Chapter 905: As If I, Yao Ji, Would Fail the Footwork Test?! Watch Me...

And at this moment, within the Gui lineage, stood the Pavilion of Listening Dao.

The Gui lineage had always championed education and revered etiquette, making the Pavilion of Listening Dao the most academically vibrant place among all the clans; even other clans, once their youth came of age, would choose to send many of them here, not merely to study, but also to commune and temper themselves.

Outside the Pavilion of Listening Dao at this time, elite students from the major clans stood in dense, orderly ranks, radiating a solemn and imposing aura.

Beyond the pavilion lay a spacious martial arts arena, where three instructors dressed in pale blue robes, bearing themselves with elegant poise, stood with their hands clasped behind their backs; an elder in greenish-blue robes stood upon the high platform, gazing down at the disciples below, none of whom dared to draw a heavy breath.

"Next, Yao Ji!"

"Yao Ji?!"

"Yao Ji?!"

The name was called three times in succession, yet no one answered, and the expressions of the three instructors instantly turned sour.

Beside the three instructors, a young man with a cold expression, sharp features, and a graceful, noble demeanor inherent in every gesture and movement, slowly stepped down from the platform.

Evidently, he had just concluded his examination; his expression was arrogant, and it was equally clear that he had achieved an excellent result in the test just now.

He then turned and bowed to the three instructors, saying, "In my view, since this person is absent, the instructors need not trouble themselves with testing him at all."

"Oh?" One of the instructors asked in bewilderment, "Gui Nian, what do you mean by this?"

The young man surnamed Gui smiled faintly and said, "To inform the instructors, this Yao Ji has always idled about and lacked any learning within the academy. It is said... that this person's talent is merely a pitiful Human Immortal physique. Presumably, whether he is tested or not, the result will be the same."

"Precisely." Just at this moment, another person stepped forward and spoke, "Instructors, this person did not even participate in the Meteoric Rise Exam personally hosted by the elders. Furthermore, in private, relying on his background from a major immortal sect, he shows disrespect to the elders. Most importantly, this person has only barely managed to learn the most fundamental movement techniques, such as the Seven Illusory Spirit Forms."

"The Pavilion of Listening Dao possesses a rich academic atmosphere and is a sacred land for propagating the Dao recognized by all clans. Our generation comes here solely to focus on cultivation, but this person has simply made this place foul and chaotic!" Yet another person stood up and said, "Today he is so arrogant as to not even show up when the elder personally conducts the examination. Next time, will he refuse to move even if the elder personally goes to invite him?! I hope the elder punishes him severely, and ideally expels this person from this place, to restore a bright sky and a peaceful place of immortal cultivation for us!"

"Yes, expel him from here, and return our peace!"

"Elder, this Yao Ji is truly far too arrogant." Gui Nian also said in a low voice, "If..."

"Hold on!" Just then, the figure of a young master in white robes, accompanied by a servant, cut through the crowd and emerged from the throng, walking into the center of the arena step by step.

His gaze was sharp, and the stride of his feet seemed to tread upon a highly peculiar rhythm, his garments billowing in the wind, and dancing even where no wind blew.

"This is...?! Yao Ji?!"

"Yao Ji! You still dare to appear here?!" That Gui Nian of the Gui clan stared at him with icy eyes.

"Why should I not dare?!" Yao Ji immediately glared back with the exact same gaze.

"Do you not know what is being examined today?!" Gui Nian stared at him coldly and arrogantly, as if looking down from a height, sizing up a worthless piece of dross who lacked any learning.

"Of course I know. The so-called Meteoric Rise examines precisely the path of footwork and movement techniques."

"Then you actually still dare to appear here?" Gui Nian sneered, "Your disrespect toward the elders is already a fact. If I were you, I would not come here to make a fool of myself again. In any case, it will be a failure either way."

As soon as these words were spoken, the surroundings burst into a roar of laughter.

