Dream King - Chapter 86
“Okay, I bet the National Academy will win.” Mo Yu agreed very readily.
Mo Mo: "..." Why is this not playing by the rules? What's the point of playing this game?
"You win." Mo Mo was speechless.
"Tsk tsk tsk, a master from the Saint Realm is going to cook for me for a month. Why do I suddenly feel a little happy?" Mo Yu looked at Mo Mo, who looked depressed, and her eyes narrowed into crescent moons with laughter.
"Is it really necessary to be so happy? Anyway, I've already decided that I'll take care of all the meals at the National Academy from now on. You joining us just means you'll have one more set of chopsticks and a bowl." Mo Mo couldn't help but tease Mo Yu.
"Of course I'm happy. Besides, as the winner, I should have the right to order a dish every day." Mo Yu seemed to have thought of something and suddenly made such a request. Mo Moyi readily agreed. After all, it was just adding a dish, a matter of a few minutes.
After Mo Mo agreed to Mo Yu's request, Mo Yu suddenly smiled and asked the Pope next to her, "Your Holiness, would you like to join us? Mo Mo's cooking is delicious, and this opportunity to freeload a meal is rare."
"Thank you for your kindness, Lord Mo, but I'm used to being alone, so I won't join in the fun with you young people," the Pope said with a smile. After speaking, he continued to watch the exam below. At this time, the exam below had reached its final stage, but the National Academy still had not been able to form a complete pattern.
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 198 The Final Battle Begins
Mo Mo looked at the scattered yet strangely patterned points of light and nodded with a smile. Seeing this, Mo Yu couldn't help but say to Mo Mo, "Didn't you see that your National Academy is about to lose? How can you still be laughing?"
“Loss? How could the National Academy possibly lose? They should be winning.” Mo Mo said with a serious expression.
The Pope also said at this moment, "The National Academy is indeed going to win. This immortality is really something."
"Is the National Academy really going to win? I didn't see that coming." Before she finished speaking, Mo Yu saw the chess pieces on the board light up one by one, and a huge circle quietly took shape. This circle occupied a quarter of the chessboard and included some of the patterns on the side.
As this giant circle took shape, it also caused gasps of surprise from other academies. After all, this circle was simply too huge, occupying a quarter of the entire chessboard. Once this circle was formed, the outcome of the game was immediately decided.
As expected, the National Academy rightfully won first place, while the Qingyao Thirteen Divisions could not change their fate and were directly eliminated with the last place. The Lishan Sword Sect, which won first place in the original drama, won second place, and the Tiandao Academy won third place. However, the rankings after that were no longer important, because only the first place winner could enter the second stage one incense stick's time in advance, while the others entered in order.
The second challenge is a maze. Candidates must form groups of six and enter the Zhushilin Maze in the order of their first-round victory. They must exit the maze within two hours, or they will be eliminated. At the end of the maze, there are two flags. The first two people to pull up these two flags will advance directly to the final round.
According to the previous winning order, the National Academy will be the first to enter the Boiling Time Forest Maze, and will be one incense stick's time earlier than the other academies. This makes the National Academy, which already has an advantage, even more likely to win. After all, Chen Changsheng's specialty is formations, and the Boiling Time Forest Maze is just a huge formation.
After explaining all the rules, Priest Xin retreated below the platform. Once he was a safe distance away, he cast a spell to open the entrance to the Boiling Forest Maze. Chen Changsheng and the others exchanged glances, nodded to Mo Mo on the platform, and then entered the Boiling Forest Maze one by one.
The time it takes for an incense stick to burn quickly passed. At the instruction of Priest Xin, the people of Lishan Sword Sect also split into groups of six and entered the Boiling Time Forest Maze. The Heavenly Dao Academy followed closely behind, but they were stopped by Mo Mo just as they were about to enter.
"Dean Mo, why are you blocking my Heavenly Dao Academy from entering the Boiling Time Forest Maze? Although you are a saint, if you don't give me an explanation, my Tianhai family is not to be trifled with." Tianhai Ya'er was extremely angry after being stopped.
"Explanation? I'm saving you, and you're asking me for an explanation? Fine, I'll let it slide since you're still young. Do you want me to invite you out, or do you want to come out yourself?" Mo Mo looked at one of the students from the Heavenly Dao Academy with interest.
