The weather was excessively clear; staying on the road for too long would leave one sweating profusely. The interior of the tea stall, with its roof, was much cooler.Bensheng clung to the ice bucket, refusing to let go. He gulped down large mouthfuls of tea, listening to the beautiful sounds flooding his ears."The music in Yongle Country is so delightful!"Next to the tea stall, a small group of people sat holding various
musical instruments. Without speaking, they collaborated to produce a refined and elegant melody, stealing a touch of coolness from the midsummer heat.On the main road, a horse-drawn carriage passed by, the bells hanging from its front ringing in perfect harmony with the music.Lucang, holding his teacup, remarked with a sigh, "I've long heard that Yongle Country enjoys mastering the Six Arts. Seeing it today, it truly is extraordinary."The tea server smiled. "You are knowledgeable, honored guest. In recent years, everyone has made money in business, life has improved, and people enjoy enriching their lives with these Six Arts.""What are the Six Arts?" Bensheng asked, curious."The Six Arts are the six fundamental skills required of students in the Zhou royal academy: Rites, Music, Archery, Charioteering, Calligraphy, and Mathematics. 'To nurture the sons of the state with the Way, they are taught the Six Arts: first, the Five Rites; second, the Six Musics; third, the Five Archeries; fourth, the Five Charioteerings; fifth, the Six Scripts; sixth, the Nine Calculations,'" Ruoqiao explained. "The music you hear is 'Xianchi,' one of the six great musical pieces, typically used in sacrifices to the Earth God. The carriage driver is using the 'Singing Harmony with the Bells' technique, one of the five charioteering methods, making the horse's hooves correspond with the sound of the bells.""Wow, that's impressive!" Bensheng exclaimed in amazement."It's your knowledge that is too limited," Lucang said.Bensheng snorted and ignored him, turning to ask the server, "Server, since your lives are so good here, why not study the Five Sciences like in the Seven-Leaf Country?""Immortals have their wondrous paths; mortals have their worldly pleasures!" The server replied with a shrewd smile before busying himself elsewhere."Let's go," Yeluo said, finishing her tea. "We can't delay any longer. We must go subdue demons and aid the world immediately."Bensheng said lazily, "But this place is all peace and prosperity! It doesn't look like there's anywhere that needs our help!"Lucang smirked coldly. "That shows your limited perspective..." His expression suddenly turned serious. "We've been followed for a long time.""What?!" The timid Yaoshi was so startled he dislodged several herbs from his sleeve.Bensheng patted his pocket. Ananda poked its head out.
"Farsight..." it whispered. "There are indeed two people approaching. They seem to have cast a spell to block scrying; I couldn't see their faces clearly.""Let's move."The five of them quickly packed their things and set off."They're still following," Lucang said, sensing the pursuers' position from the movement of the wind before Ananda could use its Farsight. "It seems we can't shake them off.""The pursuers have supernatural abilities. We cannot confront them here," Yeluo said, glancing at the bustling surroundings. "If a fight breaks out, innocent people could get hurt. There are mountains over there. Let's head there!"Lush green grass, its tips still holding unmelted morning dew. Bensheng took a deep breath, held it, and tried to blend in with the plants.Following Ruoqiao's suggestion, the five of them set up an ambush in the densely wooded area on the mountainside. They would wait for the pursuers to arrive and catch them in a trap.Soon, footsteps approached, incredibly fast, with a rhythm no human could possibly produce. Bensheng's heart jumped as he felt a gust of wind whistle past his ear. Before he could see anything, a single footprint was left on the moist soil in his line of sight.Silence returned."Did they leave?" Bensheng wondered.A panting sound suddenly came from beside his ear. "Oho, hiding here, are we?""Bensheng!" Seeing the situation turning bad, Yeluo rushed out from her hiding spot. Lucang cursed under his breath and also leaped up."Passing Through Walls—!" Bensheng felt the icy hand of the person beside him already touching his neck. He swiftly clasped his hands and charged straight through the tree trunk.The five-person team quickly regrouped, warily eyeing the spot now blocked by the tree trunk. Bensheng caught his breath and shouted angrily, "Sneaking around like that, who are you?!""A ghost? Well said..." a sinister voice drifted around them. "I... am precisely a ghost!"Bensheng shuddered, feeling goosebumps all over. He shook his head and silently recited the Heart Mantra of the Five Directions to steady his nerves. "Stop pretending to be mysterious! We, disciples of Zhouku, aren't afraid of such things!"
