"Fine," Jie said.

She snatched the boy's pouch and poured the contents into her own. The stream of gleaming beast cores and green healing pills was almost endless. It took nearly a full minute before the final core dropped into her pouch.

"How the heck did he get so many more beast cores than me? And how does he have healing pills?" Jie asked.

"I suspect he may have been cheating, either that or he succeeded at robbing others. Possibly both. That is a lot of cores," Ming said.

"But the elders took everyone's storage treasures... did anybody even have healing pills?" Jie asked.

"Not in this quantity that I could sense," Ming said.

"So, the elders are helping him win then?" Jie asked.

"Almost certainly," Ming said, "it would seem that his family has some clout in this area. Yet another reason why you should kill him and wash your hands of the trouble he would most assuredly bring you."

"I won't do that," Jie said.

Ming sighed heavily. "At least break his other arm and knock him out so he doesn't try to stab you in the back on your way there," he said, "he already tried to kill you when your guard was down once. If you'll recall?"

Jie chewed on her lip and stared at the boy. He flinched as he met her cold gaze, as though he could sense what she was thinking. He still looked as though he wouldn't even be able to stand on his own, but she couldn't deny that Ming was probably right...

Jie gritted her teeth. "Fine," she said.

The boy's eyes widened as she approached.

His agonized screams lasted only until Jie knocked him out.

Once she'd subdued him more fully, Jie dragged the boy across the forest all the way to the elders. They were talking among themselves, but their conversation broke when they saw her.

"What is this?" Elder Kanev asked, "What has happened here?"

"This boy attacked me. He tried to rob me, and I hit him. I didn't expect him to be so hurt," Jie said.

The elders looked at Jie at the ninth star of the Disciple rank, then the boy of the first star of the Adept rank, and back again.

"You did this?" asked one of the elders. His eyebrows were raised so high that if they went any further, they'd leave his head and move up into the clouds.

"Yes," Jie said, "I brought him back so he could be healed. I have no wish to see him die."

A few elders nodded their heads. Elder Kanev, however, did not. A vein throbbed on his forehead.

"How dare you assault another student and claim he's the one in the wrong! You're only at the ninth star of the Disciple rank! There's no way you could do this to him unless you took him by surprise! Clearly, you are the thief!" Elder Kanev shouted.

His aura expanded and washed over her. It was oppressive, but Ming's familiar, comforting aura washed over her and drowned it out.

She looked Elder Kanev straight in the eye. "I have no reason to lie. Your rules didn't forbid robbing other students. I told you the truth. Whether you accept it or not is entirely your choice," Jie said.

Elder Kanev stood with his mouth open like she'd just slapped him across the face with a wet fish.

Ming chuckled and grinned. "You just humiliated him in front of the other elders. You've made yourself an enemy before even getting into the school. I like your style," he said.

Jie flicked her hair, dismissing Ming's words. However, to the elders, it looked as though she were dismissing Elder Kanev and his oppressive aura entirely.

The vein in Elder Kanev's forehead throbbed like it was about to burst. "You dare..." he started.

Another elder cleared his throat. "Technically, she's correct. Whether she robbed him or not is not our concern. The strong reap the rewards and the weak must accept their place.

"That she brought him back rather than leaving him to die shows she honors our rules," the elder said, "I for one support her actions. Whatever they may be. Though she could learn some respect."

He looked at Jie meaningfully.

"But, Elder Gan this is Chen Liang's son..." Elder Kanev said.

Several of the elders shuddered at the mention of the name.

"What of it? Not even Chen Liang would dare go against The Crimson Academy. Many others from his family have been accepted, he would be a fool to throw it all away over a single child. Especially one who couldn't defend himself against someone a star below him. When the boy wakes, he can decide whether he's able to continue unassisted. If he cannot, he will fail the trial and a healer can tend to him before he returns to his family," Elder Gan said.

"I agree," said another elder, "Chen Liang is of little concern to us. This is a trial of strength, and his son has proven himself unworthy. Not only that, but the girl has followed our rules and ensured the safety of Chen Liang's child.

