"Martial Uncle, I'm afraid our Literary Court's legacy may come to an end. No one has come to join us, and I was born dull-witted. It's been three years now, and I still haven't managed to comprehend a single Will Character." Tiezhu changed the subject, his voice despondent.
Su Xiuyi was taken aback by his words, then said, "It's all right. Your talent is good. It's not that you can't comprehend a Will Character; you need to put your heart into comprehending one that suits you. I can see you were born suited to martial cultivation. Remember, only martial might is purest; be reborn in battle. Don't think about those illusory things. I'll give you something." As his voice fell, Su Xiuyi picked up a piece of rubble and wrote a single character on it: "Martial."
"Martial?"
"Only martial might is purest; be reborn in battle?"
Tiezhu looked at the character Su Xiuyi had written and pondered for a moment before carefully tucking it into his robes.
Tiezhu was somewhat moved. The character for "martial" had left him in a daze, and he couldn't help asking, "Martial Uncle, how much longer can you hold on? I heard that Zhan Wushuang, the Martial Academy's martial maniac, might reach our Southern Heaven Academy the day after tomorrow. Shen Dong must have returned to Southern Heaven Academy at this time to use someone as a stepping stone, suppress the martial maniac Zhan Wushuang, and break through from Skysoar to Cloudbreach."
"I'm doing all right. I won't die for the time being. Unless it's important, come here less often from now on. Going without food or water for a few months won't affect me at all. Your martial uncle has recovered some of his cultivation for now, so don't draw attention." Su Xiuyi smiled as he spoke.
"All right!"
"I'll take my leave, Martial Uncle!"
Tiezhu understood what Su Xiuyi meant. Over the years, Su Xiuyi had been forgotten. If people noticed he was still alive, it wouldn't be a good thing. Shen Dong in particular would never let the matter rest. Tiezhu looked big and burly, but he was actually as meticulous as a hair was fine. He only came here once in a long while, always choosing his timing carefully and bringing incense, candles, and paper offerings with him, giving people the impression that he had come to pay his respects to the dead.
After returning to the Literary Court, Tiezhu stared at the character Su Xiuyi had written, lost in thought over his words. As night gave way to dawn, a boom sounded, and the Will Character "Martial" appeared in Tiezhu's mind.
Tiezhu's whole body trembled. His limbs felt somewhat stiff, and his thick brows drew together. The next moment, a brilliant light burst from his eyes.
Su Xiuyi's few simple words had struck right to the heart of the matter. A single "Martial" character had actually helped him comprehend the Will Character "Martial."
"Martial Uncle..."
Tiezhu turned and looked in the direction of Myriad Text Academy, where Su Xiuyi was. His heart surged with excitement. He couldn't help recalling Su Xiuyi's bearing when he had suppressed an entire generation. Though fallen so low, he was still without equal.
This also caught Wang Lin's attention. Wang Lin appeared in Tiezhu's room, his gaze resting expectantly on him. "Tiezhu, have you comprehended a Will Character?"
"Yes, Grandmaster, I finally comprehended one. I went to see Martial Uncle today and finally gained something. Martial Uncle said to keep my heart free of distracting thoughts, that only martial might is purest, and to be reborn in battle. He also gave me a 'Martial' character." Tiezhu picked up the piece of rubble in front of him as he spoke.
Wang Lin took the broken piece of rubble, his eyes lighting up as he fell into thought. He now knew that his genius disciple had not wasted his time, even in a deathtrap like Myriad Text Academy. Wang Lin could still sense a powerful force of will in the "Martial" character. To leave behind such force of will, Su Xiuyi had to have reached Skysoar at the very least.
"Cultivate diligently. You were born with the makings of a martial artist!"
With those words, Wang Lin left, wondering whether he should ask the Great Zhou Emperor for permission to see Su Xiuyi.
Southern Heaven Academy was exceptionally lively that day. The final battle between heaven's chosen was about to begin.
