The Gold Leaf City exchange convention was formally opened.

The event was nominally styled a Prodigy-of-Heaven Wanderer’s Convention. In reality, it was a chance for the great powers to compete quietly, exchange resources, and trade information. Around the edges of the venue, temporary tents had been set up in numbers — vendor booths belonging to commoners, mercenaries, and various small traders. None of these people had any qualification to enter the venue proper, let alone the central hall of the convention, which admitted nobles alone.

Upper-tier society acted as though the commoners’ booths outside didn’t exist.

But no one could deny — the commoners were what brought life, income, and variety to the convention. Any city that hosted a successful convention saw a real bump in commercial vitality.

Trade and tax revenue — no one ever thought there was too much of it.

“Little Titan — how’s the haul the last couple of days?” His Excellency the Headmaster, escorting Yue Yang toward the central hall for the opening ceremony, remembered mid-walk and asked, casually.

“Ah, not bad. I’ve already spent four hundred sky-crystals.” At Yue Yang’s answer, Councillor Fan — who had been standing off to the side ready with a mocking remark — nearly toppled to the ground. What kind of spending rate was that? Spending money like water — even that phrase didn’t begin to cover it. In less than two days he’d blown through four hundred sky-crystals — that wasn’t spending, that was throwing money into the sea! Thank the ancient gods that the sky-crystals Yue Yang had spent weren’t from Councillor Fan’s own allocation. Otherwise His Excellency the red-tier Consul-Councillor would have died of pure fury on the spot.

“…” The black-bearded elder also drew a sharp breath. Four hundred sky-crystals — what on earth had he bought?

“Very good. Sky-crystals in the hand are meant to be spent, not kept.” The Headmaster nodded. His actual worry had been that his cherished student wouldn’t spend enough.

In his eyes, Yue Yang was the finest student in the world. The most filial, dutiful child.

Where money went — he was completely at ease about that.

The one thing he feared was that this boy wouldn’t have the heart to spend it!

The Headmaster did not press for the purchase list. He assumed it must have been for something useful — study or research necessities — not tasteless luxuries; the boy would never spend on such things.

Councillor Fan’s eyes were nearly bleeding with envy at the sight of the Headmaster’s obvious favor.

Why hadn’t his own school days brought him this kind of patronage from a headmaster?

It was maddening.

The central hall looked something like a soccer stadium, but far bigger. Below was a vast, luxurious open ground; there was no roof, and the interior was decorated with a half-castle structure and several needle-thin spire towers. Only nobles of the highest rank were qualified to attend the upper castle. Council-rank people like Councillor Fan actually did count for something in ordinary company — but attending the upper-nobility gathering was firmly beyond them. Of the many officials and dignitaries who had come from Silver Maple City, only “renowned figures” like the Headmaster were qualified to attend.

“Have a look around down here first. I’m going to catch up with a few old friends. If it’s possible, I’ll come back and introduce you to some of them.” The Headmaster clearly wanted to bring Yue Yang up to the upper level — but Yue Yang was not yet ready to reveal himself as the lord of Star Diamond Castle. He declined.

The Headmaster assumed Yue Yang wanted to keep a low profile for his flying-war-doll research. And also feared that someone finding out about his prize student would try to poach him.

So he didn’t insist.

As for Yue Yang’s own wish to attend the Millennium Great Sage’s lectures and receive his teaching — the Headmaster of course intended to facilitate it fully. If possible, he even wanted to arrange a private session for Yue Yang with the Millennium Great Sage…

The Gold Leaf City Lord, flanked by dozens of powerful figures —

Presided over the convention’s opening ceremony.

A standard opening speech; a stretch of passionate encouragement; a survey of the past and the horizons of the future. Listening, Yue Yang was dozing off — the sort of speech that would run daily in the meeting rooms of officialdom back home in the Celestial Court, entirely by-the-numbers. Yue Yang sometimes felt lucky that before he had crossed over he had only been a shut-in, not somebody in officialdom — otherwise living every day speaking or listening to this stomach-turning empty formula would have been the greatest torment of a life. And after crossing over, neither the composed, practical Emperor Jun Wuyou of Great Xia nor Emperor Tianluo, who hid in his palace-on-the-water skipping court, had been the kind of superior who spoke only to spout nothing…

When the speech ended, applause broke out like a tide.

Then several more “leaders” gave their addresses. Down below, everyone put on a face of rapt attention — but each one of them was mentally elsewhere, essentially in the same state as Yue Yang, who was now openly yawning.

Then came speeches by various representatives — for example, the elite student representative of the Prodigy-of-Heaven Wanderers, the Gold Leaf City Lord’s fourth son “Jin Qi.”

A reincarnator who had supposedly invented the “Strong Magnetic War Doll.”

