Chapter 192 Opening of the Rankings
Feeling the pressure from Zhuang Huanyu's all-out attack, Chen Changsheng's expression also became solemn. He no longer regarded Zhuang Huanyu as a whetstone to hone his skills, but as a real opponent. Just as he was channeling his true energy to prepare to break Zhuang Huanyu's sword technique, he noticed that Zhuang Huanyu had his hands behind his back, just like last time. Although the light was very faint under the cover of the sword light, it could not escape his eyes.
"This is the Star-Picking Palm from the Star-Picking Academy. How could Zhuang Huanyu, a student from the Heavenly Dao Academy, know a move from the Star-Picking Academy?" Chen Changsheng was filled with surprise after seeing through Zhuang Huanyu's move, but now was not the time to investigate this question.
"He still has a follow-up move with his left hand, which means my previous method of countering his move is useless. And that sword technique is a trap. If I counter it like that, I will fall right into his trap. So I can only avoid his sharp edge for now." Thinking of this, a light flashed in Chen Changsheng's eyes, and he silently shouted "Ye Shi Bu" in his heart.
It's been a long time, but from the moment Chen Changsheng discovered Zhuang Huanyu's hidden moves to the moment he used the Yeshi Step, only a moment had passed. Therefore, the others only saw Zhuang Huanyu use the sword technique as bait and his palm technique as the killing move to rush towards Chen Changsheng, and then Chen Changsheng disappeared after assuming the starting stance to counter the sword technique.
The moment Chen Changsheng disappeared from his sight, Zhuang Huanyu sensed something was wrong, because he had no idea how Chen Changsheng had done it. He hadn't even detected a trace of Chen Changsheng, and his confident killing move had become his own death warrant.
This move is indeed his strongest killing move, and it is extremely powerful. The only way to deal with this move is to take it head-on, because neither of these moves is a feint. If you choose to take the sword technique, you will then face the powerful Star-Picking Palm. If you think the sword technique is a feint and ignore it in order to deal with the palm technique, you will be killed by the sword technique in the next second.
However, the strongest is also the weakest. This move is so powerful, but it is not without its flaws. Its strength lies in its offense. It abandons everything else and locks onto the target to attack relentlessly. However, this also means that when this move is launched, he has no defense. Moreover, once the move is launched, it is extremely difficult to turn back. And since today is a competition, there is no possibility of being ambushed from behind, so he will not use this move.
However, his strongest move missed. Chen Changsheng simply vanished. The other party didn't even take his attack. No matter how strong the move is, it's useless if it can't hit the person. Moreover, it was too late for him to stop his move. He knew that Chen Changsheng would not give him another chance to calmly stop his move.
Sure enough, when he forcibly interrupted his move, Chen Changsheng's sword was already pointing at his back. Moreover, the sharpness of the sword made him feel cold and goosebumps rose on his back. Seeing the sharpness of the sword in Chen Changsheng's hand, he believed that as long as Chen Changsheng released his strength, Zhuang Huanyu would disappear from the world.
Fortunately, the feeling came and went quickly. In just two or three seconds, Chen Changsheng put away his sword. Although Zhuang Huanyu was unwilling, he could only admit defeat because he was no match for Chen Changsheng.
After Chen Changsheng returned to the second floor, Chen Liuwang couldn't help but exclaim, "You must be Chen Changsheng from the National Academy! No wonder you were able to break through the Demon Clan's sacred artifact Yanluo and rescue Princess Luoluo. I never expected that you would even know the Demon Clan's peerless and independent secret technique 'Yeshi Step,' which is never passed on to outsiders. You truly are an elite from the National Academy."
“King Chenliu, you misunderstand. I didn’t teach him the Yeshi Step. Changsheng’s master is someone else. Changsheng has been well-versed in the Three Thousand Daoist Canons since childhood, so he must have learned the Yeshi Step from the Daoist Canons.” Mo Mo rejected King Chenliu’s praise of the National Academy and explained that Chen Changsheng’s teacher was someone else.
