The officials and professors attending the Ivy Festival were keenly aware why this overseer of the Heavenly Dao Academy held such a deep animosity towards the already-declined Orthodox Academy. The Orthodox Academy was clearly only residence to two or three grasshoppers, yet he still refused to let go, wanting nothing more than to squash it all into the dust.
They were all long-time residents of the capital and were also well-aware of the Imperial Court's laws. If not for that young man and woman, then the Orthodox Academy would have been expunged from the registers come next year. But not everyone believed that the matter was this simple. Priest Xin, who had previously said to Chen Changsheng that he had matters to take care of, had at some point appeared behind the Archbishop of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education, Mei Lisha.
In a suppressed voice, he said, "It appears that someone wants to force Chen Changsheng to take part."
A drowsiness perpetually hung about the archbishop's face as if he could never get enough sleep no matter how much he slept. Hearing these words, the archbishop arduously opened his eyes and casually said, "Is that child this stupid?"
Priest Xin looked rather embarrassed as he said, "He's naturally not stupid, but he's still a young man. I'm just worried that he might be too courageous."
The archbishop peered through his barely open eyes at the Orthodox Academy's corner. As he saw the indignant girl beside Chen Changsheng, he momentarily froze.
Peering at a person through a crack in the door could give a low opinion of someone, but not so through a crack in the eyelids, because the archbishop recognized this girl.
(TN: 'Peering at a person through a crack in the door gives you a low opinion of a person' is a type of Chinese saying called a xiehouyu "歇后语" where the two parts of the saying are broken by a pause. For example: Peering at a person through a crack in the door———get a low opinion of the person.)
He sighed, "Then…let us just pray for the Sir Overseer."
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...
The Heavenly Dao Academy overseer expressionlessly gazed towards the corner at Chen Changsheng. He was not deliberately indifferent, did not intentionally release any pressure. He acted like he was gazing at some insect that was on the verge of being frozen to death.
Chen Changsheng truly did not want to participate. If this was about him taking part in the literary test, and Luoluo taking part in the martial test, then there might have been a little chance. However, he understood clearly that since someone was intentionally suppressing the Orthodox Academy, things would definitely proceed according to his way of thinking.
His goal was the Lingyan Pavilion. He needed to participate in the Grand Examination and obtain first rank of the first banner. Before this, he hoped there would not be the slightest perturbance towards this sequence of events. Tonight, if he really did take the stage to take up a challenge, then regardless of whether he won or lost, it would negatively affect his plans.
Since he was not going to take part, what need was there for him to listen to this ear-grating laughter, what need was there to forcefully maintain his calm under the emotionless gaze of this Heavenly Dao Academy overseer?
Thus, he made a decision that no one expected.
"Let's go," he crisply said to Luoluo, then he stood up and prepared to leave.
The derisive laughter filling the hall came to a sudden halt. Everyone had seen his action yet found it impossible to understand. This sort of attitude towards disdain, humiliation, derision, and even contemptuous and utter disregard could be described as shameless cowardice, yet wasn't it also a sort of nigh unimaginable courage?
Luoluo had never had any objections to his instructions, so she got up without hesitation and followed him out.
Seeing the crowd whose derision was gradually fading to be replaced by stupefaction, she pursed her lips and thought, Teacher truly is an extraordinary person, persistent and silent, able to endure all that should be unendurable. I should carefully learn from this and not be provoked by a few jeers into taking the stage and ripping these guys to pieces.
The world was so beautiful, so why should she be so short-tempered?
At this moment, a voice came in from outside the hall, "What sort of place do you two think the Ivy Festival is? If you want to come, you come, if you want to leave, you leave?"
This voice was very childish, the speaker's age clearly very young, but this voice contained an unconcealed aura of pride and cruelty, even some madness. It was faintly brimming with a bloody scent. It was as though if things were just a tiny bit not to this person's liking, he would move to kill someone.
It was similarly a scent that Chen Changsheng did not like.
He stopped and turned to the entrance of the hall.
The several hundred people attending the Ivy Festival also simultaneously turned to the hall entrance.
A young boy stood there, his face pale, his eyes cold and ruthless, his lips crimson red. He was clearly still young, only twelve or thirteen years old, yet he seemed like someone who had lived a life of debauchery for countless years, especially his bearing, which gave off an aura of extreme cruelty that made others shudder in fear.
Many people did not recognize this youth.
