Fang Jie has no eyes in the back of his head, so he naturally doesn't know the danger behind him. The earthen stick came crashing down on him with extreme force; without a doubt, if this blow landed, Fang Jie would instantly lose all ability to resist. The terrifying aspect of talisman masters lies in their ability to transform the energy of heaven and earth into attacks that are impossible to defend against. Because talisman masters are so rare, it's difficult to judge their true strength.
Unlike martial artists, whose ranks are clearly defined, the strength of talisman masters has always been difficult to assess accurately. Although talisman masters are also classified according to the ranks of martial artists, because the methods they use are incredibly diverse, there are bound to be instances of mutual reinforcement and restraint. It's not impossible for a fifth-rank talisman master skilled in earth and stone talismans to defeat a sixth-rank talisman master skilled in water talismans.
Generally speaking, talisman masters who use fire talismans are more troublesome. And the most troublesome are the extremely rare gold talisman masters.
Cui Pingzhou was skilled in using earth talismans. It was said that a talisman master skilled in earth talismans, upon reaching the ninth rank, could single-handedly defeat hundreds of elite soldiers using terrain. Of course, this was just a legend. At least until now, no talisman master in the Great Sui Dynasty had reached the ninth rank. A talisman master's entry level was based on the ability to sense the primordial energy of heaven and earth, and the ability to smoothly circulate this energy within their body. The starting point for the second rank was the ability to cast any weak introductory talisman. Judging from Cui Pingzhou's technique of transforming earth talismans into a staff, he should already possess at least the level of a fourth-rank talisman master.
Fang Jie had never fought a talisman master before; he hadn't witnessed it in the battle where Li Xiaozong of Fan Gu killed Wu Peisheng. Although he had heard of the existence of such extraordinary talisman masters, he always felt that most of the rumors were false. Although he knew that nothing was impossible in this world, and it was completely different from the world he was familiar with in his previous life, he still felt that talisman masters were too mystical and shouldn't exist in any real world.
This was an ingrained mindset, and it would take time to change.
Fang Jie kept retreating, while Cui Pingzhou's punches were astonishingly fast. The dense, rain-like punches made it difficult to distinguish which were real and which were illusions, so Fang Jie had to defend against every single one. Just doing that required complete concentration; how could he possibly sense the danger lurking behind him?
Therefore, Cui Pingzhou was certain he had won.
He didn't want to kill Fang Jie. Aside from the rules of the Martial Arts Academy prohibiting fatalities, the fact that Fang Jie was now someone even the Emperor cared about made Cui Pingzhou hesitant to strike.
Therefore, while his earthen staff was sharp, it lacked the power to kill. However, if Fang Jie were to take a solid hit, he would inevitably cough up blood.
If Fang Jie were struck in the back, Cui Pingzhou's speed would allow him to subdue him instantly.
Relatively speaking, capturing him alive was far more advantageous than knocking him down.
As the earthen staff cleaved down, a smile involuntarily crept onto Cui Pingzhou's face.
Then his smile froze, his expression shifting from smugness to surprise.
He noticed a particularly vivid red light flash in Fang Jie's eyes, and then Fang Jie vanished without a trace. If Cui Pingzhou's punches were fast enough to be seen with the naked eye, Fang Jie's disappearance was so fast that even the average person couldn't track him.
Fang Jie couldn't sense the danger behind him, but he saw the smile on Cui Pingzhou's lips.
In that instant, the muscles in his legs tensed instantly. If someone were to touch his legs at that moment, they would be astonished to find that his leg muscles were harder than rock! Fang Jie had mentioned something like this during a chat with Da Quan on the way to Chang'an City, but Da Quan didn't understand, and Fang Jie didn't bother to explain.
Scientists say that the muscle strength an ordinary person can exert is negligible compared to the limits of muscle strength. If all the muscles in the body were exerted in one direction, it could generate thousands of kilograms of force.