"If he wishes to be angry at anyone it should be his son for being too weak. If the Chen family wants to find trouble with our academy, they'll be crushed. All those in favor of allowing the girl to continue her trial?"

All the elders other than Elder Kanev raised their hands.

"It's decided," Elder Gan said. He turned to Jie. "You may return to your trial. You must still collect your ten cores if you wish to enter our academy," he said.

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Jie bowed. "Thank you. I will do so," she said. She turned on her heel and walked away.

Elder Kanev stared after her. He ground his teeth and darkness lurked behind his eyes.

***

Jie killed beast after beast in the forest, extracting their cores between cultivating. Finally, the three days were up, and it was time to return.

By this time, Jie had collected over two hundred beast cores. Not counting the ones she'd taken from the kid who'd tried to rob her.

She strolled back to where the elders waited, and many others did the same. Some held themselves straight, their chests stuck out proud and arrogant. Others hung their heads dejectedly.

Jie walked calmly. She'd collected more than enough cores to be accepted, and as for getting any additional rewards, that depended entirely on what the others had done.

Besides, she'd done okay, right? Maybe she could at least place in the top three and get herself a special residence with more Essence.

The elders now stood around a stone pedestal, Elder Kanev flicked his wrist, and a gleaming silver bowl appeared on top of the smooth stone.

"Form a line!" he said.

The children formed a line as they were told. A few pushed their way closer to the front, but Jie didn't see the point of that and instead stood at the back.

"We'll now see who has the right to enter The Crimson Academy!" Elder Kanev said, and his voice boomed throughout the forest.

The first child, a girl with long wavy hair, stepped forward. Everyone in line leaned over to get a closer look at what was going on.

The girl handed over her pouch, and Elder Kanev poured its contents into the bowl.

"Hmm... eleven cores... not bad... not great, but enough to pass. Wait over there with Elder Gan," he said.

Jie frowned. Only eleven cores? Did the girl just collect one over what she needed and then spend the rest of the time cultivating?

Jie couldn't help wishing she'd done the same. The promised rewards probably weren't even that great, and she could've gained so many extra hours of cultivation time... though she'd cultivated a bit as it was.

The next youth stepped forward and handed over twenty cores.

"Impressive," said Elder Kanev, "you may wait with Elder Gan."

The line of children chattered among themselves.

"Twenty? How the hell did he get twenty cores?" said one.

"I thought I was going to win, but I only have seventeen," said another.

The line continued as one by one they handed over their cores. Most barely had more than ten, and almost a third of them had fewer than ten and failed. Some of those that failed cried that it was unfair and that they'd been robbed by other students, but their complaints fell on deaf ears.

Jie was last in line and soon stopped caring. She didn't want to waste the time so she sat on the grass and cultivated while she waited.

Many of the elders looked at her with disapproval plain on their faces, but Jie didn't notice. And, if she had, she wouldn't have cared.

The student in front of her, a boy at the peak of the ninth star of the Disciple rank, stepped forward and handed over his red pouch.

The elders poured out the contents and counted them.

"Thirty-seven cores? We have a new first-place student," Elder Kanev said.

There was another round of chatter among the students.

"Hey, kiddo. It's your turn," Ming said.

Jie stood up and dusted off her robes, caring little for the way the elders and many of the children looked down on her.

After years of being paralyzed and unable to do even the simplest things for herself, it would take a lot more than this to embarrass her.

"What's the number to beat?" she asked Ming as she stepped forward.

"I must admit, I'm curious about what would happen if you handed over all your cores, but it's better we keep a low profile and just place first. Thirty-seven is the number to beat," Ming said.

"So little?" Jie said as she unhurriedly reached into the red pouch and drew out a handful of cores.

"I keep telling you, you're a monster, kiddo," Ming said.

Jie dropped her handful of cores into the silver bowl.

"Just five cores?" Elder Kanev sneered.

Many of the students laughed and Elder Gan sighed.