But many people from places like the Heavenly Dao Academy and Star Seizer Academy had already recognized this person's identity.
It was precisely because of this person's identity that no one said he was late. It was utter silence with only Zhuang Huanyu slightly creased his brow and appearing somewhat displeased.
The Heavenly Dao Academy overseer's expression was very calm. It was plain to see that he had known in advance that this youth would be making an appearance.
He gazed at Chen Changsheng and Luoluo and thought, you thought that by preferring humiliation over taking part, you could preserve the Orthodox Academy's last breath?
Because of his status and a few even more complex reasons, he could not personally act against the young man and woman from the Orthodox Academy, nor was it convenient to have the students of the Heavenly Dao Academy act on his behalf. However, he had long since picked out the ideal candidate from the capital's academies.
In terms of status, background, and strength, this little monster of the Temple Seminary was the most fitting candidate to send the Orthodox Academy on its final journey.
And there would be no trouble whatsoever afterwards.
The Heavenly Dao Academy overseer glanced at the seat of the Archbishop of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education.
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...
Many people of the capital knew that the Temple Seminary had a little monster.
This little monster was very powerful. Because he had just turned twelve this year, he still had not entered the Proclamation of Azure Sky, but everyone firmly believed that he had the strength to enter the top fifty of the Proclamation of Azure Sky. This was because it was rumored that this little monster was the Pope's disciple, though the little monster himself had never admitted it. It was also because it was rumored that when this little monster was ten, he had killed no small number of Meditation level cultivators, including a young genius of the Proclamation of Azure Sky. Of course, he had also never admitted to this before.
The little monster did not study in the Heavenly Dao Academy as the Pope did, nor did he follow the Pope in studying in the Li Palace Academy. Instead, he had gone to the Temple Seminary, known for having the strictest rules and cruelest methods of cultivation. It was said that this was because he did not want to walk the same path as the Pope.
The strict rules of the Temple Seminary could not stem this little monster's addiction to ruthless killing; its cruel cultivation only served to make him stronger. Very few in the capital dared to provoke him, and even experts would yield to him. Perhaps it was because of that rumor—the disciple of the Pope was always different from the rest—but what was even more important than this rumor was that fact known by all: this little monster of the Temple Seminary was called Tianhai Ya'er, a member of the Tianhai clan.
The Divine Empress had the surname Tianhai.
This little monster of the Temple Seminary was her grandnephew.
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...
Under countless gazes, Tianhai Ya'er walked into the hall, the lower hem of his gown gently drifting in the air with an indescribable arrogance. His unhealthily pale face was brimming with cold indifference and contempt. It was cold indifference to life and…a contempt for all people.
He had just turned twelve this year, but rather than calling him a teenager, he seemed to be in the final stages of boyhood. Yet he had killed many people, seen many things. His formidable experiences and strength made his thoughts and demeanor somewhat abnormal and strange, making him a true monster.
Chen Changsheng watched as that boy a head shorter than him walked over, feeling that scent of blood entering his nose grow thicker and thicker, making him unhappier and unhappier.
Tianhai Ya'er did not even glance at him. He looked around at the students seated at the tables, but in reality, his eyes did not consider any of them worth looking at. He sneered, "A bunch of idiots think that attending this festival will bring them any benefits? In the end, they'll only play the role of the humiliated."
Those young students seated at the tables had endured untold hardships before finally passing the pre-examination for the Grand Examination and receiving the right to attend the Ivy Festival. Although they clearly knew that they were all here only to provide a backdrop to the students of the Six Ivies, it was hard for them to not have some expectations. Upon hearing this boy's harsh and ruthless words, they instantly became enraged.
Tianhai Ya'er rolled his eyes. His voice became a cold blade passing through his teeth as he shouted, "Want to die?"
Whispers of this boy's background, as well as the level of his strength, had already spread amongst the tables. Although these young students were enraged at this injustice, none of them dared to stand up. Disregarding the fact that none of them was a match for this boy, even if they were, would they even dare?
"Enough," declared the bishop of the Temple Seminary, his brows slightly creased.
Tianhai Ya'er coldly snorted. Although he said no more, his arched brows and unkind expression showed that he didn't even have much respect for his own teacher.
