Chapter 33: Why Does This So-Called Warrior Have Such a Long Tongue?
‘Canglan Academy…’
Looking at the corpses hanging before him, Yeop Hyeon let out a sigh. Even back in Qingcheng, the various clans hadn’t hesitated to use ruthless means for their own gain. But the rivalry between major powers like Cangmu Academy was far more brutal.
At that moment, Lu Xiaoruan pointed to a round, circular platform not far away.
“Do you know what that is?”
Yeop Hyeon lifted his head to look. On the circular platform, spanning some forty zhang in width, stood nine wooden dolls gripping wooden swords. The dolls were positioned in perfectly orderly rows, as if measured with a ruler.
“What are those?”
“That’s the Nine Palaces Formation. It’s said to be the work of Cangmu Academy’s founding master. In any of the hundred-plus countries of Qingzhou where Cangmu Academy has a branch, you’ll find a Nine Palaces Formation. It’s a kind of test—if someone under twenty can break it, they earn the privilege of becoming the academy dean’s direct disciple.”
Lu Xiaoruan shook his head.
“Haha, but in the last fifty years or so, no one has managed to breach it.”
‘Nine Palaces Formation…’
Yeop Hyeon stared piercingly at the nine wooden dolls and asked,
“Does it seem that impressive to you, City Lord?”
Lu Xiaoruan gave a wry smile.
“Far beyond impressive. Once, a Soaring Realm warrior boldly entered it out of arrogance. But he was slaughtered in less than ten breaths. Think about it—a genius who reached Soaring Realm before twenty couldn’t last even ten breaths. How formidable must it be?”
Lu Xiaoruan steadied his breath for a moment before continuing.
“It’s said Cangmu Academy once invited National Scholar An to test it, but no one knows if she actually challenged the real formation.”
Right then, an elder of Cangmu Academy’s voice boomed through the air.
“The first trial begins!”
With that, crowds of people surged up the mountain path in groups.
Yeop Hyeon stroked his sister’s head a couple of times, then turned to Lu Xiaoruan.
“City Lord Lu, please look after my sister!”
“Don’t worry!”
“Oppa, do your best!”
Yeop Hyeon flashed a smile before vanishing into the crowd.
Watching her brother disappear, Yeop Ryeong suddenly began trembling all over. Her entire body turned ice-cold, like a block of ice.
Startled, Lu Xiaoruan shouted,
“W-we need to get back home, quickly!”
“Uncle, I-I’m fine…. I won’t relax until I see Oppa pass the test…”
Sighing at Yeop Ryeong’s firm resolve, Lu Xiaoruan turned to Lu Ming.
“Ming, go fetch a couple of fur coats to wrap around Yeop Ryeong.”
Lu Ming nodded and dashed off toward the house.
Mingled in the crowd, Yeop Hyeon was buzzing with excitement and anticipation, just like the others. Passing this exam today meant enrolling in Cangmu Academy—and a chance to cure his sister. Gazing up at the mountainside, he drew a deep breath.
“Let’s do this! For Ryeong, for me!”
With a powerful shout, Yeop Hyeon quickened his pace.
The warriors, who had charged like arrows at the start, slowed dramatically after about ten li. The higher they climbed, the more an invisible force pressed down on them, growing heavier with every step. By the time the leaders had covered around twenty li, stragglers were already falling behind.
Yet the frontrunners maintained their initial speed! They all seemed to possess exceptional skill beyond the rest.
Yeop Hyeon climbed steadily, neither rushing nor lagging. The invisible force had no effect on him whatsoever.
His muscles and body were now on par with a Soaring Realm expert.
Golden Divine Scripture!
This was the moment his secretly cultivated hidden realm unleashed its power.
As time passed, the climbers dwindled. After one shichen, only about a hundred warriors remained. Most of those still ascending had faces twisted in agony.
A few leaders showed no signs of fatigue. Among them, a youth in silk robes had led from the start, pulling ten zhang ahead of his closest pursuer. People had expected him to slow, but he kept his blistering pace.
Chasing him were a warrior in ornate robes and a man with a saber at his waist.
Their speed had dipped slightly, but they held steady.
The hundred or so behind them were already exhausted, struggling onward.
Yeop Hyeon climbed at a moderate pace amid them. The pressure from the invisible force intensified, but it didn’t faze him.
The reason he wasn’t pushing harder was simple: this trial was just about reaching the summit. Fast or slow, as long as he finished, that was enough.
No need to rush.
Half a shichen
later, with only about forty still climbing, the silk-robed leader crossed the finish line. Close behind came the ornate-robed warrior and the saber wielder.
