Chapter 40: People Live Up to Their Names

Zu’an couldn’t help but give a thumbs-up. "Brother," he said, "I thought I was quite the cad, but compared to you, I feel rather inadequate."

The young man wasn't offended. He closed his fan and smiled slightly. "It's a pleasure. My name is Xie Xiu. May I ask your name, brother?"

"My name is Zu’an." Zu’an thought to himself, *Indeed, his name suits him; he’s incredibly handsome.*

"Hmm, that name sounds familiar. I think I’ve heard it somewhere before." Xie Xiu tapped his chin with his fan, lost in thought.

Zu’an was about to speak when Cheng Shoubing, standing not far away, waved frantically at him. "Young Master, it’s almost your turn! Come quickly!"

Zu’an then cupped his hands to Xie Xiu. "Brother Xie, if there’s a chance in the future, I’d like to ask you for tips on how to be a cad— Pleh, pleh, pleh, I mean, how to pursue love."

"By all means, by all means. It seems you are one of us, brother. You are most welcome." Xie Xiu returned the gesture.

Zu’an returned to the queue. Hong Xingying, who was in front of him, snorted coldly. "Birds of a feather flock together, indeed. What kind of person makes what kind of friends."

Zu’an shrugged. "It’s a pity that someone like me can be with your dream goddess."

Hong Xingying was enraged. "How dare you insult the young miss?"

Zu’an smiled slightly. "How can matters between husband and wife be called an insult?"

"You!" Hong Xingying was about to draw his sword.

Just then, a staff member from the academy at the front desk tapped on the table. "What’s all this noise? Anyone causing trouble will have their admission revoked immediately!"

Only then did Hong Xingying turn back resentfully. He thought to himself, *I can’t ruin my future with a momentary impulse over this good-for-nothing. Once I enter the academy and achieve success, shedding my servant status, I won’t have to be restrained like this anymore.*

Zu’an sighed inwardly with a hint of regret. He then pulled Cheng Shoubing closer and asked, "What’s the deal with that Xie Xiu guy?"

Cheng Shoubing replied, "He’s the second young master of the City Lord’s family." He then leaned in and continued in a low voice, "He’s proficient in everything from music, chess, calligraphy, and painting to all sorts of trades and even gambling and carousing. The only thing he can’t do is cultivate, which gives his father a huge headache. He’s a well-known playboy in Brightmoon City."

*Just like you, young master,* Cheng Shoubing secretly added in his mind. But then he immediately shook his head. *How could the young master compare to him? Young Master Xie Xiu, at least, is skilled in so many things.*

"A dissolute young master, huh? Interesting, very interesting." Zu’an noticed Xie Xiu flirting with another girl not far away. When Xie Xiu caught his eye, he even gave a slight nod of acknowledgment.

"Next, Wei Suo!"

Zu’an was about to wave to him from afar when he suddenly heard the academy staff member's voice from the front. He was startled. *Could there really be such an uncannily apt name in this world?*

He squinted to see, and a small, skinny boy was called to the front. He had shifty eyes and a rat-like appearance, with two prominent buck teeth that made his whole demeanor seem even more wretched.

*His parents must have been incredibly prescient when they named him.*

He noticed the academy staff member took out something like a crystal ball. Then, they pricked Wei Suo’s finger and squeezed out a drop of blood, which fell onto the crystal ball. The entire sphere emitted a faint, almost imperceptible glow. If Zu’an hadn't been staring intently, he probably wouldn't have noticed the light at all.

"D-tier, mid-grade."

The boy named Wei Suo, who had been full of hope, walked dejectedly to the side upon hearing the result.

Zu’an was completely bewildered. He couldn't help but ask Cheng Shoubing next to him, "What are they doing?"

Cheng Shoubing explained, "This is for testing cultivation aptitude. Everyone entering the academy is tested. Based on their aptitude, they’ll be assigned to different classes and allocated corresponding cultivation resources."

Zu’an was surprised. "Little Bottle, how do you know everything?"

Cheng Shoubing puffed out his chest, looking smug. "Of course! As a qualified attendant, I naturally need to understand these things in advance."

Zu’an ruffled his hair, but a hint of worry crept into his heart. *I didn't expect them to test aptitude for admission. I've eaten so many Marrow Cleansing Fruits; by rights, my aptitude should be top-tier now. Won't the results shock everyone?*

*A good-for-nothing suddenly changing so much will definitely arouse suspicion. I wonder if there are any research institutions in this world that would want to slice me up for study?*

He had considered getting a drop of blood from Cheng Shoubing to substitute, but under everyone’s watchful eyes, with several academy staff members observing, it would probably be very difficult to cheat.

*Oh well, if I can't take the path of a hidden master, then forging ahead with unrivaled dominance like the North Profound Heavenly Venerate wouldn't be bad either.*

Just then, the staff member's voice called out another name:

"Ma Zhu!"

"Here!" A slightly plump boy scurried over.

The staff member pricked his finger and dripped the blood onto the crystal ball. The crystal ball then emitted a soft white light. If Wei Suo’s test had produced a light like a firefly, this light was like a bright incandescent bulb.

"It’s B-tier, top-grade!"