"Oh? Chen Changsheng actually has another master, and at such a young age he has already mastered the Three Thousand Daoist Canons. I, the King, am truly ashamed of my inferiority. No wonder Princess Luoluo would take you as her master. Based on this alone, you are qualified." King Chenliu was very surprised. He did not expect that this amazingly talented young man was not Mo Mo's disciple, but someone else. He really wanted to know who could teach such a prodigy.
"Thank you for your praise, Your Highness. Changsheng has only read a few more books. Luoluo only became my disciple to express her gratitude for saving her life. Changsheng is still far from being worthy of such praise." As he spoke, he glanced at Mo Mo, who stood calmly to the side.
"Keep trying, maybe you'll really have a chance to catch up with him in the future." Chen Liuwang noticed Chen Changsheng's glance and immediately understood that his goal might be to catch up with Mo Mo. However, he also understood that it would be very difficult. He could only pat Chen Changsheng on the shoulder and offer encouragement.
Bai Luoheng, who was standing to the side, was displeased by Chen Changsheng's words and retorted loudly, "Luoluo did not become your disciple because of the debt of saving your life. Luoluo was truly impressed by your talent. Tell me, who in this world can read through the three thousand volumes of the Daoist Canon? Master, you are much better than those people in the academy."
"Luo Luo!" Chen Changsheng helplessly stopped Bai Luoheng, who was about to continue her sweeping generalization. Hearing Chen Changsheng's words, Bai Luoheng obediently quieted down, but her expression clearly told the others, "She is right, she sticks to her point of view."
Seeing Bai Luoheng's nonchalant expression, Chen Changsheng said to Bai Luoheng earnestly, "Luoluo, although your master believes that he is no less talented than the young talents in the world, he dares not say that he is worse than the teachers of the academy. Not to mention those far away, I am far inferior to the two teachers of our National Academy. And how vast is this world? How many talented people are living in seclusion? We must be humble."
"Master, I understand. I will definitely be more humble in the future. However, there is one thing you said wrong." Bai Luoheng replied to Chen Changsheng with a serious expression.
"That sentence?" Chen Changsheng asked without hesitation.
“Master, the dean of our National Academy has long transcended the realm of humans. He is a demon, while you are a human, albeit a bit monstrous. How can a human possibly compare to a demon?” Bai Luoheng replied earnestly.
Mo Mo: "..."
Others: "..."
Mo Mo put on a menacing look and said coldly to Bai Luoheng, "Luo Luo! The monster you're talking about is right next to you. How dare you speak ill of a monster right next to it? Believe me, this monster will eat you up in one bite!"
"Dean, I'm just praising you. Besides, even if you really are a monster, you're a kind and compassionate one. How could you bear to eat the lively, cute, and kind Luo Luo, right, Sister Xu?" Bai Luoheng said as he ran to Xu Yourong's side and hugged her arm.
Seeing the harmonious atmosphere at the National Academy, Prince Chenliu sighed to Mo Mo, "Seeing the harmonious atmosphere in your academy, Dean, makes me quite envious. The White Emperor will be very happy to know that Princess Luoluo has such a group of friends in the Divine Capital."
"Your Highness, please excuse my rudeness. These people are all troublemakers. As long as they don't cause any major chaos, I'll be content. As for the rest, let them be. After all, life is short, so why not live it freely and happily? Why put so many shackles on yourself?"
“That’s true. You’re so open-minded, sir. I’m just envious. It’s a pity about my status…” After saying that, the Prince of Chenliu shook his head and walked back to the main seat.
After offering a string of praises, Prince Chenliu announced that the Qing Teng Banquet had officially come to an end. He then left with Xu Weixin and the others. After they left, the Six Academies and the others also quickly departed. The Qing Teng Banquet was held for four more days afterward, but Mo Mo and Prince Chenliu did not attend again.
