The martial arts competition would be held in the Martial Arts Arena.
The venue was oval-shaped. In the middle stood a square stone platform, constantly secured by protective prohibitions, and around it were rows of circular spectator seats. From time to time, the Academic Palace would rent out the venue to Chang’an businesses that organized Cuju football matches and horse racing to hold grand events, while also giving Chang’an citizens the opportunity to visit the Academic Palace and experience its atmosphere.
Li Ang and Li Weiyang each rode their bicycles towards the Martial Arts Arena, observing many other students cycling along the way.
Bicycles were more convenient and quicker than riding horses, and without the flight restrictions imposed on Flying Swords, they were favored by Academic Palace Disciples and Doctors. The main reason was that the grounds of the Academic Palace were well-maintained—flat and gently sloped, devoid of the inferior sandy soil roads that easily kicked up dust. Some senior students, making full use of their initiative, even accelerated their bicycles with Telekinesis, making them zip faster than racehorses. The Academic Palace’s restrictions on personal vehicles were limited to "Flying Swords" and "Flying Vehicles." Since bicycles always stayed on the ground, they naturally didn’t count as flying vehicles. Even if wheels smoked during a drift, or if someone lost control, they could still be saved with Telekinesis.
It feels like in a few years, there should be a bicycle race around Chang’an.
Li Ang glanced at the dazzling array of colorful bicycles on the road. Since the Yu Country lacked high-quality rubber, all tires were made from a special insect glue, making them quite expensive. Consequently, for the time being, only Academic Palace students and children of wealthy families could afford them. Each purchase also generated corresponding patent fees.
Li Ang parked his bicycle outside the venue and climbed the tiered steps with handrails to the spectator seats. Song Shaoyuan and the others had already saved them seats and waved for Li Ang and his companions to come over.
Li Leqing opened a food box and took out several palm-sized paper cups. They contained a dessert called "Breeze Rice." This dessert was made by mixing glutinous rice, agar, dragon’s brain powder, and milk thoroughly, then freezing it completely. Honey, cane sugar, red bean paste, or condensed milk was then poured on top for added flavor.
Li Ang took the Breeze Rice, scooped up a spoonful, and tasted it. The common Breeze Rice sold to the public was typically frozen solid by lowering it deep into ice wells or placing it in ice cellars. However, the Breeze Rice Li Leqing handed him had distinct ice crystals mixed into the soft condensed milk, giving it a texture much like shaved ice.
"Is this from the Imperial Palace’s imperial kitchen?" Chai Chai’s eyes brightened as she asked, "It’s quite good."
"Nope, this is a new method thought up by a cook from the Red House at An Country Temple," Li Leqing explained. "I think she must have used Liliang Talismans or similar talismans, freezing it repeatedly to get this effect."
"Is it that cook who’s around our age? I saw her mentioned in the tabloids," Ji Linglang bit the tip of her spoon, recalled for a moment, and added, "I heard she comes from the Western Regions. Her ancestors were chefs who made frozen desserts for the local king. Her name is also quite distinctive, something like Fan... something-or-other Bing."
Li Ang almost coughed out his red bean paste and quickly waved his hand to cover his embarrassment. "Who is competing today?"
"The competitors these past few days have all been from the Rain Listening Realm, likely third or fourth-year seniors," Yong Hongzhong shared. "In a few days, it will be the turn of fifth, sixth, and seventh-year seniors from the Cloud Patrol Realm. From the entire third year of Zaiqian, it seems only Pei Jing has signed up."
"Hmm?" Li Ang raised an eyebrow and turned to He Fanshuang. "Didn’t you sign up?"
"It’s meaningless." He Fanshuang leisurely ate her Breeze Rice, an open book levitating in front of her. She replied calmly without looking up.
Indeed, while cultivators in the Body Concealing Realm, with their limited Qi Sea capacities, often had to fight like ordinary people, Rain Listening Realm Cultivators had a much wider variety of methods at their disposal. The Initial Stage, Middle Rank, and High Order of the Rain Listening Realm each brought significant changes. This wasn’t just about the ability to use new talismans and Spells; their power also increased. It was one thing to overcome an opponent one level higher, but defeating an opponent two levels higher was very, very difficult. He Fanshuang normally didn’t enjoy fighting or showing off her mettle, preferring to spend her time reading more books.
As they talked, the staff below in the Martial Arts Arena finished setting up the field. They activated the platform’s protective prohibitions and brought over a huge stone seat embedded with pure white crystals.
"That’s for testing the Qi Sea," Yang Yu explained. "To ensure fairness, each registered contestant must first have their Qi Sea tested to estimate their Cultivation level. They are then randomly matched with opponents of comparable skill. This is to prevent a High Order cultivator from being matched against an Initial Stage cultivator right at the start of the competition."
Li Wei nodded. "Yes. Quite a few people signed up for the martial arts competition this time, but the outcomes will be decided quickly. True Cultivator battles rarely last an hour, and matches exceeding fifteen minutes are uncommon. Besides voluntarily forfeiting, anyone kicked out of the platform will be declared the loser. The platform’s own prohibitions, while protecting the contestants, will also assess the damage they receive. If the damage exceeds a certain threshold, the match’s outcome will be declared immediately."
In the Martial Arts Arena, the Sacrificial Officer read out an oath about "peaceful exchange and friendship first." Then, amidst the tolling of the Haotian Bell and the roar of the crowd, the martial arts competition began. Fınd the newest release on 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭·𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦·𝘯𝘦𝘵
Just as Li Wei had said, each match ended very swiftly. Generally, it took only a few minutes to determine the winner.
As the saying goes, "Laymen watch the excitement, experts look for skill." To make the matches comprehensible for students from different Dao Paths, the Academic Palace had specially arranged for senior students to act as commentators. Positioned under the awnings of the spectator stands, they were equipped with Hong Sound Talismans and worked in pairs, taking turns to provide commentary.
"Hello everyone, I am commentator Xiao Huang, Huang Donglai," a somewhat chubby senior who appeared to have no neck announced, fiddling with his Hong Sound Talisman.
His companion, who was also somewhat chubby and had small eyes that seemed to be perpetually squinting, added, "I am commentator Xiao Sun, Sun Yixie. We’ll be commentating the next few matches."
Hmm? Why do I have this inexplicably familiar sense of déja vu?
Li Ang, who was eating his frozen dessert in the spectator seats, scratched his head and suppressed the familiar feeling that flashed through his mind.
Huang Donglai and Sun Yixie were members of the Academic Palace’s internal newspaper agency. They also regularly commentated on matches at the Martial Arts Arena. Li Ang had been interviewed by them when he developed Penicillin, but he wasn’t very familiar with them.