Assessment

"How did it go... did it work?" Having just returned from setting the fire, Gao Ren was clearly still excited. The moment he got back to the human realm, he asked impatiently.

"When this Family Head acts, naturally there won't be any problems..." As Ren Jie spoke, his divine sense suddenly detected several powerful auras rapidly approaching. He hurriedly pulled the fat Gao Ren into a hidden spot. Then they saw two figures trailing afterimages as they leaped more than ten meters at a time, rushing toward where Fang Qi had met with trouble in the blink of an eye.

Others were also arriving nearby. Ren Jie immediately made a shushing gesture and quietly led Gao Ren deeper into the shadows. Fortunately, the lakeside was thick with grass and trees, and it was nighttime. Those who arrived had all focused their attention on the fire, so no one noticed the two of them slipping away from the darkness.

The moment they returned to their residence, the fat man picked up a teacup and gulped down two mouthfuls. Then he let out a long breath and patted his chest. It had been too nerve-racking, too thrilling.

Ren Jie, on the other hand, felt nothing much. Even he found it strange. Back in his previous life, this would have been unimaginable. It seemed that transmigration, along with the improvement of his cultivation, had greatly changed his state of mind.

"What do we do next? Should we find someone to assume a false identity and sell them the antidote? The Fang Family probably can't find anyone capable of curing this poison for now, though they have Miraculous Apothecaries. They should be able to tell that unless they use a powerful medicine pill to forcibly neutralize it, only the person who administered the poison would know every possible variation. There are over a hundred variations, and getting even one detail wrong can be fatal." Although Gao Ren had once helped Ren Jie come up with plans and often fought with other Hedonistic Young Masters, he spoke as though he had been roaming the world for years.

But seeing Gao Ren's reaction now, Ren Jie could not help wanting to laugh. At this moment, Gao Ren was like an ordinary person after his first fight, yet in his memories, Gao Ren had boasted that he had spent many years out in the world. Only the old Ren Jie would have believed him and truly regarded him as some great expert.

It had to be said that reaching the level of a Top Tier Miraculous Apothecary at Gao Ren's age made him an absolute genius—not merely at Jade Emperor Academy, but throughout Jade Capital City and even the entire Bright Jade Dynasty.

The fact that such a person had been willing to follow Young Master Jie had already made the old Ren Jie feel flattered beyond measure. He had truly thought he possessed the aura of a king and that people were flocking to serve him. Naturally, he had not thought much about anything else. Gao Ren truly was a genius when it came to food, medicine concoctions, and spending money, but much of what he had bragged about before was utterly unreliable. He himself had nothing to do with being a great expert.

"Why find someone else? Why hide?" Ren Jie said calmly. "I'm the Family Head of the Ren Family. As long as I wasn't caught on the spot, I don't need to care about anything else. With such a fine opportunity, how could I not go in person? Knowing certain things doesn't mean anything. Just wait to count the money."

Though he had not yet fully seized power, recalling how he had flown into a rage and lashed out at Ren Junyang and the elders last time, Ren Jie deeply understood one thing: a title was truly important if used well. He was the Family Head of the Ren Family. Before, neither others nor even the old Ren Jie had realized this. Since he did not hold power, he had not cared, and thus no one had taken him, the Family Head of the Ren Family, seriously. But things were different now.

Gao Ren was slightly stunned by this. Whether when they had first met or throughout the past year they had spent together, he had grown accustomed to viewing Ren Jie as merely one of the Ren Family's direct-line Hedonistic Young Masters. He had completely forgotten that Ren Jie was also the Ren Family's Family Head. Yet even among the students at Jade Emperor Academy, no one cared about his status as Family Head, much less within the Ren Family, where even his allowance was controlled—let alone among the other families of Jade Capital City...

Gao Ren was deeply surprised by Ren Jie's bold words. Was this still the Ren Jie who used to have his legs tremble at the mere mention of an elders' meeting? But by the time he wanted to ask more, Ren Jie had already gone upstairs to rest.

After returning to his room, Ren Jie immediately began cultivating the Jade Emperor Art again, using the qi strength within his body to condense new Qi Strength Rings. He knew that future cultivation would make it difficult for him to shut himself away and ignore all affairs as he had during the previous few days. As his strength increased, the time required for cultivation would continue to grow. Even condensing one hundred and forty-four Qi Strength Rings now required an astonishing amount of time. Moreover, from his conversation with Gao Ren, he had learned that he would have to return to Jade Capital City the day after tomorrow.

