No Money To Cultivate Immortality? Chapter 123: Foundation Establishment Qualification Certificate - Novel Cool

Chapter 123: Foundation Establishment Qualification Certificate

Under Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen’s tense, bewildered gazes, Zhang Pianpian abruptly shifted to another topic.

"About a few decades ago," she began, "the number of annual admissions for the University Foundation Establishment Qualification Certificate program started to shrink."

"Do you know why?"

She didn’t expect an answer, continuing on her own:

"Because the total number of people allowed to establish their foundation each year is strictly limited.

Reducing the university quota was a strategic move—reallocating some of those slots to high school students."

What?!

Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen were stunned.

University applicants were giving up their spots for high schoolers?

Were they even worthy?

Guessing their thoughts, Zhang Pianpian clarified:

"Not our kind of high schoolers."

She pointed upward.

"Those above us. The ones from the upper layers."

As the two exchanged surprised glances, she elaborated:

"Think about it—those at Kunxu’s fifth layer, tenth layer, even twenty layers and beyond…

Golden Core Immortals, Yuan Ying Masters, and even higher-tier beings like Cultivation-Spirit Immortals and Lianxu Ascendants—people whose spiritual wealth is beyond counting…

Would their descendants, heirs, or disciples really have to take the same national exam as you?

Would they really compete for a spot in the Top Ten Universities like ordinary students?"

Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen paused. Instinctively, they both felt—deep down—that those high-tier teenagers surely didn’t go through the same grind.

But how did they enter the path of cultivation?

Besides the Prodigy Class, how did they even attend high school?

How did they study?

They couldn’t picture it.

Zhang Pianpian continued:

"Even the heirs of those supreme elites still have to follow Kunxu’s rules—entering the path of cultivation during high school."

"The Foundation Establishment Qualification Certificate I mentioned earlier—those slots were specifically reserved for this kind of high schooler.

That’s why a special exam was created—specifically for high schoolers."

Bai Zhenzhen asked, "So we could take this exam too? Does that mean we’d be competing against those elite students?"

Zhang Pianpian shook her head. After a pause, she looked toward the distant slums across the river.

"In Songyang City, the wealthy in the central districts band together to suppress talent emerging from the poor. They manipulate schools, restrict opportunities, and protect their own advantages."

"But at the same time, it’s those very same rich families who fund food, supplies, and menial jobs—work no cultivator wants—that keep the slum populations alive. They even give poor families a chance to send their children to the city’s high schools."

"Same poverty, but the rich treat different poor people very differently."

"It’s the same in Kunxu. To those at the peak of the Top Ten Sects, the super-rich who dream of immortality, and their heirs—those people are the ones to be restricted and suppressed."

"But the lower layers of Kunxu? They’re like the slums—people to be nurtured, encouraged, and constantly producing new talent from the poor."

As Zhang Pianpian spoke, the Evil God—still disguised as a prayer bead—let out a cold chuckle in Zhang Yu’s mind.

"Heh… Immortals… they want more and more people to fail. To be unable to go to university, unable to join companies, unable to enter sects, unable to become immortal."

"The more desperate and desperate they become, the fiercer the competition grows. The more they exhaust themselves, their families, their very souls—

the greater the profits for the Top Ten Sects.

The more comfortable the gods up there can sit in their clouds, feasting on the endless tributes of the masses."

There was a deep, envious longing in the voice. As if the Evil God herself longed to be up there—on Kunxu’s pinnacle—drinking from the river of devotion flowing from billions.

Then, a sudden thought struck her.

"Wait… shit. If that’s true… could it be that some Evil God King is pulling my strings? Afraid I’d keep rising, becoming a new Evil God King?"

Zhang Yu had no idea what the Evil God was thinking. He only listened to her words in his mind, his eyes flickering with quiet contemplation.

Before, all the rich people—whether from Songyang City, Kunxu’s Second Layer, or even the Third Layer—had just been a single symbol in his mind. A blur of wealth. He hadn’t cared to distinguish between them.

But now, he finally saw the staggering gap between rich and rich.

Especially within Kunxu’s layers—someone just one level above him, or two, or three—could treat him with entirely different attitudes.

And each tier, in turn, treated those below or above them in wildly different ways.

Thus, a tangled web of suppression, competition, alliance, and support stretched through Kunxu—like a knotted, endless maze.

Meanwhile, Zhang Pianpian’s words continued.

"In short," she said, "the High School Foundation Establishment Qualification Certificate Examination was ultimately approved by the Heavenly Court."

"Beyond the slots reserved for the elite high schoolers above, it also granted a limited number of certificates to the lower layers—each layer competing among its own students."

"But the lower the layer, the fewer the slots."

As she spoke, Zhang Yu could already picture the bloodshed and ruthlessness behind this exam.

He imagined the endless power struggles, the backroom deals, the betrayals—how many battles must have been fought before this system was finally established across Kunxu.

Zhang Pianpian added:

"However… even though the Heavenly Court insisted on implementing the exam in Kunxu Layer One, it hasn’t been fair."

