Little Fang worked so hard, he must have done really well on the test!

Fang Shuwen stared at the string of numbers on the panel, slowly exhaling a breath of stale air.

Attack rose from 5 to 7, defense from 4 to 6, and vitality jumped from 3 to 5.

Only spirit remained stuck at 3, unmoved.

This time, the improvement brought by Soaring Snake Fist advancing from Proficient to Mastery provided a greater attribute boost than any previous upgrade.

Attack and defense each rose by two points, and vitality rose by two points.

The change brought about by five points of vitality was exceptionally obvious.

He could clearly feel that his blood and energy were more than twice as vigorous as before.

His heartbeat was steady and powerful; every pulsation felt like a precision steam engine in operation.

His muscles, bones, and meridians had all been reorganized, nearly reshaped.

"Spirit hasn't changed..."

Fang Shuwen muttered, his brow slightly furrowed.

His spirit attribute had only increased by one point the last time he evolved Body Strengthening Fist into Soaring Snake Fist.

It hadn't changed during any of the other upgrades.

He wondered if his martial arts realm was insufficient?

Or perhaps Soaring Snake Fist itself did not involve cultivation on a spiritual level?

Or maybe the spirit attribute could only be increased when a martial art evolved?

He couldn't figure it out for the moment, so he simply stopped dwelling on it.

Fang Shuwen's gaze continued downward.

[Skill Points: 0]

His skill points were cleared to zero again.

Ten skill points—not too many, not too few.

He had spent all these days saving them up, only for them to be wiped out in a single upgrade.

And for the next advancement from Mastery to Grandmastery, he judged that his strength should officially step into the realm of Bright Force.

The required skill points would likely be no less than twenty.

"With over a hundred silver dollars now, I can buy about five pieces of Ghost Jade, which should be enough."

Fang Shuwen calculated to himself, planning to head to the National Martial Arts Hall after school tomorrow.

Thinking of this, he closed the panel, bent down, and gathered the weights and stone locks back to their original places.

Soon, Fang Shuwen pushed the last stone lock back into the corner, clapped the dust off his hands, and walked out of the storeroom.

The night wind blew against his face, carrying a chill.

He passed through the moon gate, crossed the corridor, and headed toward the courtyard where he lived.

The night was already deep; the servants' quarters in the back of the Zhao Estate were silent, save for a sliver of dim light occasionally leaking from a room and the faint sound of water coming from the kitchen in the distance.

Hu Da was likely still cleaning up.

The light in Old Fang's room was already out, and through the window paper, one could hear the sound of steady snoring.

Fang Shuwen lightened his footsteps, preparing to push the door open and enter.

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps came from the direction of the courtyard gate.

The soles of shoes slapped against the bluestone, patter-patter, fast and chaotic.

Fang Shuwen turned his head to look, and a pale blue figure stumbled in from outside the gate.

Cuicui.

Her school uniform was wrinkled, a few strands of hair had come loose, and her cheeks were flushed with a lingering redness.

Seeing Fang Shuwen standing in the courtyard, she slammed on the brakes, her chest heaving violently.

There was evasion and shame in her eyes, as if she had done something unspeakable.

Fang Shuwen glanced at her.

"Cuicui!"

Cuicui, who had originally intended to go straight home, stopped.

She looked at Fang Shuwen with hesitant eyes.

"Something up?"

"That boyfriend of yours, the one named Li Tong."

Fang Shuwen's tone was calm, but every word was enunciated with crystal clarity.

"He is no good. Stay away from him."

Cuicui's expression changed in an instant.

It wasn't surprise, nor was it confusion.

It was the panic and shame of having a secret exposed.

Her pupils constricted sharply, and she pressed her lips into a thin line.

"How... how do you know about Li Tong?"

Her voice rose an octave, laced with obvious tension.

Her mother had always hoped she would finish school, marry a wealthy young master, and use that to pull the whole family up.

Yet, she had fallen for a poor boy.

Her mother would never approve of them being together, so she and Li Tong could only date in secret, treading carefully.

They had always avoided being seen, so how did Fang Shuwen know?

Could he have been stalking her?

At this thought, the shame and annoyance Cuicui felt from having her secret exposed immediately turned into a glare.

"Believe it or not, the point is he's trouble. Keep your guard up and don't believe everything he says."

"What right do you have to say that about him?"

Cuicui's voice suddenly spiked, her eyes turning even redder; it was hard to tell if it was from grievance or anger.

Fang Shuwen looked at her and sighed inwardly.

Being lovesick really is a timeless affliction.

They were just neighbors, and their relationship wasn't even that close; he had done enough by offering a warning.

"I've said my piece. Whether you listen or not is your business."

With that, he turned and walked toward his room.

"Stop!"

Cuicui's voice chased after him, thick with tears.

"Fang Shuwen, did you see something? Did you follow me today?"

"Follow you? You're overthinking it."

Fang Shuwen paused, not turning back.

"I don't care what you saw today. If you dare to go around spreading rumors, I... I will..."

Cuicui's voice trembled. She stammered "I will" for a long time but couldn't come up with a threat.

Fang Shuwen finally turned his head to glance at her.

Under the moonlight, Cuicui stood at the courtyard gate, her school uniform wrinkled, her hair disheveled, and her eyes bloodshot—looking just like a ruffled cat.

Pitiful, yet infuriating.

"Rest assured, I have no interest in your affairs."

After saying this, Fang Shuwen pushed the door open and stepped inside.

The door closed behind him, shutting out the moonlight of the courtyard and the girl standing there, at a complete loss.

Cuicui stood in place, staring at the closed door, biting her lips until they turned white.

She didn't believe for a second that Fang Shuwen would keep her secret.

After all, in her mind, Fang Shuwen was a complete scoundrel.

With that thought, a resolve hardened in her heart.

Before Fang Shuwen could spill her secret, she had to leave with Li Tong as soon as possible.

Only by leaving Xikou County Town could they escape their parents and live a life of freedom.

The next morning.

Before the sky had fully brightened, Fang Shuwen was woken up by the commotion in the courtyard.

Mother Wang's booming voice rang out once again.

"Cuicui, you must study hard in the Elite Class this time and strive to reach the top ten in the next exam."

"That way, not to mention finding a cadre, even those young masters will be within your reach."

When Fang Shuwen pushed his door open and stepped out, Mother Wang was standing under the veranda, one hand on her hip, the other pointing at Cuicui's door, her voice loud enough for the entire alley to hear.

Not far in front of her, Hu Da and Old Fang stood woodenly, looking as if they were being lectured by a superior.

"Oh, right, the results have been out for three or four days now."

"Old Fang, how did Little Fang do? My Cuicui said he passed the assessment, but I don't know what his grades were like."

Mother Wang felt secretly smug, yet also a little regretful.

She was smug because Cuicui had made it into the Elite Class, but regretful that Little Fang had actually passed the assessment and hadn't been expelled by the school.

Last night, she had asked Cuicui.

Cuicui only said that Little Fang had passed the assessment, but she didn't mention his grades.

They must be terrible; Cuicui was just sparing Little Fang's feelings and didn't have the heart to say it.