Chapter 143 – The First Battle
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
(TN: Way of Choices will be on break from December 25th, 2017 – January 7, 2018)
At Xuanyuan Po's words, the examiner's face instantly changed. He impatiently waved his hand to indicate that Xuanyuan Po should quickly leave. Xuanyuan Po froze as he thought to himself, is there no need to announce me as the winner? Then did this match count or not? He glanced at his opponent still being treated next to the wall, scratched his head, and walked out of the Hall of Washing Away Dust in a daze.
Upon hearing the door to the Hall of Washing Away Dust close, the examiner wordlessly shook his head as he thought, this youth is just thirteen; how can he be so strong? Even if the demi-humans have special constitutions, it's still a little too absurd.
The crowd was not too surprised to see Xuanyuan Po walk down the stone steps. After all, his name was on the Proclamation of Azure Sky, so defeating that obscure disciple from Yellow Mountain Valley was the expected result. The only surprising thing was that the battle had ended so quickly, even faster than the matches of the four scholars from Scholartree Manor. And there was also that clap of thunder; what was that about?
Yes, the sound-obstructing array of the Hall of Washing Away Dust was unable to block out all sound. When the volume surpassed a certain level, it would be heard outside. The boom unleashed by Xuanyuan Po's fist that sent the disciple flying had broken past the sound-obstructing array's limit and been heard by the examinees waiting outside, inciting all sorts of conjecture and discussion. The vast majority of examinees still present were victors of the first round. In a little while, when the second round began, they might have to face Xuanyuan Po, so the gazes they aimed at him were rather wary.
Tang Thirty-Six watched as Xuanyuan Po walked to the edge of the forest, and asked, "What happened?"
Xuanyuan Po still could not understand just what had occurred in his match within the Hall of Washing Away Dust. After pondering the events for a very long time, he gestured as he said, "He didn't block."
The simple and honest Xuanyuan Po could not understand how Tang Thirty-Six had been able to calculate all the particulars of the match. He thought that Tang Thirty-Six was acquainted with the Yellow Mountain Valley disciple and had convinced him in advance to give Xuanyuan Po the win. Thus, he was not very excited or proud at the moment, only perplexed and at a loss for what to do.
Tang Thirty-Six certainly could not understand what nonsense he was imagining. Upon hearing Xuanyuan Po's hesitant explanation, he had a rough understanding of what had happened during the match. He sneered, "It's not that he didn't block, it's that he didn't have time to block. Battles are all about momentum. His strength was never up to yours, yet he still deluded himself into thinking that he could make a defensive retreat and engage in a brawl. His loss was assured, it was just a matter of how fast."
At this point, the chatter of discussion in front of the Hall of Washing Away Dust began to die down. The sixty-first examinee had stepped forth. This examinee was from the Heavenly Dao Academy, so Zhuang Huanyu walked up to his side and whispered a few words to him. The examinee had a cloth bag tied to his back, but it wasn't clear what was inside. He had an indifferent expression, and as he listened to Zhuang Huanyu's words, he kept his eyes fixed in the direction of the Orthodox Academy's group.
After Zhuang Huanyu finished what he had to say, he retreated.
The examinee stared at the several people from the Orthodox Academy for a very long time and finally chose Chen Changsheng.
Yes, he had chosen Chen Changsheng.
All was quiet in front of the Hall of Washing Away Dust, everyone looking to the forest's edge.
This choice was rather surprising, but after careful consideration, it was the proper choice.
Su Moyu and Tang Thirty-Six were ranked thirty-third and thirty-second respectively on the Proclamation of Azure Sky, and Luoluo was ranked second. No matter how much this examinee from the Heavenly Dao Academy struggled, he could not possibly beat these three in a match. Although Chen Changsheng was quite well-known, when compared to those around him, he was undoubtedly the weakest. By choosing him, the examinee could at least ensure a chance of victory.
The Heavenly Dao Academy examinee looked at Chen Changsheng and said, "I don't believe that you can beat me."
He spoke with a deliberately calm tone and a deliberately indifferent expression, but everyone could hear the vicious energy in his words. As for why there was this vicious energy, it was naturally because he wasn't confident enough. Only by acting viciously could he put his mind off certain matters like the Ivy Festival, the Proclamation of Azure Sky, and a name known throughout the capital.
The forest's edge was very quiet.
Tang Thirty-Six looked to Chen Changsheng, wanting to say something, but ultimately choosing to remain silent. He did not act as he did with Xuanyuan Po, constantly instructing him on what details needed to be focused on during the match and even drawing up a battle plan. This was because he also did not know what Chen Changsheng's current circumstances were.
In the end, he asked the simplest of questions. "Can you do it?"