No sooner had Mo Mo finished speaking than the woman, wielding a dagger, swiftly seized Tianhai Ya'er and reverted to her original appearance, laughing as she said, "I never expected that there would be such a powerful expert as you in the Divine Capital, causing even the strategist to miscalculate. But now that I know of your existence, you won't be so lucky next time." With that, the female demon, holding Tianhai Ya'er hostage, prepared to leave.
"Since you're here, why leave? Stay." Just then, Mo Mo's indifferent voice came from the stands.
The female demon of the Seven Kills clan said coldly, "Want to keep me here? I'm afraid not. I still have Tianhai Ya'er in my hands. He is the young master of the Tianhai family and the Holy Empress's nephew. Aren't you afraid I'll kill him?" As she spoke, she moved the dagger in her hand closer to Tianhai Ya'er's neck, causing Tianhai Ya'er to scream in alarm.
"Threatening me? Great, I love threats like this. But threats like this won't work. Hurry up and stab him until he bleeds! I don't believe you would kill anyone else." Seeing this, Mo Mo sat down instead, urging the female demon.
"You really think I wouldn't dare?" A cold glint flashed in the female demon's eyes, and with a flick of her dagger, Tianhai Ya'er's thigh was instantly stained red with blood.
"Keep going! This isn't enough. We need to break one or two of his arms or something." As he spoke, Mo Mo took out a handful of sunflower seeds and started cracking them open. What no one noticed was that Mo Mo was subtly making a hand seal while taking out the sunflower seeds.
Mo Yu and the Pope, who were standing nearby, couldn't stand it any longer and told the female demon to stop.
"Please, old man, stop stirring up trouble! I'm begging you, if anything happens to Young Master Ya'er, I'll be in big trouble." Mo Yu looked helpless. She knew Mo Mo's personality very well. Although he wasn't vindictive, he wasn't one to swallow his anger either. Tianhai Ya'er had just directly contradicted him like that. If she didn't stop him, Tianhai Ya'er might really be killed.
Although Tianhai Ya'er was a playboy, he wasn't stupid. He could tell that Mo Mo wanted to use the female demon clan to kill him, and he didn't even try to hide it. This made Tianhai Ya'er break out in a cold sweat, and the female demon clan member was also secretly alarmed.
A cold glint flashed in her eyes, and the female demon laughed, saying, "I never expected there to be such a ruthless person among the human race. My demon race admits defeat this time, but it's not bad that Tianhai Ya'er is going to die with me. Tianhai Ya'er, if you want to be good, blame him. He's the one who killed you." With that, the dagger in her hand slashed directly at Tianhai Ya'er's neck.
"No!" Mo Yu sensed something was wrong the moment the female demon spoke. A silver needle gleaming with cold light appeared silently in her hand, while the Pope held a green leaf behind his back. However, the two were a step too slow, and the female demon's dagger slashed at Tian Haiya'er's neck first.
Just when everyone thought Tianhai Ya'er was about to die on the spot, the female demon suddenly disappeared. The Pope reacted extremely quickly and immediately retrieved the green leaf. Mo Yu reacted a little slower, and the silver needle shot directly into Tianhai Ya'er's shoulder. Tianhai Ya'er didn't react in time and collapsed to the ground.
The Pope and Mo Yu looked at each other, not understanding what had just happened. However, it was good that Tian Haiya was alright, otherwise they would have been in considerable trouble. Just then, Mo Yu had a sudden thought and looked at Mo Mo beside him, revealing a look of realization. At this moment, Mo Mo was carefully studying the tiny figure in his palm, which was only a dozen centimeters tall. Judging from the figure's appearance, it was clearly the female demon from earlier.
The Pope, sensing something, looked over and saw Mo Mo crush the female demon into nothingness, causing his pupils to shrink.
"Why did you kill this demon? Why didn't you leave any survivors? If you could have interrogated the other demons, that would have been a great achievement." Mo Yu was annoyed when she saw Mo Mo crush the female demon to death.
"Why didn't you say so earlier? I killed her because I was no longer useful after I finished studying her. Who knew you wanted to torture her?" Mo Mo shrugged.
The collapsed Tianhai Ya'er finally regained his senses. He touched his neck, and the crimson stain on his hand almost made him collapse again. He had never been so close to death. His gaze towards Mo Mo was filled with fear, and he secretly labeled Mo Mo as one of the most untouchable people.
