Chapter 180 – Stay Your Steps Banner Lead (1/2)

Illuminating the world and bringing warmth alongside light that was needed by all life, while not piercing the eyes with its blazing brilliance; sunset really wasn’t all that different from twilight. With the latter only appearing slightly later, but remaining resplendent.

Chen Chang Sheng had only started cultivating after arriving at the Capital from Xi Ning Village; it could be seen that he had yet to step upon the mountain trail by the time the Sun had already sunk to the West, yet, in the end, he had surpassed many of those that started out before him; to the point of matching those like Gou Han Shi, being one of the first to reach the peak.

“So he’s first upon the First Banner this year?”

“Is it really that person named Chen Chang Sheng?”

“Could there be a mistake somewhere?”

The crowd outside of Li Palace watched the youth from Orthodox Academy that was walking over slowly on the divine avenue under the twilight; discussions abounded and their faces were full of bewilderment, for even more of them, they were too shocked for words.

At the Ivy League gathering, Chen Chang Sheng had become famous in the Capital due to his betrothal to Xu You Rong, making him a target of animosity and ridicule for the citizenry, to the point where an adage was specially targeted to him – a toad wishes to dine on the Phoenix, dreams of absurdity.

On the day the Proclamation of Azure Clouds was updated, His Eminence had made a declaration in place of Chen Chang Sheng, that he would take first upon the First Banner in the Grand Examination, no one took it seriously, conversely, it led to even more mockery and derision, no one believed he would really be able to achieve it, and they all awaited Chen Chang Sheng’s reaction on having achieved nothing by the end of the examination.

This year’s examination was very lively, the populace was only concerned with how they could satisfyingly release their disdain towards the delusional Chen Chang Sheng that dreams of absurdity.

Yet, who could have guessed, delusion had actually become reality, beyond dreams, the absurd had actually happened, that youth from Orthodox Academy that couldn’t cultivate just a few months ago had really managed to take first upon the First Banner.

That’s correct, this year’s first upon the First Banner wasn’t Gou Han Shi, or anyone from the Divine State’s Seven Laws, neither was it Tian Hai Sheng Xue, Zhe Xiu, Zhuang Huan Yu or a young scholar from Scholartree Manor.

It was Chen Chang Sheng.

No one could bring themselves to believe this result, but it was the truth. A lot of people, especially those who had derided Chen Chang Sheng relentlessly before the Grand Examination, felt that their faces were a little hot, perhaps even aching.

Even if it was the truth, the populace still couldn’t accept it, couldn’t understand it. The silence within and without Li Palace was broken by the sound of discussion and information on specifics to the duel was rapidly disseminated.

At the next moment, both sides of the divine avenue and the area surrounding the palace, within and without, they all became quiet, until suddenly, an explosive clamour rang out.

Chen Chang Sheng had actually achieved Ethereal Opening during the examination’s duelling? And it was during the battle against Gou Han Shi? How could this possibly be the level previously displayed by Chen Chang Sheng.

Being able to take first place today at the Grand Examination, already had far too many legendary overtones, for him to have actually completed his Ethereal Opening during the examination could only further add to this.

Achieving Ethereal Opening at the age of fifteen? It had to be known what this signified?

The importance of this event, was almost comparable to first upon the First Banner for the Grand Examination.

The sunset shone upon the divine avenue at an angle, lengthening Chen Chang Sheng’s shadow to an enormous scale.

On both sides of the divine avenue, there were several academies that were directly under the administration of Li Palace, farther ahead, beyond the stone pillars, there were thousands upon thousands of citizenry, furthermore, under the shading of trees, there were the faint figures of many dignitaries.

No matter who they were, they all watched that youth who was on the divine avenue; they all had difficulty hiding the shock on their faces.

Su Mo Yu sat on a wheelchair that was pushed by a fellow student from Li Palace College; he was currently by the woods beside the avenue.

He gazed upon Chen Chang Sheng. Thinking back on the words he had said to him some days ago, his current mood was rather complicated.

Chen Chang Sheng turned his gaze towards him, dipping his head in acknowledgment. Under the stares of the masses, it was an inconvenient time for words, he used his gaze to query Su Mo Yu’s injuries, Su Mo Yu conveyed that they weren’t going to pose too much of a problem, he then solemnly performed a formal gesture of respect.

Chen Chang Sheng stilled his steps, calmly returning the gesture.

A lot of examinees that had completed the examination still remained and were also watching Chen Chang Sheng, but not everyone had the same decorum as Su Mo Yu; their expressions were extremely unsightly.

Zhuang Huan Yu sat in the horse carriage for Heavenly Academy, he lifted a corner of the window blind and watched the youth’s back, the youth that was slowly heading out of Li Palace under the focus of innumerable gazes. His pallid face revealed a bitter rejection of events, the inability to accept what had happened.

The four scholars of Scholartree Manor, with Zhong Hui as the lead, stood at a stele pavilion in the Northwestern corner of Li Palace, they stared at the distant Chen Chang Sheng, their faces revealing rage and disappointment.

That’s right, no matter how angry or bitter they were whilst watching Chen Chang Sheng, it could only end in disappointment, because from today onwards, their names that had once gleamed upon the Proclamation of Azure Clouds, in front of Chen Chang Sheng, they would become dull, completely lacking in any splendour, not to mention, they have perhaps even lost the qualification to compare with Chen Chang Sheng.

Their names all occupied a high position upon the Proclamation of Azure Clouds, and in the future, they will probably remain upon it, but Chen Chang Sheng’s name had never appeared on the proclamation, neither will it ever appear upon it.

On the Proclamation of Azure Clouds, Luo Luo had risen from ninth to second, Xu You Rong had wrested first place and Qiu Shan Jun had similarly done the same, directly causing the proclamation to suddenly update for the third time, shocking the entire continent.

What Chen Chang Sheng has achieved, was even more inconceivable.

He had never entered the Proclamation of Azure Clouds, and this year, he has no need to ever enter the proclamation, because he has already achieved Ethereal Opening, even if he was to enter a proclamation, it could only be the Proclamation of Golden Distinction, the same as the current Qiu Shan Jun and Gou Han Shi.

In other words, his cultivation had directly skipped over the stage for the Proclamation of Azure Clouds.

A normal person that had never cultivated. Upon starting to cultivate, having never entered the Proclamation of Azure Clouds, with their first appearance before the world, had directly entered the Proclamation of Golden Distinction; when has the world ever had such a person?

Those people within and without Li Palace were ceaselessly discussing this as it went through their stunned minds.

Some people could vaguely remember, that many years ago, Wang Zhi Ce seemed to have achieved something similar.

Chen Chang Sheng’s group of three, walked out of Li Palace, the crowd surged forwards akin to the tide.

A powerful presence sprang from the air, keeping the people at bay.

Jin Yu Lu held onto the reins, expressionlessly watching the citizenry that were incessantly crying out Chen Chang Sheng’s name. His attitude was very clear, whoever dared to draw near, would become a dead person.