Chapter Forty-Five: Affectionate Fellow Disciples

Chen Yi and the others no longer felt the gloomy depression from earlier, recovering the excitement they had when they first left the capital prefecture, and glanced out of the carriage window from time to time.

"Look quickly, that mountain is so tall."

"Mr. Ning, is that the main peak of the Void Dao Sect?"

"Truly magnificent."

Seeing the radiant and spirited expressions of Du Yanqing and the others, Ning Xue could not help but recall her own appearance when she first came here to seek apprenticeship.

It seemed that she had not been as happy as them?

Ning Xue clearly remembered the day she was sent here by her family, and the apprehension in her heart.

Besides envying the peers traveling alongside her, she was mostly worried that she might not be accepted into the Void Dao Sect.

That would not only have disappointed her family, but would also have forced her to return to that place she had longed to escape since childhood.

A chaotic land that was frequently ravaged by demons and fiends.

After a long moment of recollection, Ning Xue smiled calmly and said, "That is Chaoyang Peak, where the Martial Arts Hall is located. Atop it stands a very, very large martial arts arena."

"Every morning, many fellow disciples practice there."

"The peak directly in front of Chaoyang Peak is the examination site for this disciple recruitment, Wangdu Peak. According to the sect records, it was named by the founding emperor of the Wei Dynasty, who also personally left his calligraphy and ink there..."

While listening to Ning Xue's introduction, Chen Yi sized up the distant mountains enveloped in mist and rosy clouds.

As the distance shortened, the location of the main vein of the Void Dao Sect, hidden behind Chaoyang Peak—Void Peak—gradually revealed a faint outline.

Although it was indistinct due to the rolling mountain mists, just from that silhouette, it was not hard to discern the grandeur of Void Peak; its height was almost twice that of Chaoyang Peak.

Besides Void Peak, several other mountain peaks flickered in and out of view in the distance, inevitably bringing a smile to Chen Yi's face.

Truth be told, the Void Dao Sect well deserved its reputation as the second great sect of the Daoist lineage.

From the practice grounds where the mountain gates were located, it was not hard to see that their strength was extraordinary.

Not to mention the sect leader, elders, and others higher up, Gu Tiangang alone could easily sweep across the entire Marquis Wu'an Manor.

At least in terms of superficial strength, including his old father Chen太平 and several grand-uncles, they definitely could not compare to the Second-Rank Spirit-Wandering Realm old Daoist.

Having such a sect as his training ground for martial arts filled Chen Yi with even greater confidence for the future.

At this moment, Wei Letian finished looking outside and, catching sight of his expression, asked, "Brother Yi, what are you thinking about, so lost in thought?"

Chen Yi snapped back to his senses and replied naturally, "I was thinking about the upcoming entrance examination."

In his heart, however, he was silently complaining about how humans really are changed by their environment.

Take the Twelfth Imperial Prince Wei Letian, for example.

In the beginning, he was just a naughty, mischievous brat.

Even later on, after being disciplined by the old Daoist and undergoing the mind-awakening process, he still carried a trace of arrogance when facing the children around him.

But ever since Gongye Shou and the others left one after another, and after he and Wei Xiaoyun spent a long time in contact with Chen Yi and the others, he let go completely.

Not only did he call him "Brother Yi" just like Du Yanqing and the others, but especially after leaving the capital prefecture, it was as if Chen Yi possessed the highest status among this group of people.

Whenever Wei Letian and Wei Xiaoyun encountered things they didn't understand, they would subconsciously consult him.

Just like Du Yanqing and the others, they treated him as their backbone.

"Are you worried too? If you're worried, why don't we..."

Wei Letian secretly pointed at Ning Xue, and his intended meaning was self-evident.

Chen Yi secretly rolled his eyes and shook his head, saying, "Let's not think about those things; we'll find out later."

He knew very well that given Ning Xue's temperament, she would never reveal even a shred of information regarding the examination.

