Chapter 27: Zhi Fan’s Encounter! The Last Gamble

Zhi Fan opened this marriage contract. She could not help but be stunned, and her whole person fell into memories.

This marriage contract was already over twenty years old. It even existed before she was born.

A true betrothal arranged before birth.

At that time, Zhi Fan’s grandfather had a sworn brother, their bond as strong as gold and orchids, their feelings deep and mutual. Their daughters-in-law were pregnant at almost the same time, so they said if one was a boy and the other a girl, they would become husband and wife—a betrothal arranged before birth.

In the end, they were indeed born as one boy and one girl.

That man on the other side was named Li Fengming.

Zhi Fan studied with him in the same academy until they were sixteen. Only, one was in the girls’ section, and the other in the boys’ section. Usually, when that boy saw Zhi Fan, he would stare blankly for a while, then quickly run away.

Of course, at that time, she had no idea this marriage contract existed.

It was not until Zhi Fan was about to marry Shen Wuque that she learned about this matter.

And right at this moment.

A voice sounded from outside.

“The newly appointed Prefect of Nanhai Commandery, Lord Li Shiyun, has arrived. Please, Master of the Star Pavilion, come out to greet him.” This was an official’s voice. Zhi Fan recognized this person; he was the Chief Clerk of Nanhai Commandery.

Zhi Fan stood up and looked at herself in the mirror. Her figure was too fiery, the curves of her chest and hips too provocative.

So, she put on a slightly thicker brocade gown over her clothes to cover her figure.

Then she walked out.

“I greet you, Lord Prefect.” Zhi Fan gave a slight bow, performing a half-courtesy.

The official opposite her was very young, not yet thirty. Yet he was exceptionally handsome, with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, possessing an imposing aura without seeming angry.

“Li Shiyun of Nanhai, greets Miss Zhi Fan.” The official said with authority.

Then, his expression softened, and his voice became emotional and filled with feeling.

“Li Fengming, greets younger sister Zhi Fan.”

Zhi Fan was stunned. She could not help but look up, surprised. “Li Shiyun, it’s you?”

Of course, the name Li Shiyun was like thunder to her ears. The second-place graduate in the Palace Examination of the Great Xia Empire six years ago. Over the next six years, his political achievements were outstanding, famous throughout the Empire.

First a Hanlin compiler, then sent out as the county magistrate of Longyu, and now directly promoted to Prefect of Nanhai.

A Prefect of a major commandery at only twenty-seven, a frontier official of great importance—there were only a few in the entire Empire.

Shen Gong’ao’s Zhenhai City was also within the jurisdiction of Nanhai Commandery.

She remembered that at the time, the Li family was declining, their fortunes falling, and they moved away from their hometown.

Yet who would have thought that now, Li Fengming, encountering the changing winds and clouds, had transformed into a dragon, staging such a triumphant return? The famous Li Shiyun who shook the Empire was the Li Fengming betrothed to her before birth.

…

In Wen Daozi’s Solitary Mountain Villa.

The Star-Draining Art did not drain the Martial Arts of humans but the Dark Energy of Demon Spirits.

99.99% of this world was normal. Only a very few areas were filled with strange and dark energy fields.

And within these areas, Demon Spirits were born.

Of course, these areas basically did not affect the world’s order, because these Demon Spirits could not leave these energy fields even half a step. Once they left, they would immediately turn to dust.

For example, a few hundred miles from here, in a certain sea area, there was a dark energy field.

It was called Hell’s Horn, also known as the Demon Spirit Sea.

“No! Absolutely not!” Wen Daozi said sharply. “The ‘Star-Draining Art’ is a dark and evil skill. Anyone who learns it will surely die without exception. Once discovered, even if you flee to the ends of the earth, you will be chased to the death.”

