Chapter 106: Walking the Sacred Path
(After yesterday's chapter was posted, I read it on my phone and immediately felt my clothes soaked with sweat, just like Chen Changsheng. At the same time, many readers pointed out my mistakes. Yes, I made an error. I forgot that during the last Ivy Banquet, I got too carried away writing the exciting parts, only focused on the thrill, and broke all the limits set in my outline... Luo Luo did not reach Tongyou. Yes, that was the original setting. I've already revised the earlier text. My apologies. It seems that when writing exhilarating scenes, I really do need to stay calmer. But I think everyone understands—though I've been diligently writing about leveling up and realms all these years and have improved a lot compared to before, my ability in this area was really taught by a gym teacher... There's another chapter today. I'm not worrying about the next few days anymore.)
……
……
Because of the fervent gazes of the young female students, Tang Thirty-Six naturally had to maintain his cold and aloof demeanor. Hearing that remark now, his expression turned even colder, his eyes sharp as he looked toward the source of the voice, confirming it should be a student from the Ancestral Sacrifice Institute who had shouted.
Chen Changsheng reached out and stopped him, shaking his head at him.
He had come to the Li Palace today to see Luo Luo about some important matters and didn't want to waste time.
He couldn't simply let insults slide, but he wouldn't fly into a rage over someone's words either. Anger, jealousy, resentment, sadness, grief... these negative emotions were bad for the body and, aside from wasting time, held no meaning.
Tang Thirty-Six coldly glanced at the crowd from the Ancestral Sacrifice Institute and followed along.
Boos rose from the Ancestral Sacrifice Institute crowd, deeply dissatisfied with his warning glance. Someone shouted, "Isn't that the truth? Can't we say it? Didn the National Academy just start recruiting again this year? Are they trying to act as domineering as the Heavenly Dao Academy?"
Thinking of Chen Changsheng's attitude, Tang Thirty-Six took a deep breath and ignored them, deciding to play deaf for now. Later, when they finished their business and came out of the Li Palace, if anyone still dared to provoke him, he would deal with it then.
In the front hall area, the Ancestral Sacrifice Institute, the Li Palace Affiliated Academy, and the Qingyao Thirteen Divisions were connected by walls, their bells audible to one another. Passing the Ancestral Sacrifice Institute, they soon arrived at the gate of the Li Palace Affiliated Academy. Here, green locust trees lined the sacred path, their leaves not falling even in late autumn, lush and verdant, fitting the status of the Li Palace Affiliated Academy.
News of the National Academy's visit had spread across the three academies. More and more people streamed out from the schools, gathering along the sacred path, curiously watching Chen Changsheng and his group. On both sides of the path, especially to the west, a dense crowd stood, an impressive sight.
The students of the Li Palace Affiliated Academy under the green locust trees were the most numerous. Watching the National Academy people walking calmly along the sacred path, some felt a hint of admiration. If it were them, it would be hard to walk so steadily under so many gazes, wouldn't it?
"Senior Brother Su is here!"
A slight stir ran through the Li Palace Affiliated Academy crowd. The young students automatically parted to both sides, clearing a path.
A refined and noble young priest walked along that path to the front of the sacred path.
This young priest was the representative student of this generation at the Li Palace Affiliated Academy, Su Moyu. His status there was similar to Zhuang Huanyu's at the Heavenly Dao Academy. Not long ago, in the second martial examination of the Ivy Banquet, he had taken first place.
Winning first place in the martial examination of the Ivy Banquet was a great honor, but unfortunately, this year's Ivy Banquet had seen Luo Luo's punch cripple Tianhai Ya'er in the first round, and countless dramas unfold in the third round. All the spotlight had been stolen by the National Academy, leaving little attention for the martial examination.
Although Su Moyu had made no comment on this matter, he was still young, so he likely wasn't too pleased.
"Gou Hanshi... can't handle this person?"
He looked at the ordinary young man on the sacred path, puzzled, and said, "Could it be that the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion's assessment of Gou Hanshi is too high?"
To prepare for breaking through to the Zuo Zhao Shang Jing realm, he needed to use his true essence to help his teacher refine pills, so he had missed the third night of the Ivy Banquet at the palace and hadn't seen the National Academy's clash with the Li Mountain Sword Sect. He only knew about it through accounts from teachers and classmates.
Though many had explained the situation to him, he still couldn't understand how the National Academy could have defeated the Li Mountain Sword Sect, especially how that young man named Chen Changsheng could hold his own against Gou Hanshi.
Today, seeing Chen Changsheng in person, he could tell at a glance that this young man hadn't even succeeded in marrow washing. Without marrow washing, no matter how mature his mind, he couldn't calculate heaven and earth, let alone possess strong spiritual sense. That Gou Hanshi couldn't defeat him...
He could only conclude that Gou Hanshi wasn't as highly rated as the continent believed.
"Senior Brother Su speaks sense. I think during the Grand Examination, if you're cautious, you might not lose to Gou Hanshi."
A student from the Li Palace Affiliated Academy praised him. But since they were all knowledgeable, knowing that Gou Hanshi ranked second in the Divine Kingdom's Seven Laws and could leap from the azure clouds to dot gold in the blue sky, he was naturally extraordinary. So even when encouraging Su Moyu, they were measured.
But for the National Academy, no restraint was needed.
"That Chen Changsheng can't even wash his marrow. The Ivy Banquet was probably just luck."
That student from the Li Palace Affiliated Academy shook his head, looking at Chen Changsheng.
When he saw the junior sisters from the Qingyao Thirteen Divisions, and even some female classmates from the Li Palace Affiliated Academy, staring at the green-robed National Academy youth with infatuated expressions, he felt inexplicably stifled and said hatefully, "I think that Tang Thirty-Six is just living off his reputation."
