The chief examiner scanned the remaining eight people, his gaze falling on the Demon Cultivator who had placed in the top ten. "Does anyone else wish to challenge the Aoshou?" he asked.
The Demon Cultivator targeted by the chief examiner’s stare immediately lowered his head, intently studying the patterns on a blade of grass as it swayed in the evening wind.
The other seven shook their heads gently.
"The Cyan Cloud Examination values fairness above all. If anyone in the audience is unconvinced, you are free to sign a Life and Death Contract and come up on stage to test your mettle against Li Qingxian." The chief examiner’s gaze swept over the area where the Demon Sect Disciples were gathered.
The Demon Sect Disciples either lowered their heads or looked away.
Some of the more competitive Daoist Cultivators of Literature Cultivation booed in unison.
"Very well. I hereby announce that the Aoshou of this Cyan Cloud Examination is Li Qingxian."
"Congratulations, Brother Li!" The people who had been chatting with Li Qingxian earlier all cheered loudly.
"Congratulations to Li Ke on winning the Aoshou!" his brothers from the Night Guard yelled.
Afterward, the remaining contestants competed for second and third place.
As evening approached, the rankings were decided, and the Eighth-Grade Cyan Cloud Examination officially concluded.
The fences around the examination field came down, and the people outside swarmed in, heading toward the Grand Arena and the Aoshou Platform.
Before long, over a hundred thousand people had surged before the Aoshou Platform, all asking who this year’s Eighth-Grade Aoshou was.
Upon learning it was Li Qingxian, Songg Baige and the others cheered ecstatically.
Not far away, a group of people followed at the rear of the crowd, slowly making their way to the Aoshou Platform.
"So it really is Li Qingxian?" Marquis Nanxiang, Meng Huaichuan, said with a smile as he gazed ahead.
"The Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, Lord Zhangg, announced it himself. Apparently, it was quite a spectacle. That Eighth-Grade from the Demon Sect..." The man behind Meng Huaichuan proceeded to recount the entire scene.
When he got to the part where Li Qingxian said, "Fate Masters are weak in combat, but what does that have to do with me?" everyone couldn’t help but laugh.
Shen Xiaoyi chuckled and said, "That Li Qingxian. He’s usually so low-key, but when he gets arrogant, he’s infuriating."
"You didn’t participate in the Eighth-Grade Cyan Cloud Examination, I believe. If you had, how would you have done?" Meng Huaichuan asked.
"Me? I’m just an ordinary Fate Master. In a combat-focused event like the Cyan Cloud Examination, I could pass the three rounds, but getting into the top ten would be impossible, let alone taking the Aoshou. He’s truly worthy of being a junior brother taught by Fairy Qingcheng. I’m even getting a little envious of his Qi Fortune," Shen Xiaoyi said.
"After becoming the Eighth-Grade Aoshou, Li Qingxian’s fame will rise even further," Meng Huaichuan said with a nod.
Standing not far behind Meng Huaichuan, Ye Han felt a wrenching pain in his heart. ’If Li Qingxian hadn’t stolen Zhou Chunfeng’s favor, I could have used that connection to speak with Jiangg Youfei. I might have been the one to enter the Celestial Cloud Sect.’
Ye Han felt a bitter taste fill his mouth, spreading from his throat down to his gut.
’I already decided not to cause trouble for Li Qingxian, but watching him rise step by step while I stagnate... a faint loathing blooms in my heart.’
A stubborn thought circled in Ye Han’s mind.
’If Li Qingxian becomes a great figure in the future, will he take revenge on me the same way he caused Tang Enxuan’s death?’ Ye Han kept his head down, his brow furrowed with worry.
"Brother Ye, what do you think?" Meng Huaichuan suddenly asked, turning his head with a smile. Everyone else looked at Ye Han in unison.
Ye Han hastily reined in his emotions, looked up, and smiled. "Qingxian and I are old acquaintances. It’s a joyous occasion that he was able to win the Aoshou. It’s a pity, though, that he’s only Eighth Grade and can’t participate in tomorrow’s Myriad Phenomena Cyan Cloud Examination. Otherwise, I could have fought alongside him, and it would have made for a great story."
Meng Huaichuan nodded. "That’s true. It is indeed a pity. With his help in the Myriad Phenomena Cyan Cloud Examination, I would feel right at home."
Ye Han laughed. "With Young Master Shen by your side, you will surely conquer the Cyan Cloud."
Meng Huaichuan and Shen Xiaoyi exchanged a glance and smiled faintly, but didn’t reply.
