Chapter 6: Changing Destiny

You two wretched beings, when I strike you, it is for your own dignity, it is your honor. You have such audacity to dare to resist!

The Zhou Dynasty placed great emphasis on rituals, where concubines and legitimate wives were not allowed to sit together on equal terms, and such dowries held even less status. With a mother like this, the positions of Zhang Ying and Zhou Xin in the Marquis's residence can be imagined, not to mention that the Marquis of Loyalty and the Marquis of Divine Arrows had numerous descendants, with as many as fifteen or sixteen children.

That face, along with my brother's anxious expression, continuously interplayed before me, sometimes merging into one, and at other times becoming blurred

The Grand Tutor is one of the Three Dukes and also the literary teacher of the current Emperor. His students are spread across the Nine Provinces and Eighteen States, with nearly half of the twenty-seven ministers and eighty-one distinguished scholars in the court having attended his lectures. Such overwhelming power means that even a figure like the Marquis of Pingding would not dare to offend him lightly

The layout of the academy was so familiar to Fang Yun that he could almost envision it with his eyes closed. In his "previous life," he had spent over ten years here, and he was already well-acquainted with every detail of the academy, from the grand carved railings and jade pillars to the smallest flowers and trees.

The Zuo Qinglong Exploration Claw Eight Forms of our family is a supreme attack technique, a method that utilizes true energy and formidable energy for offense. The higher the cultivation, the greater the power. Currently, I can only condense a formidable energy dragon of about 10 zhang; in my father's hands, it can transform into a giant dragon several dozen li long, capable of breathing fire, spitting water, and soaring through the clouds, which is also the reason why my father can suppress the barbaric and alien tribes. After I leave, you must practice diligently. Once you have mastered this supreme technique, if the opportunity arises, you can go to my father to obtain another volume of the 'You Qinglong Exploration Claw Eight Forms.' These two supreme techniques complement each other; once perfected, their power is immense, capable of slaying gods and blocking Buddhas.

Young Master Xiao! A few descendants of officials, upon seeing Fang Yun, displayed a look of fear on their faces, lowered their heads, and obediently stood by the roadside. Fang Lin had already entered the academy, and the matters concerning Yang Qian and Li Ping had long spread throughout the institution. This was the first time these individuals learned that Fang Yun had such a formidable elder brother. Some students, upon seeing Fang Yun, showed disdain in their eyes and each one distanced themselves from him.

"Please stop the carriage here." Fang Yun greeted the coachman and then stepped down from the carriage

The so-called academy is a place where court scholars impart Confucian values of filial piety, brotherly respect, loyalty, righteousness, propriety, and trustworthiness, focusing solely on literature and not on martial arts. The entire academy is overseen by the Grand Tutor of the court.

As the voice fell, Fang Lin rose to his feet, lifted his head, and gazed at the bright moon in the night sky. With a gentle push of his feet, he soared into the air.

Make way! Fang Yun's expression turned cold as he pushed aside the crowd in front of him with both hands and strode forward. He had gathered a substantial amount of the world's vital energy within him, granting him immense strength, and he easily parted the crowd as he walked past.

Fang Yun took a carriage to leave, and only after half an hour did he arrive at the academy. The grand academy stood at the northwest corner of the capital, facing the imperial palace. Sitting in the carriage, Fang Yun lifted a corner of the curtain and saw countless carriages displaying various family flags, blocking the entrance to the academy completely.

"A lowborn is a lowborn; do not think that just because your father has become a marquis, it makes him remarkable. Let me tell you, a common marquis is still a common marquis, and he can never stand on equal footing with us true nobles. Hmph, I will not let you go unpunished for daring to offend me!" Princess Yongle said passionately, raising her whip once more. She possessed a delicate and beautiful face, yet when she swung the long whip, there was a wild aura in her brows and demeanor.

Shaking his head, Fang Yun calmed his emotions and was about to step towards the academy when he suddenly heard a delicate reprimand.

Tears welled in the eyes of the two youths, overwhelmed by humiliation, their bodies trembling in pain, yet they resolutely refrained from crying out. In such a place, with so many people watching, the humiliation was far more intense than the pain. However, the identity of the young girl before them was exceedingly prominent, and given their backgrounds, they dared not resist.

Seeing Fang Yun still wanting to say something, Fang Lin's expression became serious as he solemnly said: "Younger brother, there's no need to say more. I promise you, I will not enter the Northern Di. However, you must also promise me that after I leave, you will take good care of our mother."

Fang Yun felt a震动 in his heart; he had heard the name of this ultimate skill long ago. Although it was a family heirloom, he had never seen it in his previous life due to his lack of interest in martial arts

"Alright, little brother, I admit this joke is quite amusing," Fang Lin murmured a few words about "rebirth," shook his head, and smiled, saying, "Little brother, when your martial arts cultivation reaches the Embryonic Stage and you come into contact with the Transcendental Stage, you will understand that in this world, such a thing as rebirth does not exist."

Fang Yun opened his mouth, hesitated for a long time, and finally said: "Elder brother, do you believe in reincarnation? If I told you that I came back from ten years in the future, would you believe me?"

This delicate reprimand was mixed in with the clamor of the bustling crowd, and one would not notice it without careful listening. Just by the sound, Fang Yun could also deduce that this Princess Yongyue was certainly oppressing some scholars of lowly birth. Such occurrences had always taken place and could not be completely prohibited. If it were only this, Fang Yun would not have minded and would simply have walked away. However, he unexpectedly recognized a familiar voice among those few cries of anguish.

