Chapter 105: The Scholar and Warrior Champions Ascend to Top Honors; Di Zang Draws His Blade in Wrath Before the Heavenly Profound Palace
Lin’an Prefecture, beneath the foothills of Phoenix Mountain.
The imperial city outlined by jade towers and crystal halls.
Deep within a tranquil garden, the spring breeze gently stirs, scattering a flurry of petals. The dense cluster of late-blooming plum trees sways in the breeze, shedding countless delicate stamens that carpet the stone pathways and rest upon the glazed tiles of the pavilion’s eaves.
The fallen plum blossoms seem to have formed a sea, where a figure exuding an otherworldly aura, elegant and ethereal, unlike any mortal guest, sits leisurely in the pavilion, drinking alone.
Yet, the drink is no rare palace brew crafted by imperial vintners, containing no trace of spiritual energy or special essence—just a simple pot of aged yellow wine from a humble tavern in Yanchun Alley.
Though slightly cloudy, the wine’s flavor is honest and unpretentious.
Zhao Xianyou set down his cup, a flicker of surprise crossing his brow. “Brother An’s aura… has undergone such a profound change.”
Today was the imperial examination’s martial trial held before the palace. As the Ninth Prince, he did not attend the Heavenly Profound Palace, a privilege granted to him within this dynasty. The emperor’s control over him was lax; he was free to do as he pleased, save for one restriction—to never leave within a hundred li of Lin’an.
Though absent from the Heavenly Profound Palace, he was well aware of the ongoing martial contest at the White Jade Plaza.
Raising his hand, Zhao Xianyou gazed at his pale, jade-like palm. Beneath the porcelain-like skin, veins became faintly visible, as if the crimson blood coursing within was unsettled by the shifting aura of An Le. The blood stirred restlessly, driven by a deep-seated aversion and rejection rooted within.
“No wonder the late imperial uncle said I’m ill-suited for Qingshan. Indeed, Brother An is far better suited to wield this earthly sword. The mysteries hidden in the depths of Qingshan are gradually unraveling under his touch—most intriguing.”
He clenched his palm, restraining the blood’s impulse to surge toward the White Jade Plaza before the Heavenly Profound Palace.
“Since this blood courses through my veins, it belongs to me; my body’s essence is mine to command.”
“Let it follow my will—what is there to be restless about?” Zhao Xianyou murmured calmly.
Suddenly, he clenched his fist tightly. His alabaster arm began to faintly redden.
Ignoring the discoloration, Zhao Xianyou grasped the celadon cup with his other hand and drank a mouthful of the humble wine. The liquid slid down his pristine throat.
He set the cup down and looked toward the plum blossoms drifting in the breeze. A smile slowly crept into his eyes.
“To claim the top ranks in both the literary and martial exams—Brother An is surely destined for the champion’s title. I wonder, will he challenge me?”
“Alas, there is no chance now. I have broken through to the fifth stage of spirit refinement and entered the sixth… The Little Saint List can no longer hold me.”
Zhao Xianyou chuckled softly.
“The opportunity to face the Supreme Master in dialogue will naturally be reserved for Brother An.”
“There is nothing left to say between the Supreme Master and me.”
His whispered words seemed to float with the spring breeze.
The redness in his arm began to fade slowly, as if a restless will had been extinguished.
A single drop of bright red, glassy blood trickled from his clenched palm.
Drip.
The blood fell onto the pavilion floor and seeped into the stone.
The scattered plum blossoms instantly withered as if scorched by fire, turning to ash.
The entire garden’s late-blooming plum trees withered, leaving behind only shriveled petals drifting sorrowfully in the breeze.
…
Before the Heavenly Profound Palace.
Silence hung in the air. Sunlight poured from above, casting golden light over the ground, where shadows dark and gray stretched.
Between An Le and Martial Champion Di Zang stood the Martial Champion Stone—both figures seemed frozen in place.
All eyes were fixed in stunned silence.
