Ning family land. Today is the big day for the Ning family to announce the results. Ning Ze and his wife Wang Lan sat in the middle hall early in the morning, waiting for the results of the two younger generations in the family. The children of the Ning family began to test their roots from birth, once a year, until they were twelve or thirteen years old. Those who have the qualifications for cultivation are sent to the family private school, supported by the family, to study full-time, until they are sixteen or seventeen years old, and take the graduation examination. The annual examination is related to the fate of young cultivators. The top thirty teenagers in the examination are eligible to join the Ning family's industry, and their future is undoubtedly brighter. Wang Lan seemed to be drinking tea, but her eyes glanced at the door from time to time, unable to hide her nervousness and expectation. Ning Ze's eyes were distracted and he was very depressed. He waited until dawn, but never saw the three ghosts of the Huang family come back to report.
"They failed!" "I didn't expect this young man to be so fierce and vicious." "It's okay, it's okay." "When I contacted the three ghosts of the Huang family, I didn't show my true face, so the young man couldn't find me." "The three ghosts of the Huang family are just in name only. They have the God-suppressing Talisman and the spiritual pet Green Blade Mantis. They can defeat three against one! I really misjudged them." "Alas, young man...what should I do next?" Ning Ze was forced to take a risk, but failed miserably. He had a headache and didn't know how to explain to the young clan leader. "Dad, Mom, I passed the exam, I was in the top 30!" At this moment, a young man ran into the house and shouted excitedly. "Really? Ji'er, you really passed the exam?!" Wang Lan stood up immediately, her face full of surprise. The young monk Ning Ji said in a loud voice: "Of course! Mom, you don't even believe your own son?" "Oh?" Ning Ze looked up and saw his son Ning Ji's wanton and ostentatious smile. On weekdays, Ning Ji's grades were around 40th, but he didn't expect that he would perform exceptionally well in this exam. This unexpected good news slightly alleviated Ning Ze's sorrow. Ning Ji said in a high voice: "Dad, Mom, I've made you proud this time. I've said it before, I know what's going on. Although my grades are not good on weekdays, I just don't want to give my best." "Unlike someone!" "On weekdays, my grades are very good, and I'm always in the top 30. But in this exam, I failed and only got 31st. Oh, I failed!" When he said this, Ning Ji turned around and looked at the young man in white who followed him in, his face full of sarcasm. The young man in white was dressed simply, with clear eyes, and a strong expression of guilt and loss. "Uncle, aunt." The young man in white, Ning Zhuo, saluted.
Wang Lan looked at the boy and said sharply, "What? Xiao Zhuo, you failed the test this time?!" Ning Ze's face darkened, and he stretched out his hand to ask for it, "Give me the report card." Ning Zhuo took out the report card and handed it to his uncle Ning Ze. Ning Ze glanced down, his face gloomy. The next moment, he shook the paper in his hand and said angrily, "Xiao Zhuo, how could your mistake be so serious this time?" "I remember that you have made many small achievements in mechanical engineering." "Before, you made a mechanical parrot and won the praise of the elders." "Mechanical engineering is obviously your strong point, why did you get a low score this time?" "Alas, if it weren't for this low score, you would be in the top 30!" Aunt's eyes were sharp: "Xiao Zhuo, tell me, have you been taking some private work from the mechanical workshop recently?" Without waiting for Ning Zhuo In response, the aunt sighed: "Alas, how many times have I told you not to covet money. At your age, you should study hard." "You put your energy into making money, which is simply picking up sesame seeds and losing watermelons." "Look at you now, you are so good! Outside the top 30!" "You can't get into the family business!! " Ning Zhuo finally plucked up the courage to hear this: "Aunt, I heard from my classmates that I can use connections..." Before he finished speaking, he was interrupted by his aunt loudly: "Use connections? Do you know how much spiritual stones it costs to use connections? Do you know How many people do we need to find to get connections?" "Oh, if you don't do well in the exam now, just a few words will make your uncle and I have to find people everywhere, run around, and find backdoors for you?" "How dare you ask that!" "If I had known this, why did I do it in the first place?" "I told you to concentrate on your practice and not take private jobs to earn a few spirit stones." "What's the use?!" "If you can get into the top 30 and enter the family business, you can earn much more. There are fewer key things and more time, so you can continue to practice." Ning Zhuo raised his head suddenly, his face full of Blushing with shame, he gritted his teeth and said, "Uncle, aunt, I, Ning Zhuo, will do the work and take the responsibility alone!" "Since it's 31st, forget it." "Over the years, I have been cared for by both of you, and I am grateful. This is the result of my own bad deeds, and I deserve it!" "I will do the work and take the responsibility alone!" "I don't believe that I can't find a way to support myself when I go out." Having said this, Ning Zhuo bowed and said goodbye: "Uncle, aunt, my classmates are waiting for me to have a dinner. If there is nothing else, I will leave first."
