Chapter 14: Unreliable Lies and Slander
For Wang Ling, replacing memories was a more reliable method of removing the effects of an incident. Technically speaking, compared with erasing memories, it was a better method for hiding his nature.
Erasing memories would leave gaps in the mind, while replacing memories wouldn’t leave a person feeling that they had forgotten something, and also had no impact on the body and mind.
Unfortunately, Wang Ling couldn’t choose which specific memory he wanted replaced. Afterward, even Lotus Sun couldn’t accurately describe the ins and outs of the matter.
She had already completely forgotten that he had been the one to rescue her, not to mention that spectacular “Angry Buddha Fire Lotus”… instead, her mind and the memory replacement spell together had created a story of someone exceptionally powerful and righteous rescuing her.
However, she herself couldn’t really say anything about the hero who had saved her and Wang Ling.
And so, at the start of the second week of school, Wang Ling heard all kinds of gossip and rumors flying around the class in the morning.
Little Peanut: “I heard that Classmate Wang Ling and Classmate Lotus Sun bumped into two scoundrels when they were on a date!”
Super Chen: “I heard that Classmate Wang Ling and Classmate Lotus Sun hooked up, bumped into two scoundrels, and in the end were finally rescued by an exceptionally powerful and righteous person…”
Master of Dopey: “I heard that when Classmate Wang Ling and Classmate Lotus Sun were on their date, they observed a cannon together with an exceptionally powerful person…”
Dopey: “I heard that when Classmate Wang Ling and Classmate Lotus Sun were on their date, two scoundrels came for them, and were sent flying into the sky by an exceptionally powerful person using a cannon.”
Feather Lin: “I heard that when Classmate Wang Ling and Classmate Lotus Sun were on their date, they encountered two scoundrels, who were sent flying by Classmate Wang Ling’s super close guy friend, an exceptionally powerful master…”
Wang Ling: “You guys, enough!”
And just like that, this “exceptionally powerful person” became an unsolved mystery to this batch of students…
…
Speaking of gossip, one person had to be mentioned — theory of history teacher, Wang Zukang. For years on end, he had consistently been given the title of Most Popular Teacher at No. 60 High School. The students all thought very highly of this Old Antique’s teaching style.
Teacher Wang Zukang was nicknamed Old Antique because he knew a lot of gossip about the history of cultivation, which was massively different to the serious content recorded in textbooks.
The students found things that they didn’t know novel, and they were also curious about gossip. Compared with the monotony of historical textbook knowledge, the students in Old Antique’s class were more keen to listen to historical gossip that no one else knew.
So as time went by, Old Antique also obtained another nickname — Immortal Teacher of Gossip.
For students, this gossip about cultivation history was the real point for assessment!
Also, what Old Antique liked to do most in his class was gossip idly from time to time to boost the atmosphere in class.
Thus in his class, the atmosphere was always so lively that no one ever felt sleepy. Even if there were one or two students who couldn’t help nodding off, they would eventually be woken up by the laughter around them.
The only unfortunate thing was that there was only one history of theory class each week.
As a result, even students in the ordinary and remedial classes deeply cherished the theory of history class. When it came to Old Antique’s class in particular, even before the first bell rang, all the students would already be in their seats, waiting quietly for a heavyset fatty to stomp into the classroom.
“Previously, we started looking at ‘Reruns and the Evolution of Ancient TV Shows in Huaxiu Nation,’ so let’s continue with that. Students who haven’t had breakfast can sneak their bread out when I’m not watching. But if I see it, your bread is mine, since I also haven’t had breakfast yet.”
Hearing that Old Antique hadn’t even had breakfast for the sake of coming to class, the students were deeply moved, and hurriedly offered him snacks from the stash in their desks.
“Are you trying to make me break the rules? This is a matter of integrity! How can a teacher eat when he’s teaching?”
Old Antique said this seriously, but his hands still stretched out to accept a few packs of latiao 1 from the students in the front row. He yelled, “Just this once; it would be disrespectful for me to decline!”
This was a typical case of one’s acts belying one’s words.
Chewing on latiao while gossiping in class — just the thought of it was scandalous!
“About the last class, does anyone have any questions?” Old Antique leaned on the dais with a latiao in one hand; holding it as if he was about to smoke a cigarette, he started to chew on it.
Someone raised a hand. “Teacher, the last class ended in too much of a rush, some of us are still not clear about the key points you highlighted.”
“Alright, I see. Then let’s do a quick review. Everyone turn to page ten of your book. This has to do with the reruns of Princess Pearl and Journey to the West . Everyone take note that these are the key points for this unit.
“Page eleven, this has to do with the evolution of romance in the media, from neverending portrayals of abortions to the ban on kissing scenes…
“Page twelve, this has to do with the evolution of fantasy TV shows, from immortal swords to shamate 2 …
“Page thirteen, this has to do with harem TV shows, on imperial intrigue among concubines and infertility in the family…
“Page fourteen, this has to do with the way trends in military TV shows have changed, from the spirit of the Yidali Cannon 3 in the series Drawing Swords , to tearing enemies apart with bare hands on the battlefield.
By the time he said this, Old Antique had already polished off a bag of latiao . He took out a tissue which he had already prepared to wipe the oil from his fingers, and then continued, “Now let’s begin with the story of Princess Pearl .”
Before Old Antique’s marvelous lecture officially began, the students below the dais had already immediately started to praise and applaud him.
“Brilliant! Almighty Brother Kang!”
“Long live Old Antique!”
“Uh-huh!”
Old Antique coughed lightly, and immediately there wasn’t a sound to be heard in Grade One, Class Three, except for his voice.
“I’m sure some of you have watched the classic TV version of Princess Pearl before, but as a fan of the original work, I prefer to study the story itself. Our school library has the original work, so students who are interested can read and enjoy the charm of the original for themselves. As everyone knows, toward the end of the Battle Qi era, cracks in the chaos zone drained the world of all its battle qi, leading cultivators to begin developing spirit energy as a second source of energy. But research showed that unless the cracks in the chaos zone were fixed, the world’s spirit energy would sooner or later also drain away. It was at this time that an important princess showed up!”
Old Antique’s eyes flashed as he said this.
“Let’s first talk about this princess’ background. Lowborn, and even disabled, she was completely unable to establish herself in the Battle Qi era. But because of her tenacious and unyielding will, and her insistence on upholding the core values of cultivation from beginning to end, this princess was finally able to rise to the top of the world. At that time, the only way to seal the cracks was to find the ten chaos pearls that had been left behind in the world. Finally, this princess managed to collect the ten pearls and seal the cracks… consequently, her story was made into a TV show, giving rise to Princess Pearl. Alright, that’s it about Princess Pearl …”
As Old Antique finished, thunderous applause broke out beneath the dais for this outstanding and encouraging theory of history class lecture.
This princess had actually collected the ten chaos pearls scattered all over the continent through her own efforts! What a top female cultivator!
The students’ moods had been lifted by the lecture, and everyone was profuse in their praise.