Chapter 773: 1: Great Dao Body

Chapter 773: Chapter 1: Great Dao Body

The 48th Year of Hong Guang, March 17th.

The first exchange match between Tianqu University and Hongyi University ended smoothly.

Since the first Martial Arts Exchange Competition was held, it has been held annually thereafter.

Initially, it was participated in by the Taoist Three Sects and twelve universities, but now it includes the Pudu Temple, thirteen universities, and two Taoist sects together.

In the months leading up to the national Martial Arts Exchange Competition, some universities hold their own exchange matches with each other to train their students while also serving as an internal selection process.

This year marked the first time Hongyi University held an exchange match with Tianqu University, and as a ‘new university’, Hongyi University proactively sent students to Tianqu University to compete.

There were a total of 15 participants from Hongyi University, including 5 civilian students and 10 students from noble families.

The ratio was not because the school intentionally gave more spots to noble students, but rather it was determined based on the students’ overall performance.

Although Hongyi University claims to treat all students equally, noble students can more easily obtain academic points due to the backing of their families and connections, allowing them to exchange for resources.

Civilian students, wanting to catch up in resource acquisition, could only fight with all their might!

Under such circumstances, civilian students made up only a third of the 15 spots.

Yet in the exchange match between the two universities, the five civilian students from Hongyi University performed excellently.

Whether in terms of adaptability on the spot or tenacity and fierceness, they noticeably surpassed the other students!

Students trained by the most brutal ‘World Sect-style’ educational method are indeed mentally stronger than those nurtured by ‘greenhouse education’.

The five civilian students from Hongyi University were led by Zhang Yan, a third-year student. (See Volume Three, Chapter 110 “Hongyi”)

Zhang Yan had just broken through to the Qi Change Middle Stage, boasting the highest cultivation among all the civilian students at Hongyi University, and he was also the strongest in combat power, earning him the title ‘Senior Brother’ among many civilian students.

In this exchange competition, he advanced all the way to the finals but eventually lost to a fifth-year student from Tianqu University at the Qi Change Peak.

After the match, the participating students from the two universities arranged to have a meal together.

Of course, because the civilian students and the noble ones from Hongyi University were practically at odds, the meal arrangements were separate.

Everyone invited different groups.

In the end, Zhang Yan and the others managed to invite only three students from Tianqu University.

After the meal, Zhang Yan called one of the Tianqu University students aside:

“Brother Zhuo, you’ve been considering for a year now, haven’t you made up your mind yet?”

This student from Tianqu University was named Zhuo Buping, the champion of this exchange match between the two schools.

Two years ago, in that year’s National Martial Arts Exchange Competition, he made it to the second round of the main tournament before encountering Li Fei and was ultimately eliminated. (See Volume Three, Chapter 14 “Flowing for Eternity”)

Zhuo Buping also came from a civilian background; he had a naturally sorrowful appearance, and upon hearing Zhang Yan’s question, he appeared even more troubled.

“Brother Zhuo, if there’s anything difficult, feel free to speak openly.”

Zhang Yan had a straightforward expression.

Zhuo Buping shook his head, and instead, used force transmission:

“On the 1st of this month, in over two hundred villages and towns in five provinces in the north, there were simultaneous anomalies where tens of thousands of people suddenly fell unconscious, resulting in nearly a thousand casualties, with many others left with lifelong ailments. A week ago, the court announced the cause, attributing it all to the newly defined cult organization, the New Heaven Association. Brother Zhang, do you have anything to say about this?”

Zhang Yan was not surprised upon hearing this and maintained a calm gaze at Zhuo Buping, using force transmission to say:

“These were indeed actions of the New Heaven Association, but Brother Zhuo, have you considered, at the beginning of the year during the snow disaster, these five provinces were the hardest hit, and due to the corrupt and incompetent local government, many remote villages experienced casualties from the cold.

If it weren’t for the New Heaven Association expending many casting materials to set arrays nearby and providing them with cold-resisting spells, many of them wouldn’t have survived the snow disaster. The eventual death toll would have been several times higher than now!”

Zhuo Buping was momentarily taken aback, sarcastically saying, “So you’re saying the New Heaven Association didn’t harm them but rather saved them?”

Zhang Yan retorted, “Isn’t that the case?”

Zhuo Buping: “….”

For a moment, he couldn’t find a reason to refute, but instinctively felt something was not right.

“Brother Zhuo, have you considered, involving five provinces and over two hundred villages, how much casting material the New Heaven Association would need to complete this? Would there be no one supporting us behind this large amount of casting material? Why are they helping us?”

Zhang Yan continued, “With over two hundred villages being involved simultaneously, how could it be possible that not a single message leaked out? But why was there not one single piece of news transmitted to the Central Government?”

Zhuo Buping looked at him: “Are you suggesting that there are people in your favor within the court?”

Zhang Yan shook his head: “It’s not just this reason, but also because many people, to preserve their official hats, willingly helped us conceal the information.”

Zhuo Buping frowned.

Zhang Yan sneered: “We succeed not only because of our capabilities but also because of our opponents’ decay!

You only hear the court saying the New Heaven Association caused over a thousand casualties, but the court will never tell you how many people, who could have survived through court relief, ultimately died in the snow disaster due to the local government’s decay and officials’ inaction!”

Zhuo Buping: “….”

He pondered for a moment, finally sorting through his thoughts:

“But if you also proceed by casually sacrificing others, what’s the difference between you and the court you despise?”