The day after the Green Vine Banquet ended, Xuan Yuanpo got up early and waited in front of the stone tablet. He had already cleaned the stone tablet at the entrance of the National Academy the day before. Tang Thirty-Six, whom he had helped up, was by his side. As for Chen Changsheng and Mo Mo, there was still some time before the Qingyun Ranking was announced, so they wouldn't be foolish enough to go out and wait for nothing.
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 193 Rewards
When Mo Mo was led to the main gate, all the students from the National Academy had already arrived, lined up and waiting for the Qingyun Ranking to be announced. When they saw Luo Luo and Xu Yourong leading Mo Mo there, they left the middle seat empty for him.
"I mean, is it really that big of a deal? It's just the Qingyun Ranking, what's so special about it? There's no real benefit to being on the list, you might as well keep a low profile and quietly make your fortune." Seeing the group's excited faces, Mo Mo couldn't help but feel speechless.
"You're a saint, so of course you don't care about this list, but we're just mortals. Besides, being on the Azure Cloud List will make everyone on the continent know our names. How prestigious and cool is that? This is a great opportunity to become famous!" Tang Thirty-Six said excitedly.
"Fame? Prestige? Handsome? Can they put food on the table? Once you're famous, everyone in the world knows you. How can you keep a low profile? How can you quietly make a fortune? How can you ambush someone? Besides, the Heavenly Mystery Elder won't reward you for being on the Azure Cloud Ranking. What's the use besides having more people recognize you? Furthermore, more people knowing you means your strength will be known by most, which increases the risk of being targeted. So, overall, the disadvantages of being on the Azure Cloud Ranking outweigh the advantages." Mo Mo summarized the various drawbacks of being on the Azure Cloud Ranking, leaving everyone dumbfounded, except for Xu Yourong, who looked excited.
"Master, did you say something outrageous just now?" Xu Yourong's face was filled with excitement. Her master had finally spoken his mind.
"What? What did I say? I didn't say anything. You must have misheard me." Mo Mo pretended to be clueless, but she was already regretting it. "I accidentally blurted out my true feelings. Looks like I'm in for a headache now."
"Hmph, trying to renege on your promise? No way! I've already memorized those words and will definitely carry them through to the end." Xu Yourong didn't give Mo Mo a chance to argue.
Seeing this, Mo Mo could only silently taste the bitter fruit of his own actions. He had to continue teaching the troublemaker he had brought up, even with tears in his eyes.
“Sir is right. Blindly pursuing the Qingyun Ranking is indeed harmful and useless. We should take the people on the Qingyun Ranking as our goals and then strive to surpass them to improve our own strength, rather than making it our goal.” Chen Changsheng saw that Tang Thirty-Six was somewhat unconvinced, so he patted him on the shoulder and picked up where Mo Mo left off.
"That seems to make sense, but I still prefer the feeling of being the center of attention. A man who doesn't flaunt his youth is wasting his life. We have a long life ahead of us. If we don't take advantage of our youth and be a little reckless, we won't have that skill when we're old." Tang Thirty-Six still insisted on his point of view.
Hearing Tang Thirty-Six's words, Chen Changsheng couldn't help but think to himself, "I also want to be young and reckless, but unfortunately I don't have that much time to squander. I wonder if I'll live to see the day I grow old."
Just then, the stone slab at the entrance lit up, displaying a line of large characters that attracted everyone's attention. Then, a grand voice resounded throughout the entire capital.
Qu Qi, ranked 148th on the Qingyun List, is a free spirit who has cultivated himself with extraordinary perseverance since childhood. He has encountered a renowned master and is poised for a meteoric rise.
…
Ranked 139th on the Qingyun Ranking, Qi Ping from Zhaixing Academy… Ranked 98th, Wen Yunfei from Saintess Peak; Ranked 20th, Xuan Yuanpo from the National Academy, with abundant true energy, great strength, and excellent luck, he met a benefactor in the capital and has unlimited potential.
