Chapter 19: Martial Arts Academy (1)

Posted byYours TrulyOctober 1, 2023Posted inZanxing

The autumn frost was as clear as water, and the night on Mount Gufeng was tranquil.

A faint sprinkling of starlight graced the Milky Way, and the distant lights were blurred in its glow.

Beside the small wooden house, a cluster of osmanthus trees were in full bloom this season. When the wind rustled their branches, the fragrant blossoms fell like fireflies, casting a layer of sweetness over the mountains.

Zanxing sat on the third floor, gazing into the distance, lost in thought.

Duan Xiangrao had gone out in the evening and had yet to return. She had been led away by a few new disciples. Zanxing couldn’t help but sigh inwardly, marveling at their social skills. On their first day, they had made friends so easily, while she… it was best not to dwell on that.

In Taiyan Sect, the small wooden houses had rooftop terraces on the third floor, where one could look up and see the starry sky. Zanxing sat cross-legged, and by now, she had come to accept a certain fact with composure. She had indeed entered the world of “At the Summit of the Nine Heavens” within the pages of the book, and for the time being, she might not be able to return.

Zanxing was a rather ordinary person, lacking any particular talents. Her greatest virtue was perhaps her positive attitude. No matter what she faced, she could calmly continue forward. That’s why she had remained composed until now. Transmigrating into the novel, “At the Summit of the Nine Heavens”, had been a chance occurrence, and the same applied to obtaining the “Xiao Yuan Pearl”. However, the path she chose was ultimately her own, and when you choose your own path, you must walk it, even if you have to kneel.

At this moment, there were still scars on her face from the residual demonic energy. To completely heal them, she needed to rank in the top thirty before the assessment. Today, she had made it into the top 120 during the selection competition, ranking at sixty-eighth place, even with the assistance of the Xiao Yuan Pearl. With this performance, aiming for a spot as an inner sect disciple seemed a bit precarious.

However, fortunately, the spiritual energy on Gufeng Mountain was abundant.

Taiyan Sect had chosen its location well. On this mountain, there was abundant natural elemental energy everywhere, and it was purer than the outside world. When combined with the cultivation of the Xiao Yuan Pearl, it made progress more efficient.

Although she now possessed the main character’s script, the original host’s aptitude was average at best. To achieve the status of the Chosen Son which originally belonged to the main character, she needed to double her efforts.

Zanxing closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and activated her inner energy, urging the Xiao Yuan Pearl inside her to synchronize with her palm. She began to absorb and refine the surrounding spiritual energy and elemental power.

…….

In the early morning, sunlight slipped through the cracks in the windows of the small wooden house.

The dormitory was quiet, but suddenly, a loud and clear rooster crowed, its voice resembling thunder, ringing loudly in everyone’s ears.

Zanxing was startled awake from her sleep, sitting up in one swift motion. She rubbed her eyes. Was that a rooster crowing? It was way too loud!

She got up, rubbed her eyes, and started getting ready. After she had finished, she pushed open the door and saw a chicken perched on the branch of a distant osmanthus tree.

This chicken was quite beautiful, with a striking bright red plumage all over, extending into a golden streak on its back with a hint of emerald, and its tail was sprinkled with yellow spots. Its comb was also golden, and at the moment, it stood on the branch, pacing leisurely with an alert and spirited demeanor. It looked like a staff member inspecting the area in evening wear.

Even in a group of cranes, this chicken would still stand out.

“Hey, Junior Sister Zanxing, you’re awake too?” Next door, Tian Fangfang was rinsing his mouth with a bowl in front of his door and greeted Zanxing.

Zanxing said, “This chicken…”

“My roommate told me that this is the Taiyan Sect’s Morning Rooster, named General Youri. Every morning when it crows, we all have to get up,” Tian Fangfang explained.

Zanxing replied, “Got it, a live alarm clock.”

“Have you looked at the schedule for today?” Tian Fangfang asked.

Zanxing responded, “I checked it last night.”

New Taiyan Sect disciples were required to attend classes on time. Classes were divided into general courses and elective courses, with general courses further categorized into basic and theoretical subjects. The basic courses covered typical practices like Qi cultivation, meditation, and stillness exercises, while theoretical courses focused on studying Daoist scriptures such as the “Cleansing the Mind Sutra”, “The Profound Seal Scripture”, “The Mirror of Medicines”, “The Azure Heaven Song”, and others.

These major courses were attended by all disciples together. Minor courses were exclusively for inner sect disciples who received direct guidance from the true masters. Apart from that, if one wanted to advance in their cultivation quickly, they had to rely on self-study.

Mount Gufeng had abundant spiritual energy, making it suitable for cultivation. Taiyan Sect’s martial arts library was well-stocked, and as a renowned sect, even entry-level disciples could access the core scriptures and techniques. However, only inner sect disciples were allowed to access the upper floors of the martial arts library.

Yesterday evening, Ziluo had someone deliver today’s schedule. In a little while, the new disciples would be going to Taiyan Sect’s martial arts hall to choose techniques, which would be their main focus for the next half-month of training.

Tian Fangfang spat out the last mouthful of water, took the bowl, and headed back. As he walked, he said, “I’m going to change clothes. Zanxing, hurry up too. If you go late, you might miss out on the good techniques.”

Zanxing replied with a nod and also returned to her room. Inside, Duan Xiangrao had already finished getting ready.

Duan Xiangrao had only returned last night around midnight, and technically, she had stayed up late. However, she showed no signs of exhaustion. She had even managed to style her hair intricately and apply makeup. Although she wore the same gray robe as the other Taiyan Sect outer disciples, her belt was tied differently, giving it a more personalized touch.

Zanxing picked up the gray robe issued to her last night. The fabric felt soft, with a white underskirt on the inside and an outer layer of gauzy fabric. Embroidered in black and white at the chest of the gauzy robe was a phoenix. It was simple yet elegant, and when she put it on, it fit surprisingly well. She didn’t attempt to replicate Duan Xiangrao’s intricate hairstyle. Instead, she simply combed her long hair neatly and tied a small bundle of it at the back of her head, securing it with a gray cloth ribbon. Then, she left her room.

Outside, Tian Fangfang was waiting for her.

As they walked and asked for directions, they didn’t know how long they had been on their way. Finally, Tian Fangfang pointed ahead and exclaimed, “We’ve found it!”

Zanxing raised her eyes and saw that a group of new disciples had already gathered ahead. In front of them was a black three-story building that occupied a spacious area. At the base of the tower stood a massive stone tablet with three bold characters engraved using a sword: “Martial Arts Hall.” The characters were also highlighted with red ink, giving them a powerful appearance, as if they could pierce through the entire stone.

“This is Taiyan Sect’s Martial Arts Hall,” a voice came from behind.

Turning around, they saw Ziluo approaching with a cheerful smile. She looked toward the direction of the building and continued, “Every disciple who enters Taiyan Sect can choose a martial technique to practice at the Martial Arts Hall. Once you advance to become inner disciples, you can go higher. For now, you can enter the first level.”

“Senior Sister Ziluo,” Tian Fangfang scratched his head, “can you give us a hint about which technique is the most powerful?”

Ziluo chuckled, “Rather than just power, you should consider whether it’s suitable for you.”

“Go ahead now,” she said, “go pick a technique that suits you.”