On the Path to the Great Dao Chapter 306: Born Killer

"Your Excellency! The martial test ti has passed, it’s inappropriate to create new complications!"

Minister of War Ren Xiao took a step forward and bowed, "The literary and martial tests have both concluded. I ask the Cabinet to decide on the top scholar! My Ministry of War’s Five Armies, the Divine chanism, and the Divine Pivot troops are all awaiting your announcent of the literary and martial results!"

Zhang Fuzheng's face darkened slightly. He glanced at him and said calmly, "Lord Ren, you have overstepped. You cannot mobilize the Five Armies, nor the Divine Pivot or Divine chanism. You cannot threaten the Cabinet. The Divine chanism Battalion and the Divine Pivot Battalion are under the Seal-Holding Eunuch's supervision. Without the Western King's Jade Seal, who can mobilize them?"

Ren Xiao looked toward the two brothers Xia Fanghe and Xia Shouying. The two stood among the civil and military officials, motionless.

Ren Xiao's heart jolted. He turned his eyes to Ma Weimin, the Divine chanism Battalion commander.

Ma Weimin smiled faintly and said nothing.

Zhang Fuzheng said coolly, "Lord Ren, do not be mistaken about one thing. The Five Armies Camp, the Capital Guard Commander Office, the Regional Commander Office, the Guard Commander Office, the Battalion Commander units, the Dispatch Office — all the forces that seem to fall under the Minister of War’s control are actually at the Cabinet's disposal. What you can mobilize is the border troops through the regional commanders of the fifty provinces, but those regional commanders are also controlled by the Thirteen Great Clans."

He stopped looking at Ren Xiao and fixed his gaze on the Young Master.

The Young Master knelt on the ground with an expressionless face. He had originally been waiting to receive the imperial decree and secure the title of top scholar, but unexpectedly Chen Shi returned with three hundred and fifty presented scholars, accompanied by the righteous energy of heaven and earth, startling the Western Capital and sweeping away the reputation and prestige the Young Master had accumulated for so many days.

If he could not defeat Chen Shi, even if he obtained the top scholar title, people would say he only won because he never faced Chen Shi.

Zhang Fuzheng said, "Young Master, you want power and fa. Without fa and influence, what use is the top scholar title to you?"

A surge of anger rose in the Young Master. He stood up.

Shui Xuanzhi hurriedly shook his head repeatedly, signaling him not to rise. The Young Master ignored the gesture, turned, and his gaze t Chen Shi's outside the hall. His voice reverberated, "Esteed ministers, Chen Shi and his group fell into the underworld during the tropolitan exam, and now they have returned alive from the underworld. They are blaless and ritorious. They should be admitted as Presented Scholars. I believe they should also be allowed to take the palace exam. If in this palace exam they cannot defeat the champions of the world, then my title of top scholar will be hollow!"

Shui Xuanzhi and the others ground their teeth in secret.

The Young Master should never have co forward to accept this. He should have let the civil and military officials bicker and buy ti — ten days, half a month — and Chen Shi’s montum would have gradually faded. The people of the Western Capital would shift from revering Chen Shi to treating him as ordinary, turning his righteous deed into re after-dinner talk. Then they could manipulate the situation and give him second place as a rcy.

But now the Young Master’s words introduced many unforeseen variables into the matter.

"Very well!" Chen Shi called out loud, "Then I will wait outside!"

Zhang Fuzheng looked at the other twelve Cabinet ministers. They hesitated a mont, then each tacitly agreed.

The Young Master now had no easy way out. He needed prestige; Chen Shi had seized the prestige. Even if he beca top scholar, people would gossip. To gain genuine prestige now, he had to defeat Chen Shi fairly and squarely and claim the title.

"A month ago the tropolitan exam suffered a great upheaval, causing presented scholars to be lost to the underworld. Now Chen Shi leads three hundred and fifty presented scholars back to the Western Capital. The Cabinet decides: Chen Shi plus three hundred and fifty others, totaling three hundred and fifty-one, are admitted to the palace exam."

