360: The duel between the emperor's sons-in-law begins!

The Scholars' Academy was bustling with people at this moment, many of them attendants, but there were also quite a few main participants.

The aura of these individuals was quite youthful.

During his time on the Chaos Continent, Guo Feng had already roughly figured out the customs here.

Generally speaking, people below the Fifth Rank mostly had a lifespan of around 150 years.

Because cultivation was prevalent here, illnesses were rare.

Most people could live to 150 years old.

However, most of these people also had to undergo basic cultivation, so unless they hadn't broken through to the Fifth Rank by 100 years old,

Otherwise, they were still very young.

And for those above the Fifth Rank, it went without saying; their appearance entirely depended on their own preferences.

Some powerful families, because early-stage cultivation was very easy,

Therefore, they considered fifty years old as coming of age, one hundred years old as establishing oneself, three hundred years old as being free from doubts, four hundred years old as knowing one's destiny, and five hundred years old as old age.

That is to say, their fifty years old was equivalent to a common person in Huaguo being twenty years old.

One hundred years old was equivalent to a common person being thirty years old.

Three hundred years old was equivalent to a common person being forty years old.

Four hundred years old was equivalent to a common person being fifty years old.

Five hundred years old was equivalent to seventy years old.

So the Empress's requirement this time, for Ninth Rank commoners under fifty years old, was equivalent to not yet being an adult.

Under one hundred years old, that is, around twenty years old.

Each of these individuals had an arrogant expression, looking down on others as if they didn't put anyone else in their eyes.

Everyone gathered in the inner plaza of the Scholars' Academy.

"All participants, stand in front of the plaza; attendants, stand behind the plaza."

At this moment, a majestic voice came.

Guo Feng looked over at a glance.

Wasn't this person precisely the Ninth Rank Seventh Layer expert—Great General Shenwei?

Marquis Shenwei, Qiong Wu!

Qiong Wu had an extremely high reputation in the Imperial Capital; his civil and military achievements were both top-tier.

Therefore, as soon as his voice came out, everyone immediately split into two groups.

Most people retreated backward, while a portion of people directly moved forward.

At this time, Guo Feng also separated from Qin Tian and the others.

Along with the others, he came to the front of this inner plaza.

Looking at it, there were actually over a hundred people.

Everyone looked at each other, and battle intent was revealed in their eyes.

And Guo Feng also saw Lou Yu, as well as two other Ninth Rank Fourth and Fifth Layer experts.

Lou Yu glanced at him indifferently, nodding slightly as a greeting.

As for the other person, although he was also quite good-looking and seemed very young,

However, the look in his eyes towards Guo Feng was full of hostility.

Guo Feng knew that this person must be the Fifth True Disciple of Taiyi Sect, Tang Ru.

The others wouldn't be like the people from Taiyi Sect, as if he had demolished their home.

The last person had shoulder-length hair, looked unrestrained, and had a smile on his face, yet he had a feeling of standing out from the crowd, not putting anyone else in his eyes.

He was filled with an aristocratic aura.

Guo Feng knew that this person must be Lord Ming's eighteenth son—Ming Hao.

When Ming Hao felt Guo Feng's gaze, he still looked at him, then just smiled lightly.

As for the others.

Indeed, just as Qin Yu said, although the condition was under a hundred years old and above the Seventh Rank,

However, those truly qualified to come to this Scholars' Academy were all above the Eighth Rank Fifth Layer.

Among their peers, they were all considered outstanding.

Among the 105 people, thirty were of the Ninth Rank.

The intensity of the competition among them was imaginable.

"The competition for Emperor-Consort first looks at strength, and second at the Empress's wishes."

After Marquis Shenwei Qiong Wu and the others stood still, he said indifferently, "Therefore, among your 105 people, the three strongest in strength will be selected to enter the palace examination."

"Now, those whose names are called, please have your participation tokens checked by my subordinates."

"If there are proxy test-takers or imposters, their nine generations will be exterminated, and they will be killed without mercy!"

"If there's a mistake, confess now, and at most you'll receive the punishment of a hundred rods; it's still not too late to regret!"

Qiong Wu said coldly to everyone, but no one responded.

He then sneered, "Good, begin!"

