Chapter 181: First Place, Slow Down
Shining upon the world, bringing the light and heat needed for life, yet not harsh or scorching, evening glow and morning glow truly have no difference; the latter appears a little later, but is equally brilliant. Chen Changsheng began his cultivation only after arriving in the capital from Xining Town. Watching the sun set in the west before he had even set foot on the mountain path, he ultimately surpassed many who had gone before him, even people like Gou Hanshi, and was the first to reach the mountaintop.
"Is he the top name in this year's Grand Examination?"
"Is it really that Chen Changsheng?"
"Could there be some mistake?"
The people outside the Li Palace watched the National Academy youths slowly approaching in the afterglow of the Divine Path, discussing endlessly, their faces full of disbelief, while even more were too shocked to speak at all.
After the Ivy Banquet, because of his engagement to Xu Yourong, Chen Changsheng became a celebrity in the capital. At that time, he was the object of the capital's citizens' hostility and ridicule, and a proverb was even coined specifically for him: a toad lusting after swan meat, wishful thinking.
On the day the Azure Cloud Rankings were updated, when the Archpriest made the proclamation on behalf of Chen Changsheng that he would take the top spot in the Grand Examination, no one took it seriously. Instead, it drew even more ridicule and contempt. No one believed he could truly achieve this; they only waited to see Chen Changsheng's expression when the Grand Examination ended and he came away with nothing.
This year's Grand Examination was lively, but what the citizens cared about most was how, after it ended, they could fully vent their mockery at the wishful-thinking, delusional Chen Changsheng. Yet who could have imagined that the wishful thinking would become reality, that the delusion would miraculously come true? That youth from the National Academy, who couldn't even cultivate a few months ago, had actually taken the top spot in the Grand Examination!
Yes, the top name in this year's Grand Examination was not Gou Hanshi, not any one of the Seven Laws of the Divine Kingdom, not Tianhai Shengsue, not Zhe Xiu, not Zhuang Huanyu, and not the young scholar from Huaiyuan Academy.
It was Chen Changsheng.
No one wanted to believe this result, but it was the truth. Many people, especially those who had ceaselessly mocked Chen Changsheng before the Grand Examination, felt their faces burning, even aching.
Even though it was the truth, people still couldn't accept it, couldn't understand it. The silence inside and outside the Li Palace was broken by murmurs of discussion, and the specific details of the Grand Examination matches spread quickly.
The next moment, both sides of the Divine Path and the area inside and outside the Li Palace instantly became even quieter, then exploded with a roar.
Chen Changsheng had actually reached the Ethereal Opening realm during the Grand Examination matches? And moreover, during his decisive battle with Gou Hanshi? How was that possible? Based on the level Chen Changsheng had displayed before, just taking the top spot in the Grand Examination today was already incredibly legendary. But for him to reach Ethereal Opening during the Grand Examination itself made that legend almost impossibly intense!
Fifteen years old and reaching Ethereal Opening? Did they understand what this meant?
The significance of this event was almost comparable to the top spot in the Grand Examination itself!
The setting sun slanted across the Divine Path, casting Chen Changsheng's shadow very long.
On both sides of the Divine Path were several academies directly under the Li Palace. Beyond the stone pillars further ahead were tens of thousands of citizens. Hidden in the shade of the trees were many important figures.
Regardless of who they were, as they watched that youth on the Divine Path, it was hard to hide the shock on their faces.
Su Moyu sat in a wheelchair, pushed by a classmate from the Li Palace Affiliated Academy, under the trees by the side of the path.
He looked at Chen Changsheng, thinking of the words he had spoken here a few days ago, his emotions somewhat complex.
Chen Changsheng looked at him and nodded in greeting. Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, it wasn't convenient to talk, so he used his eyes to inquire about his injuries. Su Moyu indicated there was no major problem, then bowed respectfully.
Chen Changsheng stopped walking and returned the bow calmly.
Many examinees who had finished the Grand Examination hadn't left yet and were also watching Chen Changsheng. But not everyone had Su Moyu's grace; their expressions were rather unpleasant.
