“That damned brat! So much for me picking him out from the mountains! He has shown me no respect at all! If the other school leaders weren’t present, I would’ve killed him on the spot.” Wang Pushi slammed the desk, jolting all the items on there.
Hua Chengzan knew that he was just venting his anger. He comforted him with a smile. “Old Wang, just calm down. Don’t stoop to his level. The kid could use the One Thought master’s Guardian King’s pearl the moment she laid her hands on it, so maybe she actually does have a destiny with the buddha. It’s not like we can insist against fate.”
Wang Pushi continued to fume. “Want to be promoted to Scarlet Wolf? Want to join my school of Legalism? Don’t even think about it!”
“Do you have to be like that? He still originates from our Hawkwolf Guard after all, and with his talent, the other schools definitely won’t let him slip by if you don’t want him. Combined with his relationship with the child…”
Under Hua Chengzan’s gentle persuasions, Wang Pushi’s anger subsided. “Fine. Once he joins the school of Legalism, I’ll get him good.”
In the blink of an eye, four hours had passed. Li Qingshan handed the piece of paper to the instructor, which was then passed onto the school leaders. Every single one of them possessed a copy.
Wang Pushi held Li Qingshan’s paper as his face darkened. Everyone familiar with Wang Pushi would know that this was an expression of extreme anger. Who would have thought that Li Qingshan had not enrolled in the school of Legalism at all. All of his plans had fallen apart now, as if he was being mocked.
It was as if he could hear Li Qingshan say, No matter how powerful or how impressive you are, you’re nothing to me. There’s nothing you can do about me if I don’t join your school of Legalism.
Hua Chengzan smiled bitterly. He was unable to pacify Wang Pushi anymore. If he didn’t fill in the school of Legalism, then so be it. At least I can try to calm him down with how your elemental affinity doesn’t match. But of all the schools to fill in, why the school of Novels? You could have filled in any other school, and I’d be able to speak up for you!
“He has gone too far!” Wang Pushi roared. It pierced the roof of the building and reached the sky, alarming a flock of birds in the forest.
Chapter 287: Climbing the Mountain in Search of the Dao | Legend of the Great Sage
The birds flew over the great lake. The setting sun dyed the rippling waves of the Lake of Dragons and Snakes a reddish-yellow.
On Contention island, the tests had already begun despite the setting sun.
Qi Practitioners did not have to eat or sleep at fixed times like regular people. Going an entire night without sleep was nothing. The lunch at noon was akin to an additional benefit provided by the academy to them so that they could taste the delicious food on par with spiritual medicines for free.
Everyone boarded the ship once more, sailing to a small island in the east. The island was nowhere near as large as Contention island, but it was much larger than the other islands.
Within the rising, evening mist, a solemn daoist temple stood high on the mountain on the island. It did not give off an aura of peace and tranquility. Instead, it seemed to look down upon the various other schools.
It was rumored that most ancient cultivators were daoist priests, and they served as the origin for all techniques and cultivation methods. Most of the cultivation methods practised within the hundred schools originated from the school of Daoism.
In the present day, the school of Daoism was no longer the only option for all cultivators, but there was a saying, “Daoism stands to be the greatest among the hundred schools”. That only demonstrated how influential the school was.
The tests of the academy occurred consecutively, so all the Qi Practitioners would move about with each test. They could use this opportunity to familiarise themselves with the locations of the islands and the scenery they offered.
Regardless of the school they ended up with, they all had to visit these islands. The spirit of the academy was about the hundred schools resonating together and embracing all. Every single disciple of the academy could learn from other schools.
Of course, if they wanted to learn the very core teachings of a school, it would take them some effort and spiritual stones, but it was not impossible. It was unlike those cultivation sects, which would threaten them with death or permanently crippling their cultivation.
This was also the aspect that Li Qingshan admired the most. There was a reason why the Great Xia empire could keep all the cultivation sects in the world at bay with the Academy of the Hundred Schools.
The Qi Practitioners all disembarked and crossed through a forest along a small pathway, arriving before the mountain.
An instructor said, “Those who have enrolled for the school of Daoism, climb up the mountain with me. Those who haven’t, wait below the mountain. Don’t wander too far away.”
Li Qingshan discovered that the majority of the Qi Practitioners, almost a thousand of them, climbed up the mountain.
Not only was the school of Daoism a major school second to none, but it had no specific requirements on elemental affinities either. The school of Daoism was known to possess three thousand major paths and countless smaller paths. No matter who it was, they would always be able to find a path suitable for themselves.
As a result, almost everyone filled in “Daoism” within their five spots, even treating it as their main target. Li Qingshan was no different. His primary targets were either the school of Daoism or the school of the Military, but the school of Daoism did suit him more.
Everyone climbed up the mountain, and the moment they reached half way, mist rose up in the surroundings.
Li Qingshan sensed that everyone had vanished. Only he remained on the mountain path. He knew he had entered a formation.
“The test begins,” a voice boomed.
Li Qingshan gathered his mind and took a step forward. As soon as he took that step, his body immediately became several times heavier, while his true qi had been completely suppressed by the invisible formation too. It was not even possible to open his hundred treasures pouch, let alone use any techniques.
At that moment, all of the Qi Practitioners climbing the mountain had been reduced to regular people. The protective formation of the school of Daoism began to demonstrate its startling power.
Li Qingshan was unfazed. He took another step forward, and the wide, stone steps suddenly became a narrow, meandering footpath. The two sides were sheer cliffs that seemed bottomless. He could imagine that if he fell down, he would not actually die, but he would lose his right to join the school of Daoism.
At this exact moment, wild winds rose up without any fixed directions, blowing him around.
“Argh!”
There was a howl, and a Qi Practitioner fell down from the mountain path, spiralling off the cliff. Even though he knew he would be fine, he could not help but be utterly frightened. Just when he was about to hit the bottom, the surroundings suddenly twisted and changed. With another glance, he had returned to the bottom of the mountain. The group of Qi Practitioners waiting there all looked at him in disdain.
He called out, “I refuse to accept this! I was blown off by the wind. With my cultivation at the third layer, how can I possibly fend off the protective formation of the school of Daoism?”
“The more perturbed you are mentally, the stronger the winds and the narrower the path becomes. You can’t even control your fears when you knew it’s all an illusion, yet you still want to practise daoism? Piss off,” a voice boomed out. It was the slovenly daoist priest.
Legend of the Great Sage (Chapter 201-Chapter 300)
Dream Teller's books
- Legend of the Great Sage (Chapter 1-Chapter 100)
- Legend of the Great Sage (Chapter 101-Chapter 200)
- Legend of the Great Sage (Chapter 301-Chapter 400)
- Legend of the Great Sage (Chapter 401-Chapter 500)
- Legend of the Great Sage (Chapter 501-Chapter 600)
- Legend of the Great Sage (Chapter 601-Chapter 700)
- Legend of the Great Sage (Chapter 701-Chapter 833)