Chapter 135 – Like Walking on Thin Ice
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
(TN: Way of Choices will be on break from December 25th, 2017 – January 7, 2018)
The martial test consisted of pa.s.sing through the sea of trees and crossing the green river. The former tested the examinee"s spiritual sense and perception while the latter tested the examinee"s quant.i.ty of true essence and skill in using it. This seemingly simple a.s.sessment almost seemed like a child"s game, but its aim and standards were plainly set. The Grand Examination was truly deserving of its t.i.tle.
Upon walking out of the Dallying Forest, one would emerge in the northeastern region of the Li Palace. The so-called "other sh.o.r.e" was the southern sh.o.r.e, and how could one reach the region south of the river?
Chen Changsheng looked at the solemn-faced examinees standing at the sh.o.r.e of the Qu River and then listened to the footsteps, some near and some far, coming from the sea of trees behind him. He knew that many examinees would a.s.suredly be unable to walk out of this sea of trees and many would be unable to cross the Qu River. It seemed that the martial test phase would eliminate many people.
He ignored the strange gazes aimed at himself as he quietly stood on a stone on the sh.o.r.e. He looked at the meadow on the southern sh.o.r.e and looked at the barely discernible figures in the pavilion within the distant forest, seeming to be thinking of something.
Liang Banhu had already crossed the river, as had Zhuang Huanyu, Guan Feibai, and Qi Jian. Just as he had walked out of the forest, he had just so happened to spy Gou Hanshi and Tianhai Shengxue almost simultaneously reach the gra.s.s on the southern sh.o.r.e. What of the thinly-clothed youth who had been the first to finish the literary test? Was he in the forest?
To cross this wide river without a.s.sistance from magical artifacts was not too difficult a feat to these people blessed with abundant true essence and exquisite Daoist techniques, but to ordinary examinees, this was one of the hardest tasks in the world. Those examinees who were confident that they could cross the river had rushed across as soon as they had walked out of the sea of trees. Those that remained on this side were all hesitating.
Just then, a female examinee from the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green walked out of the forest. After hearing the rules from the examiner, she walked straight towards the Qu River without a second thought. As a slightly chilly spring breeze blew in from upstream, wafting the girl"s dress in the breeze and causing it to dance like a leaf, she just very straightforwardly walked across the river!
Those examinees on the sh.o.r.e could only sigh in envy. The Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green specialized in the teaching of Sacred techniques, but its students were also skilled in body-lightening movement techniques. However, those techniques were like the sword style of Mount Li, never transmitted to outsiders. Examinees of other schools could only envy in vain while those ordinary students who had never had a chance to interact with such profound techniques could only be overcome by helplessness.
A disciple of the Longevity Sect"s Purple Qi Cliff angrily said, "Every cultivation method is different. This test is far too unfair."
The examiner said, "As long as you can cross, it counts as a pa.s.s. Nothing could be fairer."
The Purple Qi Cliff disciple raged, "So you"re saying if I brought the mount of my sect"s elder here and mounted it to fly across, I would pa.s.s?"
The examiner coldly said, "If you brought it, then it could count as your ability."
The disciple was at a loss for words. Many magical artifacts could a.s.sist a cultivator in flying across a short distance, but the rules of today"s martial test had forbidden the use of magical artifacts. As for those birds that could fly with a person on their back…they were extremely rare. Other than the Red Eagles used by the military, the vast majority of them acted as mounts for the elders of various sects. How could one be just casually taken on a journey by a disciple? Most critically, the format of the Grand Examination was kept under a strict layer of secrecy and this year"s examination was far too different from the ones of the past. Which examinee could have known that partic.i.p.ating in the Grand Examination required a bird at their side?
The sight of the girl from the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green easily crossing the river had caused people to go green with envy, but it had also given some wavering examinees much more self-confidence and courage. An examinee from the Snow Mountain Sect in the northwest began his own attempt. His right foot descended towards the Qu River and right as it touched the water, the surface of the river froze into ice.
"The cold Qi of the Snow Mountain Sect! Truly extraordinary!" an examinee exclaimed in praise.
