Chapter 76: Power of the Dragon-Elephant, Sixth Rank, is it?
“Family alliances are all about profit. Now that Shen Yanzhou holds no value, this marriage alliance is doomed to fall apart.”
Liu Zi’an patted his shoulder, his gaze catching something as he nudged and grinned.
“Speaking of which, look, isn’t Senior Sister Zhao coming over right now?”
Hearing that, Qi Haoran’s hands froze mid-motion, and his gaze followed the direction indicated.
Several figures were approaching from afar.
At their head was a woman with ink-black hair cascading like a waterfall, unbound and flowing freely.
Her face was pale and radiant without the aid of cosmetics, as flawless as carved jade.
She wore a simple gauze robe of plain colors, her figure slender and graceful, with only the Dragon-Tiger Institute’s inner court token hanging from her waist—a simple, modest appearance.
Following beside her were several young men and women, all carrying an extraordinary bearing.
Some wore embroidered robes of brocade clouds, others long gauze dresses in vivid colors, adorned with fine jade ornaments.
Their laughter and conversation were bright and elegant—they were all noble descendants of great families from the imperial capital.
“This time, the Lyric Garden Poetry Gathering is hosted by Senior Sister Zhao. She put in a great deal of effort to make it happen. The well-known senior brothers and sisters from the Literary Court of the Dragon-Tiger Institute have all been invited by her.”
“It’s said that even a Grand Academician from the Confucian Temple—at the Saint Speech Realm—will be lecturing for us,” Qi Haoran said with admiration as he set aside his things and rose to greet them.
The Confucian Saint Speech Realm of the Fourth Rank was also known as the Grand Academician, a position on par with a Grandmaster of the Martial Path.
“Heh, how amusing. Senior Sister Zhao almost got engaged to that wastrel.”
“Good thing the truth came out in time. Otherwise, marrying a fake heir would’ve been a laughingstock.”
Qi Haoran approached, overhearing the few talking about the very same matter.
A subtle look flickered deep in Zhao Qingchan’s eyes.
She had, of course, heard the news, but she chose not to comment.
“Senior Sister Zhao, senior brothers and sisters…” Qi Haoran cupped his hands in greeting.
“Brother Haoran, no need to be so polite. We’re still counting on you to shine brilliantly at the poetry gathering and win us some glory.”
Their laughter flowed easily.
Qi Haoran smiled modestly, carrying himself with practiced grace.
Clang, clang, clang…
Just as the group of noble prodigies conversed merrily, a deep bell sound suddenly echoed from afar—metallic and resounding, piercing through the clouds and reverberating throughout the entire Dragon-Tiger Institute.
“The Institute’s Hall-knocking Bell—who rang it?”
The group was startled.
They knew that sound well.
It was the bell at the front gate of the Institute, akin to a grievance drum outside a magistrate’s court.
Ordinarily, only those who felt wronged—students whose talent, bone structure, and background were all acceptable yet were still rejected—would come to ring it to seek redress.
However, this bell was forged from meteor-iron, weighing several thousand jin, and inscribed with countless formation patterns.
Even the martial prodigies within the Martial Court couldn’t make it sound with their full brute strength or secret arts, let alone cause such a loud, far-reaching resonance.
Thus, the bell’s purpose was to demonstrate the Institute’s strict and impartial standards in student selection.
As the most renowned academy in the Great Qian Dynasty’s capital, the Dragon-Tiger Institute gathered talents from all over the realm.
As long as one’s aptitude and heritage were sound, they could enroll for study—regardless of status.
Even someone like Qi Haoran, a hostage prince from a vassal state, was no exception.
The Institute prided itself on having “education without class distinction.”
Over the years, no one had even bothered to attempt ringing the bell—and whether it could be sounded at all was another matter entirely.
“How interesting. Someone actually managed to ring the Hall-knocking Bell…”
“Which prodigy must’ve suffered such injustice to come plead their case?”
Laughter and curiosity spread among them.
Soon, they all decided to go take a look at the gate.
On the way, more students joined in, evidently drawn by the earlier sound.
But when Qi Haoran and his companions arrived at the gate and saw the crowd of students frozen in stunned silence, they too were struck dumb.
“Shen… Shen Yanzhou?!”
Liu Zi’an’s eyes went wide, utterly incredulous at the sight before them.
…
“Heir Shen… calm down, calm down! Let’s talk this out—please, first put down the Hall-knocking Bell!”
At the gate of the Dragon-Tiger Institute, where hibiscus flowers bloomed in abundance, stood a massive bell over a zhang tall, cast entirely from dark gray cold iron.
At that very moment, it was being held aloft in one hand by a young man, steady as Mount Tai.
Originally, the bell had been suspended from a specially forged black-iron chain as thick as a grown man’s arm.
The elder guard stationed at the gate was drenched in sweat, pleading frantically, though the shock in his heart lingered still.