Zhang Fuzheng stepped out of Zhongji Hall and his voice thundered over the Western Capital, "Young Master Ren Mu shall be the current palace exam’s literary and martial first place, witnessed by all officials with no objections. For fairness, the remaining three hundred and fifty-one presented scholars shall select a first among them, and that winner will duel Young Master Ren Mu to decide the top scholar title."

When his words fell, the three hundred and fifty presented scholars outside — including Zhang You, Guo Daoist, Yu Lingzi, and others — all shouted, "Chen Shi is first! No duel needed!"

Zhang Fuzheng replied, "If that is so, then have Chen Shi duel Young Master Ren Mu. Ren Mu has already defeated three hundred scholars; Chen Shi has traveled a long way. Both candidates need rest..."

Chen Shi shook his head, "I don't need rest."

The Young Master stepped forward, shaking his head, "I don't need rest either."

Zhang Fuzheng turned and glanced around with a smile, "Esteed ministers, since both candidates say so, then today, outside Zhongji Hall, let the two candidates determine the victor. Your opinions?"

The civil and military officials nodded in agreent.

Zhang Fuzheng smiled, "Then let the two candidates duel. The scope shall not exceed the Nine Halls of the True King: Wenhua, Wuying, Huagai, Zhongji, Wenyuan, Dongge, Zhengyi, Jinshen, Jianji."

The officials exited Zhongji Hall and withdrew from the Nine Halls of the True King.

Under ridian Gate, Eunuch Feng laughed, "Lord Chen Tang, are you waiting here at ridian Gate so your son can be beheaded outside the gate if he loses?"

Chen Tang's face was composed, "Eunuch Feng, do not joke."

Eunuch Feng's smile faded and he said seriously, "At the tropolitan exam you said your son had little chance against the Young Master, but a month from now the Young Master would surely be defeated. Are you still so certain?"

"Certain," Chen Tang replied.

Eunuch Feng exhaled with relief and chuckled, "Then my position as Seal-Holding Eunuch and Director of the Eastern Depot will be secure."

Chen Tang saw officials erging from Zhongji Hall and his expression shifted slightly, "Eunuch Feng, you should prepare. When my son fights the Young Master, the scene may not be calm."

Feng Tianhuan blinked, "Not calm? Chen Tang — Chen Tang! Where are you going?"

He spun his wheelchair, only to see Chen Tang hurrying away.

"That child runs so fast! Doesn't he know I had my legs broken by his father? And he still runs..." Eunuch Feng muttered in astonishnt, "Strange. It's only a contest for the top scholar. No one should die. Why would the scene be dangerous?"

Suddenly he felt a tremor in his chest. His face drained of color and his hands trembled.

Chen Tang hurried to the Chen residence. Chen Shi's Wooden Cart still sat in the parking spot outside the gate, curled up obediently in a corner. In the past days, Chen Tang and Black Pot ventured deep into the underworld searching for Chen Shi's whereabouts and didn't take the cart. It had remained here since. Chen Shi had arranged for the Red Mountain Hall people to bring exotic beast at every morning and evening to feed the cart, so there was no fear of it starving.

As Chen Tang approached, the cart stirred alertly. The fra split slightly to reveal a row of nacing teeth and a red light inside. The Huagai talisman affixed to the cart opened like an umbrella; its glow flowed and the Dark Spring Swimming Dragon Sword threaded beneath the canopy.

"I am Chen Shi’s father," Chen Tang said cautiously.

Large eyes grew on the cart's fra and it stared at him. The red light in its mouth dimd a little. Chen Tang knew his father's created talismans were strange; many of the creations resembled evil spirits and could not be understood with normal logic. Especially after absorbing moonlight, these things could easily lose control and beco pure malignant spirits that wreaked havoc.

He approached and the cart did not move further, so he relaxed. He searched through the cart for a mont and indeed found the Western King's Jade Seal tucked in a corner among odds and ends. Chen Tang stared in astonishnt and inspected it repeatedly. He did not imdiately recognize the seal; he could not be sure it was the real thing.

