Ten years ago, Chen Shi was the top in the fifty provinces with a record of thirty-six zhang. Now, his record of eighty-four zhang is even more astonishing. Submitting this record will undoubtedly cause a huge sensation!
"Wait, Chen Shi might not have a score!" Tian Huayi suddenly had an idea. "His sword energy shattered all the grass mats along the way and flew out of the martial field. Without any marks left by the sword energy on the mats, it doesn't count. We can record his martial test as a failure, so we don't have to report it to the court!"
Fu Leisheng sighed, "With so many people in New Township watching, it will eventually spread to the Western Capital."
Tian Huayi was dejected, mumbling, "What should we do then?"
Fu Leisheng suddenly smiled, "If he has reached the Golden Core stage, can his score be voided?"
Tian Huayi was taken aback, "Chen Shi has already reached the Golden Core stage?"
Fu Leisheng replied, "I saw him kill the county magistrate and his wife. His internal energy was refined into a Golden Core, pure and unmatched!"
"The county magistrate and his wife were killed by him?" Tian Huayi looked at Chen Shi, having always thought it was Fu Leisheng's doing. He was surprised to learn it was Chen Shi who killed those two evil spirits.
"But he doesn't have a Divine Fetus. How did he form a Golden Core? Is he an evil spirit?" he wondered.
Fu Leisheng shook his head, "No."
Tian Huayi asked, "With Golden Core stage cultivation, how far can the Midnight Demon-Slaying Sword fly?"
The two exchanged glances and each activated a sword energy.
Both being at the Golden Core stage, which is divided into nine levels, Fu Leisheng's cultivation was the most profound, reaching the ninth level with a reddish Golden Core, just a step away from the Nascent Soul.
Before rising to prominence, Tian Huayi had been defending against evil spirits at the border. Although at the seventh level of the Golden Core, his cultivation was also extremely strong.
Each of them sent out a sword energy, using the first move of the Midnight Demon-Slaying Sword, the thrust style. The sword energy flew over thirty zhang before dissipating into True Qi, with no support left.
They exchanged worried glances.
The Golden Core stage couldn't explain why Chen Shi's sword energy could fly so far.
Their cultivation was above Chen Shi's, yet their sword energy could only reach a little over thirty zhang, as the limit of the Midnight Demon-Slaying Sword was just that far.
Chen Shi's sword energy should have gone the farthest with the thrust style, but it was blown off course by the wind, drifting into the sky. Otherwise, it would have definitely surpassed eighty-four zhang.
"How did he manage it?"
They were puzzled. Chen Shi's starting move, posture, sword technique, and stance were all not standard, indicating a lack of practice. But how could the power be so astonishing?
Could it be that Chen Shi's way was the correct one?
"Why not just submit this record?" Fu Leisheng suddenly suggested.
Tian Huayi looked at him in confusion.
Fu Leisheng glanced not far away, and Tian Huayi followed his gaze to see a few well-dressed individuals pointing and discussing outside the martial field.
"It seems they're from the aristocratic families!"
Tian Huayi was slightly shaken, understanding his meaning.
Since people from the aristocratic families had come to New Township and witnessed Chen Shi's Midnight Demon-Slaying Sword's power, it was impossible to cheat.
Even if they wanted to hide it, they couldn't.
Fu Leisheng laughed, "At worst, I'll dissolve the Scholars Academy and hide in Heavenly Yang Mountain. Historically, those who committed major crimes would hide there, and the authorities haven't caught many."
Tian Huayi laughed, "Sir, you are noble. If that's the case, I'll go with you to Heavenly Yang Mountain."
They both felt much more at ease.
Tian Huayi said, "Teacher, with the aristocratic families here, I must go and find out more."
Fu Leisheng nodded, saying seriously, "Huayi, remember to prioritize righteousness and not be tempted by interests."
Tian Huayi was slightly moved, smiling back, "Teacher, after all your teachings, how could I not understand my own character?"
He turned and walked towards the group.
"Official Tian Huayi of New Township greets you all."
Tian Huayi approached the group and bowed.
"No need for formalities, Official Tian."
The leader was a lean middle-aged man, dressed in a blue robe with a wide belt and a high hat, with sharp eyes. "I am Li Xiaozheng from Quanzhou, here to take up the post in New Township Province by order of the cabinet."
Tian Huayi's heart raced at his words.
This sentence revealed not one, but four pieces of information!
Li Xiaozheng from Quanzhou!
From the Li family of Quanzhou!
Appointed by the cabinet to take office in New Township Province as the new governor!
After the Zhao family fell, the Li family was finally making a move on New Township Province and the True King's Tomb in Heavenly Yang Mountain!
"Your humble servant greets the governor!" he hurriedly bowed again.
"Rise."
Li Xiaozheng said calmly, "I haven't taken office yet, so I'm not officially the governor. Official Tian, your New Township County is truly a place of outstanding people. I never expected such an extraordinary person to emerge, with a sword that flies over eighty zhang. This sword is breathtaking. If I had heard of this in the provincial capital after taking office, I would have suspected you of fraud. But seeing it with my own eyes, it's truly shocking."
He shook his head, "I must report this to the Western Capital. Those in the capital will likely be just as shocked. An eighty-zhang Midnight Demon-Slaying Sword is unheard of."
Even as he said it, he found it absurd, yet it had happened right before his eyes.
Even witnessing it, he still found it hard to believe!
Behind Li Xiaozheng, a young man from the Li family stepped forward and also activated the Midnight Demon-Slaying Sword. The sword energy flew out with a piercing sound.
However, using the Golden Core as a power source, the sword energy's power was much greater than that of a Divine Fetus stage cultivator!
Yet, the sword flew only a little over thirty zhang before the energy dissipated.