The commotion quickly passed, and the Grand Examination continued. Meanwhile, Chen Changsheng and Xuan Yuanpo in the Boiling Time Forest Maze had already split into two groups: Chen Changsheng and Luo Luo were in one group, and Xuan Yuanpo and Tang Thirty-Six were in another. At this moment, Chen Changsheng was carrying Luo Luo on his back, dodging the shield guards and traps in the Boiling Time Forest Maze. This was naturally Mo Mo's doing.
Although Chen Changsheng and his companions are not deliberately harassed by Mo Yu like in the original series, they now have Mo Mo, who is even more powerful than Mo Yu. So, just like in the original series, they are separated. Luo Luo's meridians are sealed by Mo Mo, making her unable to move. Chen Changsheng is also marked by Mo Mo, making him appear like blood in the sea to the shield guards of Zhu Shi Lin. Sharks can smell him from afar and track him down. Therefore, the two are in a more sorry state than in the original series. However, their relationship has grown closer rapidly during this chase, clearly exceeding the bond between master and disciple.
Although the two are called master and disciple, they are not really master and disciple. Perhaps even Chen Changsheng did not realize that his feelings for Luo Luo were not the master-disciple relationship he imagined, but a kind of fusion similar to friendship and family affection. Since the two were of similar age, he unconsciously and imperceptibly accepted Luo Luo.
Thank you to 201705133224546337 for the donation. I couldn't find your name, so I had to use the one displayed.
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 199 The Curtain Falls
In the labyrinth of the Boiling Forest, Chen Changsheng, carrying Luo Luo, was relentlessly pursued by the guards, with nowhere to run and everything in between. They fled for their lives, stepping on various traps along the way. One of them was a trigger-activated trap, somewhat like a landmine. After stepping on the trap, Chen Changsheng told Luo Luo to go first while he tried to find a way to disarm it. However, Luo Luo insisted on staying and eventually risked her life to disarm the trap. It was this trap that made Chen Changsheng truly begin to acknowledge his feelings for Luo Luo.
During their escape, their feelings for each other quickly intensified. Although they were fleeing from the pursuers, their faces were filled with sweet smiles. Xuan Yuanpo and Tang Thirty-Six were in a worse state, their clothes were already tattered. Just as Mo Mo was having a great time, a guard walked up to Mo Yu and reported the anomaly in the Zhu Shi Lin maze to her.
"Alright, I understand. You may leave now." After learning the details, Mo Yu dismissed the guard and then stared intently at Mo Mo without saying a word.
Although Mo Yu was a great beauty, it was the imperial examination, and there were other people around. Even Mo Mo couldn't stand being stared at like that, so he said, "Why are you looking at me like that? Am I too handsome and accidentally charmed you?"
"Strictly speaking, you are indeed quite handsome, but you're not my type. Besides, you're already of grandfatherly age, yet you're still acting like this." Mo Yu couldn't help but purse her lips.
“Living a long time doesn’t mean you’re old. Look at the little black dragon, he’s lived for hundreds of years and he’s still a long way from adulthood. So age isn’t a problem. I’m asking you very seriously, do you like me?” Mo Mo asked with a serious expression.
Mo Yu suddenly realized what she had done and remembered her original intention. She said in a menacing tone, "Get lost! You almost made me forget. Tell me, did you interfere with the exam in the Cooking Forest Maze?"
"How could that be? I don't control the formation in the Cooking Forest Maze, and I'm right here, aren't I? How could I possibly interfere with the exam inside? That's impossible." Mo Mo replied to Mo Yu with an upright and righteous expression.
Mo Yu didn't say anything after hearing Mo Mo's words, but just looked at Mo Mo with an expression that said, "Do you think I'm stupid?", which made Mo Mo feel embarrassed.
"Okay, I admit I interfered with the exam in the Zhushilin Maze, but I only made it a little harder for a few people from the National Academy. It's fine," Mo Mo said nonchalantly.
"Whether Luo Luo and the others are lucky or unlucky to have met the gentleman you know is unknown. They must not interfere again and disrupt the fairness of the Grand Examination, do you hear me?" Mo Yu said to Mo Mo with a serious expression, staring intently at him.
"Alright, I won't make a move then. Anyway, I've already achieved my goal. But Tang Thirty-Six and Xuan Yuanpo are really resilient. They actually managed to run around in the Boiling Time Forest Maze for over an hour." Mo Mo sighed softly.
Mo Yu: "..."
Pope: "..."
Others: "..."
Are you sure you really are from the School of International Education and not some spy sent from another school? How can you betray your own school's students like this?