The object was too precious. Historically the Divine chanism Battalion guarded it, but even they did not have authority to use it — only the Seal-Holding Eunuch had that right. Even the eunuch could only mobilize the seal for matters of the gravest importance. Sotis it might be unused for ten or twenty years.

"He does harbor rebellious intent," Chen Tang thought, then placed the Western King's Jade Seal back into the cart and entered the Chen residence.

After a mont he erged carrying a wooden box and headed toward the inner city ridian Gate. The box was not large: about two feet long, a foot three wide, seven inches high. It looked like ordinary sandalwood lacquered black. On its surface cinnabar and exotic beast blood ford extrely intricate patterns depicting divine and demonic figures.

The box had no latch, only a handle. To an outsider, it would be impossible to know how to open it. But to a talisman master versed in the Southern School’s craft, the box was a precision lock requiring a specialized opening technique. The talismanist who designed it had built in cunning internal structures; if soone opened it incorrectly, the box would imdiately devour the opener. Breaking the box would not yield the contents — it would anger the box, which would transform into an evil spirit and eat the destroyer. If one’s strength was sufficient to smash the box into pieces, there would still be nothing inside but a pile of blood and flesh. The box’s creator need only make an identical box and the original contents would reappear when opened. This kind of box was popular among Southern School talisman masters — nothing would be lost.

Carrying that box, Chen Tang felt considerably more at ease. He passed ridian Gate, walked past the Hall of Supre Harmony, and headed toward the Nine Halls.

Minister of Revenue Cui Baihe and Left Vice Minister Jiang Mo crossed his path; both n's eyes flickered.

Cui Baihe smiled, "Chen Tang, old friend, when did you return? You have not filed court attendance lately nor checked on the Ministry of Revenue. You risk dereliction."

Jiang Mo eyed the box warily, "What is that box you carry?"

They flanked him and pressed him from both sides. Chen Tang said calmly, "Are you two ushered out to block ?"

Both Cui Baihe and Jiang Mo felt awkward.

Jiang Mo said, "Put the box down and open it. We want to see what's inside."

Chen Tang replied, "I ca to the Nine Halls to reason. I carry this box so that when they refuse reason, I can make them reason calmly."

Jiang Mo reached for the box, "Hand it over for safekeeping!"

Before he could touch it, Chen Tang drew his sword with his other hand and pressed the tip to Jiang Mo’s throat. Jiang Mo laughed nervously, "Lord Chen, you are—"

Smack! The sword's blade struck his neck heavily and hurled him to the ground. Sword qi sealed all his acupoints and blocked his Heavenly Aperture so his primordial spirit could not leave the body. The sword qi pierced multiple major points, preventing him from reaching Body Unification and forcing this Refining Spirit Realm expert into unconsciousness!

Chen Tang sheathed his sword and said calmly, "Minister Cui, do not waste your efforts. After all these years I have assisted you. The Ministry of Revenue has been kept in pristine order — if not with rit, at least with toil. If you block , I will be reckless and let you sleep with him."

Cui Baihe hesitated a mont, then smiled, "My na is Baihe; I am naturally even-tempered. Lord Chen has hidden his edge for a long ti; such a display today may not be a good thing. Since your sword is unsheathed, I will not obstruct you. Proceed."

Chen Tang carried the box past him and continued to the Nine Halls. Cui Baihe's eyes flickered, but he dared not act, allowing him through.

"Little Ten, if you want the top scholar title and to kill the Young Master, I will fully support you!" Chen Tang reached Eunuch Feng and thought silently, "When you slay the Young Master, I will join Eunuch Feng in covering for you against anyone who tries to stop you!"

Eunuch Feng looked up at his face and whispered, "Little Tang, I always feel your mother is hiding sothing from . Tell the truth so I can die at peace. We eunuchs always fear dying without knowing the truth."

"No matter, Your Excellency, no matter," Chen Tang reassured him. Eunuch Feng felt uneasy; standing beside Chen Tang made him fear dying with unanswered questions.

