by Mao Ni
To everyone's surprise and yet not entirely unexpectedly, the name that followed after Qi Jian was not Luoluo. The ninth rank belonged to a young genius from Scholartree Manor.
Chen Changsheng had never heard the name of this young genius, but he presumed that it was someone who had been ranked even higher on the proclamation. At the moment, he only cared about which rank Luoluo ended up in, how many ranks she would advance.
What happened next truly took everyone by surprise.
The eighth rank of the Proclamation of Azure Sky was not Luoluo, nor was the seventh. The seventh rank belonged to Liang Banhu. This brilliant disciple of the Mount Li Sword Sect, the Fifth Law of the Divine Kingdom's Seven Laws, had been ranked sixth in the past two years. Today, it seemed that, just like those other talented youths, he had been pushed down by Luoluo.
Chen Changsheng lowered his head and seriously listened. He would already be very satisfied if Luoluo was able to enter the top five, but for some reason, he felt like Luoluo could rank even higher. He knew just how much progress Luoluo had made in the months she had spent in the Orthodox Academy, and he could only hope that the people from the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets knew as well.
The crowd lining the Divine Avenue could no longer suppress their gasps of shock. At this point, many people had already begun to guess at the reason for the Proclamation of Azure Sky's impromptu changing of ranks, because… the sixth rank of the Proclamation of Azure Sky still did not contain Luoluo's name.
Chen Changsheng didn't even hear the name of this person. He clenched his hands, somewhat worried and nervous. He hoped that Luoluo could continue advancing, but he knew how difficult such a thing was.
After the gasps of shock came utter silence. It could be presumed that many places in the capital, such as the Heavenly Dao Academy or Star Seizer Academy, were similarly quiet. Everyone was waiting for Luoluo's name to appear.
The voice coming from the Hall of Announcements was not in the least affected by the nervous atmosphere. Somewhat monotonously, even dryly, it read out the fifth name on the Proclamation of Azure Sky: Guan Feibai!
It was actually Guan Feibai! As expected, it was Guan Feibai! The Fourth Law of the Divine Kingdom's Seven Laws, Guan Feibai, had truly been displaced from the rank that he had dominated for three years!
Countless eyes cast their gazes toward the courtyard on the right side of the Divine Avenue behind the white pines. However, the guest courtyard was still completely quiet. After a moment, those gazes fell upon Chen Changsheng and the students of the Orthodox Academy, the emotions within them extremely complex.
The crowd was both shocked and confused.
Based on the rankings of the Proclamation of Azure Sky that were being announced, the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets had completely recognized the result of the match between the Orthodox Academy and the Mount Li Sword Sect. However, the two matches that had taken place were different from normal matches, so how had the pavilion been able to see who was stronger and weaker? And according to past practice, if the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets recognized the result of the match, Guan Feibai should have fallen straight down to ninth on the Proclamation of Azure Sky and Princess Luoluo should have advanced one or two ranks. How could Guan Feibai only fall one rank and Princess Luoluo go directly into the top four?
After all, those who were able to appear in the top ten of the Proclamation of Azure Sky were all the most outstanding young geniuses of the continent. The gap between each of them was very small, so judgments about them had to be made with great prudence, and advancing even one rank was extremely difficult!
Since Guan Feibai had fallen to fifth, the fourth rank should naturally belong to Princess Luoluo. Just when everyone had prepared themselves to hear her noble name, another surprise occurred!
In an instant, the two sides of the Divine Avenue were awash with noise, the uproar of the crowd rising up and startling birds from their perches, seeming to want to overturn the clear autumn sky.
The fourth rank of the Proclamation of Azure Sky was still not Princess Luoluo, but another name!
Chen Changsheng looked somewhat dazzled. He asked, "What's happened? Who is this person?"
