The Boy Who Delivered Wealth

At the exact hour of the Serpent Hour.

At Ninghai Immortal Academy.

Shen Yi stood amid the crowd, gazing at the sea of people around him, and could not help but sigh at the frenzy of the common folk on the eve of the Golden Age of Immortality. Ninghai Town was but a tiny corner of the world, yet by rough estimate, thirty to fifty thousand people had gathered here for the entrance examination. The Great Era of Contention—this alone was proof enough.

"This entrance exam determines the cultivation resources for the coming year. The sooner one reaches Qi Condensation, the sooner one seizes the advantage."

With this thought, Shen Yi quickened his pace and headed toward the academy's registration point.

"Move aside, move aside! Let my young master pass first!"

Before he had gone far, Shen Yi heard an arrogant, rude shout from behind. He had barely begun to turn when a heavy shove sent him stumbling to the side, nearly falling.

He saw several servants surrounding a young man, shoving and shouting as they forced a path through the crowd.

The man in the center wore a splendid robe embroidered with a golden "Li" character on the chest. He walked with an air of lofty superiority.

He walked past, then suddenly turned back and stopped beside Shen Yi.

"Oh, if it isn't Shen Yi, the abandoned slave of my household? So you've come for the academy exam too? How about you kneel and admit your fault, and I'll graciously give you a Grade C slot—spare you the embarrassment."

Shen Yi's brow furrowed slightly, a flicker of disgust flashing through his eyes before vanishing.

"Li Yue, I am no longer a servant of your house, nor am I under your command. Why would I kneel and apologize? Besides, you were the one shoving and cutting ahead—it is you who should apologize to us."

Shen Yi spoke neither humbly nor arrogantly, his expression calm, revealing neither joy nor anger.

"Ridiculous! It's always others apologizing to me, Li Yue—never the other way around. Do you even deserve it?"

Li Yue did not grow angry; instead, he laughed. He swept his gaze around the crowd, then fixed his eyes on Shen Yi with a mocking stare.

"That's right! Our young master is a scion of the Li Family of Huafeng Prefecture. For him to grace this Ninghai Immortal Academy is a blessing your Ninghai Town won't see again in a hundred lifetimes."

"Our young master is a dragon among men, destined for immortal fortune. If you know what's good for you, pledge yourself to him now while you still can."

No sooner had Li Yue spoken than his two attendants chimed in, their words dripping with sycophancy, earning them disgust from many in the crowd.

Yet no one dared to speak out. After all, the name of the Li Family of Huafeng Prefecture was not something people like them could afford to provoke.

"The Li Family of Huafeng Prefecture—a reclusive clan for a hundred years. If you're truly a Li family scion, why would you settle for this tiny Ninghai Town and enroll in Ninghai Immortal Academy? If you ask me, you're just a fallen branch clinging to the Li name, trying to grab the academy's cultivation resources!"

It was as if Li Yue had been struck in a sore spot. His face flushed pale and red by turns. For a moment, he was speechless, unable to find a retort.

Deep within the academy, in a bamboo hut, an old man with graying hair forced a smile and explained to the people around him:

"Cultivation is not all about fighting and killing. It is about cultivating Social Graces."

He was met with a row of rolled eyes.

"Sharp tongue!"

Li Yue finally choked out those two words after a long pause.

"Shen Yi, don't refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit! Everyone in Ninghai Town knows you're dull-witted. How dare you dream of entering the academy?"

Li Yue, having been exposed by Shen Yi—someone he had always looked down on—lost all face. Hatred festered in his heart, and he swore that today he would reclaim his dignity and thoroughly humiliate Shen Yi.

"What do you want?"

Shen Yi didn't know what scheme Li Yue had cooked up, but under the watchful eyes of the crowd, he doubted Li Yue would dare lay hands on him. Besides, he rather wanted to teach Li Yue a lesson, so he didn't outright refuse.