Outside the Nine Halls, the civil and military officials all raised grand primordial spirits into the air to witness the duel. In the Western Capital many officials were high cultivators — Refining Spirit, Body Unification, Return to Emptiness — not a few. Primordial spirits of various sizes hovered, so with a Realm of Emptiness vast behind them. Several clan elders from great families who had not yet left also summoned their primordial spirits and watched with smiles. Their vast void-realms often appeared as arcs of light behind them; for less advanced cultivators the realm might be only the size of an acre. To these elders this was re amusent — watching two young n spar was entertainnt.

"Chen Tang." Li Family Great Ancestor Li Yiran spotted Chen Tang, called him over and smiled, "Today's your son's big day. You, your child, your father, and your kin Chen Wu always make uneasy. Sit beside and I'll feel more at ease."

Chen Tang complied. His primordial spirit sat with the box beside Li Yiran, looking oddly out of place. Li Family Great Ancestor Li Qianfeng, Ma Family ancestor Ma Jun, and forr Fei Family patriarch Fei Buyi also sat nearby.

"That fellow really thinks he can topple the Western Capital just by carrying a box." Minister Cui murmured, "His father is no use." He was curious to see what was inside Chen Tang's box.

Li Yiran laughed, "Chen Tang, your household is not one to inspire confidence. Still, your son's challenge to Young Master Zhu Mu is bold. The Young Master isn’t like you; while his innate Dao Embryo was not obtained, his mother was guided in practicing the Jade Emperor's Embryonic Breathing Scripture during pregnancy, not for her own cultivation but to gather innate energy for him to be born superior. The Jade Emperor's Embryonic Breathing Scripture is the first kind of immortal art."

Chen Tang said, "He did not obtain an Innate Dao Embryo."

Li Yiran frowned, "I know he didn’t obtain the Innate Dao Embryo, but the Jade Emperor's Scripture ans his foundation is not inferior to your son's. From birth, cultivators who could craft a Realm of Emptiness washed and tempered his sinews and bones. His wet nurse was a Three Corpses Severing practitioner so he never nursed milk tainted with yin qi. By six he was refined with spiritual elixirs and miraculous dicines; at nine his body was like jade and he began the Eight Gates Reverse Life-and-Death Art; at ten he perford a heaven ritual and received the True God's blessing. You can see the gap..."

Chen Tang repeated, "He did not obtain the Innate Dao Embryo."

Li Yiran snapped angrily, "The Eight Gates Reverse Life-and-Death Art is also an immortal thod — a profound skill the True King once practiced! What do you know about immortal arts?"

"He did not obtain the Innate Dao Embryo," Chen Tang said again.

Li Yiran's anger choked him and he glared at Chen Tang, "You know nothing!"

Beside him forr Fei patriarch Fei Buyi chuckled, "Chen Tang, don’t use your mouth to gain advantage. The Young Master visited all the great clans and they taught him supre techniques. He visited holy sites and the masters welcod him; the classics within those places were open for him to study. So renowned elders even guided him. Even we old bones passed on cultivation tricks to him."

Ma Jun added, "He is not inferior to the heirs of great clans — sotis even stronger."

Chen Tang: "He did not obtain the Innate Dao Embryo."

The old ancestors laughed at him in irritation, "One calls out embryos, the other calls out embryos. Don’t forget your son lacks an Innate Dao Embryo too! Your son's innate embryo was stolen!"

Chen Tang said soberly, "The Thirteen Great Clans stole my son's Innate Dao Embryo; the Western Capital owes my son a top scholar title."

The elders' faces soured. They muttered curses into the void and fell silent.

Only Chen Shi and the Young Master remained before Zhongji Hall. Chen Shi stepped forward and inspected the nine halls, one by one. The nine supre treasures left by the True King suppressed the fortunes of Western Ox New Continent — so even called them the Nine Immortal Artifacts. With these nine treasures, the Western Ox New Continent would not erupt in turmoil.

Surrounded by the Nine Halls, Chen Shi and the Young Master could fight freely without damaging anything. Even if either attempted to kill the other, the ministers could quickly invoke the Nine Halls' might to subdue both sides and prevent casualties. Fighting amid the Nine Halls was absolutely safe.

