Chapter 212: Dragon Protection Squad
Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations
…
Within the Yan Capital, the torrential rain remained.
Ninth Prince Lin Yun stood under the downpour with an expression of anxious worry. The torrential raindrops splattered on his face, however, he remained completely still.
In front of him was the Advanced Academy. Eunuch Pan, wearing an official robe, waited outside the door of the Advanced Academy, signifying that Emperor Lin Mubai was inside.
The World of the Sage had gone out of control.
This was a very urgent matter. Because, nobody knew what was happening within the World of the Sage. Not only did this concern the conducting of the imperial examination, more importantly, it concerned the safety of the creme of the Great Xia Dynasty.
Most importantly, Ping Yang was also trapped inside.
Princess Ping Yang, one who was favored most by the Emperor. More importantly, one who could not afford to suffer the slightest bit of mishap.
Even the current crown prince's importance couldn't compare to that of Ping Yang in the Great Xia Dynasty. Because, Ping Yang represented protection. A protection that concerned the entire Great Xia Dynasty.
If it was any other time, Ninth Prince Lin Yun would definitely rush into the Advanced Academy without the slightest bit of hesitation, even if he were to meet with a raging temper of a dragon.
But now…
He stopped.
The reason was that other than Eunuch Pan, there was a team of soldiers in brightly-coloured armour standing outside the door of the Advanced Academy.. No matter how much the torrential rain battered them, the armour on their bodies remained clean.
Their territory could be exposed to the outside world. Furthermore, it could be maintained indefinitely. This only meant that every single one of them had a power above the Heavenly Reflection Intermediate State.
An army composed completely of people above the Heavenly Reflection Intermediate State.
There was only one in the entire Great Xia Dynasty.
That was the Dragon Protection Squad.
A soaring golden dragon was etched on the chest of each soldier, representing their grand status. They do not have to greet princes, nor do they have to dismount when they enter the imperial capital. That was the privilege of the Dragon Protection Squad.
The background of every single member of the Dragon Protection Squad was extremely noble. They came from the thirteen constabularies and were the direct descendants of noble families. However, they only obey the orders of the present Emperor.
They represented the Emperor. At the same time, they were the link that connected the Emperor to the thirteen constabularies and all the noble families.
The Dragon Protection Squad appearing in the imperial capital wasn't something very out of the ordinary.
However, dozens of Dragon Protection Squad members appearing at the imperial capital at the same time represented only one possibility. Something big had happened. Something big that concerned the entire Great Xia Dynasty.
Ninth Prince Lin Yun stopped. He hesitated. However, he didn't hesitate for much longer.
Very quickly, Ninth Prince Lin Yun moved.
Step by step, he walked towards the door of the Advanced Academy.
Standing guard at the door, Eunuch Pan moved his lips, but didn't speak. The dozens of Dragon Protection Squad members also looked at Ninth Prince Lin Yun.
A person walked out from the group, blocking in front of Ninth Prince Lin Yun.
His expression was as cold as ice.
He held a sword in his hand. That was a sword that was already unsheathed. The blade of the sword was polished until it was sparkling bright, glowing with a silver light under the battering of the torrential rain.
"Ninth prince, you seem to have an urgent matter?" The person who spoke wasn't the one holding the sword. Instead, it was a person standing beside Eunuch Wei. He was over thirty years of age, and his expression was just as cold.
"Yes!" Ninth Prince Lin Yun nodded with a determined expression.
"How urgent?"
"Very urgent!"
"What has ninth prince been governing recently?"
"The imperial examination."
By right, the imperial examination concerns the future of the Great Xia Dynasty and is extremely urgent. However, I believe you can still wait for a while."
"What if in addition to that, it also concerns Ping Yang's safety?"
"Ninth prince, please enter!"
The Dragon Protection Squad member blocking Ninth Prince Lin Yun's path kept his sword and made way.
Without another word, and without any form of apology, he left quietly and returned to where he initially stood. It was just as if he had never moved before.
Eunuch Pan's expression contained some shock. However, he still quietly pushed open the door of the Advanced Academy.
Ninth Prince Lin Yun walked in. The moment he crossed the main door that led into the Advanced Academy, the raindrops that stuck to his body seemed to have been fixed in place, hanging in mid-air. Then, after Ninth Prince Lin Yun crossed the door completely.
Those raindrops fell onto the ground and returned back to the storm.
…
Within the Advanced Academy, a faint aroma hung in the air. However, the aroma was mixed with a trace of blood scent.
Two members of the Dragon Protection Squad stood on the left and right sides of the academy respectively. A flag stood in the dead center of the academy. A flag stained with blood.
A person was covered under the flag.
