Throwing Money Around Is Too Much Fun

"What are you doing?" At that moment, the teacher who had just left not long ago heard the roaring commotion from this direction and hurried back.

But he saw that all the Iron Wood Benches that had been seated on had somehow ended up in the Martial Arts Arena, and now over a dozen people were charging desperately forward, as if trying to rescue someone.

They were all baffled. What was going on here? Could the Iron Wood Benches have collapsed and buried someone? It had only been this long—could anyone tell them what had happened? "That was way too satisfying..." Gao Ren was still enjoying the throwing, looking around with lingering excitement for any remaining Iron Wood Benches.

"Yeah, yeah, I hit him a few times. Felt great." Tie Ta also grinned and nodded vigorously.

"Enough enjoying yourselves, let's go. The teacher's here." Seeing these two still reluctant to stop, Ren Jie quickly pulled them out of the Martial Arts Arena.

They weren't the only ones. Many others also snapped out of it and quietly slipped away, whether they'd gotten the money or not.

"Wh... what? 150,000 taels of gold? You mean you just... threw away 150,000 taels of gold?" Back at their lodgings, when Gao Ren heard that Ren Jie had gambled away the entire month's expenses for next month, even the maximum amount he could advance, he was dumbfounded.

He had planned to buy a lot of Medicinal Materials and try out many new recipes. It was over. What were they going to do now? "No small loss, no big gain. Besides, we just earned 500,000 Taels of Gold." Ren Jie had already learned that in this world, Jade Coins were the true currency, while silver and gold were used in massive quantities as common tender. In Ren Jie's mind, silver was like cents, gold was like dimes, and Jade Coins were like dollars. But in terms of purchasing power, it was roughly equivalent to the 1980s in his previous life. 500,000 Taels of Gold was enough for an ordinary family's entire lifetime.

But for a big shot, it was only 50,000 Jade Coins.

"It's good enough that Gao Fei isn't coming to fight us to the death. You really expect him to hand over 500,000 Taels of Gold?"

"Are you kidding? This Family Head is the head of the family. I'll get that money back." Ren Jie had already planned it out. "What's there to settle? He jumped up there himself and said he wanted to bet. A bet's a bet. The academy can at most fine us for damaging the Iron Wood Benches, and we didn't break that many. I'm not afraid of him defaulting. There's an Imperial Court Banquet tomorrow, so I'll just ask their Gao Family Head for the money directly."

An Imperial Palace banquet, directly asking the Gao Family Head for money—hearing this, Gao Ren immediately pictured the scene. It was incredibly bold, but... it would definitely be fun.

Gao Ren, who usually stayed holed up in the academy and never went to any banquets with Ren Jie, proposed for the first time to go along. Ren Jie naturally didn't mind bringing him.

Tie Ta had originally wanted to head back after a while, but Ren Jie was worried that Gao Fei's lackeys might not dare to cause trouble at his place but would instead go after Tie Ta. So he had Tie Ta stay with him for now and follow him these few days. Tie Ta had been raised by his father to firmly believe he would become Ren Jie's guard, so he had no objections to Ren Jie's words.

The incident in the Martial Arts Arena sent the entire first year of Jade Emperor Academy into an uproar. News soon spread that the teachers had intervened just in time, or Gao Fei might have been in real danger. Everyone was talking about it, but Ren Jie, the one who had set it all in motion, acted as if nothing had happened and went about his business.

The Five Great Families of Jade Capital City had businesses spanning the world, with countless enterprises. But in Jade Capital City itself, the Imperial Palace sat at the center, while the old estates of the other four families were located in the east, south, west, and north.

The Fang Family was in the south of Jade Capital City. Right now, the Fang Family was in chaos.

"Slap!" Fang Tianen, the Fang Family Head, slammed his teacup heavily to the ground. His sword-like brows twitched. Over fifty years old, he had only had Fang Qi in middle age, and she had always excelled in every way, making her the apple of his eye. Now, someone had poisoned her.

"What the hell are you all doing? It's been a whole day and night, and she still hasn't woken up." Fang Tianen grew angrier with every word. He looked up sharply at a young man in his early twenties who had just come to report. "What kind of brother are you? An Imperial Guard commander? I think you're nothing. If your sister hadn't helped you get close to the Seventh Princess, could you have become an Imperial Guard commander?"

