102: Chapter 102 Listening Wind Academy

Gao Feng was silent for a moment, but did not directly answer his question, instead asking in return: "Commander Lin, the Prefecture Examination follows the state-level Martial Examination. I wonder what the regulations are for this Prefecture Examination?"

Commander Lin Zhennan was slightly stunned, then realized what was happening; the other party was indirectly asking him for more valuable intelligence. He smiled appreciatively; he was indeed a smart person.

"You've hit the nail on the head," he said, picking up his teacup and taking a sip, then speaking slowly, "The Martial Examination is not just the martial test you saw on the drill grounds. That is only one part of it."

"Before traveling to the prefecture capital to participate in the 'Prefecture Examination' martial test, all the Top Scholars of the Martial Examination from the thirteen prefectures under our Hanyang Prefecture must first travel to one place."

"Tingfeng Academy."

"There, you will undergo a one-month mandatory intensive training and participate in the final 'written examination'."

"Written examination?" Gao Feng's brows furrowed slightly.

"Correct." Commander Lin Zhennan nodded. "The content of the written examination covers everything, including military strategy, military formations and geography, sand table simulations, and even an understanding of the laws of the Great Qian Dynasty."

"Ultimately, your written examination scores will be combined with your martial test scores to determine whether you are qualified to go to the Imperial Capital to participate in the final Palace Examination."

"I see." Gao Feng understood. The Great Qian Dynasty did not need brutes who only knew how to fight; it needed military commanders who were skilled in both literature and martial arts!

"Tingfeng Academy is a place where dragons and snakes mix, gathering the top geniuses of the entire prefecture. There are no rules there, only the supremacy of strength."

Commander Lin Zhennan said, implying something, "You offended the Raging Waves Gang today; they will certainly not let this go."

"Your journey ahead will likely not be peaceful."

As he spoke, he took out a black iron medallion engraved with the character "Lin" from his bosom and handed it to Gao Feng.

"This is my token. If you run into trouble when you arrive at the prefecture capital, you can go to the 'Zhenyuan Security Bureau' in the west of the city. My people are there; they will receive you."

Gao Feng glanced at the token, did not refuse, and accepted it.

"Many thanks, Commander Lin."

Everything that needed to be said had been said. Gao Feng stood up and cupped his hands to bid farewell.

When he reached the door, Commander Lin Zhennan's voice came from behind him again.

"Top Scholar Gao, I hope to see your name on the Golden List of the Palace Examination."

Gao Feng's footsteps paused slightly, but he did not look back.

"I will."

...

When they left the Commander's Mansion, the moon was already high in the sky.

The three of them walked along the silent street; Big Fool was still savoring the food from earlier, while Wulu remained vigilant, observing the darkness all around.

"Master, when are we going to that academy thing?" Big Fool asked indistinctly.

"We set off early tomorrow morning," Gao Feng said calmly, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

He knew Commander Lin Zhennan's warning was not alarmist. With Jiang Bietao's petty and vengeful character, an ambush was inevitable.

That was fine. It was time to let these local factions, who looked at the sky from the bottom of a well, see what true power was!

The next day, before dawn, Gao Feng and his two companions led their horses and left Hanyang City quietly. They headed south, straight for the Qingyun Mountain Range where Tingfeng Academy was located.

Just as Gao Feng had expected, when they arrived on the third day and entered a perilous canyon named [Black Wind Gorge], trouble arrived.

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

Dozens of poison arrows shimmering with a ghostly blue light rained down from the cliffs on both sides of the canyon like a torrential downpour!

"Ambush! Watch out!" Wulu roared, instantly drawing the steel saber from his waist and dancing it into a dense, impenetrable curtain of blades, blocking all the poison arrows flying toward them!

"Hehehe... Your reaction is not slow." A cold, insidious laugh came from ahead.

The exit of the canyon was already tightly blocked by dozens of Men in Black holding Sharp Weapons! And in the rear, dozens more Men in Black appeared, cutting off their retreat!

Leading them was a gaunt, hook-nosed old Man in Black with a sinister gaze, holding a pair of uniquely shaped judge's pens in his hands.

