Chapter 624: The first place on the List of Extraordinary Scholars is announced; even Ying Zheng is tempted

On the White Jade Platform.

Seeing countless eyes focused on him, Su Chen did not keep them in suspense and said directly:

"Finally, I shall comment on the two scholars who obtained the Heavenly Books."

"Ranked second on the List of Extraordinary Scholars: Left Sima Yi."

"Left Sima Yi, courtesy name Zhongda, hails from a family of officials. He is learned, well-read, devoted to Confucianism, and often harbors a deep concern for the world."

"He is also gifted, clever and quick-witted from a young age, full of strange and brilliant schemes, seasoned and profound. He has the air of a 'Tomb Tiger'; in civil matters, he can bring peace to the world, and in military matters, he can settle the heavens and earth."

"After Zhang Zhang Jiao died, the 'Taiping Essential Arts' scattered across the world. The first volume of the Heavenly Book was obtained by him."

"This volume of the Heavenly Book contains the mysteries of the universe and records various heaven-defying secret arts, each one incredibly obscure."

"Left Sima Yi studied it for several years and mastered only a few secret arts that allow him to peer into the secrets of heaven, enabling him to foresee fortune and misfortune, and future events."

"But these few mystic arts alone have brought him into the realm of ghosts and gods, making him powerful and unfathomable."

"He is also the only one among all the extraordinary scholars of the Great Han who can barely contend with the top-ranked scholar on the list."

"Because Left Sima Yi long ago perceived that the Great Han’s destiny was coming to an end, and that the time for the Left Sima family to rise had not yet come, he has remained in seclusion, sitting and watching the rise and fall of the world."

"Ranked first on the List of Extraordinary Scholars: Zhuge Liang."

"Zhuge Liang, courtesy name Kongming, hails from a family of officials in Langya Commandery. He was talented from a young age and, while sitting in his thatched cottage, knew all that happened under heaven."

"He and the previously mentioned fifth-ranked scholar, Pang Tong, studied under the same master, the famous Left Sima Hui, who praised him highly and dubbed him the 'Crouching Dragon' of the age."

"Moreover, Zhuge Liang is not a talent of one corner, but a true all-around genius; he is well-versed in astronomy and geography, and proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting."

"He is even knowledgeable and skilled in agriculture, water conservancy, economics, military strategy, and battlefield schemes—truly a peerless national scholar and a talent capable of assisting a king."

"He who obtains Zhuge Liang can settle internal affairs, pacify the rear, and command armies on horseback—there is nothing he cannot overcome."

"Even if his lord were to die, he could be entrusted with the most important affairs without any worry regarding his loyalty."

"Looking back through the ages, it is hard to find a second person as perfect a subject as Zhuge Liang."

"After Zhang Zhang Jiao died, the 'Taiping Essential Arts' scattered across the world. The second volume of the Heavenly Book was obtained by him."

"Zhuge Liang is extremely gifted and quickly mastered the secret arts recorded in the second volume of the Heavenly Book, such as the Five Elements, Eight Trigrams, and the Mysterious Gates and Hidden Escapes."

"Not only can he summon wind and rain to change the weather, but he can also draw arrays in the void that even a million-strong army cannot break."

"He has even gained some insight into the most profound supernatural powers in the second volume of the Heavenly Book, such as seizing the destiny of heaven and defying fate, achieving minor success."

"By virtue of all this, Zhuge Liang has transcended the realm of mortals; his wisdom is so great it borders on the demonic."

"However, Zhuge Liang is self-respecting and has strict requirements for the lord he would serve. None of the famous lords in the world today meet his expectations."

"Therefore, after completing his studies, Zhuge Liang went directly into seclusion, farming in Nanyang, watching the world while quietly waiting for the wise lord he expects to emerge."

As Su Chen’s voice faded, the hall exploded!

The recipients of the two Heavenly Books were finally exposed, and they were indeed powerful to the extreme.

Left Sima Yi, ranked second, mastered secret arts to peer into the secrets of heaven, capable of foreseeing fortune and misfortune, and future events.

Even the Great Qin’s National Preceptor, Moon Goddess, was no more than this.

As for Zhuge Liang, ranked first, he was even more terrifying.

Not only could he change the weather at will, summoning wind and rain, but he could also draw arrays in the void to block a million-strong army.

He had even cultivated the most attention-grabbing arts—seizing the destiny of heaven and defying fate—to a level of minor success.

Everyone knew the terror of such supernatural powers.

Back then, Zhang Zhang Jiao had only just begun to grasp the basics, yet he had directly shaved fifty years of destiny from the Great Han Dynasty.

Zhuge Liang’s attainments in this field were surely far beyond Zhang Zhang Jiao’s. Who would dare to offend him?

Even without the second volume of the Heavenly Book, Zhuge Liang’s talent would still move everyone.

He was a figure who could be ranked among the famous ministers of the ages, having received the highest praise for a subject since ancient times—a peerless national scholar!

This was not praise given by some king or historian, but by Su Chen himself; no one dared to question it.

Hearing Su Chen’s commentary on Zhuge Liang, everyone felt it was like a dream.

Just as Su Chen said, Zhuge Liang was simply a perfect subject, capable of commanding armies on horseback and pacifying the people on foot.

He alone could handle both military and political affairs.

Most importantly, this man possessed absolute loyalty and could be entrusted with the care of an orphan heir.

This point greatly elevated Zhuge Liang’s value.

For an emperor, nothing was more important than loyalty.

Throughout the ages, countless ministers entrusted with such duties had overstepped their bounds and committed all sorts of evil acts.

Since Zhuge Liang possessed both the talent of a national scholar and absolute loyalty, everyone truly could not think of any subject more excellent than him.

Everyone could imagine that once this news spread, Zhuge Liang would be frantically fought over by all the lords in the world.

For a time, everyone in the hall began to discuss:

"What terrifying inheritors of the Heavenly Books! One has entered the realm of ghosts and gods, the other has wisdom bordering on the demonic—they aren't even acting like humans anymore."