Due to his betrothal with Xu You Rong, after the Ivy League gathering, Chen Chang Sheng had naturally become the focus of the Capital. The announcement that His Eminence had made on his behalf was akin to adding oil to the fire, countless people were inquiring about everything related to him. His age, origin, grievances with the Divine General's Estate, as well as his level of strength were all no longer secrets, therefore, people were very shocked and wanted to know what had happened to his body in the past few days, allowing his strength to increase by leaps and bounds, allowing him to win four rounds in a row in the Grand Examination and enter the final list.
Xuan Yuan Po looked at Chen Chang Sheng, his mouth was wide open, as if he had seen a monster. Tang Thirty Six stared at his eyes and asked: "What did you actually eat? We eat together at Orthodox Academy every day, did you secretly give us special treatment? Or did you steal something good from the Hundred Herb Garden and didn't tell us? "
Within that quiet room within the tower, the personages were also discussing Chen Chang Sheng's performance today.
"Could it be that he had just used the complete version of Discerning Steps?" someone asked Xu Shi Ji.
If Fei Dian or Jin Yu Lu, those elderly people, were present, having experienced the great battle against the demon race, they would have been able to clearly identify what Chen Chang Sheng's previously unpredictable movement technique was. Currently, within the room, only Xue Xing Chuan and Xu Shi Ji, the two who had been to the Northern battlefield, could possibly know.
Xu Shi Ji's expression was indifferent, he said: "I haven't met anyone from the Ye Shi tribe at the frontlines."
According to intelligence, for the past several hundred years, the majority of the Ye Shi tribe within Old Snow City had been recruited into the intelligence agency by that mysterious Lord Black Robe, rarely appearing.
Xue Xing Chuan's troops had previously captured two spies from the Ye Shi tribe, the member of the Ye Shi tribe that had attempted to assassinate Her Highness, Luo Luo, during Spring, was currently imprisoned within the Forbidden Army's prison. He thought about Chen Chang Sheng's previous movement technique, shook his head and said: "It's not the complete version of Discerning Steps, but it's already somewhat interesting."
The crowd understood what he meant, the complete version of the Discerning Step had some meaning, in a battle between youths like the Grand Examination, it would be able to play a very important role. Xue Xing Chuan thought for a while, then said: "His speed and movement technique have reached the pinnacle, coupled with his decent luck in lots, being able to enter the top 8 is understandable, but I don't think he can continue advancing."
The top 8 of the Duelling Phase of the Grand Examination had already been decided. There were young experts like Gou Han Shi, Zhuang Huan Yu, Zhong Hui and Zhe Xiu, whose names had already spread far and wide. There were also a few unexpected candidates, such as a girl from Holy Maiden Peak who did not reveal herself, and a student from Star Seizer Academy who even the Board of Ecclesiastic Education didn't pay much attention to.
The most unexpected was still Chen Chang Sheng.
Up until now, he still hadn't been eliminated. This already exceeded everyone's imagination, and it didn't seem to make any sense.
…
…
"This doesn't make sense! How could this be? Why hasn't he been eliminated yet? "
The list of the top 8 for the Duelling Phase of the Grand Examination was sent outside of the Education Palace, written outside of the Hall of Zhao Wen's mirror of light, and also to the crowd outside of Li Palace.
The sky was currently nearing dusk, the warm rays of the setting sun shone upon the stone pillars, as well as upon the citizens of the Capital who had come to watch the spectacle, as well as upon the tourists that had come from other places.
At this moment, there were at least a few thousand people surrounding Li Palace, the noise was very noisy, the shouts of those peddlers had long since become very hoarse, yet, at this moment, everyone was talking about the same thing, expressing the same emotions; that matter was Chen Chang Sheng's 4 consecutive victories, that emotion was one of shock, confusion and anger.
The citizens of the Capital didn't like Chen Chang Sheng, but compared to the examinees from the South, they didn't hate Chen Chang Sheng any more. The reason why they were so angry at Chen Chang Sheng's 4 consecutive victories, apart from being shocked, was purely because Chen Chang Sheng's performance had caused them to lose a lot of money, to the point where some people's eyes had already turned red from the loss.
That's right, aside from first upon the First Banner, there were many other betting methods for the Grand Examination. Of the examinees that participated in the Grand Examination, there would be victors and losers in every round, similarly, after every round, there would be many citizens that would become victors or losers; due to Chen Chang Sheng, this year, the majority of the citizens were losers.
For every round of the Grand Examination, the outside world would give out different payout rates, in order to make it easier for the citizens to place their bets, Chen Chang Sheng's payout rate was extremely high in every round, up until now, his payout rate was still the highest – today, he had caused some people to go wild with joy, but caused even more people to lose money, yet, no one believed that he could continue to win.
Tian Hai Sheng Xue was in a teahouse to the South of Li Palace, quietly watching the crowd before Li Palace, he suddenly said: "If the Four Great Markets are still willing, I'll bet 5000 gold on Chen Chang Sheng's final victory."
The old caretaker standing beside him was startled, he said with some hesitation: "Young master, he can't possibly win, right?"
Tian Hai Sheng Xue said: "In the first round, everyone believed that he couldn't win, yet he won. In the second round, no one believed that he could win, yet he still won, the third round was the same, the fourth round was the same, before the Grand Examination, who would have thought that he could enter the top 8? Since that's the case, why can't I bet on him? "
The old caretaker repeatedly voiced his agreement.
Tian Hai Sheng Xue suddenly thought of something, saying: "If he really does end up taking first upon the First Banner, take the winnings and repair Orthodox Academy's gates."
