Watching the young girl with dimples keep looking around, the cultivators also became curious and followed her gaze, wanting to know what she was searching for.
She was the Saintess of the Myriad Heaven Palace, but she had been staying at the academy these days. This made people quite surprised. However, considering how she was nearly assassinated when she entered the city, it was probably arranged with her safety in mind.
But, the young cultivators from the Myriad Heaven Palace had already arrived long ago, what was she looking for?
Somewhere in the center of the pavilions, the young people from the Great Liang Dynasty stood here in silence. Xie Ling glanced over and noticed that his clan sister had not arrived yet. He then looked around and realized that Chen Chao had not come either, his expression turning somewhat cold.
The Ning Family youth also noticed that Xie Nandu and Chen Chao had not yet arrived. He became somewhat annoyed and said, "What kind of important day is it today? How can the two of them be late?"
His voice was not too soft, so many people around heard it, which naturally drew mocking laughter.
It was mocking without any attempt to hide it.
To the Great Liang Dynasty, today was a momentous day they had been preparing for ten years. The young individuals chosen to represent the Great Liang Dynasty in this Myriad Willow Convention naturally attached great importance to it. Otherwise, it would be disrespectful to the Emperor. But now, both Chen Chao and Xie Nandu were absent and late. Did this mean that they were treating this matter too lightly?
It was still fine for Xie Nandu since she was the dean's disciple after all. Even if she did something wrong, those voices would be softer. However, as a military officer of the Great Liang Dynasty and the deputy commander of the Left Guard, Chen Chao could not afford to be late today no matter what.
Someone chuckled and said, "He has always been like this. He dared to be late at the imperial banquet back then, and now he does the same. Clearly, he doesn't hold the Emperor in high regard."
A young cultivator from a cultivator sect near the young cultivators of the Great Liang Dynasty spoke up. He was one of the characters who took part in the imperial banquet that night.
What happened on the night of the imperial banquet had already been concluded. But he still deliberately ignored it. He was naturally taking advantage of the situation.
Xie Ling remained silent for a moment and calmly said, "It's not yet time. How can we say they are late?"
This Xie Family member selected to participate in the Myriad Willow Convention had remained silent during the imperial banquet. But now, he had changed his attitude at the Myriad Willow Convention.
It may be assumed that this had something to do with Chen Chao's visit to the Xie Family.
When the Ning Family youth heard Xie Ling's words, his expression became rather stiff. After giving Xie Ling several glances, he stopped talking.
Wang Kuan also spoke up, "Indeed, it's still not yet time. We can't say they are late."
He came from the academy and had a significant change in his opinion of Chen Chao after that night. It was within reason for him to speak up for Chen Chao now.
Hearing someone over here speaking in this manner, the young cultivator who opened his mouth earlier fell silent too. After a cold snort, he stopped talking.
No matter what happened today, they had to give face to the Great Liang Dynasty. It was something their seniors instructed them before they left. Even if he wanted to do something, he had to consider these matters too.
"Perhaps they were delayed by some matter," A youth said.
Xia Yuan frowned and said, "Even so, they should arrive a little earlier."
His voice was low, only audible to the few people around him. People sensed his emotions and knew that he was a little unhappy. But, they could also understand why he was so annoyed.
He had never had any personal grudge against Chen Chao. His previous dissatisfaction with Chen Chao was due to the matters between Chen Chao and the academy. However, his opinion had already somewhat changed after the imperial banquet. But today's matter had made him feel more dissatisfied towards Chen Chao.
"It's not a big issue. I'm just curious about who will preside over the Myriad Willow Convention today."
"Perhaps it's the Heavenly Imperial Institution's Lord Chairman?" Someone spoke up, it was precisely a young cultivator from the Heavenly Imperial Institution.
The Heavenly Imperial Institution had always dealt with those foreign cultivators, so if it was indeed their chairman, it would be justifiable too.
However, for an important event like the Myriad Willow Convention, although the Heavenly Imperial Institution's chairman was a prominent figure too, he might not necessarily be able to command the scene. After all, that chairman did not seem too suitable in terms of reputation and cultivation realm.
Wang Kuan thought for a moment and smiled, "Could it be the academy dean?"
The Heavenly Imperial Institution's chairman was also 院长, but when referring to dean (院长) without any prefixes, it could only be the academy dean. [Yes, both the Heavenly Imperial Institution and Academy's heads are called 院长. But I decided to make one chairman and keep the other as dean to avoid confusion.]
The academy stood by the South Lake and theoretically was not under the jurisdiction of the Great Liang Dynasty. However, for so many years, the academy had always maintained deep connections with the secular dynasties. If the academy dean were to personally preside over the event today, it would not be something too bizarre either.
Hearing Wang Kuan say so, the others felt that it made some sense.
If it was really the dean, then no one could raise any objections. The dean's prestige and cultivation realm were sufficient to demonstrate the importance the Great Liang Dynasty attached to the Myriad Willow Convention.
Even taking it a little too seriously.
If the dean comes in person, our journey here wouldn't have been in vain."
Xie Ling spoke with a smile. He had long wished to enter the dean's tutelage. For this, the Xie Family had made many efforts for him. But in the end, the dean was unable to fulfill his wish. However, it did not diminish the dean's position in his heart.
