Chapter 789 - 792 Lv Dongbin Jumps Over the Seven Star Tower [2/7]

On the day of the imperial examination, Lv Baicha was overjoyed. He had already lost the person he loved and even his good name. These were matters that would remain private unless an outsider took it upon themselves to investigate, but Lv Baicha cared too much about his reputation. He felt that whenever he went out, every glance in his direction was tinged with mockery. Lv Baicha suppressed his anger as the exams began. He was impatient to take the test, believing that only when his name was inscribed on the golden list of successful candidates would his rage be fully extinguished.

As the imperial examination commenced, the scholars were a mix of emotions. The joyous ones, like Lv Baicha, believed their knowledge was sufficient and that all they lacked was an opportunity. Others were anxious, feeling they hadn’t studied enough. They were certain they stood no chance and were merely there to make up the numbers. And so, the imperial examination began.

The next day, the success list was posted. Full of glee, Lv Baicha went to see it, bringing his parents along.

"Are you truly confident this time?" Lv Jieshi asked with concern on the way. Lady Lv was equally worried; people didn’t normally bring their parents to view the results.

Lv Baicha laughed. "Father, Mother, why do you think I asked you to come with me today? It’s precisely because I’m confident! The top position this time is sure to be mine. As the champion scholar, I will stun everyone. I wanted you to share such a glorious moment with me."

His voice was brimming with excitement and confidence, which began to infect Lv Jieshi and Lady Lv. Their son was an outstanding scholar, and with such self-assurance, his success on the golden list seemed a certainty. Thus, they accompanied Lv Baicha to check the results.

Before the golden list, there was a sea of people. Some were ecstatic, shouting, "I’ve passed! I’ve passed!" while others wept, "Why? Why oh why?"

When Lv Baicha arrived, a few scholars who had once discussed essays with him walked over.

"How did you all fare?" Lv Baicha asked with a faint smile, his tone calm and self-assured, as if he were already the top scorer speaking down to his peers.

"Only Brother Lin passed, securing third place," the group said, looking toward one of their number.

The man called Brother Lin was plain-looking and had a stutter. "I... I... I didn’t expect... that I would pass."

"Then, congratulations to you, Brother Lin," Lv Baicha said with a casual, polite bow.

Lin Fan... his scholarship was always inferior to mine, yet he managed to rank third. That means the top position is as good as mine.

Lin Fan shyly bowed to everyone. "This time... this time I... I performed beyond my usual abilities, surpassing... surpassing all my fellow classmates. I am truly ashamed, so ashamed."

He bowed to each of them one by one, and finally, he bowed to Lv Baicha as well.

Lv Baicha frowned slightly. What does Lin Fan mean by that? He’s the third-place scholar. Bowing to the other classmates means his performance surpassed theirs, so he feels ’ashamed.’ But what does he mean by bowing to me? Don’t tell me he thinks his score is higher than mine?

Though somewhat displeased, he considered that they were classmates and might one day be colleagues, so Lv Baicha decided not to bother with it.

"You all continue chatting," Lv Baicha said. "I’ll treat you all to a meal later. For now, I’m going to check the list."

Lin Fan was puzzled. You’re treating? I’m the one who ranked third... shouldn’t I be the one buying the drinks?

Seeing Lv Baicha about to leave, the other scholars sighed.

"Baicha, there’s no need to look."

"That’s right, don’t look."

Hearing their words and seeing the looks on their faces, Lv Baicha realized something. His expression changed, his voice laced with dread as he asked, "What... what do you mean by that?"

"Brother Lv, your knowledge surpasses all of ours, but... but your name still isn’t on the list."

"It’s true."

"Perhaps it is fate. You and a career as an official are not meant to be."

Their words made Lv Baicha’s mind go blank. He couldn’t hear anything else they said.

"No, no, no! I don’t believe it!" Lv Baicha shoved his way toward the list, frantically pushing people aside as he searched for his name.

He scanned the list once, twice, three times. It wasn’t there. It wasn’t there. It still wasn’t there.

The world started to spin, and a heavy drowsiness overcame him.

"Why isn’t my name there?" he screamed in a mad frenzy. "Why is this happening?"

Since childhood, he had been exceptionally intelligent, blessed with a photographic memory. He could recite thousands of words a day and compose elegant prose with ease. As a man, he was dashing and carried himself with an imposing air! Inside and out, he was the very picture of a top scholar. So why had he failed again?

Twenty-two times.

A full twenty-two times, he had failed the examinations.

He couldn’t bear the blow. Lv Baicha broke down crying, then bolted away frantically.

"Baicha!"

Seeing this, Lv Jieshi, Lady Lv, and his classmates immediately gave chase.

Lv Baicha ran without any sense of fatigue, finally stopping at a tall tower in the royal capital. He ascended the tower, the highest point in the city, from which one could see a panoramic view of the entire capital.

"Baicha, what are you doing? Come down quickly!"

"Yes, Baicha! You failed this time, but you’ll surely succeed the next! Please, come down!" his family and friends shouted anxiously from below.

But at the top of the tower, Lv Baicha ignored them. He stood at the edge with a look of utter desolation.

"Is the great scholar Lv Baicha going to jump?" The commotion began to draw a crowd.

"Don’t jump!"

"That’s right! If you didn’t pass this time, you’ll definitely make it next time!" they also yelled.

But Lv Baicha turned a deaf ear to their pleas. Standing at the pinnacle of the tower, he contemplated leaping to his death. High above the city, he felt himself growing even more dazed. Vaguely, he felt as if he had jumped from a tower once before—a tower called the Seven Stars Tower.

Voices from a past he couldn’t place echoed in his ears.

"Oh no, Lv Dongbin is jumping from the Seven Stars Tower!"

"Young Master Lv, you mustn’t!"

"..."

Lv Baicha was bewildered. What was this strange memory? Who was the person jumping from the Seven Stars Tower? Was it him?

Who am I, really?

Numerous unfamiliar memories swirled in his mind. Lv Baicha, who had been ready to end his life, was now filled with questions.

Finally, he stepped back from the edge and walked down from the tower.

Lv Jieshi, Lady Lv, and his classmates rushed up to him, overjoyed.

"Baicha, how could you be so foolish?"

"Yes, if you had gone, what would your mother have done?"

Lv Baicha nodded, his entire being still in a daze. There were too many memories, all terribly entangled. At that moment, he wasn’t even sure who he was anymore.

"I... I was wrong."

Somewhere in the back of his mind, an image of the Ancestor of Blood Refinement surfaced.

"Father, Mother, please forgive your unfilial son," he said, his voice gaining resolve. "Right now, my heart is filled with many questions. I must go find someone."

With firm steps, he set off at once.

Fearing he might do something foolish again, Lv Jieshi and Lady Lv hastily followed.