The heavens set sail from the courtyard

Chapter 1426 Mr. Thirteen
Li Hunyuan felt very bad at this time. His feet hurt as if they were not his own. From time to time, a stone would fall on his head. If he was not careful, he would be hit and would be seriously injured if not killed.

The top of the mountain ahead still seemed far away. Li Hunyuan wanted to give up several times, but every time he would think of his father Li Zhongyi.

After studying with Wang Gang for almost two years, Li Hunyuan has become much smarter. He knows that it doesn't matter whether he can pass the exam to the second floor, but if he voluntarily gives up the exam and cannot endure the hardship, Li Zhongyi will be disappointed in him.

The price of disappointment is one step further away from the throne.

Li Hunyuan had already decided to compete for the throne and win the heart of Li Zhongyi.

"Teacher Wang Gang once said that in troubled times, you can win the world by winning the hearts of the people, and in prosperous times, you can win the world by winning the hearts of the saints. If I want to sit on the throne of the Tang King, I must gain the approval of my father."

Li Hunyuan gritted his teeth, took off his coat, tore it in two halves, and wrapped each half around one foot, so that it would be easier to step on the thorns.

Maybe even Li Hunyuan didn't notice his own changes.

Studying with Wang Gang not only broadened his horizons, but also fostered his ambitions. In the past, Li Hunyuan would not have endured such hardship even if he had just lived a lazy life and waited for death as a prince.

The desire for power changed Li Hunyuan, and Wang Gang's training gave Li Hunyuan the foundation to realize his desire, that is, the quality of perseverance.

In the academy, many people who were watching the assessment saw Li Hunyuan's performance. Whether they were from the Tang Dynasty or people from other countries, they all looked at Li Hunyuan with admiration.

King Tang Li Zhongyi saw his son's performance in Taoist magic taught in the academy, and a rare look of satisfaction appeared on his face.

"Hunyuan has grown up and finally has some of the style I had back then." Li Zhongyi said excitedly to Li Yu beside him.

Li Yu had been paying attention to Li Hunyuan's feet. She found that her brother's shoes had been torn by thorns, and the exposed toes were bloody and she felt very distressed.

"Father, my third brother has done very well. If he continues to push himself like this, his feet might develop hidden diseases."

Li Yu is Li Hunyuan's biological sister, and she considers more things than others. The Tang Kingdom absolutely does not need a disabled heir. If Li Hunyuan's legs are really disabled, she will lose the right of inheritance.

Li Zhongyi asked Wang Gang: "Mr. Wang, is the assessment on the second floor of the academy too strict?"

Wang Gang smiled and said, "Your Majesty, rest assured. The academy has always been very measured in its assessments. Although the thorns will pierce your feet, they will not hurt your bones. You will be fine after a few days of rest."

Li Zhongyi asked in confusion: "Didn't a candidate have an asthma attack before and almost died?"

Wang Gang said: "The candidate is called Gu Changnuo, and he is actually part of the assessment."

Li Zhongyi was puzzled and asked: "What do you mean? Could it be that Gu Changnuo is not a candidate?"

"Yes." Wang Gang said: "I asked Gu Changnuo to take the exam. He pretended to have an asthma attack in the middle of the exam just to see the character of other candidates. How many people are like Gu Changnuo?

For the Master's disciples, knowledge and qualifications are secondary, only character is the most important. Those who do not help others in need are not qualified to be the Master's disciples."

Li Zhongyi understood Wang Gang's intention instantly and nodded: "Yes, yes, the Master's disciples must have noble character, one in a million."

Instructor Cao said: "Except Long Qing, the three candidates who are still taking the exam on the mountain have all lent a hand to those in need, especially Ning Que, who saved more than a dozen people, some of whom were real candidates."

Li Zhongyi's eyes lit up and he asked, "Hunyuan has also saved people?"

Instructor Cao nodded and smiled, "The Third Prince saved two examinees who nearly fell off a cliff."

Li Zhongyi laughed and said, "Great, great! My son's transformation is all thanks to Mr. Wang."

Wang Gang said modestly: "I dare not take credit for it. As the son of your majesty, the third prince has very good qualifications and has inherited your majesty's bravery. He just lacked teaching in the past. As long as he studies patiently, he will become a great man in the future."

