The Rich Cultivator
Chapter 214. Final Interview (1/2)

Chapter 214: 214. Final Interview (1/2)

"As they say, ’Tall trees catch much wind.’ It must’ve been suffocating," Lily remarked, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the crowd.

Tyler raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

"Look over there," she said, tilting her head towards a figure in the distance.

Tyler followed her gaze and spotted Senior Cyan, who was watching him with a complicated expression. The older student’s face was a blend of surprise, unease, jealous and what seemed like reluctant admiration before he turned and walked away. Tyler was momentarily baffled.

Lily shrugged nonchalantly. "It’s probably because of the results."

"Why do you think it’s because of the results?" GG asked, clearly intrigued.

"He came from the direction of the results announcement board," Lily replied, her tone as casual as if she were pointing out the weather. She gave her shoulders a little shrug, as if it were obvious.

GG looked at Lily with newfound respect. The girl was younger, at least in appearance, but there was an intelligence and perceptiveness about her that GG rarely encountered. Strong, smart, and mysterious—Lily’s true age was unknown to GG, but she sensed the girl had a vast depth of experience.

The group headed towards the announcement board, which was hard to miss. It was a massive, hollow, graphic screen that stretched wide and thin, suspended like a monolithic banner over the main square. Thousands of names were displayed in neat rows, but it was easy for each examinee to check their own results: as they stepped closer, their individual name and rank would appear automatically. If anyone wanted to check results for someone else, all they needed to do was enter the examinee’s number, name, or other relevant details.

As they approached, the screen began to shift and adjust. Lily’s name appeared first, then Silvia’s, Mathilda’s, Astrid’s, and finally Darla’s. Each name popped up in sequence, bringing varying levels of excitement from the group. Mathilda, in particular, let out a triumphant cheer upon seeing her rank: she had secured the 15th position. Lily followed close behind with an impressive 25th rank.

These were significant accomplishments, especially considering the sheer number of examinees. Tens of thousands of applicants from diverse backgrounds and regions had gathered for this Entrance Exam, each one aspiring to secure a place in one of the world’s most prestigious academies.

But one name was conspicuously absent: Tyler’s.

GG’s face registered confusion, and she glanced toward Tyler, about to voice her question. But before she could say anything, the display board underwent a sudden, unexpected transformation. Every name vanished, leaving a blank slate for a heartbeat. Then, a single name appeared in enormous, bold letters, dominating the entire screen.

*Tyler White - Rank 1 in Entrance Exam.*

*Full marks in the Written Exam.*

The announcement was almost absurd in its grandiosity, as though the system itself was proud to display this extraordinary result. Tyler, along with everyone else, blinked in surprise.

Silvia broke the silence, her mouth twisting into a pout as she shot Tyler a challenging look. "You said the written exam was tough, and that you randomly guessed on a lot of questions. Uncle Horny is now Uncle Liar!" she declared, folding her arms.

Tyler raised his hands in defense, an amused smile playing on his lips. "Would you believe me if I said it was just a fluke?"

Silvia merely turned away with an exaggerated huff, her pout deepening.

Tyler sighed inwardly, knowing there was more truth to his words than she realized. He knew exactly why he had achieved full marks. The written test had been multiple-choice, and he’d genuinely been unsure of most of the answers. With a blend of nonchalance and resignation, he had relied on pure guesswork. Somehow, his notoriously abnormal luck had worked wonders; almost every answer he’d chosen through "inky pinky ponky" had turned out to be correct.

He mentally chalked it up as yet another quirk of his Abnormal Luck.

The realization that the final interview was up next quickly set in as an announcement echoed through the campus.

[The Final Interview will begin in 60 minutes. All examinees, please prepare for the interview.]

"So, the final interview is going to start soon," Tyler mused, tilting his head with casual indifference. His face showed no sign of worry or nerves, his demeanor as calm as if he were going for a stroll. In stark contrast, Silvia was visibly tense, her fingers fidgeting as she scanned the crowd with a hint of apprehension.

Noticing her unease, Tyler reached over and gently patted her head. "Don’t worry," he said with a soft smile.

The gesture was simple, but it seemed to work wonders, and Silvia’s tense expression softened slightly. GG observed the interaction with a chuckle, amused by the sight of a twelve-year-old boy trying to comfort a fifteen-year-old girl.