“Secondly, even if we were willing to let him learn it, what about Wuque’s Martial Arts bone and talent? What about his spiritual vein talent?” Wen Daozi said. “As everyone knows, a thousand years ago, those who could enter the Phantom Society were one-in-ten-thousand geniuses. And among the Phantom Society, those who could cultivate the ‘Attraction Art’ were one in a thousand! To cultivate the ‘Star-Draining Art,’ the highest level of spiritual vein talent was needed. Otherwise, one would suffer immediate backlash, wither and collapse, and die.”

“Twenty years ago, when the Star-Draining Art scroll appeared in the world, how many geniuses practiced it secretly? And the result? All died unnatural deaths. Some withered all over and died; some exploded and died. Among them, how many were one-in-ten-thousand geniuses? They all died! It is conservatively estimated that to practice the Star-Draining Art, one must have spiritual vein talent that is one in a million. Does Wuque have that?”

“Finally, we all know the Star-Draining Art scroll has been destroyed. Only one person in this world knows this evil skill—that is the Great Demon Xiang Wentian. This demon is mad and bloodthirsty, taking pleasure in killing. How many did we lose trying to capture him a few years ago?” Wen Daozi looked at Jiumogang and said, “That black spot near your heart, that was left by him back then, wasn’t it?”

Finally, Wen Daozi said slowly, “To learn the Star-Draining Art, this Great Demon must teach it personally. Do you want him to tear Wuque to pieces, torture him to death? So just give up on this idea!”

Everyone fell silent.

In just sixteen days, Wuque’s Martial Arts had to go from zero to directly breaking through to the Seventh-Rank Warrior.

Practicing the Star-Draining Art was almost the only way.

But practicing the Star-Draining Art itself could not even be described as nine deaths for one life.

Moreover, this was a forbidden art of the Dark Academy. Who could bear the consequences?

Sending Wuque to the demon prison to find the Great Demon Xiang Wentian to learn the Star-Draining Art was itself a death wish.

Wen Daozi left silently. Then everyone else also left without a word.

Only Fu Baoshi and Wuque remained in the room.

The current situation was already very clear. The Star-Draining Art was the only chance.

If he did not learn the Star-Draining Art, this Academy Grand Examination would be completely lost, and Wuque would have no chance at all to inherit the Shen Gong Family’s fifteen thousand square kilometers of foundation.

Mr. Fu Baoshi wanted to say something, but in the end, he did not speak. He just patted Wuque’s shoulder.

Then, Mr. Baoshi also left.

…

In the middle of the night!

Mr. Wen Daozi still was not sleeping. Instead, he came to the mountaintop and stood quietly.

A moment later, a black shadow appeared beside him. It was the Grandmaster of Martial Arts, Jiumogang.

“Our Pact of Nine Duels with the Conservative Faction has only the last duel left, which is the Martial Arts duel.” Jiumogang said. “But I can no longer win.”

Wen Daozi’s eyes narrowed. “Why?”

Jiumogang opened his robe, revealing a black spot on his chest.

It was a black spot that looked bottomless, a completely abnormal wound.

“My time is running out. My martial power is hard to use fully. Even before I start circulating my Internal Energy, I suffer backlash.” Jiumogang said. “So the ninth duel, if I fight, we will definitely lose. I might not even live until the day of the duel.”

Wen Daozi’s face twitched, his gaze desperate.

Jiumogang said, “In Martial Arts, only one person can replace me in the duel, and that is Shen Gong’ao. His Martial Arts are domineering and peerless, with few rivals. But he will not fight for you, even though he is your student.”

This was certain. Wen Daozi was Shen Gong’ao’s teacher, but Lord Mi was once Shen Gong’ao’s Lord.

Jiumogang said, “Mountain Master, we are going to lose. Our Reformist Faction is completely finished. The ideals we have fought for decades are going to be completely shattered.”

And right at this moment, a black shadow quickly came up the mountain.

“Mountain Master, the King of Daxi Kingdom has announced his formal conversion to the Western Theocracy!”

Hearing this, Wen Daozi’s body swayed again.

Daxi Kingdom, a foreign kingdom in the Western Regions, was once a banner for the Scholarium Reformist Faction’s westward expansion. The entire kingdom, including the royal family, had converted to the Scholarium.

