Chapter 21: Where Is the Carriage Heading?
Just by glancing at that person in the crowd, Chen Changsheng’s eyes stung sharply. When the wind blew and the curtain fell, cutting off his line of sight, the discomfort finally eased.
Such a powerful sword intent—Chen Changsheng had encountered many experts over the past few months. In the Zhou Garden, he had resonated with ten thousand swords and traveled alongside Su Li, honing his sensitivity to sword intent far beyond ordinary people. He could sense that while this person’s sword intent was not as formidable as a Sacred Domain figure like Zhu Luo, it was still terrifying. Even more frightening was the killing intent embedded within that sword intent, utterly unshielded, and directed straight at him.
“Who is that?” he asked.
Tang Thirty-Six had noticed his earlier unease. Lifting a corner of the curtain to look, he naturally spotted the figure of that man, and his expression immediately turned grave. “That’s Guan Bai,” he said.
Chen Changsheng had heard the name before. After a moment of silence, he asked, “The Guan Bai from the Heavenly Dao Academy?”
“Exactly,” Tang Thirty-Six said, letting the curtain fall and turning back to him. “After finishing his studies at the Heavenly Dao Academy, he’s been traveling abroad. I didn’t expect him to suddenly return to the capital. You should know very well why he’s back.”
Chen Changsheng said, “Is he very close with Zhuang Huanyu?”
Tang Thirty-Six replied, “Zhuang Huanyu didn’t want to rely on his father’s favor. After arriving in the capital, Dean Zhuang asked Guan Bai to look after him for a year. The two of them are practically like brothers.”
Chen Changsheng fell silent. Now everyone believed that Zhuang Huanyu had been driven to death by him. If Guan Bai truly regarded Zhuang Huanyu as a brother, then it was only natural he would seek revenge.
“He probably won’t challenge you under the guise of the Ivy Academy Tournament,” Tang Thirty-Six said, observing his expression. “After all, he’s a master on the Carefree List, not as shameless as Zhou Ziheng.”
Chen Changsheng asked, “Then what method do you think he’ll use?”
Tang Thirty-Six said, “If my guess is right, he’ll give you a year.”
Chen Changsheng didn’t understand the meaning of those words.
Tang Thirty-Six explained, “Next year, there will be the Stone-Boiling Assembly. If he kills you on the spot then, even the Pope won’t be able to do anything about it. Even if he has to answer for it afterward, at most he’ll forfeit his life to the Li Palace.”
Chen Changsheng didn’t know what to say. The sword intent he had felt earlier had already told him that Tang Thirty-Six’s guess was very likely true.
Tang Thirty-Six felt sympathy for him. Anyone targeted by a master on the Carefree List, sworn to cut them down with their sword regardless of their own life, would have a hard time—and this could last for a whole year. He couldn’t imagine how he would endure such a year if it happened to him.
But he didn’t realize that Chen Changsheng was already quite experienced in bearing this kind of pressure and facing such shadows. So, after just a moment, his expression returned to normal.
Tang Thirty-Six noticed the change in his demeanor, was a bit surprised, and worried that he might be putting on a brave face, so he changed the subject.
“Enough of that,” he said, looking at Chen Changsheng very seriously. “Just now, you said to Zhou Ziheng that at least five people could defeat him while still in the Penetrating Obscurity realm. Who are those five?”
Many people had heard that exchange, and it was the most intriguing topic for everyone.
“I know I’m definitely not one of them,” Tang Thirty-Six said, meeting Chen Changsheng’s gaze with a carefree air. “So you don’t need to worry about my feelings.”
Chen Changsheng didn’t think long before answering directly: “Qiushan Jun, Xu Yourong, Miss First Meeting, Gou Hanshi, and Nanke.”
Clearly, this was a question he had pondered many times before.
In his view, aside from himself, these five all had the ability to defeat Zhou Ziheng, who was in the Star-Gathering realm, while they were still in the Penetrating Obscurity realm.
“Qiushan Jun, Xu Yourong, and Gou Hanshi should have that ability. That demon princess—I’d only heard rumors about her before, but from what you told me about her beating you black and blue in the Zhou Garden and making your life miserable, it seems she’d have no trouble handling Zhou Ziheng. But… who is Miss First Meeting? I’ve never heard of her before?”
Tang Thirty-Six looked at him with great curiosity.
Chen Changsheng had only told Luoluo the full details of the story on the Sunset Prairie. He had never mentioned that genius girl of the Xiu Ling tribe to Tang Thirty-Six.
Now, faced with Tang Thirty-Six’s question, he didn’t know how to answer. Thinking that the girl’s fate was still unknown, he grew even more silent.
Tang Thirty-Six could tell that his mood was off and didn’t press further, deciding to ask about it another time. “Where are we going now?” he asked.
Chen Changsheng said, “To pick someone up.”
As the carriage gradually drove away, people buzzed with discussion, all eager to know where the youths of the National Academy were rushing off to after completing such a shocking cross-realm kill.
The four major workshops’ construction supervisors went to ask if they should start dismantling the awning now, but received a negative answer.
Among the four major workshops, Tianji Workshop had the most strength and the deepest background. Everyone’s eyes fell on its chief steward.
That chief steward glanced at the steward of Tianxiang Workshop not far away and said, “There are still many matches to come. This shabby awning should stay for now.”
No one objected, because everyone understood.
With the new National Education regulations in place, starting tomorrow, many more people would come to challenge the National Academy.
Chen Changsheng’s victory today did not mean the end. On the contrary, it was just the beginning.
Many things in the world are like this—whether in life or work, things rarely come to a neat conclusion. Most of the time, it’s just tedious repetition.
For example, the two officials from the Qingli Department in that carriage on the street had just finished recording and preliminarily analyzing today’s battle. Now, they had to continue their work.
After the National Academy’s carriage left, this carriage also slowly started moving, following from a distance.
The two carriages traveled one after the other through the capital’s streets and alleys.
Along the way, countless pieces of information from the Qingli Department’s network of spies and informants throughout the capital were transmitted to the rear carriage.
Those two Qingli Department officials were also curious about where the National Academy’s carriage was heading. Of course, beyond curiosity, it was more important that they knew its whereabouts and purpose.
The National Academy’s carriage didn’t take any detours or try to hide its movements, so the tailing went smoothly.
But the faces of the two officials in the rear carriage grew increasingly grim, and the shock in their eyes deepened.
No matter how they looked at it, this route felt very familiar.
Because every morning when they woke up, they took this road to work.
If the National Academy’s carriage continued forward, it would arrive at a certain place.
That place was called Zhou Mansion, also known as Zhou Prison.
Of course, it also had a more formal name: the Qingli Department Office of the Great Zhou Dynasty.
(My mental state has sunk to an indescribable low. For some reason, maybe because I’m thinking about saving drafts, I’ve become anxious.)