Three people walked out from behind him, holding a list, and then began to call out names one by one.

When a name was called, that person would step out and state their origin.

They would be examined by these three people, as well as the other people present.

If there were no problems, they would be given a small wooden plaque with a number written on it.

Among the 105 people, not a single one dared to impersonate someone else in this situation.

Guo Feng also understood that among them, over a hundred people came from Third Rank Marquis families, or Third Rank sects, and only three people, including Guo Feng, were considered commoners.

They were all Ninth Rank cultivators under fifty years old.

Besides him, there were two others.

One was named Wan Hui, and the other was named Chong Ming.

These two could also be considered extremely talented, and their eyes also carried a sense of pride.

And the others obviously knew Guo Feng.

When Guo Feng's name was called, it caused a stir.

After their identities were confirmed, Marquis Shenwei Qiong Wu said again: "Alright, next, the 105 people will be divided into fifty-three groups for random combat."

"Winners advance to the next round, losers are directly eliminated."

"The last person drawn will directly advance to the next round."

"For cultivators, strength is very important, and luck is equally important."

With a wave of his hand, a very grand and ancient urn was immediately brought up by his subordinates.

Guo Feng looked at it; the urn had an opening on the outside and two buttons.

Then, one of Qiong Wu's subordinates pressed the left button in front of everyone.

A clattering sound of rotation immediately came from inside.

Then, he pressed the right button again.

With a whoosh, a ball rolled out, with 'eighteen' written on it.

He operated it again in the same way.

The second ball had 'seventy-two' written on it.

This meant that the first to fight were the two people who had just received numbers eighteen and seventy-two.

Indeed, immediately after, Marquis Shenwei Qiong Wu casually threw out a combat stage, which floated in mid-air.

A powerful barrier emerged on it.

Guo Feng's divine sense swept over it; the combat stage indeed formed its own space, somewhat similar to the barrier space where he had fought Feng Zirong before.

Subsequently, at the command of Marquis Shenwei Qiong Wu,

Numbers eighteen and seventy-two leaped up and entered the combat stage space.

Then the two fought fiercely.

They were both Eighth Rank Level 5-6 experts fighting; Guo Feng swept his divine sense over, 'observing' more clearly.

As soon as these two made a move, they used Phantom Spirits and spirit weapons.

They unleashed their signature divine abilities and moves.

The sounds of explosions were continuous.

"Hmm, not bad, much better than the fight scenes on TV."

Guo Feng smiled, and with a wave of his hand, a chair and a table appeared beside him.

He plopped down onto the chair, and then a bag of Qiaqia melon seeds, several packets of spicy strips, and a bottle of Pulse appeared on the table.

He even very politely made an empty fruit plate appear.

He watched, cracking melon seeds and eating spicy strips, nodding continuously.

"??"

Everyone was stunned when they saw this scene.

Are you here to watch a show, or to participate in the competition?

Where did such a strong sense of relaxation come from?

Marquis Shenwei Qiong Wu was stunned and couldn't help but look at Guo Feng.

How was this kid so different?

Seeing Marquis Shenwei Qiong Wu look over, Guo Feng couldn't help but pick up a handful of melon seeds: "Great General Shenwei, a specialty from my hometown, melon seeds, do you want some? They're quite fragrant?"

"No, thank you!"

The corner of Marquis Shenwei's mouth twitched fiercely; if it weren't for Guo Feng's unusual status and the Empress's favor,

He would have really slapped him.

"Oh."

Guo Feng clapped his hands, shrugged, and stopped talking, continuing to watch the match and crack melon seeds.

This made several people next to him distracted.

They really wanted to beat him up!

Before long, the match on the combat stage entered a fierce phase, with both sides hysterically unleashing their ultimate moves.

They fought until the sky and earth were dark.

Even Phantom Spirits were destroyed.

Soon, the winner was decided, with number seventy-two winning.

The winner advanced, the loser retreated.

Then, after Marquis Shenwei announced the outcome, he had his subordinate continue to draw numbers.

"Number thirty-two, Guo Feng."

"Number forty-eight, Lang Yi!"

At this moment, the person responsible for drawing the numbers said indifferently.

Everyone's gaze converged.