Seeking Truth with a Sword-Chapter 378 - 329: Holy Land

Chapter 378: Chapter 329: Holy Land
BOOM!
Flames shot into the sky, the explosion deafening.
The Martial Artist from Taihao Mountain tumbled through the air. Relying on reactions honed by ’a thousand hammers and hundred refines,’ he regained his balance the moment he touched the ground. His feet dragged long marks before he finally steadied himself.
His face turned ashen as he glanced at his left hand—both talismans on the back of his hand had been triggered, signifying his withdrawal from the competition.
Looking up, he saw warning flares also rise from the back of Li Ang’s hand.
A one-for-one trade, not a bad deal.
Li Ang casually peeled off the talisman. Looking towards Jiu Fenghai and the others still locked in a fierce battle in the distance, he let out a turbid breath.
With Bian Chenpei and this Martial Artist eliminated, the balance of power had subtly tipped.
Sui Yi quickly dispatched the Sword Master, whose Lifebound Sword was damaged, then teamed up with Jiu Fenghai to take down the Magic Master from Taihao Mountain.
At this point, only Shangguan Yangyao from Taihao Mountain remained. After a brief assessment of the situation, he determined that even if Xia Jun suddenly turned traitor and backstabbed Jiu Fenghai and the others, it wouldn’t reverse the course of the battle. Thus, he quickly retreated, extricating himself from the center of the fight.
"We won."
Sui Yi let out a long sigh of relief. After suffering successive losses of personnel, Taihao Mountain could no longer dominate others with their superior strength and plunder their Sea Shell Bell Beads as before. They had completely lost any chance of an overall victory in the trial.
However...
She turned to Li Ang, scratched her head, and asked puzzledly, "Why did you self-destruct?"
"A one-for-one trade is worth it," Li Ang spread his hands and said with a smile. "As long as the outcome is good, that’s all that matters."
He certainly didn’t want to make a trip to Taihao Mountain’s Zhanquan. If he had defeated Shangguan Yangyao without injury and continued with Sui Yi and the others, he might very well have ended up with a significant number of Bell Beads, potentially sneaking into the top ten. It was better to take this opportune moment and withdraw from the competition early. The Sumeru Hourglass and the Time Sand presented too many mysteries; he wouldn’t be at ease until he figured them out.
WHOOSH—
As the fireworks in the sky gradually faded, the sound of a Flying Sword rending the air grew louder as it approached from afar. An Academic Palace referee had arrived to collect them.
Li Ang followed the referee back to the Heavenly Boat. For the next few days, he stayed on board, content to watch the unfolding drama.
As he had predicted, the distribution of rankings in the trial results was quite balanced. Prince Yue, Li Hui of Yu Country, attained the highest score from Bell Beads. Fellow Cloud Patrol Realm cultivators like Jiu Fenghai, Ashina Que Teqin, Sui Yi, Xia Jun, and Shangguan Yangyao also made it into the top ten.
The night deepened. The Heavenly Boat slowly returned, its deck brightly lit with lamps. Students from various countries were holding a final banquet.
Prince Yue, Li Hui, who had won first place in the trial, was naturally the center of attention. His face slightly flushed, he held a wine cup. With each cup he drank, he would compose a poem inspired by the ever-changing scenery of Yu Country visible below the Heavenly Boat, appearing utterly carefree and transcendent.
Li Ang, however, kept to a corner by the liquor cabinet, drinking fruit wine while pondering the matter of the Sumeru Hourglass.
"Why are you drinking fruit wine all by yourself again?"
Su Feng walked over, browsed the selection in the liquor cabinet, picked out a bottle of grape wine, and sat down next to Li Ang. He gestured with his chin towards Li Hui and said teasingly, "Not going to join Prince Yue’s banquet and liven things up? That’s someone’s future brother-in-law, you know."
"Firstly, Le Ling and I are just classmates. Secondly, Dr. Su, speculating about the royal family can cost you your head."
Li Ang rolled his eyes.
"Haha, there are several princesses studying at the Academic Palace—I never named anyone specifically; you’re the one who brought it up."