Tang Thirty-Six also had an expression of utter shock. Only after quite a while did he come to his senses and answer, "The Third Law of the Divine Kingdom's Seven Laws. After Qiushan Jun and Gou Hanshi went to the Proclamation of Golden Distinction, he became the strongest of the Mount Li Sword Sect on the Proclamation of Azure Sky."
He very solemnly added, "He's always been ranked third."
Chen Changsheng needed a little time to completely understand it all. To be more precise, he needed a little time to shake off his daze. The corners of his lips perked upward, as he couldn't hold back his smile no matter how hard he tried.
…Luoluo had entered the top three of the Proclamation of Azure Sky!
As Luoluo's teacher, he had interacted with her in the Orthodox Academy for a very long time. It wasn't right to call their relationship very close, but they were still friends that shared the same table. Right now, he felt even happier than if he had gotten into the Proclamation of Azure Sky himself!
The number three had always had a different meaning. Perhaps it was because three was the most stable, or perhaps for some complex psychological reasons. In short, three was different.
For instance, the Grand Examination had only three banners, and the first banner took only three people.
Thus, the top ten of the Proclamation of Azure Sky had one sort of feeling, and the top three had a feeling all its own.
For Luoluo to be able to rank in the top three of the Proclamation of Azure Sky meant that she was already standing at the peak of her generation.
From this moment on, she would not merely possess a most noble and powerful bloodline, she would also possess a most noble and powerful status, and the latter had been obtained through her own bitter cultivation, not through her surname.
Just how glorious was this!
Chen Changsheng raised his head and looked at the Hall of Pure Virtue atop the endless flight of stone steps, wondering if Luoluo knew of this news within the Pope's Green Leaf World.
However, the shocks had still not ended.
The third rank of the Proclamation of Azure Sky was still not Luoluo.
The forests lining the Divine Avenue were absolutely silent. The crowd had already grown numb from these shocks.
Amongst the palaces of the Li Palace, however, rose cries of surprise.
His face slightly pale, Tang Thirty-Six said incredulously, "How can this be!"
Chen Changsheng did not have much of an understanding of these geniuses in the Proclamation of Azure Sky's top ten, so his reaction was not as intense. However, when Tang Thirty-Six thought of how respectful and obedient Luoluo acted in front of Chen Changsheng on that night in the Orthodox Academy, he truly found the situation difficult to accept. Such a cute and charming little girl had actually surpassed that cold-blooded wolf cub in the north who made a living by hunting down solitary demon soldiers!
The moment had finally come.
The crowd had already waited a long time in order to hear this name. At the very beginning, presumably no one had expected that such a long time would be required.
"Baidi Luoheng, Orthodox Academy, second on the Azure Sky."
The silent Divine Avenue was still silent, but cries of surprise exploded from the halls of the Li Palace. Even the quiet guest courtyard where the southern diplomatic mission was staying showed signs of activity.
The entire capital, even the entire continent, had presumably sunk into a state of shock.
Baidi Luoheng, Princess of the Demi-humans, had in the past been ranked ninth on the Proclamation of Azure Sky. In the short span of a few months, she entered the top three, ultimately ending up at second!
Everyone understood that in the Proclamation of Azure Sky where advancement grew more challenging with each step, to go from ninth to second was far more inconc
eivable than going from the very last to the top ten!
Just how terrifying was this progression speed!
In the history of the Proclamation of Azure Sky, this sort of situation very rarely occurred. In the last ten-some years, the only similar cases were when Qiushan Jun and Xu Yourong first entered the rankings!
Could it be that in the eyes of the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets, Luoluo was almost at the level of Qiushan Jun and Xu Yourong?
Many people were thinking of this question, especially when they thought about her performance during the Ivy Festival. Although Luoluo had shown herself to be powerful, she could not be said to have far surpassed her peers. At the very least, it was not enough to convince the common people that she was better than the wolf cub of the north.
As they wanted to know the answer, the crowd would not miss out on the routine commentary from the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets.