The people around them gasped in surprise, and even the academy staff members whispered among themselves. One must know that across the entire nation, top-tier (A-tier) talents were rare. Someone with top-grade B-tier aptitude in a single province or county could definitely be called a prodigy.

Ma Zhu clearly knew what this meant. After respectfully bowing to the academy staff, he walked down with a smug expression, looking exactly like a proud rooster, basking in the envious gazes of those around him.

Only Hong Xingying sneered inwardly. *To be so arrogant with just a mere top-grade B-tier aptitude, how shameful.*

He had waited for this day for too long. For years, he had prided himself on having the most outstanding talent among his peers. Not to mention the younger generation among the Chu family’s retainers, even compared to the young miss herself, he didn't believe he was inferior.

The only reason the young miss appeared more outstanding was that the resources at her disposal were far beyond what a steward’s son like him could access. Over time, this accumulation caused the gap between them to widen.

For years, he had diligently worked for the Chu family, flawlessly completing every task assigned by the master and mistress. No matter how difficult or exhausting, a mere glance at the beautiful and charming young miss made it all worthwhile.

Originally, due to the disparity in their family backgrounds, he felt somewhat inferior and knew he wasn't worthy of the young miss. So he quietly protected her, wishing her to find a suitable match, believing that would fulfill a wish.

Who knew that later, the Chu family decided to take a live-in son-in-law? This sent him into raptures, because young masters from well-matched prominent families would never agree to be live-in sons-in-law. Only sons from minor families and commoners would participate, which made him feel his opportunity had arrived.

His abilities weren't enough to bridge the status gap between himself and those prominent aristocratic families, but when facing these other participants, he felt no pressure at all.

One day, there was even a rumor that Madam Chu intended to choose him as a son-in-law. Everyone around him congratulated him. On the surface, he remained calm, but deep down, he was overjoyed. *No wonder the young miss sometimes smiled and nodded at me; she must have been fond of me all along.*

Thinking of the beautiful and noble young miss, soon to be his wife, and being able to hold her fragrant body in his arms every night, he couldn't count how many nights he had woken up laughing in his dreams.

But then, a bolt from the blue struck: the young miss had actually chosen a notorious good-for-nothing from the city as her husband. This sent him, who had been on cloud nine, plummeting into the dust. He also became the target of mockery for everyone around him.

After his despair, a torrent of fury followed. *Why? If it were an exceptionally talented young man, then fine; I would admit defeat gracefully. But a good-for-nothing like Zu’an, what about him could possibly compare to me?*

*Just because he’s handsome?*

*Impossible! The young miss is definitely not such a superficial woman!*

He racked his brains, and the only explanation he could find was that his humble status caused the young miss to always view him as a subordinate, never considering him in a romantic light.

So he begged his father to use his connections to get him into Brightmoon Academy. This way, he would have a chance to become an official and establish his own family, allowing him to stand before the young miss as her equal and make her realize he was a man.

*So what if the young miss is married? That man is a good-for-nothing. I’m confident I can win her back!*

The only pity was that the goddess in his heart was no longer a virgin, but as long as he could have her, none of that mattered. Moreover, wasn’t there also the second young miss in the mansion? Although the second young miss had a bad temper, at such a young age, her looks were already exceptionally captivating. In a few more years, she would undoubtedly become another peerless beauty comparable to the young miss!

*Anyway, I have plenty of time. I can wait for her to grow up slowly!*

"Brightmoon Academy’s history will remember this day. No, the history of the entire nation will remember this day. I, Hong Xingying, will rise from humble beginnings. I have remained silent, but now I will astound the world with a single feat. Everyone will be my stepping stone; everyone will pave the way for me. Everyone will witness this historic moment—a moment I have waited for for a very long time!"

Hong Xingying’s heart surged with grand aspirations.

"Next, Hong Xingying!"

Hearing the staff member’s call, Hong Xingying turned around and quietly looked at Zu’an. "Just you watch. See the difference between you and me. You don't deserve Miss Chu in the slightest. Only I can bring Miss Chu happiness!"

"Excuse me, teacher," Zu’an raised his hand and directly reported to the academy staff, "there’s a man here who’s obsessed with other people’s wives and constantly covets someone else’s spouse. Aren’t you afraid of admitting him and letting him corrupt the female students and teachers in the school?"

Hong Xingying hadn’t expected Zu’an to completely ignore his challenge and instead shamelessly report him to the staff. No matter where, tattling was not the act of a gentleman. Did he have no sense of shame at all?

Just as he was about to burst out, the academy staff member looked up, glaring at him disapprovingly. "Student, while our academy emphasizes cultivation, it also places importance on moral conduct. We hope you will conduct yourself appropriately."

Hong Xingying hurriedly bowed. "Teacher, you are right. I understand." He knew his impression score in the other party’s mind had plummeted, but it didn't matter. He would use his absolute strength to change their opinion.

Seeing that he didn't make baseless excuses and had a good attitude, the academy staff member secretly nodded. "Come over for the test."

Hong Xingying took a deep breath, walked over, and dipped his blood onto the crystal ball. The crystal ball suddenly released a torrent of bright white light. If Ma Zhu’s light had been like an incandescent bulb, this light was like the brilliant full moon in the sky.