Fang Jie's current body was so strange that even he himself didn't quite understand it. But he knew clearly that since leaving Fan Gu, his muscles had become increasingly strong. He had already fainted twice from the pain, and each time he awoke, Fang Jie could feel his body had changed, becoming even stronger.
He had never revealed his limits in public, but that didn't mean he hadn't secretly tested what those limits truly were.
The moment he saw the smile on Cui Pingzhou's lips, Fang Jie reacted instantly. His mind had barely formed before his body moved. This was the biggest difference between him and ordinary people; each time he fainted from the pain and awoke, Fang Jie found his reaction speed was even faster than before.
He didn't know if this was due to Prince Zhong, Yang Qi's methods, or if he himself was somewhat strange. Of course, he had considered that if it was the latter, it might barely explain why someone was hunting him down, and why someone was protecting him. A terrifying thought had once crossed Fang Jie's mind, a thought he himself didn't want to face again.
He feared that he was an experimental subject cultivated by some extremely powerful force.
In the stillness of the night, this thought grew clearer and more terrifying. Imagine, if someone were created or modified by another, and that person only realized it as an adult—how terrifying would that be?
Fang Jie constantly sensed his body and worried about whether this constitution, so different from others, might have any drawbacks. For example, what if he died one day without warning?
In fact, those who have died once are more afraid of death than ordinary people.
Fortunately, since the changes in his body began, Fang Jie hadn't felt anything wrong; on the contrary… this body was working very well now.
Fang Jie disappeared before Cui Pingzhou's eyes.
…
…
When Fang Jie disappeared, Cui Pingzhou clearly saw the stick he had conjured with his earth talisman. And this stick was rapidly falling. With Fang Jie gone, the stick was falling directly towards Cui Pingzhou himself.
Cui Pingzhou immediately stopped, then drew a talisman with both hands at an absurdly fast speed. As he drew the talisman, he subtly retreated. During this retreat, the earthen stick suddenly disintegrated, transforming into dozens of smaller sticks that shot out in all directions like arrows.
They covered almost every direction except where Cui Pingzhou was standing.
All the earthen sticks scattered like arrows, but Cui Pingzhou heard no sounds of anyone being injured. He was slightly surprised, then his expression immediately changed. Before he could stop, he abruptly changed direction, preparing to dodge to the side. But… it was too late.
Fang Jie was behind him.
A side kick.
The leg whistled through the air, striking Cui Pingzhou hard in the back. The kick was powerful and heavy; Cui Pingzhou groaned and flew forward. Before he even landed, Fang Jie caught up from behind. He grabbed Cui Pingzhou by the collar as he flew through the air, spun him twice to dissipate the momentum of his kick, and then lifted Cui's rather tall body high above his head with one arm.
The young man, with one arm, lifted his opponent above his head.
On the viewing platform, everyone held their breath. Prince Yi, Yang Yin, stared wide-eyed, seemingly unable to believe what he was seeing. He never imagined that a prodigy skilled in both talismanic arts and martial arts would be defeated. The moment Cui Pingzhou revealed his talismanic arts, his status in many people's minds immediately rose a level. Those who had initially favored Fang Jie almost all changed their minds.
After all, in most people's eyes, someone like Fang Jie, without cultivation power, even with high martial arts skills, wouldn't be a match for a talisman master, let alone one with strong martial arts cultivation.
But change happens so quickly. While people were still reeling from one astonishment, they were plunged into another, to the point of numbness and stunned disbelief.
Yang Yin let out a second low gasp, seemingly even more intense than his surprise at Cui Pingzhou's identity as a talisman master.
On the entire arena, only a handful of people remained composed. Dean Zhou was one of them, followed by Right General Xu Xiaogong and Left General Yu Manlou, and then Professor Qiu Yu, who quietly kept her head down reading, seemingly oblivious to the change in the arena.
"I lost."
Cui Pingzhou, lifted into the air by Fang Jie, was pale, yet he felt his face burning.