Tonight, the Heavenly Dao Academy overseer supervising the Ivy Festival refused to constrain the little monster of the Temple Seminary for various reasons, but logically, there were still many truly important personages present, like the Archbishop of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education or Divine General of the East Xu Shiji. They had the sufficient seniority and ability to intimidate Tianhai Ya'er, yet somewhat strangely, they coincidentally both maintained their silence. Perhaps they were contemplating the true reason for this little monster's appearance? As long as this little monster struck, a bloody and cruel incident would be certain to occur, and so the Temple Seminary simply could not have allowed him to attend the Ivy Festival. Was this the will of the Li Palace or the Imperial Palace?
Had this little monster truly attended the Festival for the Orthodox Academy? This was clearly not the case. The already-fallen Orthodox Academy was clearly not attractive enough for that little monster.
He turned to the Heavenly Dao Academy's seating area but failed to see the person he wanted to see. Disappointed, he grew angry and shrilly called out, "Where's Tang Thirty-Six? Didn't that countryside idiot say he wanted to cripple me? And where is he? Don't tell me he got scared!"
Besides those important personages, there were ultimately still some people that didn't much care for Tianhai Ya'er's background and strength.
Zhuang Huanyu looked at him and expressionlessly said, "If you continue to make a ruckus, in a little while, I don't mind being the first person to challenge you."
As the representative of the students of the Heavenly Dao Academy, the tenth-ranked genius of the Proclamation of Azure Sky, his indifferent set of words carried more strength than the anger of all those other students added together.
Tianhai Ya'er gave a strange laugh, extending his dark red tongue to lick at his own lips, then saying, "The strong you wouldn't bully the weak little me."
Although this statement seemed somewhat rascally, it was proof that this seemingly arrogant and ruthless boy was actually quite cool-headed and also somewhat fearful of Zhuang Huanyu.
Just then, a chuckle rose up from a certain direction, clearly ridiculing this little monster of the Temple Seminary for bullying the weak while quailing against the strong, a deeply humiliating action.
Tianhai Ya'er's smile instantly vanished as he turned in the direction of this chuckle.
Many people turned to the origin of that chuckle.
In this situation where the Archbishop of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education and Xu Shiji were maintaining their silence and the Heavenly Dao Academy overseer was clearly letting Tianhai Ya'er have his way, other than a young and renowned expert like Zhuang Huanyu, who would dare ridicule this little monster? Could it be that this person didn't fear death?
The chuckle came from Star Seizer Academy's seating area.
It was a very tall and sturdy youth.
Chen Changsheng recognized this youth. He had seen him during the Star Seizer Academy's entrance exam.
He was somewhat concerned for this youth.
Because Tianhai Ya'er's eyes had become very cold and indifferent, no longer ruthless. He gazed at the tall and sturdy youth like he was already dead.
It was at this moment that the military official leading Star Seizer Academy's delegation expressionlessly asked, "Could it be that laughing is not allowed?"
Even a little monster like Tianhai Ya'er knew that it was not good to provoke Star Seizer Academy, especially when he had no justification. He gave a full-toothed grin, revealing a mouth full of white teeth, looking just like an abnormally cool-headed cub right before it was about to go crazy.
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...
The curtain behind the hall was slowly pulled open. Under that night sky brimming with stars was a flat platform made of stone. It was surrounded by ten or so copper stoves that were burning a sweet scent to calm the mind, while buried deep under the stoves were defensive magical artifacts, controlled by the teachers of the Heavenly Dao Academy to prevent any energy from the battles from straying beyond the platform.
The Ivy Festival had formally begun. Chen Changsheng and Luoluo did not leave. This was because Luoluo had lightly tugged on his sleeve, and also because he was somewhat concerned for that youth from Star Seizer Academy, and also because that little monster of the Temple Seminary had mentioned his friend Tang Thirty-Six.
Based on convention from the past years of the Ivy Festival, the first order of business was that the students from various places of the continent seated at the tables would participate in matches with the students of the Ivy Academies, their exchanges carrying the nature of instruction and guidance. The gap in strength between the two sides was truly too large, but this actually made it easier to control, and the unexpected rarely occurred.
But in this year's Ivy Festival, far too many unexpected things had occurred. The Orthodox Academy once more emerged before the world, the little monster fond of blood had actually been let loose by the Temple Seminary. A dangerous undercurrent seemed to be faintly stirring, and it seemed only natural that the unexpected incidents would continue.
Without waiting for that Heavenly Dao Academy overseer to announce the matches, a figure appeared on the platform.
