National Scholar
Zhang Tan was satisfied with Tao Yunxiao Yi Yun's answers. He said, "Good, in a quarter of an hour, you two will go up on stage for a duel! If Tao Yunxiao wins, he will be selected as an elite member of the Brocade Dragon Guard!"
Tao Yunxiao was slightly taken aback when Zhang Tan said this, but was overjoyed!
Elite members of the Brocade Dragon Guard!
Normally, only the best of the Purple Blood Realm warriors can be selected. Once they become elites of the Brocade Dragon Guard, their access to various resources will be greatly expanded, making it a promising opportunity!
Originally, Zhang Tan promised this position to the top Mortal Blood Realm in this election. However, Yi Yun had already won two consecutive matches, and Tao Yunxiao felt that his chances were slim. Even if he won the final battle, Zhang Tan might not necessarily rate him as the top player. Unexpectedly, his luck has turned around. Zhang Tan promised that as long as he beats Yi Yun, he can become an elite member of the Brocade Dragon Guard!
How could Tao Yunxiao not be excited?
Fortunately, he brought out the Ancestral Artifact. With the Ancestral Artifact's assistance, he would be even more powerful, and defeating Yi Yun would not be difficult!
At this moment, not only Tao Yunxiao, but also the great elder and other Clan Elder of the Tao Clan were tempted. If Tao Yunxiao could become an elite of the Brocade Dragon Guard, it would be of great help to the Tao Clan in leaving the Great Wilderness.
However, Zhang Tan's next words startled both the Tao Clan Elder and Tao Yunxiao, and their initial excitement vanished, leaving them speechless for a long time.
Zhang Tan said, "Regardless of victory or defeat in this final battle, Yi Yun will become an elite member of the Brocade Dragon Guard! If Yi Yun wins, in addition to becoming an elite member of the Brocade Dragon Guard, he will also be awarded the title of National Scholar!"
To be conferred the title of "National Scholar"? Everyone was shocked upon hearing the words "National Scholar".
They lost; it was the elite of the Brocade Dragon Guard!
If you win, you'll not only be an elite member of the Brocade Dragon Guard, but you'll also become National Scholar!
What is National Scholar? In the Tai'a Divine Kingdom, below the Divine Emperor, there are nobles who are granted titles. Nobility is divided into seven ranks: King, Duke, Marquis, Earl, Viscount, Baron, and Scholar!
This "shi" refers to a "National Scholar"!
The National Scholar is the lowest rank of noble, but don't think that just because it's the lowest rank, it's not precious. All the nobles in the Tai'a Divine Kingdom are nominally appointed by the royal family!
The Tai'a Divine Kingdom was an immense and vast nation, Founding Emperor by a sage. Its territory was immeasurable!
The vast and remote Yunhuang, stretching for countless miles, is merely a remote northern region of the Tai'a Divine Kingdom and is largely ignored.
The Tao Clan is just one of countless clans in Yunhuang; it is simply the largest in a radius of several thousand miles.
In such a vast and powerful dynasty, to be granted a noble title by the imperial family, even if it's only a nominal one—what an immense honor that is!
The title of noble is not something to be casually bestowed. In any country in the Great Wilderness, the difference between nobles and commoners is like heaven and earth!
Although Lian Chengyu's lackeys had been constantly saying that "Lian Chengyu will become National Scholar in the future," and women Lian Cuihua had been spreading the word throughout the Lian Clan about how powerful National Scholar were, making it seem as if Lian Chengyu about to become National Scholar, the reality was that there was a huge gap between passing the Divine Kingdom Grand Selection and becoming National Scholar!
Generally speaking, to become National Scholar, one must achieve military merit. If one has no military merit, then one can only be exceptionally talented and favored by the higher-ups, thus being granted the title ahead of schedule.
Take the Brocade Dragon Guard for example. Ninety-nine percent of the warriors in the Brocade Dragon Guard do not have the title of "National Scholar." In terms of status, they are still commoners, not nobles.
Even though Zhang Tan was a commander of the Brocade Dragon Guard, his Noble Title was only "National Scholar"!
In other words, Yi Yun has reached the same rank as Zhang Tan in terms of Noble Title!
Zhang Tan originally did not have the authority to confer the title of National Scholar on Yi Yun. However, Yi Yun attracted the extraordinary phenomenon of Purple Qi Coming from the East. Anyone who can attract such a phenomenon has a chance to become a powerful ruler among the Vassal Lords in the future.
What does it matter if someone who might be ennobled as a marquis or general in the future is bestowed the title of a National Scholar?
Therefore, yesterday Zhang Tan consulted with the high-ranking officials of the Brocade Dragon Guard about conferring the title of National Scholar on Yi Yun, and only after receiving the appointment did the title of National Scholar come to be finalized!
Next, all that's left is to wait for approval in the capital. In fact, once the title of "National Scholar" is decided by the high-ranking officials of the Brocade Dragon Guard, the approval process in the capital is just a formality and there won't be any problems.
