The Thirteen Trials of the Deceptive Monk

"She has absolutely no concept of social interaction; she's focused solely on becoming stronger. She came here because the club offers free drinks."

According to Senior Wu, the student council president, who had just enrolled, stormed into the club with an imposing air, ignoring the muscular men who were having a strip party and drinking alone from a jug. His arrogant demeanor, like a lion surveying its territory, drew cheers from the seasoned seniors.

The freshman student council president joined the drinking club not only to freeload but also to vie for the title of Academy Star. She diligently studied strategies compiled by her seniors, joined small clubs, and won first place in the fall event, where it was easy to rack up points. Her pragmatic and effective strategies brought her closer to the Academy Star's throne. Even the teachers believed she would become the second best after Kano. However, on the eve of her victory, the president's meteoric rise was suddenly met with a huge obstacle.

"After the midterm exams that year, Professor Ji brought in a mysterious transfer student. She got an unprecedented double zero in Druid and Alchemy, which made Old Merdin furious." The bald senior was talking animatedly. "However, she also got a T in Spirituality, Monsters, and History! Although the president was still the top student in the class, she only got two Ts, and the dream of becoming the star of the academy was shattered."

"Isn't there an urban legends course?" Lü Wenjun asked. He knew that the introductory course didn't have a final exam.

"This course was only offered this year..." Senior Wu clicked his tongue. "Where was I again? Anyway, the student council president and the transfer student started a feud because of it. On the day the exam results were announced, they had a huge duel that completely determined who would be the best student in the academy this year."

"Who won?" Lü Wenjun asked excitedly.

"Didn't you want to join the student council?" the senior chuckled. "Go ask the president yourself!"

"Ah, I miss that expressionless student council president from freshman year..." "I still think if I had seized the opportunity to confess, maybe I would have had a chance!" "You already tried, you idiot! The president ruthlessly ignored you!" "What right do you have to criticize me after being kicked aside by the president?" "I just forgot to wear underwear, it happens often when I'm drunk!!"

The older students walked away, reminiscing about their own naivety. New students joined in, telling new, far-fetched stories. Faris, tipsy, had his arm around Lü Wenjun's shoulder.

"No wonder that serious vice president and president don't get along; they're completely different types of people." He hiccuped. "You guys help me... fend off some of the drinks, okay?"

“You’ve been a member for a long time, what are you worried about?” Velsa asked.

“That bastard Chalona said… I’m… an honorary member! I’ll only become a full member after today’s drinking session!” Faris hissed. “I’ll go there sooner or later and take his bird’s nest!”

"And then take the hit from the wild boar for him?"

"That can be discussed further... Oh, look over there! So many beautiful women!"

Following Faris's pointing finger, the upper reaches of the winding mountain road were shrouded in a sea of ​​beautiful figures. Winged senior students flew in circles around the news agency's booth, their gauze dresses and smiling faces forming a soft, impenetrable wall, leaving the unfortunate freshmen who had strayed into the circle with nowhere to escape.

"Want a drink with me, junior?" "The girl's really cute~" "Let's drink!"

Even though they had heard of the news agency president's infamous reputation at the ball, most of the newcomers lacked the courage and willpower to escape this haven of comfort. However, at the very center of the circle was a woman who was oblivious to romance. She raised her hand and summoned three savage and uncouth witches, who snatched all the wine from the gauze-clad women's hands and drank it all.

"Having a familiar drink in your place is cheating..." a vampire said pitifully.

Pershka wasn't embarrassed at all: "What's wrong with it? If you're not satisfied, just summon your familiar."

“That child speaks very well. Magicians should use spells to solve problems.”

With the fluttering of wings as white as a swan, a tall woman descended. She wore a long-sleeved robe in the ancient style, adorned with many feather decorations; she was none other than Yu Xin, the president of the news agency.

“The Taoist priests of Chu are an ancient race,” Pershka said, raising an eyebrow.

The ancient Chinese mythological text, the *Classic of Mountains and Seas*, records a country of feathered people in its Southern Wilderness section. The *Far-off Journey*, written by a Chu sorcerer, also mentions "following the feathered people to Danqiu, remaining in the old land of immortality." Feathered beings are considered one of the prototypes of the concept of immortals, and their history is remarkably ancient.

