Chapter 57

Song Yi returned to her peaceful campus life.

Maybe it did not really count as peaceful.

Zhang Xuan and Li Xiu came to the school to visit her, bringing good news. Thanks to Song Yi’s generous merit gift package, they had received commendations.

Although those in the know felt that, under those circumstances, even if you had tied a dog up in the Police Bureau, it could have caught Hunter. But no matter what, Hunter being captured in Cloud City was a fact, and the two of them having pinned Hunter down was also a fact.

Why had no other place managed to catch him, only for Cloud City to do it?

The children’s identities could not be publicly revealed in the matter of Hunter’s capture, but there was no need to hide Zhang Xuan and Li Xiu’s identities.

Although rumors in the cultivation world claimed that the elementary schoolers were the true “big shots,” rational people would believe that the Cloud City police had contributed the most. “Elementary schoolers make a great contribution” was simply more eye-catching, which was why everyone paid attention to it.

As a result, Zhang Xuan and Li Xiu had been in the limelight recently and had accepted quite a few interviews.

Making such a major contribution not long after starting work made them models for the younger generation. That was also a decent angle, something that could be held up as an example.

“May I ask what you believe was the key to successfully capturing ‘Hunter’?”

A smoother cultivator would probably answer with something like “the leaders’ cultivation and our colleagues’ support,” while someone diligent in cultivation would probably reply with jargon like “working hard at cultivation and never slacking off”...

However, their answer was, “Maybe because we’re good people.”

The reporter teased, “Do you mean that you just focus on being a good person and leave the rest to the heavens? Should you also thank the heavens for their gift?”

“More or less.”

The reporter, just like the audience, was baffled.

No, I was just joking. Don’t actually agree with me!

Because of this unusual reason, the two became even more popular than before.

“I’m already a good person, so when do I get promoted and receive a raise?”

“I’ve already received countless good-guy cards during confessions, so it’s my turn to get famous now, right?”

Zhang Xuan and Li Xiu were helpless about this. They were not playing along with a meme. It really was the truth.

They wanted to have done something, too. The problem was that they basically had not done anything. Replace “the heavens’ gift” with “the children’s gift,” and that was the complete answer.

The two arrived at Cloud Elementary with complicated feelings. They already knew of Song Yi’s glorious achievements, and they also understood what her homeroom teacher had meant by “getting along a little too well.”

The little cub in front of them clearly had nothing to do with being pitiful, weak, or helpless. All of that had been their own imagination before.

Reserved, yet slightly smug, Song Yi waved her hand. “No need to thank me. I said I would repay you, and I keep my word.”

Her vivid little expression made the two of them laugh despite themselves.

When they faced Song Yi again, they felt a strange pressure in their hearts. But after discovering that she was still essentially that same little kid, much of their tension faded.

“It’s only been a while, but you’ve changed so much, Song Yi.” They wanted to pat this little cutie on the head.

However, Song Yi nimbly dodged and protested, “No head pats! I won’t grow tall!”

She felt that she had already found the reason why she was having such a hard time growing taller in this life: these unscrupulous adults had patted her head too much!

She had already repaid their favor. There was no need to sacrifice her head anymore.

After avoiding the “head-pat kill,” Song Yi asked curiously, “Have I changed that much?”

Aside from gaining a tiny bit of weight, it did not seem like she had changed much, right?

“Of course. When we first met you, you were very obedient too, but how should we put it? You were a little too obedient.”

That had not been true obedience, but caution and a lack of security. When she had questions for them, she had weighed every word. Now, she would loudly say, “No.”

Song Yi’s smile back then had been well-behaved, but how to put it? That smile had been too standard, as if it were fake.

Now she restrained her expression, yet her emotions showed very clearly, sly and lively.

A child this age should be like this.

“Seeing that you’ve adapted so well here, we can relax,” Zhang Xuan and Li Xiu said with smiles.

Before meeting Song Yi, they had first communicated with her homeroom teacher. According to her homeroom teacher, he actually hoped they would counsel and encourage Song Yi a little. The gist of it was “cause less trouble and study more.”

They had not met Song Yi many times, but they were the first people she had interacted with after returning to normal society, so their relationship would always be a little special.

Song Yi had no other family. The fact that she remembered to send them merit showed that she would very likely listen to what they said.

Originally, they had indeed prepared to encourage Song Yi a little, but after seeing the current Song Yi, they suddenly changed their minds.

Like parents who spoiled a child too much, they said, “It’s normal for little kids to be a bit naughty. These are the happiest years of your life. You should treasure them.”

Li Xiu scratched his head in embarrassment. “I caused trouble all the time when I was little too, but look, that didn’t stop me from becoming a reliable adult. Sigh, childhood really was great...”

Song Yi glanced at the two of them and felt that there was a lot of exaggeration in what they were saying. Were they really reliable adults? Doubtful.

She opened her round eyes and asked, “Then the next time I accidentally cause trouble, can I bring up your names?”

