abnabooks Chapter 34 Peak Recruitment of Disciples
Chapter 34 Peak Recruitment of Disciples
Three days later, in the square in front of the Hall of Ten Thousand Laws, three hundred disciples were already lined up in neat rows, eagerly awaiting their arrival.
On the high platform, hundreds of peak leaders stood suspended in mid-air, constantly scrutinizing the disciples below.
The Taoist Academy has a total of 108 main peaks, and the top peak of each peak represents the true essence of the Taoist Academy.
In the sky, streaks of light occasionally flashed by, as more unseen elders from various peaks monitored the area with their divine senses.
As the head of the outer courtyard and the elder in charge of transmitting skills, Master Chongming stood before the platform, his voice resounding in all directions:
"The trial is over. Your performance serves as a mirror for all. Those who have made mistakes should reflect on them, and those who have made contributions should remain humble."
"The path to enlightenment is long and arduous, and one's character comes first. Some disciples avoid danger and retreat at the first sign of difficulty, ultimately missing out on opportunities."
"With such an unwavering resolve, even with talent, the path of cultivation in the future will likely be fraught with difficulties."
"But some disciples are even more ruthless, resorting to any means to achieve their goals, showing absolutely no moral compass as disciples of the righteous path!"
He did not name names specifically, but his admonitory gaze made some disciples who had acted improperly during the trial feel ashamed.
"However, you are still young and your minds are not yet firm. Occasionally you will make mistakes or feel fear, which is a necessary part of growing up."
"This time, the academy will not investigate further. We hope you will take this as a warning and constantly examine your own hearts in your future cultivation, upholding righteousness and adhering to the Way, so as not to fail the meaning of this trial."
After finishing his critique, Master Chongming stepped aside and announced in a loud voice, "Next, it will be time for each peak of the inner sect to select its disciples. There are over a hundred immortal mountains in the Daoist Academy, each with its own unique lineage. The elders present here today each represent the lineage of one of their respective peaks."
"How fate will unfold depends on the wisdom of you elders, and also on your own destiny!"
No sooner had the words been spoken than an elderly man in a star-patterned Taoist robe, exuding an ethereal aura, spoke first:
"I am Qingxu of Tian Shu Peak. This young man, Lin Feng, is calm and wise, and has a deep understanding of the Dao. He should come to my Tian Shu Peak to study the Great Dao."
Qingxu was the first to snatch someone, and he even named Lin Feng directly, clearly determined to get him.
"Old Daoist Qingxu, you're certainly in a hurry."
An elder dressed in a crimson Taoist robe, with faint flames swirling around him, chuckled, "Zhao Qian from my Refining Peak is quite talented and meticulous; he's a promising talent for weapon refining! Young man, would you be willing to come to my Refining Peak, take charge of the furnace fire of heaven and earth, and forge supreme Dao artifacts?"
He looked at Zhao Qian below the stage, his tone full of temptation.
Zhao Qian was taken aback, and immediately looked up and bowed.
"Hmph, you old devil, you're quick to snatch people away."
Another middle-aged cultivator, carrying a long sword and exuding a sharp aura, said coldly, "Nangong Yu is incomparably sharp and decisive. He should join my Punishment Peak to enforce the law and cleanse evil!" His gaze was like lightning, fixed on Nangong Yu.
Nangong Yu felt the sharp gaze, straightened his chest, and looked back proudly. "Thank you for your kindness, Chief of the Punishment Peak."
At this moment, the head of the Weapon Refining Peak interjected, "Hehe, Old Yan, wait a minute, I want Nangong Yu too."
"What? You want to take it from me, you old ghost!" the head of the Punishment Peak roared. "Don't think I'm easy to bully. Come on, let's exchange a few blows!"
The head of the Weapon Refining Peak hurriedly ran to the head of the Punishment Peak and whispered in his ear. The head of the Punishment Peak's expression was uncertain.
"I don't care, let Nangong Yu choose for himself. If he chooses your Refining Peak, I have nothing to say. If he chooses me, even if the Dean comes, I will take him." said the head of the Punishment Peak.
