A Dog That Blocks the Road Is No Good Dog

"Brother Fei, I heard that Young Miss Fang even had her maid deliver you a gift. Is that true?"

"I heard it too. Fang Qi has never shown anyone special favor before. It looks like Brother Fei finally won Young Miss Fang's heart by showing his strength and taking care of that Ren Jie."

"Brother Fei is our role model. Word has already spread throughout the academy."

At the main entrance of Jade Emperor Academy, seven or eight people were currently surrounding Gao Fei. Broad-built and grinning from ear to ear, he strode into the academy with the proud satisfaction of a hero returning victorious after slaughtering a million enemies.

Listening to the flattery from his lackeys and several classmates who usually followed him around, Gao Fei's heart had long since flown away.

"That brat needed a lesson. I've already spread the word: from now on, every time I see him, I'll beat him. A puppet Family Head actually thinks he's something special. Miss Fang invited me for tea and a chat, so I won't say anything more about that, hahaha..." As Gao Fei spoke, he practically floated into the clouds, throwing back his head in laughter at the happy thought.

"Hmph!" Just then, a cold snort sounded from nearby, bringing Gao Fei and his group to a halt.

A youth in splendid robes stood there. His features were fairly handsome, but his complexion was slightly pale, clearly the look of someone who had indulged too much in wine and women at a young age. He looked extremely displeased upon seeing Gao Fei and the others enter.

"What are you snorting for, Su Yu? I'm going to Miss Fang's place for tea now. You haven't even stepped through her door, have you? Miss Fang said she wanted to personally thank me for standing up for her. You don't have a chance anymore." Gao Fei disliked Su Yu the moment he saw him. Su Yu was not in the same class as them, but he was also one of Fang Qi's most devoted pursuers. The Su Family had originally merely been a major merchant family in Jade Capital City. By rights, its direct descendants had no real ability to compete with those of the Five Great Families, but two years ago, Su Yu's elder sister had married the Third Prince.

Though that did not truly make them imperial relatives, they were still connected by a thread. In the following years, the Su Family rapidly expanded and grew stronger, and Su Yu rose along with the tide. Among Jade Capital City's Hedonistic Young Masters, Su Yu could barely be considered somebody of note.

Holding a folding fan, Su Yu looked disdainfully at Gao Fei as he lightly fanned himself. "Who was it that ran off at once to hide after hearing Ren Jie had been beaten to death? What, now you've come out to play the hero?"

"I, Gao Fei, dare to do anything for Fang Qi, and I'm afraid of nothing. You think you can compete with me? Let's go." The muscles on Gao Fei's face twitched slightly. Fights among the younger generation of great families were nothing, but if someone truly died, that was another matter entirely. Moreover, after others analyzed the situation afterward, they said that Ren Jie was still the Ren Family's nominal Family Head no matter what, and the Ren Family definitely would not let the matter end there. Gao Fei panicked as soon as he heard that and fled immediately. By the time he had already reached a secluded estate several thousand li away from his Lineage to hide, he learned that Ren Jie was fine—and that Fang Qi even wanted to thank him.

Naturally, Gao Fei could not mention any of that now. Besides, just thinking about becoming the first person in his class—or even the academy—to visit Fang Qi's courtyard filled him with excitement. He had no mood to keep arguing with Su Yu. Under normal circumstances, another conflict would have been unavoidable.

After saying that, Gao Fei immediately led his people away in large strides.

"What's he putting on airs for? It's only because they were in the same class. If our young master had been there too, how could Gao Fei have gotten the prize of standing up for Fang Qi?"

"That's right. He ran faster than anyone back then, and now he's back acting all high and mighty."

"Young Master, what are we doing here? I heard quite a few people are looking for Ren Jie now. Young Miss Fang hates that Ren Jie so much. Whoever can deal with him will definitely earn Young Miss Fang's favor."

"That's right, Young Master. I heard many people have already rushed back to Jade Capital City, all waiting for a chance to teach Ren Jie a lesson."

"Snap!" Su Yu opened his fan and cast a contemptuous glance at the departing Gao Fei and his group. "Gao Fei only happened to be in the class at the time, and there weren't many people there. A lot of things were merely rumors that spread afterward. In truth, Ren Jie was only knocked unconscious after Gao Fei hit him on the head with a chair. Yet Gao Fei got to take advantage of it. Unlike those idiots who refuse to use their brains, I've already spent money to buy detailed information. Although Ren Jie has been home for two days, he set out back today and will return soon. Once he comes back, I'll stop him right at the academy gate, give him a thorough beating, and humiliate him. Then everyone in the academy will know."

