Chapter 114: New Faces on the Azure Cloud Ranking (Part 2)
As time passed, the silence gradually broke. Cheers occasionally rose from the autumn forest, seemingly because a student from the Ancestral Temple Academy had made the list. Soon after, however, the sound of a girl crying could be heard, as if a senior sister from the Azure Radiance Thirteen Divisions had fallen from around the ninetieth position to outside the top hundred.
In the middle and lower sections of the Azure Cloud Ranking, as in previous years, the most numerous were still the young men from the south, with the Eternal Life Sect and the Locust Academy having the highest numbers. The Eternal Life Sect, in particular, lived up to its reputation as the number one sect under heaven. All the academies in the capital, including the Heavenly Dao Academy, the Star Picking Academy, and the three academies present, combined, only barely outnumbered it.
Many people instinctively looked toward the guest courtyard, which remained quiet and silent. The disciples of the Li Mountain Sword Sect, including Gou Hanshi, and the students of the southern delegation, were staying there. Everyone knew that the Li Mountain Sword Sect was merely a subordinate sect of the Eternal Life Sect, and that aside from Qiu Shanjun and Gou Hanshi, the remaining members of the Seven Laws of the Divine Kingdom would surely make the list. It was just that their names had not yet been called. Thinking of this, the students from the Palace Annex Academy, the Ancestral Temple Academy, and the Azure Radiance Thirteen Divisions felt their spirits sink, even appearing somewhat dejected.
The academy teachers were well aware that the sword emerged from Li Mountain, and that the Eternal Life Sect's strongest young disciples were from the Li Mountain Sword Sect. However, they couldn't use this to console their students. Instead, they could only encourage them, saying that the southern sects and the orthodox national religion didn't differ much in their cultivation focus. The southern sects had always emphasized a rapid initial surge, but when it came to reaching truly profound realms, they weren't necessarily superior to the capital's academies. Take the Carefree Ranking, for example; there was no issue of the south being strong and the north weak.
Hearing these words of encouragement, the students from the capital's academies felt slightly better, but they couldn't truly be happy. The Carefree Ranking wasn't exactly a secret, but it hadn't been updated in years and couldn't accurately reflect the current situation. After all, with Qiu Shanjun and Gou Hanshi entering the Gold Point Ranking early, the southern sects had already taken the lead in two rankings.
Due to this mood, the autumn forests on either side of the Divine Path fell silent again. Of course, tension also played a part. The calling of names for the middle and lower sections of the Azure Cloud Ranking had ended, and the list for the top forty was now being announced. Not only the young, hot-blooded students, but even someone as stoic as Su Moyu showed a change in expression.
Chen Changsheng, however, wasn't very concerned about the Azure Cloud Ranking. He knew very well that it had nothing to do with him at his current stage. He wasn't like Xuan Yuan Po, who was born without needing marrow cleansing. Without successfully cleansing his marrow, he simply wasn't qualified to enter the Azure Cloud Ranking, even if he were the biological son of the Heavenly Mechanism Elder himself.
But this was his first experience with the Azure Cloud Ranking being updated, and his first time witnessing such a scene. He found it very novel. Watching the nervous expressions of his peers, he gradually became tense himself, finding it all very thrilling. Vaguely, many other emotions stirred within him, though they were not for others to know.
He looked at Tang Thirty-Six and said consolingly, "Don't be nervous. You just told Xuan Yuan the same thing—even though it's the Azure Cloud Ranking, fighting over a temporary position is meaningless. You need to look further ahead."
More than half a year had passed since the Azure Cloud Ranking was released at the beginning of the year. Apart from his formal match at the Green Vine Banquet, Tang Thirty-Six had no other notable battles to his name. And in that match, everyone could see that his strength was actually far inferior to Qi Jian's. With the Heavenly Mechanism Elder's wisdom, he naturally couldn't be mistaken.
Given this, his position on the new Azure Cloud Ranking was indeed difficult to predict.
"Fighting over a temporary position is certainly meaningless, but I'm already on the list. If I drop a few places, wouldn't that be shameful? I have to at least hold my original position."
