Chapter 5 Academy of the Grand Learning

The Grand Academy opens once a month for all the heirs in the imperial capital, with the opening lasting for a day. In the morning, they study poetry and etiquette, while in the afternoon, the martial arts archives within the palace are open to the public for free. Previously, every time the Grand Academy opened, Long Chen had nothing to do with it, as he would only become the target of ridicule if he attended. However, things were different now. After taking the Wind Mansion Pill, Long Chen had already condensed the embryonic form of the Wind Mansion Star. Although it was just an embryonic form and couldn't store much spiritual energy, it was still much better than the body's meridians, which were like rivers, while the dantian was akin to the vast ocean that could hold countless streams, often referred to as the Qi Sea. Rivers may seem numerous, but their capacity is limited. Without the support of the dantian, they would soon run dry. However, all these problems were resolved with the condensation of the Wind Mansion Star. Most importantly, with the embryonic form of the Wind Mansion Star condensed, as long as there was enough energy in the future, it would eventually form a complete Wind Mansion Star. At that time, Long Chen would possess his very first 'dantian,' and the most extraordinary aspect of the Nine Star Tyrant Body Technique was that point. When all nine stars were activated, it was equivalent to having nine dantians functioning simultaneously, and one could imagine how formidable such a source of spiritual power would be. Although Long Chen had mastered all the operational methods of the Nine Star Tyrant Body Technique, he still had a very limited understanding of this heaven-defying technique and needed to explore continuously. Once he fully condensed the Wind Mansion Star, he would be able to store a vast amount of spiritual energy, allowing him to attempt refining his bloodline to enter the Blood Condensation Realm, thus becoming a true martial artist. The Qi Gathering Realm was merely the first step in martial cultivation; only by stepping into the Blood Condensation Realm, with surging qi and blood throughout the body and explosive combat power, could one truly be considered a martial artist. Long Chen didn’t know what level of the Qi Gathering Realm he was at now, but with the formation of the embryonic form of the Wind Mansion Star, his body had been significantly strengthened, which delighted him immensely. Now, with just a simple punch, the howling wind could shatter a vase five feet away, and his entire being was filled with power. This time coming to the Grand Academy, he was focused on the martial arts archives. With the Wind Mansion Star condensing soon and his internal spiritual energy gradually increasing, he could finally start practicing martial arts techniques. The so-called martial arts techniques were combat skills summarized by powerful predecessors based on their own spiritual energy and the flow of meridians. Martial techniques were extremely formidable; they could allow a martial artist to unleash tremendous power, multiplying their combat strength several times over, making them almost invincible. Therefore, martial techniques were of utmost importance to every martial artist. Now that Long Chen had the spiritual energy to practice martial techniques, he was eager to begin. The Grand Academy, located on the north side of the imperial capital, covered dozens of miles and was the most magnificent building outside of the imperial palace. After verifying his token, Long Chen entered the Grand Academy, heading straight for the Literary Hall. This was the place for 'cultivation' in the morning, where he could listen to scholars discussing ancient and modern literature, poetry, etiquette, and other outdated theories. Upon entering the Literary Hall, since he arrived early, there were only a few dozen heirs present in the vast hall. "Haha, Brother Long, you're here!" As soon as Long Chen arrived, several youths enthusiastically greeted him. These youths, like Long Chen, were unable to cultivate for various reasons. Though not close friends, they shared a mutual understanding of each other's plight. In the martial arts flourishing Fengming Empire, while they weren't bullied as severely as Long Chen, they often faced ridicule and disdain. Thus, these few could relate well to Long Chen, especially since it had been a long time since he came here, making their meeting today particularly joyous. "Haha, you guys are quite early!" Long Chen laughed and greeted them, feeling in high spirits now that the Wind Mansion Star had successfully condensed, a stark contrast to his previous dejection. "I heard that Brother Long displayed great prowess days ago by defeating Li Hao. Truly