Inside the Illusion! A Sensuous Scene
White jade token First place: Hong Tian Second place: Liu Yue Third place: Han Yue ... Black jade token First place: Hong Ye Second place: Han Yue Third place: Zhang Zhi'er ... Golden jade token First place: Han Yue ...
As Mu Feng explained, Ye Qingzhou and the others were also examining the three jade tokens. They discovered that the rankings of certain people were actually written on them.
Many people were puzzled, but their questions were soon answered.
After finishing his explanation of the three Mysterious Heaven Jade Tokens, Mu Feng continued, "You candidates have probably seen the rankings on the jade tokens. These are the assessment rankings for this year's specially recruited Inner Academy students. They're generated automatically after you pass the assessments."
"Anyone who passes a Mysterious Heaven Jade Token's assessment receives thirty Fire Energy points for a cyan passing grade, fifty for a blue good grade, and a hundred for a silver excellent grade."
"If you can earn an excellent grade on all three Mysterious Heaven Jade Tokens, you'll receive three hundred Fire Energy points. That's quite a substantial sum in the Inner Academy."
"Besides that, candidates ranked first through fifth can receive another hundred, eighty, sixty, forty, and twenty Fire Energy points, respectively. Candidates ranked sixth through tenth can each receive twenty Fire Energy points as well."
"If someone takes first place on all three, counting the excellent grades, they can earn a maximum of six hundred Fire Energy points."
A light flashed deep in Ye Qingzhou's pitch-black eyes when he heard that.
Fire Energy was the currency of Jia Nan Academy's Inner Academy, and its main use was to enter the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower to cultivate. The first floor cost one Fire Energy point a day, the second cost three Fire Energy points a day, and the third cost three Fire Energy points a day, and so on.
This Fire Energy was stored in Fire Crystal Cards. New students were initially issued cards with five Fire Energy points, and their Fire Energy balance could increase after they participated in the Fire Energy Capture Competition. Once they officially arrived at the Inner Academy, the system issued each cardholder a basic allowance of seven Fire Energy points every month.
When Xiao Yan entered the Inner Academy, he had turned the tables on the senior students and robbed them of their Fire Energy during the Fire Energy Hunting Competition. Even then, he had only accumulated three hundred Fire Energy points, which was already considered a huge sum.
Here in the Central Plains, however, students who passed the assessments could receive a generous starting supply of Fire Energy points as long as they performed well enough.
"Sure enough, preferential treatment exists everywhere."
"If Jia Nan Academy wants to recruit students from a place with more geniuses, but also more factions and better resources, it has to offer tangible benefits to attract talent."
Ye Qingzhou wasn't surprised by Jia Nan Academy's arrangement. On the contrary, he thought it only natural.
Although Jia Nan Academy was different from sects and other such factions, if it wanted good students to consolidate its position and compete with major factions, it had to offer tangible benefits.
"There's no set order for the assessments. You only need to approach within thirty feet of a Mysterious Heaven Jade Token, face it, and concentrate your mind," Mu Feng said with a casual wave. "Anyone interested may step forward."
Ye Qingzhou stepped up without hesitation, the first to walk toward the white jade token.
The instant he took his first step, a figure behind him moved at the same time.
Qiu Tao stepped out from the Qiu Family's group and headed straight for the black jade token.
The two arrived before their respective jade tokens almost simultaneously.
Countless gazes in the square immediately converged on them, watching with interest.
The Ye Clan and the Qiu Family had clashed again, just as expected. Anyone with a little knowledge knew the Qiu Family hadn't come with good intentions this time.
Qiu Tao stood thirty feet in front of the black jade token. Rather than hurry to take the test, he leisurely took an ornately carved rosewood chair from his Storage Ring, set it firmly on the ground, lifted the hem of his robe, and sat down at ease.
He opened his folding fan and gave it a couple of gentle waves before turning to look at Ye Qingzhou, a blatantly provocative smile on his lips. "A young master ought to have the proper trappings."
He spoke neither loudly nor softly, but just loud enough for everyone nearby to hear.
Several Qiu Family disciples immediately chuckled, playing along with Qiu Tao's show-off act.
Ye Qingzhou had originally intended to ignore him, but Qiu Tao's words made his mouth twitch. At a loss for words, he said, "Tell me, did you prepare that in advance because you know your strength is mediocre and it'll take you a long time to pass this assessment?"
"Or are your legs underdeveloped? Can't you even stand for a few breaths?"
The moment he said that, the scene fell silent.
Then a burst of irrepressible laughter rose from all around.
Over on the Ye Clan's side, several young disciples laughed aloud without the slightest restraint. Ye Xinlan covered her mouth, her shoulders shaking nonstop.
Even the Jia Nan Academy disciples in charge of registration and the students who had passed the assessments in other cities couldn't help the slight twitching at the corners of their mouths.
The smile on Qiu Tao's face froze. His complexion alternated between green and white as he snapped his folding fan shut and said through gritted teeth, "Sharp-tongued."
He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressed the anger in his heart, and coldly looked away.
"Just watch this young master take first place in everything and beat you."
"Then this young master won't even deign to go to Jia Nan Academy. Let's see how you, the second-place finisher, can show your face."
Ye Qingzhou couldn't be bothered with the fool anymore. He looked away and fixed his gaze on the white jade token ahead.
As he focused his spiritual power, the scene before him abruptly changed.
In a daze, he found himself in an antique boudoir.
Red candles flickered, gauze bed curtains hung low, and a faint wisp of incense floated in the air.
His gaze fell on the large carved bed ahead. A woman with long hair spilling over her shoulders had her back to him, her exposed arms smooth and fair as jade.
As though sensing his gaze, the woman slowly turned her head, revealing a delicate, lovely face. It was Ye Xinlan.
"Cousin~"
Ye Xinlan slowly rose and walked toward Ye Qingzhou with light, graceful steps, reaching up to undo her clothes.
Her garments grew fewer, the skin exposed to the air grew more abundant, and the amorous atmosphere seemed to deepen.
Ye Xinlan's cheeks were slightly flushed, her eyes shimmering as she walked toward him.
Ye Qingzhou stood where he was, watching the scene expressionlessly.
"Looks pretty convincing. The details aren't bad either."
"But I was born under the red flag and raised in the spring breeze. I'm not interested in minors."
"Give it a few years, and Xin Lan will be even more charming. The real one won't escape the palm of my hand either."
Without wasting time, Ye Qingzhou raised his hand and struck out with his palm, carrying the purifying power of the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame.
As the palm wind swept past, Ye Xinlan's figure caught fire and rapidly dwindled like a paper cutout, a look of shock and resentment on her face.
"Using this to test an old cadre?"
Ye Qingzhou expressed his disdain.
Just as he thought the test was over, his surroundings changed once again.
"Hmm?"
Ye Qingzhou was dazed for a moment.
That was because the scene was still fresh in his memory.
Half a year ago, in Sacred Pill City, Xuan Kongzi, one of the Pill Tower's Three Giants, had taken Cao Ying of the Cao Family as his disciple. The fifteen-year-old Cao Ying had become a core disciple of the Pill Tower and a personal disciple of a Giant.
He had been fortunate enough to go along and attend the ceremony, and there he had also met a woman full of charm.
Xuan Yi, one of the Pill Tower's Three Giants.
Her features were picturesque, her bearing transcendent.
A one-piece short dress outlined her perfect figure.
She had the allure of a mature woman, enough to captivate men and women alike and make countless youths experiencing the first stirrings of love blush and their hearts race.
"This illusion test is that exciting!?"