Tang Thirty-Six's expression remained cold and proud, but his thin lips moved rapidly as he replied in a very low, irritated tone.
Chen Changsheng said helplessly, "Being this nervous, don't you think that's even more shameful?"
Tang Thirty-Six snorted coldly. "I told you, pretending to be lonely is very tiring. Besides..."
He turned and stared at Chen Changsheng. "When was I ever nervous?"
Chen Changsheng said, "It's easy to tell."
Tang Thirty-Six's expression shifted slightly. He grew a bit nervous and lowered his voice. "Are you saying I'm not acting calm enough?"
Chen Changsheng's gaze dropped slightly, landing on Tang Thirty-Six's slightly rippling sleeve. He said quietly, "Your hand is shaking quite a bit."
"That's because I'm bored! I can chat and laugh with someone like Gou Hanshi, what do you know?!"
Tang Thirty-Six's face turned a bit ugly as he growled in a low voice, while silently putting both hands behind his back.
Chen Changsheng smiled and said nothing more.
As they spoke, the announcer from the Proclamation Hall had already called out the thirty-seventh name. Next would naturally be the thirty-sixth—the number Chen Changsheng was most familiar with, Tang Thirty-Six's thirty-six.
But that person wasn't surnamed Tang, wasn't called Tang Tang, and had nothing to do with Wenshui.
The people by the Divine Path all turned to look at Tang Thirty-Six, some surprised, some puzzled.
The atmosphere in the field was a bit strange.
Chen Changsheng looked at Tang Thirty-Six and said with some concern, "There won't be a problem, will there?"
Tang Thirty-Six's expression remained unchanged, but only Chen Changsheng and Xuan Yuan Po, who were very close, could see his eyebrows twitch slightly.
"It seems I've improved this time."
He said this without any confidence. There was no way he could have fallen off the list, so if he wasn't thirty-sixth, he must be higher. But he couldn't figure out why he deserved a higher position. Based on his performance at the Green Vine Banquet, which even he found hard to stomach?
The announcer from the Proclamation Hall quickly reached the thirty-third position.
Applause and praise came from the Palace Annex Academy. Su Moyu calmly bowed. His first-place finish in the martial exam on the second night of the Green Vine Banquet hadn't allowed him to advance further, which surprised him. However, being tied with his position at the beginning of the year, he had no complaints. His goal had always been the Grand Examination.
He glanced at Tang Thirty-Six, frowned slightly, and felt a vague unease for some reason.
"Tang Tang, National Teaching Academy, Azure Cloud Thirty-Two."
At that moment, the announcer's voice from the Proclamation Hall clearly reached the autumn forest. A light murmur rose from the crowd, followed by discussion and surprise.
Tang Thirty-Six raised an eyebrow slightly. "I don't like being called Tang Tang."
Even as he said this, the joy on his face was undeniable. Besides joy, there was also some bewilderment. He truly didn't understand why he had advanced four places. Just as Xuan Yuan Po didn't understand why he had made the Azure Cloud Ranking... But he didn't bother to think about it. First, he would enjoy the glory of being in thirty-second place.
Thirty-two was really good, just one place above thirty-three.
He looked at Su Moyu, a half-smile playing on his lips, looking insufferably smug.
Su Moyu recalled the words he had exchanged with these people from the National Teaching Academy earlier. Even with his temperament, he found it hard to bear, and his face turned very ugly.
Earlier, he had said to Tang Thirty-Six: When your ranking on the Azure Cloud Ranking surpasses mine, then you can come and tell me that what I said today was wrong. He had also said to Xuan Yuan Po: When you can make the Azure Cloud Ranking, then come and talk to me. And in the blink of an eye, Xuan Yuan Po had made the list, and Tang Thirty-Six... had surpassed him on the Azure Cloud Ranking.
Silence fell on both sides of the Divine Path. The girls from the Azure Radiance Thirteen Divisions looked at Tang Thirty-Six with even more fervent gazes. The students from the Ancestral Temple Academy grew more silent, while those from the Palace Annex Academy, like Su Moyu, wore ugly expressions.
