Chapter 146 Kunlun Sect

Chapter 146 Kunlun Sect

Actually, it was my first time in Kunlun, and I was quite nervous about unblocking the gate.

After all, the Kunlun Sect has played a pivotal role in the martial arts world for a century or two, albeit intermittently.

It is truly like the majestic Kunlun Mountains, a towering peak to be revered.

He had always considered coming to Kunlun to learn martial arts as his goal in his travels.

One cannot live a muddled life; one must have a goal to strive for.

The Kunlun Sect is the goal that He Wenxue told him to look up to!

He really did end up here one day...

Everyone else was preparing for the disciple selection test with great enthusiasm; some were nervous, and some were not. But he was the only one who was both nervous and curiously observing his surroundings.

"Are you nervous too?" During the registration before the test, the two people lined up in two rows. The person in his group was also nervous, and seeing his nervousness, he asked.

"Not bad." He took a deep breath, trying his best to calm himself, but he couldn't help feeling a little awkward, as if he were seeing something new for the first time: "I didn't expect the Kunlun Sect to be so grand..."

Before the Kunlun Sect, he had visited another sect—the Divine Heaven Sect.

He smashed the fraudsters' organization to pieces.

The sect was built in rented courtyards for the purpose of making money; it was as temporary and dilapidated as it could possibly be. This was his initial impression of the sect.

Even after He Wenxue told him that the prestigious sects were different, he still didn't quite believe it; no, he still found it hard to imagine.

Later, he started eating fish.

He had never seen what the fishing gang looked like, but from the first day he met Eating Fish, he knew that Eating Fish was always dressed in rags.

He still managed to spend all the money.

He initially thought that the fish meal was a pretext to freeload off him under the guise of saving him...

The fact that they eat fish reveals just how destitute the fishing community has become.

Therefore, he belongs to the fishing faction, and he thinks the Kunlun faction is so superior!

It pales in comparison...

He had previously imagined prestigious sects, but dared not have too many extravagant hopes. However, just now at the gate of the Kunlun Sect, he felt a sense of sacredness. Those disciples dressed in the same Kunlun Sect uniforms did look quite impressive.

No, he told himself, he couldn't disgrace the fishing faction!

He straightened his back and secretly observed what others were doing.

Then they blended into the crowd of people who came to register.

The selection of Kunlun Sect disciples, held every three years, is undoubtedly a grand event.

He felt that most of the martial arts world had come.

He had seen such scenes before, but he had smashed the Divine Heaven Sect before, so he had some confidence. In addition, He Wenxue described the scene to him, and he had learned some skills from his master these days, which gave him confidence.

Even so, the preliminary test at the outer gate at the foot of the mountain made him a little nervous.

He stood in the crowd, not on tiptoe to look, but listening intently, trying to get a feel for what it was like.

They'd probably ask about your outstanding experiences, basic skills you've learned, and any talents you have...

For those with no prior experience, the younger they are, the easier it is to pass; for those with a foundation, the focus should be on their basic skills and aptitude; finally, highlighting relevant experience is also important.

At first, he didn't understand what this meant. Soon, he realized that it meant he wasn't young and his comprehension wasn't very high, so he probably wouldn't pass the preliminary selection, but he would still be useful. For example, he might be willing to donate several thousand taels of silver a year to repair the mountain gate, or he might help people go to sea in some place and be recommended by the people, or he might be recommended by other well-known figures in the martial arts world...

In short, take the shortcut.

These kinds of shortcuts are for people with connections.

Fortunately, his fishing skills should be enough to pass the preliminary test; otherwise, based on his background, he wouldn't even be able to enter the outer gate of Kunlun Mountain.

"What's your name?" The disciple who had registered for the preliminary examination not only exuded a sense of superiority and didn't look at the other candidates with disdain, but he had also been registering for so long, seen so many people, and answered so many questions that he was getting impatient.

"Unfollow".

