CHAPTER 104: CHAPTER 93 GENIUS_3

How so? Now that Sui Qingfang mentioned it, it seemed that even those with the Root Bone and talent of Chen Ku merely... stood out?

"Miss Sui, is there any hidden story behind this?" Jiang Shaoyou asked, frowning.

Sui Qingfang took a deep breath, her exhale like a soft sigh, and said, "Actually, the principle is quite simple; you just need to think about it, and you’ll understand. I do have some inside information, which is...

The Grandmaster Jin Chui we talked about during our last gathering is almost certain to come.

But it’s precisely because of this, do you understand?"

Half of the people had puzzled expressions on their faces.

Chen Ku seemed to have realized something and said, "Last time, you mentioned that Grandmaster Jin Chui, Qin Yuxian, is the President of the thirty-six Martial Associations of Qiu Dragon Mansion and can be considered the leading figure of the Qiu Dragon White Path on the surface... So, if he is to oversee the examination, Miss Sui wants to gain his favor... But from this, it can also be concluded... that all the young people in Qiu Dragon Mansion are thinking the same, aren’t they?"

"Exactly, Chen Ku, you are very smart."

Sui Qingfang said calmly, "The ’Qiu Dragon Martial Meeting,’ founded by Master Qin Yu, has united various heroes from all walks of life for over thirty years. He is the indisputable foremost figure of the Qiu Dragon White Path. He is also admired by everyone in the Mansion who practices Martial Arts. He is revered for his high moral virtue. Beyond that, he himself possesses World-Surpassing Martial Arts skills and is known to greatly appreciate young talents... Whoever can receive a tip or two from him will benefit for a lifetime... Not to mention how many young people in Qiu Dragon Mansion dream of becoming his disciples."

"Just from what I know, next spring, young outstanding talents from the eighteen major forces of Baojiao County alone will come to participate in the ’Military Scholar’ examination. That’s not even counting the prodigies from the other various counties."

After hearing what Sui Qingfang had said, Jiang Shaoyou felt a bit dizzy. He asked, "If that’s the case, won’t next spring’s martial examination essentially become the equivalent of a ’Prefectural Examination’? Countless geniuses from an entire Prefecture competing in a single county for just twenty Elementary Scholar positions?"

He suddenly felt as if the path ahead was turning dark.

For a while, the atmosphere around the table felt somewhat oppressive.

Chen Ku also looked grave.

Wasn’t this just like a regular county-level college entrance exam, only for all the top students from the city’s key high schools to suddenly decide to join in the fun?

If you’re a top student in the county, a high-achiever, can you still expect to dominate everyone in the much larger city?

Talent emerges from the population base.

The larger the territory, the greater the potential pool of talent.

"Well, this is the information I wanted to provide for you both this time. I have a list here of the young outstanding individuals from the eighteen major powers, along with some basic Jianghu intelligence, which I can give to Chen Ku and Shaoyou."

Sui Qingfang took out two small booklets. This was, in essence, a way to study their opponents in advance.

Chen Ku randomly opened one and looked.

The top-ranked person was the foremost young expert of the Hongwu Meeting of Qiu Dragon Mansion, known as ’Red Stick’ Pei Qingzhi. He was only sixteen years old yet capable of wielding two five-thousand-jin White Tiger Bright Silver Hammers. Despite his youth, he had already forced some of Qiu Dragon’s older generation figures to kneel and beg for mercy, making them tremble at the mere mention of his name.

The second-ranked was a Sword Dao True Seedling named Dugu Wuer from Dugu Fort. Hailed as a savior born to the Dugu Family after three hundred years, he carried a Sword Box on his back, said to contain nine Divine Swords.

He looked further down the list.

...

There were eighteen names in total.

Every one of them seems like a protagonist archetype, don’t they?

As Chen Ku reviewed the descriptions in these profiles, just a few words were enough to make him feel that each one fit the mold of a protagonist from a story about geniuses.

"This world truly has an endless supply of geniuses," Chen Ku sighed.

It wasn’t just Chen Ku who felt a sense of awe; although the others had different emotions, their underlying thoughts were largely the same.

In the end, the banquet concluded in a somewhat somber atmosphere.

"Chen Ku, Jiang Shaoyou."

Before the feast disbanded and they headed home, Sui Qingfang said to the two of them at the door, "I hope that next spring, all three of us can secure good rankings. Even if we can’t, we must give it our all and make our efforts worthwhile."

"Yes, thank you for your words, Miss Sui. We’ll encourage each other."

"Farewell."

"Let’s meet up again sometime."

Jiang Shaoyou had drunk a bit too much and was escorted home by his family’s servants.

Chen Ku, however, didn’t feel quite so overwhelmed. It was currently November, and the martial examinations wouldn’t be held until next spring, likely in February or March.

This left him at least four months to continue refining his skills.

HAAH.

It was November, and the journey home was a bit cold; his breath plumed white in the air. No snow had fallen yet... it was just a dry, biting cold.

「The next day, Wu Gui notified him that the cook, maids, and long-term workers had all been hired.」

After informing his two masters, Chen Ku rode a horse out of the city. Less than half a day later, he returned to Dachen Village in Snake Fish Town.

From afar, the village women and children started shouting.

"Look! A rich young master on a big horse, wearing fancy clothes, has come to the village entrance!"

"He’s so extravagant! Hurry, come and see!"

But when they reached the village entrance, they all exclaimed in surprise.

"Isn’t that Brother Chen Ku?"

"What’s he wearing? Good heavens! Silk and satin, with embroidery... Even Guo Xiangshen has never worn clothes this fine!"

Guo Xiangshen and the village chief, having heard the news, had rushed over.

"Chen Brothers! Chen Brothers! I heard you opened a mine and had Jiyang go manage it for you? And that you’ve opened a shop in the city! Is it true?" Guo Xiangshen approached, his tobacco pipe forgotten in his hand, his curiosity piqued as he eagerly awaited an answer.

Chen Ku dismounted and, smiling, said, "Yes, there’s a little shop, and I’m planning to move my family into the city too."