Chapter 44 Inner Gate Competition
After drinking water, Lin Zhusheng and Song Ming went to practice with some friends.
These friends are very patient and there is no need to worry about hurting their fragile hearts. He is very careful with other disciples, but he strikes hard with his friends without holding back.
Now that's good, my buddy was blown away by two small broken wooden swords. Finally, there are actually two fierce fighters in the small team. I understand that I should be worried about myself.
A few days ago, he was sitting in the playground and waiting for people to come and practice with him. Later, he was too busy and learned to be distracted. After each sword practice, he would slip away and disappear from the woods at the edge of the playground, leaving silently.
He originally wanted to go play with the little old elder, but then he remembered that he was in charge of Jingsi Hall, and he was skipping classes to go play with the dean, so he changed his plan and went to play with Wuqi first, and then went to Jingsi Hall after the sparring time was over.
There was never a shortage of people in Jingsi Hall. There were disciples making mistakes every day, but each time was different. When he went there, there were several disciples who were being punished and scolded.
The atmosphere was very heavy. He chose to walk around to the back in the heavy atmosphere and handed a cup of tea to the great elder who was cursing until his mouth was dry.
Watching the person sneak in quietly, and then go to the back very skillfully as if he was going back to his own home, and then touch and fiddle with the back very naturally, the Great Elder was still scolding the person without turning back, and when there was another movement, a cup of tea had quietly and quickly appeared in front of him.
“…”
The Great Elder took the teacup, took a sip of water and could no longer continue what he wanted to say. Finally, he waved his hand and asked several disciples to go down and receive their punishment.
Several disciples quickly accepted their punishment and left, and the hall instantly became quiet.
The great elder took a few sips of tea and put down the cup. Lin Zhusheng followed him to his residence behind Jingsi Hall.
An elder who seemed to have no interest in life. His residence was not much different from Jingsi Hall. It was equally solemn and tidy, without too many personal belongings.
The most eye-catching thing is the tattered long sword hanging on the wall. The sword body is mottled and it seems that it has gone through quite a while.
Also very eye-catching are the two lanterns placed side by side on the low table in front of the sword.
One is still very new, the pink paper surface is intact, and it can even spin when touched. It is the one he gave me before. The other one looked similar, with a very fancy shape, but the color had faded a lot. It was supposed to be red or something, but now it had faded to pink and yellow, and some parts had turned white. There is a little stain near the bottom, black, probably from some splash of liquid.
There was no dust on either lamp, and it was obvious that they were regularly maintained. He was reluctant to collect the trees before, but after he finally collected them, he took care of them quite diligently.
"Have you thought through what I said before?"
The elder went to brew a new pot of hot tea, poured it out and put it in the cup to cool slightly, then turned around and looked at him, saying, "If you don't understand, you can go to the top of the mountain in the next few days. I'll have someone clean up the sword field and you can go there to practice swordplay."
Then he thought for a while and said, "I haven't been there for a long time. Maybe the ground should be cleaned. There is a pavilion next to the sword field. Maybe it should be repaired..."
He made more and more detailed arrangements, and seeing that he was in unexpectedly high spirits, Lin Zhusheng thanked him in time before he could think more and said, "It's been solved."
"Solved?"
The elder held the cup in his hand for a moment, then touched his beard with his other hand, paused briefly, and stopped talking. He finally said, "...That's good. You have a good understanding."
Lin Zhusheng took the tea and smiled, then turned his gaze to another lantern and asked, "What is this?"
The great elder raised his eyelids and looked over. His gaze lingered for a while before he finally spoke: "A-Man... I had a daughter. This is what she brought back from the Lantern Festival."
He stood up and walked over. He stood to one side and looked at the lamp for a few more times, then said, "It was a long time ago."
After so long, no matter how well you take care of it, some things just can't stay the same.
Although he didn't know what happened, he could tell from a few words that it was probably not a very beautiful story. Lin Zhusheng had a good EQ and didn't ask any further questions.
Instead, the elder was reminded of his past. His hand fell on the bamboo frame of the lamp and he said to himself, "They went to bed early that night, waiting for me to go back and reunite with them the next day."
Then time stopped forever in sleep.
Hundreds of years have passed, and the world has changed. The obsession has become a memory, but I still can't help but sigh when I think of it.
The teacup turned in his hand, Lin Zhusheng squatted down, raised his head slightly, and suddenly said, "Waiting is as happy as meeting."