A sea of people filled the space beneath the arena. Nearly every disciple had gathered to watch the contest between the top scholar and Southern Heaven Academy's current foremost genius. Even the academy's great figures were all present today; not one was absent.
There was no other reason than that both contestants were exceptionally dazzling. Shen Dong had been the top scholar in the literary examination three years ago, while Ji Wuming was the academy head's son and would certainly inherit his position in the future.
Though Ji Wuming had never taken the imperial examinations, his talent was unrivaled. At twenty-one, he was at the Soaring Sky Ninth Level, not much weaker than Shen Dong.
He was also exceptionally outstanding in the path of Will Characters, a genius worthy of the name.
Shen Dong stood on the arena. He had experienced much over the past few years and gained countless resources from the imperial court. His expression was cold, and his eyes were full of lofty disdain.
"Junior Brother Wuming, give it everything you have. Otherwise, you'll be looking down on your senior brother," Shen Dong said with a smile that never reached his eyes.
"Please enlighten me, Senior Brother!" Ji Wuming smiled faintly, showing no anger, and suddenly thrust his spear.
His spear shot forward like a dragon. A sharp glint appeared in his eyes as he attacked Shen Dong directly.
At the same time, Ji Wuming activated the Will Characters "Wind Forest Fire Mountain." The complete set of Will Characters erupted with even more terrifying power. His thrust seemed capable of piercing the void, and it produced a rumbling sound.
"Ji Wuming truly is the academy head's son. He's so powerful-he's actually comprehended a complete set of Will Characters."
The academy's senior figures cried out in astonishment, one after another.
"Hmm?"
"Not bad. You're not entirely worthless."
Yet a trace of mockery curled Shen Dong's lips. He drew the longsword at his waist, its white gleam dazzling, and thrust.
The strike was breathtaking, swift as thunder and fierce as a hurricane. Sword Qi crisscrossed the air, carrying the force of raging waves crashing against the shore, as though a colossal wave of swords were bearing down on Ji Wuming.
"Boom!"
Their attacks collided, and a single sword strike made the difference between them clear.
With a bang, the terrifying Sword Qi sent Ji Wuming flying off the arena.
The entire venue fell utterly silent. Everyone stared at Shen Dong, their eyes filled with shock.
Holding his longsword, Shen Dong said indifferently, "You couldn't withstand a single blow. You need more tempering."
Below the arena, Ji Wuming's face flushed red.
"The Sword Pavilion's legacy, the Great River Sword!" The academy's senior figures were all shaken. None had expected Shen Dong to have entered the Great Zhou Martial Repository and obtained the cultivation method for the Great River Sword. The imperial family had destroyed the Sword Pavilion back then and taken the Great River Sword into its martial repository. Entering the repository was no simple matter. At this, everyone fell into thought.
"Unable to withstand a single blow!"
At Myriad Text Academy, Su Xiuyi also withdrew his Pupil of Void Breaking. But Su Xiuyi's words did not mean the same thing as Shen Dong's. Shen Dong had been speaking of Ji Wuming, while Su Xiuyi was speaking of Shen Dong.
In Su Xiuyi's eyes, even though Shen Dong had gained the chance to enter the martial repository and learned the Great River Sword, there was still nothing remarkable about him. It had been so back then, and it was still so now.
For although Su Xiuyi's cultivation in the literary path was indeed only at Skysoar, his martial cultivation was far more terrifying. The Heaven-Mending Pill had forged a supreme Dao foundation, and the essence blood of countless members of the Demon Race had opened his acupoints. His strength was unfathomable.
Moreover, Su Xiuyi's assessment of Shen Dong was not in the least an attempt to belittle him and elevate himself. He judged everything fairly, without the slightest exaggeration.
In fact, the sword strike with which Shen Dong defeated Ji Wuming had been almost his strongest, because in that instant, Su Xiuyi had discovered that Shen Dong had activated a full seven Will Characters to empower it.
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(End of chapter)