Wang Kuan also lamented, "I've entered the academy for so many years and have never met the dean. If I can have the opportunity to meet him today, it would resolve this knot in my heart."
Although the dean was the dean of the academy, it was not easy for ordinary students to see the dean in the academy.
Perhaps even if they saw the dean, they would not recognize him either.
After all, in many people's understanding, the dean should be an elderly person with white hair...
……
……
A horse carriage slowly came to a stop a distance away from the lakeside. The coachman was Weng Quan from the Left Guard. He swiftly jumped down from the carriage and shouted inside, "Deputy Commander, the carriage isn't allowed to proceed further."
Chen Chao stuck his head out and stepped out of the carriage, lifting the curtain for Xie Nandu to step out from inside.
Glancing ahead, Chen Chao expressed his displeasure, "Why did the dean insist on meeting you at this critical juncture? Was there a topic for the literary exam that he's divulging to you?"
He had woken up early today and came to the academy to wait for Xie Nandu to arrive. However, just before they were about to leave, the dean wanted to meet Xie Nandu. Chen Chao did not know what was discussed, but this delay had indeed taken up quite some time. Their tardiness had become inevitable.
Xie Nandu glanced at the sky and said, "We're not late yet. What's the hurry?"
Chen Chao furrowed his brows and said, "Even if we're not late, we should have come earlier. When we go over there, countless gazes might land on us. It doesn't feel good."
The primary principle of hunting demons was to hide better than the demons themselves. It was always best to hide in the shadows.
Xie Nandu replied, "With the things you've done, you're bound to be exposed under countless people's gazes. Where can you hide?"
"It's not the same kind of exposure as now. When we walk over there and countless gazes fall upon us, I don't believe you can remain so indifferent."
Chen Chao felt a headache coming on as he continued walking with Xie Nandu toward their destination. He was uncertain about what lay ahead.
Xie Nandu calmly said, "During the literary exam that follows, there will be even more people watching. If one becomes nervous because of that and forgets a lot of things, wouldn't that be a disadvantage?"
In reality, the regulations of the Myriad Willow Convention were designed with the intention of testing the temperament of these youngsters.
Chen Chao nodded his head.
Xie Nandu suddenly said, "After you arrived in the Divine Capital, you seem to have become more level-headed compared to when we were in Tianqing County."
Chen Chao thought about it and replied, "After all, I lived there for over two years and became familiar with my surroundings. But the Divine Capital is too vast and I feel a bit lost."
"Can't go back anymore."
Xie Nandu looked at him and just said these few words.
Chen Chao understood too, nodding his head slightly.
The two of them quickly arrived at the lakeside. As expected, their appearance attracted the attention of countless people.
Numerous gazes fell upon them. The two of them were long already influential figures in the Divine Capital.
One was the last disciple of the dean. Just this identity was something that ordinary people could not compare to. As for the other, he had gained even greater fame through their recent activities in the Divine Capital.
Zhu Xia looked at the two by the lakeside with excitement in her eyes. Leaning against the railing, she waved to them with a smile.
The young people from the Great Liang Dynasty had different expressions on their faces.
It was unclear what they were thinking.
Someone asked, "Is that youth in black Chen Chao?"
It was a cultivator from the foreign lands who had long heard of Chen Chao's name but had never met him before.
"Yes, that young man is Chen Chao, the one who killed Guo Xi, Yan Ruoshui, and the others."
Someone replied.
"A boorish martial artist dares to act so arrogantly. If I were to encounter him at the Myriad Willow Convention, I would make sure he knows the meaning of regret."
"It's a pity that killing isn't allowed at the Myriad Willow Convention. Otherwise, it would be great to strike this person down here so as to let these uncouth martial artists of the Great Liang Dynasty know that us foreign cultivators cannot be humiliated."
"It's not a big deal. He'll eventually leave the Divine Capital someday. At that time, we can just kill him then."
"I heard that this person once boasted about becoming the champion. How laughable."
"Just a frog at the bottom of the well."
The voices in the pavilion rose and ebbed, full of mockery.
He Yi stood in the center of the crowd. Listening to these words, he thought about the conversation with that youth in black on the night of the imperial banquet and was silent.
After that night, his Dao heart was damaged. Although he had somewhat come to terms with it, he also knew that it was likely difficult for him to get a good result during the Myriad Willow Convention.
He was on the Latent Dragon List, but lost to someone outside of the Latent Dragon List. This was a shadow that he could not erase from the bottom of his heart.
Although he had no hope, he could not help but feel that Chen Chao might have some other possibility.
That youth whose body was covered in scars had left him with too many other impressions.
Just as He Yi was pondering, cries of exclamation suddenly arose in the crowd.
Chen Chao and Xie Nandu had already arrived at the pavilion at this moment. The young cultivators participating in the Myriad Willow Convention. the prominent figures who were observing the ceremony, and the immortal cultivators, all saw them.
The only person who was absent was the one who was presiding over the Myriad Willow Convention.
Until now, someone appeared by the lake.
Many people were quite surprised when they saw that person.
No one expected that the person presiding over the Myriad Willow Convention today would actually be him.
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