When leaving the village, everyone—people, donkeys, and mules—looked back at their ruined hometown, then cheerfully departed.

Although they were in good spirits, the donkeys and mules were slow, so it took six days to reach Ning’an Prefecture.

And that person had, as expected, run out of patience and was in an even worse mood.

When they met up at an inn, Young Lady sat expressionless on the second floor, drinking wine. Upon seeing them arrive, she irritably tossed a stack of things down onto the table below, causing a huge crack to appear in the wooden tabletop.

It was a land deed, a stack of official documents, and several silver notes. It turned out that Young Lady hadn’t left with Brian Cooper not because she was mourning her late husband or was too annoyed, but because she had gone ahead to report the news to the authorities in Ning’an Prefecture. In these few days, Young Lady not only resolved the villagers’ household registration issues, but even bought them a plot of land in the southern suburbs.

Kevin Cooper stuffed the land deed and silver notes into the hands of the hesitant villagers, speaking gently: “How could our manor be short of such a small amount of silver? Consider it a token of thanks to Young Hero Carter and the two Brother Thompson for guiding us.”

“Young Lady is still so kindhearted,” Brian Cooper rolled her eyes where the villagers couldn’t see, “Let’s just say it’s accumulating virtue for that dead man.”

The villagers were so grateful they nearly shouted out to hail Young Lady as the Bodhisattva Guanyin.

The Bodhisattva Guanyin showed no response to their gratitude, even snorted coldly, went downstairs, led out a snow-white horse, and said, “Let’s go.”

Kevin Cooper let out an “ai” and said to the villagers, “Everyone, our fates end here. This is where we part ways.”

They saw Young Lady mount her horse, the red gauze and golden threads of her clothes draping over the snowy white horse, exuding utmost pride and nobility. Once the young ladies caught up, they spurred their horses and galloped away, their figures gradually disappearing into the sunset horizon.

The villagers held the land deed, documents, and silver notes, saying, “Truly a good person.”

Evan Carter felt a bit conflicted. It seemed that Young Lady was not a completely cold-blooded or heartless person—she was even somewhat kind. After all, for a chance encounter, just leading the villagers out of the ghost town was already more than enough.

Women really are changeable.

He decided to rename that Schrödinger’s cylinder as Grace Cooper’s cylinder. This way, it would retain the nature of a cylinder while shedding the shadow of modern physics.

Chapter 6: I Want to Go to School

Young Lady was generous; with both land and house deeds in hand, the entire village settled down in Ning’an Prefecture and soon began living a normal life.

“Young Lady may be a bit fierce, but she’s truly a good person,” Samuel Thompson praised. “If we ever get the chance, we must repay Young Lady’s kindness, even if it costs us our lives.”

Henry Thompson agreed, “Who could say otherwise?”

Evan Carter stood with his arms crossed at the door, not sure why these two brothers had come to his room to say this.

Henry Thompson turned to him, “Brother Carter, are you also a cultivator?”

Evan Carter: “No.”

“Then... that formation?”

“Just drew it at random.”

Samuel Thompson: “I don’t believe you.”

Henry Thompson said, “Samuel and I are both planning to sign up for the Shangling Exam. Do you have any advice, Brother Carter?”

Evan Carter: “I’m signing up too.”

Henry Thompson: “Then the three of us can go together. Who knows, maybe we’ll get lucky. If Samuel and I have a bit of talent, we might just become cultivators from now on!”

Samuel Thompson looked worried, “I heard that although everyone can participate in the Shangling Exam, the test is really hard. They ask about all sorts of cultivation principles. Henry and I only recognize a few characters, so how could we possibly understand? We’re just trying our luck.”

“Principles...” Evan Carter looked at the patterns on the table and said, “I know them.”

The two brothers were overjoyed, “The Carter Brothers, can you teach us?”

“But you have to help me gather information.”

“What kind of information?”

Evan Carter thought for a moment and said slowly, “Anything about the Shangling Exam.”

The two brothers immediately set off.

Evan Carter stayed in the room, gazing at the blue sky and white clouds outside the window, with only four words in his heart.

I want to go to school.

Earlier, Brian Cooper had told him about “education for all” and the “Shangling Exam” at the Shangling Academy. He remembered it, but hadn’t expected that the situation in this world was indeed as Brian Cooper had said: as long as you have talent, you will never be left behind.

Because just the announcement for the “Shangling Exam” two months from now was posted all over the city walls, and everyone had a copy.

If he wanted to embark on the path of cultivation, he first had to transform his own physique.

As for how to do that, he wasn’t sure, but he knew there were only two ways.

First, obtain rare and precious natural treasures. Second, acquire a miraculous, peerless cultivation technique.

Neither of these things existed in the mortal world.

Even that Grace Cooper’s cylinder, with its special material and resistance to blades and spears—if he wanted to find a way to open it, he’d have to rely on cultivation.

And if he wanted to leave the mortal world, the only option available to him now was to pass the Shangling Exam and enter the Shangling Academy.

Talent? He had none.

He hoped there might be another way.

About half a day later, Henry Thompson and Samuel Thompson returned.

They wandered through the streets and alleys, and brought Evan Carter to a bookstore in the city.