Chapter 147: By the Cliff
The second round of the Grand Court Exam had entered its latter half. In the two most attention-grabbing matches between the Li Mountain Sword Sect and the National Academy, the National Academy had forfeited one and lost the other. The Li Mountain Sword Sect could be said to have fully reclaimed the face they lost at the Green Vine Banquet, while the National Academy was pushed to the edge of a cliff.
Although the matches were not team battles, and the Grand Court Exam would ultimately rank individuals by their personal results, the young examinees were not born from cracks in stones. Whether in the eyes of the world or in their own self-perception, their results represented the honor of their respective academies or sects.
The third contestant from the National Academy to step forward was Chen Changsheng. Because the National Academy’s universally acknowledged strongest member, Her Highness Luoluo, had drawn Tianhai Shengxue, who had already reached the Thorough Illumination realm, most people believed she had no chance of winning. Thus, if the National Academy wanted to avoid total defeat in the second round, everything depended on whether Chen Changsheng could pass this test.
Although he had won against that Huang Mountain Valley disciple in the first round, no one still favored him. Everyone knew he was the weakest among the four National Academy students. Now that Tang Thirty-Six had even lost, how could he possibly avoid defeat? A miracle? If miracles happened frequently, they ceased to be miracles and became something problematic.
The second reason no one favored Chen Changsheng was that the drawing of lots for the second round of the Grand Court Exam today was problematic.
Everyone knew someone had definitely tampered with the draw.
Chen Changsheng’s opponent in this round was Huaiyuan Academy scholar Huo Guang.
From any angle, this was the best choice—not the best choice for Chen Changsheng, but the best choice for those who wanted him to fail.
From Her Holiness the Empress to common peddlers, from the White Emperor and his consort far away in the Demon Realm to the storytelling artists in the capital, the entire Central Continent was watching the Grand Court Exam being held in the capital. With the announcement of his engagement to Xu Yourong at the Green Vine Banquet, and with the Archbishop’s declaration that he would win the top prize, countless eyes were fixed on Chen Changsheng.
Under these circumstances, those who wanted to suppress the National Academy and Chen Changsheng had to act more cautiously, at least not making the problem obvious at a glance. If the second round had Chen Changsheng draw Gou Hanshi, everyone would know something was fishy. Even if the Education Ministry didn’t overturn the table, the storytellers’ clappers in the capital would certainly sound many more times.
Huaiyuan Academy scholar Huo Guang was the perfect target.
This young scholar had been quietly studying at Huaiyuan Academy, never leaving the academy for practical experience, so he had never made the Azure Cloud Ranking. To those unaware of the inside story, he seemed very weak.
In truth, Huaiyuan Academy had no weaklings, and Huo Guang was a key focus of their training, prepared to make a stunning debut at the Grand Court Exam. How could Chen Changsheng possibly be his match?
The atmosphere by the cliff was somewhat heavy.
Tang Thirty-Six leaned against a poplar tree, watching Chen Changsheng’s back, and suddenly said, “If you can’t win, just withdraw. Don’t get hurt.”
Earlier, he had told Chen Changsheng they couldn’t afford to lose because he knew Chen Changsheng, for some reason, had to win the top prize in the Grand Court Exam. Since that was the case, he naturally couldn’t lose. But now, thinking that even if Chen Changsheng somehow defeated that Huaiyuan Academy scholar again, he ultimately couldn’t be a match for people like Tianhai Shengxue or Gou Hanshi, he wanted to take back what he’d just said.
In his view, Chen Changsheng was still very young, with many years ahead. With his talent and knowledge, who knew how far he could develop in the future? If he couldn’t get the top prize even by giving his all, why bother? Why not set his sights on the future, save his strength for later? Why be so harsh on himself?
Chen Changsheng waved his hand without turning back, because he couldn’t explain that although he was still young, he didn’t have many years left to waste.
He bowed to the Li Palace priest and then walked up the stone steps.
During the first round, the boot on his right foot had been shattered, so he had changed into a new pair.
These boots were brought by Lady Li from her private chambers—very new, but comfortable to wear, fitting perfectly. Luoluo must have secretly noted his shoe size.
Wearing these boots, he felt grounded and very confident.
By the cliff, Xuanyuan Po said to Tang Thirty-Six, “Want to rest a bit?”
Tang Thirty-Six looked at Chen Changsheng’s figure on the distant stone steps, was silent for a moment, then said, “No need. Give me the spirit stones.”
Just as the Heavenly Mechanism Elder had commented during the Azure Cloud Ranking update, he had been greatly influenced by Chen Changsheng. At this very moment, watching Chen Changsheng’s figure, he quickly shook off his earlier dejection and prepared to meditate to recover his true essence. There might be additional matches, and he at least needed to make the top three; otherwise, he would truly feel inferior to Chen Changsheng.
It had nothing to do with realm or results, but with willpower.
The Dust-Washing Pavilion opened, and Chen Changsheng and that Huaiyuan Academy scholar named Huo Guang entered.
The two stood more than ten zhang apart on the sand-covered ground, silently facing each other.
If one looked closely, faint traces of blood could be seen beneath the yellow sand near their feet, likely left by the examinees who had fought earlier.
