Chapter 39

"So it was an illusion?"

"As expected, he couldn't possibly have appeared here..."

Just then.

The wind suddenly rose.

A transcendent blue-robed figure descended from the heavens.

He landed on Qianjin Platform.

The Eight Princes of Northern Li rose one after another.

They clasped their hands and bowed.

"Greetings, Academy Second Master!"

Everyone below stared at the Blue-Robed Youth. He was so young, yet he was already the Academy Second Master?

Someone whose fame could rival that of the renowned Li Changsheng?

Among everyone below, the most astonished was Yue Yao.

"The Academy Second Master is actually him..."

Yue Yao's eyes widened to their fullest.

This Academy Second Master who had suddenly appeared.

Was actually her husband, Jiang Mu Ming!

The man she had long yearned for, who just a few months ago had been nothing more than an obscure scholar devoted to his studies.

Now, he had already grown into the Academy Second Master!

What an astonishing feat!

A trace of a smile suddenly appeared on Yue Yao's face. It was the gratification of seeing the man she loved achieve success and fulfill his ambitions.

As long as she saw that he was doing well.

Yue Yao felt satisfied from the bottom of her heart.

But in the next moment.

Yue Yao seemed to recall something. Her expression changed, and she looked toward a secluded corner.

There, a mysterious figure dressed in black, completely concealed beneath a black robe.

Pulled a cold smile at the corner of his mouth.

No one knew what he was thinking.

At the same time.

On Qianjin Platform, Jiang Mu Ming spoke calmly. "Next is the second round of the Great Examination."

"You have passed the Inquiry of the Heart."

"Next is the pursuit of the Dao."

Suddenly, Jiang Mu Ming waved his long sleeve, and a silver light seemed to descend from the horizon.

It landed on Qianjin Platform.

It was a sword—a sword that was entirely ice-blue, radiating a frigid aura, and possessing no guard.

It was no sword that an ordinary person could wield!

"Watch closely. Raise the sword!"

Jiang Mu Ming controlled the sword with his qi. With a slight movement of his sword-pointing finger, the Wangshu Sword immediately began to tremble violently.

Then.

It shot into the air!

On Qianjin Platform, it flew about at an unseeable speed.

The solid wooden wall behind them.

Splinters flew everywhere.

"Hey, hey, hey, my Qianjin Platform!"

The gambling house owner, Tu Wan, was scared half to death.

He was terrified that Jiang Mu Ming might make one careless move.

And tear his Qianjin Platform apart!

"Boss Tu, don't panic." Young Master Liu Yue reassured him. "The Academy will bear all losses incurred today."

Upon hearing this.

Tu Wan finally relaxed. He rubbed his head.

Then returned to his seat.

"Quick, look! That seems to be a poem!"

"Controlling a sword with qi and composing poetry with a sword—what incredible skill! No wonder he's the Academy Second Master!"

"But what does this have to do with the second round?"

The crowd below filled the air with endless praise and confusion.

"Of course it has something to do with it."

Lei Mengsha proudly stepped forward.

He explained, "The second round is the pursuit of the Dao. And to pursue the Dao, you naturally need sufficient comprehension!"

"The Second Master is writing a poem with his sword."

"This poem contains much of what the Second Master has learned—not just swordsmanship, but possibly spear techniques, saber techniques, and even lightness skills."

"Everything can be found within these lines!"

"It can be said that these few lines are an unrivaled martial arts manual!"

"It only depends on whether you can comprehend them."

After hearing Lei Mengsha's explanation.

Everyone immediately looked toward the lines of poetry that had appeared on the wall.

[One day, the great roc rises with the wind, soaring ninety thousand miles with Soaring.]

[Even should the wind cease and it descend for a time, it could still overturn the waters of the vast sea.]

[The people of this age see my music as strange; hearing my grand words, they all laugh coldly.]

[Even Master Xuan could still fear those born later; a true man must not look down on the young.]

"What a line—'A true man must not look down on the young!'"

Baili Dongjun loudly praised it. "Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river—don't bully the poor young man!"

Ye Dingzhi, too, pondered it carefully.

"One day, the great roc rises with the wind, soaring ninety thousand miles with Soaring."

"Am I that great roc soaring straight into the heavens?"

Though they were only four short lines, they seemed to have captured all the pride and youthful recklessness of the young!

Everyone was involuntarily convinced.

As expected of the Academy Second Master!

"You have only one hour to comprehend the Dao. If you comprehend anything from it, you will have passed."

"If you comprehend nothing, then please leave."