Start With Contracting Sprites

Chapter 31: Written Test

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Su Hao carried a thick book, The Pre-Assessment Guide For Sprite Cultivators, in his arms. He was revising right now.

His eyes were spinning from reading the book.

“This is so tough!

“Why are my Intelligence Points not increasing at all?

“This guidebook sucks!”

Nearby, Silkworm Baby was training on its own.

“Step 1: Discharge your spiritual force and maintain this state for a while.”

Silkworm Baby understood this part.

“Step 2: Physically manifest the discharged spiritual force.”

Silkworm Baby spat out a ray of spiritual force light dots. The ray was as long as an arm.

The light dots congregated, just like a transparent glass tube which trapped the mischievous light dots within.

Silkworm Baby wanted to compress them further and turn the dispersed dots into a solid state.

All of a sudden, the specks of excessively compressed spiritual force erupted with a pop. The explosion caused all the leaves on the ground to fly about, covering Silkworm Baby’s entire face.

There was a dazed look on its face, while a few leaves sat in its slightly ajar mouth.

A light breeze blew past. A leaf drifted in the wind and covered its eyes.

Su Hao burst into laughter. He hurriedly tried to hold his laughter in, but he still couldn’t contain it in the end.

“Pffft, hahaha!”

Usually, he wouldn’t have laughed, but Silkworm Baby was seriously and earnestly pretending to contemplate and analyze what had happened, even though there was a leaf plastered to its face right now.

It was more than what Su Hao could handle.

“Gurgle!”

Bang!

Five minutes later, Su Hao had no choice but to put down the book in his hand, roll up his sleeves, and step forward personally to advise Silkworm Baby in its training.

“Granule Machine Gun is the easiest to master. You should start with the simplest one.”

“Gurgle.”

Silkworm ‘I-have-met-with-an-obstacle’ Baby reluctantly agreed.

This move was a little similar to spraying out spiritual force.

Silkworm Baby had already had a lot of practice with that, so it went straight ahead to try it out.

After only three hours…

“Gurgle!”

Its mouth formed a circle. Then, specks of light the size of rice grains sprayed from its mouth, forming a green beam of light that blasted a large tree nearby.

Countless granules ravaged the poor unfortunate tree like a gale in a storm, crackling loudly as they did so.

Tree bark was blasted off the trunk amidst loud snaps. The tree was covered in hundreds and thousands of holes. Two seconds later, the whole tree broke and landed with a crash.

“Cough, cough, cough.”

Clouds of dust swirled around the place, causing Su Hao to cover his nose and mouth.

“Seems like we went a little overboard.”

Ever since the start of Silkworm Baby’s training, the trees and plants at the back of Lake East Hill had been suffering a lot of destruction.

It wasn’t so bad in the past, because there was a limit to Silkworm Baby’s destructive power.

But now? At the rate of one tree per move, wouldn’t this place become desolate after a while?

What a sin, what a sin.

“Silky, looks like we can’t use the trees and plants as targets anymore. Hmm… Let’s use that large rock over there instead. Use that as a target to bring up your proficiency with Granule Machine Gun.”

(Large Rock, “???”)

Silkworm Baby, which had just learned a new unique skill, was very enthusiastic. In the future, it would really be able to convince people with its mouth.

After adjusting its angle and accumulating spiritual force, a green light beam shot out of its mouth. Countless granules went pitter-patter as they struck the large rock, causing bits of rock to fly about haphazardly.

However, the large rock survived tenaciously, just that its surface was now somewhat peppered with holes and gaps.

Su Hao was very satisfied. They would be able to use this target for a very long period of time.

He picked up the guidebook again, not forgetting to leave instructions as he did so. “Keep at it. This is the only move to practice for the afternoon. When your spiritual force is depleted, go on to physical training. I, your owner, am revising so diligently. As my sprite, you must also be equally serious.”

Silkworm Baby, “???”

We’re not the same, alright! Gurgle~!

…

Rising at sunrise and resting at sunset, post-transmigration Su Hao was a lot more hardworking than what he was in the past.

He needed to attend his classes for academic subjects, but he also needed to prepare for the Sprite Cultivator assessment and supervise Silkworm Baby’s training.

“I’m seriously amazing. My favorite novels, anime and comics, and games… I’ve not touched them for a week!”

…

October 22, Tuesday.