After that, Mo Mo did not continue to interfere, because Chen Changsheng had already noticed something was wrong with the maze, and the Li Shan Sword Sect had also found a way to leave the maze. After discovering that the Shield Guards were not pursuing them again, Chen Changsheng put Luo Luo down and began to deduce the true location of the maze.
In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Chen Changsheng deduced the true exit from the maze. At that moment, Luo Luo's sealed meridians returned to normal. A breath or two later, Chen Changsheng used jade counting rods to show the correct exit from the maze and carried Bai Luoheng, who had recovered completely, out of the maze.
When Chen Changsheng arrived at the finish line, he saw Gou Hanshi pull out one of the two flags at the finish line, while the others from the Lishan Sword Sect were entangled with the guards. Without saying a word, Chen Changsheng carried Luo Luo on his back and ran towards the flag.
Just then, Tianhai Ya'er and the people from Tiandao Academy also appeared at the finish line. Seeing Chen Changsheng rapidly approaching the flag, Tianhai Ya'er gritted his teeth and ordered the others to throw him toward the flag. Given his speed, he had a very high chance of getting the flag before Chen Changsheng.
Just as Luo Luo was anxiously asking Chen Changsheng to put her down, Tang Thirty-Six and Xuan Yuanpo suddenly appeared above Tian Haiya with screams, then sat Tian Haiya on the ground. At this moment, Tian Haiya's hand was still a step away from the flag. Seeing this, Chen Changsheng slowed down, walked over leisurely, and took the flag in front of Tian Haiya.
At this moment, Tang Thirty-Six and Xuan Yuanpo opened their eyes in confusion, touched their bodies in disbelief, and muttered to themselves, "It doesn't hurt at all. It's so strange that we fell from such a height and are completely unharmed."
“It is very strange, but I saw Changsheng and Princess Luoluo.” Xuanyuanpo nodded in agreement.
"Chang Sheng and Luo Luo?" Only then did the two realize that there were other people present, and that there was a fleshy cushion under their buttocks.
"Oh my, isn't this His Highness Tianhai? I am so moved. His Highness was willing to be our human cushion so that we wouldn't get hurt. I, Tang Thirty-Six, have no way to repay you. Please accept my bow." With that, Tang Thirty-Six really bowed deeply to Tianhai Ya'er. Xuan Yuanpo, who was standing next to him, followed suit and bowed to Tianhai Ya'er as well.
Tianhai Ya'er, who was almost knocked unconscious by Tang Thirty-Six and the others sitting on him, finally recovered. But Tang Thirty-Six's shock caused him to faint. The guards and people from the Heavenly Dao Academy who came in with him then realized what was happening and rushed over to help Tianhai Ya'er back to his room.
With both flags now having owners, the second competition came to an end. The students who participated in the second exam were all sent out of the Boiling Forest Maze. The second final was held in the Pope's Blue Leaf World. The Blue Leaf World was more of a small space than a world. In this space, the master of the space was the ruler of the space and could control everything within it at will. As long as the strength of the person who entered the space was not much higher than that of the person who controlled the space, they could completely suppress the person who entered the space.
Although the National Academy lost face at the Green Vine Banquet, it must be said that the Green Vine Banquet is indeed a prestigious and righteous sect with many reasonable people in it. At least now, the people of the Green Vine Banquet do not look at Mo Mo and his group with much hatred, but rather with more anger, because they also understand that they were indeed in the wrong at the Green Vine Banquet.
“Brother Chen, although we were indeed in the wrong at the Green Vine Banquet, your National Academy did make us lose face. So this time I will not hold back. I will definitely make up for all the face lost by our Lishan Sword Sect.” Gou Hanshi said to Chen Changsheng, who was standing opposite him, with a serious expression.
“There’s no need. I will do my best. As for the matter at the Green Vine Banquet, it concerns Senior Sister Xu’s lifelong happiness, and there’s nothing the Master can do about it. However, I have a reason to win first place, so please forgive me, Brother Hanshi.” Chen Changsheng replied with a smile.
Seeing that the two were ready, the Pope held a green leaf between his fingers and shot it towards them. The leaf transformed into two streams of green leaves mid-flight, drawing the two into a world of green leaves.
After marveling at the wonders of the Green Leaf World, the two got straight to the point, drawing their swords and engaging in battle. The fight was already at a stalemate from the very beginning, as Chen Changsheng was no longer the Chen Changsheng who had just entered the Sitting Posture stage in the original story, but had already entered the Tongyou stage.
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 200 He was too dirty, I told him to wash in the lake.