He propped his face up and said, "If you leave when you are happiest, you won't have to feel sad for the rest of your life."
The elder's beard twitched and he turned his head. "Hmm?"
Lin Zhusheng smiled, his overly long eyelashes hiding the emotions in his eyes, and said, "I just think if it were my parents, they would probably say that."
Those who leave are happy when they leave, and probably hope that those who stay will not be sad because of this.
“…”
The only sound in the room was the shadows of the trees outside the window. The elder was silent for a moment, then he raised his hand and patted him on the head, saying, "You little bastard."
He squatted at just the right height to serve as a handrail for the elder. When he was patted on the head, Lin Zhusheng rubbed his head, returned the greeting, and said, "I'm not trying to comfort you, you old man."
"?"
The quiet atmosphere disappeared. A disciple named Lin was chased all over the yard by the chief elder because he was disrespectful to the elders and spoke bluntly.
The elder, who had only practiced swordplay all year round and relied on flying the sword when going out, was not as fast as a savage named Lin who lived as a savage in the mountains every day. He chased for a long time and was out of breath, but he never caught anyone.
At the end of the chase, Lin Zhusheng took the opportunity to drink some tea and take a break, then climbed over the wall and ran away.
He climbed over the wall very skillfully, and made the great elder so angry that he jumped to his feet.
——
Master some tips on skipping classes, and you can enjoy your sword practice time afterwards.
It was not until a few days before the competition that Lin Zhusheng finally behaved himself and did not skip classes. He practiced with a few of his friends for a few days.
The mood of the competition was as heavy as going to the guillotine. Perhaps to highlight the sadness of the disciples, it began to rain on the first day of the competition. The sky was gray and as heavy as people's mood.
Talismans are as useful as high-tech things. Just stick them on the training ground and the rain will automatically avoid them. It is very convenient.
On the first day of the competition, all the disciples drew lots. Lin Zhusheng, who slept better than usual on a rainy day, arrived just in time for the draw and learned his opponent for the best-of-five game.
He didn't know any of the five people well, and their positions were very central. He stood on the side of the training ground and watched the others fight. He went on the field quietly, won a narrow victory quietly, and finally won three games in a row today quietly. He could secure the qualification to participate in the inner door competition in advance without having to compete in the two games tomorrow.
People with stronger strength have more people watching. There are a lot of people around my friend Song Ming. It is also a three-game three-win game. Each game ends quickly. When the swordplay ends, the opponent also falls to the ground.
The disciples who were drawn to compete with him tomorrow have already assumed that they will lose a game, changing from best of five to best of four, which has put a lot of pressure on them.
There was not much suspense in the two games on the second day. Lin Zhusheng, who still won barely, was among those who qualified for the inner door competition. Even if he won five games in a row, he did not attract any attention.
Disciples who do not qualify will continue to practice swordplay as usual and wait for next year's competition. Disciples who qualify will go back to prepare and go to the inner disciples' training ground the next day. The rest of the disciples who do not qualify can also go and watch this time. It would be best if they could gain some insights.
During the inner sect competition, all the inner sect elders and the sect master will be present. Your performance on the spot will determine whether you will have the opportunity to become a direct disciple in the future, so you need to pay close attention.
It is necessary to pay special attention to the fact that Lin Zhusheng went back to the mountains and lived as a savage for half a day that day. He fell asleep late at night and almost broke the tradition of being late the next day. He was hit on the head by his little friend Zhang Jing.
"Why do everyone like to pat my head?" Lin, the latecomer with a messy hair, was still sorting out his clothes. He reached out his hand to touch his head and condemned, "If I don't get first place in the exam next time, it will definitely be your fault."
This person loves to pat him on the head. The Great Elder has also started to pat him out of habit since the first time he got the upper hand. Wu Qi is the same. He stands next to the person like a moving handrail, and his head bears a weight that it shouldn't bear.
The reprimand was ineffective, and the friend looked indifferent and said, "If you get up normally, I don't want to do it either."
OK. Lin Zhusheng hurriedly pulled his clothes straight, ended the topic, and stuffed his breakfast into his mouth.
The competition was held in the inner gate training ground. After such a long time in the game, he finally entered the inner gate for the first time.
Because there are far more outer sect disciples than inner sect disciples in terms of numbers, the training ground is also larger. However, in terms of configuration, the inner sect training ground is much better, with places specifically for practicing swordplay and sparring. Because it is higher, the scenery is also better.
