Teacher Wang shook his head. "Thunderous Sacred Voice only consolidates; it has no power to increase intelligence. If you had not thoroughly read the Book of Documents, how could you have understood its meaning? And how could you have broken down the topic? Whether it was Thunderous Sacred Voice or your world-shocking Literary Qi, both were like having a Literary Treasure in hand. If you could not control it, how would you use it? Your ingenious words broke down the topic. Even if it was a lucky inspiration, it was because you possessed the ability to wield a Literary Treasure. If you keep being modest, that would be hypocrisy."
Fang Yun could only fall silent and accept it calmly.
Teacher Wang immediately seized the chance and said to the five, "Having witnessed such a genius with your own eyes, will you still be smug over being among the top five Academy Students?"
"This student would not dare," the five answered in unison.
Teacher Wang sighed. "The road of the Sacred Way is arduous and perilous, like rowing against the current—one slight misstep, and the boat is wrecked and its passengers perish. Fewer than one in ten thousand prevail. Our Jing Kingdom has countless students, yet over the past two hundred years, only Sage Chen became the foremost man. What of all the others? They turned to yellow earth, and very few left their names behind. If you do not believe me, let me ask just one question. Sage Chen caused A Single Cry That Astonishes at the Capital Examination and placed first as Zhuangyuan; everyone knows that. But who remembers the name of the Bangyan who came second?"
The five Academy Students shook their heads. Forget the Bangyan from over a hundred years ago—even the Zhuangyuan from a century ago,