This was a form of etiquette, an etiquette that belonged to the Dragon Protection Squad. There was only one circumstance under which such an etiquette would appear. The meant that there was someone among the Dragon Protection Squad who died.
And now, this dead person was carried into the Advanced Academy.
Then...
Things weren't as simple as somebody dying.
The Dragon Protection Squad comprised five hundred people. This was something that remained constant ever since the Great Xia Dynasty was founded. Fifty people formed one group. Every group was appointed a Dragon Envoy.
"A Dragon Envoy died?!" Ninth Prince Lin Yun finally understood why the Dragon Protection Squad member at the door would claim that even the imperial examination could wait.
Because, it had been ten years ever since a Dragon Envoy had to be replaced.
What exactly happened?
Ninth Prince Lin Yun didn't ask. Because, this wasn't something he should ask. What he needed to do now was to answer, answer properly when inquired by Emperor Lin Mubai.
"Hail Emperor!"
"Speak." Emperor Lin Mubai's voice came from behind the table. However, it didn't seem to carry any intention of asking the Ninth Prince to rise.
"Report! The World of the Sage had gone out of control. Everyone who entered the third round of combat examination have been trapped in the World of the Sage. May Emperor spare my uselessness!"
"Have you investigated the reason behind this?"
"Replying Emperor, I didn't dare to jump to a conclusion for the definite reason behind this, however, I guess that it might be related to the sword in the World of the Sage."
"Guess? As the invigilator of the imperial examination, you dare to tell me that you are guessing? Furthermore, you are guessing about the sword that doesn't exist? Do you know the incident about Ping Yang entering this combat examination?"
"I know."
"With her abilities, even if she uses the Blazing Qilin Spear, the time would definitely come when she exhausted her strength. She… didn't enter the third round, right?"
"Ping Yang didn't use the Blazing Qilin Spear. She followed Fang Zhengzhi, passed the Broken Bridge, the Twin Stone Tablets and entered the third round…"
"Broken Bridge, Twin Stone Tablets? You mean Fang Zhengzhi was able to solve the Broken Bridge and Twin Stone Tablets?"
"He even solved the stone house."
"So, Ping Yang is now trapped in the World of the Sage as well?"
"Yes."
"What are you still kneeling for?! Follow me to the Imperial Academy!" After Emperor Lin Mubai finished speaking, he stood up from the chair and charged out directly, completely ignoring the ninth prince.
When the two members of the Dragon Protection Squad witnessed this, they didn't speak a single word. Instead, they continued to stand quietly on the spot. Their expression was as calm as before, just like two carved statues.
Ninth Prince Lin Yun took once glance at the two members of the Dragon Protection Squad, looked at the Dragon Envoy on the ground covered by a flag, then turned around and left. He didn't say a single word. However, he seemed to be pondering something.
…
Within the World of the Sage.
The crisp cry of the sword resonated in the sky. The golden sword rose from Ying Shan's side and turned into a streak of light, landing in Fang Zhengzhi's hand.
A cool gust of wind blew past, billowing Fang Zhengzhi's robe.
With the spear on his right hand, the sword on his left, and even a trace of a smile at the edges of his mouth, Fang Zhengzhi looked somewhat comical. However, not a single person would make fun of him at this moment.
Because, the sword Fang Zhengzhi held in his hand was the sword of Sagely Battle God Meng Tian.
Ying Shan's expression was frightfully dark.
In his entire life, he had been praised by countless people. However, behind the praises, he had also similarly went through countless failures and setbacks. This caused his personality to become cold yet firm and persistent.
But now…
That firm and persistent personality of his seemed to be facing the greatest challenge of all.
His distorted expression represented the rage in his heart. The feeling of being played around in the palms of others caused him to have no way of holding back the burning anger in him.
Most importantly, the person who played him like a fool, was someone who was less powerful than him.
That feeling was like an adult who experienced dozens of years of trials and hardships being fooled around by a three-year-old kid. Shame, unwillingness, anger, misery…
Ying Shan didn't say another word. Instead, he swallowed the shattered teeth that he had bitten.
Then, he tore off the layer of skin on his forehead.
An emerald green pearl was revealed on his forehead. Its faint sea green glow was like the flames of hell, causing people to shudder involuntarily.
The demon eye, origin of the demon's power.
"Green?" Fang Zhengzhi was somewhat confused.
He remembered that in the previous county examination, the demon he defeated had a blue demon eye. However, the one on Ying Shan's forehead was instead green.
"The emerald green demon eye means that Ying Shan had already entered the Supernatural Intermediate State." Yan Xiu said.
"Seems that the colour of the demon eye is related to one's power?" When Fang Zhengzhi heard Yan Xiu's words, he understood and guessed that the colour of the demon eye should represent the power of the demon.
In the previous county examination, the demon's power was around that of Star Conglomerate.