“Cough, cough, cough...” The two of them coughed frantically and immediately felt guilty.

They were only saying these things to Song Yi. They absolutely would not dare say them in front of her homeroom teacher.

Those words had a bit of the suspicion of speaking without feeling the pain. In any case, they were not teachers, so they were not the ones getting headaches.

What if Song Yi’s homeroom teacher found out what they had said and put them on the school blacklist because he was afraid they would lead children astray?

“Song Yi, you know this too. We’ve only just entered the workplace not long ago. Our positions are unstable, and we can’t protect you. So when you do bad things, don’t bring up our names.”

Song Yi tilted her head. “If you become powerful, will you be able to cover for me?”

“Of course! If your homeroom teacher criticizes you, just tell him to come talk to us.” The two of them made a big boast.

But that would definitely be something far in the future. Song Yi would surely have graduated long ago and become a mature, steady adult by then.

There was nothing wrong with giving a child a little room to dream.

Unexpectedly, Song Yi was not a little kid who only knew how to dream. She was a little kid who would realize her dreams once she had them.

She directly opened the Spirit Net and searched for wanted criminals, muttering, “If we catch a few more, you’ll definitely be promoted.”

Zhang Xuan and Li Xiu: !

They hurriedly held down Song Yi’s hand. “You mustn’t, you mustn’t.”

“We prefer the feeling of slowly rising through the ranks by relying on our own strength.”

Soaring straight up on the strength of a child... Although that feeling might be a little refreshing, it was honestly a little too shameless.

Although they both had the dream of living off someone else, when they looked at the child’s height, their hands holding that soft rice started to tremble.

They pulled her aside again and emphasized, “Little Song Yi, capturing bad people is something adults should do. The first thing you children need to do is protect yourselves and not put yourselves in danger. Bad people have all kinds of ways to harm others, and none of us want to see you hurt.”

Of course, wanted criminals were not that easy to find either. Otherwise, all the bad people would have been caught already. But with this kind of thing, one could not be too careful.

Bad people knew they had to hide when they saw the police, but if they saw a child, they might directly strike to kill.

Song Yi nodded on the surface, but shook her head in her heart. Sigh, young people. Still too naive.

If it had been some of the people she had met before, forget her taking the initiative to help. As long as she showed the slightest bit of value, they would have sold her off long ago.

But their simplicity was probably exactly what made them likable.

There was another piece of good news. The results of the Hundred Clubs Battle were out!

The Work-Study Club ranked first among the top hundred clubs in this Hundred Clubs Battle event.

Cloud Elementary’s swordball team and Jade Elementary’s Archaeology Club had both entered the top hundred as well, and their rankings were not low.

Among the top hundred clubs, the Work-Study Club’s style was a little different, but no one disputed the result. Whether in terms of commercialization, practicality, or innovation, this club had done beautifully.

They were not a club like a swordball team, the kind that had high viewing value by nature, yet they had likewise made a name for themselves through all kinds of gimmicks, and their audience votes stayed high.

The top hundred results were jointly decided by audience votes and reviews from higher education institutions and sects. Ordinary audience members did not know that Hunter’s capture was related to the Work-Study Club, but the expert judges had all heard a bit about it.

In other words, in terms of social contribution, the Work-Study Club did not lose to any club. The expert judges naturally could not suppress their ranking.

In fact, quite a few higher education institutions and sects had taken a liking to them. Unfortunately... Song Yi and the others were truly too young. They had not even decided on their future directions, so what use was it for others to take a liking to them?

Leaving Old Yang aside, even the fourth grader Wang Yisheng was in no hurry to graduate from elementary school. It was far too early to try reserving anyone.

Song Yi and the others’ activity funds increased again—although Song Yi had said before that the funds could be deducted from club income and there was no need for the school to allocate anything extra.

But these were funds they had obtained through their own strength, and the money came from the higher department. Of course the school would not withhold it.

Li Wenwen, who had absolutely nothing to do with the word frugal, looked at the bill, and a blissful smile appeared on her face. “So money really does grow the more you spend it. I like it!”

Spending money was her specialty!

Then Teacher Yuan, who was standing beside her, flicked her on the forehead. “What kind of crooked logic is that?”

As for Song Yi, she looked at the freshly made top-hundred plaque in the club activity room, as well as the brave-citizen banner sent by the police, and revealed a satisfied smile.

She felt that honor was something external, yet when she looked at the once-empty, simple activity room starting to have these symbols of honor hung up, she could still feel a sense of accomplishment and pride.

What a wonderful sense of contradiction.

Perhaps it was because she had developed a sense of belonging and recognition toward this place that she cared about evaluations from the outside world.

Song Yi thought.

But whatever. The adults of this world had taught her one principle: little kids did not need to think so much.

For some things, if she could not figure them out, she did not need to force herself to think. She could just follow her own heart and do things well. Time would provide the answer.