A breeze passed. In the clearing directly ahead, a white-haired youth suddenly appeared. His straight, short hair floated around his shoulders. A large black robe covered his entire body, its hem tucked into his belt. And on this belt hung a circle of wooden plaques."This wooden plaque is..." Bensheng looked down at his own waist. He also had such a plaque. It was issued by Instructor Xiao Bai after signing the registration scroll, with his name written on it."Be sure not to lose it!" she had admonished at the time.The white-haired youth opened his eyes, his blood-red gaze sweeping over them. He licked his lower lip. "A group of excellent prey. Do not disappoint me."Before he even moved, Yeluo instinctively sensed danger and drew her azure sword. Lucang also raised his folded fan..."Wait, wait..." Suddenly, a loud voice came from behind them.Lucang whirled around. His heart sank. When did this person arrive? I didn't sense him from the wind's movement.Everyone turned at the sound. It was a relatively older young man who immediately greeted them with a smile. "Hello there!"His aura was completely different from the white-haired youth's, brimming with approachability...If one ignored the mountain of magical tools piled up behind him!"Halt," Lucang demanded. "The 'Sound-Hearing Fan' hanging on your chest belongs to my cousin. How did it end up in your hands?!""Don't be impulsive, don't be impulsive," the young man said, backing away a few steps and waving his hands. "It wasn't me. I'm just helping him carry his things.""Just what kind of monsters are you?!" Yeluo couldn't help but exclaim.The young man sighed, looking past them at the white-haired youth. "You, you... Didn't I tell you to state your name before making a move?"The white-haired youth laughed. "It's rare to see prey that suits my taste. I couldn't help myself. Fight first, talk later." As he spoke, his sleeve shook, and a curved blade slid into his hand. The blade gleamed with a dark red light, inspiring fear in those who saw it.The atmosphere became tense, swords drawn and bows bent. Everyone focused on the enemy."This is bad," Yaoshi whispered. "By the look of it, we're surrounded."Five people surrounded by two... Bensheng stumbled.He glared darkly at the innocent-looking Yaoshi. "Are you saying
we can't beat just two of them?" He strode forward boldly and stood in front of the white-haired youth. That head of straight hair really made his eyes sore, not to mention."Leave that scholar type to you guys!" Bensheng raised his staff. "This little punk, I'll take him down myself." Clearly, the white-haired one was the tougher opponent, yet he deliberately chose him."Hoho, quite the nerve," the white-haired youth said coldly.Bensheng steeled himself, deciding to strike first... Before Lucang and Yeluo could voice their objections, he was already moving.The moment he charged out, the white-haired youth also moved—He fell to the ground with athud."...Huh?"Bensheng skidded to a halt, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. "What kind of trick is this? An opening stance? Some kind of illusion? Are you trying to lure us in?""Gurgle..." The sound of a rumbling stomach came from the ground."Mmph, this rice noodles are really delicious!"The five-person team sat neatly on a bench, their expressions are so complicated.Just moments ago, they thought a fierce battle was imminent. Who knew the result would be them rescuing the enemy youth from his starving stomach.Looking at the ten large bowls stacked on the table, the five of them sighed in unison."How on earth did he get this hungry?"The young man was placing the mountain of magical tools in a corner of the noodle shop floor. The clashing of weapons created a grating noise, scaring away all the other customers. The owner shot him several angry glares."Him? The moment he got off the Golden-Winged Bird's back, all he cared about was fighting. He forgot about eating long ago," the young man said friendly, extending his hand towards them. "Well met. My name is Fantian. I'm an external-path disciple participating in this Court Examination."After the earlier "unfriendly" encounter, the others remained hesitant to shake his hand. Only Yaoshi, cheerfully oblivious to the tension, readily reached out and grasped it. "Well met. I'm Yaoshi, also a disciple taking the Court Examination. These are Bensheng, Yeluo, Lucang, and Ruoqiao."Fantian gestured toward the white-haired youth, who was
completely focused on his bowl of soup. "His name is Xiuda. We're from the same region, grew up together since we were children. You could say we're close friends."Yaoshi asked, puzzled, "External-path disciples can also participate in the Court Examination? Isn't the Court Examination the Academy's graduation exam?""Actually, we wanted to study at Zhouku too. Being able to enter the continent's top cultivation academy is everyone's dream," Fantian shook his head with a bitter smile. "But the war in Buzhou Country is too intense. Xiuda and I couldn't leave our territory, so we had to study and cultivate supernatural powers on our own.""Buzhou Country!" Yaoshi's eyes widened. "I've never been there. Is there fighting every day? How do the people live? What do they usually eat?"Ruoqiao lowered his head slightly upon hearing this. Everyone's attention was on the two opposite them, and no one noticed.Fantian smiled. "Even with daily fighting, there are always ways to survive. The people of Buzhou Country..." He paused slightly. "...can't be compared to the commoners of Yongle Country. Which is better—being brave and skilled in war, or abandoning arms for pleasure? I think even if you asked them, you probably wouldn't get an answer!"As for food, one only needed to look at Xiuda's current state to know which country's cuisine was more delicious.After the pleasantries, Lucang, who had been restraining himself, finally couldn't hold back any longer. "How do you have my cousin's magical tool?""This fan, right?" Fantian handed over a jade fan. "While I could return it to you, it seems it's no longer of any use. Your cousin has certainly had his examination qualification revoked by the Court Supervisors observing in secret.""What?" Lucang stood up abruptly. "You dare...""One of the rules of the Court Examination: Seizing the magical tool and waist plaque of a fellow examinee can lead to the revocation of their examination qualification," Ruoqiao explained. "This was covered yesterday by Instructor Xiao Bai. But at that time, Young Master Lucang, you were..."