Chapter 36 Departure Before the main hall of the Divine Palace was the Zhanghua Terrace. ...
In front of the main hall of the shrine was Zhanghua Terrace.
At the summit of the mountain, a platform of white jade stands, magnificent and a rare sight in the world. Even with thousands of disciples of the Divine Palace gathered here, there was no sense of crowding.
It's just a little... lively today.
The female disciples, in particular, were so excited on this winter morning that their hands and feet were sweating, their cheeks were flushed, and their hearts were pounding like deer. Looking at the four standing in front of the temple gate, they wished they had more eyes to see them all.
These four are, of course, Zou Buming, Luo Heqing, Yu Jitang, and Wu Chen.
Since they were about to depart, the four young attendants were not dressed in their usual formal attire of flowing robes, but rather in warrior clothing that allowed for easy movement.
Although the attire was simplified, Zou Buming and Luo Heqing's headdresses, sleeves, and belts were still inlaid with sparkling jade, making them dazzlingly luxurious. Their cloaks were also embroidered with silver threads, shimmering brilliantly.
Yu Jitang usually dressed like this, but his mother, Madam Yu, had inquired about Wu Chen's clothing beforehand and prepared several sets of clothes that were very similar to Wu Chen's overnight to equip him with.
Therefore, both he and Wu Chen were dressed in dark blue outfits today, with simple black robes over them, wide belts and cinched waists, which made their broad shoulders and long legs appear even more prominent. The wind was strong on the mountaintop, and the hems of their robes, which were not covered by capes, were frequently lifted by the wind, revealing their slender and athletic figures.
The female disciples below the stage gasped in unison, a sound that was both rhythmic and impressive.
However, the rhythm of their breathing, rising and falling with the hem of their clothes, was a bit too obvious. Zou Buming and Luo Heqing's expressions grew increasingly unpleasant, while Yu Jitang's face turned redder and redder. Finally, somewhat annoyed and embarrassed, he glared down at them, and then, with his sharp ears, he heard someone below exclaim excitedly.
"Yu Shenshi is looking at me!"
He's looking at me!
...
Yu Jitang almost lost his composure and could only turn to look in another direction. There he saw Luo Heqing looking at him with disdain.
Yu Jitang, who was just looking for something to do, casually greeted, "It's been a long time. Senior Brother Luo is still as dashing as ever."
Luo Heqing sneered, "When did Junior Brother Yu become so close to Senior Brother Wu? At first glance, I thought the two of you were twins."
Yu Jitang chuckled, "We're all disciples of the Divine Palace, we're as close as brothers." He even nudged Wu Chen with his shoulder, "Don't you think so?"
His frivolous and flirtatious manner caused another stir among the audience.
Wu Chen smiled. "Of course."
Luo Heqing had already heard rumors that Wu Chen and Yu Jitang planned to join forces, but he didn't expect Wu Chen to express his opinion directly to her face.
Luo Heqing's expression darkened slightly, and he said sarcastically, "That's good. I just hope that the two of you can be so like-minded in the Western Wilderness."
Yu Jitang immediately dragged Zou Buming into the fray, "Sigh, although we can't be as close as you two cousins, we will definitely strive to be like-minded and see things through to the end. We will absolutely not form cliques, compete with each other, or stab each other in the back from time to time..."
Yu Jitang would rather slap someone in the face than wait until later. This temperament is indeed similar to Lu Qing's. Wu Chen couldn't help but laugh.
Zou Buming glanced over, but unfortunately Yu Jitang never paid him any attention. He always scoffed at such pretentious threats.
Zou Buming said coldly, "Junior Brother Yu's liveliness and spontaneity are better suited to another occasion; this is not appropriate."
Yu Jitang chuckled and muttered, "A cat trying to imitate a tiger doesn't look like one at all, nor does it capture the spirit."
Wu Chen gave him a look, signaling him to know when to stop.
A moment later, the main hall doors opened wide, and the current priest, Zou Gaoyang, and a group of elders came out.