The Elder of Heavenly Secrets’ assessment of Luoluo was still simple and concise, and also tyrannical and direct, very in keeping with the style of the White Emperor clan. It directly stated that since she had now overcome the demi-humans' barrier to cultivating human techniques, with her incomparably tyrannical bloodline and talent, no one but Qiushan Jun or Xu Yourong could be a match for her!
Such a tyrannical commentary made the crowd somewhat despondent, so much so that many people missed the final part of the Elder of Heavenly Secrets’ commentary, that all this had come to pass because she had met a wise teacher.
Some people heard these words, such as Su Moyu and Tang Thirty-Six.
Su Moyu turned to Chen Changsheng, his feelings extremely complex.
Tang Thirty-Six looked at him, feeling a deep admiration.
Even if Chen Changsheng's personality were even quieter, he would still feel rather happy and proud at this moment.
Xuanyuan Po's injuries would be cured by him, Luoluo's cultivation problems had been resolved by him, and three students of the Orthodox Academy had ranked on the Proclamation of Azure Sky; these were all things that he could be proud of.
However, he swiftly calmed back down—a true calm—as the voice from the Hall of Announcements was still speaking. There was still one last name to appear on the Proclamation of Azure Sky.
Before this name, those things that made him proud were not powerful enough.
At the moment, everyone now knew that the reason for the Proclamation of Azure Sky's impromptu change was because Princess Luoluo's strength had advanced by leaps and bounds, so few seemed interested at this final name.
It was not because they dared to show no respect for this name, nor was it because the number one rank of the Proclamation of Azure Sky was not important. Instead, it was because starting from two years ago, over three revisions of the rankings, that name had always been at the very top, so there was nothing new about it.
No one believed that another name would ever appear at the top of the Proclamation of Azure Sky, unless she herself willed it.
"Xu Yourong, South Stream Temple, first on the Azure Sky."
Chapter 116 – Declaration
'Xu Yourong' was a name known throughout the world, but no person felt more complexly about this name than Chen Changsheng.
When he saw this name for the first time on the marriage contract in Xining Village's old temple, he was still very young. He didn't have much of an understanding of worldly matters, but he already knew what it meant to be embarrassed. He naturally had imagined many times his future with her. What sort of appearance did a girl with this sort of name have? Did she have long hair and a gentle and beautiful heart?
Later on, because of his fate, he no longer thought about the engagement, and her name gradually faded from his memory. Only when he went to the capital and encountered so many incidents did this name begin to bring him many humiliations and difficulties. In the inn, it had begun to annoy him; in the abandoned garden, it had begun to anger him. And yet, at the most vital moment in Weiyang Palace, this name had appeared on his side.
He was well aware that the reasons she had sent the letter agreeing to the engagement were not as simple as they seemed on the surface, that there must be some ulterior motive, and perhaps his role as a fiancé really was just an excuse. But at least at that moment, she had helped him, so he no longer found that name so annoying. However, he still could not bring himself to like that name.
The frigid scorn and scorching jeers he had received this morning on the Divine Avenue had all been because of that name. It was already impossible for him to escape the pressure, the shadow, brought on his life by that name.
Did he also need to thank her? No, the only thought on his mind at the moment was the Grand Examination. If, in this struggle to change his fate, he was able to surpass her and crush all the emotions brought by this name, he would naturally be very pleased—even if almost everyone believed such a thing to be impossible.
Luoluo has already gotten close to you, so just how far away am I from you?
Chen Changsheng silently thought as he drew his gaze back from the Hall of Pure Virtue and turned toward the distant south.
* * *
The voice from the Hall of Announcements ceased, and the impromptu late autumn revision of the Proclamation of Azure Sky came to a close. However, the crowd around the Divine Avenue did not disperse, nor did the teachers of the various academies urge their pupils to return to class as quickly as possible.
Chen Changsheng was still standing on the Divine Avenue.