"I'm so happy to have been recognized~" Yu Xin blinked. "It's a pity I'm not serious about my studies. I know nothing about magic, but I do know a few tricks of monster transformation."

She plucked a feather and blew on it. The feather transformed in the wind, becoming three clones dressed in long robes of red, blue, and yellow. Each clone drank three cups, exactly the same number as the beast witches. Yu Xin herself sipped plum wine, a lovely blush rising on her face.

"That evens things out, huh?" she chuckled. "A kid like you who can use familiars would be perfect as a reporter. Why don't you have a drink with us for a while!"

The beast witches were itching to devour the feather clone alive. Pershka raised her hand to stop them, snatching a cup from a nearby news officer.

"Ah, no! This is the strong liquor of our ancient country—"

Glug! Glug! Glug!

Before the girl could finish speaking, she had already downed three glasses of baijiu. The little witch placed the glass in Yu Xin's hand, smiling as she looked at the other's astonished face.

“My hometown is a very cold place, so everyone drinks a lot.” She made no attempt to hide the provocation in her eyes. “Go on, senior? I’m fine drinking with you all day like this.”

"Oh dear..."

Yu Xin, holding the wine bottle, seemed to be ignited with a competitive spirit. However, at that moment, a greeting came from afar, and another familiar figure walked over.

"Are you alright, Pershka?"

Lu Wenjun, seemingly oblivious to everyone else, squeezed through the circle of girls surrounding him, casually grabbed a glass of wine, and took a sip. He smacked his lips: "Wow, Moutai! The news agency is really generous. Is there any more?"

Pershka sneered: "What, are you going to get in my way now?"

I'm so worried about you.

Pershka's mouth was slightly open, as if the effects of the alcohol were only now taking hold, making her face a little red.

"What, what are you saying?!"

"Because you're beautiful and love to show off, you're easily provoked into drinking too much. It's not good for girls to drink too much."

Lu Wenjun spoke naturally, completely ignoring the screams of the sycophantic reporters beside him. He took out the half-empty bottle of Gemstone Wine he had drunk earlier and shoved it into Pershka's hand.

"That's why I specially saved this for you... It's a really strong liquor. Once you drink this, you'll never get drunk."

Pershka sniffed it, then covered his forehead: "Isn't this divine wine? You've been drunk for ages, you idiot!"

"Alright, I'm relieved. Let's go together." Lü Wenjun grabbed her arm. "Let's bring the senior girls too! Let's go have a drinking contest with the student council president!"

Pershka slapped him angrily: "Don't pull me! Even if you're drunk, at least have a little bit of gentlemanly manners!"

"Do you have to carry me up even this short distance? Have you become lazy...?"

"You big idiot!"

"Why did you kick me? I was just trying to help you..."

The two first-year students walked away noisily, while Miss Yu Xin, looking shocked, spread her hands.

"Why are girls these days already being so lovey-dovey even in their first year of college? I think this trend is really bad. At least wait until after graduation!"

The club members cast sympathetic glances: "Club president, give up..." "She's already taken!"

"Seriously~" Yu Xin lazily took a big gulp of her drink. "Give up, give up, plan changed. We'll just randomly pick up some girls passing by, then go interview the freshmen and the student council president about their bar-hopping!"

Chapter 78 Efficiency in Enjoying Fun

"What the hell is going on?!" Giltan slammed his fist on the table in anger. "This is more than just a lack of civility; it's downright barbaric unrest. Do these people think they're conducting a Dionysian ritual in ancient Greece?!"

"Whatever happens, please come and help me move the magic tools, Vice President," said the pink-haired girl with pigtails standing to the side.

"Asami, don't worry about it, I'm going to say it!" Giltan shouted. "The club's recruitment isn't this chaotic event at all. The so-called club's predecessor was a magic society representing the long-standing tradition of mages. Those who wanted to join not only had to wear traditional mage robes for the interview but also pass a secret initiation ceremony. To contaminate this cultural treasure passed down through generations with alcohol is simply—"

"It's so noisy, all chattering away!"

Asami Haru grabbed a bottle of "Sincerity Sake" and hurled it like a javelin, hitting the vice president right into his wide-open mouth. She then leaped up and slammed the bottle down with a powerful slam dunk, gulping down most of the sake into the vice president's mouth in one go.

Giltan foamed at the mouth: "Glug glug glug..."