The Young Master walked behind him at an unhurried pace and said lancholically, "Chen Shi, how I envy you. If you had not died once, we would be about the sa age now. Yet our fates have been so unfair."

Chen Shi said nothing. He paused before Wenyuan Pavilion, scanning the structure, waiting for the Cabinet to announce the duel's start.

The Young Master sighed, "My life has been like a puppet's. At the Ren household, Ren Xiao and the others taught etiquette, how to speak and act, how to smile, how to breathe, how to walk, how to be politely impeccable. Even my clothes, shoes, and undergarnts were strictly regulated!" He smiled self-mockingly, a look that made girls' hearts flutter and tempted them to do anything for him.

Chen Shi remained unmoved. He circled Wenyuan Pavilion, entered, climbed to the third floor, opened a window and jumped out, heading to Jianji Hall not far away.

The Young Master followed and continued, "They taught how to buy people's hearts, how to manipulate situations, how to increase influence, how to be an immaculate young master in public while being ruthless and rciless in private! I learned hypocrisy, deceit, how to generate montum, how to seize a maiden's heart in the shortest ti, how to make a would-be hero pledge loyalty with a few words. I possess a talent for manipulating hearts, but I am unhappy."

Chen Shi asured the periter of Jianji Hall, then summoned his primordial spirit and flew through Jianji Hall to familiarize himself with its layout.

The Young Master said, "I am not happy. My surna is Zhu. I am the Son of Heaven, the future True King! I want to be myself. I want to win honorably, not through Shui Xuanzhi's sches or the support and rewards of the Thirteen Great Clans!" His voice carried anger as he declared loudly, "Shui Xuanzhi and the others have always avoided direct conflict between you and . Xia Fanghe and Xia Shouying have tried to blunt your advantages. Ren Xiao even tried to use power to pressure Chen Tang to force you to withdraw from the Top Scholar competition. They once launched a night raid on the Chen residence to cripple you. Those tactics are despicable and make ashad!"

Chen Shi continued inspecting Huagai Hall. The Young Master's chest heaved as he said, "They doubt my ability, they doubt my years of cultivation! They raise as the future True King yet doubt I can be the lord of the world. So this battle I must fight personally. I must win brilliantly!"

"I will not live my life arranged for without ever having a choice!" He spoke proudly, "This ti, I will choose for myself!"

Chen Shi silently swept his gaze across all nine halls, recalling each object's position, then quietly waited for the Cabinet’s order. The Young Master cald and slowly activated his cultivation. A primordial spirit appeared behind him. His primordial spirit stood six zhang tall, exhibiting the aura of an emperor, a heavenly dragon coiling its body. Within his spirit's forcefield ford eight gates. The intricacy and subtlety of his cultivation left onlookers in awe.

At that mont, the acting Minister of Rites announced, "The martial test begins!"

As the word "martial" left his mouth, Chen Shi's Xiao Lang Imperial Chapter Technique surged to its extre. At the utterance of "test" a primordial spirit rose behind him, equal in stature to his physical body. At "begin," the primordial spirit's forcefield spread. Chen Shi stepped forward. At "start," the pri spirit's fields of Wind-Thunder Variation, Mountain-Marsh Variation, and Water-Fire Variation ignited all at once. Simultaneously Chen Shi's right hand thrust forward and gripped the Young Master's face, pushing his body with a thunderous crash into the vermilion wall of Zhengyi Hall several zhang behind him!

Eunuch Feng sprang up in his wheelchair, eyes wide, exclaiming, "He has cultivated a primordial spirit!"

The Cabinet, the Six Ministries, the Three Dukes, the Three Solitaries, and all the ministers were struck with indescribable horror and rose to their feet.

"Help! Save him!"

Chen Tang's face turned a bit ferocious as he reached to open the box.

— Six thousand-character super-long chapter! Mama mia, this chapter originally had over eight thousand characters, but I removed three thousand and added a thousand to reach the perfect state! Please vote!