Around them, the gathered prodigies and students could only stare in disbelief.
They had thought the bell had been struck—but no, it had been lifted.
The swinging motion as it rocked and collided had produced the earth-shaking tolls that echoed through the clouds earlier.
And the one holding it aloft was none other than the so-called “fake heir” of the Demon Suppression Prince’s Mansion—Shen Yanzhou.
Many stood agape, unable to believe what they were witnessing.
“If you’d just let me in, none of this would’ve happened. But you insisted I wasn’t a student of your Institute, said I had no qualification.”
“Well then, what about now? Do I qualify?”
“This Hall-knocking Bell was forged by your very first Dean, Zhang Yang, wasn’t it? His name’s even engraved on it. Anyone wronged may ring it, and the Institute must hear them.”
“And right now, I’ve been wronged indeed.”
Shen Yanzhou’s tone was calm and lightly teasing.
One hand clasped behind his back, the other supporting the giant bell, his moon-white robe fluttered as his tall, straight figure exuded effortless composure.
A heavy silence fell.
Even the bystanders who had gathered were dumbstruck, unable to return to their senses.
It was as if they no longer recognized Shen Yanzhou at all.
Behind him, Chunchao and Elder Mo hadn’t expected that when the heir said he was coming to “harvest some leeks,” he meant here, at the Dragon-Tiger Institute.
Could it be that the leeks here were somehow more fragrant?
“Is… is this man born with divine strength?”
“Wasn’t the Hall-knocking Bell said to weigh several thousand jin? How can he lift it with one hand? That’s terrifying…”
Many prodigies couldn’t help but gulp.
Ordinary cultivators of the Sixth Rank, the Sea-cleaving Realm, could only muster roughly a thousand jin of raw strength in their arms.
Without invoking secret techniques or enhancement pills, they could never lift such a thing.
Of course, that referred purely to physical strength.
If it were a Confucian scholar or Daoist cultivator, they might have mystical means to make the bell “float.”
But Shen Yanzhou was relying purely on the power of his flesh.
None could comprehend it.
Until today, their impression of Shen Yanzhou had always been that of a frail and fragile man—where did such monstrous strength come from?
“Could it be… the rumors from this morning were true?”
Many people suddenly thought of this possibility, and their entire bodies shuddered as if cold water had been poured over their heads, numbing their scalps.
“How is that possible?”
Qi Haoran, who was standing beside the noble prodigies and young ladies, also widened his eyes, staring at the scene before him in disbelief.
“This strength… could it be the innate Power of the Dragon-Elephant?”
“The news that spread from the Demon Suppression Prince’s Mansion this morning—could it truly be real?”
Zhao Qingchan’s flawless face and exquisitely delicate features were without the slightest imperfection.
She stood gracefully, her posture elegant and refined, but now she was staring blankly at the handsome young man with a faint smile—as though this was the first time she was truly seeing Shen Yanzhou.
Soon, her breathing quickened slightly.
Light flickered in her eyes, and the corners of her lips curved up uncontrollably.
Shen Yanzhou calmly accepted all the astonished, horrified, and incredulous gazes around him.
He had to admit—it felt rather good to be the center of attention.
Among the crowd’s emotions were envy, jealousy, and unwillingness, and from them, he gained a modest harvest of negative emotions.
Of course, Shen Yanzhou hadn’t come to the Dragon-Tiger Institute just to show off.
Since Shen Jingxiao wanted to create momentum for him, there was no need for him to hold back.
It was better to ride this wave and soar upward with the wind.
If Shen Jingxiao wanted him to make a name for himself, then he would do just that—and even more so.
He would be so dazzling that his brilliance would overshadow everyone else.
As long as he shone brightly enough for the entire Great Qian Dynasty to take notice, the higher powers would naturally turn their gaze toward him.
After all, he was merely an insignificant fake heir—someone many believed could be easily removed from the Demon Suppression Prince’s Mansion at any time.
With such a status, it was inevitable that many forces would be tempted to extend olive branches toward him.
“Heir Shen, please, let’s talk this through. Put the Hall-knocking Bell down first. If you want to enter, you can go in anytime,” pleaded the gatekeeper elder, his forehead slick with cold sweat.
He had never expected Shen Yanzhou to be so formidable.
“What if I don’t?” Shen Yanzhou asked.
“Please, don’t make things difficult for me.” The elder smiled bitterly, regretting his decision to stop him earlier.
“I like making things difficult for people.” Shen Yanzhou smiled.
“……”
Negative emotions from Zhu Shoucheng +6 +6 +6…
By now, the commotion had already drawn the attention of many elders within the Institute, all of whom were making their way over.
The Dragon-Tiger Institute had been established since the founding of the dynasty and was divided mainly into three divisions: Dao, Martial, and Confucian.
The Martial Division had the largest number of disciples.
The Dao Division, which emphasized fate and innate talent, had the fewest.