Even Ye Wenxi, usually composed, revealed turmoil and incredulity in her gaze. An Le had pushed the Martial Champion Stone over one chi (a unit of length), which did not surprise her. Though An Le was only at the fourth stage of body refinement, pushing the stone tested not only cultivation but the ability to surpass one’s limits.
True geniuses possess the potential to break through their boundaries, and the distance the stone moves serves as a measure of this ability. The Martial Champion Stone, forged with the essence of past champions’ blood and guided by their collective experience, offers an accurate test.
An Le wielded a mighty invincible aura. This aura significantly enhanced his body refinement martial path. Moreover, his aura had transformed from a white python to a heavenly dragon—a leap to a new stage.
Invincible aura is a mysterious force that fuses conviction, valor, and ambition into one. Unlike the mind during spirit refinement, it does not provoke the Martial Champion Stone’s backlash but greatly amplifies the martial artist’s strength, mobilizing their qi and blood to exceed natural limits.
It embodies the power of faith itself, sometimes unimaginably strong.
Of course, the invincible aura would not define An Le’s entire life—it was but a stage’s manifestation.
No one can remain invincible forever. To believe in eternal invincibility is to walk a path edging toward despair.
After all, this world has the supreme Yuanmeng Emperor and the transcendent Supreme Master.
Who dares claim invincibility?
Thus, with invincible aura as a tool, Ye Wenxi did not expect An Le to stop at one chi; even two chi was possible. Yet, due to cultivation limits, pushing the stone two chi was already near the extreme.
Still, Ye Wenxi had underestimated An Le—the young prodigy embarking on a legendary path in his prime.
Three chi…
Surpassing her two chi three cun, he took the top spot in the martial examination.
He was the champion of both literary and martial trials.
Ye Wenxi fell silent, utterly surprised.
She stared at An Le’s face, adorned with writhing, mysterious ancient scriptures, and her heart pounded.
“That scripture is unfamiliar—a form of amplification. Moreover, An Le’s martial insight evolved during the stone pushing, allowing him to break through and comprehend anew.”
Exhaling, Ye Wenxi admitted defeat with grace.
An Le indeed shared a unique bond with the Martial Champion Stone. When he first studied the stone, the wills of past champions appeared, aiding him in deducing the top body refining technique, the Ancient Demon Five Beasts Scripture.
Now, An Le seemed to have grasped another special body refining method, birthing a new profound insight.
Yet, Ye Wenxi was not the only one awestruck. Talents on the Little Saint List like Sima Pudu, Wang Qilin, and Zhong Taohua were equally shaken.
Qin Hua’an, who had risen from the ground, looked utterly soulless.
When he raised his hand to block the Martial Champion Stone pushed by An Le, Di Zang instantly felt a surging anomaly flow through his body.
For a moment, all his qi and blood halted.
It was as if a towering mountain struck him—unreachable, piercing the clouds—supporting an immense heaven and earth!
By the time he reacted, An Le’s power pushing the stone almost forced him to retreat.
As the Martial Champion of the Martial Temple, Di Zang could not step back. To do so would be a devastating disgrace—how could a ninth-stage champion be pushed backward by a mere fourth-stage body refiner?
So, he employed a unique method to dissipate the force through the white bricks beneath his feet, silently shattering the jade stones.
Di Zang could not see An Le, for the giant Martial Champion Stone blocked his view. Upon it, the specters of past champions appeared, flickering excitedly, stirring his qi and blood.
However, this agitation did not last; the spectral wills soon dissipated.
Yet Di Zang’s heart surged with unprecedented enthusiasm.
An Le… must be inducted into the Martial Temple!
He was destined to be the next generation’s Martial Champion seed!
“An Le… pushed the stone three chi!”
Di Zang suppressed his excitement, planning to invite An Le to join the Martial Temple once the imperial examination concluded. He would devote himself to nurturing An Le as the next Martial Champion.
He presumed that the other Martial Champion, Ye Longsheng, would not refuse either.
A prodigy capable of twice invoking the spectral wills of past champions was undoubtedly born for the Martial Temple!