Since the Reformist Faction’s decline, Daxi Kingdom had received no support from the Scholarium and was surrounded by enemies on all sides.

Now the King of Daxi finally could not hold on anymore. He abandoned his original civilization and turned to the Western Theocracy.

This was once the greatest political achievement of the Scholarium Reformist Faction.

Immediately after, another black shadow came up the mountain.

“Mountain Master, we just received a Messenger Pigeon. Elder Wen Zhong has passed away!”

Instantly, Wen Daozi could no longer hold on. He staggered and sat down on the ground.

Elder Wen Zhong was his father.

His spiritual mentor, his greatest backer.

Because of Wen Daozi’s Reformist Faction’s failure and the tragic massacre of Rou Lan City, Wen Daozi’s father was also implicated and voluntarily resigned from his position as Elder of the Sky Scholar City.

But even so, as long as the old man was alive, he was like a mountain guarding Wen Daozi’s back. No one dared to touch him.

Now that Elder Wen Zhong had passed away, for Wen Daozi and the remaining Reformist Faction, it was completely heaven collapsing and earth splitting.

Wen Daozi looked in the direction of the Sky Scholar City, silent.

No sorrow is greater than a dead heart.

“This is Elder Wen’s last words for you.” That person handed over a slip of paper.

Wen Daozi unfolded the paper. The handwriting was shaky and crooked. Clearly, his father wrote it with all his strength in his final moments.

“The path you chose, you must see it through to the end.”

Instantly, Wen Daozi recited his father’s final words to him over and over again.

Then, he knelt and kowtowed towards the direction of the Sky Scholar City.

Actually, he understood the meaning in his father’s words. To achieve the goal, one could use any means necessary, not bound by rules or morals.

He gritted his teeth again and again. He made up his mind again and again. He told himself again and again.

Maybe Wuque is a Martial Arts genius?

Maybe Wuque has immense luck. After going to the prison demon cave, the Great Demon Xiang Wentian might not kill him but instead be willing to teach him?

But in the end, Wen Daozi still shook his head. This was impossible.

The Great Demon Xiang Wentian and they had a deep hatred like the sea. Back when he was slaughtering everywhere, it was Wen Daozi who led dozens of experts to surround and capture him.

Xiang Wentian had now been imprisoned in the dark demon prison for a full ten years. He hated Wen Daozi to the bone.

And this Great Demon was originally a bloodthirsty, madman. He even killed his own wife and son with his own hands, let alone Wuque.

If Wen Daozi took Wuque to him to learn the Star-Draining Art, before they even got close, Xiang Wentian would probably crush their bones to dust and tear them to pieces.

“Father, I cannot do it! I cannot be so ruthless. Wuque is a genius. I cannot let him sacrifice himself in vain for me.” Wen Daozi continuously kowtowed towards the direction of the Sky Scholar City.

…

Jiumogang brought Wuque to a tree, looking at the vast sea below.

“Do you really want to pass the Academy Grand Examination? Are you willing to pay any price?” Jiumogang asked slowly.

Wuque said, “Of course.”

Jiumogang said again, “The Great Demon Xiang Wentian hates us to the bone. He is now imprisoned in a demon prison cave, never to come out for all eternity. If you go to him to learn the Star-Draining Art, it is basically nine deaths for one life. Ninety-nine percent of the time, he will immediately tear you to pieces.”

Wuque said, “I know.”

Jiumogang said, “He is not only a demon but also a madman. He not only killed his own wife with his own hands but also his own son.”

Wuque said, “I understand.”

Jiumogang said again, “Even if he agrees to teach you, there is a ninety-nine percent chance you will lose control, go berserk, and explode and die. This path is as difficult as climbing to heaven. But if you do not take it, there is no hope at all.”

“Now I ask you, are you sure you want to learn the dark and evil Star-Draining Art?”

Wuque said firmly, “I will learn it.”

Jiumogang said, “Good. Follow me.”

With that, he grabbed Wuque and leaped directly towards the sea surface. It was the last gamble.