"You look like an older brother," GG teased, a playful glint in her eye.

Silvia, however, remained serious. "He’s not my older brother; he’s my Uncle Hor—" She began to speak with conviction, but Tyler quickly placed a hand over her mouth, muffling the last part of her sentence.

"Uncle? Role play?" GG muttered, visibly flustered as she recalled the scene in the tram. A faint blush crept up her cheeks as she glanced away, her mind running wild with misinterpretations.

Tyler noticed her reaction and raised an eyebrow. "Playboy?" she muttered under her breath, almost unconsciously.

His confusion was evident. "What does that mean?"

She simply waved him off with an exasperated sigh, choosing not to explain. The group’s banter carried on, punctuated by Silvia’s occasional pout and Tyler’s nonchalant responses.

Meanwhile, time ticked away, and the 60 minutes seemed to pass in the blink of an eye.

┉┈ ◈ ◉ ◈ ┈┉

Note: the next scene is going to be in multiple pov. They are talking to everyone at the same time. So just imagine like a cut scene.

┉┈ ◈ ◉ ◈ ┈┉

The light engulfed the examinees, pulling them into a surreal chamber before they could even comprehend what was happening. Tyler felt a strange sensation of weightlessness, and then, in an instant, he found himself in a massive, dimly lit room.

Three towering platforms loomed before him, each occupied by an enigmatic figure seated in grandeur.

At the center, occupying the most imposing seat, was a skeleton cloaked in ancient, flowing robes. His hollow eye sockets glowed with an unsettling, ghostly light that seemed to pierce through the soul. To his right, a figure sat composed of thick branches and vine-like limbs, resembling an ancient tree, his wooden face softened by a wise and grandfatherly expression. To the left was a veiled woman, her form obscured but radiating an undeniable allure; her silhouette hinted at elegance and charm, with a grace that made her presence mesmerizing.

Tyler looked around, realizing that he was alone. The vast chamber felt empty, yet somehow full. he chamber eerily silent save for the occasional crackling sound of the skeleton’s bones and the creak of the tree-man’s branches. Yet, Unbeknownst to him, other examinees were present—each undergoing the same interview, but within their own unique, isolated perception.

i.e., Every other examinee was here, each standing in the same spot, but in a different layer of perception. They could neither see nor sense each other. It was as if each participant was undergoing their interview simultaneously, yet independently, each experiencing their own unique interaction with these mysterious figures.

A gentle, soothing voice echoed through the chamber, addressing Lily. "Hello, Ms. Lily Gomes. Such a charming young girl you are," the veiled woman said, a hint of warmth in her tone.

Mathilda stammered, her cheeks turning a shade pinker than usual. "You also look... big... I mean, hot—I mean, I’m sorry! You’re very beautiful, Big Sister!" she managed to say, her voice betraying both awe and admiration. A delighted smile graced the veiled woman’s lips as the skeleton’s hollow eyes twitched slightly, hinting at some lingering irritation.

Mathilda, watching the veiled woman, practically drooled, momentarily forgetting herself.

The tree-man’s branches creaked as he focused his attention to Silvia, a deep, kind voice resonating from within his wooden frame. "Ah, such a lovely elf," he remarked, his tone grandfatherly. "Your presence reminds me of a time when forests were in bloom... It’s been ages since I’ve seen one as young and pure as you."

Silvia’s ears perked up, her eyes wide with curiosity. She had rarely encountered such a unique being before, and the old tree’s words filled her with a quiet sense of respect.

Then the skeleton’s hollow gaze fixed on Astrid, his bone-clad fingers tapping rhythmically on his armrest. "Oh, look at who we have here... an angel?" His voice held a hint of amusement and reverence. "Indeed, an angel with quite the tale to tell."

Astrid blinked, trying to suppress the instinctive fear that bubbled up at the sight of the skeleton. Yet, his words were oddly comforting, as if he recognized her without any malice.

Finally, the skeleton’s gaze fell upon Tyler, and he let out a dry, echoing chuckle. "Ho, ho, ho... the star of the show has arrived."

The veiled woman leaned forward, her eyes gleaming behind her veil. "Such a cute boy," she cooed, her voice like silk.

The tree-man, however, gave a dismissive snort. "Hmph." His branches rustled, betraying his slight disdain as he regarded Tyler with a critical eye.

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