Chen Changsheng looked at this examinee from the Heavenly Dao Academy and mentally matched him up with the information that Priest Xin had sent to the Orthodox Academy a few days ago. He recalled that this examinee was called Liu Zhongshan, seventeen this year, a student personally taught by Principal Mao Qiuyu of the Heavenly Dao Academy. His strength was decent, at least the middle level of Meditation, and there was a high chance that he was carrying a powerful magical artifact with him.
"There should be no problem," he finally replied after some thought.
Upon hearing this reply, Tang Thirty-Six instantly relaxed, no longer concerned. He knew that Chen Changsheng was a reserved and cool-headed person, so since he said that there would be no problem, there would absolutely be no problem.
"Teacher, use the Thousand Li Button," Luoluo whispered on the side.
She was somewhat worried, even though she normally had such confidence, even blind faith, in Chen Changsheng. After all, this match was far too important for Chen Changsheng. With his grade in the literary test, as long as he could defeat this examinee from the Heavenly Dao Academy, there was a high chance that he would be able to enter the three banners of the Grand Examination and gain the right to enter the Mausoleum of Books.
Tang Thirty-Six heard her question and silently asked, just what sort of person are you?
The Thousand Li Button could be considered an almost legendary magical artifact. Even against an upper level Star Condensation expert, it could still be used to save one's life, so its value was obvious. All cultivators yearned for it, but even obtaining one was enormously difficult, and Luoluo wanted Chen Changsheng to use one in an ordinary match! Wasn't this too much of a waste?
Chen Changsheng looked at Luoluo and said, "It's fine, I can do it."
After saying this, he walked towards the Hall of Washing Away Dust. Under the guidance of the Li Palace priest, he entered the door together with the Heavenly Dao Academy examinee.
The examinees in front of the hall all silently watched as the door closed once more. Their expressions were complex, their minds occupied with their own thoughts.
Within the Hall of Washing Away Dust, the circular roof was like the mouth of a well, the blue sky seeming ever so far away.
Chen Changsheng and that student from the Heavenly Dao Academy called Liu Zhongshan also stood far away from each other, standing at the ends of the level ground in the center of the hall and staring across at each other.
"I admit that I'm inferior to you in terms of knowledge, but in battles, one ultimately has to rely on true strength to make their voice heard. I really want to know—have you succeeded at Purification?"
Liu Zhongshan spoke with an indifferent expression on his face, his seemingly flat voice concealing a faint sense of scorn.
Just like when he spoke with a concealed viciousness, this was also a method of strengthening his confidence.
Chen Changsheng did not lose track of his surroundings and blankly gaze at the blue sky like Xuanyuan Po, nor did he seek the figures of the examiners on the second floor. From the moment he entered the Hall of Washing Away Dust, he was quietly watching his opponent, focused and calm. He slowly released his spiritual sense, and true essence began to flow through his meridians, unable to link together but still able to warm his chest.
He answered, "I've succeeded."
In today's Grand Examination, many people had been able to make out that he had succeeded at Purification. Moreover, succeeding at Purification was just the initial step on the path of cultivation. It could not be treated as some secret weapon, so there was no reason to hide it.
Liu Zhongshan replied, "Is that so? I remember very clearly that during the Ivy Festival, you still could not cultivate. Even if you've succeeded at Purification, it can't have been too many days, right?"
Chen Changsheng pondered this question, then replied, "Yes, it truly hasn't been very long."
"You only succeeded at Purification a few days ago, so you must have no understanding whatsoever of Meditative Introspection. I really want to know just how you can defeat me in your state. Without sufficient strength, what does it matter how famous you are?"
Liu Zhongshan lightly mocked him, then his right hand reached behind him and untied the cloth bag. He took an umbrella from the bag and opened it in front of him.
This umbrella looked like an ordinary oil paper umbrella, but after it was opened, it instantly began to glow with light, making it seem like precious yellow jade. A powerful Qi seemed to be flowing across its surface, and it was clearly no ordinary magical artifact. Because he was too young, Liu Zhongshan could not display the full might of this umbrella, but in the environment of the Grand Examination, very few examinees would be able to break through the umbrella with their own strength. This umbrella had been Liu Zhongshan's last resort, but he hadn't expected to face Chen Changsheng in the first round. To be on the safe side, he decided without hesitation to use it.
Chen Changsheng glanced at the umbrella then paid it no more mind, instead completely focusing on his own body.
A trickle of true essence flowed through his fractured meridians and his powerful spiritual sense urged his energy to greater and greater heights, but also strangely caused him to become calmer and calmer. At the same time, an indescribable strength emerged from the deepest part of his bones and organs, spreading to every part of his body and bringing with it a sensation of power. This was a very mysterious sensation, very difficult to describe in words. This was not a sense of power that came from being strong. Even if only a tiny strand of this strength existed, it would still give the person an incomparably powerful self-confidence. It was better thought of as an instinct.
He was no stranger to this feeling.
After the day he had forced Meditative Introspection in the underground cavern and fallen unconscious, upon waking, he had discovered this extra strength, this extra Qi, and this powerful sense of self-confidence.
