Chapter 153: Fist Falls, Person Carried Away (2/4)

Beside him, the Eldest Princess remained oblivious to the subtle mockery at her expense, turning to ask, "Mr. Mu, might I inquire who this gentleman is...?"

"This is Boss Fang." Mu Donglai, seemingly disinclined toward such crowded spectacles, offered a casual introduction.

"He runs a most miraculous little shop...?" Hearing such a description, the surrounding crowd fell into a collective daze.

What manner of miracle could a mere shop possess?

No matter how wondrous, was he not still just a shopkeeper?

So, it turned out he was nothing more than a shopkeeper...

Following a polite exchange of pleasantries, the crowd quickly redirected their gaze toward the martial arena, as though nothing out of the ordinary had transpired.

"I see the Boss is being ignored again!"

"Hahaha! Boss Fang, you have your days too!"

"It is time for the Boss to unleash his Thousand Sword Technique!"

"I support the Boss in showing off his sword-riding flight! Let us see the expressions on their faces then!"

Fang Qi’s face darkened with chagrin: I only came to watch the national examinations, for heaven's sake...

"Instructor Mu... shall we head inside?"

At that moment, a sizeable gathering arrived outside the internet cafe, nearly every individual donning a mask. They cast wary glances to the left and right, speaking only after confirming the absence of any anomalies.

An instructor leading a cohort to an internet cafe—in days past, who would have dared conceive such a notion?

"The national examinations have already commenced?!"

"So soon?!"

"Instructor Mu, look, the disciples of the Lingyun Academy are visible upon the screen!" Xi Xiaoyun gestured toward the grand display, her voice hushed.

"Indeed? Where?!" A throng of people surged forward in a chaotic swarm.

The regulations for this year's national examinations were structured with relative simplicity. During the previous day's literary examination, each disciple had secured an initial score. The three great academies stood as rival factions; disciples from any faction could challenge those of another, limited to three attempts per person, with the defending party bound by the same limit. The victor would claim all points, while the vanquished found their score reduced to naught.

Naturally, there were constraints imposed upon these challenges: looking downward, the point disparity within the same tier could not exceed ten points, or the rank difference must be within three places, ensuring none could challenge an opponent distinctly weaker than themselves.

Looking upward, however, no restrictions applied.

Ultimately, the institutional standings would be determined by the cumulative score.

As for individual rankings, those whose points had been entirely depleted would be ordered according to the height of their initial scores.

To ensure fairness and impartiality, the rules for today's martial examination had been decreed by the Emperor of Dajin himself, promulgated via imperial edict only moments before.

Once the rules were established, the disciples within the three academies broke into fervent discussion.

"How shall we conduct our strategy?" Within Class A of the Earth Tier at Lingyun Academy, Instructor Chen Zhong and his charges had gathered in a tight circle.

"Miss Nalan, what are your thoughts?" Chen Zhong, as an instructor, harbored no desire to rule arbitrarily.

"These rules conceal a subtle strategy," Nalan Mingxia replied after a moment of deliberation. "Three challenges and three defenses imply that everyone possesses three opportunities to seize points. Once seized, one must defend, holding fast to what they have gained."

"Though it appears straightforward, the higher one's score rises during these three challenges, the more attention one attracts. By that time, having endured three consecutive bouts, should a formidable foe set their sights upon you, defeat would easily deliver your points into their hands. Not only would you be weaving a fine garment for another to wear, but you would have exhausted your challenge quotas, leaving no hope for a reversal."

"In other words, the optimal path is to defend first, and strike later," Chen Zhong observed.

Nalan Mingxia nodded in assent. "After weathering three challenges, one may then proceed to seize points. At that juncture, no matter how high your score climbs, none shall possess the right to challenge you."

Chen Zhong stared in slight astonishment, scarcely expecting the young lady to have deduced so much the very moment the rules were laid down. "Then let it be decided thus."

Yet no sooner had their council concluded than a voice rang out to announce, "Luo Yun, top of the Earth Tier at the Xiyi Academy, challenges Nalan Mingxia of the Lingyun Academy!"

"Luo Yun of the Xiyi Academy?!"

A ripple of surprise drifted through the spectator stands. "I have heard that Luo Yun is the daughter of General Luo of the Northern Army. She was capable of venturing into the mountains alone to hunt wild beasts at the tender age of twelve!"

"A peak official warrior before the age of seventeen—a veritable genius!"

"The last to achieve such a feat at that age was a decade ago, was it not?"

Song Qingfeng and his companions were momentarily stunned before bursting into hearty laughter. "Hahaha! It seems you are entirely incapable of keeping a low profile, Miss Nalan!"

"Perhaps my score remains too high," Nalan Mingxia replied softly, stepping toward the martial arena.

"Please submit to inspection!" To guarantee fairness, disciples entering the arena were scrutinized by designated officials; spiritual treasures and weapons had to be powered solely by the wielder's own cultivation, without reliance on external forces.

Defensive treasures infused with another's power could be carried for self-preservation, but their activation would result in an immediate forfeiture of the match.

"Nalan Mingxia, a single ordinary short blade, no superfluous items." The man and woman tasked with inspecting storage artifacts noted the short blade at her waist, returning her artifact before she stepped forward, unable to suppress a tinge of surprise.

