable level in such a short time.
His thoughts were completely scrambled. His eyes wandered across the scene, trying to find the person who had framed him, but he had no clue at all.
"Then... then it must be someone impersonating Gu Feng, and then impersonating me!"
As he said this, he started crying. Even he didn't believe his own words—who else would?
The Fat Monk slumped to the ground, his eyes devoid of any light. It was over—completely over!
At this moment, he regretted why he had even come to participate in the Grand Harmony Academy's examination. He had already inherited the legacy of the Buddha Emperor—he could have become invincible by cultivating alone!
"Ah—"
"I can't accept this!!!"
"I, the Virtueless Monk, was supposed to be invincible across heaven and earth!!!"
He roared at the sky, looking utterly deranged.
Ouyang Qi showed no pity for him. Rules were rules. Even though he knew that after being expelled from the examination grounds, the Virtueless Monk would face the pursuit of all the candidates, he didn't make any exceptions.
"The Virtueless Monk, during the examination period, recklessly robbed the belongings of other candidates. The evidence is conclusive. According to the rules of the Grand Harmony Academy's examination grounds, he is now..."
The Virtueless Monk, in a state of despair, suddenly had a flash of inspiration upon hearing the words "evidence is conclusive." Like a dying man sitting up in shock, he sprang up from the ground and shouted excitedly:
"Examiner Ouyang, this humble monk has one last thing to say!"
Ouyang Qi frowned at the interruption, but considering it was a matter of life and death, he had no choice but to listen patiently.
"As the saying goes, to catch a thief, you must catch the stolen goods. Only with conclusive evidence can a verdict be reached!
To convict this humble monk based solely on a few embroidered bodices and undergarments of female cultivators is somewhat improper!" In an instant, the Virtueless Monk felt his reasoning returning, and he grew more confident as he spoke.
"What's improper about it?"
"To be honest, this humble monk's character is indeed not great—one might even say it's despicable and shameless.
This humble monk has a particular fondness for the embroidered bodices and undergarments of female cultivators. The scent of their body fragrance is utterly intoxicating to me!
If I go three hours without smelling it, I feel physically uncomfortable and emotionally irritable...
To be frank, those female cultivators' bodices and undergarments in my storage ring are my private collection, accompanying me through every lonely night..."
The Virtueless Monk grew more and more excited—and more and more disgusting—as he spoke. He even picked up an embroidered bodice from the ground, sniffed it a few times, and then, as if to ensure everyone knew just how perverse he was, picked up a pair of undergarments and licked them twice.
The onlookers were utterly stunned, some even vomiting on the spot.
Ouyang Qi's brows furrowed deeply. "So, these items weren't stolen during the examination? They're just your previous collection?"
"Not bad!" At this moment, the unscrupulous monk was completely calm.
"Then why didn't you say so earlier!"
"Hehehe, I was just afraid that others would find out about my lecherous side!
But I assure you, this monk is still a virgin. These female cultivators' embroidered bodices and underwear were all bought with spirit stones. Examiner Ouyang, if you don't believe me, you can check my body!" The unscrupulous monk shamelessly declared, accompanied by a lascivious laugh, fully embodying the image of a pervert.
Holy crap!
Gu Feng was truly shocked by the unscrupulous monk's shamelessness. To say such disgusting things and engage in such vulgar behavior—this guy was truly a talent!
Even with his experience from two lifetimes, such a perverted existence was extremely rare!
"Everyone, you accused this monk of robbing during the exam. Now, please have the victims come forward to claim their stolen items!"
Seeing no one step forward, the unscrupulous monk realized he had narrowly escaped disaster, though the cost was severe. From now on, the title of 'lecherous monk' would be forever associated with him.
Thinking of this, he deeply resented the examinee who had framed him and silently vowed to find out who it was.
As soon as he spoke, the entire hall fell into silence.
Gu Feng was utterly impressed!
He never expected the unscrupulous monk to be so ruthless to avoid expulsion, going to such extreme lengths.
This kind of on-the-spot adaptability was absolutely incredible.
By saying such disgusting things and even licking underwear in public, he had fully portrayed himself as a perverted monk. Which female cultivator would have the face to step forward and announce that these items were hers?
Of course, no one would accuse him!
Without witnesses, the physical evidence was invalid, and naturally, he couldn't be convicted.
After all, some peculiar habits among cultivators weren't considered major crimes, and Grand Harmony Academy couldn't expel him for that.
The fifty thousand examinees in the Nurtured Spirit exam hall also realized this, glaring at the unscrupulous monk with frustration but helplessness.
In such a situation, no one would risk offending all the female cultivators by urging the victims to step forward.
"Is there anyone who accuses him?"
Ouyang Qi also knew this question was pointless.
Even before the unscrupulous monk opened his storage pouch, he had sent people to search the exam hall for the stolen items, but the response was negative.
"Since no stolen items were found in the Nurtured Spirit exam hall and there is no evidence to prove that the unscrupulous monk committed robbery, this matter ends here!"
As soon as he spoke, all the examinees in the Nurtured Spirit exam hall were dumbfounded.
Gu Feng, however, gave the unscrupulous monk a deep look, as if saying 'You're really something,' before turning back to his original spot.
"Let the results be announced!" After inquiring about the violations in the remaining two exam halls, Ouyang Qi declared loudly.
(End of the Chapter)
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