Assessment

Time flew by. In the blink of an eye, the last four or five days of the month had passed, and it was December 30th.

Since this day was not only the end of the month but also the end of the year, the assessment was held in the morning, with the afternoon off.

That morning, Martial Skill instructor Tang Wentao, along with two Three-Insignia Servants surnamed Liu and Zhou from the General Affairs Department, a total of three people, presided over the assessment.

What a pity there wasn't enough time. If I had another three days to devote myself to it like this, I probably could have sensed the threshold of Black Fiend Palm's entry level. If the Golden Finger applied universally to Martial Skills then, I could have broken through directly.

Zhuang Jin sighed inwardly. He had rushed as hard as he could these past few days, yet ultimately still failed to bring Black Fiend Palm to the entry level.

Although he had begun pondering it long ago, there was, after all, still a gap between thinking and actual practice. Besides, while his comprehension surpassed that of the others in the dormitory by quite a bit, it had not reached the point where four or five days of frenzied effort could equal another person's month of cultivation.

In truth, this progress was already extraordinarily fast. If the others in the dormitory learned that Zhuang Jin could touch the threshold of a Martial Skill in seven or eight days, their jaws would probably hit the floor.

There was not much to say about Zhuang Jin's assessment. The only thing worth mentioning was that the Glazed Realm-Testing Puppet was indeed remarkably wondrous. Zhuang Jin pressed his palm against the puppet's back and circulated his Inner Breath. The two meridians inside the puppet—the Hand Shaoyang Meridian and Hand Shaoyin Meridian—lit up faintly, simultaneously displaying Zhuang Jin's cultivation progress.

"Zhuang Jin, you have broken through to the Two Meridian Realm and advanced to Two-Striped Servant."

The martial master surnamed Liu handed Zhuang Jin a certificate. "You may take this to the General Affairs Department later to advance to Two-Striped Servant, collect the clothing of a Two-Striped Servant, and exchange your waist token. The corresponding benefits will also be opened to you, and beginning next month, you will receive the basic monthly stipend of a Two-Striped Servant."

Finally, he announced the most important reward. "Zhuang Jin is awarded four months of Self-selected Missions!"

As soon as his words fell, everyone else in the dormitory cast envious looks his way.

Afterward, Lin Hong and Bi Kai took the stage in turn, demonstrating Black Fiend Palm at the entry level and receiving three months of Self-selected Missions as their reward.

And after that? Nothing.

Below the stage, Xiang Qichen lowered his head, his face burning red with shame. Yes, he had neither broken through the Second Meridian nor brought Black Fiend Palm to the entry level.

Proud and arrogant, he had chosen the Cultivation Realm route, only to be stuck at the Second Meridian Bottleneck. After the incident with Zhuang Jin that night, he had grown even more restless and frantic, grabbing at anything in desperation. Over the past few days, he had begun practicing Martial Skills, hoping either to bring Black Fiend Palm to the entry level or to draw inferences from it and break through his own Second Meridian Bottleneck.

But evidently, he still had not broken through the Second Meridian, and in just a few days, it had been impossible for him to bring Black Fiend Palm to the entry level. In other words, he had achieved neither of the two goals—Second Meridian or entry-level Martial Skill—and could only receive one month of Self-selected Missions.

Tang Wentao looked at Xiang Qichen and softly sighed as well. If this student had focused on Martial Skills, there was a high chance he could have brought Black Fiend Palm to the entry level. But unfortunately, his pride had driven him to choose the Cultivation Realm route.

As for the remaining four in the dormitory—

Xiong Lei's comprehension was somewhat lacking. He had chosen the Martial Skill route, yet had not reached the entry level either;

Jiao Kun had decent comprehension and aptitude, but after getting a taste of meat, he fished for three days and dried his nets for two. It was no surprise that Black Fiend Palm had not reached the entry level;

Qian Wende's aptitude and comprehension could only be called passable, and he had also fallen short in effort. Likewise, he had not reached the entry level;

Wu Hao was diligent enough, but unfortunately, both his talent and comprehension were insufficient.

Zhuang Jin looked at the others in the dormitory, recalling the order in which they had broken through to become Formal Martial Artists in the first month, then looking at the assessment results now. He sighed inwardly. Only when the tide recedes do you know who has been swimming naked. This month, who had truly put in the effort, and how much effort they had put in, was plain to see in this assessment!

Tang Wentao and the two assessing martial masters left, and it was time for the eight dorm mates to go their separate ways.

Today was the final day of both the month and the year. They had the afternoon off, and each would go home. They certainly would not be staying in the dormitory tonight, and beginning tomorrow, they would take up their respective assignments and scatter in all directions. It would be even less possible for them to remain in the same dormitory.

Even Zhuang Jin would not sleep in this dormitory tonight. Having passed the assessment just now, he could take his certificate to the General Affairs Department later and advance to Two-Striped Servant. From then on, he could live in a single room!

At that moment, Xiang Qichen walked toward Zhuang Jin. With difficulty, he opened his mouth and said, "Jin... Zhuang Jin, what happened that day, it was my..."

Since the incident that night, he had effectively been isolated in the dormitory. Zhuang Jin, Bi Kai, and Lin Hong naturally would not pay him any mind. Qian Wende had struck him and sided with Zhuang Jin, so he certainly would not either. Since Xiang Qichen had dragged him into offending Zhuang Jin, Jiao Kun had also distanced himself. Wu Hao had not distanced himself, but he was a diligent man focused wholly on martial arts and rarely spoke; at most, he would offer a greeting. Only Xiong Lei could barely exchange a few words with him.