"Nalan Mingxia in the very first round?!" At that moment, the Lingyun Academy disciples spectating within the Origin Internet Club grew visibly excited.

"So fast?!" Xi Qi procured a tub of Häagen-Dazs for himself and settled in to watch.

Beside them, a good number of Lingyun Academy disciples who had slipped in surreptitiously now kept their eyes glued to the massive screen.

"Who is that maiden clad in blue opposite her?!"

"Did you not hear just now? Luo Yun, top of the Earth Tier at the Xiyi Academy!"

"Initiating the challenge of her own accord? Fair maiden, I, Xi Qi, admire your valor!" Xi Qi hastily sent forth a bullet comment.

"Imperial Sister," the second prince, a handsome youth in a python-embroidered robe, remarked as he surveyed the field below. "One is the genius of the Nalan clan, the other the prodigy of the Northern Luo family. Both stand at the peak of official warriors. Who do you surmise will emerge victorious?"

"In terms of seniority, Luo Yun entered the academy a year prior to Sister Nalan. Furthermore, I have heard the Xiyi Academy has recently adopted military discipline to train its disciples, yielding exceptional results. The methods employed by the Lingyun Academy, by contrast, are far too gentle."

"Then Imperial Sister believes Miss Luo will triumph?"

The Eldest Princess nodded slightly.

Beside Fang Qi, Mu Donglai also ventured a question: "Boss Fang, who do you believe will win?"

"Ah..." Fang Qi rubbed his nose, offering an awkward grin. "I shall observe three seconds of silence for this maiden named Luo."

"Haha! Three seconds of silence for the girl! The Boss speaks my mind!"

"Five seconds of silence for her, considering she was the one who initiated it."

The internet cafe's commentary screen was instantly flooded with messages.

"...Imperial Sister, someone disputes your judgment," the second prince remarked.

Evidently, the surrounding crowd chose to ignore the dissenting voice once more.

Only Mu Donglai spoke up, "It appears Miss Nalan is poised to win."

"...Mr. Mu, you agree with this Boss Fang?" The Eldest Princess cast a surprised and somewhat displeased glance toward him. It was clear that everyone present concurred with her analysis, which was rooted in sound logic.

Yet Fang Qi alone sang a discordant tune.

"Young man, one must take responsibility for the words they utter," an elder in a black tunic chimed in from the side, directing his gaze toward them.

Fang Qi responded calmly, "Old gentleman, do I truly appear to be someone who speaks without accountability?"

Upon the martial arena, Nalan Mingxia regarded the sharp-eyed woman in blue before her. "Do you not think it somewhat reckless to challenge an opponent of equal rank so early in the matches?"

"I have slain more beasts than you have consumed meals, milady." Luo Yun’s gaze was frosty as she drew her long blade, an aura of palpable intent radiating from her form. "Make your move, and let us see how much of my strength you can deplete."

Clearly, one who held the top rank of an academy tier was no ordinary adversary.

Beholding the spirited maiden upon the grand screen, the disciples of Lingyun Academy watching the broadcast unleashed another torrent of commentary:

"Suddenly, I feel a pang of pity for this maiden."

"In the words of the boss, someone this beautiful must be a boy!"

"My heart goes out to this girl! Someone this beautiful must be a boy!"

"You mean women can match any man, right..." Fang Qi stared at the bullet commentary, his vision swimming. "Don't go causing trouble now!"

"She's drawing her blade?!" At the same moment, a collective gasp rose from the disciples of the three grand academies.

Everyone watched as Luo Yun advanced slowly, halting just ten feet from Nalan Mingxue—the optimal distance for a martial artist of her realm to strike.

Luo Yun gripped her saber with both hands, arms slightly bent, the hilt held close before her chest and torso.

In that instant, her entire spirit seemed to condense into a single point upon the blade, and a bleak, murderous aura began to bleed outward into the air!

She was like a bow drawn to its absolute limit, poised to unleash a swift and ferocious assault at any second!

"Splendid aura!" a cultivator standing behind Fang Qi praised aloud. "Though the lass is a bit young, the martial examinations of the three academies aren't entirely devoid of entertainment after all. If only my own disciple possessed such talent!"

Over on the other side, the Daoist Master Black Cloud was lecturing his own apprentice, rapping the youth on the forehead while scolding, "Look at her, then look at yourself. When we get back, put some actual heart into your cultivation, do you hear me?!"

As the words fell, Luo Yun stepped forward, swinging her saber with a piercing sonic boom. The light of the blade moved so quickly it transformed into a sweeping curtain of silver!

"It's the Wind-Severing Slash of the Xiyi Academy!"

"Even a lion uses its full strength when hunting a rabbit." An elderly man seated in the main gallery nodded slightly. "Unleashing a martial technique right at the opening moves, steady and composed. Not bad."

"Vice Academy Head Yu thinks well of it too?" Another elder stroked his beard, looking rather pleased, for the disciple belonged to his own academy.

Before the words could fully leave his mouth, a shadow flashed across the martial arena!

A delicate fist slammed violently into Luo Yun's abdomen!

The hand rose, the punch fell, and the person crashed to the ground.

Fang Qi buried his face in his hands. "Carry her away, next."

The Grand Princess covered her mouth. "..."

The Second Prince nearly slipped straight onto his backside. "..."

Several vice academy heads up on the high platform. "..."

Everyone. "..."

.