Su Feng opened the wine jug and poured himself a full glass. He had been checking the operational status of various components on the Heavenly Boat for the past few days and only now had a chance to properly rest.
"As for beheading, that particular Yu Law is merely for show. The Zhou Kingdom, however, would actually carry it out.
Once, when the Emperor of the Zhou Kingdom was young and his Imperial Uncle was regent, a scholar in the capital attended a banquet. There, he vehemently denounced the imperial court as corrupt and decried the treacherous officials in power, proclaiming that the kingdom was on the verge of collapse.
That very night, he was seized by soldiers, thrown into prison, and severely tortured.
The scholar argued that he hadn’t named anyone specific as a treacherous official. The interrogating officer retorted, ’Nonsense! In these past few days, I’ve arrested no fewer than a hundred people. You think I don’t know who you were talking about?’"
Su Feng grinned. "But what about you? Sacrificing yourself to eliminate several people from Taihao Mountain. Do you regret it?"
Li Ang shook his head. "What’s there to regret?"
"But that’s Zhanquan. The legendary Haotian Holy Land."
Taking small sips of wine, Su Feng shook his head and said, "Everyone who enters Zhanquan inevitably achieves world-renowned accomplishments upon emerging. Chess players become National Masters; musicians become modern-day Bo Yas; generals become world-renowned commanders. Cultivators, on the other hand, solidify their foundations and elevate their upper limits, paving a smooth path for their future Cultivation. Talent, talent—it is bestowed by Haotian. If conditions allowed, I would love to make a pilgrimage to Zhanquan myself to see if I could enhance my talent in Natural Science."
Li Ang pursed his lips. "I’m afraid Taihao Mountain wouldn’t even be willing to accept you."
He smirked. Su Feng was one of the leading figures in contemporary Natural Science. If he were to go to Zhanquan and then publish a paper in a journal analyzing its source, or detail the changes he experienced, thus stripping away Zhanquan’s mystery and sacred aura, Taihao Mountain would surely be spitting blood in frustration.
Su Feng nodded. "True enough. Alas, what can I do? I’m just too outstanding. Like a firefly in the dark, a louse on a bald monk’s head, or a lover hiding in a wardrobe—impossible to conceal."
...Dr. Su, what exactly have you been through?
Li Ang was silently incredulous. He then asked, somewhat doubtfully, "Speaking of which, Zhanquan... how exactly does it enhance a person’s talent?"
From Su Feng’s description and various accounts, everyone who emerged from Zhanquan, without exception, achieved outstanding results in their respective fields. Even those who were old and their vitality waning could, in the final years of their lives, write masterpieces that would be passed down through generations.
Su Feng said uncertainly, "Well, I don’t really know. Maybe it makes people smarter?"
"Zhanquan allows one to see the essence of heaven and earth."
The Mountain Master’s voice suddenly interjected, startling Su Feng and Li Ang. They quickly turned and bowed. "Mountain Master."
"Mm."
Lian Xuanyao nodded and continued, "According to the descriptions of the Academic Palace’s past sages, after a musician visits Zhanquan, they can hear the melody of all things in heaven and earth. After a general visits Zhanquan, they can take in the entirety of the battlefield, from the grand changes in the overall war situation down to the skirmish between two individual soldiers."
"Er..."
Su Feng scratched his cheek. "This student is dull-witted; I don’t understand."
"In essence, Zhanquan enables one to view everything in the world from a different perspective."
Lian Xuanyao smiled faintly. "Of course, this is what our predecessors have said. Currently, there is no one alive in Yu Country who has been to Zhanquan. Perhaps when Li Hui and the others return, they can provide more detailed information."
As he spoke, he took a bottle of wine from the liquor cabinet, nodded at Li Ang and Su Feng, then walked out of the cabin. He ascended onto the deck, trod upon invisible stairs in the air, and strolled downwards.
"Er..."
Li Ang was slightly stunned. When the Mountain Master left, he was carrying not only the wine bottle but also a willow branch. "Is the Mountain Master going to..."
"Visit a grave."
Su Feng thought for a moment and said, "The Heavenly Boat should be near Si State by now, right? The Mountain Master’s hometown is over there. Every year, around this time, he takes the opportunity to return to Si State for a visit."