Zhuang Huanyu sat in a carriage from the Heavenly Dao Academy, lifting a corner of the curtain to look at the figure of the youth slowly walking out of the Li Palace under the gaze of countless eyes. A look of unwillingness appeared on his pale face.
The four Huaiyuan Academy students, led by Zhong Hui, stood at the Stele Hall in the northwest corner of the Li Palace, watching Chen Changsheng in the distance, their faces showing anger and bewilderment.
Yes, no matter how angrily and unwillingly they watched Chen Changsheng, in the end, it could only turn into bewilderment. Because from today onwards, these names that once shone brightly on the Azure Cloud Rankings would all become dim and insignificant before Chen Changsheng. Moreover, they had even lost the qualification to compare themselves with him.
Their names had all been engraved high on the Azure Cloud Rankings, and presumably would continue to stay there in the future. But Chen Changsheng's name had never appeared on the Azure Cloud Rankings, and it never would again.
Luo Luo went from ninth to second on the Azure Cloud Rankings. Xu Yourong took the top spot as soon as she entered the Azure Cloud Rankings. Qiu Shanjun did the same, directly causing the Azure Cloud Rankings to be temporarily updated three times, shocking the entire continent.
But what Chen Changsheng had done was even more unbelievable.
He had never entered the Azure Cloud Rankings, and this year he didn't need to enter it either, because he had already reached Ethereal Opening. Even if he were to enter a ranking, it would have to be the Golden Dot Rankings, just like Qiu Shanjun and Gou Hanshi now.
In other words, his cultivation had directly skipped the Azure Cloud Rankings stage.
From an ordinary person who couldn't cultivate, he started cultivating, never entered the Azure Cloud Rankings, and then appeared before the world one day, directly entering the Golden Dot Rankings. Had there ever been such a person in the world?
The people inside and outside the Li Palace thought about this in shock, discussing it endlessly.
Someone vaguely remembered that many years ago, Wang Zhice seemed to have done something similar.
Chen Changsheng and his two companions walked out of the Li Palace. The crowd surged towards them like a tide.
A powerful aura arose out of nowhere, blocking those people outside.
Jin Yulu held the reins, expressionlessly watching the citizens who kept shouting Chen Changsheng's name. His attitude was very clear: anyone who dared come closer would die!
Under the evening glow, the Li Palace became exceptionally noisy because of Chen Changsheng. Jin Yulu's fearsome reputation could intimidate the citizens from getting close, but it couldn't block the gazes and voices.
Thousands of pairs of shocked, curious, probing eyes converged in one place, more intense than sunlight. Chen Changsheng even felt his clothes were burning, and his cheeks stung.
"Top Scholar Chen! Top Scholar Chen!"
"Please, Top Scholar Chen, rest a while at my family's teahouse!"
"Top Scholar Chen, this is a splendid moment, you must drink! My master offers Yellow Province Drunk!"
"Master Tang, you haven't come to see my daughter in a long time! On such a fine night, how can you let it pass in vain…"
Countless voices rose from the crowd, constantly piercing the ears of Chen Changsheng and his companions. As the scene grew more chaotic, some even disregarded Jin Yulu's icy glare and tried to press closer. Some bolder girls kept reaching out to touch Tang Thirty-Six, causing a great commotion.
Chen Changsheng taking the top spot in the Grand Examination was certainly not a universally welcome event. Countless citizens in the capital had lost money betting against him. But those feelings had long been replaced by the shock of witnessing a miracle. Moreover, after a thousand years of war with the demons, the human world only ever acknowledged the strong and pursued geniuses. How could the citizens who came to watch the Grand Examination miss such an opportunity?
Fortunately, the Li Palace priests, especially the officials from the Clear Administration Department responsible for maintaining order, arrived at this moment. Under the fearsome reputation of Lord Zhou Tong, the crowd finally quieted down a bit.
Chen Changsheng walked to the carriage, and together with Tang Thirty-Six and Xuan Yuan Po, bowed respectfully to Jin Yulu.
Jin Yulu lightly stroked his sparse beard, smiling without speaking, very satisfied.