Fang Yan, the Imperial Guard commander, was just over twenty years old and one of the outstanding young talents of Jade Capital City. He had graduated from Jade Emperor Academy three years ago, spent a year in the military earning repeated merits, and then entered the Imperial Guard as a captain. Over the next two years, he climbed one rank each year and was now one of the twelve Imperial Guard commanders with real power.

Last year, he had nearly won the Martial Arts Champion title. If not for that freakish guy showing up, he wouldn't have been just second place in any other year. He was also close to the Seventh Princess, with rumors that he might become the Imperial Son-in-Law and then the youngest deputy general of the Imperial Guard.

Fang Yan, clad in gleaming armor that made him look exceptionally sharp, was at a loss for words at Fang Tianen's scolding. What did this have to do with him? He had already done everything he could, even bringing in the Imperial Physician. Fang Tianen wasn't his father, but he was the family head. Though Fang Yan thought this, his expression showed deep guilt.

"It's all my fault. But the Imperial Physician and our family's Miraculous Apothecarys have no solution. They can only stabilize her for now. The priority is to find a way to save Fang Qi. The Seventh Princess has already begged His Majesty to grant a Middle-Grade Life-Preserving Pill. The Imperial Physician says it should buy us a few days, so we must race against time to think of other ways." Fang Yan nodded repeatedly in admission of fault, then carefully shifted Fang Tianen's attention.

"Middle-Grade Life-Preserving Pill..." Fang Tianen's expression softened slightly at that. He knew how precious such a pill was—even the Imperial Palace had few of them. It showed that Fang Yan had truly done his best.

"Even the Imperial Physician is helpless. The Middle-Grade Life-Preserving Pill can only delay things a few days. Who would strike with such poison..." Fang Tianen's eyes blazed with Burning Rage, killing intent flickering. If he found out who did this, he would not let it go easily.

"Family Head, based on the situation and what the Imperial Physician and our alchemists said, the person who concocted such a poison is no ordinary man. If he truly wanted to kill Fang Qi, it would have been easier than leaving us at a loss. So he likely did this intentionally. I think we should put out a public reward. Whoever comes to cure her will be the poisoner." Though Fang Yan was young, he hadn't reached this position just because he was a Fang Family member.

"Would the poisoner dare to show up?" Fang Tianen's voice was icy enough to freeze a person solid.

"At least we have no other options for now. A reward might attract some extraordinary talent. And if the poisoner has some goal—whether to demand something or make a deal with our family—he'll appear on his own. Meanwhile, we'll try other avenues..." Fang Yan knew how much Fang Qi meant to Fang Tianen, so he spoke with particular care.

In truth, the reason he had gained Fang Tianen's favor was that he had always stuck close to Fang Qi, ingratiated himself with her, and firmly supported her.

Fang Qi even consulted him before many of her actions, including the plan to exploit Gao Fei's impulsive nature, stir up a childish quarrel over jealousy, kill Ren Jie, and set the Ren Family against the Gao Family while causing internal strife in the Ren Family. Those schemes had been devised with Fang Yan's help.

So now that Fang Qi was in trouble, Fang Yan had to act as if he was giving it his all. As Fang Qi's most trusted ally and staunchest supporter, he had to show it—let everyone see, let Fang Tianen and the Seventh Princess see.

"It has to be this way. Don't let me find out who did this to Qi'er, or I won't spare them. Bang..." Fang Tianen happened to walk past a massive pillar that would take two people to wrap their arms around. He punched it heavily. In an instant, the pillar was coated in a layer of frost, then began to crack and shatter with a crunch. Fortunately, it was just one of many pillars in the hall, so the damage didn't affect anything, but it made Fang Yan's heart race with alarm.

Even for his two sons, Fang Tianen had never shown such concern.

"Also, keep following up on that matter. If there's truly no other way, we'll have to take a risky move."

What? Fang Yan's heart leaped. Only now did he realize he had been wrong—completely wrong. He had still underestimated Fang Qi's place in Fang Tianen's heart.

That thing was a royal treasure. Fang Tianen was willing to scheme for it just for Fang Qi's sake. Was he really thinking of passing down the family head position...

