NO_NAME
patreon
Chapter 420: Showing Support
🕑 Added 2024-10-30 16:37:13 +0000 UTCBusy days always seem to pass by quickly.
In the blink of an eye, the day of Lingxian Sect’s long-awaited disciple recruitment event had arrived.
Today, the village of Xiushui was bustling with activity, and describing it as a sea of people would be no exaggeration.
Although Xiushui Village had grown into a popular tourist destination in recent years, the current crowds dwarfed the usual influx of visitors.
In anticipation of the event, the village’s inns had been fully booked for days by those who arrived early. Likewise, the many newly established guesthouses were also filled to capacity. Even so, the available accommodations couldn’t come close to meeting the overwhelming demand from people flocking to the village to participate in the disciple selection process. There were simply too many.
To prevent visitors from sleeping in the streets, the village chief had organized the locals to vacate as much space in their homes as possible for temporary lodgers. But even this wasn’t enough.
As a result, many people ended up staying in nearby villages. Those who were particularly picky about their accommodations, and who missed out on a place in the inns or guesthouses, were forced to stay in Cuifeng Town or even further away in Anqun County.
Although the sun had just risen, the roads of Xiushui Village were already packed with people. Crowds pressed together, shoulder to shoulder, inching forward along the pathways. Fortunately, Liu Yunan and the village chief had anticipated this situation and had arranged for able-bodied villagers to help manage the flow of people.
"Rong-ge! Rong-ge, wait up! We’re going to lose you in the crowd!"
"Yeah! Rong-ge, Xiao Si-jie, slow down and wait for us!"
In the midst of the bustling crowd, four small figures struggled to push their way forward. A boy and a girl led the way, with two other boys trailing behind them.
The boy in front, Xie Rong, looked back with a smirk of disdain and called out, "Hua Xiao’er, you're so weak! You can’t even keep up with Si-jie, and she’s a girl!"
The girl walking beside Xie Rong, Yin Xiaoxiao, was two to three years older than the boys and the tallest of the group. Hearing the conversation, she glanced back at the two trailing boys and scoffed, "I told you two to eat more, but you never listen. Serves you right."
With that, instead of slowing down, she quickened her pace, deftly weaving through the crowd.
Suddenly, a loud cheer erupted from the crowd up ahead.
Before anyone in the back could figure out what was happening, the sharp crackling sound of firecrackers rang out.
It turned out that in the village’s drying yard, the village chief and the villagers had cordoned off an open space, where they had just lit several long strings of firecrackers.
Following this, several brightly colored lions from a lion dance troupe leaped high above the crowd, making a grand entrance!
"Woo-hoo!"
The crowd, clearly not expecting such a festive spectacle, burst into cheers and applause.
As the lion dancers began their performance, a group of drummers and gong players on the sidelines sprang into action, filling the air with the rhythmic pounding of drums and the clanging of gongs. Even a suona (traditional Chinese horn) player had been invited, and the sharp, soaring notes of the instrument pierced the sky, sending the already lively atmosphere into a frenzy.
This was a celebration organized by Xiushui Village to honor the Lingxian Sect’s disciple recruitment event.
"Governor Tong Shuzheng of Liaoju Prefecture, representing the imperial court, extends congratulations to Lingxian Sect on their successful disciple recruitment!"
Amid the packed crowd, a procession of officials made their way toward the center. The most striking figure in the group was Tong Shuzheng, dressed in a crimson official robe.
The scale of the procession’s pomp and ceremony far exceeded what was customary for a governor, clearly demonstrating that Tong Shuzheng was indeed representing the imperial court, as he had announced.
In fact, gifts from the royal family and the three major sects had already been sent to Lingxian Sect in the days leading up to the event. This public appearance by Tong Shuzheng was a strategic move by the imperial court to show their respect for Lingxian Sect in front of the masses.
Not far from the drying yard, on the second floor of a teahouse, an elderly man with a somewhat frail appearance and a strikingly beautiful young man were sipping tea as they watched the lively celebration below.
Though the streets were filled with noise and excitement, the teahouse offered a quieter reprieve.
"I didn’t expect the imperial court of Pusi to place such importance on Lingxian Sect," Yuan Jinsheng said, looking toward Shen Yingzi with some concern. "Yingzi, are you really certain you want to try cultivating at Lingxian Sect?"
It wasn’t that he didn’t want his son to cultivate. On the contrary, if his son could successfully embark on the path of cultivation, that would be ideal. After all, the higher the cultivation, the longer the lifespan.
But Yuan Jinsheng knew his son’s situation better than anyone.
With his chaotic and weak mixed spiritual roots, even achieving the basic step of Qi absorption would be difficult. Moreover, Shen Yingzi was already eighteen years old, not exactly young for someone starting cultivation.
Three years ago, after the campaign against Huan You Kingdom concluded, Shen Yingzi had expressed his desire to accept Lin Xiao’s invitation and go to Lingxian Sect to cultivate. Although Yuan Jinsheng had been surprised at the time, he supported his son’s decision.
Over the past three years, rather than waiting idly for Lingxian Sect to begin recruiting disciples, Yuan Jinsheng had taken it upon himself to teach Shen Yingzi the basics of cultivation and try to help him absorb Qi.
However, despite his efforts, Shen Yingzi had barely managed to sense a faint Qi presence, let alone successfully absorb it into his body.
Despite the setbacks, Shen Yingzi wasn’t someone who easily lost heart.
Now sitting across from Yuan Jinsheng, Shen Yingzi had long since resumed wearing men’s attire after turning eighteen the previous year. However, his features and demeanor still leaned toward the feminine, giving him the appearance of a woman disguised as a man.
Seeing his father, who hoped more than anyone that he could succeed, Shen Yingzi gave a sheepish smile and said, "Father, I’ve already come all this way, so of course I have to give it a try. Don’t worry. If I can’t succeed in cultivation, I’ll accept that outcome. It’s okay."
Though he hadn’t fully embarked on the path of cultivation yet and had experienced some discouragement, Shen Yingzi always remembered the conversation he’d had with Lin Xiao.
Even though three years had passed without him being able to absorb Qi, Lin Xiao had extended an olive branch to him, knowing his cultivation potential. Now that he had accepted the offer, he had to at least give it a shot.
He had made up his mind. If he truly couldn’t cultivate after joining Lingxian Sect, he would simply give up then.
Seeing the determination in his son’s clear eyes, Yuan Jinsheng laughed heartily and nodded, "I was overthinking it. Go ahead and give it a try, and I’ll be right here with you!"
After sustaining severe injuries in the campaign against Huan You Kingdom, Yuan Jinsheng’s cultivation had stagnated, and he no longer had the potential to advance. Having declined the important positions offered by the kingdom, he had since devoted himself to supporting his son’s cultivation aspirations.
Shen Yingzi smiled, dimples forming on both cheeks. "Thank you, Father."
Previous Chapter | | Next Chapter
