Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
“I’m sure he’ll protest to the top officials.”
Shi Wengong gazed at the receding figure of the Dean of the south courtyard and shook his head.
“Let him be.” Shi Gandang was unhappy, too.
“Well, I’m going to check up on Su Li. Jiang Chen will be dealt with at your discretion.”
The Dean of Students Shi Wengong also left.
Nan Gong and Shi Gandang glanced at each other and let out a sigh at the same time. They went back to Jiang Chen’s room.
“Jiang Chen, you’re very talented in swordsmanship. Work hard. You’ll still be able to achieve something big.”
While Nan Gong was consoling Jiang Chen, it suddenly dawned on him why Jiang Chen had done this.
Maybe in Jiang Chen’s eyes, the Reaching Heaven State was already the peak, so he had been striving hard for a breakthrough. It didn’t matter to him whether he could do it in the best way.
As a Reaching Heaven State, he could still manage to hold sway.
“But the world is so big that you should take more adventures,” Nan Gong was sighed silently.
If Jiang Chen knew his thoughts, what would he think?
“Jiang Chen, you’re already a Reaching Heaven State. In the upcoming competition of the four courtyards, your rivals will be Reaching Heaven States, too. Take your time and make up for what you’ve missed in the late stage of the Mental Wander State and become a real Reaching Heaven State,” Shi Gandang said.
Jiang Chen knew it wouldn’t work, no matter how much he explained.
In his eyes, the truth they believed was wrong, while they thought he was too young and too naïve.
Actions spoke louder than words. The only way to convince them was to show them his results when he had the Eight Extraordinary Meridians all developed, but he knew Nan Gong and Shi Gandang were doing this for his own good.
“You can go on using the practicing room for some time,” Shi Gandang said again.
“Take a good rest.”
Then Nan Gong and Shi Gandang also left.
He heard Su Li’s news at dusk.
He was out of danger, but due to the heavy injury, he would have to stay in bed for more than a month, even if he took panaceas with wonderful effects.
People recalled how prestigious he had been when he had come back from the adventure. Compared to his current situation, they really felt sorry for him.
People also heard Jiang Chen had given up developing the Eight Extraordinary Meridians. It was worth more discussion than Su Li’s fate.
Undoubtedly, Jiang Chen had missed many things, and he wouldn’t have a chance to make up.
As for why he had done it, most people thought it was because of the pressure from Su Li.
Since Su Li’s return to the Sacred Institute, everyone in the Sacred Institute had been discussing Jiang Chen’s fate. They had thought he would fall on hard times.
Maybe that was the reason. Jiang Chen had broken through to the Reaching Heaven State to beat Su Li up.
“He’s cruel, both to others and to himself.”
“He’s stupid. What would it matter if he were beaten by Su Li? He would recover in only a few days.”
Some people admired his pride. Others mocked his ignorance.
This affair became the headline of the next day’s newspaper.
Jiang Chen was one of the most reported people those days.
In the first three days of his stay at the Sacred Institute, he had earned himself fame quickly and joined the superfine class thanks to his great talent.
After that, the Sacred Institute had intended to devote huge amounts of resources to train him, although he was only a short-term disciple.
But all this had become history since Jiang Chen had broken through to the Reaching Heaven State ahead of time.
The most frequently used words in the paper titles were “short-sighted,” “self-destroying,” and so on.
The paper even gave him a nickname—the worthless Reaching Heaven State.
There were too many people like Jiang Chen, who had achieved the Reaching Heaven State with forty-nine holy points. The only difference was that they hadn’t had any other choice.
Jiang Chen had not only had choices, but could have chosen the best.
That was why he was being so heatedly discussed.
When the paper had been published, people started to call Jiang Chen by the nickname.
Many people even wanted to enter the Sacred Institute to see what Jiang Chen looked like.
According to the disciples of the east courtyard, Jiang Chen had always been a loner. Although he was a member of the superfine class, he had never met his classmates.
If nothing unexpected happened, the year would continue this way.
Besides, the formal disciples were annoyed that Jiang Chen went to the practicing room every day.
Although they knew it wouldn’t last for too long, they hoped it would end as soon as possible.
Jiang Chen had been striving to develop the Eight Extraordinary Meridians and become a real Reaching Heaven State. One day, he walked out of the practicing room.
His actions had shown he wasn’t wrong.
After having achieved the Reaching Heaven State, he could take in the spirits dozens of times more efficiently than a Mental Wander State.
He had managed to make up quickly for what he had missed in the late stage of the Mental Wander State.
They think I’m insane. I think they’ve failed to see through things.
Jiang Chen found it funny when he recalled how others had looked at him.
“Are you Jiang Chen?”
Suddenly, people with strong energy appeared before him.
The guy in the front was thin and average-looking. He said with a smile, “Please allow me to introduce myself. I’m Liu Wuxin, the class leader of the superfine class of the east courtyard.”
“Yeah?”
He was Jiang Chen’s class leader!
Jiang Chen felt puzzled. The class leader had never contacted him. There must have been a reason for him to show up at this moment.
“They’re from the superfine class, too. We’re classmates!” Liu Wuxin was smiling. He wasn’t putting on airs. It didn’t seem like he wanted to pick a fight, either.
However, except for him, the rest looked as scornful as the others.
“Shall we have a talk?” Liu Wuxin said when he saw Jiang Chen was puzzled.
“Alright.”
They found a table and sat down at it. Liu Wuxin explained what he had come for, the great competition of the four courtyards.
“The four courtyards hold one every few months.
“There are three levels, advanced, intermediate, and beginner.
“The first competition will be among the disciples of the Earth Grade, and the second will be among those of the Heaven Grade.
“Maybe I don’t have to emphasize this, but the key is the Heaven Grade List. Many disciples ranked on the list are already ready to break through to the Reaching Heaven State, but in order to develop the Eight Extraordinary Meridians, they haven’t broken through to it.”
Jiang Chen frowned and said, “I know. What exactly do you mean?”
“The Reaching Heaven State and the Mental Wander State are two levels. Although some people are controlling their progress in order to form more holy points, it’s just a matter of time for them to break through.
“There are many disciples in the Reaching Heaven State in the four courtyards. Their competition is the highest level of the great competition.”
“So?” Jiang Chen said.
Liu Wuxin frowned. He had explained many things, but Jiang Chen still didn’t get it. Was he just pretending or stupid?
“You’re in the Reaching Heaven State, so you will exchange blows with the Reaching Heaven States of the other courtyards. Since you’re in the superfine class, you probably will fight with the members of other superfine classes.”
“And?” Jiang Chen was still puzzled.
A disciple behind Liu Wuxin couldn’t put up with it anymore. He said, “They didn’t mess around with their practice like you. All of them broke through to the Reaching Heaven State from the peak of the late stage, with the Eight Extraordinary Meridians developed. Your Reaching Heaven State isn’t the same as theirs!”
Liu Wuxin was smiling at Jiang Chen. He thought Jiang Chen must have understood their intention since they had made it so clear.
“What do you mean?” It seemed Jiang Chen wanted to irritate him.
“Your case is very special. As class leader, I can spare you a desperate fight. You won’t have to take part in the competition.”
“Thank you for your kind intentions,” Jiang Chen said.
“Not at all. So before the competition, you’d better stop going to the practicing room so that your state won’t improve further. If that happens, even I won’t be able to help you.”
The disciple who had spoken said again, “The Dean said you could use the practice room for ten more days. The class leader has been of great help to you. Why don’t you let him practice there for the next ten days?”