The reins swayed gently, the wheels moved slowly. The crowd gathered around parted to make way, just as they had surged forward earlier. Both were like tides, both represented a certain attitude.
Of course, the enthusiastic shouts from the crowd never stopped.
Chen Changsheng was at the back of the carriage. He lifted the curtain of the rear window and looked back at the road they had come from. In the last rays of the setting sun, the Qingxian Hall at the end of the Divine Path, above the long staircase, seemed to be burning. There was a faint figure on the railing upstairs. He guessed it should be Luo Luo, and smiled. Then he saw the Archpriest standing under an old tree beside the Divine Path, slightly stooped, showing his age, with no one near him, looking very lonely. So his just-raised lips relaxed, and his smile gradually faded.
The wheels rolled over the bluestone slabs. The surrounding noise hadn't diminished. The capital's citizens seemed prepared to escort this carriage all the way back to the National Academy. Naturally, the people inside the carriage dared not lift the curtains again.
"What was that about someone's daughter?" Chen Changsheng asked Tang Thirty-Six.
Tang Thirty-Six was somewhat annoyed and snapped, "How should I know what it's about!"
Seeing him like this, Chen Changsheng naturally wouldn't ask further. Thinking about the scene outside the Li Palace earlier, he sighed and said, "Only today do I understand why Zhou Dufu's brother was stared to death… So many people staring at you, combined together, it's even more terrifying than Gou Hanshi's Golden Crow Secret Sword."
Tang Thirty-Six sneered and said, "You're lucky. In previous years, you would have been kidnapped by some noble in the capital the moment you left the Li Palace, and we could have taken advantage of it too."
Chen Changsheng didn't understand and asked, "Why is that?"
Tang Thirty-Six said, "The top scholar of the Grand Examination is naturally a prime candidate for a son-in-law. How could those nobles miss such an opportunity? How could those young maidens in spring let you go?"
Only then did Chen Changsheng understand what was going on. Thinking of those delicate hands full of love and possessiveness that had secretly reached for Tang Thirty-Six during the surging crowd earlier, he smiled and said, "If anyone was going to be snatched, it should have been you."
Tang Thirty-Six said irritably, "I just don't like talking to you."
Chen Changsheng asked, "You said it was in previous years. Why is it different this year?"
Tang Thirty-Six stared into his eyes and said crossly, "Are you really clueless or just pretending? You're engaged to Xu Yourong now. Who would dare snatch someone from her?"
Xu Shiji returned from the Li Palace to the East Imperial General's Mansion. The expression on his face hadn't changed at all, as if frozen by the early spring chill, making it impossible to discern his true feelings.
After being surrounded by the warm air in the flower hall for a moment, his mood, like his body, relaxed a little. But thinking of the words spoken by the ministers and Archpriests in the Li Palace's side hall earlier, his face turned even colder.
The Grand Examination rankings had been decided, but the official announcement wouldn't be made until the day after tomorrow. So the court officials and the great figures of the state religion didn't need to appear. They just sat in the side hall for tea and casual chat while waiting. After the matches ended, he also went to sit for a while, but unexpectedly heard over a dozen congratulations.
Congratulations, congratulations… congratulations for what? Naturally, congratulations for Chen Changsheng taking the top spot in the Grand Examination. The East Imperial General's Mansion had gained such an excellent son-in-law; what reason was there not to be happy?
Of course, Xu Shiji was not happy. Those congratulations were naturally mockery. So how could his expression possibly look good?
He sat in his chair, eyes closed, not speaking for a long time.
Night had fallen. The candle flames in the hall flickered gently. Suddenly, a light rain fell in the courtyard. The light rain of early spring is often more bitterly cold than winter snow, yet his expression became gentle.
Because of this rain, he remembered the several rains at the Xichen Pavilion. He looked at his wife and said, "On the day the rankings are announced, prepare a table of food. It doesn't need to be too lavish. Home-style cooking will be fine."
Lady Xu vaguely guessed his meaning, slightly startled and speechless.
A home-style meal was naturally a family banquet.