The City Lord Arrives in Person! A World-Shaking Reform!

Seeing Lu Chen openly call him an SB.

Song Hao immediately slammed the table and exploded. "Lu Chen, who the hell are you calling an SB?"

Lu Chen gave him a long look. "Come on, come on. If you've got the guts, slam it again?"

"So what if I slam it!"

Song Hao shouted loud enough to shake the heavens, but his hand never moved.

"Tch, what a disgrace."

"Hahaha!"

The classroom instantly erupted in laughter.

"You!"

Song Hao gritted his teeth in rage, yet there was nothing he could do to Lu Chen.

When it came to build, he really couldn't beat Lu Chen's six-foot frame.

Though the latter was a little skinny.

Still, a longer reach meant greater strength.

"Just you wait. Once I receive Heavenly Official's Blessing later, I'll make sure you regret it!"

Song Hao secretly clenched his fists, deciding to lie low for now.

As long as he reached First Grade.

Then he'd settle both old scores and new all at once!

"By the way, Lu Chen, have you heard?"

Li Ruoyi pulled the conversation back on track and suddenly asked.

"Heard what?"

Lu Chen happened to be thirsty, so he opened Li Ruoyi's milk and took a sip.

"I heard that the sky above Zhao Clan Temple was covered in black clouds the day before yesterday, blotting out the sun, and scarlet flames appeared too. Someone in the know leaked online that somebody had enshrined King Yama of the Netherworld at Zhao Clan Temple."

"Oh, something like that happened?" Lu Chen's heart stirred.

"Yeah." Li Ruoyi looked frightened. "Tell me, why are there all kinds of people these days? Someone actually worships King Yama. Aren't they afraid of bad luck?"

Lu Chen coughed dryly. "King Yama is an Orthodox God too. How's that bad luck?"

"Do you even know what the underworld does? How is that not bad luck?"

"Fine, fine. Bad luck."

Lu Chen blamed himself for talking too much.

"But when you think about it, Zhao Clan Temple is incredible too. The day before yesterday, there was you, and yesterday there was another Spirit Cultivator who triggered a Netherworld phenomenon.

But I didn't see any news about you online.

That's really strange.

Anyway, everyone's saying Zhao Clan Temple is really efficacious now, so even more people are going there.

When I went to pray yesterday, I nearly couldn't squeeze my way inside.

Still, it was worth it. I finally raised my Divine Service Rating with Emperor Wenchang to 3%."

Li Ruoyi's lips curled upward, somewhat proud.

"Congratulations, congratulations! Classmate Li truly has extraordinary talent!"

Lu Chen clasped his hands in salute.

"Give me a break. You're the monster who raised yours by 5% in one go, and you're congratulating me?"

A guilty, sneaky look appeared on Li Ruoyi's face.

Lu Chen watched his nose, and his nose watched his heart. He merely smiled faintly.

To be honest, he could no longer muster any interest in this kind of low-level showing off.

He was Lord God of Wealth's sworn younger brother, King Yama's prospective sworn son, and the Netherworld's appointed Underworld Martial and Virtuous General!

If he still secretly felt thrilled over such low-level flattery, that would be far too beneath his status.

"Still, Zhao Clan Temple is quite cautious. They're probably afraid Big Brother will split Zhao God of Wealth's Incense Fire, so they've surely put a lot of effort into suppressing the news."

Lu Chen silently mused, They'll let you know only if they want you to know. If they don't, you won't hear even a whisper. These Great Clans truly cover the sky with one hand!

Just as he was thinking, an announcement from the school leadership suddenly sounded over the classroom broadcast:

"Attention, all Advanced Classes. Assemble at the school field immediately!"

As the announcement repeated three times, the homeroom teacher strode quickly into the classroom.

"Form up! Move out!"

The classroom immediately fell into commotion.

Lu Chen and Song Hao both perked up at the same time!

"The reform—Heavenly Official's Blessing—is finally here!"

A short while later, the five hundred students from Jiangdu No. 3 Middle School's ten Advanced Classes had formed neat ranks on the field.

A grand platform had been erected before them, and the banner behind it read: "Jiangcheng No. 3 High School's 54th Divine Service Rating Examination."

Quite a few people stood onstage, including the principal of No. 3 Middle School.

This important figure, who normally called all the shots at school, appeared especially low-key amid the crowd now, standing like a lackey.

In contrast, the postures of those unfamiliar people beside him were terrifyingly imposing!

Once everyone was assembled.

The principal stepped up to the microphone and began. "Students, as everyone knows, today is the Divine Service Rating Examination.

But before it officially begins, I have an exciting piece of news to tell you. Today, No. 3 Middle School has the great honor of inviting Jiangcheng City's Lord—City Lord Yu Feng—to personally visit and offer guidance!