Yue Yang had initially thought this Jin Qi wasn’t bad. Someone who could invent Strong Magnetic War Dolls — the battlefield potential of such a war doll wouldn’t be inferior to Heavens-Splitting Demon Lord’s Stealth War Doll. But mid-way through, when Yue Yang asked around a bit about the Strong Magnetic War Doll, the Headmaster showed unreserved contempt. He didn’t say so outright — but he strongly implied that the real creator of the Strong Magnetic War Doll was someone else, and not this Jin Qi.

Hearing that, Yue Yang lost any inclination to waste further time on this Jin Qi.

Cheats and reputation-thieves. No wonder the Headmaster despised him.

Fair enough, when you thought about it.

A monster like Heavens-Splitting Demon Lord, with tens of thousands of years of accumulated knowledge, had only just managed to invent one Stealth War Doll. On what basis would this near-nobody Jin Qi have invented a Strong Magnetic War Doll? Was some little Jin Qi to be spoken of in the same breath as Heavens-Splitting Demon Lord or Ji Wuri? Even Light Hall Master Zhonghua, even Heaven’s Domain Emperor Captain Kirk, wouldn’t dare talk that way — wouldn’t dare say they had casually, inside the Human Valley, developed some unprecedented brand-new war doll… The only true monster of a genius in the world, the only one to reach a monstrous prodigy’s level, was one: Yue Yang, who had won the knowledge inheritance, the ancient rune imprints, full connection to all twelve zodiac houses, the resonance with the World Tree’s sky-ladder, the crown-of-the-head epiphany with the Sky Giant Formation’s ancient core, and other adventures beyond counting.

Anyone else, honestly, could not, like a transmigrator, casually crank out flying war dolls in batches!

And on top of that, Yue Yang had the twin practical experiences of Her Majesty Empress Vivienne and Sister Fourth Mother’s successes inside the Human Valley to draw on!

“How can you be so ill-mannered? When a dignitary is speaking, you show no respect. That alone is unforgivable. And you don’t even observe basic decorum — you deliberately act flippantly. Your conduct is appalling. I really don’t know how you got to be a noble. Perhaps you are one of those legendary low-tier con artists who impersonate the nobility!” Standing beside Yue Yang was the student representative of Flame Sun City. This young man was probably a bosom-friend of Gold Leaf City’s Jin Qi. Watching Yue Yang yawn nonstop, he was seething. If not for the noble propriety expected of him, he’d have thrown Yue Yang out of the venue.

“Held back a year, are you?” Yue Yang gave him a one-eighth-of-an-eye glance.

By “held back a year” Yue Yang meant a person who couldn’t crack the top ten at the newcomer’s Life Assessment Ceremony — no outstanding rating, and thus no formal elite acknowledgment from Life Assessment.

If that standard were applied to a mercenary, the mercenary wouldn’t care.

Get out early — the earlier the better; top ten, outstanding rating, all that — compared to the pressure of making a living, that stuff was all cloud in the sky.

But nobles couldn’t take it lightly. Especially nobles with real status. Failing to place in the outstanding tier at Life Assessment and getting only a passing grade — they couldn’t stomach it. There was no survival pressure on them, so they’d just stay at school; like the rice-worm hold-back students in Yue Yang’s own class, they’d repeat and repeat, term after term after term, grinding through until they finally did get into the top ten.

If it was a reincarnator, the pressure was even heavier.

But if it was a reincarnator descendant born inside the Human Valley — those never even thought about leaving. They had time to burn; there was no hurry; the only thing they cared about was current honor and their future position in society.

Yue Yang openly labeling him a hold-back-year student was pouring salt into the proudest wound of a proud noble.

A psychic strike straight at the sore spot.

What kind of a noble are you, exactly?

That arrogance of yours — who exactly are you performing it for?

You can’t even crack the top ten. What separates you from a commoner?

“Very well. You’re a new student, apparently. Let me see what this little bean-sprout of a first-year can actually do! Unless you can win the championship at the newcomer’s Life Assessment, you have no standing to mock a member of an established noble house — someone who is refining and refining his specialization, willingly staying on at school to endure the malicious ridicule of small-minded people.” The Flame Sun City student representative struck back with a cold sneer.

“However well you dress it up, it doesn’t change the fact that you failed to place at Life Assessment and could not graduate.” That line put the other party at a loss for words.

“Have you come here deliberately to pick a fight with me?” The Flame Sun City rep was livid.

“I only want to say one thing: since you are of an established noble house, don’t bark like a mad dog and bite people at random.” Yue Yang didn’t even bother to look at him from the corner of his eye. “Provoking people you shouldn’t provoke is not smart. I would advise you to know yourself, and not turn yourself into someone else’s joke.”

“You — I can’t be bothered debating with a con-man like you.” A companion of the Flame Sun City rep tugged at his sleeve. He forcibly swallowed his anger down.

“Beyond showing off your infinitely low IQ, what else can you do?” Coming to Yue Yang to pick a fight? A transmigrator? Suicide. In his time back in the Celestial Court, the transmigrator had faced every kind of internet troll and toxic keyboard warrior — and he wasn’t even trying. If he actually got serious the target would already be on the floor bleeding from the seven orifices.