"That's a brilliant move, Young Master. This way, everyone will know what Young Master did for Miss Fang, and Miss Fang will definitely be moved."

"Hmph, Gao Fei was so thrilled just to be invited for tea. Once Miss Fang is moved, she'll definitely give herself to our young master."

Listening to the bootlicking around him, Fang Qi's face kept appearing in Su Yu's mind. If he could marry Fang Qi, inheriting the Su Family would no longer be a problem. Besides, Fang Qi gave him more of a feeling than all the women he had played with in the past combined. Just thinking about it made his heart race like a restless monkey and a galloping horse.

At the same time, he pondered how he should humiliate Ren Jie after beating him.

Simply beating him would not make him appear much stronger than Gao Fei, nor would it make Miss Fang remember him. Should he beat Ren Jie until he was willing to go apologize to Miss Fang? Or make him imitate a few beast cries?

No, no. Better to step on his head and loudly declare that he was standing up for Fang Qi. That way, not only would he stand up for Fang Qi, but his status among Jade Capital City's Hedonistic Young Masters would also rise.

This was the academy, anyway. As long as he did not kill Ren Jie, the Lineage would not interfere. Yes, that was what he would do. Step on his head, then say a few words. But what exactly should he say?

"He's here, Young Master, he's here! Look, that seems to be the Ren Family Head's Spirit Beast Carriage..." Just as Su Yu was lost in thought, plotting how to win Fang Qi's heart and humiliate Ren Jie, he suddenly heard one of his men shout.

Spirit beasts were the name given to demon beasts that could be controlled and properly restrained. However, Great Powers defined true spirit beasts as second-generation demon beasts that had been tamed and raised from childhood. Such creatures were exceedingly rare. In Jade Capital City, the number of people capable of using spirit beasts as mounts could be counted on one hand.

In this regard, Ren Jie had enjoyed Jade Capital City's finest luxury from the very beginning. Otherwise, he could not possibly have traveled so quickly.

From afar, they saw an enormous beast more than two meters tall and over five meters long, shrouded in a layer of yellowish-brown light, rapidly approaching. This spirit beast was clearly covered by restrictions, while spells outside concealed and suppressed it to prevent its power from affecting others. Even its original appearance was hidden.

Yet its strength was obviously astonishing. Pulling a Family Head's carriage nearly twenty square meters in size—with every kind of interior furnishing, comparable to a small room—it sped along like the wind. From afar, the Spirit Beast Carriage could be seen gradually slowing as it reached the academy entrance.

"Ren Jie, do you think you can hide forever?" Su Yu led his people directly to the center of the academy gate, blocking the path of Ren Jie's carriage. Snapping his fan shut, he said, "You bastard born of a mother but raised without one, didn't you boast that anyone who talked about your mother would have to fight you to the death? Come on, fight me to the death."

Pointing his fan at the Spirit Beast Carriage, which had slowed to a stop nearby, Su Yu said, "Today, I'll make sure you understand the consequences of harassing Miss Fang again. Get down here at once."

"That's right, obediently get down here and scram."

"What kind of person is Young Miss Fang? Is she someone trash like you can reach for? The woman our Young Master Su likes—is she someone you can spread rumors and slander about?"

On the way back to the academy from Jade Capital City, after the incident in the Great Council Hall and spending more than a day and a night reading in the Library Pavilion, Ren Jie had gradually adapted to his current life. Whether he adapted or not, he had no choice. After all, he had already come to this place and become this Ren Jie.

Just as he was considering where he should go from here, he suddenly felt the carriage slowly come to a stop, followed by someone outside shouting provocations.

Su Yu... Ren Jie vaguely remembered him. He was not in the same class as Ren Jie, Gao Ren, Gao Fei, and Fang Qi. They were in first-year Class A1, while Su Yu was in first-year Class A5. He was also one of the people constantly pursuing Fang Qi.