Tianhai Ya'er stared in the direction of Star Seizer Academy and laughed, "A moment ago, someone asked, is it not allowed to laugh? Of course it's okay to laugh. This boring affair that is the Ivy Festival has always been laughable, every person is laughable. You see, I'm also laughing."
He was a boy and he laughed very innocently, but his face was pale and his lips blood-red, so he seemed very cruel.
"But…right now, I'm preparing to beat you to death."
Like he was staring at a dead person, Tianhai Ya'er looked at the tall and sturdy youth, seriously asking, "Can you still live as happily as you were just a moment ago?"
A deathly stillness hung over the entire scene, within and without the hall. No noise sprung forth from Star Seizer Academy's seating area either.
Zhuang Huanyu slightly arched his brows, saying, "You know the rules of the Ivy Festival. If you will not comply with the rules, I can only represent the Heavenly Dao Academy and step forward."
"I can't beat you, so I don't dare offend you, but someone dares to offend me, so what should I do?"
Tianhai Ya'er shot him a glance and then turned to the Heavenly Dao Academy overseer, asking, "I won't kill him, is that enough?"
The overseer expressionlessly declared, "The Ivy Festival has always valued exchange. Stop where you should and not beyond."
Tianhai Ya'er once more turned to the direction of Star Seizer Academy.
After a moment of silence, the tall and sturdy youth shook his head to reject his military instructor's opinion and slowly walked to the platform.
He was the most outstanding of Star Seizer Academy's new students this year, but he had never been proud, only simple and honest. He was well-liked by the military instructors, who had great expectations of him. Hoping that he would be able to participate in the Grand Examination at the beginning of next year, they had specially brought him to attend the Ivy Festival.
Because he was simple and honest, he was rash and blunt. Previously, when Tianhai Ya'er had been flaunting his arrogance and intimidating the entire crowd, he had thought that the military instructors would speak up. Unexpectedly, the military instructors had remained silent, making him disappointed in Star Seizer Academy for the very first time. Thus, he had laughed.
Yes, he had deliberately chuckled.
This tall and sturdy youth wished to use his laugh to tell everyone else that the Star Seizer Academy was still as it was in the past, not understanding the concept of fear.
From the moment he began to chuckle, he was preparing to fight.
He knew that he was no match for the Temple Seminary's little monster, but without fighting, he could not speak of retreat.
He reached the stone platform and stood across from Tianhai Ya'er. Under the starlight of the profuse stars, his body seemed even taller and sturdier.
"I am called Xuanyuan Po, a freshman student of Star Seizer Academy."
Tianhai Ya'er smiled. "Rushing to say that you're a freshman student, is it because you want me to go easy on you? Looking at your oafish appearance, you might even be twenty or older. This year, I'm only twelve, so relax. I definitely won't go easy on you."
The tall and sturdy youth called Xuanyuan Po earnestly replied, "I just grow a little fast. I'm only thirteen this year, and I really am a freshman student. Of course, I really am older than you, so you don't need to go easy."
"Very good." Tianhai Ya'er's smile vanished.
Xuanyuan Po lowered his waist and focused. His fists clenched into rocks, he said, "Please instruct me."
With no expression on his face, Tianhai Ya'er casually sent a fist thundering towards him!
A terrifying hurricane rose up over the stone platform, revolving at high speeds.
His fist was the eye of this hurricane!
A faintly discernible screen suddenly appeared in the surrounding night sky.
This protective screen was actually slightly deformed, causing the starlight that seeped in to seemed particularly gloomy.
A deathly stillness.
Countless gazes were fixed upon Tianhai Ya'er's fist, shocked beyond words.
Everyone knew that the Temple Seminary's little monster was very powerful. With the blood of the Tianhai clan and the teachings of the Pope, how could one not be strong?
But no one had thought that he was actually this powerful!
It was just a simple fist, yet it invoked the energy of a hurricane and was even able to slightly deform the protective screen created from the combined strength of the Heavenly Dao Academy's teachers!
The crowd gazed at the cruelly smiling boy on the platform and thought of how he was only twelve years old, making them even more astonished.
If he were to enter the Proclamation of Azure Sky, just where would he rank?
In next year's Grand Examination, just which banner would he be able to enter?
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No one believed that Xuanyuan Po could block this fist, not even the military instructors and students of Star Seizer Academy.
But against all expectations, Tianhai Ya'er's fist was blocked!