This meant that the Star Conglomerate State was blue and the Supernatural State was green. What about the Heavenly Reflection STate?
Just as Fang Zhengzhi prepared to speak, the words that reached his mouth turned into another sentence…
"If the demon eye turns black… what does that mean?"
"Turns black? Oh no!" Yan Xiu didn't reply Fang Zhengzhi's question. Because, his expression had already changed. There was never a previous time when his expression was as shocked as this.
Nangong Mu's expression similarly turned extremely shocked. He gripped the Green and Blue Dual Blades in his hands tightly, and his legs unconsciously shifted two steps towards the direction of Fang Zhengzhi.
This was an instinctive movement. However, the meaning behind this action represented the fear that rose in Nangong Mu's heart.
Ever since Ying Shan's identity was exposed.
To holding off Ying Shan afterwards, and then lastly slicing the chains on the sword.
Nangong Mu had never revealed the slightest bit of horror.
But now…
He had clearly taken two steps backwards.
The other examinees were also terrified.
Each of them felt as if they had seen Death crawl out from hell. They were absolutely terrified.
"Quick, run!"
"Why can't we leave even though the sword had been pulled out?!"
"I don't want to die!"
The examinees started to shout. Their voice, filled with hope for a miracle, rang out. However, ever since Fang Zhengzhi had pulled out the sword, there weren't any further movements.
The sword…
Was it real, or was it fake?
This wasn't a question that they were concerned with anymore.
They were more concerned with how they were going to hold their ground for fifteen minutes.
Fang Zhengzhi didn't know these. Instead, his face was filled with confusion.
At this moment, Ying Shan's face turned extremely distorted. The emerald green demon eye on his forehead seemed to have been completely sucked in, turning into a black colour, the same black colour as a black hole.
This was an extremely strange scene. At the very least, Fang Zhengzhi didn't understand. What is Ying Shan trying to do?
"Should we… run?" Ping Yang's clear eyes gazed towards Ying Shan. Despite her arrogance and pride, her expression at this moment turned into one of hesitation and indecisiveness.
Her hand held tightly onto Fang Zhengzhi's arm.
This was also an instinctive move. Even Ping Yang herself wouldn't be able to explain why she would always grab onto Fang Zhengzhi instinctively.
"Run where?" Fang Zhengzhi asked.
The perimeter limits of the sea of swords in front of them could be seen with one glance. There was simply nowhere to run.
"I'll ask you one last time, is the sword in your hand… real or fake?" Ping Yang looked at the sword in Fang Zhengzhi's hand with a trace of hope.
"I don't know. Don't I have to test such a thing out before I know?" Fang Zhengzhi explained very innocently. He really didn't know.
"I think it isn't very convenient to try anymore." Ping Yang wanted to speak further, but stopped.
"Why…" Fang Zhengzhi didn't manage to finish his sentence before he hurriedly shut his mouth. Because, Ying Shan had already charged towards him.
In reality, this wasn't because Fang Zhengzhi couldn't see Ying Shan's movements.
However, Ying Shan had disappeared.
In an instant, he disappeared without a trace. As compared to his shadowless form within his dark territory, this time, Fang Zhengzhi could confirm that this was a form of speed.
Extreme speed.
Almost within the span of a thought, Fang Zhengzhi felt a slight numbness on the skin of his head.
As if his face had been cut by a blade.
That was also extreme speed. However, it was the wind generated by the extreme speed…
Sneak attack?!
No, this was a head-on attack!
Fang Zhengzhi had never entered the Hall of Dao, nor did he practice any fist techniques in his past life. However, he knew one rule. This was a rule that he had concluded based on his own experiences.
If someone wanted to attack your face...
What should you do?
Should you dodge to the left, or dodge to the right? Or, should you turn around and run? Or even fall to the ground?
Actually, all of these weren't fast enough.
Falling to the ground was the easiest. However, it would be rather hard to crawl back up again.
Hence, in conclusion.
Squatting, was the fastest.
This squat wasn't any simple squat. It had to be a deep squat. Moreover, it had to be an instinctive deep squat. One cannot fear splitting his pants. After all, face… was the most important.
Fang Zhengzhi had this awareness. Furthermore, he had remembered this learning experience by heart.
As such, he squatted very quickly, and very deeply. A little bit more and his butt would have touched the ground.
"Rippp!"
Without a doubt, it was impossible for the underwear he wore inside to withstand such a fast and deep squat. It bidded goodbye to its life with a rather muffled sound.
However, as the saying went, gain is luck, while loss is fate.
You can't make progress by clinging to old things. If the old doesn't go, the new will not come.
Most importantly, Fang Zhengzhi felt that he had saved his face. It was very thrilling, and very dangerous. A fist stopped right on top of his head...