...in the middle of arguing with Bensheng, so these two blockheads definitely didn't hear it!Yeluo sighed, feeling she suddenly understood Instructor Xiao Bai's helpless. She looked up at Xiuda, then at Fantian. "Strange, where are your teammates? Everyone should be acting in five-person
teams, right?"Clatter. The empty bowl hit the table. Xiuda wiped his mouth roughly with his sleeve. "Those three weaklings weren't worthy of being on my team. I dismissed them early on!" With a dismissive flick of his wrist, he pulled three waist plaques from his belt and tossed them aside without a glance, the wooden tokens clattering against the floor in a contemptuous gesture.Fantian smiled and swiftly moved to catch the plaques. Xiuda, completely indifferent, propped one leg up on the bench. He leaned towards Bensheng and said, "But I like you, kid. You spotted my ghost clan bloodline at a glance, and you treated me to rice noodles. I enjoyed the meal, so I'll be friends with you. I won't take your guys' plaques!""...Well, thank you for that," Bensheng said, tugging at his clothes with a resigned smile.Lucang snorted. "I advise you to stop picking fights with disciples and stealing plaques. Clearly, plaques can count as achievements, but they don't count as results. The Court Examination results are based on the merit we gain from subduing demons and aiding the world. Wouldn't it be better to save the energy you use for fighting to deal with the demons plaguing the mortal realm?"Xiuda curled his lip, looking impatient. "This Yongle Country is boringly peaceful. If you want to subdue demons, you have to spend effort finding the damn things. Too much trouble. Not doing it! Aiding the world is even less possible. I hate listening to people talk the most—I don't even listen to my mom. Going to solve the everyday problems of every auntie and granny? Pah!""Then why did you come to take the Court Examination? Just to fight and steal plaques?""Hmph!" Xiuda hooked up the corner of his mouth, revealing a rare serious expression. "Because that guy came to take it too."Fantian interjected to explain. "It's like this. Our clan leader has been fighting another clan leader over territory for nearly a century. Xiuda, as a general, has faced that clan leader on the battlefield many times without a clear victory. This time, we heard that person was coming to take the Court Examination, so Xiuda followed.""Followed?!" Xiuda slammed the table in anger. "I was much faster than him!He'sthe one followingmytail! I will settle the score with him!"He froze abruptly, a palpable killing intent radiating from his entire being. The curved blade gleaming with dark red light was
somehow already in Xiuda's hand, its tip pointed right at Bensheng's nose, startling him."He's here," Xiuda dropped these words, his eyes glowing, and charged out with a sinister laugh.Fantian smiled wryly. "Everyone, we must take our leave now. Perhaps we'll meet again if fate wills it." He shouldered the pile of magical tools and strode away.The bench before them was suddenly empty, leaving only eleven empty bowls as proof that the day's experiences were not just a daydream.As lanterns were lit, Yeluo found a travelers' lodge to stay at. This place was usually used by Practitioners and had all necessary amenities. After washing up, everyone retired to their respective rooms to rest.The sound of Yaoshi's snoring came from the next room soon after; perhaps because he had returned to a normal schedule, he slept especially soundly. But Bensheng lay awake, staring at the roof beams, unexpectedly unable to sleep. He put his arms under his head, recalling the day's encounters, and couldn't help but chuckle softly.It was all so novel.From the Lumbini Deer Garden to Zhouku Academy, he had always lived within a stable community. Only this time did he truly get to see the outside world, just as he had dreamed of as a child.So this was the world. This was the hustle and bustle of mortal life. Everyone lived and worked in peace, enjoying great tranquility. And there were also extraordinary people and strange events, thrilling and exciting.He wanted to protect this world!Bensheng closed his eyes and drifted into sleep.Nausea.Dizziness.As if invisible hands were clutching his throat, preventing him from drawing breath."Ah—!"Bensheng let out a loud cry and sat bolt upright. He gasped for air, his entire body trembling uncontrollably. Feeling his chest, his underclothes were already soaked with sweat."What happened? A nightmare?" He reached out to get off the bed and immediately noticed something wrong.The air was filled with a living, biting cold that pierced to the bone.
Faint footsteps sounded outside the door. Yeluo's voice called softly through the door, "Bensheng?""Yeah." Bensheng quickly pushed the door open and went out, finding the team of five all looking serious, except for Yaoshi, who still seemed a bit sleepy.Yeluo's gaze burned brightly in the darkness. "You felt it too, didn't you... that terrifying presence."