Ze Tian Ji (Way of Choices)

Chen Chang Sheng stopped walking and turned towards the teacher. He was rather confused by his anger. He then realized where the anger came from. The previous students who failed this part of testing all backed out disappointingly. As a result the instructor thought he would’ve done the same. However, Chen Chang Sheng kept on walking regardless of the results. This of course, didn’t make the teacher too happy.

Chen Chang Sheng didn’t want to waste his precious time on useless arguments and debate. He bowed sincerely to the teacher and explained plainly, “Sir, I’m not trying to cause trouble.”

That teacher wanted to scold him for trying to cause trouble in the testing field, but suddenly Chen Chang Sheng defended himself before he said anything. He was so shocked that he was stuck between his words. The teacher coughed a little and yelled, “Then why aren’t you leaving yet!”

The young students behind Chen Chang Sheng in line were already waiting impatiently. They realized that he didn’t have any intention to leave and thought he was trying to slow down the process to get back at the academy. They got irritated as well and start to yell at Chen Chang Sheng with the teacher. Some of them even mocked that he had mental issues.

Chen Chang Sheng heard the words and mockery, but his expression didn’t change a bit. His calmness was rather rare in a fourteen year old youngster. He looked at the teacher and bowed again with manner, “I have yet to cultivate, but I can still apply for Heavenly Academy.”

The teacher was stunned. He didn’t know what the youngster was trying to say. He has yet to reach the Purification stage then how was he qualified to enter the exam? There was no exception in recent years. Even if there was, then why would he be the exception?

Chen Chang Sheng continued, “According to the eighth note of the fourth ruling of the seventeenth chapter of the Law of Heavenly Academy, the only needed qualification to enter the school is to pass the written exam. Eleven years ago, there was such a case in the Ministry of Personnel.”

Looking at Chen Chang Sheng’s inexpensive clothing, the teacher instinctively wanted to rebuke him for lying. It was not because he disliked the poor, but rather he couldn’t believe that the poor youngster in front of him was more knowledgeable than he was about the Law of Heavenly Academy. What note? What ruling? Was it actually mentioned in the law? Then how come he had no memory of it?

Just when the teacher was about to call people to drag this youngster out of the field, he heard the words “Ministry of Personnel”. He was surprised and didn’t order the guards.

The Ministry of Personnel used to be an insignificant department under the Zhou Dynasty. However, after the Divine Empress came to power and after her famous subordinate Zhou Tong took care of the place, the once unnoticeable Ministry of Personnel changed drastically. Countless officials who were loyal to the previous royal clan died mysteriously in the seemingly ordinary buildings of the department. Slowly, this name was feared by all officials of the Zhou Dynasty.

Although Heavenly Academy wasn’t in the territory of the Ministry of Personnel, it nonetheless feared it. The thing that worried the teacher the most was that the Ministry of Personnel wanted to eliminate their bad name. As a result they did everything legally. If there was actually a ruling in the Law of Heavenly Academy mentioned by the youngster and he dragged the youngster out, then he would be in deep trouble……..

Looking at the calm expression of Chen Chang Sheng, the teacher suddenly felt insecure. After a few moments of hesitation, he yelled at the back of the crowd and turned away and left. The mocking and yelling of the crowd stopped and turned to whispering. No one knew what was happening.

After a while, the teacher finally returned. The expression of his eyes toward Chen Chang Sheng was complicated.

Chen Chang Sheng knew that he probably went to check the Law of Heavenly Academy and saw the note he mentioned earlier. He read the entire Three Thousand Scriptures of The Way when he was young and memorized the countless literatures from front to back. He even read laws and manners of different countries countless times. Of course he wasn’t wrong.

“Even if you continue testing, you have no chance. Why waste your time?”

The teacher said strictly to Chen Chang Sheng with no expression.

Chen Chang Sheng answered, “I still want to try.”

The teacher said, “You have yet to reach Purification, how are you going to answer the questions? Furthermore, your mind will be damaged by doing so. Are you sure you want to try?”

What the teacher said was true. The most important thing after Purification was that physical strength will increase as well as mental abilities. This was an obtained ability and cannot be changed by mortal force. Without Purification, it would be impossible to solve such difficult questions. They could even damage one’s mental ability if they try to force it. Therefore the Sensory Stone on the table became a necessary stage in the entrance exam. People who couldn’t emit light from the stone will be eliminated from the test. This had already became a tradition or common sense. Therefore no previous failures said anything until Chen Chang Sheng appeared.

Chen Chang Sheng bowed once more and said “I’m sure.”

The expression on the teacher face wasn’t good. He thought that Chen Chang Sheng read the ruling out of luck from somewhere and wanted to waste his and everyone’s time. Then he let Chen Chang Sheng go. Even if his mental ability got damaged from doing so, it would be his own fault.

“Then go.”

Chen Chang Sheng bowed one last time and said no more. He walked out of the bamboo scaffold and continued walking toward the building of Heavenly Academy.

Then the teacher said no more and looked at the rest of the students. His expression was frozen and said, “Next.”

(Apparently my translators trolled me and slacked me… Thank hypersheep for pointing this out… Really sorry guys. He translated the other half after here which i will link to… Really sorry… http://pastebin.com/KA4K4Z7k)