“To lift the Hall-knocking Bell with one arm… could it truly be the innate Power of the Dragon-Elephant?”
A gentle breeze blew, and suddenly, an elder in feathered robes and a starry crown, with wide flowing sleeves, appeared at the gate.
Many Dao Division students saluted him immediately.
He was one of the Dao Division’s elders—a cultivator at the Fifth Rank, Thunder Law Realm.
“Could it be that he consumed some heavenly treasure, granting him the acquired Power of the Dragon-Elephant?”
Another voice sounded.
A woman dressed as a Daoist nun appeared beside the gate, her gaze filled with astonishment.
If it weren’t for Shen Yanzhou’s identity, she might have been unable to resist cutting him open for research.
The Power of the Dragon-Elephant was generally a symbol of the Fourth Rank, Dragon-Elephant Realm—a realm where martial cultivators were called Grandmasters.
“It seems Heir Shen has come today with the intention of joining the Dragon-Tiger Institute?” came a hearty laugh.
The speaker was a disheveled old man.
He wore a gray robe, his tall frame sturdy, his hair and beard snow-white, his temples bulging, his joints thick, and his eyes radiant—clearly a man of great martial attainment.
When the Martial Division students saw him, they too bowed in greeting.
He was evidently another elder-level figure.
To have so many elders gathered at the gate today was an extremely rare occurrence.
The onlookers murmured in amazement—after all, any elder qualified to serve within the Dragon-Tiger Institute was no ordinary person.
Outside, such individuals could easily found their own sects.
“What, am I not qualified?” Shen Yanzhou asked, looking at the Martial Division elder.
“Qualified, of course you are. Unfortunately, the enrollment period has already ended for this year. If Heir Shen wishes to join, you’ll have to wait until next year,” the elder said with a cheerful laugh.
“I have grievances and came to strike the bell to seek redress—is that not allowed?” Shen Yanzhou asked.
“But Heir Shen has no grievance to speak of. Until today, you had never shown any talent like this. Everyone in the capital believed you were a martial wastrel who couldn’t even recognize two written characters.”
“The Dragon-Tiger Institute’s selection process is flawless—there’s no mistake.” The gray-robed elder continued smiling as he spoke.
“I recognize you—you’re Elder Tang Ya, aren’t you? You’re an old acquaintance of Elder Shen Zhigao from the Mansion.”
Shen Yanzhou suddenly said.
The smile on the gray-robed elder’s face froze.
A flicker of strange looks spread among the surrounding crowd as they all turned toward him.
The elders of the Demon Suppression Prince’s Mansion had made things difficult for Shen Yanzhou… could it be that the Mansion didn’t want him to enter the Dragon-Tiger Institute?
Many people’s thoughts stirred—there was gossip here, for sure.
“Elder Tang Ya, I remember quite clearly that the Book of Regulations, page six, article seven, states that if a student misses the enrollment period due to unforeseen circumstances, they may take the Dragon Gate Path and leap the Dragon Gate. Or, if under twenty-one years old and having reached the Sixth Rank in any one of the Confucian, Dao, or Martial paths, they may be admitted by special selection.”
Just then, a calm, slightly cool voice spoke up.
All the students turned to look, only to see Zhao Qingchan walking forward gracefully in her plain gauze gown.
“It’s Senior Sister Zhao…”
Many whispered quietly.
Regardless of which division they were from, their eyes were filled with admiration.
Zhao Qingchan’s popularity within the Dragon-Tiger Institute was immense.
Even without her exceptional talent and noble background, her peerless beauty alone was enough to captivate countless prodigies.
“Senior Sister Zhao, why are you standing up for that wastrel?”
Qi Haoran froze, watching Zhao Qingchan as she walked past him.
The composure he had recently regained was shattered once again, his fists clenching unconsciously.
“There is indeed such a rule,” Tang Ya admitted, frowning slightly yet forcing patience as he explained.
“But the Dragon Gate Path has been closed for many years. To reopen it would require the joint approval of several Vice Deans from each division, along with the Dragon Gate Seal.”
“As for the second rule, special selection is indeed allowed. But at such an age, to have reached the Sixth Rank—how many within even the Inner Court have managed it? Hardly a handful.”
Seeing Zhao Qingchan intervene, Tang Ya frowned but still explained patiently.
In his eyes, Shen Yanzhou’s feat of lifting the bell was merely a stunt to draw attention.
He had no idea where that monstrous strength came from.
But realms were real—one couldn’t reach them through mere treasures or pills.
Shen Yanzhou, a Sixth Rank? The man who spent his days in brothels and pleasure quarters—when had he ever cultivated?
In any cultivation path, prodigies were forged through both innate talent and relentless effort…
Suddenly—boom!—a deep sound shook the air, the ground trembling slightly as Shen Yanzhou dropped the Hall-knocking Bell to the ground.
He looked at Tang Ya with a playful expression.
“Sixth Rank, you say?”