Annual Assessment

Although Li Li was unhappy about Tang Miao teasing her, there wasn't much she could do about it. After all, the principal had specifically told her that Tang Miao had been sent by the Judgment Society!

She understood what the Judgment Society represented.

After arriving in the classroom, Tang Miao introduced himself, then looked over the girls in the class... Hmm, they were all below average. The homeroom teacher was the only one who was "nice."

He immediately decided to settle down and be a handsome young man...

Since he'd come in through the back door, there weren't any arrogant brats or scions of prestigious families in this class. They were all ordinary students with unremarkable talents.

The school was pretty decent. Even the worst class had an Intermediate Mage for a teacher. Though the teacher might not even know any Intermediate Magic yet...

Tang Yue had specifically arranged for him to be placed in the worst class. The whole point was to make Tang Miao work hard and earn his way up!

Time flew by. Spring turned to autumn, and before long, a year had passed.

Over the course of that year, Tang Miao had successfully advanced his Low-level Lightning Magic to Level Two. His Ice Magic had also reached Level Two.

He'd wanted to focus on one kind of magic and train it all the way to Level Three. But even though he cultivated at a decent pace, he still hadn't managed to break through from Level Two to Level Three in a year.

Still, compared with the other students in the academy, he was already doing great. After all, plenty of them still couldn't even cast a spell...

Li Li saw Tang Miao sitting there in a daze and roared, "Tang Miao, why are you still in the classroom? Don't you know today's the assessment!?"

Tang Miao was the only talented little lecher in Li Li's class, but the rest of the class had already gathered on the training field, and he was nowhere to be seen!

She'd come looking for him, and when she found him waiting for class, she understood. This guy had mixed up the date again...

To be fair, Tang Miao was pretty confused himself. He'd come to the classroom and found it empty. He'd even wondered if it was the weekend.

Tang Miao awkwardly scratched his head and smiled. "Ahem... Sorry, Teacher Li Li. I forgot..."

Li Li wore an expression that said, I knew it.

But even though she was annoyed, she couldn't afford to sulk now. Today was important, especially for the students. It would decide who got into the Advanced Class!

"Come on... We're going to the assessment!"

With that, Li Li turned and left. Tang Miao hurried after her. This time, he didn't stop to admire anything. The assessment was tied to the Stardust Magic Tool—basically a cultivation cheat—so he couldn't afford to take it lightly.

After all, it was a key resource, and especially important for him at this early stage.

Well... Actually, it seemed pretty damn important at any stage!

Tang Miao wasn't just the last person from his class to reach the training field. He seemed to be the last person in the whole school. Luckily, his class had the worst grades, so it didn't make much difference.

Usually, everyone took practical lessons here, but the field had clearly been arranged differently today. There was a semicircular row of examiners' desks, along with a Star Sense Stone floating nearby.

The Star Sense Stone looked a bit like a black pebble, about the size of a watermelon. It was resting on a stone pedestal at the front of the training field. It was the most important instrument used in the students' assessment.

The Annual Assessment was simple. Just like at the awakening ceremony, students had to place a hand on the enormous Star Sense Stone, and the examiners could immediately judge how much they'd improved over the past year by how brightly it shone.

Just like the college entrance exam, a single evaluation could determine a student's fate. This world had its own hard-and-fast criteria: either continue studying and earn better opportunities, or pack up and find another way forward.

The principal and several board members had finished their speeches, and the students began going up one by one for their tests.

"Zhang San!"

"...Grade C!"

"Li Si!"

"...Grade B!"

"Wang Wu!"

"...Grade A!"

"..."

Watching the scores of the first few students, Tang Miao thought they were all ridiculously weak!

These little brothers were so weak he could beat them however he wanted!

"Dongfang Hui!"

At the teacher's call, a graceful figure stepped forward with light, measured steps.

She was tall and slender, about five foot nine or taller. Though she wore a school uniform, her S-ranked figure still stood out. She carried a faintly aloof air, her skin was as white as snow, and her long black hair fell loosely over her shoulders. Her face was a little narrow, but exceptionally delicate.

Once she reached the front, she lifted her gaze slightly. Her long, languid eyes held a trace of bewitching charm.

The sudden appearance of such a beauty set the boys below buzzing with excitement.

Looking at the young woman up front, Tang Miao turned around and asked, "Teacher Li Li, is she from the Dongfang Family?"

"That's right." Li Li nodded, then immediately poured cold water on him. "Don't get your hopes up. Dongfang Hui is incredibly talented, and she's the academy's goddess among the new students!"

Li Li only knew that Tang Miao's magic was the Lightning Element. She wasn't particularly clear about his actual strength. After all, Tang Miao had always kept a low profile—or maybe he simply couldn't be bothered to show off in class.

"Dongfang Hui, Grade S! Now cast a spell!"

Dongfang Hui immediately cast a Fire Blast. She connected the star tracks very quickly and released the spell almost without pausing.

Her casting score also received three "A"s!

Another batch of students took their tests. It wasn't until the sun was high overhead and blazing down that it was finally Tang Miao's turn!

Tang Miao walked up and placed his hand on the Star Sense Stone.

The stone's chill quickly warmed under the flow of Tang Miao's Stardust Power.

Then purple light appeared. Bolts of lightning spread throughout the Star Sense Stone before bursting out in full...

The dazzling purple light left everyone present astonished!

Even Dongfang Hui, who had already stepped down, found it hard to believe...

Li Li, who had never been fond of Tang Miao, was practically ready to jump with excitement! So what if a student this outstanding was a bit of a rascal? If he gave her a dozen more like him, she'd happily let them flirt with her all they wanted!

After all, a student with such outstanding talent could bring her enormous rewards!

Seeing the astonished looks on the teachers' and students' faces, Tang Miao thought, My charm really has nowhere to go!

Of course, he didn't think they were astonished by his cultivation. He assumed they were taken with his handsome face.

Too bad none of them knew what he was thinking. If they did, they'd definitely tell him not to be so full of himself...