C50 Complement

Su Hu whispered to Tiange, "I can't beat Ruochen, but I can hold off Jun Wushang for you," before stepping forward to face Jun Wushang, who stood with an air of elegance despite his black attire. "Let's see what you've got!"

Tiange was surprised by Su Hu's offer, doubting that someone who couldn't dodge a falling branch could take on Jun Wushang. Still, she felt touched by his words.

"We meet again, though I didn't expect it to be here," Ruochen said, approaching Tiange with a respectful nod.

"Let's get to it," Tiange replied, skipping any pleasantries.

Ruochen hesitated for a moment before drawing his long sword. "After you, Miss Tiange."

With a sharp clang, Tiange's sword, "Broken Shadow," sliced through the air, the force seeming to tear the atmosphere itself. Ruochen's eyes turned cold and serious as he raised his sword to block, the clash of metal ringing out harshly.

While Ruochen and Tiange were locked in a fierce duel, Su Hu surprisingly managed to hold his own against Jun Wushang.

From the viewing platform, Empress Dowager Chu kept her eyes fixed on her granddaughter. "Is that young man from the Huaiyin Marquis' family?"

"Yes, Empress Dowager, he's the second son of Guu Ruochen," Nanny Sunn replied quietly.

"His swordplay is reminiscent of someone else, but his inner strength seems purer..." Empress Dowager Chu murmured, her hands unconsciously clenching into fists.

Nanny Sunn knew her master was worried about Tiange and was about to offer some comfort when Empress Dowager Chu continued, "If it really comes down to it, Tiange might not be at a disadvantage."

Beiming Yuan was taken aback by this. If Feng Tiange could defeat Guu Ruochen, she might very well take the top spot at the Martial Academy this year. If that happened, his sister would surely become famous...

In the arena, Guu Ruochen and Feng Tiange were evenly matched, their sword energies carving grooves into the ground. Su Hu was showing signs of losing to Jun Wushang, but he could still hold out for another ten moves or so.

Suddenly, Feng Tiange precisely identified a flaw in Guu Ruochen's sword technique. Her sword, "Broken Shadow," traced an arc in the air and struck down! Guu Ruochen, unable to dodge in time, had to retract his move, but unwilling to concede, he flipped his sword and thrust upward fiercely!

With a swift motion, "Broken Shadow" struck Guu Ruochen's left shoulder, and at that moment, the thin veil covering Feng Tiange's face was lifted by the sword's edge, fluttering in the breeze.

The crowd gasped in astonishment! Was that really Feng Tiange? How could it be her? Her face was breathtakingly beautiful, with a complexion as clear as jade, like a crescent moon glowing softly, like flowers in bloom against a snowy backdrop. Without the crimson birthmark, Feng Tiange looked like a celestial maiden, her beauty unmatched. Her sword, "Broken Shadow," cast dazzling arcs of light around her, highlighting her unparalleled grace and strength.

At that moment, many people recalled a familiar figure from the past. Feng Tiange now seemed to resonate mysteriously with the former Crown Prince Consort, Dugu Yan.

On the observation platform, Beiming Yuan suddenly stood up, his expression more shocked than Empress Dowager Chu's. But it was only for a moment before he realized his lapse and sat back down, saying, "Ms. Tiange, your swordsmanship is impressive."

Empress Dowager Chu felt the same as many others, and she could guess what Beiming Yuan was thinking. She merely smiled faintly, still feeling a twinge over Dugu Yan's death.

In the corner, Rong Qi's hands tightened abruptly, a strange light flashing in his eyes. "Dugu Yan..."

"Apologies," Feng Tiange said coolly as her sword, Broken Shadow, landed on Gu Ruochen's shoulder.

"I concede," Gu Ruochen acknowledged, knowing his internal energy was off. Even without the mishap, he was certain the outcome of a rematch with Feng Tiange would be unchanged. He accepted his defeat wholeheartedly.