Upon hearing the name, the other person paused, as if their previous drowsiness had reversed, and suddenly became serious, asking while flipping through the booklet: "Which one takes, which one passes?"

As he answered, he wondered whether he should tell the other person that he had come for the interview on a whim and had not registered in advance by letter, so his name should not be on the list.

But the other person seemed to have found him, and then looked up at him, his eyes softening considerably: "You're the one who unfollowed that fraudster Shen Tianzong back then?"

Huh?!

I was shocked when I unfollowed them; how did they even know?

"I'm asking you a question! Is that you?"

After unfollowing and coming to her senses, she replied, "Yes."

Sure enough, the Kunlun disciple closed the booklet in his hand, wrote his name on a bamboo slip with a pen, and spoke in a tone that was both routine and relieved, as if he was certain that he would be accepted. He became much more approachable: "Take this bamboo slip with you when you go up the mountain. There will be an examination at the inner gate, so be prepared."

"Oh." I didn't expect him to be somewhat famous in the Kunlun Sect.

He didn't need to register himself; the other party had already recorded his deeds in advance. Looking at it this way, his experience with the Divine Heaven Sect back then was actually quite useful…

"Those who pass the preliminary test, come this way."

Disciples of the Kunlun Sect guided everyone up the mountain.

The Kunlun Mountains are majestic. The outer gate is at the foot of the mountain, the inner gate is at the top, and there is a middle gate halfway up the mountain. It's hard to know how long it will take to walk there.

Although the preliminary test had already eliminated the vast majority of people, it would still be a huge undertaking for the remaining people to hike up the mountain, so the Kunlun Sect prepared "carriages" from within the sect to pick them up.

A carriage can seat several people. On the carriage, we saw several carriages traveling back and forth on the mountain road.

Many people are visiting Kunlun for the first time.

I heard from the people on the carriage that the Kunlun Sect accepts disciples every three years, and those who are not selected are not allowed to apply again for another three years.

Six years is a long time for a person, and many people will not continue to come to the Kunlun Sect.

Therefore, everyone in the carriage was visiting the Kunlun Sect for the first time.

Everyone pressed their heads against the carriage windows, curiously looking outside as the carriage gradually ascended the mountain road.

"Wow!"

Everyone in the carriage exclaimed in surprise.

Earlier, looking up from the foot of the mountain, I felt the imposing grandeur of Kunlun. Now, looking down from the mountainside, I feel the wonder of the mountains and rivers, their vastness and inclusiveness, which broadens my mind and horizons.

"If only I could stay in the Kunlun Sect..."

"Yes! I want to stay too."

"Kunlun martial arts are the best in the world, who wouldn't want that!"

"But I heard that the Kunlun Sect only accepts ten disciples each time, and there are seven or eight of them in this carriage alone."

Instantly, everyone around burst into laughter.

Even unfollowing him made me laugh.

This feels good.

Even if only one person remains on the carriage in the end, or perhaps none at all, they have all seen the scenery of the Kunlun Mountains together—majestic and towering, indescribably expansive and open-minded…

"Actually, there's no need to be too discouraged. These ten are inner disciples, chosen ones. But in addition to these ten, there will be fifty outer disciples. The reason why Kunlun Sect only accepts disciples once every three years is because during those three years, five of the fifty outer disciples will be selected to enter the inner sect each year."

"Five people a year, fifteen people in three years. Adding the previous ten, the Kunlun Sect actually has twenty-five disciples every three years."

When someone who had inquired about Kunlun's rules for accepting disciples mentioned it, the others suddenly understood.

I see!

Suddenly, the number of spots increased from ten to twenty-five. Although the number was still small overall, the addition of another way to stay gave everyone hope.

"I hope you can stay, even if it means I have to watch over the mountain gate!"

"It is said that the Kunlun Mountains are spiritual! Only those with a special destiny can see them!"

"Alas! To have the good fortune to see Kunlun is truly a worthwhile trip..."

Amidst the chatter, Guan Huanbi laughed, seemingly growing to like the place as well.

