Upon first laying eyes on the Falling Star Bridge and witnessing over a dozen meteors plummeting simultaneously, Fang Yun felt an urge to flee. Unlike the other Presented Scholars, he was acutely aware of the destructive power of a meteor fall.

The fourth corridor was merely over twenty li long and one li wide. The simultaneous descent of numerous meteors could easily reduce this place to ruins, yet they did not.

To ascertain the true might of the meteorites, Fang Yun delved into the world of wondrous books, quickly finding his answer.

The meteors in the fourth corridor possessed the same force as ordinary ones while soaring through the sky, but as they neared the bridge’s surface, their power noticeably weakened, whether it was the range and intensity of the shockwaves or the flames of the meteors themselves.

Fang Yun recalled how the Tiger Demon Saint’s son dealt with the meteors, clearly relying on the power of the ice bridge to diminish their strength. The reason the elephant demon was bisected with a single strike was that the meteor had not approached the icy surface, and its power was undiminished.

Thus, Fang Yun carefully observed the changes in the meteors and soon discovered that their power began to wane when they reached three feet above the ground, diminishing even further upon impact with the icy surface.

Fang Yun immediately stepped onto the bridge and felt the coldness strongest at three feet high, weakening significantly beyond that height.

“Meteors and avalanches alike are not forces of nature; they are controlled by the power of the Comet Corridor. Moreover, the coldness within the ice bridge clearly suppresses the meteors. If one could control this chill, it would be highly possible to cross the Falling Star Bridge.”

“Besides, it’s best to understand the purpose behind the Demon Ancestor’s test.”

Fang Yun pondered deeply.

“The Avalanche Slope and the Floating Ice River tested strength, reaction, agility, and endurance. The meteors of the Falling Star Bridge are too powerful for anyone to withstand directly; it’s not a test of strength. The way the Tiger Demon Saint’s son crossed the bridge, by first weakening his opponent, is more akin to human military strategy, not the Demon Clan’s mainstream combat style. If I’m not mistaken, this is a test as well as guidance from the Demon Ancestor to the Demon Barbarians, teaching them to utilize other forces when facing an adversary too powerful to confront directly!”

With this realization, Fang Yun’s mind cleared.

“The Demon Barbarians are mostly stubborn. Even their geniuses tend to exhibit their talent through strength rather than wisdom, preferring to resolve all conflicts with brute force. This kind of intellectual challenge is a piece of cake for the human race, but it’s quite different for the Demon Barbarians.”

“The Demon Ancestor can’t teach the Demon Barbarians to think more with their brains. So, he simply set up this Falling Star Bridge, forcing all Demon Barbarians to ‘dodge’ meteors first, then figure out how to ‘weaken’ them before they can cross. It’s to let those Demon Barbarians know that sometimes brute force isn’t enough. A little thought can solve the problem.”

At this thought, Fang Yun couldn’t help but show a wry smile.

“The Demon Ancestor’s test might be manageable for the talented Demon Barbarians, but for us humans to take part in this test is extremely difficult, as we can’t keep up with the speed and reaction! In essence, the entire Comet Corridor is like this. Presented Scholars can compose proud verses of snow, but not against meteors; their power is too great, and even if one could compose verses to withstand meteors, the Presented Scholars’ talent wouldn’t suffice. So, we must dodge the meteors like the Demon Barbarians. As for the final defense against tracking meteors, we must rely on the power of the ice bridge.”

“Controlling the chill of the ice bridge is one aspect, but finding the pattern of the meteor falls is equally important, as is mastering the safe spots where no meteor falls. Only by considering all three can one possibly cross the bridge. Combined with swift-moving verses, we then have a chance.”

Having figured this out, Fang Yun turned to see the Presented Scholars discussing and trying to apply the ice-splitting method he had used earlier, only to find it not particularly effective.

Fang Yun looked up at the meteors in the sky.

Occasionally, silver-white specks appeared high above, which, in the span of a breath, transformed into meteors plummeting rapidly. These meteors did not fall naturally but started with an extremely high velocity, usually taking two or three breaths to reach the ground.

Fang Yun tried to memorize the positions of the meteors in the sky as he had with the Floating Ice River, quickly discerning a pattern, his expression easing. Before long, the pattern became clearer, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

However, just moments later, Fang Yun’s face regained its solemnity.

“The pattern is changing! Or rather, there is no lasting pattern! The height, size, and speed of the meteors are traceable within a certain timeframe, but soon after, they change. Moreover, those stars are too far away, making spatial positioning too troublesome. It’s better to observe where the meteors land. Since the place where the Tiger Demon Saint’s son stood was never struck by a meteor, perhaps there are more similar spots on the ice bridge.”

Fang Yun began to focus on the ground, this time not to find the pattern of the meteors but to find “safe spots,” places where meteors would not directly strike.

However, Fang Yun soon realized that no place was spared from meteor strikes.

Unwilling to accept this, he visualized the twenty li long ice bridge as a rectangular plane in his mind, dividing it into ten-zhang squares with vertical and horizontal lines, and recorded the locations where meteors fell.

After half a Time, eight ice bridge plane maps appeared in Fang Yun’s mind, with the meteors undergoing eight changes during this period. Simultaneously, Fang Yun noticed a startling phenomenon: no matter how the meteor patterns changed, there were a few very special places.