"Raging Waves Gang elder, 'Life-Taking Judge', Qian Tong!" Wulu recognized the man, and his expression instantly became extremely grave.

This Qian Tong was a long-renowned Fourth Realm Great Perfection expert. His judge's pens were specialized for striking vital acupuncture points, incredibly ruthless. The number of experts who had died by his hands was at least eighty, if not a hundred! To kill them, Jiang Bietao had actually sent out such an old monster from his hidden reserves!

"Kid, my Young Lord sent me to send you on your way." Qian Tong cackled strangely, "If you want to blame someone, blame yourself for being too ignorant and offending people you shouldn't have offended!"

"Too much talk." Gao Feng dismounted and gave the ordinary iron spear he had casually bought from a blacksmith shop in Hanyang City a light shake. The spear tip pointed toward Qian Tong from afar. "Do you think you can stop my path with just this group of motley crew?"

"Looking for death!" Qian Tong was furious! What he hated most was people calling him old! "Attack! Chop them into pieces!"

Following his order, over a hundred elites of the Raging Waves Gang rushed over from all directions like a tide, shouting!

"Wulu, Big Fool, leave none alive!" Gao Feng issued a cold command.

"Yes! Master!" Wulu and Big Fool roared in unison!

The next moment, the three figures were like three peerless vicious tigers charging into a flock of sheep, fiercely meeting that human tide!

Wulu's saber technique was grand and open, filled with the iron-blooded Evil Qi of the battlefield. Every slash carried the terrifying power to split mountains and cleave rocks!

Puchi!

A Man in Black was cut in half at the waist by him!

Puchi!

Another Man in Black was split into two along with his blade!

Blood and viscera were instantly splattered all over the ground!

He was like a tireless meat grinder, crazily reaping lives in the enemy crowd!

And Big Fool was even simpler, and even more brutal!

He didn't even bother using weapons; his iron fists, comparable to divine Sharp Weapons, were his most terrifying killing weapons!

Bang!

A Man in Black's head was smashed into a pulp like a watermelon by his punch!

Bang!

Another Man in Black had his chest punched through directly, and his heart was crushed into meat paste!

His hulking body, over two meters tall, charged through the crowd, and no one could stop him!

Any enemy who dared to block his path had only one outcome — death!

And Gao Feng was even more graceful. The ordinary iron spear in his hand seemed to come alive!

At times, it was like a poisonous dragon emerging from its hole, tricky and ruthless, killing with one strike! At times, it was like a great river rushing, vast and mighty, sweeping away a large group!

His spear technique had long since broken free from the constraints of Moves, reaching the Grandmaster Realm of doing as one pleases and pulling off techniques with ease!

His figure strolled leisurely through the crowd, and every time he thrust his spear, it was bound to take away a living life!

In just the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, over a hundred elites of the Raging Waves Gang were slaughtered by the three of them!

The entire Black Wind Gorge was completely shrouded in a thick smell of blood, leaving only the "Life-Taking Judge" Qian Tong, who had long since been scared out of his wits!

He looked at the three figures, who were like demons from Hell, and his whole body was shaking violently, unable to control it!

"Demons... you are demons!" He screamed, and having lost all Battle Intent, he turned to use his movement technique to flee from this living Hell!

"Want to leave?" Gao Feng's cold voice rang in his ears like the death knell of the Grim Reaper. "Did I say you could leave?"

Before the words were finished, the iron spear in Gao Feng's hand had already left his grasp!

"Whoosh—!"

At this moment, that ordinary iron spear seemed to turn into a black lightning bolt piercing through heaven and earth, carrying an endless Aura of death as it instantly caught up with Qian Tong's figure!

Puchi!

A dull sound of a Sharp Weapon entering flesh!

Qian Tong's body stiffened abruptly in mid-air!

He looked down with difficulty, watching the cold spear tip protruding from his chest, his eyes filled with endless fear and unwillingness.

He, the dignified Fourth Realm Great Perfection Life-Taking Judge, couldn't even take one Move from the other party?!

"Bang!" His corpse fell heavily to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

...

Just as Gao Feng finished off all the enemies and was preparing to pull out his iron spear, a more intense sound of fighting and a woman's sharp cry drifted faintly from the other end of the canyon.