But no matter how good Kunlun is, he already has a master and a fishing sect.

Kunlun has its own grandeur, and the fishing community has its own warmth; he still prefers the fishing community a bit more.

Before they knew it, the carriage had passed through the central gate, where Kunlun disciples greeted them.

The people in the carriage responded with enthusiastic cheers.

Since we're all leaving anyway, we should be happy while we're here. Unfollowing one person meant waving goodbye to eight others.

The disciples guarding the central gate were all stunned.

The scene was so sudden that thunderous laughter erupted from inside the carriage.

Everyone in the carriage, including the disciple guarding the middle gate, probably remembers him!

This experience also helped him get to know the people he was working with.

Once outside the inner gate, the carriage stopped, and everyone got off. Disciples were there to greet them and lead them to the registration area for the second round of testing.

Here, in a row of two, the person next to me asked, "Are you nervous too?"

He was naturally nervous.

He had originally thought that Kunlun at the foot of the mountain was already a prestigious sect, tall and majestic; but when the carriage stopped and he entered the inner gate, he saw the solemnity, grandeur, history and heritage of the number one sect in the world!

This was something he had never experienced anywhere else...

Even though I was somewhat prepared, I was still shocked.

No wonder He Wenxue said that if you have the chance, you must go and see the Kunlun Sect!

He really came; He Wenxue will definitely be shocked!

If he passes the selection process, the gap between him and He Wenxue will be even smaller.

Whew~

He took a deep breath. The line ahead of him had finished registering, and it was his turn. He checked the bamboo slips, and then wrote a number on his bamboo slip with cinnabar.

"Take this and head to the next section. The next round is a one-on-one duel. The winner will advance, and there will be elders from the sect overseeing it. Even those with talent who lose the match can be selected by an elder to advance to the next round." Upon arriving here, even the disciples registering were much friendlier.

After all, there are ten inner disciples and one hundred outer disciples. In the future, all one hundred and ten people will be considered as fellow disciples, with shared interests, so politeness and respect are intertwined.

Holding a bamboo stick with their name on it, they followed the people in front of them to the arena.

The Kunlun Sect is very large, and so is its arena.

Half of the arena was reserved for those participating in the trial, while the other half was occupied by disciples of the Kunlun Sect.

This is the first time I've participated in such a formal competition. Putting everything else aside, I can't let the fishing faction down. At the very least, I need to secretly learn the etiquette and gestures before the competition begins.

He doesn't need to eat fish; he can manage that himself.

The competition will be conducted by drawing lots.

Each person's bamboo stick has their own name and serial number.

There is a box in the arena where the elders in charge of the competition draw lots. The two bamboo sticks drawn will be the two people who will fight.

Upon hearing this, Wang Sumo exclaimed in surprise: "Two hundred people passed the preliminary test. They competed in pairs, so there were a total of one hundred matches. Even if each match lasted one incense stick's time, it would still take one hundred incense sticks' time..."

One hundred incense sticks, three hours?

There will be other competitions afterwards, which will take a long time.

The old man said calmly, "The arena is very large. The four matches will be held simultaneously, and each match will be limited to the time it takes for an incense stick to burn."

"I see," Wang Sumo asked, her curiosity piqued. "Grandpa, was your match intense?"

The old man took a deep breath: "Not really. I didn't expect the Fishing Sect's martial arts to be so powerful. My opponent in that match was very conspicuous. I wasn't sure of myself at the time, so I could only test him carefully. Seeing that I was holding back, he attacked at full speed from the very beginning, trying to show everyone in the arena. Because he attacked at full speed right from the start, it really startled me."

It remains fresh in my memory even after so many years; it must have been an unconventional competition.

"Then what?"

"Everyone favored him. The rules of the match were twofold: either the opponent conceded defeat, or the opponent was knocked out of the arena. He really wanted to knock me out, and I was a little scared. After all, the Fishing School's techniques sounded a bit too mundane. But as we fought, I realized he wasn't all that great. So I tried to counterattack..."