Whenever the meteor fall pattern changed, the locations where the first batch of meteors landed would not be struck by a second batch until the pattern changed again.

Fang Yun had an epiphany.

“There are safe spots on the Falling Star Bridge; it’s just that their locations are constantly changing!”

Fang Yun didn’t immediately voice his findings but began to watch the bridge surface to corroborate his method: using the timing of the meteors’ appearance to determine when the pattern would change and then identify when the first batch of meteors under the new pattern would fall, thus pinpointing the safe spots.After verification, Fang Yun was certain he had found the correct method and was about to share it with the others so they could all exert their efforts together, but he suddenly closed his mouth in frustration.

During the process of searching for the meteor’s pattern, a vast amount of mathematical and physical knowledge was involved. Without those formulas, the results obtained were only vague, and using them incorrectly meant certain death.

Helplessly, Fang Yun walked towards the Presented Scholars to hear their opinions.

To his discovery, they still had no clear method because they couldn’t grasp the pattern of the meteors, nor could they locate the safe spots. They were unaware of the true power of the meteorites and the variations in their strength, so naturally, they couldn’t find out that the cold could weaken the meteors’ force.

After a while, Han Shoulu asked, “Have you found anything?”

“I have some clues now. Next, we need specific operations. How much do you understand about the pervasive chill in this comet corridor?” Fang Yun inquired.

Everyone looked at him blankly.

“Is there another secret to this thing besides being cold?” Kong Delun asked.

“The chill in this ice bridge can weaken the power of the meteors. The meteors are actually very strong, but their power greatly diminishes upon contact with the chill. If we want to pass through the fourth corridor, we must learn to control this chill,” Fang Yun explained.

“Sigh, we have no chance now. You can ask us; even if we go back to the first corridor, how many of us would dare to comprehend that chill? If unsuccessful, at best we’d be crippled by frostbite, at worst we’d die completely.”

Fang Yun smiled and said, “I didn’t think so much at that time.”

“That’s why you succeeded, while we have fear and greed in our hearts. Even if we go back to the first corridor now, we’re not ‘right-hearted’ enough. You are nearly right-hearted, and it will be much easier for you to glimpse the ‘Eight Methods of the Great Rites’ in the future.”

Fang Yun knew that the “Book of Rites” proposed “investigating things, extending knowledge, sincere thoughts, rectifying the heart, self-cultivation, regulating the family, governing the nation, and bringing peace to the world,” which are the eight methods among the three principles and eight items. In the Holy Origin Mainland, these eight methods are considered an important part of the rites, especially “rectifying the heart,” which is particularly helpful for cultivating the vast and righteous qi. Therefore, once one becomes a Grand Academician, no one does not study these “Eight Methods of the Great Rites.”

Fang Yun said, “One with a right heart will not fail; The Courage to Write is like refined gold, and the vast righteous qi will always exist. I have not yet reached ‘right-heartedness’; I am merely undistracted.”

“The ‘Book of Rites’ says: If there is fear, one cannot be right-hearted. You had no fear at the time, so naturally, you were right-hearted. You should be our honored teacher,” Han Shoulu said respectfully.

Fang Yun smiled and replied, “The ‘Book of Rites’ also says: If there is worry, one cannot be right-hearted. I am still ‘born in worry,’ far from being right-hearted. If you talk about concentration, I can admit to that.”

“Teacher Fang is worried, yet his heart is fearless, which is why he can lead us over the avalanche slope. If he can lead us over the Falling Star Bridge, then he not only has the ability of right-heartedness but also the ability to ‘investigate things,’” Han Shoulu said.

The crowd praised him repeatedly.

Fang Yun smiled without saying a word. Investigating things originally meant exploring the principles of things. The craftsmen even listed mechanisms, gears, or levers as part of investigating things. Using his knowledge from later generations to solve the Falling Star Bridge was indeed equivalent to exercising the ability to investigate things.

Kong Delun laughed and said, “Let’s not flatter each other, teacher and student! Let’s talk about serious matters! How do we control the chill? Does anyone have a method? Yukong, you have the highest talent among us in cultivation; can you perceive the power of the chill?”

Yan Yukong shook his head and said, “I missed the first corridor, and now I have lost the best opportunity to comprehend the chill. Don’t consider me. However, since this chill appears everywhere, it must originate from the comet and also has the power of the demon ancestors. We are powerless, but Fang Yun can, either by controlling this chill with the comet’s power or by using the power of the demon ancestors.”

Suddenly, Mo Shan from the side said, “Delun, can the dragon of the Kong Family pass through the comet corridor by relying on the comet’s power or the demon ancestor’s artifact?”

Everyone looked at Kong Delun with a smile, and Fang Yun couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly. These top Presented Scholars from the ten nations were indeed clever. After listening, Yan Yukong deduced the nature of the chill, and Mo Shan connected it to the method of passing through the comet corridor.

Kong Delun smiled bitterly and finally said helplessly, “I really don’t know, but I guess it’s the latter.”

Fang Yun slowly said, “I also guess the latter.”

Everyone fell silent, as Fang Yun’s guess was probably not about the dragon of the Kong Family. (To be continued.)