Chapter 106 – Crossing the Divine Avenue (2/2)
The fellow student turned to Su Mo Yu and continued, pensively praiseful: “Senior is ranked at 33rd, he is still weaker than you are.”
Su Mo Yu uttered a laugh, yet did not answer.
…..
…..
Chen Chang Sheng was rushing to meet up with Luo Luo and reluctant to continue being delayed, thus Tang Thirty-Six could only allow the slights to fall on deaf ears in order to avoid creating a fuss, yet things in life are oft to go wry; when you wish for peace and quiet, trouble tends to find ways to catch up to you.
Though they had already reached Li Palace College, the Temple Seminary group from behind once again kicked-up a fuss.
“Some cur that can’t even complete Purification, what makes you think you’re worthy of marrying Xu You Rong!”
A loud, cracking sound accompanied the sudden stopping of Tang Thirty-Six’s step.
Chen Chang Sheng continued forwards, with not a single change to his pacing and said: “Just random barking, yet you seek to contend with them?”
Tang Thirty-Six looked towards the unturned back of Chen Chang Sheng and answered: “Obviously not, let’s just look for some rocks to smash.”
Chen Chang Sheng stopped, turned around and answered: “This divine avenue is well maintained, just like Hundred Blossom Lane, where are you going to find rocks?”
Tang Thirty-Six knew what he was referring to and couldn’t stop himself laughing after remembering the “busybody urbanites” incident that happened the other day. He shook his head several times while drawing in some deep breaths, then went to the side of Chen Chang Sheng and said: “I initially thought there wouldn’t be any more naysayers after that day.”
“What if Her Divine Majesty was to be the one saying these words, what could you do about it?”
Chen Chang Sheng patted Tang’s sides, consoling him: “… just ignore them.”
“I’m not really feeling the effects of your consoling here.” Tang Thirty-Six said, after some consideration.
…..
…..
After finding the lack of any reaction from the Orthodox Academy group, including the much rumoured hothead Tang Thirty-Six, the Temple Seminary group intensified their jeers: “So the people from Orthodox Academy are just a bunch of wimps.”
Chen Chang Sheng continued to ignore the taunts, Xuan Yuan Po followed his attitude, Tang Thirty-Six made himself oblivious, while Jin Yu Lu observed from the sidelines in amusement.
Tang Thirty-Six took a look at his smiling face and couldn’t continue feigning obliviousness, asking: “You’re not going to do anything?”
Jin Yu Lu answered while continuing to smile: “I’m only a doorkeeper, and the doorway to Orthodox Academy isn’t located here.”
A student of Temple Seminary decided to be more straightforward and just ran out of the crowd, crying out towards the backs of Chen Chang Sheng’s group: “Chen Chang Sheng! You stupid coward! Do you dare to have a match against me?!”
Tang Thirty-Six didn’t even bother turning around, and while shaking his head, said something in a tone that could only be heard by the others near him: “simpleton.”
“I’m sorry,” Chen Chang Sheng said, while patting Tang’s sides apologetically.
After seeing the continued lack of any reaction from the Orthodox Academy group, the Temple Seminary student snickered a few times before finally quieting down.
Following the divine avenue, Chen Chang Sheng and the others continued advancing, continually getting closer to the palace ahead and were close enough to make sight of the steps leading to the palace. The trees planted here were no longer green pagoda trees, but were evergreen trees that continued to flutter in an abundance of green, tinged with a hint of the chill of the season.
The Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green, this school wasn’t as prestigious as Li Palace College, but due to the majority of its student body being comprised of females, the Orthodoxy’s Education Board decided to provide a more central location for its campus in to avoid disturbances.
Under the evergreen trees, students of the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green observed them.
The majority of their attention was directed towards Tang Thirty-Six, though their expressions were rather ardent, they were reluctant to break modesty, flitting their gaze to the sides occasionally, adding an allusive sense of cute tenderness to their actions. Even though Tang Thirty-Six was infuriated by the earlier actions of Temple Seminary, at this moment his expression softened somewhat.
Opposite to the location of the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green, there was a quiet-looking campus comprised of several small buildings, which were unlike the other buildings of the palace complex that had imposing architectural designs. The campus conveyed a sense of beautiful serenity to the observer, this was the Li Palace guesthouse; envoys of the Southern States who were to participate in the Grand Examination were currently staying at this location.
Remembering that the groups from Li Shan Sword Sect and Holy Maiden Peak were currently staying at this campus, Chen Chang Sheng unconsciously turned his head around to take a look. Under the Cedrus trees he saw a group of young girls that were presumably disciples of Holy Maiden Peak, but there was no sight of disciples from Li Shan Sword Sect.
Li Shan Sword Sect was a branch of the Longevity Sect, while Holy Maiden Peak’s most important branch was the Nan Xi Institute (Southern Creeks Institute), more accurately, the Nan Xi Institute was of its inner circle. To have been chosen to participate in the coming Grand Examination, these young maidens were probably mainly disciples from the Nan Xi Institute and of a high level in their cultivation.
Thinking that these girls were probably fellow disciples of Xu You Rong from the same sect that had spent a considerable amount of time with her, Chen Chang Sheng was suddenly faced with an awkward situation he didn’t know how to handle. As the fiancé of Xu You Rong, would it not be customary for him to greet them?
When he looked at the disciples of the Nan Xi Institute, they were also looking at him; as fellow disciples of Xu You Rong, they were obviously curious about this youth.