Just shy of the finish, Yeop Hyeon suddenly halted. His eyes caught a man tied to a wooden stake. The corpse, appearing around twenty, had both hands and feet severed, and even his eyeballs gouged out. It was a gruesome, pitiable sight unfit for open eyes.
Yeop Hyeon could tell he was a Canglan Academy student. The body looked freshly killed.
Shaking his head with a sigh, Yeop Hyeon thought,
‘How deep must the grudge be between Cangmu Academy and Canglan Academy?’
He kicked off again and soon crossed the finish line.
Forty-two had passed the first trial. At that moment, an immortal crane appeared overhead. Gazing down from atop it, Chang Zhong’s eyes locked on Yeop Hyeon. In an instant, his gaze turned icy.
Sensing the hostility, Yeop Hyeon furrowed his brow.
They’d never met, so why this attitude?
“You there, step forward!”
From the crane, Chang Zhong pointed at Yeop Hyeon with a flat, emotionless command.
Yeop Hyeon glanced at him once and advanced.
“To enroll in our Cangmu Academy, one must be at least Control Qi Realm before eighteen. You clearly fall short!”
His words drew shocked looks from the surrounding Cangmu warriors toward Yeop Hyeon.
They all knew the rule: only those reaching Control Qi Realm before eighteen could apply. For Yeop Hyeon, who wasn’t, it looked like deception.
With a darkened expression, Yeop Hyeon said,
“Elder Chang, though I’m not Control Qi Realm, I’ve already passed the first trial. So…”
“And what of it?”
Chang Zhong’s voice was ice-cold from atop the crane.
“By Cangmu Academy rules, only Control Qi Realm warriors under eighteen qualify for the exam. You passed the first trial, but your realm deception has been exposed. Per academy law, I order one hundred staff strikes and expulsion!”
At his words, two Soaring Realm experts approached Yeop Hyeon.
Yeop Hyeon stared straight at Chang Zhong and said,
“Elder Chang, we’ve never met, yet you singled me out so decisively. Doesn’t that strike you as odd?”
He’d realized Chang Zhong had targeted him from the start.
Chang Zhong sneered mockingly.
“Hmph! Then why deceive others from the beginning?”
‘Chang Zhong!’
Yeop Hyeon’s eyes flashed. Last night’s banquet flashed in his mind. He’d disciplined a man named Cang Qi there—and the badge on Elder Chang’s chest matched Cang Qi’s.
Such badges symbolized a single clan. Chang Zhong was clearly from the same family as Cang Qi!
Just then, a man stepped forward and shouted at Yeop Hyeon,
“Yeop Hyeon, you’re a fool beyond measure!”
A familiar face. In a flash, Yeop Hyeon recalled: Li Feng, the one who’d spoken for Mo Sui Qing at the banquet.
Sneering, Li Feng said,
“You think you can ignore everyone just because you have National Scholar An’s backing? Feel our power!”
Li Feng cupped his fists toward Chang Zhong in the air.
“Elder Chang, this man isn’t Control Qi Realm yet deceived his way into the exam. It’s a clear insult to Cangmu Academy. To uphold the academy’s dignity, please punish him severely!”
Seven or eight nearby warriors stood and echoed,
“Punish him severely!”
Chang Zhong smiled coldly.
“That was my intent. Seize him and beat him till he drops dead!”
At that instant, Yeop Hyeon pulled a jade plaque from his bosom.
“This is National Scholar An’s jade plaque. She recommended me to Cangmu Academy!”
National Scholar An’s jade plaque!
Its weight was no small matter!
The plaque’s appearance threw the area into chaos. Even the silk-robed warrior who’d finished first eyed Yeop Hyeon with curiosity.
National Scholar An! She was an idol revered by all the Jiang Kingdom’s youth!
Chang Zhong looked stunned, as if he’d never dreamed of this.
With his status, he couldn’t touch the bearer of An Ranxiu’s plaque.
Seeing Chang Zhong fall silent, Li Feng grew desperate and yelled recklessly at Yeop Hyeon,
“Arrogant fool! How could a mere Qi Transformation Realm punk get National Scholar An’s endorsement? That plaque is obviously fake—”
In a blur, Yeop Hyeon vanished from his spot and appeared before Li Feng. As all eyes focused, he raised his hand high.
“Why does this so-called warrior have such a long tongue!?”
Crack—!
Struck by Yeop Hyeon’s slap, Li Feng’s body flew through the air. The warriors stared dumbfounded at the flying figure.