The old caretaker thought to himself: Wasn't Orthodox Academy's gates broken by you, young master? Furthermore, Orthodox Academy has never repaired its gates, everyone in the Capital knows what this means, if you were to repair Orthodox Academy's gates, wouldn't that be the same as admitting defeat? He was very surprised, but thinking that the young master's actions must have a deeper meaning, he didn't dare to say too much, he was only a little puzzled by the details.
"If … I'm saying if Chen Chang Sheng really wins, then it'll be a large sum of money, even if I were to repair Orthodox Academy's gates, it wouldn't be worth that much money."
Tian Hai Sheng Xue gazed at the Li Palace under the twilight, indifferently saying: "If he really does win, then what harm is there in gifting him a white jade gate?"
The old caretaker became even more puzzled, thinking to himself: Even if Chen Chang Sheng takes first upon the First Banner, that youth is the symbol of Orthodox Academy, a symbolic figure used by the Orthodoxy's conservative faction to challenge the Empress, no matter what, the Tian Hai clan wouldn't accept him as a disciple, why are you doing this?
Tian Hai Sheng Xue didn't explain, he picked up the teacup and took a sip, suddenly feeling that it was a little bland and tasteless.
Qiu Shan Jun didn't come, Mo Yu was still ahead, the Grand Examination indeed didn't hold much meaning for him, but to give up just like that, he couldn't help but feel a little conflicted.
… …
… …
The Divine General's Estate, within the quiet reception pavilion, Madam Xu looked at the middle-aged woman in front of her, her eyebrows slightly creased as she asked: "Granny Hua, did you hear wrong? He really entered the top 8? "
Granny Hua said in a low voice: "It shouldn't be wrong, the Four Great Markets have already put out the odds for the next round, Young Master Chen's name is indeed on it."
Madam Xu was shocked speechless, feeling a great headache, if that kid really did obtain first upon the First Banner, what should she do?
She looked at the chairs and empty tea table within the reception pavilion, remembering the scene of her first meeting with Chen Chang Sheng at the beginning of Spring last year.
That young Daoist was a little reserved, very clean.
He didn't drink a single sip of tea.
Madam Xu's mind suddenly moved, thinking of a certain possibility.
Within the East Wing, Shuang Er, who had just received the news, was also extremely shocked.
She recalled the scene of her first meeting with Chen Chang Sheng in the rear garden.
She couldn't imagine, that reserved, young Daoist from the countryside, that trash that couldn't cultivate, had actually entered the top 8 of the Duelling Phase. According to the rumours of his performance at the Ivy League gathering, his results in the academic phase must have been extremely good, didn't this mean that he was only a step away from entering the First Banner?
That's right, as long as Chen Chang Sheng could win another round in the duelling phase and enter the top 4, combined with his results in the academic phase, he had a high chance of entering the First Banner.
The problem was, could he still continue advancing? Or, was this the end?
… …
… …
Deep within the Imperial Palace, there was a small side hall, extremely cold and cheerless, akin to a deserted palace.
The Black Goat stared at the green fruit on the tree beside the stone steps, hesitating for a long time, whether to eat it or not. It remembered very clearly, that last time in the Hundred Herb Garden, that youth had fed it a fruit that tasted pretty good, but it couldn't confirm whether that was the fruit's own taste, or if it was because the skin of the fruit carried his scent.
Nanny Ning silently walked past it and said in a low voice: "Young Master Sheng Xue has forfeited."
The Divine Queen was holding a piece of fragrant wood, the edges of the wood were currently burning, upon the wisps of smoke floated a pill.
Her fingers slowly moved the wood, the smoke from the burning wood lightly swirled, causing the pill to slowly revolve.
Hearing this, her fingers slightly paused, causing the pill to also stop floating in the air.
Her expression changed slightly, after a moment, she understood and said emotionally: "The children of the Tian Hai family are still promising."
This was a good thing, but also a bad thing.
The more promising the children of the Tian Hai family were, the more she couldn't completely let go, thus, the Zhou Dynasty would be unable to escape from that huge problem.
But she still felt somewhat relieved.
Nanny Ning hesitated for a moment and continued: "Tradition Academy's Chen Chang Sheng, entered the top 8."
The Divine Queen's eyebrows slowly rose.
Nanny Ning was a little nervous, she really liked that child Chen Chang Sheng and was worried that the Queen would be unhappy.
The Divine Queen didn't say anything.
In the next moment, she appeared in the pitch black underground.
She lightly waved her sleeves, the thousands of luminous pearls on the ceiling lit up.
The slightly cold white light fell on the frosty ground, illuminating the entire scene.
A little girl in black clothing with a snowy face was weakly lying on the ground.
The Divine Queen lightly flicked her finger, the pill fell in front of the little girl.
"Chen Chang Sheng hasn't been eliminated yet, your blood is still somewhat useful."
The little girl in black struggled to raise her head and stared at the Divine Queen, without fear, only annoyance, she said: "What kind of demonic pill is this?"
The Divine Queen calmly said: "Motherwort ointment."
The little girl in black knew that a terrifying human like the Divine Queen, if she wanted to punish her, she would have countless methods, she definitely wouldn't do something to a pill, so she unhesitatingly swallowed the pill.
"Chen Chang Sheng … he … can he get first upon the First Banner?" she looked at the Divine Queen and asked curiously.
"Let's stop here." The Divine Queen calmly said.
In the next moment, she arrived at the abandoned well at New North Bridge, with her hands behind her back, she looked at the stars in the night sky and remained silent for a long time, not knowing what she was thinking.
… …
… …
(Let's stop here for today, I thought about it, I thought about it again … see you all tomorrow.)
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