“Nonsense!” The Flame Sun City representative looked like he might cough up blood.

“Classmate — this new student, may I ask where you’re from? I am Chimu of Silver Moon City. Might we get to know one another?” Out of the crowd, a young man in fine brocade robes stepped forward with a striking presence. He offered Yue Yang a nod of respect, expressed friendliness, and seemed genuinely interested — wanting to make a friend.

“Ahem — Young Master Twilight, please don’t do anything that will cause us trouble.” At the Flame Sun City rep’s side, a companion of ordinary build but somewhat gloomy manner strongly counseled this Chimu of Silver Moon City not to make friends with Yue Yang — especially given Yue Yang had just broken with them and traded insults, that would be tantamount to betraying his own party.

“I, Chimu, am of age. I can make my own decisions. I no longer seem to require being told what to do.” The brocade-robed young man shook his head with a small laugh and shrugged his shoulders.

“You truly aren’t going to think of the old days as one of the Four Sons of the Light Alliance?” The Flame Sun City student rep was so angry his face was contorting.

“Each of us makes his own friends, don’t we?” The brocade-robed young Chimu smiled again.

“Very well then. I, Yangping, am done with you. From today on we go our separate ways.” The Flame Sun City student rep bit down his fury and left with his companion, still bitter. The gloomy companion glanced back at Yue Yang once, as if committing the face of this troublemaker firmly to memory.

Chimu, in his fine robes, kept smiling in the face of his companion’s rage.

Behind him was another companion — as delicately pretty as a young woman — who now murmured softly: “Little Mu, is doing this really all right?”

The brocade-robed young man shook his head: “The Four Sons of the Light Alliance means the actual four, not this Yangping. If it were his elder brother Young Master Yangquan saying so, that would be one thing. But he’s only a second-born from a concubine — what does he count for?” Then he turned his face back to Yue Yang and — like an old friend — introduced his companion: “This is Young Master Mingzhu, from Baoshi Valley of Baoshi City. He may look like a young lady, but on a battlefield, he’s the kind of madman everyone fears. Champion of the Prodigy-of-Heaven newcomer challenge tournament. Overall champion of the individual King’s Match. And in the Human Valley Assessment Ceremony’s greatest challenge — the fastest-recorded takedown of the one hundred and eight war dolls — that record was set and is still held by him. I, Young Master Twilight, have a small name in the Human Valley too, but in single combat I truly can’t compare with Young Master Mingzhu.”

Yue Yang, hearing this, gave the delicate, feminine-faced young man a slow once-over, and suddenly smiled: “In a woman’s dress, no one would guess you’re a man.”

The handsome young man’s face flushed. His cheeks were like beautiful jade brushed with a touch of rouge. He balled his fist, then unclenched it, and turned eyes on Yue Yang that were more beautiful than any woman’s: “Insolent. You are unspeakably rude. If not for the fact that you are a new student, for a remark like that I would be forced to formally challenge you to combat!”

Yue Yang raised his hand quickly: “Fine, fine — my apologies!”

Mingzhu, the beautiful young man, was still furious after hearing it: “You — you have no sincerity in that apology!”

“An apology without sincerity is still an apology.” Yue Yang’s logic was purely twisted-scholar logic.

“You, you…” Mingzhu was so angry he couldn’t get words out.

“Interesting. That Yangping fool is one thing, but I’ve truly never seen someone dare to be discourteous to Young Master Mingzhu. I must say — your nerve is not ordinary. Interesting new student — what is your name? Where do you come from? Who is your teacher? I really want to know — what kind of teacher raises a student this audacious and this hilarious.” Chimu, in fine robes, was laughing loudly.

“Let’s keep that a secret for now!” Yue Yang waved goodbye to the two: “There are things in the world that stop being fun the moment you speak them out loud. And even if you don’t say them, when the time is right, you’ll know anyway.”

“Hey. Aren’t you being a bit too mysterious? You won’t even tell us your name?” Chimu was staring.

“He simply has no sincerity!” The beautiful young Mingzhu passed his verdict — Yue Yang was sentenced.

After Yue Yang left, the two of them looked at each other and shook their heads.

The beautiful young Mingzhu was frowning.

If an ordinary man frowned like this, he’d become an immediate face-plant of ugliness, but no — Young Master Mingzhu was different. His frown was not remotely ugly. It was more heart-catching than the frowns of many beauties. Truly a strange thing!

The brocade-robed young Chimu was also frowning, bitter-melon deep in thought, and then he suddenly clapped his hands: “Got it. This kid — I feel like we’ve seen him somewhere before!”

The beautiful young Mingzhu denied it at once: “Impossible. We’ve never seen him before in our lives.”

Chimu asked back: “Then why do I have this feeling of familiarity?”

Mingzhu let out a small cold laugh: “Familiarity? Are you sure? Are you sure it isn’t the kindred stench of two fools of the same kind recognizing each other?”

(End of Chapter 1078)