Then, Gui Nian bowed and said, "It is not that Gui Nian slanders him, but truly because this person's score in this particular assessment over the years has always been a failure!"

"The past is the past, and this year is this year." Yao Ji immediately spoke in a loud voice, "How do you know that I will fail this time?! It is fine that you usually bully me by relying on being within the territory of your Gui family, but today, you shall absolutely not be allowed to act wildly!"

"Oh?" At this moment, upon the high platform, the elder narrowed his eyes slightly, "Could it be that this year, you have made some breakthrough?"

"Precisely!" Yao Ji said immediately, "Precisely because I have spent the entire day comprehending a set of exquisite footwork, I arrived late."

"Oh...?"

That elder waved his hand and said with considerable interest, "Let him try."

He then pointed to one of the instructors, "Instructor Wang, you go."

Seeing that even the elder had agreed, the nearby Gui Nian could only say resentfully, "I shall see what kind of trick you can pull off!"

With that, the instructor with a square forehead, broad face, and a serious expression stepped forward, "The Meteoric Rise Exam, the first trial, requires you to endure ten rounds in my hands. Are you ready?"

At this time, Yao Ji tapped his toes lightly, humming a strange sound from his mouth, as a fiery intent to battle seemed to ignite within his eyes, "Come!"

"Watch closely! This is the Ethereal Sword Technique of the middle Earth-rank!" Instructor Wang pressed his two fingers together, and a beam of spiritual light shot out like an absolute bolt of lightning!

And at this moment, while Yao Ji was humming this wondrous "incantation", the prelude to the "incantation" had also concluded, and his entire person moved along with it!

The sword light flickered shiftingly, darting like a streak of flowing light toward the direction in which Yao Ji's body moved.

But just at this moment, Yao Ji seemed to stroll upon the clouds, entirely free of strain, his whole body shifting strangely to the left and right following his footsteps!

The sword light actually passed right by him! He was completely unscathed!

Immediately following that, the sword light became volatile and unpredictable, like heavenly shadows and shaking starlight, impossible to fathom.

But just at this time, everyone heard a burst of strange sounds, "Ayiya yiya, ayiya yiya~!"

Immediately afterward, everyone saw that Yao Ji seemed to bear a marvelous rhythm, and even more so a peculiar sense of tempo, as if every single step landed precisely on a perfect "beat," while simultaneously, his form moved only within a highly confined area of nine squares.

Yet with the drifting shift of the footwork, that instructor actually discovered that no matter how he attacked, he could not fathom the opponent's direction; no matter how he altered his moves, every single strike hit nothing but empty air!

"Oh—?!" A massive burst of exclamations instantly erupted from the surroundings.

"This...?! What on earth is going on?!"

"Be careful!" Instructor Wang's expression changed, as he too seemed to sense that this footwork was somewhat profound, "Upper Earth-rank, the Sword Formula of Return and Guidance!"

His eyes were solemn, as if he were rapidly analyzing the opponent's footwork within his mind, "Left! Right! Calf! Shoulder!"

Boom-chiki-boom-chiki boom-chiki-boom-chiki!

"Ayiya yiya, ayiya yiya~!"

Everyone only saw that under the opponent's sword, this young man swayed left and right with immense rhythm, his footsteps leaping, each step flowing smoothly like drifting clouds and flowing water...

"He dodged it!"

"At the hairbreadth brink, he still dodged it!"

"How is that possible?!"

At this moment, they seemed to see beneath those feet a youthful dance step... that resembled burning blood!

"This...?!" Everyone could not help but cry out in alarm, staring dumbfounded at the center of the arena.

"He dodged it! He actually... dodged all of them—!"

How... how was this possible?!

"And what he is uttering from his mouth, could it be some ancient incantation?! Could it have the effect of evading attacks?!"

"Ayiya yiya, ayiya yiya~?" In the crowd, several young immortal cultivators could not help but mimic those steps and chant along... seemingly testing whether there truly was some miraculous effect.