Wu Chen had not seen Zou Gaoyang for nearly several years. He felt that although Zou Gaoyang looked radiant, his steps were unsteady and the muscles on the side of his neck were slightly looser than they had been a few years ago.
It actually has a hint of being at the end of its rope, outwardly strong but inwardly weak.
Wu Chen lowered his eyes and bowed to Zou Gaoyang along with everyone else.
Today is the day the disciples of the Divine Palace set off for their winter hunt, and Zou Gaoyang naturally wanted to encourage them. He spoke kindly and encouragingly, essentially saying that the winter hunt is a rare opportunity to accumulate practical experience, but he hoped that all disciples would also pay attention to their own safety. The competition would be judged solely on the rarity of the herbs each disciple brought back. However, those who performed exceptionally well would all be rewarded, with no limit on the number of awards.
The disciples of the Divine Palace on Zhanghua Platform were overjoyed. They had originally thought they were just there to accompany the four divine servants. But Zou Gaoyang's words meant that everyone had a chance to shine.
After Zou Gaoyang said a few words, another elder took over and continued to explain the details.
Wu Chen kept sizing up Zou Gaoyang.
Zou Gaoyang seemed to sense something and glanced back at him. Wu Chen did not avoid his gaze, but nodded slightly to show respect.
Zou Gaoyang nodded at him, but until the end, Zou Gaoyang did not speak to him alone, nor did he speak to anyone else alone, and went straight back to the hall.
Next came some necessary procedures. In addition to some medicine and supplies, each disciple of the Divine Palace who participated in the winter hunt received a jade token representing their identity.
After receiving their jade tokens, Wu Chen and Yu Jitang did not leave. Instead, they stood side by side, continuing to watch the crowd on Zhanghua Platform.
Behind Zou Buming and Luo Heqing, there were more than a hundred young experts from the Divine Palace. The two teams were clearly distinct and full of momentum.
Before leaving, Luo Heqing retorted to Wu and Yu, "I look forward to the rare herbs you two have gathered; you must open our eyes to something truly remarkable."
Since Yu Jitang started to gravitate towards Wu Chen, he had unknowingly picked up some of Wu Chen's "low-key" style. He shrugged nonchalantly, "Senior Brother Luo, look behind us, this isn't exactly an eye-opening display!"
Luo Heqing was so angry he almost lost his temper, and he stormed off.
Instead of making a fool of himself, Zou Buming maintained his composure and led his men away in a grand procession.
After the two of them left, Elder Yu came over and whispered to them, “In the past, the winter hunts didn’t go to very far places, and the entire winter hunt could basically be completed by the beginning of spring. However, going to the Western Wilderness now, the round trip alone will take several months. And once you enter the Western Wilderness, it will take anywhere from several months to a year. This is no longer as simple as a winter hunt.”
Looking at the many disciples still queuing to receive their jade tokens, he continued with concern, "Last time, only about four hundred disciples from the Divine Palace participated in the winter hunt, but this time, with such a long training period, they have already issued nearly a thousand jade tokens. Almost all of the Divine Palace's young masters have come out... You must be very careful."
Wu Chen thanked them and took his leave. He and Yu Jitang left the temple via a side path, avoiding the disciples who were deliberately waiting for them on the road.
At the foot of the mountain, Qi Ying was waiting for the two of them, leading two divine steeds.
The two mounted their horses and quickly disappeared into the vast expanse of white snow.
Upon learning of the unusual nature of the Divine Palace's winter hunt, Zhan Yantai and many other cultivation sects immediately dispatched a large number of experts to the Western Wilderness.
Lu Qing, who was in Medicine King Valley, naturally knew nothing of this. One afternoon, she was learning medicine making from Luo Yuan when she suddenly felt dizzy and collapsed onto the table.
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Author's Note: I have a ranking task this week, so I'll be updating almost daily. Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants between 2020-06-17 13:11:14 and 2020-06-18 23:13:31!
Thank you to the little angel who threw the landmine: Repigon 1;
Thank you to the little angels who watered the plants with nutrient solution: 5 bottles from readers; 2 bottles from Sister Xixi; 1 bottle from Repigon;
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
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