151 Ascending the Mountain (1/2)
Chapter 151: Ascending the Mountain
Translator: TransnEditor: Transn
Prince Lee Peiyan looked at the monk as his eyebrows knitted slightly in displeasure. He had come to the opening as a representative of the royal family. However, his main motive for coming was to ensure that the agreement would be enforced. He had not expected any student from the Academy to beat Prince Long Qing. But he was slightly mad that no student of Tang nationality had stepped out bravely, but a monk in tattered robes had instead.
”Who is this monk?” He asked the official from the Ministry of Rites beside him with furrowed brows.
The official wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeves and replied softly, ”He is a traveling monk from the Dadu Monastery of Yuelun Kingdom. He had applied earlier and was granted entry to the Academy today.”
Lee Peiyan was startled. He looked as if he had something to say, but chose not to in the end.
Unlike what was imagined by the masses, the opening of the Second floor was not meant for just the students of the Academy. The Academy welcomed every single contestant, regardless of their nationality or sect.
Those who could enter the Second floor would have an opportunity to meet the Headmaster of the Academy and receive his teachings. This was practically like receiving dew from Haotian, or honey from bees. Nobody could resist a temptation like this.
Ever since the first opening of the Second floor years ago, young talents from the South Jin Kingdom, Great River Kingdom, and the Yuelun Kingdom would make their way to the Academy and try their luck. What was amazing was that everyone including their sects and countries would keep silent about this matter.
The reason for it was simple. They could not dispell the young talents' desire to enter the Second floor of the Academy. They believed that the Headmaster was the epitome of virtue and had a heart as clean as the white clouds in the sky and large like the mountains. They would not interfere with the internal matters of other sects. The most important reason was that they believed that the headmaster would treat all disciples of the Second floor equally and not show favoritism.
Since this was so, if these young talents from South Jin and the Yuelun Kingdom could enter the Second floor, they would be able to learn the intricate skills of the Academy and build a close relationship between their sect and the Academy and might even align their countries with the Tang Empire and build closer ties. Why would they not keep silent then?
It was a pity that there was no fixed date for the opening of the Second floor and the numbers chosen were few. Most of those allowed entry in the past few years were mostly students of the Academy. Only a lucky handful was from foreign lands. However, this did not stop young talents from all over the world from joining the opening ceremony.
The young Yuelun monk in tattered robes and straw slippers was one of them.
The West-Hill Divine Palace who viewed themselves as the only sect who practiced the correct cultivation method and the spokesperson of Haotian would not be like sects from other countries who would hide and laugh into their sleeves. Other than an unknown fat young lad that no one knew of, no one from the West-Hill had attempted to enter the Second floor until Prince Long Qing.
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Other than Prince Lee Peiyan, the professor who was presiding over the opening ceremony also wore a face of displeasure. While the Divine Talisman master who was sequestered in a building within the Academy in cultivation may not know how this batch of students was faring in their studies of cultivation, he felt that no student of the Academy should cower like a frightened rabbit behind others.
Three other young cultivators from foreign lands walked towards the hill bravely, followed by the hopeful gazes of their companions. The students of the Academy who was silent for a long time finally started moving. Many could not help but turn their sights towards Master Xiesan.
Xie Chengyun looked upon the crowd from afar. He looked at the young prince who had stolen much attention from him ever since his arrival in Chang'an and could almost taste the bitterness in his mouth. He had been looking at him, paying attention to him, but the prince did not even notice him. How bitter this was.
He had cultivated for so many years and given up on the position as Tanhua of South Jin to come forth to the Academy in hopes of entering the Second floor just to become a core disciple of the Headmaster of the Academy. However, all these were fading into foam and disappearing with the appearance of this young man of his age who was simply more outstanding.
Young Master Xie, who was from a prominent family of South Jin Kingdom and was much loved suddenly thought of the two lectures he had received in the old library and in the study room. One was from the Princess of Tang and the other from Ning Que.
He turned to look at his classmates from the Academy. He wanted to see Ning Que, but was disappointed that he did not.
After a moment of silence, he thought of the twenty years he had spent studying and trying his best to cultivate and a look of stubbornness and relief appeared on his face. He stood up, took a deep breath and looked at his classmates and said, ”This is our Academy, are we going to be the last to ascend?”
A happy smile appeared on Wang Ying's young face. He held his hands together and said, ”Brother Xie, I shall go with you.”
The students of the Academy were excited and started cheering, sending off the six students from the course of magic skills who were about to ascend the mountain together.
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The light bustle within the students of the Academy attracted only a few curious gazes. The envoys gathered under the umbrellas of the West-Hill Divine Palace and the Yan Kingdom did not bother looking. Their gazes, as well as gazes from many others not under the umbrellas, were fixed on Prince Long Qing who looked calm and beautiful like a cherry blossom in winter.