Unbelievably rich!
Sure enough, poverty had limited my imagination.
Qin Shi had never imagined that anyone would install a life-force tester worth millions at home for everyday use.
It reminded him of rich people in his past life keeping sharks in enormous aquariums and elephants on private estates.
Qin Shi silently added "Tai'an Rich Lady" in front of the "Crazy Woman" label.
"Teacher Lin, your place really is huge."
Lin Yunqing lived in Nanjiang District, a relatively quiet area of the Tai'an Metropolitan Area.
The imposing Vast Sea Conqueror passed through several wrought-iron gates and drove into the garage of a detached villa.
Sitting in the passenger seat, Qin Shi could only feel that Eastern Xia's overall society—and its wealth gap—were separated by a chasm spanning entire eras.
The trip from Old Factory Street to Nanjiang District felt like traveling through nearly a century of development. It was hard to believe.
"Kids from rich families in the Metropolitan Area can demand a sports car for their birthday, while Worker's Children in the Dangyang Eastern Suburbs don't even dare ask for a pair of sneakers."
Qin Shi was filled with mixed emotions. Had none of the early dividends from the Great Universe Era's development reached the lower classes in the old city?
He found it hard to understand.
It was like the fact that, in the Great Universe Era, even using communications and the internet required a high financial threshold—something he simply couldn't accept.
"We're here, Little Qin Assistant Teacher."
Lin Yunqing parked the car, and Qin Shi followed her into the elevator.
Ding.
They went straight to the first floor.
After entering and walking through the foyer, Qin Shi's view opened up.
The brightly lit hall had a ceiling a full five meters high and was spotless.
The decor and design were both rather old-fashioned, with bright reds and warm yellows as the main colors.
"My sister-in-law bought the house for my parents to retire in."
Lin Yunqing took off her hat and mask, which she'd been using to hide her swollen, bruised eyes.
"But they went to the Imperial Capital to visit some old friends, and won't be back for a while, so they let me stay here for now."
Though Lin Yunqing's appearance was at odds with her usual image, she was quite a considerate host.
She invited Qin Shi to sit down, then brought him a bottle of soda to soothe his throat and quench his thirst.
"As long as the Crazy Woman isn't having an episode, she could pass for a proper young lady."
Qin Shi sipped through the straw, savoring the chill, and casually made conversation to get things started:
"Teacher Lin, your hometown is Hengzhou?"
Lin Yunqing shook her head.
"My parents were teachers, so I often had to move around with them, changing schools and cities. We spent some time in Hengzhou, Yazhou, Haizhou, the Imperial Capital..."
"My brother followed in our father's footsteps and became a teacher, too. He was transferred to Hengzhou not long ago."
Could teachers afford a detached villa like this?
Qin Shi wondered, though he supposed it wasn't impossible.
Unlike in his past life, Eastern Xia's Education Department held a lofty position. It was almost on par with the Martial Arts Association, which spanned more than half the galaxy. Both were gigantic, independent institutions.
As a result, academic cliques and the Martial Arts Association's factional strongholds were known as the two great barriers that poor students had to overcome to get ahead.
Without connections or a stroke of luck, it was difficult to break through and truly make a name for yourself.
Lin Yunqing took a sip of tea and continued:
"My father, though, is a Hengzhou native. I remember there's an old saying in Hengzhou: 'Chen and Lin cover half the land; Qin and Zheng fill every street.'
"They're all common surnames. Their families were among the first to throw themselves into the Great Universe Era's development.
"Over time, they put down roots and spread across the region, shaping its landscape.
"People often say that every sweeping development of a new star is backed by several family histories. They're not wrong."
Chen, Lin, Qin, Zheng.
Qin Shi recited the names to himself. Although his own surname, Qin, was on the list, he was completely unrelated to the famous Yancheng Qin Family.
The development of new stars had continued for centuries, with surnames and bloodlines passed down from generation to generation and spreading everywhere.
Aside from the so-called "main families," their branch families had multiplied countless times over.