When the two fists collided, there was a boom like a clap of thunder and the protective screen around the platform once more deformed!
Blood trickled from the corner of Xuanyuan Po's lips and his eyes had slightly dimmed. His two feet had sunk deeply into the firm stone and his clothes had been torn into a terrible mess by the gales stirred up by Tianhai Ya'er's fist. A picture of defeat had already appeared, but at least he had not fallen, had not taken a single step back!
Because the moment the two fists collided, something strange occurred!
This youth was extremely tall and sturdy, his fist also extremely large, but now it became even larger.
Even more shocking was that his fist was suddenly covered in a layer of thick black fur, and even his bare right arm was completely covered in long fur!
His right arm began to rapidly expand. In a flash, it became even thicker than the thigh of an ordinary man!
Those sturdy muscles were like iron rods, seeming to contain boundless strength!
Only this way could he directly resist Tianhai Ya'er's terrifying fist!
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...
"Metamorphosis!"
"He was actually a demi-human!"
Countless cries of alarm rose up over the stone platform, especially from the students seated at the tables. For many of them, this was the first time they had seen this sort of scene and they repeatedly cried out in shock.
The teachers and students of the Six Ivies were also extremely shocked.
Only the military officials of Star Seizer Academy who were privy to these details remained silent, but even they were surprised that this new demi-human student, under Tianhai Ya'er's terrifying pressure, was able to borrow the metamorphosis to display a cultivation far above his usual level.
Tianhai Ya'er had also not expected for this opponent that he viewed with contempt to actually be able to block his fist.
He felt somewhat ashamed.
This made him extremely angry.
He almost crazily let loose a scream, just like a child whose toy had been snatched away.
When the teachers of the Temple Seminary heard this scream, their expressions instantly changed.
The hurricane rose up once more!
Several flashes of lightning could faintly be seen!
Tianhai Ya'er's fist continued forward and with crushing momentum, broke through Xuanyuan Po's powerful defense!
"Block it again!"
On the stone platform, the boy crazily screamed.
Smoke rose up from Xuanyuan Po's metamorphosed arm but was instantly blown away by the hurricane.
A terrifying strength was transferred from his wrist to his shoulder.
He found it even harder to endure and vomited blood as he retreated.
Tianhai Ya'er pursued like a ghostly shadow, another fist thundering forward!
Xuanyuan Po grit his teeth and angrily roared, raising up his heavily wounded right arm in an attempt to block it.
"Enough!"
From below the stage came Zhuang Huanyu's icy shout.
At almost the same time, the lecturers of the Temple Seminary and the military instructors of Star Seizer Academy stood and anxiously cried, "Quickly stay your hand!"
Only those of sufficient cultivation could tell that Xuanyuan Po had already lost and that this fist of Tianhai Ya'er's was for crippling this arm!
Demi-humans were innately endowed with powerful physiques, especially after they had metamorphosed, but if they were heavily injured while metamorphosed, the injuries would be even harder to recover from!
Tianhai Ya'er actually wanted to make this demi-human youth into a cripple!
Crack.
Xuanyuan Po vomited blood and was sent flying, crashing down on the stone stage and jolting the dusty ground.
He stubbornly tried to rise, but he already lacked the strength.
The right arm that had been one of his greatest prides, his once incomparably sturdy right arm, now hung down, ruined and already crippled.
It was deathly still.
Tianhai Ya'er stood in front of him, looking down at him from above.
Blood rarely flowed in the Ivy Festival, but this scene was miserable and cruel.
The Heavenly Dao Academy overseer walked onto stage and shook his head. "Your attack was too harsh."
Tianhai Ya'er slightly creased his brow, saying, "I promised Sir that I would not kill him, but never said that I wouldn't cripple him.
"I hear that all you demi-humans possess a lot of strength?"
Tianhai Ya'er looked at him with disdain as he sneered, "It only turned out to be just this much."
Xuanyuan Po stared at his crippled arm and suddenly began to wail in pain.
He was a sturdy and courageous demi-human youth, but in the end, he was still thirteen.
All the crowd was silent. Even though the people from Star Seizer Academy were all wrathful beyond compare, they could only remain silent.
In the Orthodox Academy's corner, there was also silence.
Luoluo stared at the platform.
She stared at the blood dripping from the youth's right hand.
Her right hand faintly shifted in its sleeve.
She turned to Chen Changsheng.
Chen Changsheng was also staring at the platform.