Chapter 11 Guilt

Since he started his senior year at Wuyang Town Middle School, there was a mock exam every month in Chen Hai's class.

Each time he returned home, what he feared most was having to show his parents his report card.

It was okay if Chen Zhonghua said nothing, but once he opened his mouth and asked about the report card, Chen Hai, who had been fairly lively before, suddenly became silent.

"Right," he would merely respond softly, without daring to lift his head.

"Ah! Actually, I also know that your academic performance won't be that good."

"I've never really had any hopes for you to go to university,"

"I just hope that this time, your ranking could move up a bit, as long as you're not in the very last few spots!"

"That way, your mom and I can feel a little consoled that our hard work supporting you through school wasn't for nothing."

With a sigh, Chen Zhonghua shoveled large spoonfuls of white rice into his mouth, accompanied by pickled vegetables.

As a father, he clearly understood what his son was like.

Seeing Chen Hai's demeanor, he could roughly guess what his son's exam results were like.

Hearing Chen Zhonghua say this made Chen Hai feel extremely guilty.

Recently, his mind had been preoccupied with Tao Cultivation.

In the last exam, he barely managed to rank sixth from the bottom, but this time, instead of moving forward, he had regressed, ending up fourth from last.

"The truth about my exam results will have to be faced by my parents sooner or later; even if I wanted to hide it, it's simply impossible!"

Chen Hai had completely lost his appetite. After absentmindedly eating a few bites, he turned and went back to his room.

From his backpack, he hesitantly pulled out his report card after a long time of uncertainty.

Finally, mustering up his courage, he approached Chen Zhonghua, who was sitting at the doorway smoking a pipe after dinner.

"Dad! Here, this is my report card for this term!"

Holding his head low, Chen Hai's voice was barely louder than the buzzing of a mosquito.

If there had been a hole next to him at that moment, he might have plunged into it without hesitating.

Taking the report card from Chen Hai's hand, Chen Zhonghua scanned down from the top row in search of his son's name.

When he saw the name "Chen Hai" in big letters towards the last few spots, his face darkened, and his entire expression sank.

"Zhonghua, how did Hai do this term? Here, let me see!"

Jiang Meixian, who was at his side, also leaned over to look where Chen Zhonghua's finger pointed.

After only a brief glance, her complexion turned from pale to green.

The love of a parent knows no bounds, and no parent can remain unfazed upon seeing their child rank fourth from the bottom in their exams.

Even though Chen Zhonghua and Jiang Meixian had mentally prepared themselves beforehand,

the sight of Chen Hai's academic performance still left them feeling suffocated, their entire beings filled with discomfort.

"Chen Hai, what did you promise your mom and me the last time you left the house? Have you forgotten?"

Their gazes locked onto Chen Hai, their eyes seeming ready to burst into flames at any moment.

"I remember. I said I would work hard, study diligently, and strive to get into a university!"

"Dad, Mom, my academic performance this time was indeed a mess."

"But there are still more than two months left until the college entrance exam, and I will give it my all in this period. I believe I definitely won't let you down again!"

Hanging his head low, Chen Hai softly promised.

"Fourth from the bottom? With these grades, you're still aiming for university? Chen Hai, you need to stop lying to yourself!"

He sighed, Chen Zhonghua shook his head and picked up his dry pipe, puffing away with a "clack clack" sound.

"Hai, to provide for your education, our family has already accrued quite a bit of debt!"

"With these grades, is this how you repay your dad and me? Do you think that's fair to us?"

"You're not young anymore. We can't really hit you, but can't you be a little more sensible?"

Jiang Meixian found a chair to sit down on, her face sagging, sighing heavily.

Listening to his parents' incessant harping, Chen Hai really felt awful inside, yet he couldn't find the slightest reason to argue back.

After all, his academic results were indeed terrible.

He certainly couldn't tell his parents that he was busy with Taoist Skill cultivation!

If he really said that, his parents might think he had lost his mind or that something was wrong with his brain!

Given his father Chen Zhonghua's temperament, he might just slap him across the face, attempting to wake him up.

Chen Hai naturally knew how much his parents cared for him.

He too wished very much to make a name for himself, to spare his father and mother the hard work and live a stable and comfortable life.

Looking at the increasingly gray hair on his parents' heads not far away, his heart often ached without reason.

It was exactly for this reason that he had devoted all his attention to the cultivation of Taoist Skills.

In his opinion, he simply wasn't cut out for academic pursuits.

Furthermore, with the poor teaching quality at Wuyang Town Middle School, even if he studied to death, the chance of getting into a university was hardly any higher than winning five million in the lottery.

Hearing his parents' nagging in his ears, Chen Hai silently returned to his room and sat on the edge of his bed, silent.

"Dad! Mom! Your son will definitely make something of himself, I will not let you down!" he swore silently to himself.

"I must cultivate diligently!"

The Nameless Ancient Book detailed the Taoist Skill cultivation: the first step was soul departure, the second step was Night Tour.

As for the third step, it was the Day Tour Realm. Entering this level, one's Soul Body is capable of daytime soul departure.

If Chen Hai made another breakthrough and entered this level, he would be confident enough to achieve good results in the university entrance exams.

If we're speaking frankly, he had only been exposed to Taoist Skills for barely ten days.

To have reached the current Night Tour Realm in such a short time was purely a matter of luck.

The path of seeking Tao is full of thorns; a moment of carelessness could potentially cost him his life.

For example, the Snake Demon he encountered almost claimed his life. If he hadn't clung firmly to the roof of its mouth, he may not have been alive right now.

"Now that I've begun my Tao Cultivation, no matter how dangerous the future, I must remain unwaveringly committed!" he told himself with a steadfast gaze.

In his opinion, to give his parents a better life, to allow his parents to hold their heads high among others, Taoist Skill was his only hope.

Without Tao Cultivation, the only thing he might be left doing is to hole up in this mountain village, work the fields, and become as ordinary a mountain child as they come.

Perhaps in a few more years, he would marry, have a child, and then like his parents, toil away for life.

Before encountering Taoist Skill, he might have accepted fate's layout, but not now. He was neither willing nor content with such an existence!

Only on the path of Taoist Skill, with breakthrough upon breakthrough, was the way he must seek.

At some point, the sound of his parents' chatter finally faded away.

The sun had not yet set, and it was not the time for soul departure, but merely practicing the visualization method was still feasible.

Taking a deep breath, Chen Hai's eyes closed slightly as he sat cross-legged, starting his cultivation practice.