"Xiao Qing, it seems the vice president is dying," the owl-man said.

"That narrow-minded guy deserves to die on the roadside." Xiao Qing kicked the vice president. "It's shameful to throw a tantrum and make excuses. Tell me the truth!"

Giltan, spewing out his heartfelt lament, cried out, "Damn it! I wanted to go down and join the party too! Why couldn't I beat the president again this time?!"

"See? That's what you're bad at."

The owl-man tilted his head: "If the vice president wants to go, then go down and have some fun. Nobody will say anything."

"No! I'm the only civilized person left in the student council, I can't abandon the organization's last shred of integrity—"

"Great! Give that idiot vice president another bottle!" Xiao Qing shouted. "If two bottles aren't enough, make it three. Keep him drunk until he's high!"

"Alright, boss!"

The burly men working for the Student Union's Vanguard Team (formerly known as the Protocol Department) lifted the vice president up and happily jumped off the edge of the white cloud. The cloud trembled, and the light, white ground undulated like jelly.

This was a large cloud above the academy, its area of ​​several hundred square meters large enough to support a small building. Xiao Qing and the owl were directing laborers from other clubs to build the pavilion, while the student council president and her old friend stood at the edge of the cloud, gazing at the long, drunken procession circling along the winding mountain road.

"This year's freshmen are having a particularly good time," the president said.

“Those guys who were having too much fun are the geniuses of this year.” Mingxiao shrugged. “Don’t you regret it? If you hadn’t skipped class at the beginning of the semester, you would have been the image of the strong female student in their minds.”

"Absolutely not. I'm not like you. I have no interest in being all lovey-dovey with younger boys."

Mingxiao grabbed her waist: "Who are you talking about? Who are you talking about!"

"Yeah, who's that 'look how amazing our kid is' look on their face?" The president dodged her cunning hand. "Seriously, I was too busy the other day, and I only have a little time to work on the club this month."

"What, which foolish god went to the outside world? Or are it just those 'scholars' again?"

“The frequency of Phantom Spirit’s activities has increased.” The guild leader said noncommittally, “We also need to pay attention to a few old problem cases… Let’s not talk about that garbage dump at Mount Fuyue, the storms in the Giant God Sea have been getting more and more intense in recent years, and the Ice Queen of Saint Forest has become increasingly harsh. I think she will lose control sooner or later.”

Mingxiao felt a pang of sympathy upon hearing this: "These are not things female college students should be thinking about..."

"Can't you have a little social responsibility, Miss College Student?"

"My ability to stay peacefully in the Mythic+ dungeon is already a great contribution to world peace!" Mingxiao said righteously. "You should also learn to relax a bit. What's the point of always having a long face? When there's a party, let's go drink together."

The president swirled the small bottle of liquor: "Save it for drinking with interesting people."

They looked down at the clouds below, where the alcoholics' march had entered the campus, with the white-clad figures at the front standing out under the lights.

·

"The 78th one~" Lü Wenjun exclaimed in a strangely high-pitched voice, "The goal is to drink one hundred kinds!"

Pershka scoffed, "You might as well become a moldy wine jar."

"Isn't that great? Staggering around with a belly full of fine wine, more content than most people in this world."

He grinned foolishly, raised his head, and shouted, "Is the president here?"

"Is the guild leader here?!" The people in the queue cheered in unison.

The noisy procession wound its way up the mountain road, then surged into the campus like a raging python. Meanwhile, Velsa successfully found the Martial Arts Club and was drinking with his burly buddies, while Faris stormed into the Magic Styling Club's stall and slammed a large wine jug over Chai Luo's head.

"Farris, you're finished! I'm going to shove this jar right back into your XX!" Chailuo yelled.

"Come on, you damn club president, let me guzzle you down!"

Taking advantage of this, the idiots of the Magic Art Styling Club started another brawl, showcasing an exceptionally friendly club atmosphere. The drunkards who hadn't had a chance to join the fray followed behind Lü Wenjun, chanting their president's name together.

"It's not in the lab building!" "They won't let us into the teaching building." "The senior students in the library got kicked out!"

But the student council members were nowhere to be found; the long, serpentine line tangled and knotted in confusion, biting at its own Achilles' heel and tail. In this exceptionally chaotic scene, only Pershka remained conscious, pointing high into the sky.

"Isn't it right there?"