"What do I want? This young master is merciful and kind. Today, I'm feeling generous. If you get a Grade B or above in the entrance exam, I'll give you three months' worth of cultivation resources. If you get a Grade A, I'll give you six months' worth. But if you fail, you'll kneel right here and kowtow."

"Nine times!" Li Yue held up his fingers, his face twisted in mockery. As a naive youth, he truly believed this was the way to humiliate Shen Yi.

Shen Yi's heart leaped with boundless joy. That was at least three months' worth of cultivation resources! He really didn't know whether to call Li Yue a fool with too much money or a charitable soul.

Though he wanted to agree at once, Shen Yi forced himself to pretend to think it over for a moment. Only then, with a look of having no other choice, did he grit his teeth and accept.

"Ah, this Shen Yi—in the end, he lacks composure."

"Indeed. I think he's been blinded by the cultivation resources and overestimates himself."

Voices in the crowd carried all kinds of opinions, but none were favorable to Shen Yi. They all called him reckless.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Three drumbeats rang out. The exam had begun.

Li Yue signaled his men to surround Shen Yi in the middle, lest he try to weasel out and escape.

Shen Yi paid it no mind. His expression remained calm, even carrying an air of quiet confidence, which made Li Yue and his men's hearts tighten.

"Just putting on a show!"

Li Yue muttered to reassure himself, then stopped paying attention to Shen Yi and lowered his head to answer the questions. Though he had his clan's backing, he still had to go through the motions.

As for Shen Yi, his brush flew like a dragon and snake. One glance at the questions, and the answer was already clear in his mind.

"Thank goodness I was reborn with this photographic memory. Otherwise, with only last-minute cramming, I probably wouldn't be able to write a single word."

"Dean, do you think that boy named Shen Yi can actually get a Grade B?"

"Hard to say. The way he's flipping pages so fast, he probably can't answer many questions. Young people—too hotheaded in the end."

"No, wait—he's standing up. Is he done already? Quick, I, the Dean, must personally grade his paper!"

Shen Yi put down his brush and rose. It had taken him only half an hour. Ignoring the astonished stares around him, he plopped himself down on the stone steps at the academy gate, staring in Li Yue's direction as if afraid Li Yue might go back on his word and slip away.

Li Yue watched Shen Yi be the first to get up and leave. Though he still believed in his heart that Shen Yi couldn't answer and had simply given up, his body was honest—he truly felt the pressure, and before he knew it, sweat was pouring down his face.

"Showing off now—later I'll make you kneel and cry!"

Two hours passed in the blink of an eye. The gates of the Immortal Academy were once again packed with people, some waiting for their own ratings, others eager to see who would come out on top between Shen Yi and Li Yue.

"I heard that fellow named Shen Yi was the first to finish—truly a hidden talent!"

"Give it a rest. He must have had nothing in his belly and just wanted to make a splash."

"If you ask me, both Shen Yi and Li Yue are fame-grubbers. They probably colluded beforehand. No matter who wins, they'll both get some renown."

Dong! Dong! Dong!

Three more drumbeats rang out. Everyone's expression sharpened—the rating results were about to be announced.

Shen Yi was a little nervous too, his fists slightly clenched. He wondered what rank he would place in Class A this time.

"Grade D, thirty thousandth place, Chen Siwen. Monthly stipend: one Low-grade Spirit Stone.

Grade C, twenty thousandth place, Lin Dong. Monthly stipend: three Low-grade Spirit Stones.

Grade B, five thousandth place, Duan Tianxiang. Monthly stipend: ten Low-grade Spirit Stones.

..."

"Damn it—he's not in Grade C or D. Could he really have stumbled into dumb luck?"

Li Yue listened with rapt attention, afraid of missing a single name, but the one he wanted to hear never came.

"Grade B, first place, Chu Xiong. Monthly stipend: ten Low-grade Spirit Stones."

Hearing this, Li Yue's face darkened. A bad feeling crept into his heart. Could it be that Shen Yi's rating was... Class A?!