admirable! Has Brother Long been able to cultivate already?" A slender young man said enviously. Originally at the same level as Long Chen, hearing that he had defeated Li Hao, who was at the third level of the Qi Gathering Realm, shocked them while also filling them with envy. "Hehe, just luck! But little brother has recently learned a divine skill," Long Chen said mysteriously, not wanting to dwell on that topic. "Divine skill? What is that?" As expected, everyone was instantly intrigued, diverting the conversation. "Hehe, recently, I've obtained a book on physiognomy, studying face reading diligently and gaining some insights," Long Chen said somewhat proudly. "Physiognomy? Isn't that just street fortune-telling nonsense?" "That’s not true! I've recently delved into physiognomy with some understanding. On that day, I saw Li Hao's unshakable demeanor and grim forehead, clearly a sign of impending misfortune. Thus, I agreed to duel with him, and what happened? Hehe..." Long Chen smiled without revealing more. The others were momentarily skeptical until one person suddenly realized, "It seems to be true! I heard that on that day, Li Hao acted as if he were possessed, unable to unleash any of his combat power, and was defeated by Brother Long." Everyone had heard of the duel between Long Chen and Li Hao, but most were baffled by Li Hao's defeat. Now, after Long Chen's suggestion, they began to connect the dots, believing him a bit more. "Hehe, Brother Long, since you're proficient in physiognomy, could you help me see why my fiancée keeps avoiding me and refuses to meet? What’s going on?" one person asked, somewhat troubled. "No problem! Come, let’s find a more suitable place to sit. It's a bit inappropriate to stand here," Long Chen replied. The group found a table in a corner, where some snacks were provided for the heirs. Long Chen pointed to the pastries on the table and smiled at the person, "Have a piece!" "Okay!" The person didn’t hesitate and took a piece, while the others looked at Long Chen in confusion. "How does it taste?" "Very good!" "Want another piece?" "Sure!" The person took another piece and took a bite but suddenly looked enlightened and respectfully said to Long Chen, "Thank you, Brother Long! I understand now; it was my greed that was the issue! You were reminding me that one should be content, right?" Everyone looked at Long Chen with admiration, not expecting him to be so profound that even a small piece of pastry could lead to deep reflection. However, Long Chen shook his head and sighed, "You’re wrong. What I wanted to remind you was: you’ve gotten so fat that you can’t even enter through the door! Your fiancée is just avoiding you, not breaking off the engagement; that’s already an immense concession. Be content! With that body of yours, any woman sleeping beside you would be too scared to fall asleep, fearing you might crush her with a turn!" The person’s face flushed red. After Long Chen’s reminder, he looked at his own five-foot-tall, four-and-a-half-foot-wide frame and felt he might have indeed gained a little too much weight. "Fatty, you should stop wasting Brother Long's valuable time and hurry back to lose some weight! Brother Long, hehe, how do you see my physiognomy?" another slender young man asked respectfully with a smile. "You..." Long Chen seriously examined him and after a long while said, "Your physiognomy indicates you will be poor and destitute before thirty, but fortunately, after thirty..." The young man rejoiced, "Does that mean I’ll soar to great heights after thirty?" "No, after thirty, you’ll slowly get used to it," Long Chen replied. The young man was left speechless. Everyone couldn’t help but burst into laughter. Just as they were laughing, suddenly a pair of resentful eyes turned towards them, causing their laughter to cease instantly. Long Chen had sensed it long ago. Turning around, he saw Li Hao glaring at him with eyes like sharp blades. "Young Master Li, your injury has healed? That’s truly commendable! However, while the injuries above have healed, how are the ones below?" Long Chen asked with concern. Li Hao's face twitched; he had been carried back home, and his entire face had almost been flattened by Long Chen's knee. The Li family hurried to seek help from the Alchemist Guild's pharmacists, spending a substantial amount of gold coins to restore Li Hao. One cannot deny that having money is good; in such a short time, Li Hao had returned to normal. However, as soon as Long Chen mentioned it, Li Hao felt a sharp pain in his lower region, as if he was recalling that kick from Long Chen. That kick was so ferocious it nearly incapacitated him, and what made him even angrier was that when he was taken back home to heal, he discovered he had lost one of his 'treasures.' By the time the family