"Yes." Fang Yan's shock was beyond words, but his expression betrayed nothing. As soon as Fang Tianen spoke, he nodded in agreement.

As night fell, in a carriage that wasn't a Spirit Beast Carriage but was still enormous and luxurious, Gao Fei lay inside. He had been pelted by five thousand Iron Wood Benches like a storm in the Martial Arts Arena earlier.

"Ah... ouch... bastard, Ren Jie, you son of a bitch. Just wait until I'm better. I'm not done with you..." Gao Fei groaned in pain. Dozens of his bones were broken, and many were fractured. Though he had taken life-saving pills and medicines, such injuries wouldn't heal in less than ten days.

"You shameless bastard. How can the school let him off like this?"

"He didn't dare come up himself, using such despicable tricks. Idiot, scumbag..."

"When I'm better, I'll personally break every bone in his body..."

While Gao Fei writhed in pain, groaning and cursing Ren Jie, another person sat quietly in a chair in the spacious cabin, holding an ancient scroll and reading. The scent of sandalwood curled in the air, as if he belonged to a completely different world from the Gao Fei lying there.

"Brother... didn't the academy punish him at all?" Gao Fei had been cursing for a while, thinking up dozens of ways to get back at Ren Jie once he recovered, but he still couldn't get over being tricked into getting hit by thousands of Iron Wood Benches. The academy's lack of action also infuriated him.

The young man reading bore a sixty to seventy percent resemblance to Gao Fei but was more composed and dignified, with an air of scholarly refinement. Only now did he slowly close the scroll and turn his head to look at Gao Fei.

"What punishment do you want? You jumped into the Martial Arts Arena yourself. Ren Jie never said he wanted to fight you. You call him an idiot and a good-for-nothing, yet you got outsmarted by an idiot and a good-for-nothing. What does that make you?"

"Brother, I..." Gao Fei started to argue.

But when he saw the young man's face darken slightly, he tensed up in fear, jolting his many injuries. He winced in pain but dared not make a sound. This Gao Peng was his full brother, only two years older, but facing him was more terrifying than facing their father. Not only was Gao Peng exceptionally clever since childhood—he had placed second in last year's imperial exams, and if not for that freakish, monstrous guy, he would have been the top scholar—but he had also taken full control of Gao Family affairs, wielding considerable power. Even among the older generation, many would rather face the family head than Gao Peng.

"You what? That Fang Qi has been playing you all for fools, and you don't even realize it. You actually thought she liked you? After hitting someone, instead of reporting to the family first, you knew to run, didn't you? Once you're healed and past the academy exams, go home and go into secluded bitter cultivation for three months. Don't come out until you reach Body Refining Realm Great Perfection."

Secluded bitter cultivation? Gao Fei almost couldn't hold back his tears at the words. The family's bitter training was already terrifying enough, but after Gao Peng's modifications, it was even more inhuman. Three months of it would be like peeling off a layer of skin. The still-swollen flesh on Gao Fei's face twitched constantly. He opened his mouth a few times but dared not say a word in front of Gao Peng.

Seeing Gao Fei finally shut his mouth, Gao Peng picked up his book. But even as his eyes scanned the page, his mind churned over recent events. To him, it all seemed like a bunch of kids messing around—but had Fang Qi stirred Gao Fei into action with some deeper meaning? If Ren Jie actually ended up dead because of it...

And as for the fire at Fang Qi's place—who had set that? According to his spy's report, Fang Qi should already be poisoned. Who had done that, then?

Then there was Ren Jie suddenly humiliating Gao Fei in the Martial Arts Arena—something that had never happened before. Was it an accident, or...

Was someone pulling strings behind the scenes after Gao Fei beat him up? Or was there something off about Ren Jie himself? If Ren Jie really was up to something, the ones who should be most worried were probably those few in the Ren family.

Tomorrow was the banquet. It would be a good chance to test Ren Jie. If both Fang Qi's poisoning and Gao Fei's humiliation were his doing, then before leaving the Jade Emperor Academy, Gao Peng would have to find a way to eliminate that threat first. Only after clearing out these small fry could he properly cross swords with that bastard Lan Tian in the imperial court...