A voice came out of the Lin family’s Drill Coliseum.
“Sacred Guiding Sword!”
Gripping a Splendor Sword, Lin Ningshan swung the Splendor Sword and chopped down. Then a streak of Sword Breath arose in the air, leaving a seven-meter-long sword path on the ground.
A deep crack caused by the sword marred the hard flagstone.
“Clap, Clap!”
While walking into the Drill Coliseum, Lin Fengxian applauded and said with a smile, “Shan-er, your talent for swordsmanship is really amazing! It took less than three months for you to acquire one move of the sword technique of the Low Class of Spiritual. By virtue of this, you will definitely sweep away all obstacles and become the shiniest one at the Year-end Assessment!”
Lin Ningshan answered, “I have already practiced to the realm of the Sword Following the Heart. It was my deep understanding of one move of the sword technique practice that accounted for my success in such a short period.”
Lin Fengxian nodded his head and said, “Across the entire Yunwu City, there are less than 10 prodigies who have the capacity to practice their Sword Comprehension to the realm of the Sword Following the Heart before their 20s. But, you made it only at 15. Your future is very promising!”
Lin Ningshan kept on practicing her sword technique after Lin Fengxian left the Martial Arts field.
13 days passed quickly.
13 days in the Time and Space Spinel was equivalent to 39 days outside.
With the help of the Energy Pills, Zhang Ruochen finally attained the Peak of the Dawn State of the Yellow Realm from its Initial Stage. His Genuine Qi Pool was tenfold that of 13 days ago, thus completing his practice again.
Now, he could punch and give a burst of Strength of Ten Bulls.
If he displayed the Dragon and Elephant Prajna Fist, he could break out the Strength of Sixteen Bulls by enhancement of his martial technique.
A normal warrior at the level of the Dawn State could give a burst of the Strength of Four Bulls.
For a warrior at the level of the Medium State, he could unleash the Strength of Nine Bulls.
And a warrior at the level of the Final State could break out the Strength of Sixteen Bulls.
Although Zhang Ruochen was only at the skill level of the Peak of the Dawn State, he could contend against the warriors at the level of the Final State.
However, Zhang Ruochen stopped practicing for the next realm, the Medium State. He understood that even if he attained the level of the Medium State, he could only open up 16 Meridians at most.
In his last lifetime, he opened up as many as 20 Meridians when he was in the Medium State.
“I have to find ways to improve my physique. If I lose at the starting line, how can I ever fight against Empress Chi Yao?”
While walking out of his room, he saw Yun standing outside the door.
“Sister Yun-er, is today the date for the Year-end Assessment?” Zhang Ruochen asked.
“Right!”
Yun nodded her head with a little nervousness and said, “Your Royal Highness, the Ninth Prince, please do take care of yourself! I heard that the Eighth Prince has reached the Dawn State of the Yellow Realm. If he knew you were also a warrior, he would definitely embarrass you on purpose.”
“Don’t worry about me. It doesn’t matter so much.” Zhang Ruochen asked with a slight smile, “Mother will also show up at the Year-end Assessment, won’t she?”
“Sure, she will. But, she doesn’t know that you are going to attend the Year-end Assessment,” Yun said to herself, “If Concubine Lin knew that the Ninth Prince was already a warrior, she would be very pleased.”
“Your Royal Highness Ninth Prince, please let me put the royal boa robe on you. Now, you can go to the Royal Coliseum down King Mount,” Yun said.
Then, Zhang Ruochen found that Yun was holding a bronze salver, on which was stacked a suit of gold robes with a Four Claws Huge Python, a cap, one jade belt, and a pair of golden boots.
In the Yunwu Commandery, different social classes wore different clothes, and everyone had to obey the rules of clothing strictly. Only the prince could wear a royal boa robe while the princess could wear a royal finch robe.
After practicing and refining his body for three months, Zhang Ruochen had already changed into a whole new look. Tremendous changes took place in his somatotype and temperament. He was no longer what he used to be, radiating a heroic spirit of youth.
He brimmed over with health and spirits the instant that he put on the royal boa robe and cap. His face was too noble to describe, just like Carps Jumping Over the Dragon Gate and Young Eagle Transforming into Roc.
“Your Royal Highness Ninth Prince, you… you really look more like a prince than any other princes!” Yun stared at Zhang Ruochen with her heart beating continually. With two blushes of red appearing on her cheeks, she could not help being attracted by his temperament.
Zhang Ruochen smiled and said, “Yun-er, let’s go to the Royal Coliseum!”
Yun nodded slightly and said, “Concubine Lin set out early to present her respects to His Majesty. We need to hurry up to avoid the gossip from concubines and princes.”
The Royal Coliseum was built beneath King Mount.
The Year-end Assessment was a meeting for the Royal Family that ranked only second to the Ceremony of Worship. Even the Yunwu Commandery Prince secluded himself for refining to attend the Year-end Assessment.
Before dawn, princes, princesses, and concubines rushed to the Royal Coliseum early enough to wait for the presence of the Yunwu Commandery Prince.
With a trimmed mustache, the Yunwu Commandery Prince sat at the highest position of the Martial Arts arena, looking 40 years old. He glanced at those princes and princesses and said with a smile, “The Seventh Prince doesn’t come back, does he?”
The queen, who was sitting next to the Yunwu Commandery Prince, answered, “Your Majesty, the Seventh Prince sent a letter half a month ago to inform us that he won’t come back, for he has to handle a vital issue. Besides, in light of his martial cultivation, it makes no sense for him to attend the Year-end Assessment!”
