SBCEJM -Chapter 8 Shock! The Frail Scholar Is Actually a Martial Arts Master? Flying Across Rooftops to Work!

Feng Zexuan’s greatest goal in this life was simple:

To slack off peacefully.

Being transmigrated into ancient times as the daughter of an official family, with no worries about food or clothing, was basically a top-tier starting setup.

But she understood one thing very clearly.

In this world, human life was as fragile as paper.

Step outside and you might get kidnapped. Travel halfway and assassins could ambush you.

If she wanted to live peacefully into old age, having no means of self-defense was nothing but a fantasy.

So from childhood, she had already planned out her life path.

Music, chess, calligraphy, painting? Embroidery and needlework?

She learned none of them.

Every bit of time she could use was poured into one thing only—martial arts.

After hearing her crooked logic about “surviving chaotic times,” even her parents found it somewhat reasonable and spent huge sums hiring famous masters for her.

Feng Zexuan possessed extraordinary talent and was willing to endure hardship.

More than ten years later, her martial arts had long surpassed all her teachers.

Without exaggeration, in the entire capital city, the number of people who could defeat her could be counted on one hand.

If not for helping her brother uphold the family name, she would never have bothered coming to this lousy job.

Being an official was exhausting.

Especially attending morning court.

The Great Xia Dynasty required court to begin at mao hour, equivalent to five in the morning.

Which meant every official had to stand outside the palace gates before dawn, shivering in the cold wind.

Feng Zexuan had to crawl out of her warm blankets at three in the morning.

【This is murder! Waking up at three— even chickens don’t rise earlier than me! This is basically a sudden-death schedule!】

Normally, she would still be sleeping soundly at this hour.

Her unshakable biological clock had always been waking at mao hour—six a.m.—then practicing martial arts for two hours before enjoying breakfast refreshed and energized.

But now?

Her sleep had been stolen, and even her daily training time was squeezed away.

Who could tolerate that?

Wake up at one in the morning to practice?

She wasn’t insane.

Feng Zexuan’s eyes suddenly lit up as a perfect solution surfaced in her mind.

The next day, before dawn—

Outside the Feng residence, the sedan chair had already been prepared. Feng Huai’an yawned as he walked out, ready to depart together with his “son.”

“Zekai, it’s getting late, hurry—”

His words abruptly stopped.

He saw Feng Zexuan dressed in a neat crimson official robe, energetically stretching in the courtyard. Her joints cracked softly with each movement.

“Father, you go ahead.”

Feng Zexuan waved casually at him, her breathing calm and steady.

“I’ll warm up a little and head over myself.”

【That crappy sedan chair is slow and bumpy. My bones would fall apart riding it.】

Feng Huai’an froze.

“You’re not taking the sedan chair? The palace is over ten li away!”

“No problem.”

The moment her words fell, before her father could react, she lightly tapped the ground with her toe.

Her entire body rose silently like a weightless shadow, instantly vaulting onto the high courtyard wall.

Feng Huai’an: “!!!”

His eyes widened violently, mouth hanging half-open, as he watched his “son” leap across neighboring rooftops several times before vanishing completely into the pre-dawn darkness.

His… daughter…

Since when had she cultivated such terrifying qinggong?!

Feng Huai’an rubbed his eyes hard, seriously suspecting he was hallucinating from lack of sleep.

He vaguely remembered his daughter mentioning martial arts when she was little, but he had always assumed it was just flashy moves for fitness…

Who knew she was serious?

And this fierce?!

Meanwhile, Feng Zexuan was currently sprinting across rooftops.

The icy predawn wind slammed into her face, instantly blowing away every trace of sleepiness.

This kind of freedom—riding the wind without restraint—felt far better than being trapped inside a sedan chair.

In less than fifteen minutes, the towering vermilion palace walls appeared before her.

At that moment, only a faint white glow lined the horizon. Outside the palace gates, everything was empty and silent, not even a ghost in sight.

She was the first one there.

Excellent.

Feng Zexuan found an open space with satisfaction and immediately began training, not wasting a single second.

Planting herself firmly into a horse stance, she sank her qi into her dantian and unleashed a fierce boxing routine powerful enough to stir gusts of wind. Faint sounds of air splitting echoed around her.

Half an hour later, officials’ sedan chairs finally began arriving one after another.

The sleepy officials stepped down and were instantly jolted awake by the sight before them.

Before the palace gates, beneath the dim morning light, a refined figure in crimson official robes moved in swift flashes.