"Hmm?" Gao Feng raised an eyebrow and led Big Fool and Wulu toward the sound.

They saw that at a bend in the canyon, a small merchant caravan was being besieged by a group of even more ferocious mountain bandits!

The group of mountain bandits was small in number, only twenty or thirty people, but each one had a fierce Aura and attacked ruthlessly, clearly the true desperadoes in this Black Wind Gorge!

On the merchant caravan's side, the guards were already dead or wounded, with only a few left struggling to hold on.

Protected in the center was a slightly dilapidated carriage and a spirited young girl holding a longbow, continuously firing arrows!

The girl was about seventeen or eighteen years old, wearing a cyan tight-fitting outfit that was convenient for movement, outlining her youthful and vibrant, graceful curves.

Her appearance, while not stunning, was fresh and lovely, especially those bright and determined eyes that added a touch of unique heroism to her.

Her archery was extremely superb! Every arrow shot out was as fast as a meteor, and the angle was extremely tricky!

Puff!

A mountain bandit's eye was shot and exploded by her arrow!

Puff!

Another mountain bandit's throat was pierced through by her arrow!

She was actually suppressing the attack of several mountain bandits by her own strength!

"Young Miss! Be careful!"

Just at this moment, a mountain bandit leader circled to her flank, the ghost-head broadsword in his hand carrying a fierce, evil wind as he hacked viciously at her back!

The girl's face changed drastically; she wanted to defend but it was too late! It looked like she was about to perish!

"Whoosh!"

A sound of breaking air, sharper and more terrifying than the arrows she fired, suddenly rang out!

A streak of black light, almost invisible to the naked eye, arrived in an instant!

Puchi!

That mountain bandit leader didn't even have time to scream before his whole person was pinned to the mountain wall behind him by that streak of black light, along with his blade!

It was exactly the iron spear Gao Feng had casually thrown, still stained with Qian Tong's blood!

This sudden scene stunned everyone.

The mountain bandits looked in horror toward the direction the spear came from, seeing Gao Feng and his two companions walking slowly like gods of death, and the living Hell of corpses behind them.

"Mommy! It's a disaster star!"

"Run!"

I don't know who let out a shrill scream, but all the mountain bandits scattered like birds and beasts, scrambling to escape into the deep mountains.

A crisis was thus resolved.

The girl holding the longbow watched Gao Feng approach step by step, her heart still racing. Her spirited, pretty face was filled with gratitude and shock.

She gripped her longbow tightly and bowed deeply to Gao Feng. "I am Gong Qianxue. Thank you, Benefactor, for saving my life!"

Meanwhile, a young scholar with a thin face, wearing a long gown washed to the point of fading, crawled tremblingly out from beneath the dilapidated carriage.

Seeing the scene before him, he was stunned for a moment before hurriedly bowing low to Gao Feng. "Student Xu Changqing pays his respects, Benefactor!"

Gao Feng’s gaze swept over the two. The girl named Gong Qianxue had an Aura around the Third Realm, but her archery was far beyond her Realm.

As for the scholar named Xu Changqing, he lacked the strength to truss a chicken, yet his eyes revealed a sharpness and wisdom that contrasted sharply with his timid appearance.

"It was a small effort, no need for formalities," Gao Feng said calmly. "Are you also heading to Tingfeng Academy?"

Gong Qianxue’s beautiful eyes lit up upon hearing this, and she said with pleasant surprise, "Benefactor is too? Are you also a Top Scholar of the Martial Examination participating this year?"

Gao Feng nodded noncommittally.

"That’s wonderful!" A look of admiration appeared on Gong Qianxue’s face. "Benefactor’s strength is so immense; you must be a top Genius from the prefecture city, right?"

"I am Gao Pan, from Luoyun Prefecture."

"Luoyun Prefecture?" Gong Qianxue and Xu Changqing exchanged a glance, both seeing a trace of confusion in the other's eyes.

What kind of place was that? It seemed to be the northernmost, most remote, and poorest prefecture in Hanyang Prefecture. Could such a terrifying expert really emerge from such a barbaric land?