It would be great if these honors filled the walls.

Song Yi thought of the honor display room over at the swordball team. At the time, she had not cared, but now that she thought back on it, a strange competitive spirit emerged. Damn it! They had way more honors than the Work-Study Club!

This was a gap that was very hard for a club established only a short time ago to make up.

Song Yi rubbed her smooth chin and sank into thought. No matter how hard she worked, she could get at most one top-hundred plaque a year. But she could get more brave-citizen banners... She actually did not mind becoming a crime nemesis. She would first list this idea under her inspection plan.

From the perspective of her previous life, she was more or less neglecting her proper work in this life.

But she felt that a world that could tolerate people neglecting their proper work was pretty good too.

As she thought this, the aura around Song Yi changed sharply, and her cultivation climbed layer by layer until it reached the peak.

“Teacher, Little Yi is about to reach Foundation Establishment!”

Teacher Yuan had naturally noticed as well. Before the power of the lightning tribulation could accumulate, he grabbed Song Yi, activated his spiritual energy, used Shrinking Earth into Inches, and brought her straight to the cultivation room.

Song Yi could sense the changes in the external environment. If it had been her old self, she definitely would have interrupted the breakthrough first, confirmed that the surrounding environment was safe, and set up foolproof arrays before anything else.

But Song Yi did not do that, because she trusted that Teacher Yuan and the others had no ill intentions.

When spiritual energy was refined a hundred times, when it turned nine times within the body and condensed into one, when inside and outside connected, filth was removed, spiritual power and divine sense mingled, and the body grew light while the spirit grew bright—that was Foundation Establishment.

Every time one crossed a major realm, one needed to undergo a heavenly tribulation, corresponding to cultivation being a path that defied the heavens.

Foundation Establishment only required passing a minor lightning tribulation, but Song Yi waited for ages and never saw it arrive. She simply stepped directly over that threshold.

She opened her eyes in surprise. “Could it be that I’m already such a genius that I don’t even need to undergo tribulation?”

Li Wenwen and Lin Ze burst into laughter. “Little Yi, what are you thinking?”

They pointed at a blue, shimmering bottle. “That is your lightning tribulation.”

Song Yi: ?

Teacher Yuan said, “Your lightning tribulation had quite a lot of energy. You can take the rest of this with you.”

It turned out that in the current cultivation world, as long as one could pass one’s own hurdle, heavenly tribulation was no longer an obstacle to cultivation.

Research showed that heavenly tribulation was also a kind of energy, similar to spirit energy, only more violent than spirit energy.

This was good stuff. As long as it was properly converted, it had many uses.

Letting cultivators fight heavenly tribulation and eliminate it was far too wasteful. Moreover, when undergoing tribulation, it could very likely cause major damage to the surrounding environment.

The modern cultivation system had found a way to collect and convert the energy of heavenly tribulations.

Spiritual veins could run dry, but heavenly tribulations would not.

Even now, people were still researching and utilizing all kinds of heavenly tribulations.

A minor lightning tribulation like the kind during Foundation Establishment already had very mature related research and could be converted into pure spirit energy for use.

The cultivation room had corresponding restrictions to intercept and collect lightning tribulations, then carry out energy conversion. This was why Teacher Yuan had quickly brought Song Yi inside.

The cultivation room would draw out a certain amount of heavenly tribulation energy as its “fee.” If there was extra, the cultivator herself could take it away.

Song Yi was a little shocked. In the Old Era, there had been plenty of cultivators who died to heavenly tribulation.

On the path of cultivation, each tribulation was harder than the last. So it turned out that they simply had not found the correct way to undergo tribulation?

So the Heavenly Dao could be fleeced like this?

Song Yi felt that her path before had still been too narrow.

“Extra energy can be taken away, right?” Song Yi murmured. “Then if I draw over more tribulation clouds, wouldn’t I be able to freeload off the Heavenly Dao?”

She still did not quite understand the principle of this restriction or the mechanism of the conversion, but that did not matter. She understood heavenly tribulations, and she knew how to draw them over.

The more monstrous one’s performance, the more terrifying the heavenly tribulation would become, because the Heavenly Dao would not tolerate one’s existence in the world.

But according to the current situation, it might also be a different kind of reward?

As soon as she finished speaking, tribulation clouds began to form.

Because the aura around Song Yi changed, as if she were about to carry out Foundation Establishment all over again. Of course, this was an illusion. It was just that her control over low-level realms was too strong, and she had ways of locking her realm.

Teacher Yuan and the others: ???

Does this look appropriate to you?

The energy within the tribulation clouds was rapidly absorbed by the restriction and vanished.

Song Yi gathered her momentum again. The new tribulation clouds were much smaller than the previous ones, and the energy converted out of them was also much less.

After this repeated several times, lightning tribulations stopped forming.

Song Yi said regretfully, “So it isn’t infinite...”

Teacher Yuan and the others had already gone numb.

Next Chapter >