Chapter 230 Compare (Part III)
Fang Xingjian did not reply, but allowed his thoughts to circulate as he thought of the many star charts and star trails. Many spots of light started flashing all over his body.
From there, the first circle of light, the second circle of light, the third circle of light, the fourth circle of light, the fifth circle of light, and the sixth circle of light lit up one by one.
When the third circle of light lit up, everyone was wide-eyed and open-mouthed. When the fourth, the fifth and even the sixth circle of light lit up, the place was filled with absolute silence, as if they had all been turned into mutes.
Lilia was the first one to react. She smiled, turned to the golden-haired, young aristocrat lady who appeared as if she had been turned into stone, and asked, “Haha, which level did Hoult reached again? I think it was the fifth?”
That young lady’s face immediately turned black, but this time around, there was nothing she could say to rebut. She could only grit her teeth, feeling very stuffy.
To think that Fang Xingjian was able to reach the seventh level from the Pantheon Monument. This news was simply too unbelievable and too astonishing.
If someone had told this to Governor Devitt, he would definitely have laughed, and would neither have taken it seriously nor have believed it.
However, the facts were placed right before him and he was forced to believe it. He even saw that the old man who had been guarding the monument was following behind Fang Xingjian.
He asked in astonishment, “Why have you come out as well?”
The old man broke into a grin, revealing his incomplete set of yellowed teeth, and said, “I’m not going to guard the Pantheon Monument anymore. You can look for someone else.” He turned and looked at Fang Xingjian, saying in enthusiasm, “I have an affinity with this young lad. I want to have a good chat with him.”
Devitt did not continue to speak to the old man, but turned to look at Fang Xingjian excitedly and asked, “Xingjian, you solved all the mysteries behind the Pantheon Monument?” Looking at the six circles of light on Fang Xingjian’s back, he still did not dare to believe it.
The old man grinned and said, “Little De, even you find it hard to believe, right? But it’s the truth, this lad solved the final level of the Pantheon Monument’s mysteries, the seventh level. Even the Melancholic Monarch himself appeared.”
“What?!”
Instantly, all four examiners dashed up, looking at Fang Xingjian as if they were looking at a national treasure, their gazes so scorchingly hot that it seemed as if they would be able to burn through his body.
Devitt grabbed Fang Xingjian and asked, “Xingjian, have you really solved all the mysteries behind the Pantheon Monument? You’ve reached the seventh level?
“Then you must have received the main legacy that was left behind by the Melancholic Monarch! What is it? Killing technique? Nurturing technique? Waves? Or is it a mental cultivation method?”
Although Devitt was slightly agitated, he regained his composure after finishing his words.
In fact, if it were something else, even if he was given a Divine Remains Equipment, he would not be this excited.
However, the Melancholic Monarch’s main legacy… How astonishing was this? Even amongst the Divine level experts from two hundred years ago, the Melancholic Monarch’s powers had always been at the top.
Now, Devitt was looking at Fang Xingjian like he was a treasure. However, after asking his questions, he had once again regained his composure. He looked at Fang Xingjian and said, “Xingjian, you don’t have to be in a rush to say it. We have regulations in both the academy and in the Regional Selection that the martial arts cultivated by the Knights can all be kept a secret. It’s not compulsory for you to share everything with us. The same goes for what you have comprehended from the Pantheon Monument.
“However, if you’re willing to reveal, we won’t be taking it for free either. Any Knight who is willing to announce the results of their comprehension from the Pantheon Monument will all receive great compensation.
“You don’t have to be in a hurry to make the decision. After all, you’ll still be remaining in the academy in the end. You can take your time to consider this.”
What Devitt was thinking of was that after Fang Xingjian had become a Conferred Knight, he would remain in his Regional Academy to continue his studies. Usually, Knights in Regional Academies would mostly choose to remain at their academy to continue their cultivation until they had met a bottleneck.
Then, they would be presented with two options. The first one was to continue to stay in the academy to continue to pursue advanced studies and the mysteries behind ether particles. This was a path where one researched cultivation.
The second option was that after one reached the bottleneck, the person could leave the academy. The Empire would naturally help arrange a good position outside, which was not limited to positions in the Ministry of Finance, in the army, in the Royal Weaponry, or in the Royal Knight Association. It could also be the position of an academy’s Headmaster, a City Lord, or a Marshal of the Imperial Guards who was tasked with the job of leading regional troops. They were all great positions.
