Yefutidaolu

Chapter 255 Top Experts of the Imperial Academy

Taiwei Enclosure, the gate of the Imperial Academy.

The crowd that gathered to watch was countless.

But it wasn't crowded, because although it's said to be up and down, there are only about a thousand people qualified to come here. These thousand people can't possibly take up all the space, so it still feels quite spacious.

Many people are hiding in the clouds, or in carriages and horses, or watching from the surrounding houses, so it doesn't affect Gao Jian's side at all.

On the other side, Gao Jian took a moment to assess his own condition.

I slept for more than two hours, which is about four hours, so I shouldn't be in this state now.

The fact that I recovered so well must be due to the help of cinnabar.

Is it some kind of rare and precious natural treasure?

There was a faint fragrance between my nose and mouth... Could it be ambergris?

Ambergris can treat delirium, chest tightness, various pains in the heart and abdomen, promote blood circulation, and benefit the essence and marrow, and it does indeed have these effects.

That can't be right...?
Forget about that. There are more things to do right now, this isn't the time to dwell on this.

So, Gao Jian stopped thinking for a moment and then stretched in an exaggerated way.

"Finally, a new challenger! Ah, what a long wait! Taigaku is slower than I expected." Takami twisted his neck, letting out a very exaggerated exclamation, and stretched his waist.

This statement is clearly quite arrogant.

They even showed some contempt for their opponents.

Even Shu Jian, who was watching the game, was somewhat surprised.

Others might not know, but how could Shu Jian not know? Gao Jian is actually a very peaceful person. He is usually very calm and likes to joke. He is by no means an arrogant person.

There must be a purpose behind this.

But this performance was enough to provoke anger in the martial artist who didn't quite understand Gao Jian.

He lowered his voice and continued, "Boy, you're a realm below me. Even though I've sealed my Niwan point, my cultivation is still far superior to yours..."

Takashi replied, "But you still want to challenge me, don't you?"

With that, Gao Jian drew his sword, the two-inch blade pointing at his opponent: "Your cultivation is deeper than mine, yet you still stand in the position of challenger, so you should not be angry, but ashamed."

The man drew his sword, gripped it with both hands, and still tried his best to maintain his composure: "I just want to see your swordsmanship."

“Of course you should see it, because I’m better than you. You should be glad you were born two years earlier than me, otherwise, someone like you wouldn’t have had the chance to see it,” Gao Jian said.

The onlookers' expressions changed, and they looked at each other in bewilderment. Groups of three or five friends whispered among themselves, discussing their insights. For a moment, there was a rustling sound outside the venue.

What an arrogant boy!

Even cinnabar noticed something was wrong.

But that was cinnabar after all, and cinnabar had always been by Takami's side, so she was able to sense that something was wrong.

For others who are dealing with Gao Jian for the first time, Gao Jian's actions are not wrong, but rather reveal his true nature.

This young man who dared to block the gate of the Imperial Academy is arrogant! He's conceited! He thinks his talent and potential are unparalleled!

To be honest, perhaps only this kind of mentality can support such an arrogant act as blocking the door.

In reality, only Gao Jian himself knows...

This is to cover up his 'motives'.

Arrogant and conceited people are easy to understand, so their motive for blocking the door is also very clear.

But if Gao Jian reveals his true purpose, he'll be in big trouble.

Therefore, Gao Jian had to put on the appearance of a 'madman'.

But there is a price to pay.

If you are more humble, even if you lose, people won't make things difficult for you. They'll just feel sorry for you, but you can still befriend them. No one dislikes a capable but humble person.

But being too arrogant comes at a price: he will face many angry opponents who will give it their all, and he must win against each one.

Losing once means utter disgrace.

To be arrogant, one must have the capital to be arrogant. If one can win in arrogance, then one is a genius madman.

If you lose, you're an idiot, overestimating yourself and not knowing your own limitations.

However, Gao Jian was already prepared.

Come on, it's only natural to face some challenges if you want to complete his plan. What in this world is without risk? You can even choke to death while drinking water.

"Hehe, then let me test your mettle." The martial artist said, "My name is Cheng Feng. I come from a family of officials in the Imperial Palace. Empress Cheng was my great-grandmother."

Langguan was a special official position.

Langguan were close ministers who served the emperor. They were usually trained as the emperor's direct armed force. The "Shilang" that we often hear is actually a type of Langguan. In addition, there are titles such as Zhonglangjiang, but the most common superior is "Langzhongling".

The character '郎' is the same as '廊', meaning to stand under the eaves of the palace corridor, that is, to serve as a close attendant and bodyguard of the emperor.