"So it is Brother Gao." Xu Changqing quickly composed himself and bowed respectfully once more. "Brother Gao, Black Wind Gorge is infested with bandits. Our strength is low, and the road ahead is likely still fraught with danger. I wonder... would it be possible to travel with you? We would never dare to be a burden to Brother Gao; we only ask for a measure of protection."

"Very well." Gao Feng answered quite decisively this time. He could tell that these two were not treacherous people, and the scholar named Xu Changqing seemed rather interesting.

Just like that, this strange, makeshift team set off on the road to Tingfeng Academy.

After the battle at Black Wind Gorge, the journey ahead was indeed smooth sailing.

Perhaps it was the carnage left behind by Gao Feng and his companions that completely deterred all the petty criminals lurking in the area; they did not encounter any foolish bandits attempting to harass them for the rest of the journey.

The atmosphere within the group became much more relaxed as a result.

With their safety guaranteed, the down-and-out scholar named Xu Changqing grew bolder. He was no longer timid, instead revealing a talkativeness and erudition that contrasted sharply with his frail appearance.

He seemed to have an encyclopedic knowledge of the world’s strange tales and historical anecdotes. He spoke with frequent references to classics, his words flowing with wit, and even the usually taciturn Wulu would occasionally be drawn in by his stories, listening with keen interest.

As for Gong Qianxue, she was filled with endless curiosity and admiration for Gao Feng’s immense strength.

This cheerful girl, born into a military Family, was like a happy little bird once she opened her chatterbox, chirping non-stop.

"Brother Gao, how on earth did you manage that spear strike? You were so far away, yet you still managed to pin that bandit leader to the wall with a single strike! That’s just too incredible!"

"And Brother Big Fool and Brother Wulu, your strength is just like the legendary ancient giants! How do you usually Cultivate?"

Faced with her questions, Gao Feng mostly responded with a faint smile, only occasionally offering a brief answer.

Big Fool would only smile foolishly, rubbing the back of his head, muttering, "Eat more, and you'll grow strong."

It was Wulu who, after becoming familiar with Gong Qianxue, would occasionally tell her about the customs of the Southern Wilderness and their experiences of bloody battles on the front lines.

These stories, filled with blood and brutality, left Gong Qianxue and Xu Changqing, who had never experienced real war, listening with heart-pounding fear. At the same time, it gave them a deeper sense of awe for the unfathomable strength of Gao Feng and his two companions.

Two days later, a massive academy nestled amidst green mountains and clear waters finally appeared before them.

That was the renowned Tingfeng Academy of Hanyang Prefecture!

Unlike the opulent and imposing architecture one might imagine, the entire Tingfeng Academy exuded an air of ancient simplicity and elegance. The blue bricks, dark tiles, sweeping eaves, and pavilions blended perfectly with the surrounding mountains, waters, and lush bamboo, resembling a secluded paradise isolated from the world.

At the academy entrance, on a massive bluestone that had weathered countless storms, the two characters for "Tingfeng" were carved with sweeping, dragon-like strokes. The calligraphy was vigorous and powerful, deeply etched into the stone; merely looking at it evoked a sense of overwhelming, righteous Aura!

"What fine calligraphy!" Even Wulu, who knew nothing about calligraphy, couldn't help but exclaim in genuine admiration.

"This is Tingfeng Academy." A light of longing and reverence flickered in Xu Changqing’s eyes. "Legend has it that this stone tablet was inscribed by the founding prime minister, known as the 'Sage of Literature,' when the Great Qian Dynasty was established. For hundreds of years, countless scholars have come here to observe it, hoping to comprehend a trace of the true meaning of the Dao of Literature."

Just as they were lost in their thoughts, a burst of harsh laughter, filled with mockery and contempt, came from not far away.

"Yo, and who might this be? So it’s the 'Top Scholar' from Luoyun Prefecture, that godforsaken place in the northernmost reaches of our Hanyang Prefecture where even birds won't land!"

Several young Martial Artists, also there to register, walked over with playful expressions, surrounding a youth dressed in a silver brocade robe and holding a white jade folding fan. He had a handsome face, but his eyes were exceptionally arrogant.

