“You—!” He Changhua swallowed hard, then looked up and said, “Indeed, although Lin Lumi used to take first place in our academy, this is the Eastern Ridge Lingshu! Even the geniuses from other countries couldn’t get a perfect score, yet you did. If you ask me, she clearly cheated! Could it be that she did something shameful with some examiner to get the questions in advance? Otherwise, why are you the only one who solved that question?!”
Hua Tian had always been quick-tempered. Hearing such slander, her cheeks flushed with anger, and a ball of spiritual energy coalesced in her palm with a sharp buzz.
Seeing this, the surrounding crowd quickly retreated half a meter to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.
Lin Lumi patted Hua Tian’s shoulder. “Don’t be angry.”
After saying that, she glanced at the bulletin board before looking back at He Changhua. “A score of exactly sixty, huh? No wonder you find me disagreeable and are standing here spreading rumors about me. Some people just can’t beat me in exams, and they can’t beat me in fights either. They can only use their mouths to find some sense of existence.”
He Changhua sneered, “Lin Lumi, what do you mean? You know very well what kind of person you are.”
Lin Lumi replied, “I am a good person. And you are a petty person who loves to spread rumors.”
She paused, then warned him coldly, “I advise you to spend your free time reading the booklet we were given on the day of registration. The rules to be followed are written clearly on it, and one of them is: do not spread rumors.”
“Don’t speak without evidence! I did not spread rumors!” He Changhua immediately retorted, raising his voice, which clearly betrayed his guilt.
“Is that so? Then let us invite an Elder to judge this matter. Can any of you help me call an Elder over?”
Hearing this, He Changhua instantly grew anxious. “Isn’t this just a minor squabble between us candidates? Is it really necessary to drag this in front of the Elders? Do you really love tattling that much?”
Lin Lumi laughed softly, pointed at He Changhua, and turned her head to Hua Tian. “Look. When he was spreading rumors, he feared nothing in heaven or on earth, but now he’s the first to panic.”
A burst of snickers and low chatter immediately erupted from the crowd.
“The burden of proof lies on the one who makes the claim. If you cannot provide proof, then it is slander. Everyone here heard it loud and clear just now; every candidate here is a witness. He Changhua, this is the Eastern Ridge Lingshu, not the State of Yue. People here are not fools; they will only stand on the side of truth. Wouldn’t you all agree?”
Hearing this, the surrounding crowd nodded, and the atmosphere quietly shifted back to Lin Lumi’s side.
Before long, a candidate actually brought over the Elder in charge of discipline.
The Elder stood in the middle with a displeased expression. “What is all this commotion about?!”
He Changhua had not expected someone to actually bring an Elder. Immediately feeling guilty, he said, “It’s nothing. I was merely having a small bicker with Lin Lumi. Who knew she couldn’t take a joke and actually called you over, Elder? It is actually a trivial matter; you don’t need to trouble yourself with it.”
“So it was just a small squabble between fellow candidates.” The Elder let out a sigh and looked at Lin Lumi. “Child, is what he said true?”
Lin Lumi let out an “ah” and said, “Elder, this person claimed that my first-place score was obtained through cheating. He even said I have a relationship with an examiner to get the exam paper, which is how I got a perfect score. I am not as thick-skinned as him. He is using my reputation to slander me, and I do not think this is a minor squabble. This is rumor-mongering. According to Rule 32 of the New Student Regulations, those who spread rumors shall have their candidate status revoked. I wonder if I am correct, Elder?”
“What?! Not only did he slander you, but he also slandered the examiners?!” The Elder was furious. He pointed at He Changhua and demanded, “Did this happen?!”
Hearing about the revocation of his candidate status, He Changhua was too terrified to speak. Instead, other candidates chimed in, “That’s right! We heard it loud and clear. It was this man who kept saying that Lin Lumi, who came in first, cheated to get her score. He even said she was untidy with the examiners, defaming her!”
“Presumptuous!” The Elder bellowed, his voice like a ringing bell, instantly silencing the entire courtyard.
He looked at He Changhua. “What is your name?!”
He Changhua swallowed like a frightened quail. Only after a long while did he squeeze out three words, “He… Changhua.”
“He Changhua?” The Elder sneered, his face filled with disdain. “Very well! Do you think the exam questions of our Eastern Ridge Lingshu would be leaked so casually? Or do you believe our examiners are of vile character and would commit such sordid deeds? How dare you hold the Eastern Ridge Lingshu in such low regard! Since that is the case, why did you come here? Our Eastern Ridge Lingshu cannot afford to accommodate such a great Buddha like you!”
The harsh reprimand made He Changhua’s legs go weak, and he fell directly to his knees with a thud. “Please show mercy, Elder! This disciple absolutely has no intention of looking down on the Eastern Ridge Lingshu! It’s just… I just felt it was highly unusual for Lin Lumi to get a perfect score, so for a moment… for a moment, I merely speculated…”
“Silence!” Before he could finish, the Elder cut him off sharply. “Speculated? You do nothing but chase shadows all day! So just because someone else took first place, it becomes her fault? You keep saying it was a speculation, but where is your evidence?!”
“I… I…” He Changhua’s face turned flushed red. His lips trembled for a long while before he finally uttered two words, “No… none.”
“None? Then that is rumor-mongering! Candidate Lin is right. Those who spread rumors shall have their candidate status revoked. Pack your bags and go back immediately!”
“Elder! Please, no!” Anxious, He Changhua began to kowtow repeatedly. “This disciple was merely careless with his words and had no intention to defame! Please show mercy! I was wrong, I know I was wrong!”
Lin Lumi raised an eyebrow slightly. “You don’t know you were wrong; you just know you are finished.”
“Lin Lumi!” Utterly panicked and humiliated, He Changhua pointed at her and cursed, “We were classmates once, after all! How can you be so cold-hearted as to ruin my future?!”
“What a joke.” Lin Lumi’s expression remained unchanged as she asked coldly in return, “You were the one who spread the rumors, yet it becomes my fault for ruining you? Did I force those filthy words out of your mouth? You brought this upon yourself, so how can you blame others?”
“Enough, enough.” The Elder really did not want to waste any more time with He Changhua. He let out a cold snort and waved his hand. “Someone, take this rumor-mongering candidate away and disqualify him from the examination.”
He Changhua panicked and begged for mercy, but in the blink of an eye, he was dragged away by two disciples wearing sect uniforms.
The Elder cleared his throat and addressed the crowd, “Everyone, you have seen it! The rules of our Eastern Ridge Lingshu are strict. Candidates must behave like candidates! To be so arrogant before even entering the sect—how could we handle him once he’s inside? I hope you all take today’s matter as a warning!”
With that, the Elder turned to Lin Lumi with a warm smile. “Are you the candidate who scored first place?”
Lin Lumi nodded.
“That’s wonderful. Actually, I was just about to look for you!”
Lin Lumi’s eyes flickered slightly. “May I ask what this is about?”
The Elder smiled and said, “Since you scored a perfect score in the first exam, after consultation among the Elders of our Admissions Department, we have agreed to admit you directly.”