With a grave expression, the Snow Mountain Sect disciple carefully walked into the river. When his left foot touched the river, another layer of ice formed beneath it.
He slowly walked across the Qu River, sheets of ice forming beneath his two feet. It was sublimely beautiful, these lotuses of snow blooming in the river, yet it made the spectators extremely nervous, as if he really was walking on thin ice. Everyone had already stopped speaking, holding their breaths and nervously staring, afraid to disturb this disciple.
After a while, when this Snow Mountain Sect disciple had walked ten-some zhang, a sudden vexing gust of wind blew from upstream, causing his body to sway. After just barely holding on for a few moments, he realized that he could no longer last. With a shout, he gathered his energy and rushed towards the opposite sh.o.r.e, leaving extremely thin shards of ice on the rippling waters of the river.
Regretfully, he did not have sufficient true essence to last for too long. When he was about seven zhang away from the southern sh.o.r.e, he finally fell into the river.
"Aiya!"
The spectating examinees on the sh.o.r.e felt a great pity. Their confidence in pa.s.sing the martial test had been dealt another heavy blow.
Even when an examinee from Star Seizer Academy rode a sword across the river a little while later, the examinees were still unable to regain confidence. Riding a sword across a river seemed very natural and unrestrained, but it had very high demands on the true essence and skill of these people crossing the river. Of the examinees that had succeeded in crossing the river, only the four disciples of Mount Li and Zhuang Huanyu had used this method.
On the southern sh.o.r.e of the river, examinees from Star Seizer Academy and some examinees from the capital who knew the fellow who had crossed just now on his sword were waiting and were now stepping forward to offer their congratulations.
As time pa.s.sed, a stream of examinees walked out of the forest, listened to the rules for crossing the river, and instantly had the joy they felt in emerging from the sea of trees banished.
Just then, the crowd suddenly parted and examinees began to bow.
Luoluo had arrived.
Luoluo walked up to Chen Changsheng and asked, "Teacher?"
Her eyes carried a questioning gaze.
Chen Changsheng replied, "Wait for Xuanyuan and Tang first."
After a few moments, Tang Thirty-Six walked out of the sea of trees. His blue gown drifted about, with no fallen leaves attached to it, and his fan gently waved. He exuded an indescribable elegance and arrogance, but Chen Changsheng could clearly tell that there was a hint of impatience about his appearance. It was very obvious that he had encountered some sort of incident in the sea of trees.
This made sense. After all, Tang Thirty-Six had been part of the second-to-last batch of examinees to leave the Hall of Shining Words. Logically speaking, he should have come out long ago.
"What"s wrong?" Chen Changsheng asked.
Tang Thirty-Six replied, "I met a scholar from Scholartree Manor in the forest."
Chen Changsheng was rather shocked. The Dallying Forest was ma.s.sive and held countless paths. It was very rare for two examinees to meet on the same path. For instance, he had not met a single person on his journey through the forest.
"And then? You didn"t fight over the path, did you?"
Tang Thirty-Six impa.s.sively said, "We naturally didn"t fight. One, an examiner was watching. Two, I wasn"t guaranteed to beat that person. But since they dared to fight over the path with this young master, perhaps we had to engage in a debate. Relax, I"ve never lost in an argument."
When he thought of how Tang Thirty-Six and Luoluo had humiliated Xiao Songgong, Chen Changsheng was unconcerned about Tang Thirty-Six"s ability to out-curse someone. On the contrary, he felt some sympathy towards that scholar. However, when he thought about how Tang Thirty-Six had admitted that he might not be able to beat that scholar, Chen Changsheng also could not suppress his wariness.
It was right then that one of the scholars from Scholartree Manor walked out of the sea of trees.
After a few moments, the rest of the scholars also walked out.
The four scholars gathered together and engaged in a whispered discussion. Then they all turned to where the students of the Orthodox Academy were standing, one of them carrying an expression of absolute fury.
It was plain to see that this was the one that Tang Thirty-Six had quarreled over the path with and that had been disciplined by his words.