"Nangong Yu, which peak do you wish to join?" the head of Xinglu Peak asked enticingly.
Nangong Yu bowed to the head of the Punishment Peak: "Thank you for your kindness, Head Master Yan. I am deeply grateful, but my family's fate is at stake. I choose the Weapon Forging Peak!"
"Hehe," the leader of the Refining Peak chuckled smugly.
The head of the Criminal Law Peak's face darkened, and he snorted coldly at Old Ghost Huo.
His gaze swept quickly across the disciples below the stage, lingering on Lu Ming for a moment. He was about to make a move, but then stopped.
But he quickly selected another disciple, and after making the selection, he looked around defiantly, as if to say, "Who dares to try and take it again!"
"Little Shui Ling'er, you are born with a water-like body, which is most compatible with the Wanze Domain of my Beast Taming Peak. Come to my peak and you can be accompanied by thousands of spirit beasts."
A gentle female cultivator, dressed in a light blue dress, spoke softly, her voice like a clear spring.
Upon hearing this, Shui Ling'er smiled with delight and immediately bowed.
From the very beginning, the selection process was fiercely competitive, leaving the disciples below the stage dazzled and their emotions fluctuating.
Next, Elder Baicaofeng took a liking to Hu Zhen.
Elder Wu of Yanwu Peak, with a booming voice, extended an olive branch to several disciples who had shown bravery in the trials, including a few who, although not among the top, dared to fight.
Some elders, vying for a disciple, undermined each other, arguing heatedly and even resorting to personal attacks, listing their own advantages.
"That day, Frost Peak was so cold it could freeze to death year-round, you absolutely mustn't go there..."
...
"That Flaming Rock Peak is a Buddhist temple. Come to my Falling Cloud Peak..."
...
"Hey! Shut up, you old fox! Do you really think I'm easy to bully? You even dared to poach my disciple!"
...
"Come on, let's have a fight! Whoever wins gets the disciple!"
"Fine, let's fight! You think I'm afraid of you?"
...
The scene became incredibly lively. The chief monks and elders on the high platform had lost all their usual dignity, and the entire Wanfa Peak was as noisy as a vegetable market.
The disciples below were dumbfounded.
There were only 300 disciples to choose from, but more than 100 peak leaders came, plus other elders, so there were far more wolves than meat.
Chongming's expression shifted between light and dark as he glanced disdainfully at the elders and heads who had no bottom line in their quest for disciples.
The authority he had built up over five years of preaching was now being trampled underfoot by the leaders of various peaks.
One disciple was favored by several elders, which put him in a sweet dilemma.
A disciple who displayed exceptional talent in formations during the trial was fought over for quite some time by the elders of Tian Shu Peak and Tian Xuan Peak. In the end, the elders chose Tian Shu Peak because they were more interested in the origin of formations.
Lu Ming stood in the crowd, constantly looking towards the high platform, trying to find Xuanji's figure, but in the end he still saw nothing.
"The Mysterious Taoist is elusive; perhaps he arrived a while ago and is now some unknown entity watching the spectacle," Lu Ming muttered to himself.
He knew he had performed exceptionally well, especially with the burst of sword intent that allowed him to slay a demonic beast beyond his level, which must have attracted attention.
Strangely, despite the elders arguing heatedly, not one of them looked at him!
Lu Ming couldn't help but feel a little confused, and even began to doubt himself.
After about half a day, the competition among the peaks ended, and all the disciples were taken to their respective peak leaders or elders, leaving only Lu Ming alone in the vast square.
Lu Ming was a little embarrassed. At this moment, everyone on the stage was staring at Lu Ming, looking at each other with wide eyes.
The scene fell silent for a moment. Lu Ming, now the center of attention, felt his cheeks burning with embarrassment.
Lu Ming was anxious and flustered. Was he really looked down upon and no one was willing to take him in?
At this moment, the clouds in the sky were churning, and the sunlight shone through the gaps in the clouds, falling directly on Lu Ming.