"Thank you for your understanding."
Fang Jie gently lowered Cui Pingzhou to the ground with one arm, planting him like a scallion. The pale-faced Cui Pingzhou clasped his hands in a fist salute, then strode away. He didn't say another word, not even glancing at Fang Jie. Fang Jie understood Cui Pingzhou's feelings, but he didn't feel this defeat deserved sympathy.
He ended his duel with Cui Pingzhou a little too quickly; most of the other candidates were still fighting. Fang Jie stood quietly to the side, watching the battles intently. He carefully observed their techniques, silently memorizing them.
On the platform, Prince Yi, Yang Yin, looked at the young man and suddenly smiled, a strange glint flashing in his eyes, though it was unclear what he was thinking. Sitting beside him, Minister of Rites Huai Qiugong seemed to sense something, glancing at him subconsciously before frowning slightly.
But quickly, Huai Qiugong's attention was drawn to someone else.
On the training ground, another battle was decided.
Yu Xiao stood to the side, hands behind his back, not looking at his defeated opponent. He slightly turned his head to look at Fang Jie, his brow furrowed as if something was troubling him.
Less than thirty seconds after Fang Jie defeated Cui Pingzhou, Yu Xiao's battle also ended. His opponent was strong, but seemed to have no chance against Yu Xiao. For the first two minutes, Yu Xiao had been on the defensive, even being forced back several steps like Fang Jie. But he only needed one move to subdue his seemingly aggressive opponent. And only as he fell to the ground did his opponent realize that Yu Xiao's constant defense and retreat were merely an attempt to observe his attack techniques.
Therefore, he was somewhat annoyed and resentful.
A man with spirit will never feel comfortable feeling slighted after realizing he has been underestimated.
The third to finish his fight was Pei Chuxing, only about ten seconds slower than Yu Xiao. The fourth to finish was Xie Fuyao, who seemed somewhat exhausted, his body slightly bent forward, his chest heaving considerably. After catching his breath, he straightened up and found the boy named Fang Jie looking at him.
Xie Fuyao smiled politely at Fang Jie, then turned and walked to the side to rest.
He seemed unwilling to continue fighting.
Just then, Yu Xiao slowly walked towards Fang Jie.
...
...
On the official road three miles outside Chang'an, pedestrians thronged, and many rested in the roadside teahouses. The large bowls of tea sold there were very cheap; on such a hot summer day, a bowl of cool tea to cool off was a welcome relief for travelers.
A beautiful young woman in a blue floral dress, carrying a bundle, sat down in the teahouse, sipping her tea while surveying the now clearly visible Chang'an city. She seemed to have been to Chang'an before, for her face showed no shock at the city's grandeur.
Instead, it seemed to show nostalgia.
The teahouse owner, attracted by the woman's beauty, kept stealing glances in her direction. His fierce wife, finally losing her temper, grabbed his ear and twisted it hard. The owner screamed like a pig being slaughtered, attracting the attention of the resting pedestrians, who then burst into laughter.
The boss begged for mercy for a long time before his wife finally released him. His face flushed and neck red, he instinctively looked at the beautiful young woman. But he found she was gone, and several copper coins had appeared on the table.
Shenquan Mountain.
Zhuo Buyi stood solemnly, while the Crane Cry Daoist's expression was grave.
An old monk dressed in a gray robe and draped in a golden kasaya appeared before them. He had kind features and a peaceful expression. His ears were particularly large, their lobe almost reaching his chin. The old monk looked to be around sixty years old, with a round face and no beard.
"You forced me out, so I came out."
He looked at Zhuo Buyi and the Crane Cry Daoist, shook his head slightly, and sighed, "Unfortunately, I only wanted to take my worthless disciple back to the Great Snow Mountain, but in the end, I still couldn't avoid taking action. Alas… even moths and ants have lives. Why did you treat them so carelessly?"