Chapter 404: Chapter 193: Winning Glory, Bearing Glory
Yang Shaorong reported.
Guo Wei sensed a presence approaching from afar. Seeing that it was Eunuch Liu, he hurried forward to greet him.
"Master Guo, I’ve come uninvited. I hope I’m not intruding."
Eunuch Liu chuckled.
"I am honored by your visit, Your Excellency. That you still remember a humble martial artist like myself is my privilege."
Guo Wei said respectfully.
Eunuch Liu held a certain status in the Imperial City and was himself a True Martial Realm expert. Guo Wei couldn’t afford to offend him, and more importantly, he didn’t want to bring trouble upon his disciples.
"Greetings, Eunuch Liu!"
Chu Lingguang, Hei Hu, and Wang Chao said with a bow.
The three of them held official ranks, so they did not need to kneel, only bow.
Wang Chao wanted to continue participating in the Provincial Martial Arts Examination. Since it was a rare occasion for Guo Wei to be staying at Yang Shaorong’s place, he had been training with Guo Wei for the past few days.
"You’re too kind, Master Guo."
After exchanging pleasantries with Guo Wei, Eunuch Liu turned his attention to Chu Lingguang.
A wave of Spiritual Sense Fluctuation surged toward Chu Lingguang.
Back at the academy, his strength had been low, and he hadn’t yet developed his Spiritual Sense. Chu Lingguang hadn’t known how strong Eunuch Liu was in this regard.
Now that he had developed his own Spiritual Sense, he could feel fragments of Eunuch Liu’s Spiritual Sense surging over, covering him, as if trying to inspect him from head to toe.
"Well, I’ll be! This is incredible! To think that in just over half a year, you’ve become a Qi Sea Great Success expert. With such Inner Strength, you should at least be able to place in the top ten of this year’s Provincial Martial Arts Examination."
Eunuch Liu exclaimed in amazement.
With his status and power, he naturally knew that after Chu Lingguang’s battle with Samba, he had earned Mr. Du’s favor, entered the Trial Ground to cultivate, and had even become the top candidate, receiving the Bone Marrow Cleansing Liquid.
However, Chu Lingguang’s recent breakthrough in strength had occurred within the Hundred Thousand Mountains. Aside from Mr. Du and a few others, no one else knew, which was why Eunuch Liu was so surprised.
"Your Excellency is too generous. It’s all thanks to my master’s round-the-clock instruction these past few days that I was fortunate enough to reach the Great Success realm."
Chu Lingguang hadn’t expected Eunuch Liu to be able to tell at a glance that he was a Qi Sea Great Success Level expert.
According to Mr. Du’s original plan, his Qi Sea Great Success Level strength was not supposed to be revealed for another month.
"You’re being too modest. You’ve taken the Bone Marrow Cleansing Liquid, so it’s only natural for your cultivation to advance by leaps and bounds. However, this little fellow behind me is no slouch either."
Eunuch Liu gestured to the young man behind him.
"I am Xuanyuan Jinkang. I ask for your guidance, Chu."
The youth stepped forward, his tone aggressive.
"Insolent! You have no manners."
Eunuch Liu said angrily.
Xuanyuan Jinkang hastily bowed and retreated behind him.
Eunuch Liu said with a smile, "This little fellow is a promising seedling I went to great lengths to select from the Southern Domain Trial Ground. He didn’t manage to become the top candidate, but he’s perfectly suited to cultivate my Soft and Flexible Technique. Since you and your disciples are all here, Master Guo, I thought I’d bring him over to broaden his horizons. Please don’t take offense, Master Guo."
"Your Excellency is too kind. Heroes often emerge from the young. Young Master Xuanyuan has a dignified appearance and a remarkable presence. When Lin Guang stands next to him, he seems a bit weaker in both aura and aptitude."
Guo Wei said earnestly.
"Don’t sell yourself short, Master Guo. Chu Lingguang defeated Xia Tianzhong and his two companions; his strength is plain for all to see. I have no other intentions. I came uninvited today simply hoping to let these two juniors have a friendly exchange."
Eunuch Liu said with a sincere expression.
"Very well. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Lin Guang."
Guo Wei knew he could no longer refuse.
"Hahaha, I knew Master Guo was a reasonable man! Come, come, you and I will sit down and watch the show."
Eunuch Liu laughed heartily.
Ignoring everyone else, Xuanyuan Jinkang walked to the Soldier Landing Platform, picked out a longsword, and cupped his fist. "The Great Yuan has three Trial Grounds. The Imperial City Trial Ground is the strongest, the Southern Domain Trial Ground is second, and the Northern Territory Trial Ground is last. Did you know that?"
"I’ve heard of it."
Chu Lingguang nodded noncommittally.
"The one who became the top candidate in the Southern Domain has a compound surname like me. His name is Tuoba Yunhong. He suppressed all his rivals with his Qi Sea Perfection realm cultivation, awakened two Divine Abilities, and easily took first place."
Xuanyuan Jinkang said.
"What?"
Chu Lingguang was shocked.
The name Tuoba Yunhong immediately made him think of Teacher Yun Hong. However, Teacher Yun Hong’s name was just Yun Hong—surname Yun, given name Hong.
But this Tuoba Yunhong fellow had the compound surname Tuoba.
’Why have I never heard of him?’
’I wonder if Teacher Yun Hong knows about him.’
"Don’t worry, you’ll never run into him, whether in the Provincial Martial Arts Examination or the future Imperial Examination or Palace Examination. But once I’ve mastered the Soft and Flexible Technique, I’ll have my chance to compete with him."
Xuanyuan Jinkang said with great confidence.
"Didn’t you already lose to him?"
Hei Hu asked, confused.
Xuanyuan Jinkang’s face instantly darkened.
"You just said it yourself that Tuoba Yunhong easily took first place. You must have fought him already, and he crushed you."
Thinking Xuanyuan Jinkang didn’t want to admit it, Hei Hu couldn’t help but add.
"Shut your mouth! This is no place for you to speak."
Guo Wei snapped.
"Master, Senior Brother is right."
Chu Lingguang defended Hei Hu, since Hei Hu was, after all, speaking up for him.
"The South City Trial Ground has sect masters to give guidance. For Young Master Xuanyuan to be able to enter the Southern Domain to cultivate, the effort and price he paid were far greater than for those who entered the Northern Territory Trial Ground."
Guo Wei reminded him.
As their master, he knew Chu Lingguang and Hei Hu were intentionally playing off each other. Even he couldn’t stand Xuanyuan Jinkang’s arrogant attitude, but in front of Eunuch Liu, he had to scold them when necessary. He couldn’t just let the two of them mock Xuanyuan Jinkang.