Next, let's give City Lord Yu a warm round of applause and invite him to say a few words! Applause, everyone!"

The crowd below burst into an uproar.

Lu Chen clapped while inwardly growing solemn.

He hadn't expected a mere reform to bring the city lord himself here.

This level of ceremony... wasn't it a little too extravagant?

In other words, that group of unfamiliar people onstage were all leaders from Jiangdu City?

"Hello, students. I'm Yu Feng."

Onstage, Yu Feng, the city lord, cleared his throat and smiled. "Time is limited, so I'll keep this brief. There are still several schools waiting for me to preside over their examinations."

"I believe today's examination will affect many people, because starting with your cohort, the nation has formally decided to comprehensively reform the Advanced Classes. In the future, a Special Class will be added above the Advanced Classes.

As for the specific details of this reform, I won't explain them here. Principal Zhang will explain them to you shortly.

What I want to say is that after the reform, you may be ushering in the best era possible.

An era sufficient to cash in on your talents!

As long as you have ambition, you can enjoy rights in this era far surpassing those of your predecessors!

Rise in rank and title, be granted marquisates and appointed ministers!

As long as you have the strength!

All of it can be yours!"

The uproar below was joined by thunderous applause.

Yu Feng smiled and waved. "I wish you all the best!"

After speaking, Yu Feng stepped back into the line.

Discussion broke out below the stage.

"Reform? Special Class? What does that even mean?"

"No idea. This came out of nowhere!"

"Exactly, there wasn't even the slightest sign!"

The principal took over again. "All right, let me explain the contents of this reform..."

Lu Chen listened intently, unwilling to miss a single detail.

Sure enough, it was almost exactly what Deng Jiajia had said.

First: students with Divine Service Ratings below 2% would be forced to graduate.

Only those who remained would be eligible to compete for Special Class spots.

This news instantly detonated the entire field, exactly as expected.

Quite a few students who knew they hadn't met the standard broke down and cried on the spot.

Some even fainted.

The school had apparently prepared in advance, as medical staff immediately carried stretchers onto the field.

Watching this scene, Lu Chen could only sigh softly.

If he hadn't transmigrated here, the original owner of this body would probably have been among that despairing crowd.

"I understand everyone's feelings, but some choices must be made."

The principal continued with a sigh. "The second point of reform... concerns the release of the mission system!"

Hearing that, Lu Chen's heartbeat suddenly accelerated, and his blood began to boil violently!

Sure enough, just as Sun Yourong had said, mission access was being opened early!

Starting with Lu Chen's cohort, they no longer had to wait until graduation. They could take missions now and earn rewards and military merit!

—Military merit!

Back when he couldn't afford meat, money had been the only thing capable of stirring Lu Chen's nerves.

Now, the issue of money had been tentatively resolved.

Military merit, without question, became the next thing to stir his nerves.

If he wanted to advance into a New Nobility Lineage, or climb even higher!

Military merit was the absolute core metric!

There was no second!

Because money could be borrowed, stolen, or even robbed!

But military merit couldn't be borrowed or bought. It had to be earned through real effort!

How many Lineages lacked no money at all, yet could never reach the threshold of New Nobility in their entire lives because they lacked military merit, unable to establish a temple and build a shrine!

"All right, I'll explain the further details after admissions once the examination ends. Now, I announce that the examination has officially begun! Students whose Divine Service Rating has not reached 2%, please leave. Those who meet the standard, remain!"

The moment his words fell.

Bzzzz!!!

The ten machines for the ten classes activated almost simultaneously.

Like ten merciless grinders, they gradually crushed apart the ranks of every class, along with their lives and dreams.

The hard 2% requirement was enough to eliminate more than seventy percent of them.

For a time, cries of "Eliminated!" rose and fell across the field.

Listening as every student's Divine Service Rating had to be shouted aloud.

Lu Chen, standing at the very back of the line, was speechless.

Could they not give people a little privacy?

Did they really have to make sure everyone knew?

Most of the eliminated students were just over 1%.

Those with better results had only barely reached 2%.

The key was that his Divine Service Rating with Lord God of Wealth was a full 43%!

And Lu Chen was confident that his Divine Service Rating with Old King Yama wouldn't be below 30% either.

When both of those ratings were revealed.

Wouldn't that hurt these students' feelings too badly?

"Wait!" Lu Chen suddenly thought. "Since even the God Temple couldn't measure a Divine Service Rating for the Underworld Office, there's a high chance the school's testing machines don't have an Underworld Office module either. If that's the case, only one of my Divine Service Ratings should be detected."

Lu Chen's eyes lit up.

"Not bad, not bad. At least I'll only have to hurt their feelings once."

Lu Chen only hoped they could finish this process quickly so he could go accept missions.

What kind of real man showed off?

Farming was the true path!