Wang Sumo's love for lively conversation ignited: "And then!"

His counterattack began by first establishing a foothold in the arena. He had a flash of inspiration: the Water-Taking Palm could activate the water column in the water vat through the water vat, forcing the jade belt out. He could also do the opposite, using the Water-Taking Palm on the ground, where the force returned from the ground would push him backward.

In this way, every time his opponent tried to knock him out of the arena, he would use the Water-Taking Palm to push himself back.

The power of the Window-Slapping Palm and the Stone-Turning Palm was too great; it was just a contest.

Since the other party wasn't eating fish, he wasn't sure if they would be seriously injured, so he didn't dare to use it.

And so, relying on his Water-Taking Palm technique, he probed little by little, from gaining a firm footing to confirming he wouldn't be eliminated, and then to launching a counterattack. Step by step, he very solidly forced his opponent out of the arena.

He used almost no impressive martial arts techniques and didn't even have much contact with his opponent.

"Thank you for your kind offer." He cupped his hands in a gesture of respect, a newly learned etiquette.

The other party was incredulous and even more unwilling to accept it: "Impossible!"

The other party did not accept it.

Immediately, a disciple stepped forward, saying that such a thing was not allowed to happen on the day of the competition.

"What kind of sorcery are you using? Why can you stand still every time? You're not right!" The other party was also getting angry. He was clearly the most outstanding disciple among the disciples participating in this selection.

How could we lose to someone whose name we've never even heard of!

How could he accept this!

It was probably because this person was indeed exceptionally talented that the disciple in charge of making the decision reported the matter to the elder.

Their group's competition had been going on for too long and was getting boring. The other venues were already having their second and third rounds, while this place had only just finished its first round. The elder hadn't paid much attention before, but now that he had looked at the marks on the ground, his gaze suddenly faltered.

"He must have used some kind of hidden weapon," the other party firmly believed. "A body search will definitely find it."

The disciple who made the ruling also looked at the elder. Indeed, it was unlikely that a newcomer could have done all that with just palm force under such a fierce pursuit.

The ruling disciple did not show favoritism towards anyone, and that is truly the case.

The elder smiled faintly: "He didn't use any hidden weapons, so there's no problem with this competition."

Everyone around was stunned, including those who unfollowed him.

"Both of them have advanced to the next round. Let's call it a day and move on to the next match." The elder stroked his beard, glanced at the unfollowers again, and then smiled as he turned and left.

Regardless, it was a perfect ending for all of them to advance, and since it was the elders' choice, no one asked any more questions, and that was the end of it.

Wang Sumo sighed, "The Kunlun Sect is skilled in using palm strikes. The elders must have discovered the marks on the ground and knew it was palm strikes. Moreover, the elders should be very familiar with the Water-Taking Palm technique and know whose disciple you are, so they smiled knowingly. Judging from this, Senior Fish-Eating probably doesn't have many disciples, so the elders discovering that you used the Water-Taking Palm technique is like discovering their only remaining disciple!"

"What about the second round?" Wang Sumo asked, intrigued.

In the first round, 100 out of 200 people competed. In the second round, 50 out of 100 people competed. It should have been a competition similar to a martial arts arena.

Wang Sumo suddenly remembered the Kunlun Mountain disciples who had come to watch the competition, and his eyes flickered slightly: "Could it be that the second match is against the Kunlun Mountain disciples?"

The old man was furious: "..."

Wang Sumo exclaimed in delight, "I knew it!"

Wang Sumo hissed softly, his mind opening up: "I guess, did the elder discover something, and then specially arrange for you to be paired with the most powerful Kunlun disciple in the second competition?"

Old Master Qu: "..."

Sometimes, watching too much excitement can really open up your mind!

Wang Sumo: .☆\(￣▽￣)/$:*

[Author's Note]

Miss Wang: From now on, please call me Wang Congming!

————

There are red envelopes in this chapter too!