“The Seventh Prince’s absence lowers my expectations of this Year-end Assessment.” The Yunwu Commandery Prince was a little disappointed.
Concubine Xiao, the biological mother of the Eighth Prince, stepped forward and said, “Your Majesty, although the Seventh Prince is absent, the Ninth Prince will attend this year.”
“Oh, is that true? The Ninth Prince?” The Yunwu Commandery Prince turned his eyes to Concubine Lin.
Concubine Xiao said with a smile, “The Ninth Prince unlocked the Sacred Mark three months ago.”
“Really? Haha! Concubine Lin, why didn’t you inform me of this in the first place?” The Yunwu Commandery Prince was in good mood. After all, the Ninth Prince was his own son and the only prince that had not opened up the Sacred Mark.
The Yunwu Commandery Prince was quite pleased since his nine princes had all unlocked the Sacred Mark.
Concubine Lin bit her lip and whispered, “I dared not startle you, Your Majesty, as he has only just gotten it.”
“In my eyes, his opening of the Sacred Mark is certainly a thing worthy of our celebration. Even if his future achievement is limited, he is still a warrior stronger than ordinary people. Where is he? Ask him to come see me,” The Yunwu Commandery Prince replied.
“Everyone is here except my ninth brother. Huh! It seems he has changed a lot after opening the Sacred Mark. We all have to wait for him!” The Eighth Prince laughed coldly.
At this moment, dressed in a royal boa robe, Zhang Ruochen stepped up along the tall stone steps and said, “My Eighth Brother, is it really a good thing to say something bad behind my back?”
With an imposing appearance, Zhang Ruochen walked up to the Eighth Prince, giving him a sharp glare.
Clenching his fist, the Eighth Prince looked quite furious. How dare Zhang Ruochen speak to him in such a tone? He was so unruly!
Zhang Ruochen shook his sleeves and moved forward. When he saw the Yunwu Commandery Prince sitting at the top, he bowed to him and said, “Please allow me to pay my respects to Your Majesty!”
On hearing what Zhang Ruochen had called the Yunwu Commandery Prince, all those present were shocked by his boldness.
There was an air of chill at the meeting. Everyone held their breath and dared not make a sound.
“You called me ‘Your Majesty’?” The Yunwu Commandery Prince stared at Zhang Ruochen.
The queen snorted and said, “Ninth Prince, how dare you speak like that? Do you want to disown your father?”
“Dong!”
Trembling with fright, Concubine Lin kneeled on the ground at once and hastily explained that her Chen-er was too negligent to say the right appellation.
“I didn’t say anything wrong!”
With sparkling eyes and a straight body, Zhang Ruochen stood out from the crowd. He added, “Being a father is duty bound to teach his son. I was brought up in poor health. Please ask yourself the following questions. As my father, have you ever taught me? Have you ever helped me? Or have you ever cared about me?
“Being a husband ought to have three qualities: gratitude, affection, and morality. But, Your Highness, when my mother was given a beating with cudgels ordered by the queen, did you have any affection for her? My mom has suffered a lot in the past three years. Did you have any gratitude for her? On a cold winter night, we were driven from our home into the side hall as if we were banished to the side hall. Did you have any morality for us?
“Since you couldn’t be a good father or a good husband, am I wrong to call you ‘Your Majesty’?”
It was the first time that someone had talked to the Yunwu Commandery Prince in such a tone. Trembling with fear, those maidservants and eunuchs kneeled on the ground one after another.
The Yunwu Commandery Prince affected a long face and looked at the queen beside him. He asked in a deep voice, “Who gave that order? Who drove them into the side hall?”
The queen sat still, glaring at the Eighth Prince and Concubine Xiao.
“Dong! Dong!”
The Eighth Prince and Concubine Xiao kneeled on the ground immediately. They became limp with their cold sweat exuding ceaselessly from their foreheads.
“It… was… me!” The voice of Concubine Xiao was trembling.
Although it was actually ordered by the queen, how could Concubine Xiao dare to reveal the ringleader behind it?
The Yunwu Commandery Prince gave her a snort of contempt and asked, “Only you?”
Concubine Xiao glanced at the Eighth Prince beside her, gritted her teeth and said, “Yes, nobody is involved but me.”
“Alright, since you want to shoulder the responsibility alone, I’ll satisfy your needs. Listen carefully! From now on, move to the Ziyi Side Hall right away!” The Yunwu Commandery Prince answered.
When hearing this, Concubine Xiao understood that she was really banished to the cold palace and it would be hard to turn her status around. Then she became limp and fainted.
After Concubine Xiao was carried away, the Yunwu Commandery Prince stood up from his seat. He looked at Zhang Ruochen and said, “It seems that you have already accomplished the process of Washing Marrow and Breaking out of the Channels and have become a real warrior. You look quite different now. Okay, for your great courage and uprightness, I will make an exception and forgive you today. Would you like to attend the Year-end Assessment?”
With a firm expression in his eyes, Zhang Ruochen said without being servile or bumptious, “Certainly!”
“Okay! Haha! This is my son indeed! You are brave enough!” The Yunwu Commandery Prince roared with laughter.
This was a world to honor warriors. The real superiors were those who were strong-willed, backboned, and haughty.
If Zhang Ruochen had behaved timidly and shrinkingly at their meeting, the Yunwu Commandery Prince would not have thought highly of him, even though he opened up the Sacred Mark.
Kneeling on the ground, the Eighth Prince clenched his fist and glared at Zhang Ruochen. He said to himself. “Zhang Ruochen, just enjoy it! At the Year-end Assessment, I will ravage you and let you know who the real superior is!”
…