Chapter 107: Leaving the sect

Gu Qing Shan spent the rest of the time until morning slowly practicing his sword skills.

White goose came flying from somewhere.

“Go prepare yourself, after that go have breakfast, then you both can leave for the examination” white goose said.

“Yes”

As Gu Qing Shan put the Earth sword away, he realized that his entire body was covered in sweat.

After taking a shower, he returned to Orchid Hall.

On a cushion, cultivation resources are once again neatly arranging there, as well as a stack of yellow talisman on top of it all.

Gu Qing Shan picked them up to look at and understood.

These are communication talismans, after imprinting them with his inner sight, he can give them to people to use to communicate with him.

Looking at the rest of the resources, there were pills, common formation plates, rations, spirit stones and spare changes of clothes, all of them top-quality.

Next to the pile of resources there were also a bunch of snow-white jade tags.

On top of them was a single talisman.

Picking up the talisman, Gu Qing Shan infused it with his spirit energy.

Bai Hua Fairy’s voice was heard: “These are 5-Element Secret Arts. As a sword cultivator, you don’t need them; but when going outside, there’s always a need to make connections, so use these Secret Arts to give as favors as you see fit”

5-Elemental Secret Arts are 1 step higher than 5-Elemental spells, in the way that they’re much more powerful.

Despite being much more powerful, these Secret Arts cost about the same amount of spirit energy, so they’re known to be extremely precious.

In auction houses, 5-Elemental Secret Arts are things that you can’t buy with money, even more valuable than sword Secret Arts.

Because sword Secret Arts are basically useless without the talent to actually learn them.

But 5-Elemental Secret Arts are different, as long as you have the appropriate elemental root, you only need to slowly learn, slowly comprehend them and you’ll master them over time.

In a normal sect, each and every Secret Art is considered to be valuable enough to use as a proof of lineage.

They’re such valuable things, and Bai Hua Fairy just gave Gu Qing Shan a bunch of them to give to others as a favor.

This is the generosity of a Saint, the wealth of Bai Hua Sect.

Putting the stack of Secret Art jade tags into his Inventory Bag, he felt a bit prideful.

Very quickly, he returned to Bai Hua Palace.

Qin Xiao Lou has already made them a hearty breakfast, right now was talking to an anxious Xiuxiu, teaching her what to do.

“If you meet any strange cultivators, just ignore them, no matter where you go, always make sure to hold your third brother’s hand” he went on and on.

“Hm” Xiuxiu nodded her head.

“It’s fine, let’s eat” said Bai Hua Fairy sitting on the main seat.

Everyone sat down and enjoyed their meal.

Breakfast was very quickly over.

Bai Hua Fairy then said: “This semester examination, Qing Shan and Xiuxiu will go together. So make sure to remember what I say right here”

Both Gu Qing Shan and Xiuxiu perked up their ears.

Bai Hua Fairy: “Go safely, return safely, you only need to broaden your minds, no need to care too much or compare yourselves to others”

Gu Qing Shan and Xiuxiu were stunned.

Xiuxiu’s tense heartstrings immediately came loose.

Qin Xiao Lou complained: “Shifu, isn’t this different from what you told me that year”

Bai Hua Fairy asked: “How is it different?”

“That year you told me, during the semester examination, if I were to make you lose face, you’ll throw me into Bai Hua pond to sleep for 3 days and nights”

“Hmph, that’s because you don’t concentrate on your cultivation, always slacking off”

“Then them ———“

“Qing Shan and Xiuxiu are my disciples, why would they need to compare themselves to anyone else? They only need to come back safely” Bai Hua Fairy composedly said.

“Aren’t I also ———“

“You’re a hopeless disciple”

“I——–“

“Can you beat Qing Shan?”