Di Zang’s proclamation swept like a hurricane across the White Jade Plaza, carried like a spring breeze into the Heavenly Profound Palace. It weaved between the exquisitely carved dragon pillars.
Pushing the stone three chi, surpassing Ye Wenxi!
An Le was indisputably the martial trial’s champion!
Within the Heavenly Profound Palace, murmurs of astonishment echoed. Prime Minister Qin lowered his eyelids, lost in thought. Li You’an smiled with satisfaction. Madam Hua and Lady Yu, the matriarch, exchanged surprised and delighted glances.
Initially, they harbored no expectations for An Le to enter the top three of the imperial examination’s preliminary stage. After all, when they first encountered him, he had only just begun his cultivation. Though a scholar rushing to Lin’an for the examination, reaching the top three was deemed impossible.
Yet this youth had, today, shattered their assumptions, forging a legendary path on foot.
The Zhao family emperor sat composed upon the throne, a rare gleam of surprise flickering in his eyes. He had not expected a fourth-stage body refiner like An Le to rise and push the Martial Champion Stone three chi.
“Qingshan, indeed Qingshan… this youth has unraveled its secrets.”
“Such secrets are truly extraordinary!”
“Extraordinary indeed.”
The emperor’s gaze burned with intensity, yet the more fervent his eyes, the calmer his heart became. His fingers lightly tapped the dragon throne, his emotions carefully concealed, betraying no hint to the assembled civil and military officials.
By his side, Tong Diao Si—his close confidant—noticed the subtle shift in the sovereign’s mood. A faint glint appeared in Tong Diao Si’s pale, beardless face, tinged with interest.
Behind him, three treasured weapons trembled slightly—a spear, a blade, and a longbow—each radiating formidable power.
Especially the Ding Feng Bo, which promised to stir the coming storm.
Ding Feng Bo, unable to quell the storm, instead became its eye—a curious irony.
…
The ancient scriptures on An Le’s face and neck gradually faded, merging beneath the skin as if blending with his qi and blood.
An Le opened his eyes and released his grasp from the Martial Champion Stone, stepping back two paces. He bowed in gratitude to the spectral champions nodding to him from the stone.
Once again, these champions had aided him.
The Bamboo Sword Qingshan and the Martial Champion Stone held a special affinity.
An Le knew well that without fusing the profound insight of Qingshan, merely using the Ancient Demon Five Beasts Scripture combined with invincible aura, he would have pushed the stone only slightly over one chi—comparable perhaps to Wang Qilin.
His other trump card, the Haoran Sword Qi, was unavailable. Originating from the Wenqu Stele, it was incompatible with the Martial Champion Stone. An Le dared not activate it, fearing a backlash like Qin Hua’an’s, who had suffered a negative pushing distance.
Pushing the stone just over one chi was commendable for a newly minted fourth-stage body refiner, but compared to Ye Wenxi’s two chi three cun, it was lacking.
Despite this gap, unrelated to his invincible aura, An Le remained unsatisfied.
Then, a unique bond formed between the Martial Champion Stone and Qingshan. While meditating within the Mountains and Rivers Map, An Le envisioned ancient scriptures that replaced the Ancient Demon Five Beasts Scripture and attached themselves to his flesh.
His inner elixir birthed Qingshan’s profound insight, merging with the Ancient Demon Five Beasts’ essence to produce a rare, extraordinary understanding—far surpassing his prior power.
Qingshan soared to the clouds, atop which stood an ancient great beast, roaring toward the starry sky, capable of challenging celestial immortals!
An Le was both joyful and astonished. Though the scripture was incomplete, it strengthened and solidified his primordial spirit.
Now, he discovered this scripture was not only a spiritual cultivation method but also applicable to body refinement!
Could body refining and spirit refining truly share a path?
Such an extraordinary cultivation method—did it truly exist in this world?
An Le’s path had been illuminated by Madam Hua’s guiding light. She had told him that over ten thousand years ago, the supreme emperor who united the four seas and was revered by the Dragon King founded the Wen Academy and Martial Temple, systematizing spirit and body refinement as two distinct yet coordinated paths to cultivate exceptional practitioners.