Uncle stared at Ning Zhuo, silent. Aunt raised her hand and said with disgust: "Go away, you are so careless, you have such a bad test, but you are still in the mood for a dinner!" Ning Zhuo couldn't stay any longer, so he turned around and walked away in anger. Cousin Ning Ji sat down comfortably. The eldest aunt looked at Ning Ji and her expression changed from anger to joy: "My son is still outstanding!" She pushed the tea snacks on the table: "Try it quickly. This is Jinshantang's tea cake, Golden Silk Jade Dew Cake. After eating it, it can increase your knowledge, strengthen your spiritual thoughts, help you practice, and even build a foundation for the future. All very helpful!” Ning Ji's eyes lit up and he couldn't wait to pick one up and put it in his mouth. The golden silk jade cake has a unique taste. The cake body is soft and waxy, the golden wire is hard and crisp, and there is a filling fluid inside. After Ning Ji swallowed it in three gulps, he felt a stream of fresh air rising from his belly and straight to the sky, refreshing him. Ning Ji sincerely praised: "It's delicious, it's delicious!" "Then eat more and give it all to you." His mother smiled. Ning Ji ate the remaining three, licked his lips, and said, "As expected of Jinshantang, it's delicious! Why are there only four? Are there any more?" His father snorted coldly: "Each pastry here is worth 20 spiritual stones. What you just ate is nearly a hundred spiritual stones. Do you want more?" "Then you have to work harder and don't slack off! You will perform well within the family from now on and strive to use your own hands to earn enough spiritual food for yourself as soon as possible." Ning Ji shouted: "Dad, my son, I'm proud of you this time! Think about it, if my grades were the same as before, you wouldn't be allowed to run around to gain connections, give gifts through the back door, and send me to the family industry. I'm so good at the exam." Excellent, but I saved you hundreds of spiritual stones. What’s wrong with eating some Jinshantang pastries?” "Besides, the reason I eat these is to increase my spirit, so that I can practice better and work harder." "If I had had this level of resource supply, my results would have been among the best." When Ning's father saw his son retort, he stared and was about to scold him. Ning's mother said quickly: "Okay, okay, just stop saying a few words." She glared at her husband: "My son did well in the exam, and he should be praised. After a few words, you have to criticize him." "Don't look at my son who is usually a bit playful, but he is reliable at critical moments." "Unlike Ning Zhuo, his performance usually makes people take it lightly. In the end, he is the one who makes people worry the most!" "Look, as soon as I criticized him for a word or two, he turned around and walked away. So ungrateful! Am I wrong in what I said?" "Humph, he even ran out to eat. He is in such a mood!" Ning Ji sneered: "He is too conceited and self-righteous. He cannot listen to his parents' teachings." "By the way, our family shouldn't really want to give him a way and waste favors, right?" Father Ning snorted coldly: "This is not something you should worry about." When Ning Ji saw his father getting angry, he subconsciously shrank his neck. Then he thought about the results of the big exam and said loudly: "Mom, Ning Zhuo can go out to eat, and I also want to go out to restaurants and eat spiritual food. Give me money, You don’t know how much I paid for this exam!”
"Okay, okay." Ning's mother smiled and took out a bag of spiritual stones and handed it to Ning Ji. Ning Ji took the money bag, stood up and left. He left the Ning family residence and walked onto the street, but instead of rushing to his favorite restaurant, he wandered around the street. He wanted to see where Ning Zhuo was eating. Normally there is no such opportunity, but now that he finally caught it, Ning Ji wanted to laugh at the other party for fun. As a result, he searched left and right but couldn't find it. I asked several store waiters and confirmed that Ning Zhuo had never been here. Ning Ji patted his head and understood: "This boy is just pretending, how can he have a dinner? I'm afraid at this time, he is crying in the broken house where his mother died of illness!" "Ignore him, I'll give him a good rub first." Spiritual food is not only delicious, but also has the magical effect of increasing one's cultivation, which Ning Ji is looking forward to very much. His guess was partly correct. Ning Zhuo has returned to his home. Compared with the residence of his uncle and aunt, Ning Zhuo's house is simple and dilapidated. Ning Zhuo gently closed the courtyard door, walked through the small courtyard, walked into the main room, and entered the inner room. This is his bedroom and his study. Although the furniture is shabby and shabby, it is kept clean. Ning Zhuo touched the lion stone on the desk. A glimmer of light flashed on the surface of the Lion Stone, indicating that no one had been there during his absence. Ning Zhuo turned around, came to the bed, and gently twisted the railing beside the bed. Suddenly, there was a rattling sound from the machine. Immediately, the bed moved sideways, revealing the underground passage. He stepped on the wooden ladder and entered the underground secret room step by step. After stepping on the ground, he turned the switch on the wall and moved the bed above his head back to its original position. There was no light shining on the top, but runes lit up on the walls around the basement, making the small space even brighter. At this point, the expressions of loss, grief, anger, and depression on Ning Zhuo's face disappeared, replaced by a calm look. He came to sit down in front of the workbench he was most familiar with. There were various mechanical accessories on the workbench. Ning Zhuo opened the drawer on the right, revealing a drawer full of pastries. Each pastry is wrapped in paper. On the paper, there is the logo of Jinshantang.
He casually grabbed a handful, containing five or six pieces, and using his magic power, he burned the paper of the pastry in an instant, but did not damage the golden jade dew cake at all. Obviously, he has done this action so many times that he has become extremely proficient. Ning Zhuo chewed the cake, his eyes slightly wandering. He reviewed his performance today in his mind. He has maintained this good habit for more than ten years. "There should be no problem." "I just didn't expect that other people's performance in this big test generally made mistakes and they didn't fully perform to their level." "When I looked at the rankings before, I almost thought I failed to control points and entered the top 30."