"Yi Yun... as long as he defeats Young Master Yunxiao, he can become National Scholar?"
The warriors of the Tao Clan understood the meaning of the words "National Scholar" very well. They found it hard to believe that a poor boy from a small tribe could become a high-ranking nobleman.
From now on, they will all have to look up to Yi Yun and bow to him!
How frustrating must this scene have been for them?
"Hmph! That's only if he defeats Young Master Yunxiao. Young Master Yunxiao has brought out the Ancestral Artifact of my Tao Clan. With the Ancestral Artifact in hand, Young Master Yunxiao will be invincible!"
One of the Tao Clan warriors said indignantly. The Tao Clan warriors found it hard to accept that such a title was taken by a commoner from a small tribe. As a large tribe, they were very proud, but Yi Yun had trampled on their pride.
"That's right. If Yi Yun wants to be granted a title, he'll have to get past Young Master Yunxiao. My Tao Clan's Ancestral Artifact once slew Ancient Savage Beast! Yi Yun? Can he possibly withstand Ancestral Artifact?"
The title of "National Scholar" is truly enviable! This title isn't just empty words; it comes with real benefits!
Every year, each National Scholar can receive resource subsidies from the Tai'a Divine Kingdom. In addition, National Scholar can own a small fiefdom in the Central Plains and build a home on it!
Don't underestimate this; for the people of the Great Wilderness, it's an absolutely irresistible temptation!
Generally speaking, National Scholar not poor, and given his strength and high status, many people will flock to him to serve under his National Scholar, voluntarily offering up their meager wealth to become his National Scholar.
There were also young and beautiful women who vied to offer themselves up, hoping to become servants of the National Scholar serve him in his daily life. If they were lucky enough to be favored by the master, or even become his concubine or maidservant, that would be considered a blessing earned through three lifetimes of good deeds.
This is the reality of a chaotic world. Ordinary people struggle to survive, while those who have powerful backers, even if they are at the beck and call of others and no longer free, live a much more comfortable life.
This was exactly what Lian Chengyu meant when he said he would establish Lineage. If he became National Scholar and had his own small fiefdom, he could recruit servants, gather beautiful women, and enjoy wealth and luxury.
Such a vague promise excited the people of the Lian Clan. After all, for the suffering people of the Great Wilderness, being able to follow Lian Chengyu to the Central Plains of the Tai'a Divine Kingdom, where they could live a life of plenty through their own labor, without having to worry about famine, plague, or attacks by ferocious beasts, was simply paradise!
Now, Lian Chengyu's dream has long since vanished with his dismissal, and will never be realized.
Ironically, this grand dream that Lian Chengyu once held is about to be realized by Yi Yun!
Once Yi Yun becomes National Scholar, he can lead a group of people to his own fiefdom in the Central Plains, establish a home, and take in servants and maids. From then on, he will be a true Clan Elder!
A Clan Elder is only twelve years old—how many people would be envious of that? He truly has a limitless future!
Given Yi Yun's already handsome appearance, if he were to truly become National Scholar, even the young girls of the Tao Clan would likely admire Yi Yun. Those who were originally fans of Hu Ya and Tao Yunxiao might even switch their affections and become Yi Yun's admirers. This is the power of the title of National Scholar!
At this moment, Tao Yunxiao was green with envy.
He originally thought that if he defeated Yi Yun, he could become an elite member of the Brocade Dragon Guard, which would be a great honor.
But in the blink of an eye, Zhang Tan's promise to Yi Yun shattered his pride!
Even if they lose, they're still considered elites of the Brocade Dragon Guard; if they win, they're considered National Scholar! They're National Scholar!
Tao Yunxiao's ideals were similar to Lian Chengyu's: wealth, honor, numerous wives and concubines, and immense power. However, Tao Yunxiao's ambitions were even greater than Lian Chengyu's.
Now, his ambitions have not yet been realized in the slightest, but Yi Yun has already taken the first step, which makes Tao Yunxiao envious.
"National Scholar? How could I possibly let you become National Scholar? Don't even dream about it! In this final battle, I will defeat you no matter what!"
Tao Yunxiao gritted his teeth, his fists clenched tightly!
He wanted to become an elite member of the Brocade Dragon Guard and absolutely did not want to see Yi Yun become National Scholar. He had to win this final battle!
[I'd like to recommend this book to everyone, <The Sage of Confucianism and Daoism>. Actually, I don't need to recommend it, because this book has been popular for a long time and has a large fan base. It's a pinnacle of the Confucian and Daoist fantasy genre. The market's choice always has its reasons, so it's naturally excellent.]
[<The Supreme Sage of Confucianism and Daoism>, High-brow Synopsis: With talent in one's body, poetry can kill enemies, lyrics can destroy armies, and prose can bring peace to the world.]
The author is Eternal Flame; there's a direct link on the book pages.
...(To be continued~^~)