Because he had not been able to meet Senior Black Dragon since that day, he still did not know just what had happened on that day. But he did know that a set of outrageous transformations had taken place in his body. His speed and strength had increased by a terrifying amount. Even a perfect Purification would not have such an effect.
Most importantly, not a single person knew that he had undergone this sort of transformation.
"Come," Liu Zhongshan said indifferently to him, the oil paper umbrella emitting a powerful Qi in front of him.
He was asking Chen Changsheng to come.
Chen Changsheng thought about how he should come, which way was the fastest. He then recalled how, on the day that he discovered these changes, he had jumped from upstairs into the snow and then leaped to the lake shore.
He raised his right foot and pushed against the ground.
There was a sound, a sound that was somewhat difficult to describe. It was like an anvil heated by the fire of a furnace suddenly doused by a pot of clear water.
Hiissss.
Chen Changsheng's foot pressed against the ground.
His firm leather shoes instantly ruptured.
The sand beneath his shoes seemed to disperse as if fleeing for its life, exposing the stone floor beneath.
Several cracks, with his right foot as their center, spread out into the surroundings.
All this happened in less time than it took to blink an eye.
Many Li Palace priests were responsible for supervising the one-on-one match phase for the Grand Examination. Some were responsible for the process, some were responsible for proctoring, some were responsible for giving examinees emergency treatment, and some were responsible for miscellaneous tasks. Not all of them were required to be within the hall, and indeed, many of them had been outside the entire time, but now, they were all inside the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
They stood on the second floor and quietly watched the match. They were very curious as to just what level of strength this youth of the Orthodox Academy that the archbishop had placed such high hopes on had actually reached. Was it like in the rumors where he couldn't even cultivate, or was he like one of those people from legends who would suddenly explode with unimaginable strength?
As they watched Chen Changsheng press his foot against the sandy floor and saw what happened next, the expression of all the Li Palace priests standing on the second floor instantly changed. The strength displayed by this youth from the Orthodox Academy had surpassed all their expectations. This didn't mean that he was overflowing with true essence. In reality, they could clearly sense that Chen Changsheng had a very ordinary amount of true essence, even less than normal. But he was actually able to shatter the ground of the Pope's Green Leaf World! Just how had he undergone Purification? How could he possess such terrifying strength?
Power of utterly terrifying proportions was sent back to Chen Changsheng's body from the ground as sand filled the sky!
His figure broke through the sand, his dark Orthodox Academy uniform leaving behind a clear trail, making him seem just like a black dragon!
The Li Palace priests were no longer capable of restraining their surprise, and the second floor resounded with their cries of alarm!
They were very quickly suppressed by a sharp, even shrill howl!
This was because Chen Changsheng was too fast. His body rubbed against the air so quickly that it seemed like it wanted to tear it apart, releasing a sound very similar to the roar of a dragon.
In an instant, he arrived in front of Liu Zhongshan.
Liu Zhongshan simply had no time to respond or even think. Even though he wanted to drop his mouth in shock, he had only been able to drop it halfway.
Chen Changsheng's fist smashed against the umbrella.
The umbrella instantly released innumerable ways of light, discharging a powerful Qi.
Yet immediately after, the light on the canvas of the umbrella instantly faded, becoming dull once more.
This was because the powerful Qi had been suppressed by a more powerful and even purer strength!
This powerful strength originated from Chen Changsheng's fist.
With a whoosh, the umbrella was sent flying by the wind generated by the punch.
The fist continued forward, accurately striking Liu Zhongshan's chest.
With a boom, Liu Zhongshan was sent flying like a rock over several dozen zhang until he smashed against the firm stone wall of the Hall of Washing Away Dust!
There were still a few fine cracks on this wall.
The Yellow Mountain Valley disciple that Xuanyuan Po had sent flying with his punch had also smashed into the wall in this place.
Now, Liu Zhongshan struck against the same spot.
Similarly, it was caused by a punch.
Liu Zhongshan vomited blood and fell unconscious.
At the start of the battle, he had disdainfully said one word to Chen Changsheng: "Come."
So Chen Changsheng had come.
And Liu Zhongshan had collapsed.
From the start to the end, he had only said this one word.
He hadn't even had a chance to use a technique.
The Hall of Washing Away Dust was deathly still.
Chen Changsheng drew back his arm, straightened his body, and turned his gaze to the second floor.
Those priests were so shocked that they had become somewhat dazed. Upon seeing his gaze, they came to their senses and hurriedly rushed to give aid.
The Li Palace priest in charge of the one-on-one matches phase walked up to Chen Changsheng, wanting to say something but ultimately choosing not to.
Chen Changsheng calmly clasped his hands in respect, then turned and walked out of the hall.
As he watched Chen Changsheng leave, the Li Palace priest found it hard to settle his emotions. He thought to himself, why is it that all the students of the Orthodox Academy are so…simple and crude?