Of course, after leaving the Regional Academy, they would not be able to return to continue their studies. The only exception was passing the National Selection, which would allow them to continue cultivating in the Empire’s National Academy located in the Imperial Capital.
No matter how talented Fang Xingjian was, the ten Heavenly Barriers Conferred Knights had to face were extremely tough. Devitt thought to himself that no matter how fast Fang Xingjian was, he would still need to stay in the academy for a number of years. Devitt would thus have lots of time to employ sugar-coated bullets to coax the secrets of the Pantheon Monument out from Fang Xingjian.
The spectators at the back were all stunned. The seventh level of the Pantheon Monument, to solve all of the mysteries behind the Pantheon Monument… What kind of concept was this? It was something that had not been accomplished for the past two hundred years, but now, it was accomplished by a seventeen year old young man.
The four examiners who had been extremely solemn and strict all this time were now surrounding Fang Xingjian. Their expressions, their actions, were all simply as if they were looking at their own kids.
Amidst the crowd, Tresia’s Xiu Yi frowned as horror filled his eyes, “Impossible! Impossible! No one has been able to solve the final mysteries behind the Pantheon Monument! How could Fang Xingjian have done it? Have I heard incorrectly? My eyes must have been playing tricks on me… I must have heard wrong…”
However, the six circles of light on Fang Xingjian’s back were still flashing in his mind.
He felt that it was the first time that his life had become like an illusion, as if he was witnessing a legend.
Amidst everyone’s extremely astonished gazes, Devitt and the other three examiners returned to their original positions. They had exchanged words with the old man who guarded the Pantheon Monument and understood Fang Xingjian’s situation.
Devitt was beaming, seeming very satisfied with this year’s results. He smiled and said, “The results of this selection’s Pantheon Monument Observation have far surpassed that of previous years. A total of thirteen examinees had results in comprehending the Pantheon Monument’s mysteries. Out of them, there were three who comprehended the second level, two who comprehended the third level, and one who comprehended the fifth level…”
He then finally went on to announce the most shocking news, “… But what I’m happiest to hear is that our Great Western Region Regional Academy’s Pantheon Monument has finally been fully solved. The seventh level has been comprehended, something which no one has ever succeeded in before.
“Fang Xingjian. He has solved all seven levels of the Pantheon Monument’s mysteries and has comprehended the Melancholic Monarch’s greatest legacy. Therefore, I’m pleased to announce that the one to be placed in first position in the Pantheon Monument Observation is Fang Xingjian.”
In that instant, everyone broke out in applause. Lilia, Ferdinand, Anthony, and Robert all clapped furiously, their palms turning red.
Xiu Yi and Zhou Yong looked at this scene in disbelief, feeling as if they were still in a dream.
The young ladies who had been cheering for Hoult were all rendered speechless, as if someone was grabbing their necks.
The other rankings were based on the level the individuals had comprehended. Those who had comprehended the same level would be further distinguished by the time they took to comprehend. If the amount of time they took was the same as well, then it would be based on the prowess of the martial arts they had comprehended.
In the third stage, sixteen examinees would be selected. Other than the twelve who had comprehended the Pantheon Monument’s mysteries, the remaining examinees would have to verbalize what they had comprehended, and demonstrate the little martial arts they had gained. They would then be assessed.
There were people who had tried to put on an act, people who had spouted rubbish, as well as people who had some truth in what they spoke and were not far from attaining a breakthrough in their comprehensions.
These people were naturally all assessed. However, there were not many spectators who had their attention on them. Everyone’s focus was now on Fang Xingjian. At this moment, he was the one and only leading character.
After the sixteen examinees were selected, everyone cheered.
The sixteen examinees were Fang Xingjian in first place, Hoult in second, Wei Leng in third, Anderson in fourth…
As for David, he was obviously eliminated.
After all the rankings were completed, the sixteen examinees were led to the dining hall for their meals. After finishing their meals, these people who were all talents blessed by the heaven and were only one step away from becoming Conferred Knights would then have a private discussion with the examiners before starting their respective preparations for the final stage, the arena battle.
And although the rankings in the third stage had no impact on the results of the arena battle, they had a great impact on the bets placed by those from Kirst. At least on this night, Ferdinand, who had placed his bets that Fang Xingjian would come out first place for the third stage, had went to sleep in smiles.