Su Moyu frowned slightly, strongly disagreeing, and said, "If I'm not mistaken, these three from the National Academy will all participate in next year's Grand Examination and will be our competitors. This kind of contemptuous attitude is unacceptable. Tang Tang is a formidable opponent."
That student knew his senior brother was always strict and quickly said, "Senior Brother's lesson is well taken."
Seeing his expression, Su Moyu knew he hadn't taken it to heart. Shaking his head, he said, "At the Ivy Banquet, no one expected the National Academy to defeat the Li Mountain Sword Sect... Why? Naturally, not because Chen Changsheng is stronger than Gou Hanshi, but because Her Highness Luo Luo is too strong, and Tang Thirty-Six is also very strong."
"Most importantly, I trust the rankings of the Azure Cloud List."
He looked at Tang Thirty-Six and said, "The Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion ranked him thirty-sixth, so he must deserve that position."
"No matter how strong, he's still thirty-sixth."
That student from the Li Palace Affiliated Academy looked at Su Moyu admiringly and said, "Senior Brother is ranked thirty-third. He can never surpass you."
Su Moyu smiled and said nothing.
……
……
Chen Changsheng was eager to see Luo Luo and didn't want to stop, so Tang Thirty-Six had to pretend to be deaf to avoid trouble. But such is life—the more you want to avoid trouble, the more it comes looking for you.
They had already passed the Li Palace Affiliated Academy when another shout came from the Ancestral Sacrifice Institute crowd behind them.
"A guy who hasn't even washed his marrow—what right does he have to marry Xu Yourong!"
With a soft snap, Tang Thirty-Six stopped in his tracks.
But Chen Changsheng didn't pause, not even breaking his stride, and said, "If a dog barks at you on the road, are you going to reason with it?"
Tang Thirty-Six looked at his back and said, "Of course not. We'd pick up stones to throw at it."
Chen Changsheng stopped, turned to face him, and said, "The sacred path is swept so clean, just like Baihua Lane. Where would we find stones?"
Tang Thirty-Six knew what he was referring to, remembering their fight with the idlers of the capital, and couldn't help but laugh. Shaking his head with a few sighs, he walked up to him and said, "I thought after that day, no one would dare say such things to you."
"If Her Holiness the Empress said it, what could you do?"
Chen Changsheng patted his shoulder and comforted him, "...So just pretend you didn't hear it."
Tang Thirty-Six thought for a moment and said, "I don't feel comforted at all."
……
……
Seeing that the National Academy people had no reaction, not even the notoriously cold and irritable Tang Thirty-Six, the voice from the Ancestral Sacrifice Institute crowd grew louder, its mockery more intense: "So the National Academy is just a bunch of cowards."
Chen Changsheng naturally ignored it. Xuan Yuan Po listened to him, Tang Thirty-Six was numb, and Jin Yulu watched them from the side with a smile.
Tang Thirty-Six looked at his smile and couldn't stay numb anymore. He said, "Aren't you going to do something?"
Jin Yulu smiled and said, "I'm just a gatekeeper. The National Academy's gate isn't here."
That student from the Ancestral Sacrifice Institute stepped out of the crowd and shouted at their backs, "Chen Changsheng, you coward! Dare to fight me?"
Tang Thirty-Six didn't look back, shaking his head and muttering in a voice only his group could hear, "What a mess?"
"Sorry, sorry." Chen Changsheng apologetically patted his back.
Seeing the National Academy people still unresponsive, that student from the Ancestral Sacrifice Institute sneered twice and finally stopped.
Along the sacred path, Chen Changsheng and his group continued forward, drawing closer to that round hall until they could clearly see the hundreds of stone steps. By now, the plants along the path had changed from green locusts to pines and cypresses, still lush and green but with a chill in the air.
The Qingyao Thirteen Divisions were located here—this academy wasn't as important as the Li Palace Affiliated Academy, but since most of its students were women, the National Education Ministry had placed it in a relatively core area to avoid any issues.
Under the pines and cypresses, the young female students of the Qingyao Thirteen Divisions watched them—mainly Tang Thirty-Six—with excited expressions, yet too shy to show it too openly, deliberately looking away. Their demeanor was indescribably cute. Even Tang Thirty-Six, whose mood had been soured by that student from the Ancestral Sacrifice Institute, brightened a little.
Across from the Qingyao Thirteen Divisions was a quiet courtyard with over a dozen small buildings. Unlike the other grand and majestic structures in the hall complex, they had a serene beauty. This was the Li Palace Guest Courtyard, where the southern delegation for the Grand Examination was now staying.
Thinking that people from the Li Mountain Sword Sect and the Holy Maiden Peak were now in this courtyard, Chen Changsheng instinctively turned to look. He saw over a dozen young women standing under the snow pines, likely disciples of the Holy Maiden Peak, but no one from the Li Mountain Sword Sect.
The Li Mountain Sword Sect was a subsidiary of the Eternal Life Sect, while the Holy Maiden Peak prioritized the Southern Creek Studio. To be precise, the Southern Creek Studio was the inner sect, qualified to select disciples to come to the capital for the examination. Most of these young women should be disciples of the Southern Creek Studio, with considerable cultivation.
Thinking that these young women were Xu Yourong's true fellow disciples, living with her day and night at the Holy Maiden Peak, Chen Changsheng felt unsure how to handle the situation—as Xu Yourong's fiancé, should he take the initiative to greet them to be polite?
As he looked toward the Holy Maiden Peak disciples, they were also looking at him.
As Xu Yourong's fellow disciples, they were naturally very curious about this young man. (To be continued)