The Langzhongling was the chief military officer in charge of the emperor's guards. The Langguan under the Langzhongling were called "Zhulang," who were the emperor's personal guards. They were responsible for guarding the inner palace and serving as attendants, guards, ceremonial guards, and vanguards when the emperor went out.

While ostensibly serving as attendants, the role was actually one of training them. Since these officials frequently accompanied the emperor, they were more likely to gain his favor and thus have the opportunity to obtain higher official positions or be granted special duties during important events of the dynasty, thus gaining opportunities that others could not obtain.

Therefore, many high-ranking officials in the Divine Dynasty initially entered officialdom as court officials, and each court official, once sent out, became a person who could govern thousands of miles.

However, there is only one way to become a court official.

That means you come from a prominent family, the son of a high-ranking official, or a member of a prestigious family. You can obtain a position as a court official based on the "appointment order" of your elders.

If your father is a high-ranking official in the Divine Dynasty, he can recommend one of his own sons to enter the court as a court official.

Since the other party is a court official, his family background must be extraordinary. This can be seen from his self-reported family background; he is a relative of the imperial family.

The late emperor's empress, Cheng's family, was a powerful and influential family in the capital. They held immense military power and were appointed marshals by the late emperor several times, sweeping through the grassland royal court. Their martial arts were unparalleled, and they were incredibly powerful.

Even in the Divine Dynasty, this was a renowned and powerful family.

Such a family background is enough to frighten many people. The Shui family of Cangzhou, which has ruled a province for two thousand years, can only barely touch the other's ankle.

Cheng Feng originally thought that revealing his family background would make Gao Jian lower his head.

But to my surprise, Gao Jian remained completely unmoved.

Is it that these country folk don't understand?

Impossible. Even a country bumpkin would know the significance of the words "Empress's family".

This represents a vast amount of resources, top-tier cultivation techniques, and the most powerful backing.

He had a top-tier sword technique that even a master might not be able to acquire in a lifetime, and he could choose any of it from right in front of him.

Gao Jian could earn the Nine-Turn Rejuvenating Pill, which he could never earn in a lifetime, but he could eat it like candy.

Even so, he still dares to be arrogant?
Really... no wonder Helen clashed with him. This kind of madman needs to be beaten up to appease his anger.

So Chengfeng stopped trying to maintain his composure. He made his move.

With a single strike, he forced Gao Jian to confront him.

Meanwhile, Gao Jian also began to concentrate.

Is it because you have no idea what the other person's family background means?

Of course not. Through the Xuanhua Tongmen Daoda Ge and his usual reading, Gao Jian clearly understood what this family background represented.

So, Gao Jian was very serious, but... he didn't use the demonic energy to deliver the final blow.

With a clang.

"In terms of swordsmanship, you are far inferior to me." Cheng Feng's calm voice rang out, and as soon as he finished speaking, sword energy surged forth!
Fantastic and magnificent, with vast and expansive landscapes!
But then they saw blades sweeping across the ground, covering everything in sight!
The area including where Gao Jian was located was instantly sealed off by the aura, with the entire gate of the Imperial Academy within a hundred feet blocked. Outsiders were not allowed to enter, and those inside... were certainly not allowed to leave.

In an instant, the sharp blade was already pressed against his throat!

Gao Jian frowned. The surrounding area had been sealed off, leaving only a circle less than two meters in diameter inside where one could move around.

At the same time, the heavy sword that could cut through horses was already pressing down.

Like a tiger descending the mountain, all beasts tremble in fear.

Like an eagle soaring, foxes and rabbits fight on their own.

Like the rising sun, it dazzles the eyes.

Gao Jian struggled to lift the rusty knife and chose to accept the attack.

When the two blades met, they produced a long, resonant hum, like the sound of a bronze bell.

With a loud hum, some ordinary houses in Taiwei Yuan, several miles away, began to tremble. Some glazed windows shattered, and some people with weak cultivation covered their ears in pain.

"Huh?" Cheng Feng was surprised.

This strike comes from an extremely profound sword technique, capable of simultaneously killing the soul and the body. Its power lies in its sound and its might. The combined power of the Yang Blade and the Yang Blade is so great that it commands respect for thousands of miles. It is said to be as vast as a lake, reflecting the sun, and shining brightly.

But even after Gao Jian blocked it, his expression didn't change.

Well... I was a little surprised.

But for Gao Jian, this blow struck precisely where he was in a favorable position.

What Gao Jian fears least is the power directed at the soul. His soul has already undergone changes due to the divine power of the Demon Mother Goddess, and since then, he has been receiving all sorts of divine essences every day.