His fists cut through the air viciously, his movements agile and forceful.

“T-That’s the newly appointed Third-Rank Scholar, Feng Zekai?”

“My heavens, he’s actually practicing martial arts in front of the palace gates?”

“Rising at the rooster’s crow to train diligently! So young, yet already this hardworking and disciplined—truly a role model for our generation!”

Many officials stared with amazement, praising him endlessly.

Outstanding in literature, astonishing in martial arts—this Third-Rank Scholar’s future was limitless.

Feng Zexuan ignored all the surrounding discussion, completely immersed in her own world.

However—wherever there were people, there was conflict.

And wherever there was conflict, there were always a few gossip-loving old fools.

Several officials who usually prided themselves on being “upright scholars” gathered together, pointing at Feng Zexuan’s back with disdainful sneers.

“Hmph, just a brat eager to show off. Completely unable to stay calm.”

“Practicing martial arts before the sacred palace gates—utterly improper! Like a monkey dressed in ceremonial robes!”

“Seeking attention, utterly ridiculous! Young people these days are getting more and more shallow.”

“Exactly. Pretending for show—who’s he even performing for?”

Though they deliberately lowered their voices, how could such sour remarks escape Feng Zexuan’s keen hearing?

Her fists never stopped moving, but a cold smile silently curved at her lips.

【Oh ho, when I’m sleepy, someone delivers me a pillow. Free gossip just volunteered itself?】

【System, hear that? Remember every single one of those grumbling old cabbages for me!】

【Yeah, especially that goat-bearded one, and the triangle-eyed rat-faced guy next to him!】

【Once court starts, I’m digging up their scandals one by one!!】

The system instantly became excited.

【Received, Host! Targets locked on! The melon field is ready! I guarantee I’ll uncover every tael they embezzled and every mistress they’ve kept outside!】

!!!

The old officials gossiping behind her back stiffened as though struck by lightning.

What did they just hear?!

Old cabbages?

Digging up scandals?

Expose everything?!

That eerie voice ringing directly into their minds had appeared again!

Instantly, they recalled yesterday’s court session, where this newly appointed scholar had publicly exposed shocking scandals involving the Emperor and the Princess.

This man…he really had demonic powers!

He could expose everyone’s secrets!

Cold sweat instantly drenched their inner robes.

They had actually criticized this living King of Hell behind his back?

And he heard every word clearly?!

They were finished!

Their faces turned deathly pale as their legs trembled uncontrollably.

If all the shameful affairs hidden in their households were exposed in the Golden Throne Hall before the Emperor…they would never again be able to hold their heads high.

The goat-bearded censor had the strongest survival instincts and reacted the fastest.

A chrysanthemum-like flattering smile immediately bloomed across his face as he raised his voice enthusiastically:

“Lord Feng! What marvelous martial skill! Truly both literary and martial excellence! A young genius—Great Xia is blessed to have you!”

The triangle-eyed official also snapped awake and hurriedly bowed with a fawning smile.

“Indeed, indeed! Lord Feng rising at rooster’s crow to practice so diligently—truly beyond our reach! Admirable! Most admirable!”

Seeing this, the others dared not lag behind. Compliments poured toward Feng Zexuan like a tidal wave.

“The Third-Rank Scholar’s elegance is extraordinary! We are ashamed of ourselves!”

“A youthful hero indeed! The younger generation surpasses us!”

Just moments ago they had been mocking her coldly.

Now, they practically wanted to praise Feng Zexuan into a once-in-a-millennium genius descended from heaven.

Feng Zexuan slowly stopped her movements and exhaled a long breath, expressionlessly staring at this group of officials whose attitudes had flipped completely.

【What’s wrong with these people? Their faces change faster than the weather.】

The system replied seriously:

【Probably morning grumpiness. Lack of sleep makes people stupid. The cold wind woke them up.】

Hearing her inner thoughts, the officials were so embarrassed their toes nearly dug three-bedroom apartments into their court boots.

But to preserve their reputations and official hats, what was a little dignity?

Survival mattered more.

At that moment, Feng Huai’an’s sedan chair finally arrived late.

The instant he stepped out, he saw a crowd of colleagues—especially those famously rigid old conservatives—surrounding his “son” with smiling faces, showering him with endless praise.

Listening to their nauseating flattery, then seeing the obvious fear and ingratiation on their faces, Feng Huai’an instantly understood most of the situation.

He shook his head helplessly.

“Tsk. A bunch of spineless opportunists.”