More and more people were gathering in the Sixth Courtyard.
Once again Fang Yong had become the center of attention, fawned over by everyone.
That was how Jiang Man managed to slip into the courtyard unnoticed.
Before long, Zhao Leming arrived.
The moment he stepped in, he said sternly to the people below him, "Line up according to rank."
Everyone began adjusting their positions.
They split into two files.
Jiang Man didn't move.
He was the very last.
Soon a man stood beside him.
Plump and rounded in build.
Jiang Man rather envied him.
How much would a person have to eat to get that plump?
His family had to be well-off.
"Jiang Man, thank goodness you're here—otherwise I'd be dead last, and my family would never let me off." The man spoke with a chuckle, his face full of relief. He paused, then asked curiously, "You don't stink anymore?"
Gao Yao, the little fatty, was one of the bottom-ranked students, just like Jiang Man.
Back then Jiang Man had been somewhat dull and slow-witted, while Gao Yao simply hadn't wanted to cultivate, and his talent was limited.
"Is something supposed to happen today?" Jiang Man asked.
The little fatty looked at him with some surprise. "You're actually interested now? You never used to care at all."
Without waiting for Jiang Man to come up with an excuse, he went on: "September is almost here, and they'll be arranging training for the second half of the year.
They'll also see who qualifies to compete for the Wuyun Sect assessment.
The Sixth Courtyard has two spots, and nine times out of ten they'll go to Fang Yong and Luo Xuan."
With that he looked at the two at the very front, visibly envious.
Jiang Man followed his gaze.
One was Fang Yong, high-spirited and confident. The other was a serene woman, as though untouched by mortal affairs.
Fine features, silken embroidered clothes—one glance told you she wasn't village-born.
It made perfect sense for her to be first.
A wealthy family, ample resources.
They had already won more than half the battle.
With modest effort and decent talent, they could leave village-born students far, far behind.
To catch up would take many times the effort, plus extraordinary talent.
And such people were few enough to count on one hand.
"But none of that has anything to do with us. As the last and the second-to-last, we aren't even assigned to take part in the assessment—we don't even get a training plan," the little fatty said.
That remark left Jiang Man stunned.
He didn't even qualify to compete?
Fortunately he had made a deal with Teacher Zhao, so there should still be a chance.
Jiang Man confirmed it: he was ranked twenty-sixth.
Last in the courtyard.
The little fatty was twenty-fifth, second to last.
He was truly grateful to Jiang Man for taking the bottom spot off his hands.
"We've always been close. Whether I can take fewer beatings when I go home from now on—it all rests on you," the little fatty told him earnestly.
Jiang Man: "..."
The little boat of their friendship looked about to capsize.
"By now you should all have a clear idea of where you stand. If you want to fight for a qualification, you have a little over three months; the final list comes out all at once in the twelfth month.
After that, nothing can be changed.
Even if someone who holds a qualification dies, the spot will not pass down to anyone else.
So in these last few months, push hard when you should push hard, and risk your life when you should risk your life.
Miss this chance, and no amount of effort later will ever win you another like it.
You had best think it over carefully."
Afterward, Teacher Zhao handed each person a sheet outlining the merits and drawbacks of each ranking.
Then he came over to Jiang Man and the little fatty.
After a long, deep look at Jiang Man, he said evenly, "Come with me."
Some people were curious, but no one thought much of it.
Zhao Leming saw Jiang Man alone first.
"You understand how things stand today?" he asked, seated at his desk in the room.
Jiang Man bowed respectfully. "I understand."
"Any thoughts?" Zhao Leming asked, idly picking up a book.
Jiang Man considered briefly, then answered honestly, "I'd like a chance to compete in the assessment too."
Zhao Leming arched a brow at him and said evenly, "By Qingyun Pavilion's rules, you shouldn't have the qualification to compete."
At those words, Jiang Man understood: everything depended on whether the thing he brought out was useful.
If it wasn't, then the rules were simply the rules.
If it was, then rules were dead things—and people were alive.
Jiang Man took out the item hidden in his robe, set it on the desk, and pushed it across to him.
Unhurried, the man picked up the book.
A moment later he slowly closed it and said:
"By Qingyun Pavilion's rules, the two of you truly have no qualification to compete.
But rules are rigid, and to snuff out your drive over them would be rather inhumane.
Considering how hard your path of cultivation is, and how set you are on fighting for the last spots,
I'll make an exception for you.
The exception is made—yet it still comes down to whether you are willing to compete.
If you are, you must follow the Sixth Courtyard's arrangements and take part in the daily training assessments."
Hearing this, Jiang Man said at once, "I'm willing."
Afterward, Zhao Leming saw the little fatty Gao Yao alone, following the usual procedure.
Before long, Gao Yao came out wearing a bitter face.
He heaved a deep sigh at the sight of Jiang Man. "We agreed to give up together. How did you suddenly change your ways? Well, my talent is still higher than yours—you'll still be last."
When they left, each of them held a sheet of paper.
On it was written their situation.
Jiang Man's was the simplest of all.
August 17.
Yunqian Division: Qingyun Pavilion.
Rear courtyard: Sixth Courtyard.
Name: Jiang Man.
Rank: 26 (of 26).
Cultivation: none.
Technique layer: none.
Resources obtained: "Simplified Qi-Linking Method," "Divine Travel Step."
Plan: practice the Qi-Linking Method thirty times daily.
Score: 0.
Remark: room for improvement.
Only thirty times? They were underestimating me.
Nowhere close to the peerless prodigy fate, Jiang Man mused inwardly.
Just then Gao Yao stole a glance at Jiang Man's remark, then protested, "Why does yours say 'room for improvement' and mine says 'utterly foolish'?"
Jiang Man: "..."
Probably because I slipped the teacher a treasure.
The moment they set foot back in the courtyard, the others looked over.
Catching sight of the sheets in their hands, everyone was taken aback.
Who would have thought the two bottom-rankers would be joining the fight for qualification as well.
The little fatty looked rather sheepish.
"I keep feeling they're laughing at us," he said, nudging Jiang Man lightly.
Your feeling is not wrong, Jiang Man answered in his heart.
But he paid it no mind.
What do sparrows know of a swan's ambitions?
Soon they would witness the rise of a peerless prodigy.
Before long, though, everyone began cultivating.
At a time like this, letting yourself get distracted by other people's affairs
was wasting a golden opportunity.
Hadn't Fang Yong and Luo Xuan spared so much as a backward glance?
Then Jiang Man began cultivating as well.
He would keep working on the Qi-Linking Method.
First he would see when he could reach the ninth layer.
Only after the ninth layer would he raise his cultivation.
That had to be the best choice.
Still, he did glance at the little fatty's sheet.
Cultivation: Qi-Linking, first layer.
So it turned out Jiang Man was the only ordinary person in the whole class.
"As long as we both stick to our plans, when the new sheets come out after next month's assessment, the bottom spot will surely still be yours," the little fatty said with a grin.
Jiang Man smiled out of politeness.
Then he got to work on the Qi-Linking Method.
Thirty times was naturally not enough—he would practice the hundred repetitions before going back.
Chapter 7