The drunkards looked up and saw a golden-red pavilion rising in the darkening sky. It was a true celestial palace, built upon the drifting clouds. The student council members, having finished their work, scattered wisps of cloud, creating ethereal staircases leading to the pavilion.

Lu Wenjun transformed and leaped up, ascending the cloud ladder, not forgetting to hold Pershka's hand.

"Be careful, don't fall."

"Ugh, stop bothering me and switch back to your normal tone!"

The long, serpentine procession leaped up one after another, their excessive weight causing the clouds to slowly sink downwards. However, only the first two entered the attic; the rest faced a trench of towering wine jars.

The two climbed the stairs, passing the vice president who was retching against the wall, the familiar Xiao Qing, and the owl-like senior. Only one person remained on the rooftop.

She was a woman with a commanding presence, dressed in a simple white T-shirt and jeans, her long red hair simply tied up, the high ponytail fluttering in the wind like flames. She looked at the two freshmen climbing the stairs, without smiling.

"I am Ye Jinfa, the student council president," she said. "No need for self-introductions. Why do you want to join the student council?"

“I am the best magician, so of course I should join the best organization in the school,” Pershka said.

Lu Wenjun was still grinning foolishly: "There are student council stories in many novels and comics, so I want to give it a try."

Ye Jinfa sat at a small wine table with a huge wine jar on it. After speaking, she poured herself a full glass of wine and drank it down. So the freshmen followed her example, offering her a full glass of wine after each speech.

"Self-affirmation and hedonism are typical useless ideas," Ye Jinfa said. "You don't understand what you really want, so you move towards vague and hazy illusions. If the goal is clear, you will pay more attention to 'efficiency' than the process. You won't care about winning or losing with others, but will focus your energy on your own achievements."

“An afternoon is enough to read one-tenth of the most basic original texts, and ten afternoons is enough to complete a brand new technique. You have already lost one-tenth of the results, but you don’t necessarily have to throw away the remaining nine-tenths in the future.”

"What a boring idea," said Lü Wenjun. "Is life only about becoming stronger and making progress?"

"Precisely because life is long, we should not dwell on the pleasures of the present moment. School is just a stop on the journey. The people we meet and the things we witness may seem important at this moment, but more than ten years later, they will be nothing more than the noise of memes in our past memories."

This is because after the end of student life, challenges and difficulties come like a flood. Everyone struggles in the hardships of life, devoid of the carefree joy of the past. Geographical distance can weaken friendships, and the pressures of reality can extinguish pleasure. At this time, only strength and knowledge can help.

The student council president concluded with a cold admonition: "Once you realize this, when you look back on the past, you will no longer remember the laughter and joy, but the regret of not having worked hard enough."

This heavy, blunt opening made the atmosphere at the table as stiff as stone. The unquestionable confidence and imposing manner were enough to overwhelm most students, causing them to cower and flee in agony under the rock-solid air. However, the two across the table remained as usual; Lü Wenjun seemed lost in thought upon hearing the words, while Pershka wore a half-smile.

“You have a correct perspective that is different from that of ordinary people,” Pershka said. “However, what is correct is not necessarily right, because the theoretically optimal solution does not take into account the self and the mind. It is a rugged road that appears straight due to the misalignment of the perspective. If you follow the illusion forward, you will squeeze and reduce the self, making it as shallow as a machine.”

"If you imagine a harsh future and replace the present reality with it, you will always live the life of a melancholy loser. I don't need such demanding assumptions and mechanical correctness, because I know the life that suits me. Even if I leave the academy and go to a new secret place, I will definitely live a life that satisfies me."

Holding her wine glass, she said confidently, "Therefore, I don't need 90% obtained through blind asceticism. My own magic is enough to blow that power away to the ends of the earth!"

Ye Jinfa clinked glasses with her and smiled faintly.

“You regard perspectives that differ from your own as aggressive and violent arguments. This is excessive confidence, but it also gives you a unique judgment.” She looked at Lü Wenjun. “And what about you? I can see that you agree with my views in your heart.”

Efficiency + Time = Progress. Lü Wenjun deeply understood this formula for success and had practiced this philosophy through his own actions. He made up for his lack of talent with diligence, using the time others spent playing to study, striving to climb mountains of books and dreaming of the wonderful times after success. However, a sudden car accident shattered his dream that had been brewing for three years.