As the current Family Head of the Ren Family, even if everyone saw him as nothing more than a son-emperor or puppet family head, he was still the Ren Family's rightful Family Head. Therefore, there were many matters and events he still had to attend. The day after tomorrow, it seemed he was supposed to go to the Imperial Palace for some sort of banquet. Gao Ren was not too clear on the details either.

With that in mind, Ren Jie knew he had to integrate cultivation into his daily life. Fortunately, the body-refining section of the Jade Emperor Art had precisely such an effect. Once the rings were fully condensed and formed a unique restrictive effect, his body would be like one constantly inside an independent gravity chamber. He would be cultivating at every moment.

Though Ren Jie had become more proficient this time, it still took him the entire night to condense eighty-six Qi Strength Rings. He had originally wanted to press on in one burst and complete all one hundred and forty-four Qi Strength Rings, but early that morning, someone came to notify him. The academy had issued a special notice: all first-year students had to participate in the final major examination, or they would be deemed to have given up advancing.

The messenger especially emphasized that the headmaster had personally ordered that this matter be conveyed to everyone. The meaning was clear. Jade Emperor Academy had been jointly established under the royal family's leadership by the Ren Family, Gao Family, Fang Family, and Wen Family. As direct descendants of the Five Great Families, they naturally faced no danger of being expelled from the academy. But if they failed to meet certain basic requirements, being held back a year would be unavoidable.

Thus, early in the morning, Ren Jie dragged along the even more unwilling fat Gao Ren and headed for their class. Yet not long after leaving their residence, the two could only stare at each other wide-eyed.

"Meal Ticket Boss, did we... come to the wrong place?" Looking at the empty room with not a single person inside, Gao Ren was certain it was not because they had arrived early. They were already far later than the notified time.

"I remember coming here once when school started. It should be this place." Ren Jie had now completely accepted his former memories. In those memories, he had only come to the classroom once, when he had first entered Jade Emperor Academy. This should have been the place.

"That was nearly a year ago, and we came here after drinking together that time. I've completely forgotten. What do we do now?" Gao Ren had forgotten even more thoroughly than Ren Jie, though he clearly cared even less about whether he advanced or not. He yawned. "Ah! I'm exhausted. I've been preparing the antidote for that Hundred Illusions Poison since last night and haven't slept at all. Why don't we go back? Staying in the first year forever isn't bad either. Didn't you, Meal Ticket Boss, hope to stay forever with the new junior sisters entering every year?"

"I just finished cursing out Second Elder and the other elders. If word immediately gets back that I can't advance, do you think they'll pass up such a good chance to make trouble for me? Besides, don't you want to find out about the results of our work yesterday?" Such a minor issue naturally could not stump Ren Jie. After casually asking someone for directions, they quickly found their current classroom.

It turned out that today's event was being held in the spacious Martial Arts Arena, where all the first-year classes had gathered. This was one of the academy's three great Martial Arts Arenas. The Bright Jade Dynasty revered martial strength. Although Jade Emperor Academy was known as an academy for Hedonistic Young Masters, that mostly referred to the students' backgrounds. Only a small portion referred to Hedonistic Young Masters like the old Ren Jie, who learned nothing at all. The overwhelming majority still worked hard. This included princes and royal descendants, direct and collateral descendants of major families, and children of Great Powers. At Jade Emperor Academy, they all strove to improve their strength and build their own networks.

This Martial Arts Arena could seat more than five thousand people, yet it was not even Jade Emperor Academy's largest. The academy's true Martial Arts Arena was known as one of Jade Capital City's three great Martial Arts Arenas, a colossal venue capable of holding more than a hundred thousand people.

"That concludes today's matter. Anyone who failed to arrive by the end of today will be held back. The rest of you should prepare for the final examination one month from now. Those who fail the examination will likewise be held back..." At that moment, Li Jun, the teacher of first-year Class A1, stood in the Martial Arts Arena. Every word he spoke was sonorous and forceful, allowing the nearly two thousand seated people to hear him clearly.

The entire Martial Arts Arena was deathly silent. Most people had even slowed their breathing, holding their breath and concentrating as they listened intently.

