Chapter 1904: Zhongqing's Test

Zhang Xuan was thoroughly embarrassed. He had indeed deciphered the jade token, but true to his character, he would have discreetly waited for Fan Xiaoxing and Fan Xiaofeng to enter with him. He hadn't anticipated, however, that the other party would play by their own rules, creating a barrier that would immediately pull anyone who deciphered it inside. It had caught him completely off guard!

Looking at the countless astonished, almost frenzied faces below, Zhang Xuan felt helpless. He could only offer some encouragement: "Everyone, keep trying! I'll go ahead and check things out!""Go ahead? Is that *one* step? That's countless steps!""Kong Shiyao took three and a half hours, and he... less than a single breath?""Could his jade token be faulty?""You're overthinking it. How could something provided by the Grand Scholars Hall be broken? Deciphering a seal in a single breath—is he even human?"Everyone below erupted at once.

Grand Scholar Zhong Qing had just announced that the shortest recorded time was three hours, and here he was, deciphering it in a single breath... Did he have to be so fast? It wasn't just the crowd; Zhong Qing, Nangong Yuanfeng, and the others also felt their faces twitch simultaneously.

They had initially thought it would be impressive if even one of this year's examinees could get in within a day. They never expected such a prodigy to emerge."So, Zhong Zixun and the others were eliminated by this fellow?" Zhong Qing asked, no longer able to contain himself.

"Yes!" Nangong Yuanfeng nodded. "However, he never made a move himself. Fan Xiaofeng and Fan Xiaoxing were the ones who acted; he merely guided them...""Just by providing guidance, he enabled these two to eliminate eight of my descendants..." Zhong Qing's throat tightened; he couldn't believe it.

Others might not know the strength of his eight descendants, but he knew them intimately. To pass this assessment, they had even undergone specialized intensive training. Under normal circumstances, those eight, even if they encountered Yan Yixiao, would have had a chance to escape. And now, their entire group had been wiped out... Moreover, it wasn't through direct intervention, but merely guidance... This kind of ability would be difficult for even him to achieve.

"Should we detain him and inspect his jade token?" asked a middle-aged man who had approached."No need," Zhong Qing replied, shaking his head. "Being absorbed by the barrier indicates that the seal was unlocked through genuine ability. There are other teachers further along; they must have been aware when the barrier was triggered. It's too late to intervene now..." He said nothing more, instead looking at Fan Xiaoxing and Fan Xiaofeng, filled with doubt.

The descendants of Ancient Sage Zichi have always been at the bottom of the pack... When did they become so formidable?With a slight sway, he appeared before them. "The two of you combined eliminated half the participants. I want to see if you are truly extraordinary and unmatched!"

"How will the Grand Scholar test us?" Fan Xiaofeng and Fan Xiaoxing simultaneously clasped their fists. After experiencing the elimination rounds, their mindsets had undergone a noticeable change. They now possessed greater confidence, and even when facing a Grand Scholar, they were no longer as timid.

"It's very simple. I'll suppress my cultivation to match yours, then... both of you attack me. If you can defeat me, it will prove that you truly possess power unmatched by anyone at your level!" Zhong Qing looked at them calmly. He was an Immortal Realm Great Perfection expert; even if he suppressed his cultivation, his insight and experience remained. Although the two opponents were incredibly talented, they had no chance of winning against him in a fight.

"Alright!" They exchanged glances and nodded simultaneously. Seeing them agree, Zhong Qing gestured with a large hand, suppressing his aura. Despite this, he still exuded an ethereal presence that made others hesitant to challenge him.

"You two, make the first move!" Standing still, Zhong Qing made a single-handed gesture. No matter what, he was a master, a Grand Saint expert who had lived for centuries. Even with his cultivation suppressed, he disdained taking the first advantage against his juniors.

"Then we won't be polite..." Fan Xiaofeng and Fan Xiaoxing instantly raised their true qi to its peak, having undergone a transformation. Having eliminated over a thousand opponents, including those of their own level and even a level higher, they had long developed an instinct for battle. They knew that the person before them, even with suppressed cultivation, was not someone they could contend with, so they held nothing back from the start.

Whoosh! The two figures, swift as lightning, appeared before him, one in front and one behind, one striking at his chest and the other at his back."Indeed, not bad..." Seeing their speed and decisiveness, Zhong Qing nodded in satisfaction. No wonder they could eliminate so many people; his own juniors hadn't even been able to hold their ground. These two indeed possessed extraordinary abilities. Putting aside everything else, their immediate and decisive action, without the slightest hesitation, was something countless people envied but couldn't emulate.

However... with just this, defeating him was almost impossible! The duo's intentions and moves had long been seen through by him, with no secrets left to discern. Even the moves they were about to execute were clearly calculated; defeating their combined effort... would take but a single move! Sighing, he swayed, separated his palms, and pressed down rapidly, intending to repel both of them simultaneously to make them understand the gap between their abilities.

Just as his palms parted and before his true qi could surge, he saw the two rapidly approaching figures suddenly shift, one to his left and one to his right, a left fist and a right fist simultaneously hammering towards his face."What?" Zhong Qing's pupils contracted; he nearly fainted. According to normal combat patterns, shouldn't they have launched a probing attack and then, using their combined strength, forced him into an indefensible position? Why did they suddenly change their moves when they clearly had a good position? And was it really acceptable to simultaneously punch him in the face?

"Hmph!" A surge of anger flared in his heart. He abruptly raised his separated palms to block the trajectory of their fists. Just as he was about to teach the two a lesson and make them understand their place, he felt a sharp pain in his chest and groin. He hastily lowered his gaze, only to discover that Fan Xiaoxing's foot had kicked him in the chest at some unknown point, while Fan Xiaofeng's foot had kicked him in the groin.

"Ah..." With a miserable cry, Zhong Qing flew backward, landing heavily on the ground like a cooked shrimp. Although he was an Immortal Realm expert, his groin was, after all, a place that could not be cultivated and was extremely vulnerable. Not shattering instantly after a direct hit was already quite fortunate. Moreover, these two, fearing they wouldn't defeat him, had specifically increased their strength. As the pain surged, Zhong Qing felt sweat pouring down.

Crack! Crack! His true qi unsealed, restoring him to the Immortal Realm, he slowly recovered. Just as he was about to speak, he heard the hushed whispers of the two in front of him, resounding not far away."He feels so weak!""He can't be a fake, can he? Is this really a Grand Scholar..."Confusion simultaneously appeared in Fan Xiaoxing and Fan Xiaofeng's eyes, filled with doubt and questioning reality. Grand Scholars of the Grand Scholars Hall were invincible beings in their minds. Yet, he couldn't even withstand one move and was kicked into a shrimp-like state... How could they possibly believe it?

"So weak? Fake?" He swayed, a mouthful of fresh blood held in his mouth. His heart... was utterly in disarray.