The Path of the Martial Arts BOSS -
Chapter 122 - 119: Entry
Chapter 122: Chapter 119: Entry
The seventh day of the first lunar month.
In the heart of Mountain River Academy, on the Righteous Qi Square, the accumulated snow from days past had already been swept clean. The sky’s Haqi River reappeared, stretching across the heavens, keeping the spring snow that had started to fall this morning high above the firmament, clearing away the last vestiges of winter’s lingering gloom. The only slight disappointment was that the Haqi River’s repulsive force was too strong, and no Array could be set up under its cover, so there was no means to moderate the temperature onsite, and it remained bitterly cold.
The highly anticipated Literary Arena competition finally began...
Well, maybe ’highly anticipated’ was an overstatement. Although many were interested in this unique competition, due to its particular nature, only representatives from various factions and Mountain River Academy’s own lecturers and Core Scholars who had mastered the "Vast Righteous Qi" were actually in attendance.
On the side of Daqian, besides the previous arrivals from the Philosophy faction, the Daqian War God, "Duke Shenwu" Luo Feng, also appeared. Lu Qifeng and his Six Gates crowd were nowhere to be seen.
As for Northern Zhou, the elder sister of the current Emperor of Northern Zhou, Princess Feng Mingxiao, had come, along with the Sixth Prince Feng Chaonan, whose power remained formidable despite his recent attempts at keeping a low profile, and the Eighth Prince Feng Qiwu, who was already at Mountain River Academy.
Regarding Feng Jiu, who had been staying at Mountain River Academy, she was also counted as one of the contestants in the Literary Arena this time. It was said that Eighth Prince Feng Qiwu was originally one of the participants; in terms of cultivation, he was more profound than Feng Jiu, but he was pulled out by Feng Mingxiao and replaced with the less cultivated Feng Jiu.
Meanwhile, at Mountain River Academy, Zhuge Longsu and the other lecturers were all present, with only Mountain Master Meng remaining unseen. Other than them, no one else was there. With the manifestation of the Haqi River in the sky, those uninvolved were kept outside the academy gates. The weak could not enter, the strong could force their way in, but they would undoubtedly be noticed.
"The appointed time has arrived, Ming Jijiu, let your participants line up," Zhuge Longsu’s voice, enhanced with True Qi, reached the Philosophy faction’s large group across the Righteous Qi Square.
"Very well, line up," Ming Rui said, with an inexplicable smile playing at the corner of his mouth.
Twenty-five in total: ten from the third year, ten from the second year, and five from the first year... Wait, five from the first year?
Qing Yu doubted her own newly improved eyesight, which wasn’t long acquired; Lu Qifeng had said that the first year’s official number was three, the actual number was four, so where did this fifth person come from?
"Dean Zhuge, wasn’t it agreed that there would be three? Why are there five?" Zhuge Longsu demanded.
Okay, so my eyesight isn’t the problem; it’s Lu Qifeng stirring up some mischief again.
Across the square, Ming Rui responded, "Dean Zhuge, no specific number was set initially; it was based on the number of people who arrived. There happened to be two individuals who, for personal reasons, had not managed to reach Mountain River Academy together with us and have only appeared today. If any offense has been caused, please forgive us, Dean Zhuge!"
"However..." Ming Rui drew out his words, "Dean Zhuge, it seems there are not enough people on your side. It can’t be that the grand Mountain River Academy, the orthodox of Confucianism, lacks sufficient talent."
Upon hearing this, the observing scholars from the Academy stirred, but any words they had were stifled in their throats by the imposing aura released by Ming Rui, a Divinity Realm warrior.
Amidst the crowd, Qing Yu felt an invisible pressure suffusing the area, as if her body was deep under the sea, the surrounding air turning into seawater, crushing against her body from all directions.
"Dean Zhuge," Ming Jijiu said, "is bullying the few with the many also the style of your Philosophy faction?"
Seeing this, Zhuge Longsu summoned the power of the Haqi River to confront Ming Rui’s pressure.
"No, I merely wanted to stop them from disrespecting their senior, that’s all," Ming Rui countered without further increasing his aura, simply laughing it off while standing off against Zhuge Longsu.
The Academy’s scholars finally breathed a sigh of relief.
The auras in various parts of Righteous Qi Square became chaotic under the clash of the two sides, and those present lost their precise control over their Qi.
"Dean Zhuge, if you really don’t have enough people, we wouldn’t mind withdrawing two, how does that sound?" Ming Rui quipped from across the square.
This was my moment to step forward.
Although still curious about what tricks Lu Qifeng was up to, any further delay would seem unsightly. Without hesitation, Qing Yu took a step forward, intending to enter the fray and reveal her "Vast Righteous Qi."
"Mountain River Academy, how could it lack people." A loud cry heralded the arrival of a savior.
However, this savior was not the just-stepped-forward Qing Yu, but someone entirely unexpected.
Jin Mingxuan, who had left days after the Laba Festival because the oppressive Qi was too intense to bear, stepped into the square with "Vast Righteous Qi" radiating from him, and lined up with the scholars slated to participate in the Literary Arena.
’So that’s it.’ At the sight of Jin Mingxuan, Qing Yu seemed to suddenly understand something. All the past events clicked together, forming a complete picture today.
"And me!" Unable to retract her forward step, Qing Yu shouted, as pure white "Vast Righteous Qi" burst forth. The surrounding scholars instinctively made way for her, allowing her to step onto the square, alongside the competitors.
Something whispered by Wu Qu to Zhuge Longsu prompted him to say, "These two are both freshmen who have been at the school for less than a year. Dean Ming, while your Philosophy faction has no shortage of talented individuals, Mountain River Academy is even less likely to lack them."
The Academy’s predicament was relieved, and the surrounding scholars were jubilant, with the lecturers easing their worried brows. Only Zhuge Longsu and a few other lecturers did not show joy but rather looked solemn.
"Mountain River Academy prides itself as the orthodox of Confucianism, naturally not lacking in talent. I, Ming Rui, apologize for my earlier misstatement," Ming Rui chuckled, "Dean Zhuge, now that everyone has arrived, let’s begin."
"Of course." Zhuge Longsu pushed aside his doubts and, together with the other lecturers, beckoned the Haqi River once more.
The Haqi River in the sky began to flow, bringing a solemn pressure down upon those beneath it.
Suddenly, the Haqi River’s brilliance intensified, forcing everyone to close their eyes.
After a moment, as the light dimmed, a large hole tore open in the sky above. It was hazy, but one could make out the vague shapes of mountains or trees, likely views from the Small Secret Realm on the other side.
"Seven breaths’ time, make haste." Zhuge Longsu commanded.
The leaders of both sides, Zhuge Longsu and Ming Rui, used their True Qi to lift their respective Literary Arena participants into the large hole in the sky.
Once all the scholars had entered the Small Secret Realm, it was time to harness the Haqi River to project the realm’s scenery onto the square below.
Due to the presence of the Haqi River, no other Array could be used, and only its inherent power could allow onlookers to see the scenes from within the Small Secret Realm.
Zhuge Longsu once again summoned the power of the Haqi River, intending to display the condition of the scholars inside the realm.
But just at that moment, a sudden and unexpected change occurred...
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