Chapter 40

Zu An couldn't help but give a thumbs up: "Brother, I thought I was already pretty scum, but compared to you, I feel a bit inferior."

The young master didn't get angry, closed his fan, and smiled slightly: "You flatter me. I am Xie Xiu. May I ask for your name, brother?"

"My name is Zu An." Zu An thought to himself, indeed, a person's name reflects their appearance, so handsome it's unbelievable.

"Hmm, this name sounds familiar, I think I've heard it somewhere." Xie Xiu propped his chin with his fan, deep in thought.

Just as Zu An was about to speak, Cheng Shouping, not far away, kept waving at him: "Son-in-law, it's your turn, come over quickly."

Zu An then bowed to Xie Xiu: "Brother Xie, let's discuss how to be scum... uh, how to pursue love another time."

"Sure, sure, you seem to be one of us, welcome indeed." Xie Xiu also bowed in return.

Zu An returned to the line, and the person in front of him, Hong Xingying, snorted coldly: "Indeed, people are judged by the company they keep. What kind of person befriends what kind of friend."

Zu An shrugged: "Unfortunately, a person like me can still attract your dream goddess."

Hong Xingying was furious: "How dare you insult Miss?"

Anger from Hong Xingying +321!

Zu An smiled slightly: "How can it be called an insult between a couple?"

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

Anger from Hong Xingying +344!

At this moment, a staff member from the academy knocked on the table: "What are you all arguing about? Those who cause trouble will be directly disqualified from enrollment!"

Hong Xingying reluctantly turned his head, thinking he couldn't let a moment of impulsiveness ruin his future for such a wimp. Once he entered the academy and achieved success, he would no longer be a servant and wouldn't have to hold back like this.

Zu An sighed inwardly, then pulled Cheng Shouping aside and asked: "Who is that Xie Xiu?"

Cheng Shouping replied: "He is the second son of the city lord," then leaned in and whispered, "This person is skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, painting, and all sorts of arts, but he has made no progress in cultivation. His father is very worried about him, and he is known as a playboy in Bright Moon City."

"He's a playboy, interesting, interesting." Zu An noticed Xie Xiu flirting with another girl nearby, who nodded slightly in acknowledgment when he caught his gaze.

"Next, Wei Suo!"

Zu An was about to wave to him from a distance when he heard the staff member's voice, and he was startled. How could there be such a refined and unique name?

Looking closely, he saw a thin, small boy called to the front, with a weasel-like appearance and prominent buck teeth, making him look even more despicable.

His parents must have been very prescient when naming him.

He noticed the staff member taking out a crystal ball-like object, then pricked Wei Suo's finger and squeezed out a drop of blood, which dripped onto the crystal ball. The ball faintly emitted a very dim light, which he might not have noticed if he hadn't been staring.

"Average."

The boy named Wei Suo, who had been full of hope, looked dejected and walked to the side.

Zu An was puzzled and couldn't help but ask Cheng Shouping: "What's going on?"

Cheng Shouping explained: "This is a test of cultivation potential. Everyone entering the academy will be tested, and different classes and cultivation resources will be assigned based on their potential."

Zu An couldn't help but be surprised: "Little Bottle, how do you know everything?"

Cheng Shouping puffed out his chest, looking proud: "Of course, as a qualified book boy, I need to know these things in advance."

Zu An rubbed his head, but he was worried. He didn't expect that enrollment would require a potential test. After eating so many marrow-cleansing fruits, his potential should be at the top level now. If it shows up, won't it shock a lot of people?

A sudden change in a wimp would definitely raise suspicion. He wondered if there were research institutions in this world that would dissect him for study.

He thought about getting a drop of blood from Cheng Shouping to substitute, but with so many staff members watching, it would be hard to fake.

Well, well, if he can't take the path of a saint, going the way of the overlord like Beixuan Tianzun isn't bad either.

At this moment, the staff member called out again:

"Ma Zhu!"

"Here!" A slightly chubby boy ran over eagerly.

The staff member pricked his finger, and the blood dripped onto the crystal ball, which emitted a soft white light. If Wei Suo's light was like a firefly, this one was like a bright incandescent lamp.

