Chapter 43: Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding
“Is it snowing?”
“No.”
Yet before everyone’s eyes, it seemed as though snowflakes suddenly started to fall.
The snowfall appeared within the area surrounding Li Hao, within three feet of his sword’s reach.
Each snowflake carried a biting chill, radiating from the gleam of his sword—a reflection of his technique, aptly named Falling Snow Sword Technique.
Its level was at True Form...
Before Li Hao, the burly young man’s pupils contracted sharply as he stood frozen in place.
In his vision, countless snowflakes swirled like a storm, raging fiercely, yet the storm was held within the young man’s grasp, as though he commanded the very power of the heavens!
The sharp chill didn’t sweep toward him. Instead, only a single snowflake gradually floated out from the storm, drifting gently past his cheek.
It felt faintly cool.
Instinctively, the burly youth raised his hand to touch it, feeling a stinging sensation but seeing no blood.
His gaze hardened, his body remained tense where he stood, gripping his sword like a resolute swordsman, yet his arm trembled, unable to act.
In what felt like the blink of an eye, the illusion of falling snow vanished completely.
Li Hao casually tossed his sword back onto the weapon rack, where it slid into its scabbard with a metallic clang, like the sound of ice breaking.
The burly youth snapped out of his daze, trembling slightly, and the crowd around them also awoke from their trance.
Just now, everyone had felt as though they were caught in a dream.
But was it truly a dream?
A strange silence settled over the scene.
Finally, Li Hao’s cheerful voice broke the stillness. “So, does this count as passing?”
The burly youth returned to his senses, stammering, “Y-you win.”
There had been no fight because he hadn’t even been a match for a single move. He hadn’t even mustered the courage to draw his sword—defeated completely.
Nearby, the other students of Tangong Academy looked at Li Hao in shock. They had thought Li Yuanzhao was already an unparalleled genius, but now, they saw someone even more extraordinary.
“What kind of sword technique was that?”
“It’s definitely of supreme-grade quality, maybe even executed to perfection!”
“No wonder we thought so. Falling Snow Sword Technique might be high-grade, but with the power of the True Form, even a perfected supreme-grade technique pales in comparison…”
“What an exquisite sword technique!”
“My goodness, I even felt like I was seeing an illusion—actual snowflakes!”
“Me too! This is incredible!”
“The Divine General Mansion's sword techniques are undoubtedly top-tier. Could he have trained it to perfection? How long would that take?”
Everyone’s gaze turned to Li Hao in awe.
The illustrious reputation of the Divine General Mansion was now on full display.
Si Xiaolan stared at Li Hao in a daze. With such an impeccable sword technique, there was no doubt he was capable of passing the first two tests purely through his own skill.
Was this the caliber of his generation in the Divine General family? Were they all truly this monstrous?
...
“Brother Hao!”
Beside him, Li Yuanzhao was even more excited. He hadn’t expected Li Hao’s swordsmanship to be so advanced. Having seen more than the average noble scion, he recognized this as the Falling Snow Sword Technique his elder sister Xue’er had once used.
But the level Li Hao displayed had clearly surpassed what Xue’er had achieved back then—perhaps even transcending the perfected stage.
Li Hao smiled at Yuanzhao’s excitement but said nothing.
Inwardly, he felt a trace of nostalgia. He wondered how far that little girl in the Sword Abode had advanced with this sword technique.
Recalling the days when he had guided her sword practice in the courtyard, his lips curled into a faint smile. But he quickly composed himself and addressed the burly youth before him.
“So… what’s next?”
“Huh? Oh… oh… Just go straight ahead. There’s a teacher waiting for you all there.”
The burly youth quickly replied, his gaze unconsciously filled with a hint of respect.
The starting point of noble families truly was beyond the reach of ordinary people.
Li Hao nodded, leading Li Yuanzhao past the youth and down the small path with steps ahead, walking leisurely and unconcernedly.
Behind them, the crowd watched the pair’s figures disappear before snapping back to reality.
At that moment, someone suddenly raised a question:
“Why do they even have invitation letters? Could it be that their strength means they don’t need to take the tests?”
At these words, the others collectively had an epiphany, followed by silence.
Previously, they had assumed it was all due to the Divine General Mansion’s prestigious status, feeling somewhat resentful. But now, they were at peace with it.
Si Xiaolan’s expression shifted slightly as she bit her lip gently, realizing she had misunderstood them.
Tangong Academy had stood for centuries; it was not a place for empty fame or currying favor with the powerful.
...
In the mountains of Tangong Academy, a vast stone plaza came into view.
Young figures gathered here, all gazing intently at the inscriptions on the stone tablets, attempting to comprehend the techniques carved upon them.
At the edge of the plaza, two elderly men sat in a corner, playing chess.
“Ah!”
Suddenly, one of the elderly men, a short, stout figure, smacked his thigh as though remembering something. “I almost forgot—we still haven’t guided the two who have invitation letters.”
“You mean the ones from the Divine General Mansion?”
The gray-robed elder across from him looked up quizzically. “Shouldn’t be a problem. Those kids from the Divine General Mansion can breeze through the tests even without guidance.”