The youth walked slowly up to Gao Feng, pointed at the massive stone tablet at the entrance with his folding fan, and said with a plastered-on smile, "This must be Gao Pan, the Top Scholar Gao who punched the force-measuring stele to pieces, right?"

"I am Liu Xuanfeng, from the prefecture city. I have long heard of Brother Gao’s 'illustrious reputation.' Seeing you today, you are indeed... 'extraordinary'."

He deliberately emphasized the words "illustrious reputation" and "extraordinary," his naked mockery evident in his tone.

Clearly, Gao Feng’s shocking performance at the Hanyang Prefecture Examination had long since spread throughout the entire Hanyang Prefecture.

However, this kind of pure, god-like power did not inspire awe in these geniuses from the prefecture city, who considered themselves members of the upper class; instead, they found it vulgar and crude.

In their eyes, he was nothing more than a brute with nothing but raw strength. Someone unworthy of the stage.

Gao Feng frowned slightly.

Before he could speak, Gong Qianxue, standing behind him, could no longer restrain herself.

"Hey! How dare you speak like that!" She arched her willow-leaf eyebrows, opened her almond eyes wide, and put her hands on her hips, shouting indignantly, "Brother Gao is a dignified Top Scholar of the Martial Examination! By what right do you mock him?!"

Liu Xuanfeng glanced at Gong Qianxue, a flash of admiration crossing his eyes, but it immediately turned into even deeper disdain.

"Heh, a beauty paired with a brute? That’s certainly a 'fine tale'." He waved his folding fan and said with a sarcastic tone, "Little girl, I advise you to stay away from this guy with well-developed limbs and a simple mind. Otherwise, you won't even know how you died."

"You!" Gong Qianxue’s pretty face flushed with anger.

Just then, Gao Feng reached out and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

He looked calmly at Liu Xuanfeng and said indifferently, "Whether my mind is simple or not is beside the point. But if your mouth continues to stink like that, I wouldn’t mind helping you tear it apart."

His voice remained as calm as ever.

But the bone-chilling killing intent caused the smile on Liu Xuanfeng’s face to freeze instantly!

He felt as if he were being watched by a dormant, primordial Vicious Beast!

A fear originating from the depths of his Soul made him involuntarily take half a step back.

"Fine! Fine! Fine!"

Liu Xuanfeng repeated the word "fine" three times, a glimmer of resentment flashing in his eyes.

"I hope your bones are as hard as your mouth! We shall see!"

With that, he dared not linger any longer and stormed off with his entourage.

The conflict temporarily subsided.

Xu Changqing, however, said worriedly, "Brother Gao, this man is named Liu Xuanfeng. He is the direct eldest son of the Liu Family, one of the four major families in the prefecture city. He is highly talented, and his strength is rumored to have already reached the Fourth Realm Great Perfection. Moreover, he is narrow-minded and vengeful. I fear we have gotten ourselves into big trouble."

"Trouble?" Gao Feng sneered disdainfully. "Only the weak consider it trouble. To the strong, it is merely a stepping stone beneath their feet."

With that, he paid it no more mind and led the group directly into the academy.

Watching his back, filled with endless confidence and dominance, Gong Qianxue and Xu Changqing couldn't help but feel an inexplicable sense of security rise in their hearts.

...

Tingfeng Academy covered a vast area.

Its internal management was, just as Commander Lin Zhennan had described, as strict as a military camp.

All the Top Scholars of the Martial Examination who had come for the intensive training were uniformly arranged into rows of identical, simple courtyards.

They were also informed of a series of strict academy rules.

Private duels were forbidden, as was loud noise and unexcused absences from class. Otherwise, the punishment would range from caning to direct disqualification from the Martial Examination!

Over the next month, they would receive the most systematic instruction in both literary and martial strategies here.

The instructors responsible for teaching were great scholars and famous masters hired from all over the Great Qian Dynasty, and even retired veteran generals from the military!

The next day, the intensive training officially began.

The first class was "Geography of Heaven and Earth," taught by an old master with a goat-like beard and a rigid expression.

"...Hanyang Prefecture borders the Wild Lands to the north, the Demon Domain to the west, the Endless Sea to the east, and connects to the heart of the Central Plains to the south. It governs thirteen prefectures in total, with the prefecture city being the most prominent..."