Chapter 269: Chapter 269 Mu Liantian Presides [Three Updates]
When Qing Mo was at the Donglin City Lord’s Mansion, although Jing Yan was only at the Early Innate Realm of cultivation, he ultimately managed to slay Zhao Zhenyan of the Late Innate Realm. This had already proven how high Jing Tian’s natural talent in martial arts was.
Therefore, upon meeting Shu Ling, the Outer Court Director of Dao Yi Academy, and seeing the sealing order placed on Jing Yan, Qing Mo couldn’t help but speak up.
"Qing Mo, don’t say anymore, I know what you’re trying to say. I haven’t interacted with this young man, Jing Yan, and don’t know him very well. But you saw his attitude towards the Dean of Shang Qu. Hot-headed, arrogant, very proud—it’s beneficial for him to be knocked down a notch," Shu Ling shook his head.
"Moreover, if he truly is exceptionally talented, it’s not without opportunity. If he can pass the Heaven Array, then the sealing order from the Three Major Academies would naturally become invalid!" Shu Ling added.
"Heaven Array?" Qing Mo’s body slightly shuddered.
Pass the Heaven Array? How could that be possible? It seemed that within Lanqu County City, it had been nearly thirty years since any martial artist attending the assessment of the Three Major Academies had passed the Heaven Array.
That’s too difficult!
It was almost an impossible feat.
Not to mention the Heaven Array, even the Earth Array—how many could pass it in each assessment?
Passing the Earth Array already counted as a top martial arts genius.
Qing Mo was momentarily at a loss for words!
Just as Shu Ling had said, if a martial artist could pass the Heaven Array during the assessment, then the sealing order from the Three Major Academies would indeed be as good as nonexistent. Passing the Heaven Array could even alert the Commandery Prince and the Deans of the Three Major Academies—the true Deans, unlike Shu Ling who was only an Outer Court Director.
Passing the Heaven Array was too fantastical!
"Deacon Qing Mo, didn’t you say Jing Yan is exceptional in talent? If you truly have that confidence in him, you should believe he can pass the Heaven Array. Of course, he is still young, under twenty years old, and he still has two or three chances to attend the assessments of the Three Major Academies. In the future, if he passes the Heaven Array, it’s still feasible for him to enter one of the Three Major Academies," Shu Ling said with a slight smile again.
Qing Mo, silent!
He did not quite agree with Shu Ling’s words.
Indeed, given Jing Yan’s talent, even if he didn’t cultivate in the Three Major Academies, in ten years, Jing Yan should be able to reach the Late Innate or even the Peak realm. By then, there might be a slight possibility of succeeding in the Heaven Array. However, that would delay too much time. If Jing Yan could now cultivate in the Three Major Academies, there would be a high hope of reaching the Dao Spirit Realm within ten years.
For martial artists, time is precious, especially for the young ones.
Jing Yan wasn’t from the prominent families of Lanqu County City; those top-tier individuals from major families had a lot of resources, not even slightly inferior to those obtained within the Three Major Academies. Yet, Jing Yan’s family was just from a small city family in Donglin City, and the resources Jing Yan could get were very limited, nowhere comparable to those available at the Three Major Academies.
Although he did not agree with Shu Ling, Qing Mo couldn’t change anything. He was just an Outer Court Deacon of Dao Yi Academy, while Shu Ling was an Outer Court Director!
Thus, Divine Wind Academy, Dao Yi Academy, and Red Lotus Academy all imposed a sealing order on Jing Yan.
On the high platform, Shang Qu, with a proud expression, looked down at Jing Yan.
"You little brat, dare to compete with me? So naive!" Shang Qu’s arrogant gaze swept towards Jing Yan.
Jing Yan dared not give him face, so he would ruin Jing Yan’s future, letting Jing Yan slink back to wherever he came from.
Jing Yan also gazed firmly at the high platform!
Sealing Order?
Hah, fine, a Sealing Order!
"Brother Jing Yan, they are too much! The Three Major Academies are too much!" Jing Luoyu spoke anxiously, gritting his teeth.
He knew that with Jing Yan’s strength, passing the assessment and gaining entrance to cultivate at the Three Major Academies should have been easy. But now, with the sealing order imposed by the Three Major Academies, what could Jing Yan do? Had this trip to Lanqu County City been in vain?
"It’s okay," Jing Yan gently shook his head, sneering inwardly—sealing orders trying to intimidate whom?
A Sealing Order, what was there to fear?
Jing Yan’s lips slightly curved.
Since they were pressing him aggressively, what was to be done? The only option was to retaliate—to strike back at their faces!
Initially, Jing Yan hadn’t planned to show off during the assessment or attract too much attention, but now, Jing Yan had changed his mind.
Shang Qu thought he could suppress him with a Sealing Order, then he, Jing Yan, would let him know that the so-called Sealing Order was utterly ineffective.
The surrounding crowd burst into sneers.
There are always many people who rejoice in other’s misfortunes.
"So Jing Yan has been banned, is he still going to participate in this assessment for the Three Major Academies?"