Qin Xiao Lou couldn’t say a thing to retort, finally could only dejectedly comment: “Shifu, you’re just breaking the relationship of our brotherhood”

Then he suddenly turned around, saying to Gu Qing Shan: “Junior brother, this time’s semester examination is especially important, all the sects will be there, so you have to watch over Xiuxiu carefully”

Gu Qing Shan wondered: “Could it be someone is targeting Xiuxiu?”

“That’s not it” Qin Xiao Lou arranged his words a bit, “we’re a famous sect in all the sects of the world, but we have not been founded for very long, not to mention there are so few people. A few trees don’t make a forest and all that, you understand. That’s why sometimes there are those that can’t accept it”

He seriously advised them: “Especially the other Saint’s disciples, as well as the other 10,000-year large sects”

White goose coldly scoffed, saying: “In the last semester examination, you were beaten to Ning Yue Xi enough to grovel on the ground begging for forgiveness, but aren’t you just fine right now? Still slacking off and showing off every day”

Qin Xiao Lou’s face went red, not admitting it: “That’s just because I don’t want to argue with a woman”

Gu Qing Shan is a returner, so he’s very clear about all the hidden dirty interactions between the sects, very solemnly replied: “I’ll make sure to carefully protect Xiuxiu, you can be assured”

Both white goose and Qin Xiao Lou were pleased with his attitude, nodding their heads.

Bai Hua Fairy also smiled, saying: “Go, you can be on your way”

Xiuxiu looked at Gu Qing Shan.

Gu Qing Shan smiled at her: “Nothing to worry about”

“Hm” Xiuxiu nodded.

…

Dignity Mountain isn’t just a mountain.

Dignity Mountain is a town on the Sea of Emptiness’ shore.

This town was built on the cliff of a tall mountain near the sea, taking “Mountain” as its name, originally it was called Dignity Mountain Town.

Different from a normal human town, all the people that live here are human cultivators, for the sake of protection.

Every year, when the semester examination starts, they are responsible for all the preparations and accommodating the sects.

This isn’t as simple a task as it sounds.

All the prideful, hotheaded great cultivators, not to mention the equally prideful large sects, if they don’t receive the best possible treatment, many riots will start and end up in chaos.

Only when all matters are settled calmly that a semester examination is considered perfectly hosted.

On this day, Dignity Mountain began to become rowdy again.

Large-scale teleportation formation on all sides, as each squad of cultivators stationed there are ready to receive their guests.

And this year was a particularly busy one, as all 5 of the large-scale teleportation formations were lighting up nonstop.

Groups of cultivators appear from the teleportation formation, after some light questioning from the guards, they’ll be guided to where they’re supposed to go.

A few sects are so large that they can’t teleport all at once, having to split into groups and teleport separately, only after meeting up will they all go towards the town.

Each sect is responsible for searching for good cultivation seeds in their respective territory.

Because of that, the people that teleport here aren’t just cultivators, but also the talents picked out by each sect.

All the cultivators responsible for patrol are so busy that they can’t even stand in place, all of them wishing for the day to quickly be over.

On one of the large-scale teleportation devices, two people appeared.

A 7-8 years old little girl holding the hand of the young man besides her tightly, looking around in anxious.

One of the cultivators responsible for this formation saw that, thinking that they were from some small sect, about to shout for them to step off quickly.

But the head of the guards slapped his head, pushed him backwards while smiling to receive them.

“Can I see your identification jade cards please?” he said.

Gu Qing Shan took out their cards.

As the head guard scanned it with his inner sight, he became even more respectful.

He bowed down a 90 degrees angle while welcoming them with his open palm.

“Well, thank you” Gu Qing Shan nodded to greet him back.

He leads Xiuxiu away while following the head guard towards the town.

“That’s strange, what’s going on with the captain today?” the cultivator from before couldn’t help but wonder.

Another cultivator had already noticed and reminded him.

“Why don’t you use your head a little, of all the sects in the world, which one has the fewest disciples?”

This cultivator thought for a bit, then regretted as he realized and slapped himself.

“Ah! Such a good chance and I couldn’t take it to gain some connections”