Great Zhou Wensheng

Chapter 26 Flying Vehicle - [Deep in the Clouds]!

After the provincial education commissioner Cai Chao publicly read out the list of successful candidates for the county examination, he announced the results of the county examination.

Before the county school's blue steps, a large crowd gathered, the students in their blue robes displaying a variety of expressions, some joyful, some sorrowful.

The ink on the admission list was barely dry when Jiang Xingzhou's name was prominently displayed at the top, the honor of being the top student in the preliminary examination already in his hands.

"The students are still not convinced!"

Suddenly, a low growl came from the crowd, filled with resentment and anger.

The other students quickly made way, and a stubborn young man in a fur coat and hairpin stepped forward.

He clenched his fists, veins bulging on his neck, tears welling in his bloodshot eyes, and tear stains on his clothes, clearly indicating that he had completely broken down.

The surrounding students looked at each other in surprise and whispered among themselves—wasn't this Li Yunxiao, the magistrate's son?

Only Li Yunxiao dared to stand up. If it were any other Mengsheng, who would dare to question him even a single word?
"Li Yunxiao!"

The academic official, Cai Chao, stood with his hands behind his back, calmly watching Li Yunxiao, but his fingers were slightly curled.

He knew those eyes very well.

Last night, I visited the Li residence. Li Yunxiao was so full of vigor, so confident and arrogant. With the county magistrate as his backer, his own talent overflowing, and having learned the three words of the exam question the night before, he felt he had victory in his grasp and looked down on everyone.

Now, the fat duck that was about to be eaten—[the top student in the imperial examination]—has flown away and fallen into Jiang Xingzhou's hands.

Li Yunxiao's Dao heart was severely damaged, his mentality collapsed, and he could not accept this result at all.

At this moment, the flame of defiance in Li Yunxiao's eyes was burning through the night fog, heading straight for Cai Chao.

"Tsai Hsueh-cheng, the students are not convinced!"
Why is his poetry and prose considered "out of the county"?
My poems and essays, however, are about "hearing of my hometown"?
The student implores the academic authorities to re-grade the papers and restore justice!

Li Yunxiao's voice was hoarse and trembling, yet it carried a stubbornness.

"absurd!
How can a severe judgment be imposed when it is the sacred decision of the Confucian Temple?
Do you know the profound mystery of "the place where the clouds are deep and the earth is unknown"?

As Cai Chao, the academic commissioner, held his celadon teacup, he caught a glimpse of Li Yunxiao's clenched knuckles turning white amidst the rising steam. With a hint of sarcasm in his voice, he said, "Jiang Sheng's writing is like a dragon soaring in the clouds, its head appearing but its tail never seen. It requires careful reading to truly appreciate its essence."

"You're so impatient, of course you won't be able to appreciate it."

Cai Chao glanced at Li Yunxiao's essay, "Yunxiao," which had been annotated with "Wenxiang" in red ink.

It's good, but it's two levels below Jiang Xingzhou's "Deep in the Clouds".

"The students don't know anything about 'the place where the clouds are deep and the people don't know where the dragon appears or disappears.' It's all so mysterious and difficult for the students to understand!"

That's just a matter of what you say, whatever you say goes.

The student disagreed, arguing that his literary skills were in no way inferior to Jiang Xingzhou's!

Li Yunxiao's Adam's apple bobbed, his voice filled with suppressed anger, "This junior only knows that the writings of sages should be as clear as the bright moon in the sky, easy to understand at a glance!"
If the profound is considered superior, then the incomprehensible ramblings of a mountain woodcutter, which no one can understand, are surely even better?

"No need to yell!"
The judgment of the Confucian Temple is absolutely correct.

Poetry and prose are not about empty talk, but about real skills, something to be used in a contest of wits!

If you disagree, I'll give you a chance.

Now, you can use the [Cloud Soaring] Poetry Technique and compare it with Jiang Xingzhou's [Deep in the Clouds] Poetry Technique.

The difference in strength and weakness is crystal clear to everyone.

The academic official, Cai Chao, frowned slightly, his tone cold and stern.

He worried that if the impetuous young man had revealed that shameful affair in public during the private conversation at the Li residence last night, things would have gone very wrong.

That's it, I'll give Li Yunxiao a chance to make a last-ditch effort.

"it is good!"

Li Yunxiao responded proudly, his words sharp and decisive:

"My poetry and prose skills are as follows: [Cloud Chariot · Cloud Sky]".

Poem: Floating catkins cut from the sky's silk, green mountains tied with jade ribbons. The wind awakens a thousand ravines, a boat plunges into the mirror-like sky.

Grade: Mengsheng, 'out of town'.

Size: One zhang (approximately 3.3 meters), capable of carrying one person in flight.

Speed: It can travel three hundred li in a day and fly a hundred zhang high.

Effect: Mirror Splits into Two Lights – During flight, a mirrored illusion can be released to lure enemies, appearing lifelike. Casting this technique requires 200 strands of Qi.

Time limit: one hour.

finished,

A cloud of clouds flowed before him, like a jade carriage.

He rode on this cloud chariot, soaring into the air a hundred feet high and flying a thousand feet.

The most peculiar thing is that there are two water mirrors floating on the cloud screen. The reflections in the mirrors are so similar to the real objects that it is impossible to tell which is real and which is fake.

"The mirror splits into two lights, rise!"