Things like the Desire Realm, Nightmares, and Tai Sui (a mythical creature associated with the universe) constantly churned in his mind, and he even opened his divine gates.

The opponent hasn't opened their divine gate; at their current level, they can't touch Gao Jian's soul in the slightest.

As for physical injuries, Gao Jian had opened the three acupoints of his essence, and his physical strength was no less than that of his opponent. It could only be said that the two sides had their own victories and defeats.

In this first move, Gao Jian subtly gained the upper hand.

A large crowd gathered, all turning their attention to see just how arrogant Gao Jian was.

After the first move, dozens more moves were exchanged.

In an instant, light and shadow flew all around, and the ground was ravaged, sinking a foot in!
In less than half a second, the two exchanged dozens of blows. Perhaps having figured out each other's strengths and weaknesses, they separated from their entanglement and stood face to face.

Gao Jian glanced at the rusty knife.

"Show me your true skills. My swordsmanship isn't exactly exquisite, but yours isn't much better." Gao Jian waved his hand, continuing to provoke his opponent.

"No fun, just use your move." Cheng Feng pouted, looking somewhat disappointed.

He has already figured out Gao Jian's level of expertise.

In that brief exchange of less than half a second, Cheng Feng had already confirmed with absolute certainty that Gao Jian's level... was nothing special.

Perhaps the sword technique that could affect one's mind was somewhat wondrous, but apart from that, it was really nothing special.

As for the sword technique that pulled him into the dream, it was probably a fortuitous encounter he had somewhere. As a rogue cultivator, most of the rogue cultivators who have made it to the forefront have had some kind of fortuitous encounter, otherwise they would not have been able to stand out.

If this is the case, then it's really disappointing.

As he spoke, Cheng Feng struck a pose.

His demeanor suddenly changed.

This is not just a 'posture', but a 'strategic layout'.

The shape and structure of a person's body is a major factor, and can be shaped like a dragon, tiger, crane, lion, peacock, stork, ox, monkey, leopard, elephant, phoenix, mandarin duck, egret, camel, oriole, or magpie, etc.

But that's just the appearance.

The true essence is the 'original substance'.

The form and structure are in harmony, therefore, those who use this move must first understand the essence of Qian Yuan.

The hexagram "Kun" takes "Qian Yuan" as its main element. "Yuan" represents the physiological state and must constantly reflect the changes in heaven and earth and the flourishing of plants. Only by maintaining this intention can one avoid losing the grand and original spirit of "Qian Yuan".

Therefore it is said, "Straight, square, and great, without practice there is no disadvantage." For not practicing means not learning or thinking, it is natural. Just as sharp ears and clear eyes, the ability to move hands and feet, the crying, laughing, loving, and respecting of infants—what do they learn? They naturally become one with the changes of heaven and earth, sharing in their wondrous functions.

With so many forms, how much skill would it take to learn them all? By then, one would be stuck, having only mastered one of the forms.

Therefore, all of them are transformations of the 'original body', but although they are transformations, they possess the same power.

Once you recognize your true nature, then all forms are merely manifestations of your mind.

In an instant, countless figures, each wielding a knife, rushed towards Gao Jian amidst a sky full of light and shadow.

This is not an illusion; every single one of them is real.

This move is equivalent to dozens of fifth-realm beasts ganging up on Gao Jian.

With just one martial art technique, one can amplify one's cultivation level dozens of times.

This is the power of the Divine Dynasty's top-tier magic.

What the independent cultivators considered an extremely rare and precious method that required a fortuitous encounter to find, they thought was just a random book in the library of aristocratic families.

Even if they had a miraculous encounter every day, and continued to do so for their entire lives, they would never encounter such a top-tier method. This is a gap that can never be crossed!
Faced with such a top-level technique, Gao Jian's swordsmanship immediately paled in comparison.

In just one move, he was at a disadvantage.

There's nothing we can do about it.

Because... Gao Jian's swordsmanship, even at the fifth level, while not exactly clumsy, certainly wasn't exquisite either.

He didn't have the energy to create his own sword technique, nor did he have enough time to slowly hone it. It wasn't impossible for him to learn the sword technique directly by reading the essence of the art, but where could he find that essence?
He simply didn't have those resources; he had no way of finding those high-level cultivation methods to practice.

Gao Jian is actually quite poor.

It wasn't that he was poor in money, but rather in the resources for cultivation. Apart from taking advantage of the many rare and precious materials he had obtained through alchemy, his cultivation was actually very frugal, far inferior to that of scions of aristocratic families. Many things couldn't be bought with money.

However... Takami laughed in the face of this situation.

(End of this chapter)