C16 Golden Autumn Banquet

The Jademanes was founded at the inception of the Phethia Dynasty as a means to attract martial artists from across the land. Within the Phethia Dynasty, numerous cultivation sects existed. To keep these warriors in check and curb any potential for rebellion, the dynasty's founder established a rule: each sect within the empire was required to station an elder at the Jademanes.

The strongest among them would serve as the Pavilion Master, sworn to unwavering loyalty to the Phethia Dynasty. Any hint of treachery would be met with united opposition from sects worldwide.

According to Chen Dutian's recollections, the current Pavilion Master of the Jademanes was an external elder from the Graymanes Sect.

Pang Yuan, puzzled by Chen Dutian's self-assurance, stood beside him, furrowing his brow in thought for quite some time before speaking up cautiously, "Brother, if you're confident, I'll inform my father as soon as I return!"

Pang Yuan's father was the esteemed Minister of Finance, affectionately dubbed "Moneybags." Although he lacked a Martial Heart, the Pang family held a prestigious position in the imperial capital.

Chen Dutian chuckled and gestured dismissively, "No need. Your father is wiser than you. He'll know exactly what to do when the time comes."

After conversing for over two hours in the Sunlit Palace, a young man clad in palace attire approached them with a message from the Second Prince, summoning Chen Dutian and Pang Yuan to the Cloudwatch Palace.

Located at the forefront of the Imperial City, the Cloudwatch Palace was a mere half-incense stick's journey away. By the time they arrived, every official and noble descendant had gathered, filling the square in front of the palace with three to four hundred people.

Tables and documents lined the sides of the square, while two large arenas dominated the center. The imposing Imperial Army guards surveyed the area with vigilant eyes. Yan Chen and the civil and military officials were seated atop the jade steps, with a feast laid out before them.

As noon approached and the autumn breeze began to stir, a eunuch in splendid attire stepped forward and called out in a high-pitched voice, "By the Emperor's decree, the Golden Autumn Banquet shall now commence!"

The assembled officials, numbering in the hundreds, bowed deeply and responded in chorus, "We thank His Majesty for his gracious favor!"

After everyone had settled into their seats, a throng of eunuchs and maids arrived, bearing dishes of food. Chen Dutian nudged Pang Yuan, who was sitting next to him, and said with a smile, "Brother, we've got both literary and martial contests today. If you're not up for the martial one, what are your odds in the literary one?"

Pang Yuan glanced around, flashed a wide grin, and fumbled in his brocade clothing with his plump right hand, pulling out a slip of paper.

He whispered conspiratorially, "My dad had me memorize this. He said that today's topic set by the Emperor is 'Golden Autumn.' Brother, what do you think of this composition?"

Chen Dutian had anticipated that Pang Yuan's father would come prepared, even going so far as to procure the examination questions for his son.

"Hmm, who did your father get to write this?" Chen Dutian asked curiously, sipping his wine and examining the piece closely.

In his past life, Chen Dutian wasn't just passionate about cultivation; he also had a penchant for poetry and literature. His betrothed, Qi Meiyue, was a woman of great talent, crafting verses with effortless grace.

"Not to hide anything from you, it was penned by a fifth-grade scholar from the Scribes' Hall—the same fellow who confronted us on Vermillion Bird Street!" Pang Yuan said, chuckling.

Chen Dutian's brow furrowed slightly as he recalled the figure of a destitute scholar.

Song Yuqing, a man of noble birth, was well-versed in literature from a young age. He came to the capital to take the imperial exams but became enamored with the pleasures of the Crimson Moon, where he even pledged his life to a courtesan.

When he later achieved success in the exams, he promptly divorced her due to her status, a decision that earned him a stern reprimand from both Chen Dutian and Pang Yuan when they learned of it.

"That young man is still around?"

"Heh, I've taken him into the Pang household. He's so proud and haughty—I can't stand men who betray their hearts!" Pang Yuan said, grinning broadly.

For a mere fifth-grade scholar of the Scribes' Hall, Pang Yuan could easily make life difficult for Song Yuqing without giving him a chance to fight back.

As the Golden Autumn Banquet concluded after two hours, the eunuchs and maids cleared the square. The Minister of Rites stepped forward to the jade steps and proclaimed loudly, "On this Golden Autumn day, the Emperor has established a dual contest of civil and martial prowess to select the pillars of our nation! The victor of the Martial Contest shall receive a thousand gold coins, a martial arts technique, and the command of the Tiger Army! The winner of the Literary Contest shall be awarded a thousand gold coins, a jade crown, and the title of third-grade scholar in the Scribes' Hall!"

The Phethia Dynasty was established through martial prowess, making martial arts far more valuable than wealth to the offspring of its officials.

Martial skills were categorized into five levels: low, middle, high, heaven, and divine. It was rumored that the Phethia Dynasty had inherited a middle-grade martial skill.

Warriors seeking to enhance their strength had two options: consume elixirs or engage in relentless cultivation. But for warriors of equal standing, mastery of martial skills became the deciding factor in combat.

In a world where power was paramount, the significance of martial skills greatly surpassed that of elixirs. While alchemists were a rare breed, certain divine natural treasures could be consumed directly to increase one's power.

Martial skills, on the other hand, were exceedingly scarce, typically preserved within sects. There were even some experts at the ninth level of the Spirit Convergence Realm who had never trained in martial skills, relying solely on the Spiritual Qi within their bodies to engage in battle.

The announcement that the victor of the martial arts contest would receive a set of martial skills sent a wave of excitement through the officials, their eyes gleaming with anticipation.

"Silence, the martial arts contest begins now! The rules are straightforward: defeat ten of the Imperial Guards to advance!" the Minister of Rites bellowed. As his voice trailed off, ten imposing Imperial Guards, clad in purple armor and brandishing swords, stepped onto one of the platforms.

The Imperial Guards represented the elite force within the Imperial Army, with the least powerful among them having attained the Eighth Level of the Awakening Realm.

Upon hearing this, the previously eager officials were suddenly sobered, as if doused with cold water. They realized that although being able to reach the Spirit Convergence Realm in their twenties or thirties was a sign of exceptional talent, they still fell short when compared to the formidable Imperial Guards, not to mention the daunting task of confronting ten of them.

Out of the several hundred present, only a handful had reached the Spirit Convergence Realm. The allure of martial skills was strong, but one needed to survive to pursue their cultivation.

"I'll give it a try!"

A resolute voice cut through the murmurs of the crowd, drawing all eyes to a striking young man stepping forward. With a sword at his waist and standing seven feet tall, his fair complexion and noble bearing were evident. At twenty-five or twenty-six years of age, he was dressed in a green robe, with white boots adorned with cloud motifs, his hair held back by a silver crown – the very image of grace and vitality.

"Tsk tsk, Cao He Xuan is still such a show-off. Taking on the Ten Imperial Guards, he really doesn't have a clue!" Pang Yuan said with a sneer and a mocking smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

Cao He Xuan, the sole son of General Cao Yi, was twenty-seven years old and boasted the impressive strength of the third level of the Spirit Convergence Stage, earning him considerable renown in the capital.

"This guy is pretty strong. General Cao Yi has been a loyal subordinate to my father for years. You should try to speak more kindly, brother," Chen Dutian said, shaking his head with a wry smile.

"I just can't stand these pretty boys!"