Li Yunxiao lightly touched the jade carriage with his toes and shouted, and instantly the mirror surface shattered like waves, scattering thousands of silver flakes.

Two cloud chariots were seen soaring through the air, each heading in the opposite direction.

County Magistrate Zhou Wenyuan was taken aback. He clearly saw that both cloud-borne carriages were filled with young men from noble families, and the tear stains on their robes were exactly the same.

A moment later, the cloud chariot landed, and the resulting shockwaves lifted several Meng Sheng square scarves. Li Yunxiao drove his cloud chariot back to the county school, a hint of pride in his expression.

"Not bad!"

"This mirror splits light into two incredibly lifelike shapes. If you encounter a powerful enemy, using a dummy to lure them will be extremely helpful in escaping!"

The officials and students of the county school couldn't help but admire it.

The art of cloud poetry and the art of cloud character writing are very different.

The Cloud Word Technique is simply a cloud-based vehicle; although it can carry people and fly, the cloud itself has no special effects.

The Cloud Poetry Technique is an upgraded version of the Cloud Writing Technique. It greatly increases flight speed and also has special effects—like the [Mirror Split Light] of this Cloud Chariot.

"Jiang Xingzhou, it's your turn!"

"Imperial Education Commissioner Cai Chao smiled, his eyes filled with anticipation."

He also wanted to know what use this "Deep in the Clouds" literary technique was.

"Yes, Academic Commissioner!"

Jiang Xingzhou, dressed in a moon-white robe, gracefully cupped his hands and said:

"My poetry and prose skills—【Cloud Chariot: 'Seeking a Hermit in the Depths of the Clouds, but Not Finding Him'】."

Poem: I asked a boy under the pine tree, "Where has your master gone?" He replied, "He's gone to gather herbs. He's somewhere in this mountain, but the clouds are so deep I don't know where."

Grade: Mengsheng, 'out of the county'.

Size: One zhang (approximately 3.3 meters), capable of carrying one person in flight.

Speed: It can travel five hundred miles in a day and fly a thousand feet high.

Time limit: one hour.

Special effect: grants invisibility during flight. This effect is fully effective against characters of the same rank, and has a slight effect against characters of higher rank! Consumes 200 strands of talent.

Jiang Xingzhou stepped onto the ten-foot-wide expanse of clouds and mist. His moon-white robe transformed into flowing clouds and scattered into the mist, completely enveloped by the fog, so thin that it was almost invisible.

"Deep in the clouds, where no one knows!"

The boy's clear and melodious recitation seemed to come from the heavens, echoing above the county academy.

As everyone looked up, they saw a thin layer of mist floating thousands of feet in the sky, like a veil of gauze on the heavens.

In the blink of an eye, Jiang Xingzhou, along with the clouds, vanished from the sky.

"Well?

"Hidden?!"

Li Yunxiao's pupils contracted sharply as he stared intently at the empty space where Jiang Xingzhou had disappeared.

He could clearly see that the cloud of mist where Jiang Xingzhou was standing was consuming the surrounding light.

In the blink of an eye, no trace could be found.

"Uh... I can't see it at all!"

"This... is a stealth technique!"

"How...how did he disappear? Is this the invisibility cloud?"

The students stared wide-eyed at the spot where Jiang Xingzhou had disappeared. No matter how hard they rubbed their eyes or looked again, there was still no trace of him.

"No wonder it's a poem of 'county-level excellence,' inscribed in the Confucian Temple of Jiangyin County?!"

All the students' expressions changed drastically, and they were dumbfounded.

They had never seen a cloud that could make people completely disappear! It was like a hermit, hidden deep within the clouds.

This "Deep in the Clouds" cloud poetry technique completely overwhelmed all the novice cloud poetry present.

"It can travel five hundred miles in a short time and fly a thousand feet high."

Cai Chao was also somewhat surprised, clapped his hands and laughed, saying, "What's even more remarkable is the seclusion of this 'Cloud Recesses'! Even I would have to go through some trouble to find its flight path!"

Li Yunxiao, do you still want to compete?

"Do you dare to soar to the heavens and challenge Jiang Xingzhou to a literary contest?"

"This...this is the 'Cloud Recesses'?!"

Upon witnessing this scene, Li Yunxiao was struck dumb, speechless, and utterly devastated.

His cloud-borne chariot, "Cloud Sky," split into two beams of light, merely transformed into two figures, each fleeing in opposite directions for their lives.

Jiang Xingzhou's cloud mount, "Deep in the Clouds," flies at almost twice his speed and has an excellent stealth effect, making him and the clouds disappear completely without a trace.

How can you fight if you don't even know where your opponent is?
Unless one is a whole realm higher than Jiang Xingzhou in terms of literary skill, it is impossible to detect his flight path, and there is nothing one can do about him.

It can be said that once the Cloud Poetry Technique of "Deep in the Clouds" is unleashed, unless a surprise attack is launched, none of the Meng Sheng in the entire Jiangyin County can harm Jiang Xingzhou in the slightest.

For a time,

Inside the county academy, the students exchanged bewildered glances, utterly silent. Even the proudest prince, no matter how arrogant, had to bow his head!
PS:

My new book has stormed into the top nine of the fantasy new book rankings!
They're just one step away from fifth place!
Each of the older brothers and sisters has one vote, and they've made it into the fifth tier, aiming for the top spot!

(End of this chapter)