"Hah, what’s the point of participating in the assessment now? Even if he passes, what’s the significance?"
"Let him act! Let him be arrogant! Bet he feels stupid now!"
"Yeah, the Outer Court Director of Divine Wind Academy personally invited him to join Divine Wind Academy, but he refused! Really asking for trouble!"
Derisive laughter rose and fell, and even the martial artists nearby Jing Yan didn’t bother to conceal it.
"That Jing Yan, he’s truly pitiable! Ha-ha, it’s so satisfying!" Wen Duan burst out laughing.
"Exactly, it’s really thrilling. If you ask me, one Sealing Order isn’t enough, they should just kill the kid!" Chen Ruojie also sneered.
These two had been humiliated by Jing Yan in the past and harbored hatred for him in their hearts, so naturally, they were overjoyed to see his misfortune.
"Chief Mu is here!"
"Chief Mu has arrived; the assessment is about to begin!"
"Finally, it’s starting!"
A figure gradually appeared on the stage. This person was Mu Liantian.
And this assessment was presided over by Mu Liantian, the Chief Manager of the Commandery Prince’s Manor.
This had been anticipated by everyone as many previous assessments had also been presided over by Chief Manager Mu Liantian.
"Hello, Chief Mu!"
"Greetings, Chief Mu!"
People on the stage greeted Mu Liantian one after another, including the Outer Court Directors from the Three Major Academies and important figures from many major families in Lanqu County City, such as elders and managers.
Mu Liantian merely responded casually by greeting these individuals or nodding lightly.
Mu Liantian walked onto the stage and looked around the entire square.
"Esteemed young talents of Lanqu County City, I am Mu Liantian, the Chief Manager of the Prince Manor. On behalf of the Prince Manor, I welcome your presence!"
"Next, I will preside over this entrance assessment of the Three Major Academies."
"To save time, I will skip the unnecessary talk and explain some rules of this assessment."
"The assessment consists of three stages. The first stage is the Human Formation assessment, the second stage is the Earth Array assessment, and the third stage is the Heaven Array assessment. Passing the Human Formation assessment qualifies one to enter any of the Three Major Academies. After passing the Human Formation, one may choose to continue to the Earth Array or give up. Those who pass the Earth Array can choose to continue to the Heaven Array or give up."
"However, there is one very important thing you must note!"
"Passing the Human Formation counts as a successful assessment, allowing entry to the Three Major Academies. If one chooses to continue with the Earth Array and fails, then they will lose their qualification to enter the Three Major Academies."
Mu Liantian spoke rapidly as he went through the rules of the assessment.
Jing Yan was already aware of these rules; he had participated in an assessment once before. However, in that attempt, he only managed to pass the simplest Human Formation, gaining qualification to cultivate at the Three Major Acadacies and choosing not to continue to the Earth Array.
Once failing the Earth Array challenge, the qualification to enter the Three Major Acadacies would be canceled. Therefore, in each assessment of the Three Major Academies, most martial artists who passed the Human Formation would choose not to attempt the Earth Array challenge. Unless one is extremely confident in their own strength, it’s best not to risk it.
"The assessment, officially begins now!" Mu Liantian raised his arm and swung it down vigorously.
"Boom!"
"Crackling!"
Suddenly, a loud noise emanated from the center of the square.
Under the gaze of countless eyes, the ground of the square suddenly cracked open, revealing a fissure that continued to widen on either side.
After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the fissure stopped widening. However, the loud noise did not cease; gradually, an extremely complex terrain began to emerge from below, coming into view of everyone.
After another cup of tea’s time, everything finally settled down.
This complex terrain appearing in everyone’s sight was the Human Formation that the many martial artists participating in the assessment needed to pass through.
Yes, this was indeed a very complex Big Array.
Although the Human Formation was the simplest of the three formations, passing it was not an easy feat. Among the martial artists participating in the assessment here, most eventually failed to pass the Human Formation and were eliminated. Only about three-tenths of all participating martial artists might be able to pass the Human Formation.
And only those two or three tenths of people could gain the opportunity to cultivate at the Three Major Academies. The rest had to return from whence they came.
The assessment was extremely harsh.
Even martial artists in the Innate Realm might not necessarily pass the assessment. There were about half of the martial artists present in the Innate Realm, but only about two to three tenths of the total number of participants could finally pass the assessment. This meant that quite a few martial artists in the Innate Realm would be eliminated in the Human Formation.
As for martial artists who had not yet entered the Innate Realm, their chances of passing through the Human Formation were even lower. Only those with extremely strong combat power or those who were exceedingly lucky could possibly pass through the Human Formation as Postnatal martial artists.
Among the Postnatal Realm martial artists, there were also a few exceptional ones. Just like Jing Yan, who had defeated Jing Tianlong of the Innate Realm when he was still in the Postnatal Cultivation, although Jing Yan was then in the Postnatal Cultivation, he would likely pass through the Human Formation relatively easily if he entered.
Of course, defeating an Innate Realm martial artist with Postnatal Realm was rare. Such martial artists were also very few.
.....
(Three updates, nine thousand words, seeking recommendation and monthly tickets!)