It was like people surnamed Liu in his past life claiming descent from the Han dynasty, or people surnamed Zhu claiming to be descendants of the Ming dynasty.
It wasn't something to take seriously.
"In the Tai'an Metropolitan Area, Chen and Lin are common surnames. In Smoke City and Zhoucheng, there are more Qin and Zheng families."
Lin Yunqing held her teacup in both hands.
"When I first saw that your surname was Qin, I thought Little Qin Assistant Teacher was from the Yancheng Qin Family. I didn't expect you to come from Old Factory Street.
"Old Martial Arts costs less than New Martial Arts, but if you really want to get started and go far, you still need family wealth or sponsorship."
"Sponsorship?"
Qin Shi was curious.
"Among Eastern Xia's nine ancient stars and twenty-five administrative new stars, plenty of students from poor families get into the Four Great National Universities and other top schools.
"But developing Life Force requires a huge investment, so the Education Department offers aid programs for different paths, including Martial Artists, engineers, and Psionicists."
Lin Yunqing explained.
"Take Martial Artists, for example. They're divided into three tiers: Radiant Star, Brilliant Moon, and Radiant Sun.
"Each tier can get interest-free loans ranging from a million to a hundred million, as well as grants that don't have to be repaid. The funding comes from the Education Department, so it's all paid for by the state."
Qin Shi's eyes lit up, and his heart began to race.
As a genius of Old Martial Arts certified by Old Liang, he wondered what level of support he could qualify for.
Even the Radiant Star tier came with several million in interest-free loans and a "Growth Fund" provided by the Education Department.
That would be enough to let him freely enjoy High-Energy Food and eat his fill.
Support for a professional team, including medical care, food, and equipment, went without saying.
Noticing Qin Shi's interest, Lin Yunqing—whose Dao heart had been shattered—suddenly perked up.
"I remember Little Qin Assistant Teacher is almost ready for the College Entrance Examination. Which school are you planning to apply to?"
Qin Shi thought:
I'd like to go to one of the Four Great National Universities, but they might not accept me.
He chose his words carefully and gave a polite, formulaic answer:
"I haven't made any definite plans yet. I'll wait until the Rank-Placement Exam at the start of the school year and decide based on the results."
If he could break through another limit and raise his Life Force above twenty, he'd meet the basic score requirements for Qiguang Hengda University or Jiakai Keda University.
As for the Four Great National Universities, those legendary schools that seemed impossibly far out of reach—"Southwest United," "North China Imperial Capital," "Revival Tongwen," and "Yangchen Museum"—they were just a fantasy for Martial Artist candidates who were already halfway to Professional Level.
"I think Qiguang Hengda University would be a great choice. It has excellent faculty and a wide range of courses related to the Martial Artist path. Little Qin Assistant Teacher should consider it."
Lin Yunqing blinked.
She'd already been beaten to her knees, her Dao heart shattered.
She might as well go all the way and let those snobbish people at Qiguang Hengda University experience the same thing.
Imagine sending a once-in-a-generation genius, painstakingly trained and tempered by a reclusive power from the Old Martial Arts Faction, into Qiguang Hengda University, where New Martial Arts reigned supreme!
The entertainment value would be off the charts.
"Ke ke ke ke! A freshman comes in and tramples them underfoot, then watches their furious, humiliated faces! Just thinking about it gets me hyped!"
Lin Yunqing couldn't help giggling. The elegance she'd managed to maintain for all of a few minutes vanished without a trace.
The Crazy Woman was having another episode.
Qin Shi's mouth twitched. She made it sound as if Qiguang Hengda University, Hengzhou's top institute of higher learning, belonged to her.
As if anyone could just walk in.
"Teacher Lin, could I borrow your life-force tester?"
Qin Shi finished his bottle of soda and got straight to the point.
"Oh, sure. I'll take you to the basement right away."
Lin Yunqing's eyes darted about as she started scheming how to lure Little Qin Assistant Teacher into Qiguang Hengda University.
An Old Martial Arts genius tearing through a New Martial Arts stronghold... How could those old men on the faculty board possibly save face?
Before you continue