Su Hao: Sprite Trainer Intern

Intelligence Points: 73

Soul Power: 7.69 (6.55)

Contracted Sprite(s): Silkworm Baby (pre-entry-level, Spiritual Force: 80)

Unlocked Cultivation Plan(s): Silkworm Baby Basic Cultivation, Silkworm Baby Spiritual Force-Enhancement Cultivation

Unlocked Unique Skill(s): Charging, Roaring, Granule Machine Gun, Energy Ball (Silkworm Baby’s Progression Rate: 80%), String Shot (Silkworm Baby’s Progression Rate: <50%)

Granule Machine Gun was the easiest to pick up among the three unique skills. Since it had received similar training a long time ago, Silkworm Baby mastered it in just half a day.

However, even after half a month, the little fellow still hadn’t managed to execute Energy Ball and String Shot.

This was entirely normal, as these two types of unique skills were relatively high-level.

Granule Machine Gun only made up for a part of its battle abilities. The power of this move wasn’t as strong as Charging.

However, once it mastered Energy Ball, Silkworm Baby’s destructiveness would rise two levels. Also, once it mastered String Shot, Silkworm Baby’s battle system would take shape.

“Silky, stay at home by yourself today. Don’t forget to use the spiritual force ball for training.”

“Gurgle, gurgle.”

Silkworm Baby ran over with Su Hao’s backpack in its mouth.

“You even know how to bring me my backpack now. Not bad, not bad.”

Su Hao was very pleased.

After rubbing Silkworm Baby’s soft head, he slung the backpack onto his shoulders and left.

Silkworm Baby waited till the door was latched before it jumped toward the bedroom. That Sprite Trainer was finally gone!

…

Su Hao didn’t go to school.

He had applied for leave of absence. The excuse was that Silkworm Baby had overexerted itself from excessive training, so he wanted to bring it to the doctor.

(Silkworm Baby: What???)

However, the real reason was that the written test for the Sprite Cultivator assessment was taking place today.

There were two rounds in the assessment. The main purpose of the written test in the first round was to eliminate candidates who were trying to smoke their way through, or just trying their luck.

The second round was the one that truly possessed a degree of difficulty. They needed to link their answers to the sprite’s actual condition.

In addition, the examination didn’t take place in An City. He had to head to the neighboring Yunhua City instead.

“What am I thinking so much for? I may not even be able to pass the written test.”

Su Hao felt especially timid. He was just a normal, ordinary high school student, and he had only spent a short amount of time on revision. He wasn’t even in time to complete the past examination papers.

He had heard that there were a lot of people who tried for years, even more than ten years, and still couldn’t get their Sprite Cultivator license.

With such a high level of difficulty, he probably belonged to the category of candidates who were trying their luck and were going to be eliminated.

Su Hao left home and went straight to An City Second High.

Yes, the biannual assessment was held in Second High and not some high-class Association of Sprite Cultivators.

The Association booked Second High School for the whole morning.

Su Hao had originally thought that there wouldn’t be that many people, but he discovered that surprisingly, a lot of cars headed there.

Cars, motorbikes, and bicycles were parked in the school grounds of Second High. Young, as well as not so young, examination candidates walked toward the examination hall.

“Why are there so many people here?”

Su Hao even noticed a grandpa-class figure with a head of white hair.

Sir, can’t you stay home and take care of your grandkids instead?

Your grandkids have already grown up? Didn’t they just legalize the second child¹ a few years ago!?

“Young man, may I know how to get to Classroom 203?”

“Huh? Sir, are you asking me?” Su Hao pointed at himself.

“Young man, is there anyone else who’s a Second High student here aside from you?”

Su Hao noticed that there was indeed a Second High student wearing a volunteer’s jacket in front, but the distance between them was a little far. Maybe the elderly man had poor eyesight and couldn’t see him.

“Umm, sir, I’m not a Second High student.”

“The classroom is in the middle? Which middle?”

“Sir, I said I’m a First High student.”

“The first floor? That doesn’t make sense. It’s clearly 2-0-3.”

Su Hao held his forehead.

With no other choice, he could only bring the elderly man over to Classroom 203. They got there with just a quick search anyway.

His examination hall wasn’t far away either. It was right next door at Classroom 202.

In no time, it was time for the examination to begin.

The invigilator opened the door to the classroom. The candidates got in line to go through the checks to enter the classroom.

“Boy, we don’t need volunteers here anymore. You can… You’re a candidate?”

The invigilating teacher finally noticed that he wasn’t wearing a red jacket. Neither did he ask… Why he had taken off the jacket.

Su Hao was speechless.

Without saying anything, he took out an examination pass, which he had printed in advance.

After going through the check, he took a seat in the classroom. He was in the second last row and next to the window.

A breeze blew across. The aroma of osmanthus flowers on the tree outside the window wafted over.

Su Hao took a black ballpoint pen out of his pen case. He focused and looked at the questions of the written test.

And then, he was stunned.

“Eh?”