It was still a rainy day, and the water drops were splashing, wetting the entire mountain. The air was filled with the smell of rain.
After they arrived, the rest of the disciples and elders also arrived. They sat down at the white jade elders' seat on the high platform at a distance. At first glance, they were all familiar faces.
As they sat down, Lin Zhusheng could feel that the disciples around him were becoming noticeably nervous.
After all, it was a moment that determined his future and destiny. He could understand it, and he lowered his head and puffed up his cheeks quickly.
What's more important now is what's in your mouth than your future and destiny.
He took the wrong snack, the sticky dumplings that he had intended to give to the Great Elder today. They kept turning around in his mouth for so long that he couldn't swallow them. He had been chewing on something that he could have finished on the way until now.
Fortunately, the sect leader was giving a brief speech and everyone's attention was focused there, so none of his fellow disciples noticed him.
Good news, no fellow students noticed.
Bad news, all the elders on the platform noticed it.
The face did not stand out in the crowd, but the unique clothes he wore were very eye-catching, and the elders could notice him immediately at a glance.
They had seen this unique way of dressing somewhere before, so they took a closer look and saw the guilty lowered head and the bulging cheeks that seemed to be changing slowly.
Now they knew who it was. Everyone looked at the Great Elder, and someone couldn't help but ask, "...what are you eating, young man?"
It seems to smell quite fragrant.
“…”
The elder unconsciously increased the strength of his hand while stroking his beard, pulling off a strand of white beard, and finally said, "I don't know."
No one can guess what this person is thinking, what he will do in the next second, or what he will eat.
"……Ha ha."
The outer sect elders sitting on the side, especially the second elder who was directly under the other party, raised their hands on the side again and again, but still couldn't help but wiped their faces.
After the sect leader finished speaking, the outer sect elders continued to preside over related matters. After he sat down, he also leaned over to ask the person among the disciples of the great elder what he was eating.
The Great Elder closed his eyes and said, "I don't know."
The second elder of the outer sect wiped his face again.
The competition is played as a best-of-three contest. After elimination, there aren't many people left. It's no longer like before where several people compete at the same time. Instead, each person goes on the stage individually and competes under the watchful eyes of fellow disciples and elders, which doubles the pressure.
Lin Zhusheng continued to perform steadily and was assigned a position that was neither good nor bad, so he went to the stands with a few friends to wait and watch.
There had already been a round of eliminations, and those who were left now were all quite capable, plus there were the inner sect elders sitting at the top, and they were using all their might to fight with swords flashing and sabers sabering, which was quite entertaining to watch.
There are many talented disciples, but the most outstanding one is Song Ming. His face and figure are eye-catching in themselves, and even more so when he uses the sword. He uses the sword to knock away the opponent's disciple's long sword, then sheathes the sword, and the sword light slides back into the scabbard like water. His movements are smooth.
The elder on the stage looked at it more seriously, imperceptibly. At the end, the disciples in the stands applauded, and the applause was obviously much louder than that of the previous disciples.
This guy doesn't usually manage the friendship with his classmates, but his popularity is still as high as before. The others applauded, and Lin Zhusheng, who was sitting in the crowd, also clapped his hands.
After he stepped down from the stage, some people came to congratulate him. Song Ming just nodded slightly to get rid of them and walked straight towards this side.
Lin Zhusheng clapped his hands slightly, gave a thumbs up, and said, "Great."
Although he had seen it before during sparring, he was still shocked every time he saw someone do it. Gao Yu, who was also sitting next to him, praised him, "Brother Song, you are amazing."
Song Ming sat down aside and said "not bad".
“…Tsk.”
A barely perceptible sound of "tsk" was heard amidst the applause and voices. Lin, whose senses had become quite sensitive after the upgrade, heard it. He slightly turned his eyes and met the gaze that was just about to be withdrawn.
The voice came from a disciple with fox eyes who was sitting not far away. Probably because he didn't expect him to look at him, he was slightly stunned when his eyes met, and then turned his head away as if nothing had happened.
Lin Zhusheng raised his eyebrows slightly and took a glance before looking away.
People came and went on the stage, and when it was finally his turn, he went up with his small broken wooden sword.
He didn't know if he was lucky this time, but he drew two games very close to each other. After the first game, he sat for a while and then went on stage to play the second game.