Inquiring rashly would lower their evaluation in this Mr. Ning's heart without bringing any benefits.

"Alright then..."

The others naturally took in the exchange between the two.

A smile appeared on Ning Xue's face as she consoled them, "Given how much you have all grown during this period, the sect examination will be fine."

Although she did not spell it out, such a reminder was no different from a warm stove in winter, making Chen Yi and the others feel much more at ease.

It didn't look like it would be too difficult...

At this moment, the old Daoist called out, asking Ning Xue to look after them while he hurried ahead to the mountain gate to wait for them atop Wangdu Peak.

With that, under the awed gazes of Chen Yi and the others, the old Daoist stepped into the void as if an immortal had descended to the world, hands clasped behind his back, and flew toward Wangdu Peak.

Chen Yi's eyes widened slightly. Was this a great cultivator of the Second-Rank Spirit-Wandering Realm?

Damn it, how dashing!

...

Gu Tiangang had indeed done it on purpose.

All along the journey, he had been waiting for this exact moment to show off the demeanor of a senior.

Back at the Xingwu Academy, it had been rather inconvenient.

First, if he deliberately showed off, the traces would be too obvious and look very pretentious.

Second, the imperial palace was a place of strict rules, so it wasn't easy for him to display too much.

Now that he had returned to his home turf, right at the location of the Void Dao Sect, he naturally let loose.

"Old Gu, hahaha, you old hairy scoundrel, you're finally back!"

The moment he landed on Wangdu Peak, Gu Tiangang heard a hearty laugh. A smile spread across his face as he laughed and scolded back, "Grandson, got tired of waiting for Grandpa to come back, did you?"

The other person was also wearing a Void Dao Sect Daoist robe, slightly taller than Gu Tiangang and exceptionally robust.

Beneath a head of short hair was a dark, shiny, square face, with grayish-white stubble on his chin and bell-like eyes full of imposing majesty.

Paying no mind to Gu Tiangang's words, he strode forward in large strides and pulled him into a bear hug.

"Haha, you old hairy scoundrel, your tongue is still as merciless as ever."

"If I spared your feelings, wouldn't that ruin the bond between us grandfather and grandson?"

Gu Tiangang shamelessly took advantage, scanned his surroundings, and asked with an unhappy expression, "Where is Old Sun? Doesn't he know the old Daoist is back today?"

"Naturally he knows. With your identity as vice sect leader and your personal decree, who in the sect would dare disobey?" the stubby-bearded elder laughed heartily. "Not to mention, the letter you sent back last time almost laughed us all to death."

"In a bustling place like the capital prefecture, how did you manage to walk around with only twenty bottles of Qi-Nourishing Pills on you?"

"Shut your mouth!"

Mentioning this instantly got Gu Tiangang riled up.

The humiliation he had suffered before Chen Yi still made him feel hot in the face to this day.

"It's all because of you scoundrels! We agreed you'd issue pills to the old Daoist every year for recruiting disciples."

"In the end, you only give the old Daoist five bottles a year? Are you trying to brush off a beggar?!"

Hearing his curses, the stubby-bearded elder gave a dry laugh and was just about to speak when his ears twitched.

He hurriedly pointed at a figure not far behind him and said, "The person who made you lose face is coming over. Take it up with him."

"Old Sun!"

Gu Tiangang also spotted the figure flying toward them, shouted loudly, stamped his foot, and rushed forward.

Without wasting any breath, he led with a kick straight at the man.

The man's expression changed slightly. "Senior Brother Gu, don't..."

Bang.

Before he could react, he was sent tumbling headfirst downward.

The old Daoist brushed his hands, snorted, and said, "Don't what? What the old Daoist is beating is precisely you!"

Hearing the sound that shook the entire Wangdu Peak, the surrounding disciples did not even dare to draw a loud breath and lowered their heads in unison.

Was this the vice sect leader, that Gu Tiangang who had been dispatched to the capital prefecture after multiple elders jointly petitioned the sect leader?

Terrifying, truly terrifying...