Yet even with dual cultivation, no method had combined the two into one—until now.
An Le did not fully understand, nor would he exhaust himself pondering it at this moment.
As for the ancient scripture blending both methods, he would study it more thoroughly later.
Besides, he had yet to obtain the complete scripture. Only by meditating within Bamboo Sword Qingshan could he hope to comprehend and assemble it fully.
Pushing the stone three chi was possible because the distance from the Martial Champion Stone to Di Zang was exactly three chi.
In any case, An Le had secured the martial trial’s championship without question!
The sun blazed even brighter and fiercer!
He had outshone Ye Wenxi, Wang Qilin, Sima Pudu, and other Little Saint List prodigies, seizing both literary and martial crowns in one stroke!
At this moment, a smile curved An Le’s lips. The fierce tiger lurking in his heart roared thunderously.
His spirit and valor swelled grandly.
The Dao Fruit "Valiant Spirit Draw" seemed to pulse now, gathering and drawing upon the valor that radiated from An Le, stirring invisible waves and elevating his aura.
Above his head, a dragon’s roar vibrated as his invincible aura grew stronger—the celestial dragon seemed to awaken.
Clouds surged in the sky, veiling the radiance until only a single beam of light shone upon the youth, majestic and proud, his valor piercing the heavens.
As if heaven and earth themselves celebrated the creation of a legend rivaling the champions of ages past.
Shock, silence, and surging emotions spread before the grandest palace of Lin’an Prefecture. Many hearts were stirred, watching the youth standing before the Martial Champion Stone, sensing a new legend was about to blaze brightly across the world.
Martial Champion Di Zang beamed warmly at the transformed youth. He was determined to bring this child into the Martial Temple!
This youth was born for the Martial Temple!
The invocation of the Haoran Sword Qi had been a mere accident.
Di Zang then announced the top three of the martial trial: An Le, Ye Wenxi, and Wang Qilin.
An Le was also the literary trial’s champion. Being champion of both was rare; in previous years, a final contest would determine the overall champion.
But this year’s question-setters were from the Wen Academy and Martial Temple.
The champion of both trials was recognized by both institutions simultaneously. Further competition for the top title would imply distrust between them.
Though Ye Wenxi ranked fourth on the Little Saint List and An Le eighth, their cultivation levels differed greatly.
Yet even Ye Wenxi knew that, having lost the martial crown, she would not contest An Le for the top honor.
The champion of both literary and martial trials was An Le. What was there to dispute? It proved he had outperformed her.
Even talents like Sima Pudu and Wang Qilin voiced no objection.
As for Qin Hua’an, whose spirit dampened and pride diminished, he had no grounds to object.
Martial Champion Di Zang smiled, hoisting the Martial Champion Stone and soaring into the sky. Moments later, he returned it to the Martial Temple’s rear.
Facing the Heavenly Profound Palace, he bowed and saluted in military fashion.
“Your Majesty, the martial trial concludes here. The champions of the literary and martial examinations have been decided.”
“An Le is the dual champion, deserving the top honor.”
Di Zang’s voice resonated with commanding strength, like a whirlwind crashing through the magnificent court.
The civil and military officials fell silent, their expressions varied.
The Zhao family emperor sat upright, hands resting on the throne’s arms. His gaze swept the court, descending from his exalted seat to the White Jade Plaza, where a youth in white robes, two swords at his waist, radiated the aura of a celestial dragon.
An Le felt this solemn, regal gaze.
Meeting it, he straightened his back. His white robes billowed like the spring wind, his spirit soaring like a rainbow. His expression remained calm.
Yet just as the emperor was about to announce the overall champion of the preliminary imperial examination, Prime Minister Qin stepped forward, bowing deeply before the throne.
“Your Majesty, I have an objection.”
In an instant, the Heavenly Profound Palace fell utterly silent; the faintest pin drop could be heard. All eyes turned toward the prime minister clad in crimson robes.
The emperor’s gaze shifted, unsurprised.
“Oh? Prime Minister Qin, what is your objection?”