"Surprisingly, it's a top B."

People around were amazed, and even the staff members were whispering. Nationwide, there were few geniuses with top A potential, and a top B in a state or county was considered a prodigy.

Ma Zhu clearly knew what this meant. After respectfully bowing to the staff members, he walked down with a proud look, like a rooster enjoying the envious gazes of those around him.

Only Hong Xingying sneered inwardly. A mere top B, how arrogant.

He had been waiting for this day for too long. In recent years, he had considered himself the most talented among his peers. Even compared to the young generation of the Chu family, he didn't think he was inferior to the young lady.

The young lady seemed more outstanding because she had access to far more resources than a son of a steward. Over time, the gap between them had widened.

He had always worked hard for the Chu family, perfectly completing every task assigned by the lord and lady. No matter how hard or tiring it was, just a glimpse of the beautiful young lady made it all worth it.

Originally, due to the difference in family background, he felt inferior and knew he didn't match the young lady. He silently protected her, hoping she would find a suitable match, which would fulfill his wish.

But when the Chu family decided to recruit a son-in-law, he was overjoyed. Talented young men from noble families wouldn't marry into the family, so only the children of small families and commoners would participate, giving him a chance.

His abilities weren't enough to bridge the gap with the noble families, but he felt no pressure facing these people.

One day, a rumor spread that Lady Chu intended to choose him as a son-in-law. Everyone congratulated him, and he was secretly elated. No wonder the young lady sometimes smiled at him; she must have been fond of him all along.

Thinking of the beautiful and noble young lady who would soon be his wife, and the thought of sleeping with her every night, he had many nights where he laughed in his dreams.

But the thunderbolt came when the young lady chose a notorious wimp as her husband. He fell from the clouds to the ground, and he became the target of everyone's ridicule.

After being disheartened, he was filled with anger. Why? If it were an extremely talented young man, he would have accepted his defeat. But how could Zu An, a wimp, be better than him?

Just because he is handsome?

Impossible, the young lady is not that shallow!

He thought about it and concluded that it was because of his low status, so the young lady always saw him as a subordinate and never thought of him romantically.

So he asked his father to use connections to get him into Bright Moon Academy, where he could become an official and build his own family. Then he could stand on equal footing with the young lady and make her realize he was a man.

Even if the young lady is married, so what? That man is a wimp, and he is confident he can win her back!

The only regret is that his dream goddess is no longer a virgin, but as long as he gets her, it's not a problem. Besides, there's the second young lady in the manor. Although she has a bad temper, she is already very beautiful at a young age. In a few years, she will be a beauty rivaling the young lady!

I have plenty of time to wait for her to grow up!

"History will remember this day, not just the history of Bright Moon Academy, but the history of the entire country. I, Hong Xingying, will rise from obscurity, and when I do, everyone will be my stepping stone. Everyone is paving the way for me, and everyone will witness this historic moment, which I have been waiting for a long time!"

Hong Xingying's heart was filled with grand ambitions.

"Next, Hong Xingying!"

Hearing the staff member's call, Hong Xingying turned and looked at Zu An quietly: "You watch closely, see the gap between you and me. You don't deserve Miss Chu, only I can bring her happiness!"

"Report to the teacher, there's a wife-lover here, always thinking about someone else's wife. Aren't you afraid he will harm the female students and teachers in the school?" Zu An raised his hand and reported to the staff member.

Anger from Hong Xingying +156!

Hong Xingying didn't expect him to ignore his challenge and report to the teacher so shamelessly. Tattling isn't something a gentleman does; does he have no sense of shame?

He was about to react when the staff member looked up, with a stern expression: "This student, our school values both cultivation and virtue. I hope you will behave yourself."

Hong Xingying hurriedly bowed: "Teacher, I understand. I will remember your words." He knew his impression on the staff member had dropped to the lowest point, but it didn't matter; he would change it with absolute strength.

Seeing that he didn't argue and had a good attitude, the staff member nodded inwardly: "Come for the test."

Hong Xingying took a deep breath, went over, and dripped his blood onto the crystal ball. The ball suddenly emitted a bright white light. If Ma Zhu's light was like an incandescent lamp, this one was like the bright moon in the sky.