Chapter 5 - The Imperial Academy

The Imperial Academy opens its doors to all the Young Masters of the capital once a month, for a single day. The morning is dedicated to the study of poetry, etiquette, and the classics, while in the afternoon, the academy's martial arts collection is available for everyone to peruse, free of charge. Previously, whenever the Imperial Academy would open, it had nothing to do with Long Chen, as his attendance only served as fodder for ridicule. But things are different now. Through that Wind Mansion Pill, Long Chen has managed to form the embryonic state of his Wind Mansion Star. Even though it's only the beginning and can't store much spiritual energy yet, it already surpasses the storage capacity of his body's meridians. The meridians are like rivers, while the Dantian is the ocean that holds them all, often referred to as the Sea of Qi. Although rivers may seem plentiful, their capacity is limited. Without the support of a Dantian, they'll dry up quickly. But with the formation of the Wind Mansion Star, these issues were altogether resolved. Most importantly, as soon as the Wind Mansion Star takes shape, so long as there's enough energy in the future, a complete Wind Mansion Star will eventually be formed. At that time, Long Chen will have his very first "Dantian." The most remarkable aspect of the Nine Star Hegemon Body Art is precisely this. When all Nine Stars are activated, it's equivalent to operating with nine Dantians, producing a profoundly strong source of spiritual power. And although Long Chen possesses the complete method to operate the Nine Star Hegemon Body Art, he still knows very little about this heaven-defying technique. Continuous exploration is necessary. Once he fully consolidates the Wind Mansion Star, he'll be able to store a large amount of spiritual energy and attempt to refine his bloodline to enter the Blood Condensation Realm, becoming a true martial artist in one go. The Qi Condensation Realm is merely the first step into martial cultivation. True martial artists are only those who enter the Blood Condensation Realm, their whole body brimming with Qi and blood, their combat power soaring wildly. Long Chen isn't sure what level of the Qi Condensation Realm he currently occupies. However, with the formation of the Wind Mansion Star, his body has been significantly strengthened, much to his delight. Now, with a simple punch, the gust can shatter a vase five feet away, and his entire body is filled with power. He came to the Imperial Academy this time for the martial arts collection. With the Wind Mansion Star nearing formation and his spiritual energy gradually becoming abundant within, he can now practice martial arts techniques. Martial techniques are formidable—extracted from the lineage pathways based on the spiritual energy possessed by past great cultivators. They allow warriors to unleash powerful forces, many times stronger than normal combat power, rendering them invincibly daring in battle. Hence, martial techniques are vital for every warrior, and Long Chen, now loaded with energy for training these techniques, can hardly wait. The Imperial Academy, located north of the capital, spans dozens of miles, being the grandest construction next only to the Royal Palace. Upon verifying his token, Long Chen entered the academy and made straight for the Hall of Literature—the morning's "study" spot, where Masters discuss ancient and contemporary matters, age-old theories on poetry, etiquette, and literary anecdotes. Having arrived early, barely dozens of Young Masters were in the vast hall when Long Chen entered. "Ha, Long Brother, you've come!" Several young lads enthusiastically greeted Long Chen upon his arrival. Similar to Long Chen, these youths too were unable to cultivate for various reasons. Though not closest friends, they shared a bond of mutual suffering. In the martial-centric Phoenix Song Empire, although they hadn't been bullied as badly as Long Chen, they often faced mockery and disdain, mean glances following their every step. Consequently, Long Chen found them to be quite congenial company, especially since they hadn't seen him here for a while, making today's reunion especially joyful. “Haha, you all came early!” Long Chen reciprocated with a smile, in stark contrast to his past despondency—now uplifted by the success of his Wind Mansion Star's formation. “I heard not long ago that Long Brother showed his prowess by defeating Li Hao—sounds like you've progressed in your training, haven’t you?” A wiry young man expressed admiration. They had all been on par with Long Chen initially, and news of him defeating Li Hao, who was at the third level of the Qi Condensation Realm, left them shocked and maybe even a tad envious. “Heh, just luck. But I've recently learned a new divine skill,” Long Chen spoke, wanting to steer away from that topic with a hint of mystery. “Divine skill? What might that be?” Their curiosity piqued, everyone was instantly drawn to this change of subject. “Heh, I recently acquired a scroll on face reading, diligently studying it and gaining some insights,” Long Chen boasted slightly. “Face reading? Isn't that street fortune-telling trickery?” “Not so! I've been studying face reading recently and have some insights. When I saw Li Hao that day, his brow was clouded with darkness, and his forehead embodied misfortune. Clearly a sign of imminent bad luck, so I accepted his duel, and as you see… heh heh,” Long Chen chuckled without continuing. Some there were skeptical, but a sudden realization hit one of them, “It actually seems true! I heard that Li Hao seemed bewitched that day, unable to exert any combat power, thus leading to Dragon Brother's victory.” Everyone had heard of Long Chen's duel with Li Hao and were puzzled by Li Hao's defeat. Upon Long Chen's mention, they began connecting the dots, lending some credence to his explanation. “Heh, Long Brother, since you are adept in face reading, perhaps you could help me understand why my fiancée keeps avoiding me and refuses to meet. What’s going on?” another asked with frustration. “Sure thing, let’s find a place to sit, standing around here isn't