"Feng Tiange! The exit is ahead!" Su Hu, struggling to hold on, shouted a reminder.

Hearing this, Feng Tiange sheathed her sword, not sparing anyone a glance, and strode toward the exit. This was the moment she had been waiting for.

"Feng Tiange, exit—" The examiner at the exit announced loudly, and Feng Tiange naturally became the top candidate in this year's Martial Academy exam.

Su Hu listened, then decisively wiped a trace of blood from the corner of his mouth, unfazed, and gestured invitingly, "After you two."

Guu Ruochen and Jun Wushang said nothing, heading toward the exit one after the other.

"Guu Ruochen, exiting—"

"Jun Wushang, exiting—"

"Su Hu, exiting—"

Following them, Xie Ruxuan, Ye Qinghua, Hsiang Yan, and the other top twenty candidates reached the exit, becoming the newest students of the Martial Academy.

At the academy's entrance, Empress Dowager Chu finally saw Feng Tiange returning from the trial grounds, tears of joy streaming down her face.

"Tiange greets her Royal Grandma." Feng Tiange knelt on one knee, hands clasped in respect. As she looked up, she saw a sense of relief and emotion on the elderly woman's face that she had never seen before.

"Stand up!" Empress Dowager Chu helped Feng Tiange to her feet, "Well done!"

"Tiange will do even better." Feng Tiange supported the Empress Dowager with help from Nanny Sunn. "It's been a long day for you, Royal Grandma. Let me help you to the carriage."

The Empress Dowager wanted Feng Tiange to return to the palace with her, but she politely declined, saying she had important matters to attend to.

Once the Empress Dowager's carriage departed, Beiming Yuan approached Feng Tiange slowly. "Congratulations, sister."

At such a close distance, he could clearly see that the birthmark on Feng Tiange's face had vanished. Both her appearance and demeanor impressed him greatly, leaving Beiming Yuan pleasantly surprised by the woman before him.

“I wouldn’t dare, but I should be the one congratulating Vice Consort Dugu,” Tiange said, emphasizing the word "Vice" just enough to make Dugu Rou uncomfortable.

As the carriage rolled on, Dugu Rou mentioned that Tiange seemed displeased with her, but Beiming Yuan dismissed it as her overthinking.

Meanwhile, at the Imperial Academy, the officials had just seen off Empress Dowager Chu and Beiming Yuan, their hearts filled with envy and admiration. Feng Qing, after receiving congratulations from several colleagues, was about to approach his daughter when he noticed Tiange stopping Lord Ding from the Ministry of Punishments.

Lord Ding was the only minister under forty, hailing from a humble background. Beiming Yuan valued him for his steady mind and ruthless methods, capable of extracting confessions from anyone who entered the Ministry's prison.

“What does Eldest Miss Feng mean by this?” Lord Ding asked, frowning slightly as Tiange blocked his path.

“Just before I entered the Hall of Literature, a woman falsely accused my mother, County Princess Chu Yue, of infidelity. If it were a minor case, I wouldn’t trouble you, Lord Ding. But since it concerns County Princess Chu Yue, I hope you can personally investigate,” Tiange replied. She wasn’t fond of Lord Ding, but during the corrupt concubine case, he hadn’t resorted to extreme measures against the wrongfully accused, instead granting them a swift resolution.

So, this person needs to reassess.

At this moment, Feng Qing approached. "Someone's falsely accusing your mother?"

"The woman my daughter knocked out had spoken disrespectfully before," Feng Tiange turned and spoke seriously.

"Since it involves the County Princess, by law, I must personally investigate," Ding Yuv agreed to take on the case and ordered the accompanying officers to escort Mrs. Zhao to the Ministry of Punishments.

Just as Feng Tiange was about to inquire about Mrs. Zhao's whereabouts, Rong Qi appeared before her in a snow-white robe. "What a coincidence, everyone. Mrs. Zhao has already been taken to the Ministry by me."