Both Chen Changsheng and Gou Hanshi had entered the Tongyou realm, and their cultivation levels were roughly equal. However, Gou Hanshi came from the Lishan Sword Sect, and his swordsmanship was skillful and his moves were seasoned, far surpassing Chen Changsheng, who had only recently begun his training. After a short while of fighting, Chen Changsheng's lack of foundation became apparent. Gou Hanshi seized an opening and Chen Changsheng began to retreat steadily, only able to dodge with the Yeshi Step and occasionally manage to return a move or two.
Thus, wherever the two passed in the Green Leaf World, a fierce wind blew and grass leaves flew. Occasionally, when their swords clashed, sparks would fly. Gradually, Chen Changsheng also began to get used to the rhythm of the battle. He no longer just dodged, and occasionally he could even catch Gou Hanshi off guard and make Gou Hanshi flustered.
Outside the Green Leaf World, Mo Mo glanced at Bai Luoheng and the others, who seemed quite nervous. With a wave of his hand, a light screen appeared on the high platform of the square, displaying the scene from the Green Leaf World. Inside the Green Leaf World, after fighting for a few minutes, Chen Changsheng and Gou Hanshi stopped three or four meters apart.
Gou Hanshi looked at Chen Changsheng, who had stopped, sheathed his sword, and said with a smile, "Brother Chen, if you keep dodging like this, you will only exhaust yourself. Although you are improving rapidly, I am sure that you will be exhausted before your strength is enough to defeat me, and in the end you will still lose to me."
“Indeed, that’s why I’ve prepared a surprise for you.” After saying this, Chen Changsheng’s expression turned serious, and he said loudly, “Reversing the order, turning leaves into ropes, binding the dragon.”
As Chen Changsheng spoke, the grass and leaves of the Green Leaf World fluttered down, and with the Immaculate Sword that Chen Changsheng wielded, a torrent of green leaves rushed toward Gou Hanshi.
This cyan torrent was incredibly swift, reaching Gou Hanshi in the blink of an eye. Bai Luoheng and the others outside the Azure Leaf World clenched their fists in tension, while Qi Jian and the others from the Lishan Sword Sect remained all smiles, because they knew that Chen Changsheng's formation was no match for Gou Hanshi's strength.
As expected, Gou Hanshi used the Blazing Sky Sword technique from the original drama to break Chen Changsheng's formation. However, after breaking the formation, Gou Hanshi did not see Chen Changsheng. With a slight frown, Gou Hanshi swung his sword behind him without hesitation and stabbed Chen Changsheng, who appeared behind him. However, Chen Changsheng, who was stabbed, did not show any pain or bleed.
When the longsword pierced the body of "Chen Changsheng", Gou Hanshi felt something was wrong, because the sword did not feel like it had pierced a person at all. Instead, it felt like it had pierced a straw. Sensing something was wrong, Gou Hanshi immediately withdrew his sword and turned around to stab behind him. However, to his surprise, there was no one behind him.
Just then, a figure quietly appeared behind him, along with a long sword that gleamed coldly, which was already resting on his shoulder.
"Brother Hanshi, you've lost." Chen Changsheng's voice came from behind Gou Hanshi.
Gou Hanshi slowly turned around, and Chen Changsheng also sheathed his sword and stood up. After turning around, Gou Hanshi bowed to Chen Changsheng, and Chen Changsheng also bowed to Gou Hanshi. After bowing, Gou Hanshi said with a hint of disappointment, "So turning leaves into ropes was just a decoy, just to attract my attention. But how did you do it afterward? I clearly felt that the stab wasn't to a real person, and you were indeed not injured."
"It was just a substitute. Actually, Brother Hanshi did stab me just now, but I blocked it with the Green Leaf Substitute. It was just a fluke, Brother Hanshi admits it." Chen Changsheng was quite modest, but it was indeed as he said. Because he had not fully mastered the Green Leaf Substitute and was not proficient enough in using it, if he had not used it successfully, the sword would have stabbed him directly.
With the outcome decided, the Pope removed the two from the Green Leaf World. Bai Luoheng and Tang Thirty-Six quickly rushed towards Chen Changsheng, and Xuan Yuanpo jumped up with joy. Meanwhile, the Li Shan Sword Sect members also rushed down. Although they didn't speak, Gou Hanshi could read the concern in their eyes.
"I lost, but next time, I won't lose to you again, Chen Changsheng," Gou Hanshi said confidently.