"Just like how the wealthy in the city center support the slums—giving them a chance to apply to high schools—yet the elite students in those schools still crush the poor ones who make it in."

"Despite the Heavenly Court’s decree, Kunxu Layer One’s top powers have slowly, quietly, taken control of this exam."

"On one hand, they’ve buried the news—using every trick in the book to hide it. Over the years, it’s become forgotten. Fewer and fewer people know it exists."

"You could say… it’s a path hidden from the vast majority of high schoolers in Layer One."

Zhang Yu nodded silently.

If Zhang Pianpian hadn’t told him today, he’d have never known about it.

Now he understood—this was another form of information asymmetry.

Exactly the kind Zhang Pianpian had always emphasized as key in Kunxu’s cutthroat competition.

Just like how most high schoolers had no clue about the Spiritual Job Outsourcing exam he once took—

this Foundation Establishment Certificate exam?

Most students wouldn’t even know it existed.

Not just the exam, but the very certificate.

He even suspected many teachers didn’t know about it.

Like Lei Jun, who once explained the university version—

he probably had no idea there was a high school version.

Zhang Pianpian continued:

"On the other hand, those who do get to take the exam?

They’re the absolute strongest, most gifted, and most wealthy high schoolers in Kunxu Layer One—those who dare to dream of securing a Foundation Establishment Certificate before even entering university."

"There are only four spots each year—four students, one in each of the following fields: Dao Heart, Martial Energy, Athletics, and Combat Skill."

"To earn the certificate means becoming one of the four strongest high schoolers in Layer One.

And that difficulty? That’s already a form of monopoly by Kunxu’s top powers."

Seeing the heavy expressions on Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen’s faces, Zhang Pianpian said calmly:

"Just as I told you—climbing Kunxu requires exams and certificates."

"Even when you find alternative paths to the Top Ten Universities, every route still ends at a test."

"Choosing to pursue the Foundation Establishment Qualification Certificate instead of the Prodigy Class?

It’s not an easier path. It’s a harder one."

Just from her brief description, Bai Zhenzhen could already sense the exam’s brutal difficulty.

But with the Prodigy Class out of reach, she was willing to try anything—even the most intense competition.

Her greater fear, however, was the monopoly the top powers held over the exam.

"So," she asked, "if we take the exam… will it be dangerous? Like how the wealthy in Songyang City unite to crush poor students trying to enter the Top Ten?"

Zhang Pianpian replied:

"Based on intelligence from the Inspection Department, this exam was established by the Heavenly Court—its standards are high, its rules strict. Its sole purpose? To identify and elevate talent from every layer."

"Various safeguards prevent cheating, prevent upper-tier students from descending to steal lower-tier spots."

"To prevent fraud, all students must hide their identities—enforced by the Eight Great Righteous Gods themselves."

"Kunxu Layer One’s top factions may manipulate the outside world—conceal information, boost their own students’ abilities to make the exam harder."

"But they cannot cheat during the exam.

They cannot break through the Eight Great Righteous Gods’ protection to expose a contestant’s identity."

"So long as you successfully register, your identity is safe."

Bai Zhenzhen asked her second concern:

"If we pass—does that guarantee entry into the Top Ten?"

Zhang Pianpian answered honestly:

"Once you hold the Foundation Establishment Qualification Certificate, you only need 600+ on the national exam to gain direct admission—no interview required—to any of the Top Ten Universities."

"So, with the certificate, you can keep your real strength and ambitions hidden during high school.

You can quietly prepare for the exam, avoid drawing attention, and enter the Top Ten without triggering a united crackdown from the city’s noble families."

"Which means… you won’t face the same fate as the poor students in Songyang City."

She paused, then added:

"But don’t think this will be easy."

She thought for a moment, then continued:

"It’s now mid-April. The next round of the Kunxu Layer One Foundation Establishment Qualification Certificate Exam—registration opens around mid-June, shortly after I leave."

"First round: August.

Second round: early October.

Final round: early January next year—around the time you’re halfway through your second year of high school."

"That means… you’ll have to prepare for this exam while still attending school—after I’m gone."

"During that time, you’ll face threats without my protection."

"Of course, as long as you don’t reveal your goal—don’t let anyone know you’re aiming for the certificate or the Top Ten—there won’t be a united siege from Songyang’s noble clans."

"But Zhou Chichen and Lan Ling? They’ll definitely target you after I leave."

Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen nodded silently.

Compared to the noble families’ united attack, the threat from Zhou Chichen and Lan Ling—though real—was something they believed they could handle, especially if they supported each other.

But the real challenge?

The sheer difficulty of the exam itself.

Zhang Pianpian turned to Zhang Yu.

"Are you still certain you want to abandon the Prodigy Class?

To take the harder path—the Foundation Establishment Qualification Certificate?"

Before Zhang Yu could answer, the Evil God spoke in his mind, her voice urgent:

"Say yes.

Take the certificate. You can win it."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end

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