Jie ignored them and took out a second handful. The laughter settled down. Elder Gan smiled softly and Elder Kanev's face looked like he'd just eaten something sour.

"It would seem she passes after all," Elder Gan said.

"Only barely!" Elder Kanev snapped.

Jie drew out another handful... then another... and another...

Little by little, the faces of the other students turned increasingly pale and the elders' mouths fell open wider and wider.

She dropped the final core into the silver bowl with a soft plink sound.

"That's thirty-eight cores. I believe the previous record was thirty-seven?" Jie asked.

The elders and all the students looked at her, dumbfounded. Elder Kanev was the first to snap out of it.

"You clearly cheated," Elder Kanev said.

"How did I cheat then? Did you not search me yourself? Do you believe I have the power to deceive your spirit sense?" Jie asked.

Each of her words was like a slap to the elder's face right in front of everyone present.

His face turned increasingly red. "Your insolence will not be tolerated," he snarled.

"I'm sorry if I offended you, I merely wanted to ask how you could think I cheated?" Jie asked innocently.

Ming chuckled.

For a moment, she thought they'd heard him, but nobody reacted.

Elder Kanev ground his teeth. "If you did not cheat, then why did you not hand over your pouch as the others did," he said.

Jie shrugged.

"Does your arrogance know no boundaries!" Elder Kanev roared.

A young man with olive skin and wearing red robes of a slightly exotic style and far grander than those of the elders appeared with a gust of wind.

He carried two scimitars sheathed on either side of his hips. One of his hands was missing, cut off at the wrist, and replaced with a metal one. Though it didn't seem like it was properly connected to his arm.

"Enough," said the man. Though he looked young, his voice sounded far older and weathered in a way that seemed in stark contrast to his appearance.

Elder Kanev bowed his head.

"Yes, Headmaster," Elder Kanev said.

The Headmaster turned to Jie and smirked. "I imagine she didn't hand over her pouch because she wished to hold on to the rest of her cores," he said.

His words sent a cold shiver through the other students.

"She handed over thirty-eight cores, Headmaster. Do you believe it's even possible?" Elder Gan said. His voice held no hostility, only respect, curiosity, and disbelief.

The Headmaster's smile grew. "Let's find out," he said, "Young miss, you only owe us an additional twelve silver coins or twelve beast cores to cover your full tuition. As you've clearly surpassed our trial, would you like to pay your tuition and enter The Crimson Academy?"

As he spoke, his metal hand skittered across his body, climbing up his robes until it rested on his shoulder like a friendly metal spider. It then scratched his neck lightly.

Ming watched her with a stupid grin on his face.

"Go ahead, kiddo. This guy's already guessed it so you might as well put these weaklings in their place," he said.

Jie wanted to roll her eyes at him for finding all this so amusing, but she didn't want to offend the elders and the Headmaster any more than she already had.

She reached into her pouch and pulled out several handfuls one after the other. The crowd sucked in a breath, and when the twelfth core plinked into the bowl, one of the students fainted.

"She must have cheated," Elder Kanev snarled.

The Headmaster fixed him with a steady glare. "And how would she have done that hmm? Did you not ensure all storage treasures were taken ahead of time? Do you think someone managed to sneak into the testing grounds and help her?" he asked, "Or... do you perhaps believe an elder was aiding an applicant in this test?"

Elder Kanev gritted his teeth and bowed deeply. A drop of sweat ran down his forehead. "Of course not, Headmaster," he said.

"Mmm... of course not," the Headmaster said, but his eyes were darker than the ocean at midnight.

He turned his gaze back to Jie and all traces of his dark expression was gone as though it had never been. "Elders, escort our new students to their dormitories, and send those that failed back to their families," he said.

"What of the girl?" Elder Gan asked.

The Headmaster smiled. "I will escort her personally," he said.

Several of the other students looked at Jie with a mixture of reverence and envy.

"As you say," Elder Gan said. He bowed respectfully and left with the other elders and the children, leaving Jie and The Headmaster alone.

Well... apart from Ming who could probably eat him whole.