A few people in the group glanced at Ye Han and shook their heads slightly. ’That single sentence managed to offend Meng Huaichuan, Shen Xiaoyi, and Li Qingxian all at once.’
’By saying that, wasn’t he implying that Meng Huaichuan valued Li Qingxian more than Shen Xiaoyi?’
’Shen Xiaoyi holds a high status and is merely a partner to Meng Huaichuan. Ye Han’s words implied Shen Xiaoyi was just a sidekick. How could Shen Xiaoyi possibly be happy about that?’
「Capital City, Prince Yuann’s Mansion.」
Prince Yuann, looking drained of vitality with far more gray at his temples, let out a long sigh. "That boy actually won the Eighth-Grade Cyan Cloud Aoshou. Tell me, what am I to do?"
"Even if he isn’t that personage’s Human World Body, I fear the connection between them is profound. We heard about the strange incident at the Imperial Prison Department. Li Qingxian wasn’t even Eighth Grade back then, yet he managed to resolve the Yellow Springs Mysterious Land. If he had no connection to that personage, it would have been utterly impossible."
"Yes, and when I think back on the matter of the secret chamber, it’s truly terrifying." Prince Yuann’s eyelids drooped slightly, and deep within his pupils, dark clouds roiled.
The grand steward remained silent.
After a long while, Prince Yuann spoke. "From this day forward, I will never personally act against Li Qingxian. However... my son is dead, I’ve suffered a Demotion, and I can no longer command the two Capital Camps. My Imperial Brother values strength above all else. What do you think will happen when he sees I’ve been demoted to Fifth Grade?"
The grand steward bowed his head deeply.
Prince Yuann suddenly gave a self-deprecating laugh. "Forget it. Perhaps I was fated to face this tribulation."
The grand steward said nothing.
After a long pause, Prince Yuann said, "Go to the residence of Minister Weng of the Ministry of Justice and submit a formal calling card."
"But..." The grand steward’s head snapped up. ’Minister Weng is a veteran of the Demon Sect. At a time like this...’
Prince Yuann smiled. "I won’t act personally, but my losses have been devastating. It isn’t asking too much for me to whisper a few words in the right ear, is it? Go on."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Prince Yuann glanced in the direction of Qingyun Mountain and sighed softly.
「Night fell.」
In front of the Aoshou Platform on Qingyun Mountain, countless bonfires burned, with innumerable contestants and spectators scattered all around.
Led by the chief examiner, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites Zhangg Shoucheng, Li Qingxian ascended the viewing platform on the great turtle’s back.
"Aoshou!" the men from the Night Guard were the first to shout.
"Aoshou!" Songg Baige, Wang Buku, and the others yelled, following their lead.
The Literature Cultivators considered Li Qingxian one of their own, as did the Daoist Cultivators, and they all began to chant, "Aoshou!"
The spectators were swept up by the chanting and began to shout as well.
The entire Qingyun Mountain seemed to tremble lightly from the sound of "Aoshou."
Ye Han raised his head to the Aoshou Platform. Watching the triumphant Li Qingxian basking in glory, he quietly clenched his right fist.
’In the Myriad Phenomena Cyan Cloud Examination, I will take the Champion Scholar title!’
At the very edge of the crowd, an old man and a young man and woman watched from a distance, their expressions complex.
"Master, is he really the Human World Body of the Yellow Springs Emperor?"
"Have you calculated his Qi Fortune?"
"Huh? Now that you mention it, it never even occurred to me to perform an Inference on his Astrology. This means..."
"I calculated it. Guess what the result was?"
"This disciple does not know."
"A Void Fate Mansion, with a Deceitful Star."
Gai Fengyou gazed intently at Li Qingxian in the distance.
The hairs on his two disciples’ arms stood on end.
"Tong Ling."
"Disciple is here," the female disciple, Tong Ling, replied.
"Tonight, you will go find him. Present him with that Small Country Jade Seal as a gift, and include my Talisman Disc calling card. Tell him that I, Gai Fengyou, greatly appreciate... hmm... like him very much, and am willing to offer him guidance in Fate Skill... Hmm... Our prior investigation showed that his tutelage was cut short and his foundation is unstable, so give him half a copy of the *Yuanhai Destiny Book* as well."
"Why not give him the whole book?" the male disciple interjected.
"Fool. Why do you think I’m including my Talisman Disc calling card?"
"To make him contact you more? Master, you are brilliant! But what if he doesn’t have a Talisman Disc, or his is already full?"
"You... Never mind. Include a Communication Talisman Disc as well."
"But that, like the Destiny Star, was prepared for your descendants."
"Shut up!"