“I’ve heard of you,” Huo Guang broke the silence, looking at him and saying, “Before coming to the capital.”
This Huaiyuan Academy scholar was about eighteen or nineteen, with a cold demeanor, as if he and his fellow classmates were cut from the same mold. In truth, their facial features didn’t resemble each other; the reason they gave this impression was that young scholars from Huaiyuan Academy all had a certain indescribable quality.
Chen Changsheng didn’t respond. He felt it was unnecessary.
“I knew I would meet you in the Grand Court Exam,” Huo Guang said calmly, looking at him. “Before coming to the capital.”
Chen Changsheng then realized that the suppression of the National Academy in today’s Grand Court Exam wasn’t just the work of people within the Great Zhou dynasty or the state religion; it even involved the distant south.
But he still didn’t speak, calmly adjusting his breathing and the flow of his true essence.
“To resist the demon invasion, the human world needs unity. This is an unstoppable tide. Anyone who tries to block it will only be swept into the gutter of history. And you… have already affected the process of north-south unification. Therefore, you cannot win the top prize in the Grand Court Exam, and even more so, you cannot marry Xu Yourong.”
Huo Guang said to him with a blank expression.
Chen Changsheng finally understood what that indescribable quality was.
It was like the feeling he got from the words of that country scholar on the last night of the Green Vine Banquet.
There had always been some people, some scholars, who believed in some very strange principles.
To establish a heart for heaven and earth, to establish a destiny for living beings, to continue the lost teachings of the sages, to create peace for ten thousand generations—so please, go die.
With an iron shoulder bearing righteousness, after you die, I’ll take care of your family, and I’ll take care of this world too.
Chen Changsheng shook his head. If it were only the first half, it would be worthy of respect. But with the second half added, it was no good.
He didn’t like this quality.
It was even more distasteful to him than the bloody scent emanating from Xu Shiji.
“Don’t worry, I won’t humiliate you with words. That’s meaningless and very boring.”
Huo Guang looked at him with an indifferent expression, though his eyebrows twitched slightly for a moment.
Perhaps at that instant, he recalled Tang Thirty-Six’s sharp and sarcastic words during the earlier martial exam’s dispute in the Boiling Forest.
“I will defeat you simply.”
He looked down at Chen Changsheng and said, “Draw your sword and accept your defeat.”
Chen Changsheng remained silent, not responding, nor drawing his sword.
Thus, everything Huo Guang did seemed ridiculous, like striking a sword at a wall or reciting a long lyric poem to the stars.
The yellow sand lay still on the ground.
Huo Guang’s expression turned cold as he said to him, “If you don’t draw your sword, you will never have the chance to draw it again today.”
With these words, a clear and powerful aura emanated from his body.
Chen Changsheng watched him quietly, slowly raising his right hand until it was very close to the hilt of the short sword at his waist, close enough to grasp.
In the end, he didn’t grasp the hilt.
He withdrew his right hand, closed his five fingers, and formed a fist.
“Very well.”
Huo Guang, watching his movements, felt greatly insulted. His brows slowly rose, and he took a deep breath.
An extremely pure overflow of true essence passed through his ochre scholar’s robe, stirring up a wind inside the Dust-Washing Pavilion.
That wind surrounded Huo Guang’s body like a barrier.
He carried a great sword on his back, but he didn’t draw it. Instead, like Chen Changsheng, he clenched his fist and then punched out.
With a booming roar.
The wind screen around him instantly formed a hollow. A fist, shimmering with a faint cyan luster and condensed from true essence, burst violently from that hollow, crossing the distance of more than ten zhang in an instant to arrive before Chen Changsheng. Even more astonishingly, more fist intents condensed successively within the wind screen, striking Chen Changsheng one after another.
Dozens of true essence fist intents, like real fists, came from all directions like wind and rain!
Inside the Zhaowen Hall, the giant light mirror, over ten zhang in size, clearly transmitted the battle scene from the Dust-Washing Pavilion to the eyes of the dignitaries in the hall.
From the moment Chen Changsheng and Huo Guang entered the Dust-Washing Pavilion, the hall had become exceptionally quiet.
The Archbishop hadn’t continued sleeping. He calmly watched Chen Changsheng in the mirror, his expression unreadable as to whether he still had the same confidence as before.
Suddenly, dozens of cyan lights appeared in the light mirror.
Though not present at the scene, just from the image, one could almost feel the imposing power contained within.
Xue Xingchuan leaned forward slightly and said in surprise, “Breach Army Fist?”
For the dignitaries in the Zhaowen Hall, the Huaiyuan Academy scholar named Huo Guang was only at the Meditation realm. The techniques he displayed naturally wouldn’t shock them. But considering Huo Guang’s age, the fact that he had cultivated the notoriously difficult Breach Army Fist to this level was still somewhat astonishing.
The one about to face these dozens of Breach Army Fists was Chen Changsheng.
Many in the Zhaowen Hall silently declared his elimination in their hearts.
The Archbishop’s eyes narrowed slightly, and his once-cloudy gaze sharpened again.
Mo Yu’s expression was calm, but her fingers resting on the armrest of her chair were slightly pale.
Prince Chenliu glanced at her, filled with many doubts.
(Happy Mid-Autumn Festival.)