appropriate.” They found a table in a corner and settled down, where a platter of snacks lay for the Young Masters' enjoyment. Pointing to the pastries, Long Chen smiled at the questioner, “Care for one?” “Sure,” the man eagerly accepted the treat, leaving others puzzled at Long Chen. “How’s the taste?” “Lovely.” “Would you like another?” “Certainly.” The man promptly grabbed another pastry, his mouth half full when suddenly he was enlightened, respectfully bowing to Long Chen, “Thank you for the guidance, Long Brother! I finally understand; it's my greed that's the problem, right? You're reminding me to be content, correct?” Everyone gazed at Long Chen in admiration, astonished at his profound depth—how even a mere pastry could inspire such understanding. However, shaking his head, Long Chen sighed, “You're mistaken. What I'm hinting at is: your fiancée is gracious enough merely to avoid you rather than break off the engagement; count that as a blessing. Look at your stature; sleeping beside you would terrify any woman into sleeplessness, fearing she'll end up as a pancake if you turn over.” Blushing, the man glanced at his more-than-five-foot tall, four-and-a-half-foot wide frame, acknowledging it might have gained a little too much. “Fatty Yu, don’t waste Long Brother's precious time; get on with losing weight already! Long Brother, please, how’s my face?” Another lanky young man asked with eager respect. “You…” Long Chen scrutinized him carefully for a while, then said, “Your fate dictates poverty before thirty, but after…” The man's eyes shone with anticipation, “Will I have a great rise after thirty?” “No, you’ll just slowly come to terms with it,” Long Chen replied. The man: “…” Everyone erupted into laughter, which abruptly halted when a pair of venomous eyes bore into them. Long Chen had sensed it earlier, turning to find Li Hao glaring daggers at him. “Young Master Li, you’ve recovered? That's fantastic news, but how is the healing of those wounds down low going?” Long Chen inquired sympathetically. Li Hao's face twitched in fury. His return to his manor saw nearly his entire face flattened by Long Chen’s knee strike. His family frantically sought an alchemist from the Alchemist Guild, spending vast amounts of gold to restore him. Truth be told, wealth brings speed—Li Hao looked as normal as ever in no time. Yet Long Chen’s reminder made Li Hao twinge with phantom pain, reliving the horror of Long Chen’s knee. Long Chen’s kick was brutal, almost crippling him completely. The tooth-gnashing hatred really set in when, during his recovery, he found one of his precious jewels was missing. By the time his family rushed to the arena to search, it had been cleared. Reports came that a stray dog had made off with it. Upon awakening to this news, Li Hao nearly fainted anew, though there was no recourse; even the best alchemist couldn’t recreate a lost jewel. While it didn’t throw off his balance while walking, the asymmetry was discomforting and awkwardly noticeable for him. This reference from Long Chen darkened his expression, his glare full of menacing intention. Through gritted teeth, he growled, “Long Chen, you bastard, I challenge you to a Life-and-Death Duel. Do you dare accept?” The cheerful face of Long Chen suddenly turned stern. Such a name was highly offensive, an insult to his mother. If one doesn’t court disaster, it won't come. Since you seek release from worldly troubles, I'll grant it. “As always, I’ll increase the stakes.” Long Chen looked at Li Hao. For his death to hold value, since they were both serving the same nation, dying cheaply wasn't his preference. “Fine, no matter how high the stakes, I, Li Hao, will take it,” Li Hao mused with a cold chuckle, regardless of the bet—he planned for Long Chen to die without a chance to spend his winnings. This time was unlike the last, where surrender meant mercy. Being a Life-and-Death Duel meant yielding wouldn't save one’s life; it implied total submission of one's being to the victor’s discretion. “Agreed. We meet tomorrow at three quarters past noon on the Life-and-Death Arena.” Li Hao sneered, eyeing Long Chen like a dead man walking. Within, Long Chen smirked. The time had come to kill and make an example—see Li Hao leave and taunt, “Watch your balance, don’t trip.” At Long Chen's parting remark, Li Hao froze, his face twisting. He extracted meaning from Long Chen's jab. He took a deep breath, pretending not to hear, as he stiffly walked in another direction within the Hall of Literature. But Long Chen's words were sharp, thrust deeply into sensitive scars. Each step elicited needles of achingly painful memories, compelling Li Hao to walk awkwardly. He craved a normal departure, yet the more he tried, the more awkwardly noticeable it became to the onlookers. Watching Li Hao shuffle away like a duck, one person whispered, “Why accept? That's a mortal combat—someone's bound to die.” “Fear not, for today I noted that his brows were overcast with death, sealed by a grim fate. He’s unlikely to see a day beyond tomorrow.” Long Chen then pulled everyone close and quietly enlisted their help with something. They exchanged uncertain glances before a plump fellow declared, “Long Brother, if you require our aid, I'm ready to offer all my savings.” Handing Long Chen a crystal card, the plump man revealed it contained eighty thousand gold coins, astonishing given his distant lineage's neglect. “Damn it, I've got sixty thousand—take it.” “My share is less, only thirty thousand. That's all I can manage, Long Brother.” “I have…” Expecting a modest few thousand, Long Chen was shocked by their collective willingness to lend anything—relieved enough to momentarily set his concerns aside. “Gentlemen, if I perish, all this money will be lost,” Long Chen warned, regarding the crystal card in disbelief. “Long Brother, do you underestimate us? We’ve all felt their scorn. While you're risking all in combat, we're raising what support we have.” Moved by their solidarity, Long Chen nodded. Tallying over two hundred thousand coins, it was more than he needed. Footsteps approached; a group entered, bringing silence to what had been a raucous Hall of Literature. ...