Ren Jie did not need to lift the curtain and look outside, because his divine sense could now detect all movements within roughly twenty meters. Normally, those in the Body Refining Realm could not project their divine sense outward. At the Body Refining Realm, divine sense could only be used during cultivation to gain internal understanding of one's own body. Only after reaching the Body Refining Realm Fifth Layer and attaining inner sight could one do that.

Only after reaching the True Qi Realm could divine sense gradually leave the body and probe the outside world. Generally, at the first three layers of the True Qi Realm, one could only sense three to five meters around the body. At around the True Qi Realm Sixth Layer, one could sense roughly ten meters. Only at the True Qi Realm Ninth Layer could one sense the twenty-meter range around one's body.

When using divine sense to investigate, so long as it was powerful enough, everything in the surroundings appeared in the mind like a fully detailed three-dimensional image, incomparably clear. Based on what Ren Jie currently understood, changes in divine sense did not come from increased strength alone. Rather, divine sense only rose along with one's realm as strength increased through cultivation.

Although there was no specific information yet about the relationship between divine sense and realms, many sources indicated that those with high realms also possessed powerful divine sense. Ever since Ren Jie listened to the Five Great Sages discuss the Dao for a quarter of an hour, he had clearly noticed changes in his realm. Because his realm had improved, his divine sense had now nearly reached the twenty-meter range only achievable at the True Qi Realm Ninth Layer.

Because his divine sense was so powerful, aside from hearing Su Yu and his men shouting, he also heard certain conversations among the crowd gathering around them.

"Wow, this is interesting. He got blocked the moment he came back."

"What's so special about that? Plenty of people want to cause trouble for Ren Jie now."

"He deserves it. Who told him to harass the goddess in everyone's hearts? If my family were powerful enough, I'd want to beat him up too."

"Young Miss Fang already said she never wanted Ren Jie to harass her again. Whoever helps her, she'll be endlessly grateful. I heard that Gao Fei has already been invited for tea."

The moment Ren Jie heard these words, anger surged up within him. He had only just been reborn, and he truly had no interest in dealing with the way the former Ren Jie had foolishly pursued Fang Qi and gotten himself beaten. But this matter was obvious: Fang Qi was the one pulling strings behind the scenes.

If nothing further had happened regarding the original matter, Ren Jie would not even have bothered with it. He would not do things or live the way the original Ren Jie had.

But now Fang Qi was once again targeting him with this trick. Damn it, she still wanted to mess with this Family Head? It seemed this woman truly needed to be taught a lesson.

"What, you don't dare come out? Are you hiding inside like a turtle with its head tucked in? If you're scared, croak like a toad three times and crawl into the academy, and this young master will let you off today." At that moment, Su Yu's voice sounded from outside again.

"Beast Uncle, charge through." Damn it, was he shouting provocations? Ren Jie did not hesitate in the slightest as he ordered Beast Uncle to charge ahead.

"Boom..." The instant Beast Uncle heard Ren Jie's command, he urged the Spirit Beast Carriage into a sudden burst of speed without the slightest hesitation.

"Hey... hey..."

"What are you doing..."

"Run..."

"Ah... Bang..."

"Bang..."

Chaos erupted outside. Though the suddenly accelerating Spirit Beast Carriage was nowhere near as terrifying as at full speed, even a slight movement was frightening. In Ren Jie's understanding, this Spirit Beast Carriage was as terrifying as a Lamborghini or Ferrari supercar. Even with only a few meters to accelerate, the impact was horrifying.

Fortunately, the people here were not as fragile as ordinary people on Earth, so it was not fatal. Still, everyone, including Su Yu, was sent flying.

They were knocked dizzy and disoriented, and several even suffered broken bones. Su Yu, who had taken the brunt of the collision and been flung away, fared no better. His folding fan had been shattered, his arm broken, and the bones in his chest were clearly fractured as well. The moment he landed, he spat out a mouthful of blood.

"Pfft... Ren... Jie... you..."

"What do you mean, 'you'? A good dog doesn't block the road. Anything that blocks the road is no good dog." Evil people needed even more evil people to deal with them; Hedonistic Young Masters needed someone even more hedonistic to deal with them. Ren Jie could not be bothered to waste words with people like this, so he used the most direct and effective method. Then he lifted the carriage window and tossed out several Gold Notes. "Take these as medical expenses. If I weren't worried about affecting the academy's reputation, I'd make you croak like a toad at this gate for three days. Beast Uncle, let's go."