In the first game, he fought back and forth and narrowly won. In the second game, his opponent was slightly stronger, but he still fought back and narrowly won.
The others were watching with fear and trepidation, but only those friends in the stands who had been pinned to the ground and rubbed during previous sparring sessions knew how well this guy acted.
The Great Elder and the Sect Master also noticed that he had some talent in acting.
As early as when Wuqi recognized his master, this person's level was already comparable to some of the current disciples. After recognizing his master, his realm must have been greatly improved. There is no way that they could have such a back-and-forth.
The other elders were puzzled as to how this person could fight so well with disciples of any level. They also felt that this fighting style was too gentle, and the movements were smooth yet too slow, which was quite different from what they had thought before, and they were a little disappointed.
The two elders remained silent in tacit understanding, stroking their beards as needed and drinking tea as needed.
From early morning to noon, the competition was halfway through, with half an hour left for the participating disciples to adjust their mentality and state.
Best of three games, two wins already, the remaining game is fine. Lin Zhusheng has no state or mentality to adjust, so he eats during the break, chewing on the newly developed buns. Suddenly, he recalls something, and while chewing, he reaches out to hook up with his friend Song Ming, who has also won two of the three games. He glances at the elders' seat and whispers, "I have something to ask you."
Song Ming never refused him. He realized from the deliberately lowered voice that this was not something that could be said here, so he stood up from his seat.
The area covered by the spell was full of people, so if they wanted to find a place with fewer people, they had to go outside the coverage area. They walked out of the training ground with umbrellas and went to the nearest pavilion.
The sound of rain was pattering, the leaves were turned dark by the rain and the gloomy sky, and the pavilion was hidden behind the bamboo path. Stepping onto the bluestone steps and standing under the eaves of the pavilion with his umbrella folded, Song Ming turned to look at the person beside him and asked, "What do you want to ask?"
"I want to ask something about the Great Elder."
Lin Zhusheng shook the rain off his umbrella, swallowed the last bite of his bun, and said, "I thought your family was pretty powerful, so you should know something."
He raised his eyes slightly and said, "For example, what happened to him in the past."
He was a little concerned after coming out of Jingsi Hall last time, but it was not easy to ask the person directly about this kind of thing. Only today did he remember that this friend from a wealthy family might know something.
"Great Elder," Song Ming thought for a moment and then answered, "I know a little bit. He should be considered a legendary figure."
Lin Zhusheng leaned over and listened, "Tell me in detail."
Song Ming said that unlike those of them who were discovered to have talents since childhood and embarked on the path of cultivation at an early age, the Great Elder was a rare person who only began to practice after middle age and reached his current position step by step.
The above is the legendary story of the Grand Elder of Tianzong that most people know. Only a few people know the reason why he embarked on the path of Taoism. He happened to hear the reason from his father.
Before practicing Taoism, the Great Elder was just an ordinary person, born in troubled times, with a wife and daughter. He had no interest in practicing Taoism, and his only goal in life was to support his wife and daughter.
By middle age, he had achieved some success in his career, his wife and he were in harmony, and his daughter was healthy. It was originally a pretty good family.
However, there is no absolute security in troubled times. When he was away from home, robbers broke into the house and killed the elder's wife and daughter who were sleeping.
The man who returned home picked up the rough iron sword for the first time with trembling hands.
The robbers were killed in a bloody battle, karma was repaid, and all worldly ties were gone. This is how the serious, rigid, and rarely smiling Great Elder came into being.
People only pick up swords when they are middle-aged. Song Ming heard from the leader of the Medicine Sect that if this elder had learned swordsmanship when he was young, he would probably be a genius who would be remembered for generations.
"A genius is suitable for a genius teacher," he leaned against the pillar of the pavilion, his eyes fell on the man standing in front of him holding an umbrella, and said, "You and the Great Elder get along well, maybe you can become his disciple."
"genius?"
While his brain was still digesting the previous words, Lin Zhusheng slowly digested the last sentence. He opened his eyes, which had been lowered in thought, and pointed at himself in disbelief. He smiled and said, "Me?"
He then leaned against the pillar, smiled crookedly, patted his good friend beside him, and said, "I wish it were true."
The smell of rain mixed with a light woody scent filled Song Ming's nose. He lowered his eyes to glance at the hand on his shoulder, then finally said nothing and looked away.
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