"What right does Xuan Yuan Po have to be on the list? And what right does he have to surpass Senior Brother Su?"
Finally, a student couldn't hold back and began to question the fairness of this year's new Azure Cloud Ranking. In the past, no one dared to question the fairness of the Azure Cloud Ranking, meaning no one dared to do so in front of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion and the Heavenly Mechanism Elder. Privately, there were always those who felt dissatisfied and unconvinced. Today, the faces of the Palace Annex Academy students had been slapped too hard by the new Azure Cloud Ranking, so someone finally couldn't help but voice their doubts publicly.
Such petulant words from young students wouldn't reach the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, and even if they did, they wouldn't be taken seriously. Naturally, no special explanation would be given.
But everyone present soon heard the Heavenly Mechanism Elder's commentary.
"This kid is too lazy. Otherwise, he would have entered the top ten long ago. Now that he's encountered an opportunity, he can't be lazy anymore. Very good."
For each person on the Azure Cloud Ranking, the Heavenly Mechanism Elder's comments were concise and clear. Everyone could understand the reasoning behind each person's position and where their strengths lay. Only when it came to Tang Thirty-Six did he not mention true essence or comprehension, only laziness and opportunity, along with such vague terms.
Countless eyes fell on Tang Thirty-Six.
No matter how skilled Tang Thirty-Six was at playing the role of cold and aloof, after receiving such a comment from a supreme expert like the Heavenly Mechanism Elder, he couldn't maintain his composure.
He said somewhat awkwardly, "I'm not lazy anymore now, isn't that enough?"
He understood that the "opportunity" mentioned in the Azure Cloud Ranking comment referred to leaving the Heavenly Dao Academy and going to the National Teaching Academy—more precisely, meeting Chen Changsheng.
With a companion like Chen Changsheng by his side, who would dare to continue being lazy?
Thinking this, he looked at Chen Changsheng and sincerely thanked him. "Hello, Opportunity Brother."
Those who heard and understood these words had subtle changes in expression.
Chen Changsheng didn't respond, more curious about another question. "So, should I call you Tang Thirty-Two from now on?"
Tang Thirty-Six's expression shifted slightly. He thought that didn't sound very nice. He would have to work harder at the Grand Examination to secure a better-sounding rank when the Azure Cloud Ranking was updated again next spring.
But... would it be the twenty-eight of the Twenty-Eight Constellations or the twelve of the Twelve Knights? Three was naturally excellent, but the difficulty was too great. Guan Feibai, Liang Banhu, and that wolf cub from the north wouldn't be easy to surpass. As he thought, he suddenly remembered something important and stopped.
He looked up at Su Moyu, the corners of his mouth slightly lifted, maintaining that half-smile expression, and silently mouthed three words.
"You were wrong."
Su Moyu's face turned slightly livid, but he had nothing to say.
The verbal clash between the youths was just an interlude.
Today, the Azure Cloud Ranking was the most important thing on the entire continent.
Xuan Yuan Po had inexplicably made the list, Tang Thirty-Six had advanced four places to thirty-two, facing the problem of a forced name change, and the Azure Cloud Ranking had been temporarily updated today. The National Teaching Academy had undoubtedly attracted a lot of attention. This once-glorious academy, after more than a decade of silence, had finally reappeared before the world. Who would have thought that its reemergence would be so brilliant?
But since the Azure Cloud Ranking had been temporarily updated, there must be an even more significant change. Even if it couldn't be as earth-shattering as Qiu Shanjun and Xu Yourong's rise, it would still be shocking enough. Such a change could only occur at the very top of the Azure Cloud Ranking. When the announcer from the Proclamation Hall reached the eleventh position, the first unexpected change occurred.
(These five strokes are so unfamiliar... By the way, while transferring drafts between computers, I randomly glanced at the earlier parts of "Ze Tian Ji" in my email, and I couldn't stop. Only then did I realize that "Ze Tian Ji" really suits my own taste. Ahhhhhhhh!)