MTLNOVEL Chapter 177: Grandmaster? Mere Ants! (Please Subscribe)
The weather in February had not yet turned warm.
Walking among the mountains, the mountain breeze still felt chilly when it blew.
The recent snowfall had turned the distant mountain peaks white, giving one the feeling of "wind and snow ushering travelers."
But for Chen Yi and the others nowadays, there was no chill to be felt.
Compared to their childhood, each of them had made significant progress.
Even Wang Yongnian, who had the lowest cultivation level, seemed unaffected by the cold wind thanks to his seemingly plump body.
However, there were some travelers from outside the mountains who were hurrying to Lin Xun Peak while wearing thick cotton clothes.
Upon seeing the carriage of Chen Yi and the others, these people consciously stopped and stood on the inside of the mountain path, looking at them with envy on their faces.
Most of them were young children, which made Chen Yi and the others realize—It was the day the Grand Void Sect recruited new disciples.
"Word has it that the recruitment is overseen by Uncle Hong from Lin Xun Peak this time, hopefully, he'll admit some disciples with body cultivation talents."
Xiao Xuanzhen, looking at the children outside the window, couldn't help thinking back to the time when she was responsible for recruiting disciples.
It was her first time taking on such a task, and also her last.
But because of it, she met Chen Yi and the others.
At this thought, Xiao Xuanzhen subconsciously looked towards Chen Yi who was seated in the innermost part of the carriage, only to find that he was looking at her too. She couldn't help but haughtily tilted her head, leaving him with the view of the back of her head.
Hmph, what are you looking at?
Although she no longer intended to compete with Chen Yi, she still couldn't suppress the inexplicable irritation in her heart every time she saw him.
Chen Yi chuckled silently, his gaze resting on the children outside the window.
Compared to previous years, there seemed to be more children aspiring to join the Grand Void Sect this time.
In his perception of Sword Intent, there were nearly a thousand children on the mountain path alone.
And having heard the conversations of the accompanying adults, he understood the reason—
"Grandpa, is Brother Chen Yi really from here?"
"Yes, Xiao Diao, your grandpa only hopes that you can be admitted into the Grand Void Sect smoothly. I don't ask that you possess Sword Dao Talent, even prominent Body Cultivation talent would be good."
"Mhm! Grandpa, when I come down the mountain after learning, I want to become a great hero of the Wei Dynasty, just like Brother Chen Yi!"
"Ha ha... Very well, my Xiao Diao will surely become a renowned hero throughout the lands one day."
Upon hearing this conversation, the people nearby also encouraged their children, setting "Little Sword Immortal" as their role model.
"Nowadays, the Grand Void Sect is indeed remarkable, setting aside the 'Little Sword Immortal', even Fairy Xueru, Hua Xianzi, and others are each outstanding in their own right."
"What a pity we have to stay here; otherwise, if we traveled to Kyoto Prefecture, we might witness their heroism."
"Indeed, I hope these children all manage to join the Grand Void Sect. Even becoming an Outer Sect disciple would mean a more promising future compared to other places."
"Indeed..."
Chen Yi felt a mixture of emotions, yet unsure of what they were.
He knew his own circumstances; had it been up to him alone, he might have spent his life as unremarkable as most people.
Becoming someone like him was an "impossible feat in a lifetime" for many.
Thinking about it, he felt somewhat gratified.
Watching the fleeting shadows of the children outside the window, Du Yanqing said with some emotion, "Seeing them really feels like a lifetime has passed."
"It feels like leaving Capital City was just yesterday, and in a blink of an eye, more than a decade has passed."
Wang Yongnian nodded, a touch of melancholy on his chubby face, "Back then, Wei Letian and Wei Xiaoyun were also with us, but now they have already..."
"Why bring them up?" Du Yan snorted. "Those two returned to Capital City a few months ago."
"Did they notify you when they left?"
Wang Yongnian shook his head, "It was the Princely Heir who told me; I learned from him that they had already left."
Ever since the minor examination of the sect, Wei Letian and Wei Xiaoyun had disconnected from them.
Perhaps because they lost face or maybe they felt a difference in their status or identity.
But for Chen Yi and the others, the absence of those two members of the Royal Family made everyone feel more at ease.
Du Yanqing gave Wang Yongnian a look, signaling him not to mention those two anymore, then changed the subject, "I heard that the court is also involved in this event, with the Ministry of Rites, the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, and the Night Watch Department presiding."
"Originally, Prime Minister Xie wanted the event to be held in Kyoto Academy, but for some reason, it ended up being switched to Dakong Temple."
Du Yan, fiddling with an Eight Diagrams Mirror, pondered, "It must be those monks' doing."
"Scheming?" Du Yanqing questioned doubtfully, "Is there any special intention behind this?"
"I don't know either." Du Yan shook her head, recalling, "However, my Master once said that there has been a widespread belief in the rise of Buddhism in the Wei Dynasty in recent years. Perhaps the decision to hold this event at Dakong Temple is related to that."
Du Yanqing mused, "It appears that nowadays, Confucianism might be in decline."
Chen Yi, who had been silent, laughed after hearing their conversation, "Not necessarily so. Buddhism came from the West Continent, and if they want to flourish here, they have a long way to go."
"The Wei Dynasty's Buddhist holy lands are few, such as Dakong Temple, Vajra Temple, Bodhi Temple, Hengshan Sect, Jingzhai, and so on."
"Their origins are almost all in West Continent Buddha Country, like Dakong Temple, which was founded by a prince five hundred years ago who traveled alone to the West Continent to seek scriptures."