Nineteenth on the Qingyun List, Yueyi of Saintess Peak possesses exceptional talent. If she can cultivate her character and temperament, she has great potential.
The tenth place on the Qingyun Ranking is Zhuang Huanyu from the Divine Capital Heavenly Dao Academy; the ninth place on the Qingyun Ranking is Zhong Hui from the Qingyao Thirteen Divisions.
Tang Tang, ranked eighth on the Qingyun List, from the National Academy, possesses exceptional talent and fortune, is mischievous, has unlimited potential, and a promising future.
Ranked seventh on the Qingyun List, from the Lishan Sword Sect, Qijian, possesses extraordinary talent and exceptional swordsmanship.
Fourth on the Qingyun Ranking is Lian Miao from Saintess Peak; third on the Qingyun Ranking is Guan Feibai from Lishan Sword Sect.
Second on the Qingyun Ranking, from the National Academy, Bai Luoheng possesses a powerful bloodline and, with the help of a benefactor, has overcome cultivation obstacles, promising a bright future.
Chen Changsheng, ranked first on the Qingyun List and a graduate of the National Academy, has thoroughly read all three thousand volumes of the Daoist Canon. His fate has been fraught with hardship, but if he can break free from his shackles, he can achieve the Great Dao.
"Great! We've all made the list! I'll treat you to dinner tonight. Let's go out for a good meal. Changsheng, you can't refuse my drink this time!" Tang Thirty-Six excitedly hugged Chen Changsheng, even happier than if he had won first place himself.
"Wait a minute, why isn't Senior Sister You Rong on the Azure Cloud Ranking? Did Old Man Tianji make a mistake? She defeated Guan Feibai, who was ranked third, in just one move." Xuan Yuanpo counted the people present and voiced his doubts.
"Xuanyuan, are you stupid? The Azure Cloud Ranking only accepts young talents below the Tongyou Realm. Senior Sister Xu has already reached the Juxing Realm, how can she be on the Azure Cloud Ranking?" Bai Tang Thirty-Six looked at him with an expression as if he were an idiot, making Xuanyuan Po scratch his head awkwardly.
"Sir, sir, didn't you say before that you would reward us if we performed well at the Green Vine Banquet? Where is the reward now? Sir, we've all made it onto the Azure Cloud Ranking, so hurry up and give us the reward. But I'll pull up all the vegetables you planted, sir," Bai Luoheng said, half-jokingly and half-threateningly.
"No, you can't pull up the vegetables he planted. I'm warning you, you can do whatever you want, but you can't ruin the vegetable garden." Zhu Sha, the little black dragon who had been silently gnawing on a chicken leg, immediately objected when she heard Bai Luoheng's words. That vegetable garden was half of her lifeline. If the vegetable garden was destroyed, what would Mo Mo cook for her?
"Little Black Dragon, can't you be a little more ambitious? All you do is eat. You've been completely submissive for just a few meals, even though his cooking is indeed very delicious." As he spoke, Bai Luoheng couldn't help but swallow.
"And you're talking about me? You were just drooling a moment ago. Every time Mo Mo cooks, besides me and Xuanyuan, you eat the most. You're just saying that." The little black dragon didn't care about any of that and said whatever came to mind, expressing his thoughts.
"Little Black Dragon, don't say that!" Bai Luoheng rushed over and tried to cover the little black dragon's mouth, but the little black dragon was no pushover. It ran away in a flash, saying as it ran, "Am I wrong? Look at you, you're almost turning into a fat little tiger."
"Ahhh! Little black dragon, I'm going to kill you!" The two chased each other, and a chaotic scene ensued.
Everyone else watched the two playing around with smiles. After a while, Bai Luoheng gave up on the idea of catching the little black dragon. After all, the little black dragon was a Xuan Frost Dragon, whose strength and stamina were far beyond what Bai Luoheng could compare to now. Even though she was panting heavily, she still couldn't catch the little black dragon.