“Your servant believes there is controversy in this martial trial. As I understand, An Le once entered the temple to observe the Martial Champion Stone, provoking the appearance of the wills of past champions. This time was no different. Therefore, the stone’s wills favored An Le, which is unfair to other candidates.”
As Qin’s words fell, the court’s atmosphere subtly shifted. Everyone understood the underlying implications—though directed at An Le, it was also a veiled criticism of the Lin household.
The arrangement of the top three determined the reward distribution for the three treasures behind Tong Diao Si.
Deputy Prime Minister Ouyang Xiangru snorted disdainfully but said nothing further.
Li You’an openly rolled his eyes.
Madam Hua’s gaze turned icy, unhidden in its chill, while Lady Yu showed no expression but radiated a dense murderous aura.
The entire assembly of officials waited silently for the emperor’s decision.
Outside the Heavenly Profound Palace, Martial Champion Di Zang was not pleased.
A terrifying surge of qi and blood burst forth from him, dense and overwhelming. It crashed before the hall like a crimson dragon, roaring fiercely.
“Qin Lishi, what are you saying? Are you questioning the Martial Temple’s fairness? Insulting me, Di Zang?!”
Di Zang bore no patience for Qin Lishi.
He cared little about any schemes or storms involved.
All he knew was that Qin Lishi dared attack the Martial Temple, and that infuriated him, igniting a fury long held within.
His blood surged like a crimson tidal wave, crashing toward the bowing Qin Lishi.
“Martial Champion Di, please restrain your anger.”
Suddenly, a sharp voice rang out.
Before the palace, Tong Diao Si appeared in a purple robe, raising a hand with fingers spread like a claw. A mighty aura surged upward, halting Di Zang’s blood wave in mid-air, forming the imprint of a claw and blocking it entirely outside the palace.
“Using the Martial Champion Stone as the test is the fairest method. To provoke the spectral wills of past champions is the Martial Temple’s recognition.”
“If anyone feels unfairly treated, they may also attempt to awaken the champion’s will.”
Di Zang sneered coldly.
He grasped the ancestral Dragon-Slaying Saber behind him.
Instantly, its piercing blade intent thundered through the Heavenly Profound Palace.
Even Tong Diao Si’s face grew solemn, beads of sweat forming on his brow.
“Impudent!”
“Di Zang, this is the Heavenly Profound Palace! How dare you act recklessly and brandish your power?”
“Coarse warrior, do you defy the law and disrespect the emperor’s presence?”
Sharp reprimands and accusations fell like heavy verdicts.
Within the court, the civil officials’ spirits surged, weaving a mental net to suppress Di Zang.
He snorted coldly, drawing the Dragon-Slaying Saber a chi’s length. Its intent intensified. Despite opposition from the entire court, he remained unafraid.
“Minister Di, the ancestral saber is not for brandishing before the Heavenly Profound Palace.”
“Put it down.”
From the throne, the Zhao family emperor’s gaze swept over them. His tone was calm and firm.
“Minister Qin only voiced his opinion. The final judgment is yet to be made. Fighting and killing are unseemly.”
The officials reined in their spirits.
“Your Majesty is wise.”
They bowed in unison, voices unified.
Di Zang ruffled his hair and furrowed his tattooed brow slightly. Pressing his lips together, he sheathed the saber with a resounding clang. His aura gradually dissipated.
“Since Your Majesty has spoken thus, I have no further words.”
“But, Prime Minister Qin, remember this day—you have shown disrespect to the Martial Champion Stone. I will not forget.”
His piercing gaze fixed coldly on Qin Lishi’s bowed back.
Qin Lishi remained silent, maintaining his respectful posture before the emperor.
Meanwhile, the hurriedly departing Second Scholar Pang Ji returned under all eyes, stepping gracefully into the Heavenly Profound Palace.
His scholar’s robe fluttered as he approached the throne, bowed to the Zhao family emperor, and cast a glance at the fierce Di Zang.
Then, in a hoarse voice, he spoke.
“Your Majesty, this old man believes Prime Minister Qin’s words are reasonable.”
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