It could be said that Xiang Qichen had brought this upon himself. By now, not a shred of his former dignity as the dormitory boss remained. He regretted it deeply, and when he thought of how Zhuang Jin had already broken through the Second Meridian, coupled with such aptitude, a faint fear rose in his heart.

These past few days, he had been thinking of apologizing, but Zhuang Jin came and went in a hurry every day, wholly focused on Martial Skills. Even during the brief moments when they met while eating or sleeping, Xiang Qichen repeatedly missed his chance because of his pride. But today was his last opportunity, and at last, he spoke.

One may not lack pride, but one must not be arrogant. Xiang Qichen really is something... Even while apologizing, he still refuses to call me Brother Zhuang?

Zhuang Jin glanced at him and said flatly, "You should thank Xiong Lei."

He said nothing more and turned to leave.

Hearing this, Xiang Qichen knew that so long as he did not provoke Zhuang Jin in the future, Zhuang Jin probably would not settle old scores with him. A sense of release and relief arose within him then, as though a huge stone had been lifted from his chest.

But in the next instant, he felt humiliated by his own sense of relief. He secretly clenched his fists and bit his lip, hating himself for not having worked hard enough before. Why had he still taken breaks after lunch and dinner every day before the incident that night? If not for that, perhaps he too would have broken through the Second Meridian! He swore that someday, he would catch up with Zhuang Jin! He definitely would!

He had not gone far before Jiao Kun approached him from the front. "Brother Zhuang, that night..."

"It's fine. I know." Zhuang Jin understood that Jiao Kun was worried he would hold a grudge, but he was a man who clearly distinguished gratitude from grievances. He would not go so far as to implicate others.

What was more, his true enemies at this stage were Zhuang Yutang, Zhuang Yuyong, and Xiang Qichen, the main culprit in the dormitory incident. So long as they behaved themselves in the future and did not stir up trouble, he could not even be bothered to rake over old coals, much less hold anything against Jiao Kun.

After Jiao Kun came Xiong Lei's invitation. "Jinzi, my dad said a few days ago that he wanted to invite you over for a meal today."

"No need. Please thank Uncle Xiong for me once more regarding what happened on the registration day." Zhuang Jin's tone was cold.

Xiong Lei watched Zhuang Jin's distant manner, then saw him speaking normally with Bi Kai and the others. A sudden sense of loss came over him. He could not understand how things between him and Zhuang Jin had ended up like this.

Zhuang Jin spoke for a while with Bi Kai, Lin Hong, Qian Wende, Wu Hao, and the others. After they bade each other farewell and left, he turned his steps toward the General Affairs Department.

At noon that day, the sky was clear and the air crisp. Brilliant sunlight passed through layers of clouds and mist, warmly falling upon streets and alley corners, casting a faint white gleam over the upturned eaves and green tiles of the rooftops. In the boundless, vast blue sky overhead, a hawk circled for a moment before flying off into the distance.

Xiong Lei left the Shen Family Outer Courtyard and followed his father, Xiong Dadan, who had come to meet him. Father and son walked home with Xiong Dadan's arm around his son's shoulders.

Xiong Dadan asked about the assessment results. "That Zhuang Jin broke through the Second Meridian? Impressive. Didn't I tell you to invite him to our home for dinner?"

"He wouldn't come." Xiong Lei relayed Zhuang Jin's words.

"Oh?" Xiong Dadan narrowed his eyes, releasing his son from his arm. His expression turned stern at once. "Lei Zi, what happened in your dormitory these past days? Tell me everything."

Xiong Lei began with the Martial Student registration and entering the Shen Family Outer Courtyard, all the way up through becoming Formal Martial Artists and the various things that had happened in the dormitory this month.

As Xiong Dadan listened, his expression grew increasingly grim and hostile. When Xiong Lei reached the incident on the night Zhuang Jin broke through, describing how he had stopped Zhuang Jin... Xiong Dadan finally could not hold back and kicked Xiong Lei.

However, after becoming a Formal Martial Artist, Xiong Lei had condensed Inner Breath to strengthen his body, and his frame was quite sturdy. The force of the rebound made Xiong Dadan stagger instead, which only made him angrier.

"Dad, why'd you kick me?"

"Why'd I kick you?"

Seeing that Xiong Lei still looked utterly muddled, Xiong Dadan's already dark-red face became even redder. Even he, merely listening from the sidelines, understood what had happened. Yet his foolish son still had not realized a thing?

Looking at his son, he suddenly felt that this brat looked exactly like the pigs he slaughtered every day—equally strong-limbed and equally simple-minded!

"You're as dumb as a pig! Fine, let others fool you like an idiot, but you stick your nose into every mess and use your own friendship to wipe others' asses... What a damned pig brain! I'm no fool myself, so how did I end up siring such a stupid seed?"

The more Xiong Dadan spoke, the angrier he became. He swung his fan-sized palm and smacked Xiong Lei several more times with a bang, bang, only to hurt his own hand from the impacts. So he simply seized Xiong Lei by the ear. "Get your ass back home! No lunch for you! Damn it, I refuse to believe I can't cure that meddling habit of yours!"

"Ah, Dad, it hurts, it hurts!" Xiong Lei was dragged away by the ear beneath the sun.