Everyone in the capital knew that the Orthodox Academy had only four students, and today, three of them were ranked on the Proclamation of Azure Sky. The one who had ranked the highest, Princess Luoluo, had even gone straight from rank nine to rank two! Whether in terms of number of students ranked or how high their rankings, the Orthodox Academy was without doubt the greatest winner of this Proclamation of Azure Sky. The Heavenly Dao Academy, the Temple Seminary, and all the other Ivy Academies could not compare. Even Scholartree Manor, South Stream Temple, and the Longevity Sect—which had all been flourishing in the past few years—were unable to match the brilliance of the Orthodox Academy!
Everyone was staring at Chen Changsheng.
He was the first student of the Orthodox Academy. Before he appeared, the Orthodox Academy was just a cold and deserted graveyard, even at risk of fading into the long river of history on account of not taking in any new students. After he appeared, the Orthodox Academy appeared before the world once more, and changes quietly began to take place.
Yes, this youth had not even succeeded at Purification, was still unable to cultivate, and simply had no right to enter the Proclamation of Azure Sky. However, the commentaries of the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets had stated it clearly: the so-called lucky chance, the so-called wise teacher? Who were they referring to? Today, the Orthodox Academy's brilliance was all because of him!
Was this youth really the one who the crowd had derided as trash? Just like Gou Hanshi had said in the morning, if Chen Changsheng was a toad, what were the other students present? Was this a person who lived off women? Was he someone that required Princess Luoluo's power and that marriage contract to establish himself in the world?
Earlier, Su Moyu had said that he could not be considered truly strong, so what was the actual definition of strength?
Tang Thirty-Six looked at the crowd of people from the Temple Seminary, staring at the one student who had jeered at the Orthodox Academy most forcefully, and sneered, "Such short-sighted people—even if they climbed to the very top of the Mausoleum of Books, they wouldn't be able to recognize a single word."
The student's face paled.
"…That's what you call a proverb, or maybe a common saying."
Tang Thirty-Six continued, his expressionless gaze looking over the crowd. The meaning of his words was very clear. After the Ivy Festival, many people of the capital had ridiculed Chen Changsheng as a toad wanting to eat Phoenix flesh, and someone had even mentioned today that this joke was on the
verge of becoming a proverb.
The Divine Avenue was completely quiet.
Just then, Chen Changsheng suddenly spoke.
"You just gave your view on what it means to truly be strong…"
As he spoke, he looked at Su Moyu. The students of the Li Palace Academy underwent a sudden transformation, as they believed that Chen Changsheng intended to act the same as Tang Thirty-Six and jeer at Su Moyu.
To everyone's surprise, he didn't. Instead, he said, "What you said was actually quite reasonable. I can make my companions even stronger, but if I don't want to drag them down, I also have to become stronger. I hope that by the Grand Examination, I can become a little stronger. I look forward to seeing you then."
After saying all this, he clasped his hands at Su Moyu, and then turned to begin walking down the Divine Avenue.
Su Moyu looked at his back, a little more respect visible on his face. Clasping his hands in return, he said, "We'll meet at the Grand Examination."
Seeing that no one dared to speak, Tang Thirty-Six felt completely refreshed. He roared with laughter and said, "It might be difficult for you to meet him at the Grand Examination. I'll have you know; he wants to get…"
Without turning, Chen Changsheng ordered, "Xuanyuan, stop him."
In Xuanyuan Po's mind, Chen Changsheng was his schoolmate, his teacher, and most importantly of all, his savior. Through his relationship with the princess, he was also his grandteacher. Thus, without the slightest hesitation, he extended his giant palm and grabbed Tang Thirty-Six's face, using the movement to also put him over his shoulder.
"Mm…mmm…mmmmm…!"
With Tang Thirty-Six's capabilities, it would be easy for him to knock Xuanyuan Po over, but no matter how vicious and merciless he could be, after having his face covered up by Xuanyuan Po's palm, he suddenly couldn't speak, only give muffled cries. The fact that he couldn't announce that bold and daring matter to the world made him thoroughly depressed.