"Alright, now that you've seen the Ranking List and made enough noise, it's time to go back. I've prepared the rewards I promised you. If you want them, come with me."
Upon hearing Mo Mo's words, not only Bai Luoheng but also Chen Changsheng's eyes flashed with fervor. During this time, they had fully grasped the extent of Mo Mo's extravagance. He would give the pills that others wouldn't even dare to eat once a month to enhance their meditation and cultivation to Xu Yourong's pets as candy. However, Chen Changsheng wholeheartedly approved of this behavior because he always believed that only what is ingested truly belongs to oneself, and pills are meant to enhance cultivation, so what's the point of keeping them if not consuming them?
Just as they were following Mo Mo to collect their gifts with great anticipation, Qiu Shan Jun left the capital city drunk, carrying a wine jar. Behind Qiu Shan Jun was Nan Ke, who had been beaten into submission by Xu You Rong over the years, and in her hand was a black seed the size of a thumb.
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 194 Choice
After being rejected by Xu Yourong at the Green Vine Banquet, Qiushan-jun returned home dejected and locked himself in his room for three whole days, not eating or drinking and not stepping out of his room. Finally, he realized that Xu Yourong had never liked him, and all these years had been nothing but his unrequited love.
Although he had figured it out and decided to let go, how could he simply let go of someone he had loved for years? Feeling depressed, he, who never drank, made an exception and drank his first cup of wine in a tavern that day. After that, he couldn't stop and drank several jars. If it weren't for his profound cultivation, he probably would have been drunk long ago. In the end, he asked the owner for another jar of wine and then left the capital and headed to the outskirts.
In truth, he didn't know why he had inexplicably left the capital. He just felt extremely sad. Although his consciousness was somewhat blurred after drinking, he still felt terrible. In his daze, he didn't know where he was. When he came to his senses, he found himself outside the capital. The wine jar in his hand fell to the ground and shattered into pieces.
"How did I get here? Wasn't I in the capital? I should go back to the capital first. The demons have been making a lot of moves these past few days, they definitely don't have good intentions." Qiushan Jun muttered to himself, then turned around and hurried back to the capital.
On his way back to the capital, Qiushan-jun's mind was filled with memories of his time with Xu Yourong and the words Mo Mo had spoken at the Green Vine Banquet. Finally, he couldn't help but let out a long roar to the sky, and then said firmly, "Dragons and phoenixes are the most powerful divine beasts in the world. I am not as strong as you now, and you look down on me, so I will not obey you. But one day, I will surpass your master and stand at the pinnacle of this continent. At that time, you will become my bride." As he finished speaking, a black glint flashed in Qiushan-jun's eyes.
After Qiushan Jun left, a beautiful young woman in a long black dress emerged from the woods. Watching Qiushan Jun disappear into the distance, she murmured, "Qiushan Jun, you'll be mine sooner or later, you damned phoenix, just you wait! Without Qiushan Jun's protection, see how I teach you a lesson!" This woman was none other than Nan Ke, the Peacock Princess of the Demon Clan. She had been following Qiushan Jun for a long time, and at this moment, she had already planted a demonic seed in him.
Meanwhile, Mo Mo and the others returned to the academy.
In the auditorium, Bai Luoheng and the others looked at Mo Mo pitifully, like a group of hungry little animals. Mo Mo almost thought he had done something to offend them. After coughing, Mo Mo said with a serious expression, "Your performance at the Green Vine Banquet was alright. You didn't embarrass our National Academy. But don't be too happy yet. The Green Vine Banquet was just an appetizer. The most important thing is the upcoming Grand Examination. These rewards will be able to improve your strength and help you get a good ranking in the Grand Examination."
"What exactly is it? Hurry up and show it to us," Bai Luoheng couldn't help but say.