Li Yu said proudly: "Father, you don't know how hard my third brother has worked in the past two years. Not only has he been among the best in the academy, but he has also reached the state of no confusion in his practice."

"Really." Li Zhongyi said in surprise: "I didn't expect that Hunyuan still has the talent to practice. If he really passes the exam to the second floor, wouldn't it be possible to fulfill the wish that I failed to realize when I was young in the future?"

Li Yu's face froze. She didn't want her brother to become a practitioner and give up the throne. Wang Gang sighed and said, "Your Majesty may be disappointed. The third prince should only stop here."

Li Zhongyi was stunned and turned to look at Li Hunyuan, only to find that he was trapped in a fog and appeared halfway up the mountain in the blink of an eye.

"The fog near the top of the mountain is also a test. Unfortunately, the Third Prince's training time is too short. He failed to break through the fog and was teleported to the middle of the mountain. I'm afraid there won't be enough time to catch up now." Wang Gang said regretfully.

Li Zhongyi saw that Longqing, who was currently ranked first, had walked out of the fog formation and arrived at the last level.

Ning Que was about to walk out of the fog, only slightly slower than Long Qing. It was unlikely for Li Hunyuan to catch up with him.

Li Yu secretly breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that this was a good thing, as he could save face in front of his father without having to become the master's personal disciple.

Wang Gang had been secretly observing Li Yu's expression, so he naturally guessed what she was thinking. He laughed in his heart, laughing at Li Yu's short-sightedness.

If Li Hunyuan really became the Master's direct disciple, the throne of King Tang would be truly secure.

Although Li Zhongyi now has a new respect for Li Hunyuan, he has not yet made up his mind to make him his heir.

But if Li Hunyuan had the status of being the master's direct disciple, Li Zhongyi would not be able to bypass Li Hunyuan if he wanted to establish a crown prince.

Li Yu has not yet realized that it was not the Tang Dynasty that supported the academy for a thousand years, but the academy that protected the Tang Dynasty for a thousand years.

The academy can lose the Tang Dynasty, but the Tang Dynasty cannot leave the academy and the Master.

The status of a disciple taught directly by the Master is more important than the position of a crown prince of a country.

The assessment on the second floor was still going on, but Wang Gang had lost interest. The result was now clear. No matter how good his cultivation aptitude was, Long Qing's character would not be taken seriously by the Master.

He wanted to be the master's direct disciple, but he was afraid that the eleven gentlemen in the back mountain would not agree.

Things turned out just as Wang Gang expected. Longqing reached the final stage of the assessment, Chaimen's "gentleman's question".

There is a phrase “A gentleman does not _” written on the wooden door. Candidates are asked to fill in the answer in their minds.

After Long Qing finished writing the answer, he opened the wooden gate, but just after passing through the gate, he encountered an illusion array set up by Wang Gang himself.

This illusion array is a hundred times more powerful than the one in the original novel. Not only does it make Longqing experience again the thing he was most reluctant to face in the first half of his life, but he also has to be pulled into one illusion after another to experience different lives.

He may sometimes become a student who studies diligently for decades but achieves nothing.

Sometimes it is a butcher who slaughters pigs and sheep all his life, and sometimes it is even a woman who is abandoned by her beloved husband and sold to a brothel.

Sometimes he would become the king of a country, with great ambitions to unify the world.

In every illusion, Longqing has a chance to choose whether to continue to indulge in desires or to let go of everything and embark on the path of spiritual practice.

As long as he made the right choice, he could get out of the illusion. Unfortunately, Longqing made wrong choices again and again and fell deeper and deeper into the illusion.

He fell into an illusion, dominated by human emotions, and completely forgot that he was still taking the test. He even forgot who he was. He stood there for an hour, making Prince Chongming, who was watching him at the foot of the mountain, anxious.

With this one-hour buffer, Ning Que came from behind, opened the wooden door and walked in.

Ning Que walked faster and faster. Although he was also trapped in the illusion, a jade pendant on his waist flashed with green light and he quickly broke through the illusion. Instead, he passed Long Qing and picked up the water scoop.

When Long Qing was carried down the mountain and regained consciousness, he learned that Ning Que had won the test and became the Master's thirteenth disciple.

Mr. Thirteen of the Academy!