“If it were anyone else, I wouldn’t worry. But don’t you remember? The child of Marquis Xingwu is rumored to be a martial waste. That gossip spread like wildfire about ten years ago, though it’s been quiet since then.”
The stout elder jumped to his feet, exclaiming, “If he falls to his death during the second test, we’ll be in big trouble!”
“This…” The gray-robed elder’s expression shifted. After all, that was Marquis Xingwu’s only son. Alarmed, he urged, “Then hurry and check on them!”
The stout elder nodded quickly. With a whistle, a gale of wind stirred as a massive bird with a wingspan of seven or eight meters swiftly approached. Its arrival drew the attention of many young onlookers near the stone tablets, who looked up in awe. The bird landed gently in front of the elder.
“I’ll wait for you here…” the gray-robed elder said.
As the stout elder mounted the bird, he muttered, “We should’ve just sent out five invitation letters in the first place instead of adding extra steps.”
Grumbling, he lowered his gaze to the chessboard before suddenly realizing something. His face darkened as he roared, “You sly old fox! You left mid-game because you were losing!”
...
The stout elder, whose name was Shen Yunqing, was far from “light” in stature. Riding atop the giant bird, he sped toward the second test site.
Although his mind was still occupied by the unfinished chess match, his concern for the situation at the second test loomed larger. He hoped that Old Tang, stationed there, was aware of the child’s circumstances and would ensure he passed safely.
As he scanned the mountain paths below, Shen Yunqing spotted two figures walking leisurely along a narrow trail. They were dressed in luxurious garments with an aura of natural nobility. The distinctive emblem on their clothing left no doubt—they were from the Li family of the Divine General Mansion.
“Hm?”
Surprised, Shen Yunqing immediately directed the bird to descend.
The sound of the bird’s cry and the rush of wind caught Li Hao and Li Yuanzhao’s attention, causing them to stop and look up. They saw a massive bird with three eyes land a few meters above the ground in front of them.
Seated on the bird’s neck, Shen Yunqing peered down at the pair as though verifying their identities. A smile broke across his face as he leapt from the bird’s back.
Waving his hand, he dismissed the bird, which soared into the sky. Shen Yunqing approached the pair with a friendly grin. “You must be young masters from the Divine General Mansion. May I know which branch of the family you hail from, and how I should address you?”
Faced with the elder’s politeness, Li Hao and Li Yuanzhao showed no surprise. They were accustomed to such treatment due to their prestigious lineage, even from those of high status.
“This is my elder brother, Li Hao, and I am Li Yuanzhao,” Yuanzhao introduced himself with a hint of boyish simplicity, though his sharp eyes revealed a keen intellect.
Shen Yunqing’s gaze lingered briefly on Li Hao, and a flicker of realization crossed his mind. Memories from over a decade ago surfaced—the Li family youth named Hao, granted his name by Emperor Yu himself, must be this very young man.
So, it’s him.
Though Shen Yunqing’s expression betrayed no change, he offered a slight nod and smiled. “I trust no one gave you trouble on your way here. Follow me—I’ll take you to the next gathering point.”
Assuming the pair had simply used their invitation letters to bypass the earlier tests, Shen Yunqing led the way.
Li Hao and Li Yuanzhao, unfamiliar with Shen Yunqing, exchanged few words as they followed him.
As they walked, Li Hao casually glanced around, taking in the mountain’s serene scenery. He thought to himself that if he were to remain at Tangong Academy for some time, the tranquil environment would certainly be pleasant and uplifting.
Before long, the three arrived at the plaza’s far edge.
Here, over a hundred people had gathered, encircling three massive stone tablets.
“What’s this?” Li Yuanzhao asked curiously, looking to Shen Yunqing for an explanation. He also spotted the siblings Li Yun and Li Yun’s sister among the crowd, standing near the tablet with the fewest people.
“Everyone who makes it here has qualified to enter Tangong Academy as official disciples,” Shen Yunqing explained, stroking his beard with a smile. “However, even among disciples, there are distinctions in aptitude.”
“To prevent weaker students from dragging down the stronger ones—or the stronger ones from bullying the weaker—we divide the academy into four classes: Jia, Yi, Bing, and Ding.”
He gestured toward the three stone tablets. “These tablets each hold a technique of varying difficulty: low-grade, mid-grade, and high-grade.”
“The challenge is simple. Within three days, disciples who achieve basic comprehension of the high-grade technique are placed in the Jia class. Those who master the mid-grade technique join the Yi class. Those who succeed with the low-grade technique enter the Bing class.”
Shen Yunqing’s smile grew slightly wider. “But if you fail to grasp any of the techniques within three days, you’ll be assigned to the Ding class.”
He paused, adding lightly, “Ding class students must take supplementary tests each semester, and those who fail the tests will be dismissed from the academy.”
Li Yuanzhao listened attentively, nodding in understanding.
Li Hao asked casually, “And if someone refuses to leave?”
Shen Yunqing blinked at the unexpected question, momentarily speechless.