They've all become top scholars in the imperial examinations, and you're telling me this i

Chapter 22 The Dragon King's Death Tribulation, Can It Be Broken?
"Brother, do supernatural powers really exist in this world? Are there even gods who possess supernatural abilities?"

Chen An rubbed his face vigorously, seemingly still thinking about what the fortune teller Yuan Shoucheng had just said.

What "earth escape"? And what about the Jinghe Dragon King?
These are all different from his values ​​since childhood.

"Is it really that weird? Brother, didn't you, our master, our dad... all say... that the truth comes out with a fist? There are no ghosts or gods in this world. They're all just scams to swindle money from fools..."

His voice grew softer and softer until it was almost a mutter, but his tiger-like eyes were fixed on Chen Guangrui, as if seeking an answer that could overturn his world.

In those eyes was the bewilderment of a martial artist whose inherent "seeing is believing" logic had been shattered, and a hint of unease from the sudden collapse of the "there are no ghosts or gods in the world" belief that his elder brother had instilled in him for many years.

Under the oil lamp, Chen Guangrui looked at Chen An, who seemed to want to understand but dared not easily believe it, and even instinctively resisted it.

I recall being just as firmly materialistic when I first transmigrated. But what I've seen and experienced these past few days has completely overturned my initial beliefs.

He remained silent for a moment, not because he wanted to hide it, but because he was thinking about how to peel back the layers of this thing that was enough to shatter Chen An's mind so that he wouldn't completely lose his composure.

"True strength is proven by fists...that's right."

Chen Guangrui finally spoke, his voice deep and carrying the weight of a renewed understanding, "Power is real, and it remains unchanged throughout eternity. However..."

He slowly rose, walked to the window, his fingers casually brushing against the window frame, his gaze fixed on the deep night outside. "This 'power'... is probably more than what we can see with our eyes or reach with our fists. Dragons swimming in the water... immortals riding the clouds... perhaps they exist, but they are too far removed from us."

His wording was extremely cautious.

"As for Yuan Shoucheng's 'earth escape,' do you remember yesterday when we caught him, he just vanished in an instant? This 'escape technique' is probably some kind of... skill that we martial artists haven't reached yet and can't understand. Just like how you can hit a willow leaf from ten steps, ordinary people would think it's a divine skill."

Chen Guangrui used a martial arts technique that Chen An could best understand as an analogy, attempting to build a bridge of understanding.

"no the same!"

Chen An shook his head, stubborn as a mule, but there was already a hint of wavering in his tone.
"The arrows and crossbows leave traces! But he... he just vanished into thin air! Even the fastest light-footed skill requires leg strength! How can he disappear into the ground in a flash? He must be a magician. And that Dragon King, we caught so many fish when we were kids, how come we never saw the Dragon King? All those supernatural powers you mentioned are fake!"

Chen An still held his own views, which supported him and prevented his worldview from collapsing all at once.

"Buzz!"

But just as Chen An finished speaking, a low, suppressed hum suddenly emanated from the air inside the room! It was as if an invisible hammer had struck the void! The doors and windows opened and closed without any wind!

"!!!"

Chen An's hair stood on end! His martial artist's keen senses instantly told him that this was no ordinary wind! He had no time to think; his reaction was lightning fast. In a flash, he stood firmly in front of Chen Guangrui, his eyes fixed on the open window! He growled, "Who?!"

Chen An was unusually cautious, but he could feel the increasing pressure coming from outside the window.

"You cunning fortune teller! Come out and face your death!!!"

A furious roar, like a thunderclap, suddenly erupted from nowhere! It didn't originate from any direction outside the window, but rather reverberated and compressed directly into the air of the room! It made one's eardrums ache, carrying boundless rage and long-suppressed murderous intent!
Chen Guangrui was not surprised by this appearance; he already knew who the person was.

He looked out the window and saw that the postmaster of the inn seemed unaffected and was still doing his accounts, while the noise in his room was quite loud.

It seems that although the old dragon of the Jing River was a bit reckless, it still knew its limits.

However, Chen An, who was in the same room as him, felt his hair stand on end when he heard this roar!
As a martial artist, he naturally knew the power contained in that roar, a power that had reached a level he could hardly imagine.

Lion's Roar?
Definitely a master!
"Boom!" Water vapor in the air condensed wildly, and an enormous dragon head appeared out of thin air!

"Dragon... Dragon... It really is..."

Chen An felt as if an invisible giant hand had gripped his heart and then crushed it! He was struck dumb, his entire body instantly petrified! The ironclad rules instilled in him since childhood...

"True strength is revealed by fists," "There are no ghosts or gods in this world," "They swindle money from the ignorant and foolish"...