Others from the Li family tried as well, some even using the Nascent Soul to activate the Midnight Demon-Slaying Sword. The farthest they could reach was thirty-six zhang before the energy dissipated into True Qi, unable to surpass thirty-six zhang.
Everyone was astonished.
Li Xiaozheng's gaze fell on Chen Shi, "No need to try anymore. The top scholar from ten years ago already tested the limit of the Midnight Demon-Slaying Sword, which is thirty-six zhang. This sword technique, though simple, is powerful due to its simplicity. Because of its power, the energy required to maintain the sword form is much greater than other techniques."
He explained, "The stronger the sword energy, the more power is needed to maintain the sword form. This was the ingenious part of the Heavenly Yang Hermit who created this technique, setting the sword energy's limit at thirty-six zhang. The prodigy from ten years ago, if anyone could break this limit, it would have been him, not someone else."
The Li family members were puzzled.
The young man from before asked, "Father, then how did this child manage to send the sword energy eighty zhang away?"
"I also want to know."
Li Xiaozheng looked at Chen Shi with curiosity, "His swordsmanship is rusty, as if he hasn't practiced for long, but the power is immense. Such power requires a lot of control. How did he keep the sword energy from dispersing?"
Even with the extensive knowledge and countless books of the Li family, he couldn't figure out how Chen Shi did it.
Li Xiaozheng composed himself, "Official Tian, what is this child's name?"
Tian Huayi replied, "His name is Chen Shi, from Bridge Bay Town under New Township County."
"Bridge Bay Town in New Township County?"
Li Xiaozheng was taken aback, his expression changing slightly, "Chen Shi from Yellow Slope Village?"
Tian Huayi was puzzled, "Sir, do you know Chen Shi?"
Li Xiaozheng's face became a mix of colors, turning blue, white, yellow, and red, constantly changing.
"The child scholar, haha! The child scholar!"
He laughed, but his eyes were full of fear, as if he saw a blood-stained Western Capital, countless corpses, broken flags, and the figure of a tall old man standing with his back to the terrified nobles of the Western Capital.
"He succeeded! He finally succeeded!"
Li Xiaozheng's forehead was quickly covered in cold sweat, large beads of sweat rolling down, his voice hoarse.
Reversing life and death, someone actually managed it!
The person who died ten years ago, leaving an unbreakable record.
Ten years later, he returned to break his own record, pushing it to an unreachable peak!
Is this a warning to the enemies who took his Divine Fetus?
It must be!
He returned this time to find his enemies and uncover the truth of his past!
His eighty-zhang sword energy was a message to the world that even without an Innate Dao Fetus, he was unmatched!
After a long time, Li Xiaozheng calmed down, his expression returning to normal, with a faint smile, "Someone, contact the cabinet officials immediately and report the eighty-zhang Midnight Demon-Slaying Sword, sharing this good news."
He exhaled deeply, thinking, "I can't be the only one worried. Those old folks, when they hear this, will surely be too scared to sleep. The Western Capital will soon be lively."
A subordinate took out a Thousand Mile Communication Talisman to contact the Western Capital. After a moment, the Western Capital received the news.
Li Xiaozheng heard the sound of chairs scraping and chaos on the other end of the talisman, followed by a commotion and shouting. He smiled, whispering, "The officials in the Western Capital will soon all hear this news. They'll be in a panic."
Chen Shi left the martial field, planning to call Heiguo and return to Yellow Slope Village early. Suddenly, a familiar voice called out, "Little Shi, we meet again!"
Chen Shi was surprised and delighted, turning to see Li Tianqing. He quickly ran over, smiling, "Tianqing, did your family not take away your Divine Fetus after you returned? By the way, where's your grandfather?"
Li Tianqing still looked a bit frail and gentle, smiling, "The Li family sent me to explore the stone ship. The governor was also heading to New Township Province to take office, so we stopped here. My grandfather didn't come because of his bad legs, but I suspect he's secretly following us, worried about my safety. I'm always afraid he'll get lost."
He sighed, his grandfather being quite a handful.
"By the way, where's your grandfather?" Li Tianqing asked.
Chen Shi's expression darkened, "My grandfather went to the underworld."
Li Tianqing was silent for a moment, unsure how to comfort him.
Chen Shi smiled, "But my grandfather is doing well in the underworld. I even burned him lots of paper money and a paper old lady. Did you see my Midnight Demon-Slaying Sword earlier?"
Li Tianqing saw him change the subject and went along, "I saw it."
Chen Shi was a bit nervous, asking, "What do you think?"
"Your sword energy has power, but there are major issues with your starting move, posture, sword technique, stance, and finishing move, which might cost you points."
Li Tianqing demonstrated as he spoke, very precise and standard, "Did you learn from the book I gave you? To reach this level in a short time is already impressive!"
The two young men were outside the martial field, one teaching and one learning, very seriously.
After a while, Li Tianqing praised, "Little Shi, you learn quickly. By the way, how did your literary exam go?"
"The literary exam was easy, a sure pass. But the martial exam, I'm not so confident."
Chen Shi was a bit frustrated, "I should have started learning from you sooner. Who did you come with? If you're free, let's go out and have fun!"
Li Tianqing was also quite frustrated, "I'm afraid I can't go out. The Li family sent important people this time. The leader is Li Xiaozheng, my fourth uncle, and the new governor of New Township Province. Besides him, there are several key figures from the Li family. This time, I might have to join you in the autumn examination. By the way, have you thought about what you'll do if the True God doesn't grant you a Divine Fetus?"
His words left Chen Shi stunned.
Yes, ten years ago, he received an Innate Dao Fetus. If the True God remembers and doesn't grant him a Divine Fetus, wouldn't he be stuck as a scholar, unable to return to Yellow Slope Village in glory, to take advantage of the villagers and oppress the common folk?
Chapter End.