"Over here, over here..." Ren Jie and Gao Ren had just entered when Tie Ta from Class A5 grinned. It's almost over, and these two masters are only getting here now. He waved at them in a low voice, urging them to come over quietly. But his low voice was hardly any softer than others shouting.

"Whoosh!" At least several hundred people within dozens of meters turned to look toward Tie Ta. Heavens, someone actually dared to violate discipline and speak while Teacher Li Jun was talking. When school had first started, a group of clueless Hedonistic Young Masters had talked during the headmaster and vice-headmaster's speeches, and that had been tolerated. But when they continued talking during Teacher Li Jun's speech, they had been subjected to tenfold training as punishment. Three of them had even been expelled after failing to complete the punishment.

Tie Ta's father was currently the deputy commander of a commandery. Though he commanded only local troops, he was still a deputy commander who led ten thousand men. Yet at Jade Emperor Academy, if he had possessed only that status, then among the twenty ordinary first-year classes—five Class A, five Class B, five Class C, and five Class D, excluding specialized classes in formations, runes, pill refinement, weapon refinement, and other fields—Tie Ta would have been fortunate to enter even Class D1.

Unless someone possessed exceptional talent, at most they could only attend Jade Emperor Academy; they had no chance of entering a Class A. The first-year classes were divided into five each for A, B, C, and D, and each class received different resources. Not to mention the networks one could have the opportunity to form. It could be said that many people at Jade Emperor Academy had gone to great lengths to enter not only for study, but more importantly to let the next generation of their families build networks of their own through this environment.

However, Tie Ta's father had once followed Ren Tianxing. Though he had only been an ordinary squad leader in Ren Tianxing's Guard Squad at the time, he was undeniably part of the Ren Family's direct line. When Tie Ta was about to come to Jade Capital City to study, he had come to visit the Ren Family on his father's orders. By coincidence, Ren Tianxing had rarely returned at that time to pass the position of Family Head to Ren Jie, and he had met Tie Ta as well. Because of a single remark from Ren Tianxing, Tie Ta had entered Class A5.

Therefore, no matter what others did, Tie Ta clearly remembered his father's words: he was to forever protect Ren Jie's side.

"What did I just announce? While I am speaking..." The Martial Arts Arena held five thousand people and was no small place, but what cultivation did Li Jun possess? Though Tie Ta had lowered his voice, the instant he spoke, Li Jun frowned.

Everyone at Jade Emperor Academy knew one thing: in order for the teachers of Class A1 to keep these Hedonistic Young Masters and students in line, they were basically all members of the royal family. Li Jun was, by seniority, a cousin of the current emperor. His original name had been Li Haijun, but after the emperor ascended the throne, because the emperor's name contained the character for sea, he changed his name to Li Jun.

Of the three grades at Jade Emperor Academy, aside from the special classes, the teacher of Class A1 was the person in charge of that grade. Other than figures such as the academy's vice-headmasters and headmaster, he was the highest authority in the entire grade. Ren Jie immediately recalled some memories of Li Jun as well. This Li Jun's strictness was famous throughout Jade Emperor Academy.

Not good. If Li Jun continued, Tie Ta would be in trouble.

"Good! The teacher spoke well! Teacher Li Jun is the best! That was wonderfully said, clap clap clap..." While Li Jun was speaking, the Martial Arts Arena had been utterly silent as everyone listened. Even some princes, royal descendants, and children of the Five Great Families did not dare act recklessly on such an occasion. Yet Ren Jie suddenly shouted his praise. Though he had used no secret art, he immediately drew countless gazes. Then he clapped hard, leaving many people even more dumbfounded.

"What are you looking at? Do you think the teacher didn't speak well? Why aren't you applauding?" Ren Jie paid no attention to how those people looked at him, clapping as though he were genuinely thrilled.

This had gotten out of hand. Seeing this, Gao Ren immediately began clapping as well. Applause was contagious, especially since most people still had not understood what was happening. Hearing Ren Jie say they were applauding and cheering for the teacher, quite a few began moving along with them. Before long, applause flooded the entire Martial Arts Arena. Those who did not understand thought it had ended, and many began shouting their praise as well.

"The teacher spoke well! Teacher Li spoke wonderfully!"

"Work hard! We will definitely work hard and achieve excellent results in the examination one month from now!"

"Bring glory to the academy, glory to our grade, glory to Teacher Li..."