Fang Yun immediately recognized the two young men; Zhang Ying was the son of the Marquis of Loyalty and Trust, while Zhou Xin was the son of the Marquis of Divine Archery. However, despite their noble lineage, these two were different from Fang Yun. Zhang Ying and Zhou Xin were not born of the legitimate wife, nor were they born of a concubine; they were born of secondary wives, with their mothers being the accompanying maidservants of the Marquis of Loyalty and Trust and the Marquis of Divine Archery respectively

"Elder brother, promise me, you must promise me. No matter what, absolutely do not enter the Northern Di!" Fang Yun shook his head, suddenly grasping Fang Lin's arm, and said urgently. His face was pale, as if he had encountered something terrifying.

Fang Lin furrowed his brows, parted his lips slightly, and nodded: "It doesn't matter to me where I go. However, since you told me not to go, I won't go. Little brother, what exactly is going on? If you don't want me to go, there must be a reason for it!"

In the academy, within a vast area known as the "Drunken Fragrance Pavilion," a woman dressed in crimson stood with her hands on her hips, holding a long whip. With a fierce expression, she exuded an air of dominance. In front of her, two young scholars in Confucian robes knelt on the ground like dogs, their backs arched, their clothing torn to shreds by the whip, revealing numerous bloodstains.

"Hmm, big brother, you can rest assured." Big brother did not believe the "truth" he had spoken, yet Fang Yun felt a sense of relief for some reason. He reassured himself that as long as big brother agreed not to go to the Northern Di, that would be enough

Fang Yun, in your previous life, you studied Confucian texts for a lifetime, yet in the end, you were merely a scholar incapable of even lifting a chicken. You watched your family fall apart, powerless to intervene. Such a thing has already happened once; do you wish for it to happen again? Fang Yun sensed the emotional undertones of this and quietly reminded himself. Engaging in a single endeavor for an extended period inevitably leads to being influenced over time

This voice Fang Yun recognized belonged to a daughter of the Duke of the State, known as Princess Yongyue. In this academy, there are many scholars, and in his previous life, Fang Yun had only encountered her a few times, without much interaction. The only impression he had was that she was arrogant.

In the previous life, Fang Yun was friends with Ying Zhang and Zhou Xin. The personalities of the few of them were compatible, and none of them practiced martial arts, thus they formed a close-knit group and established their own faction

Fang Yun did not witness the scene of his elder brother's suicide, but he stood outside the door and saw his brother's corpse being carried out of the room. By that time, he had been dead for several days, the body already beginning to decompose, and on his face were the marks of self-harm from his extreme despair

Fang Yun was well aware that these individuals belonged to the faction of Yang Qian and Li Ping. However, Fang Yun was indifferent, walking with an air of nonchalance along a white jade stone path toward the academy.

Fang Lin was momentarily stunned. Just when Fang Yun thought he had convinced him, Fang Lin suddenly burst into laughter: "Hahaha!"

Sing

During the flourishing period of the Zhou Dynasty, which lasted for over a thousand years, countless nobles and aristocrats were cultivated. This also contributed to the bustling scene in Fang Yun's eyes, where people flowed in and out. These scholars of the Zhou Dynasty gathered in groups of three to five, huddled together, laughing and discussing, with each group representing a distinct faction

"Mang Niu Quan, I have nothing more to teach you. Before I leave, I would like to impart to you our Fang family's 'Left Azure Dragon Probing Claw Eight Forms.' Many years ago, my father successfully attained nobility relying on this set of ultimate skills. My father passed it down to me, and now I am passing it on to you in his stead. You must pay close attention."

It took a long while to come to a stop

Stop! A furious shout echoed from the slanted alley. Before Princess Yongyue could react or approach, she felt a flash before her eyes, as the other end of the whip was already in the hands of another young man

A clear and resonant dragon's roar echoed from the Purple Dragon Garden. Under the gaze of Fang Yun, Fang Lin suddenly leaped into the air, transforming into a blue dragon over ten zhang long. This blue dragon crackled with electric light, circling around the pavilion where Fang Yun was seated, before swiftly darting eastward, disappearing into the vast night.

"Well, I will be going then. Take good care of yourself, and also of Mother," Fang Lin said with a smile, waving goodbye to Fang Yun

I will do it with sincerity, Fang Yun replied

Upon hearing the words "Northern Di," Fang Yun's mind was violently shaken, as if hundreds of large bells were ringing simultaneously, leaving him momentarily blank.

Fang Yun walked among the crowd, various sounds entering his ears. In his previous life, he was a scholar, and now, upon hearing these sounds again, they felt somewhat familiar.

Zhang Ying, Zhou Xin

Fang Yun only saw the face of her elder brother Fang Lin magnified in front of her, looking anxious. That familiar face suddenly became blurred

"Younger brother, what is wrong with you!" Just as he was speaking, he suddenly noticed that Fang Yun's complexion had changed dramatically, his skin was pale and devoid of any color, which left Fang Lin greatly shocked

Hahaha! ... ... A wave of desolate and desperate voices echoed in my mind, and the face before me suddenly appeared marred with countless scars, blood staining the entire visage. Fang Yun seemed to see his brother before him, laughing maniacally, and then fleeing in a panic.

In the Zhou Dynasty, all princes and noble sons who reached the age of ten were required to be sent to the academy for education

In the pavilion, bright lanterns are lit everywhere. Fang Lin, under the shadows of the lanterns, demonstrated the "Eight Stances of the Left Green Dragon's Claw" from the Fang family lineage to Fang Yun. Fang Lin taught with dedication, and Fang Yun learned with diligence. After completing a set of this unique skill, it was already nearly midnight.

Om