Those beliefs that had supported him like cornerstones for over a decade were shattered to pieces at this moment, before this enormous, ferocious dragon head that exuded an inhuman aura of terror!
All of Chen An's doubts, resentment, and stubbornness vanished completely under this silent gaze. Only the purest, most primal fear remained, and an undeniable, bittersweet confirmation that exploded from the depths of his soul:

What I said before... was wrong! There really are dragons in this world! There are gods! There are "supernatural powers" that he can never understand! And Yuan Shoucheng's ability to disappear into the ground... is definitely not just a matter of lightness skill!
More than a decade of understanding was completely overturned in an instant.
The Dragon King of the Jing River, his hair and beard bristling, exuded a suffocatingly cold dragon aura. He strode towards the window, his gaze sweeping across the room, searching for Yuan Shoucheng's whereabouts! He was furious! The aura that had been chasing Yuan Shoucheng had finally led him here, only to find Chen Guangrui and his servant!
"The fortune teller has already left."

Chen Guangrui's voice rang out from behind Chen An, as calm as if he were stating a trivial matter unrelated to himself. He wasn't frightened by the Dragon King's appearance, after all, he had already seen it once before.

"Gone?!" The Dragon King abruptly stopped, his golden pupils seemingly spitting fire! "Gone," Chen Guangrui affirmed, "They've been gone for half an hour."

Chen Guangrui didn't keep Lao Long in suspense, given his quick temper, and immediately stated the most important point.
"Before leaving, the fortune teller cast a divination."

"The one who killed you was not him. The source of your calamity was not something that could be resisted by ordinary means, but by the 'Official of the Human Bureau' who was acting on the will of Heaven. And where this Official of the Human Bureau is currently hiding is still unknown."

"Official in charge of personnel..."

Upon hearing this word, which he hadn't heard in a long time, the angry blue aura on the Dragon King's face quickly faded, replaced by a mixture of shock and solemnity.

The Human Officials are special envoys sent by the Heavenly Court to the human world, capable of conveying the will of Heaven and carrying out punishments on behalf of Heaven.

If I were to die at the hands of the officials in charge of human affairs, wouldn't that be exactly what Chen Guangrui said yesterday about the crime of violating the heavenly laws?
However, this official's whereabouts are currently uncertain, and Old Dragon also finds it troublesome.

He, who was usually impatient, was now trembling and unable to utter a single word.

At that moment, Chen Guangrui's voice reached his ears.

"This matter is difficult, but not impossible."

Chen Guangrui was just pondering how to break free from his own romantic entanglement. Although he had a vague plan, without the old dragon's help, he wasn't sure if he could find a breakthrough.

Now that the Dragon King of the Jing River has delivered himself to our doorstep, we might as well take advantage of it.

Sure enough, when the Jinghe Old Dragon heard Chen Guangrui say "it's not impossible," its dragon eyes lit up.

Since entering Chen Guangrui's dream yesterday, the Jinghe Old Dragon has discovered that everything is verifying the words of this mortal scholar in a strange way, which has made him begin to trust the other party.

Now that Chen Guangrui said he had a way to break his death curse, the Jinghe Dragon King was naturally delighted.

At this moment, Chen Guangrui didn't explain how to solve the problem, but instead said mysteriously, "This matter requires your cooperation."

The night was deep.

Zhang Changling suddenly sat up from the brocade bed! He was drenched in sweat, as if he had just been pulled out of the water! In the darkness, his heart was pounding wildly, and it felt as if a huge rock was pressing on his chest, making him almost suffocate.

The horribly vivid scene from my dream still seems to be right before my eyes:
Tai Chi Hall! Danbi throne!

He himself was dressed in prison clothes, kneeling on the cold gold bricks like a stray dog!

The gazes of all the high-ranking officials were like arrows! Wei Zheng, the Chief Clerk of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, held his jade tablet, his face as cold and stern as ice. He remained silent, only slightly shaking his head...

He was actually accused of the heinous crime of "slandering ministers and undermining the foundation of the country"!

And Chen Guangrui! That damned Chen Guangrui! Clad in a crimson python robe, he stood at the head of the assembled officials below! His eyes were indifferent and ruthless, as if he were looking at an ant! All his wails and explanations were drowned out by that cold silence…

The final scene shows the executioner raising his demon-head cleaver!

"Do not!!!"

A piercing scream burst from Zhang Changling's throat, shattering the tranquility of the mansion. He gasped for breath, touching his neck in shock, as if his head were truly gone.

No, it's not that his head is gone; he still has a head, it's just separated from his body. And in the last moment he woke up, he saw a huge human head staring at him from the void.
"Wei Zheng...Master of Ceremonies...Chen Guangrui..."

Zhang Changling muttered to himself absentmindedly, his face as pale as paper.

Could it be... could it be that Wei Zheng has really been reinstated? Could it be that the King of Qin... no, His Highness the Crown Prince, truly trusts him?
Regret gnawed at his heart like a venomous snake! Cold sweat stung his eyes.

Why did I slander Wei Zheng and Chen Guangrui in such a way? Now I'm getting my comeuppance.
Zhang Changling abruptly threw off the brocade quilt, scrambled out of bed, and stepped barefoot onto the cold floor, nervously looking around.

No… I can’t just sit here and wait to die! I have to go! I have to apologize to Chen Guangrui! I have to salvage the situation no matter what! Even if… even if he humiliates me… as long as he doesn’t hold a grudge, as long as he says even a single good word to Wei Zheng…

In the darkness, the second-ranked scholar, like a frightened bird, was wide awake and anxiously awaited the dawn.

(End of this chapter)