rushed to the arena, they found it had already been cleared, and it was said that the lost treasure had been taken away by a wild dog. When Li Hao woke up and heard this news, he was nearly fainted from anger, but it was irretrievable. No matter how skilled the pharmacist was, he couldn’t recreate what was lost. Although walking wouldn’t be a problem, having something that was originally symmetrical suddenly missing made him feel extremely uncomfortable. Now, mentioned by Long Chen, his expression turned extremely ugly as he stared at Long Chen, gritting his teeth, "Long Chen, you bastard! I want to challenge you to a life-and-death duel! Do you dare accept?" Long Chen's initially smiling face suddenly tensed up. This insult was particularly offensive, especially to his mother. Truly, if one doesn’t provoke, one will not die; since you want to escape the troubles of the mortal world, I’ll make it happen for you. "Still the same phrase, I want to add stakes." Long Chen looked at Li Hao, thinking since you want to die, you should at least die with some value. After all, they were from the same nation, and he couldn’t bear to see Li Hao die so easily. "Alright! No matter what stakes you add, I, Li Hao, will take it on!" A cold smile floated in Li Hao's heart. No matter the stakes, you won’t have a life to spend them. Last time, Li Hao was caught off guard by Long Chen and suffered such a tragic defeat; he absolutely wouldn’t let himself make the same mistake again. This time was different; he spoke of a life-and-death duel, whereas in the last duel, although killing the opponent bore no responsibility, as long as the opponent surrendered, he couldn’t kill them. However, a life-and-death duel was different. Once the two stepped onto the stage, it was equivalent to handing over their lives; surrendering would be meaningless. The victor could freely decide the fate of the loser. "Alright, we’ll meet at the Life and Death Arena tomorrow at three o'clock." Li Hao sneered, staring at Long Chen as if looking at a dead man. Long Chen chuckled coldly in his heart. It was time to set an example. Seeing Li Hao about to leave, Long Chen smiled ominously and said, "Walk carefully, and maintain your balance. Don’t fall." Hearing Long Chen's words, Li Hao, who had already turned to leave, suddenly stiffened, his face twisting in pain. He understood the implication behind Long Chen's words. Taking a deep breath, he pretended not to hear Long Chen’s words and slowly walked towards another direction in the Literary Hall. However, Long Chen's words were like steel needles, piercing his sensitive areas, making him feel that even lifting a leg would trigger a heart-wrenching memory. He wanted to pretend to walk away nonchalantly, but the more he thought about it, the more unnatural he became, drawing strange glances from everyone. Watching Li Hao walk away awkwardly like a duck, one of Long Chen's companions cautiously reminded him, "Brother Long, why did you agree to him? That’s a life-and-death duel, it could cost lives!" "It’s fine. Today, I observed his physiognomy, and his brows were dark, surrounded by death energy, indicating he is fated to die within two days. By the way, I have a matter I’d like to ask for your help with," Long Chen said, then quietly shared something with a few of them. Everyone exchanged glances, and finally, the one referred to as Fatty gritted his teeth and said, "Brother Long, since you’ve asked, take all my savings!" Saying this, he handed Long Chen a crystal card. Long Chen didn’t expect this Fatty to be so loyal; the card had as much as eighty thousand coins on it. Although they were all heirs of nobles, they were mostly from collateral branches and not valued, making this amount a significant sum for Fatty. "Damn it! I have sixty thousand here, take it!" "I have less, only thirty thousand. Brother Long, that’s all I can manage!" "I..." Long Chen initially thought borrowing ten or eight thousand would be a lot, but he didn’t expect them to be so willing to help. "Gentlemen, if I die, you’ll lose all this money!" Long Chen reminded while looking at the crystal cards in his hands. "Does Brother Long look down on us? We can’t cultivate and often suffer from their bullying. Although we don’t have the courage to fight to the death with them, we still want to lend our support!" As they saw Long Chen agreeing to Li Hao's life-and-death duel, it ignited a sense of solidarity among them. Seeing Long Chen asking for help, they became impulsive and disregarded everything. Long Chen nodded, remembering this kindness in his heart. With over two hundred thousand coins in hand, he had enough to do something. Just then, a sudden sound of footsteps echoed as a group of people walked into the Literary Hall, immediately silencing the previously noisy hall.