Fantasy: I Become God by playing a game [Dungeons + LitRPG +Xinxia]

**Chapter 19: Mock Exam (4)**

After defeating the Swift Wind Scythe Weasel, Su Chen glanced at his watch. The score displayed on the screen had changed from 0 to 8.

Curious, he opened the leaderboard to check the rankings. Unsurprisingly, many students had already surpassed the 10-point mark within the first hour. A few even had over 20 points.

It was a clear indication that Jiangnan No. 1 High School was brimming with talented individuals. To achieve such high scores in such a short time required exceptional skill and experience.

But Su Chen didn't feel any pressure.

"Doesn't matter to me," he muttered. "I'm not aiming for the top ten. Just getting an acceptable score will do."

---

After an hour of gaming, Su Chen decided it was time to move.

He knew that in addition to earning at least 30 points, he also needed to reach the core area of Wuquan Mountain before the deadline. According to the map displayed on his watch, even with an uninterrupted journey, it would take an average student three days to reach the center.

Factoring in monster battles and other obstacles, the journey could take significantly longer.

Su Chen suspected there was more to this stage of the exam than the teachers had explained. Giving students ten days to complete what appeared to be a straightforward task seemed excessive.

Looking up at the darkening sky, Su Chen's gaze sharpened.

'There's more to this test. The real challenge hasn't even started yet.'

With that thought, he quickened his pace. But even as he moved through the forest, his phone remained firmly in his hand.

---

By the fifth day, the secret realm of Wuquan Mountain was drenched in a relentless downpour.

The rain turned the ground into a muddy mess, slowing progress for most students. The heavy noise of rainfall masked the movements of lurking monsters, adding an extra layer of danger.

Fatigue also became a factor, as the cold and wet conditions drained students' stamina. Many were forced to seek shelter at night and only travel during the day.

But for Su Chen, the rain was merely an inconvenience.

He had taken shelter in a dry cave, where a small fire crackled warmly. Sitting comfortably, he played with his phone, looking as if he were on a leisurely vacation rather than participating in a high-stakes exam.

---

For Su Chen, five days in the real world translated to fifty days in "Cultivation of Immortality". This extended period allowed him to address two of his most pressing concerns.

First, the timeline of the Qingyun Sect and the dungeon of the ancient tomb.

Su Chen confirmed that the current disciples in the Qingyun Sect were of the 65th generation, placing him only five generations away from the 70th generation true disciple, Ye Chenglin. This meant approximately 500 years separated them.

However, given the ominous signs of the sect's decline, Su Chen suspected the Qingyun Sect's downfall began long before Ye Chenglin's time.

'This leaves me less time to prepare than I'd hoped,' Su Chen thought grimly.

Second, how to become an outer disciple of the Qingyun Sect.

To qualify, he needed to reach the fourth level of the Qi Gathering Stage and pass a sect-specific assessment, which varied depending on the mountain he wished to join.

The Qingyun Sect was divided into five peaks:

- Danyang Peak – Alchemy

- Wanfu Peak – Talismans

- Cangjian Peak – Sword Cultivation

- Kangding Peak – Body Cultivation

- Qingyun Peak – Daoist Cultivation

Su Chen chose Danyang Peak for its focus on alchemy.

Becoming an alchemist required both comprehension and a magical fire. Fortunately, his Purple Cloud Divine Light Technique had evolved into the Purple Cloud Divine Fire when it reached its extreme state, giving him a significant advantage.

---

Su Chen saw alchemy as the key to securing his safety and prosperity in both the game and reality.

With the Purple Cloud Divine Fire, refining medicinal ingredients was easier for him than for most. Additionally, his access to experience points meant he could rapidly improve his alchemy skills without wasting resources on trial and error.

'Other cultivators risk their lives to complete dangerous tasks. Alchemists, on the other hand, stay safely within the sect, guarded like treasures. That's exactly the kind of security I need.'

But while the theory was sound, practice was proving more difficult.

Despite his advantages, Su Chen had yet to successfully refine even a single batch of Qi Gathering Pills. Over fifty attempts in fifty days had yielded a 100% failure rate.

The process was so infuriating that Su Chen nearly smashed his phone.

"This isn't a skill; it's torture!" he grumbled, glaring at the screen.

Still, he refused to give up.

"As long as I succeed once, I can use experience points to master the skill. I just need that first success…"

---

Just as Su Chen prepared to try again, he sensed movement outside the cave.

Two men and one woman, all drenched from the rain, emerged from the forest and entered the cave without hesitation.

The female student smiled brightly despite the rain. "Lucky we found this cave! We'd have been soaked all night otherwise."

Turning to Su Chen, she asked in a saccharine tone, "You don't mind if we stay here, right?"

Su Chen's expression remained calm. "Go ahead."

The trio exchanged glances, their eyes gleaming with unspoken intent. They casually positioned themselves near the cave entrance, effectively blocking Su Chen's exit.

Su Chen observed their movements silently.

It was true that candidates weren't allowed to attack each other during the first stage of the exam. But there were other, more subtle ways to sabotage a competitor.

For instance, forcing someone into a dangerous situation or delaying their progress long enough to ruin their chances of reaching the core area.

'Pulling others down is easier than lifting yourself up,' Su Chen thought. 'Their goal is obvious.'

He set his phone aside, his calm demeanor hiding a growing sense of annoyance.

The female student's overly sweet tone grated on his nerves. "You seem so relaxed," she remarked. "Aren't you worried about falling behind?"

Su Chen's lips curled into a faint smile. "Not really."

Her companions chuckled, their postures becoming more confident as they exchanged conspiratorial glances.

Su Chen leaned back against the cave wall, his eyes glinting with cold amusement.

'If they think I'm easy prey, they're in for a surprise.'

PS: Read +20 advance chapters on my Patreon: [patreon.com/Thebeginning331]

(End of Chapter)