“Zhu Liren, you need to learn to accept defeat and face reality,” Chen Jinbei said with a calm voice.

Though it sounded like advice, there was no mistaking the mocking undertone.

After all, it was Zhu Liren himself who had once used those very words to ridicule the scholars of Pingzhou Academy.

“I refuse to accept this!” Zhu Liren’s pride burned bright, his eyes red with anger. “So what if he carries the Haoran Qi? He’ll never overcome the Eighth Rank’s Life-Sealing Trial. That’s the real reality!”

“And so, I refuse to yield!”

Ancient texts recorded that those who bore the first strand of Heaven’s Primordial Qi rarely managed to pass the Life-Sealing Trial. To wield Haoran Qi required unparalleled virtue and character, a standard few could meet.

In the entire Dayan Empire, only the emperor had succeeded in harmonizing with Haoran Qi, his status as the ruler of the realm granting him the necessary authority and dignity.

To Zhu Liren, Lin Yi—a mere son of a poor private tutor—was utterly unworthy of mastering such power.

“He can’t pass the Eighth Rank trial?” Lin Yi’s mind raced. He resolved to ask Chen Jinbei about it later. If his path forward was blocked, how could he hope to thrive in this world, let alone rise as one of its leading figures?

“This isn’t something for you to worry about!” Chen Jinbei cut in, his tone calm but commanding. “As a favor to you, Zhu Liren, as a prodigy of Junji Academy, I’ve indulged this conversation long enough. Now get lost!”

There was an unmistakable sense of satisfaction in Chen Jinbei’s words, as though finally releasing years of pent-up frustration.

Nearby, Zhu Changyu, bruised and battered, crawled over to his brother and pleaded, “Brother, let’s leave. Now!”

“What?” Zhu Liren glared at him, his voice dripping with disdain. “Is this all the backbone you have? Are you really so cowed by some backwater academy’s lecturer? At Junji Academy, even the professors defer to me! Pingzhou Academy doesn’t even have a monument inscription, nor is it qualified to send anyone to the Sacred Academy!”

“Brother!” Zhu Changyu interrupted, his face pale. “Master Zhang is dead!”

Zhu Liren froze, his mind racing as his eyes darted to Lin Yi and Chen Jinbei. Finally, he gritted his teeth. “Fine. I’ll leave this time. But don’t think this is over. Pingzhou Academy, I’ll return.”

With a huff, he turned on his heel and stormed off, his entourage scrambling to carry the injured Zhu Changyu as they followed him.

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“Chen Fuzi, you’re just letting them leave like that?” Lin Yi asked as he helped support Su Huaizhi, who was still shaken.

Chen Jinbei sighed. “What else can I do? He’s Junji Academy’s prodigy, and it’s not as if you’ve come out empty-handed.”

“His brother’s practically crippled after you beat him senseless. Zhu Liren himself was thrown into a rage by your spittle and my intervention, and your display of Haoran Qi has shaken his very core. That alone could disrupt his cultivation of the Dao of Literature.”

He shook his head with mock exasperation. “You should be satisfied!”

Lin Yi rubbed his chin, considering this. “When you put it that way… I suppose I haven’t lost out. But no, wait—” He shook his head firmly. “I’ve been cheated!”

“Yi’er, we’re not cheated,” Su Huaizhi interjected, his tone unusually assertive. “So, what if I was expelled from teaching at that private academy? I don’t need to teach those brats anymore!”

Chen Jinbei sighed in exasperation. “What exactly did you lose out on?”

Lin Yi’s expression turned serious. “The Zhu family is involved with the theft of Daoist techniques from the county office. When I was falsely accused and made a scapegoat, it was all orchestrated by them. Zhu Changyu is in league with Zhang Shengcai!”

Su Huaizhi froze. Then, as understanding dawned, he stomped his foot angrily. “It all makes sense now! Zhu Changyu lending us money, smoothing things over to get you that temporary constable position… I thought he was being kind. Turns out, it was all a trap to harm you!”

“Despicable!” Su Huaizhi spat on the ground; his fury palpable.

“Are you certain?” Chen Jinbei’s expression darkened, a dangerous glint in his eyes. “If this is true, even as a prodigy of Junji Academy, Zhu Liren won’t escape retribution.”

Lin Yi nodded solemnly. “He all but admitted it earlier. Can’t you tell if they’re lying?”

Chen Jinbei hesitated before confessing, “No.”

“…What?” Lin Yi blinked in confusion.

“I can’t read lies,” Chen Jinbei admitted, his cheeks reddening. “Back at the county office, I only acted on instinct. Zhang Shengcai’s guilty reaction confirmed my hunch, so I acted. But Zhu Liren is different. Without solid evidence, I can’t touch him. Unless…”

“Unless what?” Lin Yi pressed.

Chen Jinbei stroked his beard thoughtfully. “Unless he’s expelled from Junji Academy. But that’s nearly impossible. In the entire Nanxiang Province, we have so few talented scholars, let alone someone of Zhu Liren’s caliber. Besides, the stolen Daoist techniques have already been recovered. Junji Academy will protect him and clear his name.”

Lin Yi frowned. “So, there’s no other way?”

“None,” Chen Jinbei said with a sigh.

Lin Yi clenched his fists but said nothing. He wasn’t in a hurry. Revenge, after all, was best served calculated.

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Meanwhile, the wealthy merchants who had expelled Su Huaizhi from their private academy now approached him with sheepish smiles.

“Master Su, we were wrong. Please accept our sincerest apologies…”

“Master Su, we acted poorly. We see that now. Please reconsider staying as our teacher. We’ll double—no, triple your pay!”

“Master Su, I’ll even slap myself for forgiveness!”

Su Huaizhi glanced at them; his expression cold. “Get. Out.”

The merchants stammered, some even trying to argue. “Master Su, we’re all neighbors. There’s no need to burn bridges. Surely you can show us some face—”

Chen Jinbei chuckled disdainfully. “Face? You wish to reconcile, but Master Su doesn’t. Soon, he’ll be teaching at Pingzhou Academy. You’re not worthy of his time.”

Turning to Su Huaizhi, Chen Jinbei bowed respectfully. “Master Su, may I extend an official invitation for you to join Pingzhou Academy as a lecturer?”