The sage was determined to die.

After a while, Yan Ming couldn't help but ask, "Don't you know everything? Why do you need to acquire a second Wenxin?"

He wasn't entirely ignorant; perhaps provoked by Ji Bai, he tugged at the other's sleeve and whispered, "You know the situation in all the countries. What use are two Wenxins, or even a hundred?"

Ji Bai was silent for a moment, then suddenly answered a completely different question: "Do you think pigs are born knowing they are pigs?"

"What do you mean?"

As Ji Bai walked, he casually fiddled with his sleeve, asking and answering himself, "Pigs are actually quite intelligent, with an IQ about the same as a three- or five-year-old child. Children from aristocratic families can begin their education at three to five years old, while pigs are born to compete for swill in the trough."

"What exactly do you mean?" Yan Ming frowned, somewhat annoyed.

"It doesn't mean anything."

Ji Bai patted him on the shoulder and said, "The environment shapes pigs and people alike. Even if I know it's difficult, I still want to do it."

"Incomprehensible."

Yan Ming crossed his arms, somewhat annoyed: "Are you subtly insulting me on purpose?"

Ji Bai smirked and said, "Do I need to beat around the bush when I'm insulting you?"

Ji Bai glanced at Gongsun Yang and the others who were eavesdropping, and said with a rare seriousness, "I don't like being controlled by others, unlike those so-called smart people. I want to give it a try."

Fearing they might misunderstand his implied meaning, Ji Bai preemptively said, "I want to show off."

Yan Ming belatedly realized the implication in the other party's words. He hesitated, which was rare for him, and reluctantly said, "If you really succeed, it will definitely arouse public anger."

He was eager to incite public outrage.

Ji Bai waved his hand dismissively, saying, "That's better."

The group, though not a large and imposing one, still managed to find their way back to the Wuli Wall after a series of twists and turns.

Yan Ming didn't really want to go in, but he didn't want to be left outside alone either. Looking at the crowd poised to go in, he paused for a moment, then asked, "What happened when you went in last time?"

Ji Bai glanced at him, but didn't ignore him, and said, "There's a special examiner inside who really likes to write...words on stones."

Ji Bai didn't use the word "formula," but instead used a more euphemistic way of saying it.

Yan Ming immediately rolled his eyes.

"Can't you say something useful?" he thought to himself, cursing inwardly. There's a limit to nonsense.

Ji Bai wasn't angry; even if the girl changed her mind, it wouldn't affect his plans.

He said, "Be careful once you're inside."

He stepped inside first, and a light gray mist spread out. He looked up, but could no longer see the huge chessboard.

The furnishings inside the wall were all very classical. The black tables and chairs were arranged along the stone wall, as if they were for entertaining the dead. Bright red lanterns hung to the side, but the black and red background made it look particularly eerie.

There was no chessboard, no record player, no ubiquitous physics formulas...

Ji Bai squinted, and for a moment even felt like he had gone to the wrong place.

The rhythmic "tap-tap" of footsteps approached from afar.

Ji Bai looked up and saw that familiar face again, but with a completely unfamiliar expression.

The girl was dressed very appropriately; her black dress reached her ankles and suited her skin tone perfectly. Her smile, though somewhat strange, possessed a cold yet beautiful allure.

Her gaze swept over many people, finally settling on Ji Bai.

"I don't like you calling me examiner."

You can call me teacher.