"You're the one in the most hurry. Alright, take yours first." With that, he waved his hand at the table, and a small box appeared on it.
After receiving Mo Mo's nod, Bai Luoheng quickly picked up the small box and took out the contents. It was a small, transparent ball about the size of an egg. The ball was crystal clear and shimmered with a faint glow, but it was a little soft to the touch. It looked quite appealing.
"Sir, what is this?" Bai Luoheng held the egg-sized, shimmering, transparent ball in his hand and asked Mo Mo with a puzzled look.
Mo Mo did not answer Bai Luoheng's question directly, but said to himself, "Luo Luo, you are a princess of the demon race. You have no shortage of magic weapons, natural treasures to enhance your power, and even your cultivation techniques are top-notch. So you basically have nothing. I thought about it for a long time and finally decided to give you this. Don't underestimate this thing. It is a good thing that many people dream of."
"This little ball, which has nothing special about it except for its shimmering light, is something that so many people dream of? Sir, don't lie to me. It's just an ordinary pearl, and a soft one at that." Bai Luoheng looked it over from left to right but couldn't find anything different about it.
"You'll know the benefits of heaven and earth the moment you put your first drop of blood on it." Mo Mo didn't explain, but simply had Bai Luoheng put a drop of blood on it.
Although he didn't know what Mo Mo was up to, Bai Luoheng still bit his finger and dripped a drop of blood onto it.
The blood dripped onto the small ball and was quickly absorbed. After absorbing the blood, the small ball lost its luster and slowly turned into wisps of white smoke. However, the white smoke that the small ball turned into did not dissipate but instead surrounded Bai Luoheng. When the small ball completely dissipated, Bai Luoheng was already surrounded by the white smoke.
"Sir, what is this? Why has it melted? Is it spoiled?" Bai Luoheng's voice came from through the smoke.
As soon as Bai Luoheng finished speaking, the white smoke changed. The white smoke that had completely obscured Bai Luoheng quickly gathered behind him and gradually formed the outline of a pair of wings over time. Five breaths later, a pair of white wings appeared on Bai Luoheng's back.
The moment the wings took shape, Bai Luoheng closed her eyes. A moment later, she opened them again, her eyes filled with excitement. She bowed respectfully to Mo Mo and said, "Thank you for the gift, sir. I love it very much." After speaking, she paused for a moment, and then the wings behind her transformed into white smoke and quickly dissipated.
Mo Mo smiled slightly and said nonchalantly, "The wind follows the tiger and the clouds follow the dragon. I hope these wings can help you."
"Wow, those wings are so cool, Luo Luo! Can these wings carry you? If they can, they'll leave my Pengcheng far behind!" Tang Thirty-Six was very envious. Although his Pengcheng had been improved by Chen Changsheng and himself, it still couldn't fly very far or high, and it was very easy to fall over, plus it was inconvenient to wear.
"It's a secret. You'll find out during the Grand Examination," Bai Luoheng said, keeping everyone in suspense.
This thing can be considered a magic weapon, but it can also be considered a secret technique. It was condensed by Mo Mo using the outer winds of the heavens, but it is not a magic weapon because it contains a cultivation method. As long as you cultivate according to the techniques contained within, you can improve its strength. Moreover, others can also cultivate it. However, when others cultivate it, they will only have a pair of ordinary wind wings at the beginning, which can only increase their speed or glide for a short distance. But Bai Luoheng's was condensed by Mo Mo using the outer winds of the heavens, which is equivalent to Mo Mo directly helping her cultivate it to the minor level. And this secret technique, when cultivated to the major level, can spread wings for thousands of miles.
Next up is Xuan Yuanpo. Mo Mo gave Xuan Yuanpo a halberd made primarily of ten-thousand-year-old cold iron, which is even stronger than Chen Changsheng's Wugou. In fact, Mo Mo could have made an even more powerful one, but even if he had, Xuan Yuanpo wouldn't have been able to use it.