The afternoon sunlight filtered through the leaves of the trees lining Chongwen Academy Street, scattering over a dozen or so flying boats. Standing aboard them were the Zhuangyuan of Jing Kingdom, Qing Kingdom, Wu Kingdom, Kong City, Two Worlds Mountain, Ten Cold Ancient Land, and many other kingdoms and ancient lands.
After Dai Cheng finished speaking, he appeared composed, but his eyes flickered, and his half-clenched right fist betrayed his unease. Fang Yun had too many deeds to his name. Not one person who had angered him had come to a good end.
Fang Yun smiled. "Brother Dai is right. Whoever we are, we must give the National Chief Contest our all. Only then can we live up to the great hopes of our people, our ten years studying by a cold window, and our title of Zhuangyuan! Only someone chosen through everyone's wholehearted competition can be called the National Chief. If we merely rank ourselves by seniority, we can only call him a bandit chief!"
Everyone nodded and smiled.
Zeng Nianhai, the Zhuangyuan of Ten Cold Ancient Land, said, "Whatever the final outcome of the National Chief Contest, we should all accept it calmly. In years past, some people fell out over this contest and became lifelong mortal enemies. The fortunate ones reconciled in old age. For the unfortunate ones, even their descendants continued attacking one another."
Fang Yun nodded. The National Chief Contest differed somewhat from the Imperial Examination and other competitions. Often, a few people yielding could make someone the National Chief. But they were all Zhuangyuan, none nobler than another. Anyone who wanted to become National Chief had to compete fair and square.
"I heard you had a fortuitous encounter in Ten Cold Ancient Land, Brother Zeng. Even against Void Sage Fang this year, you might