CHAPTER 903: THE PRELIMINARY SELECTION

Translator: CinderTL

Seven days later, Song Wen disguised himself as a handsome young man just past his coming-of-age ceremony and headed to the City Lord’s Manor.

Upper Double Street, leading to the manor, had been blockaded by armored soldiers wielding steel sabers. Only young people participating in the selection process were allowed to pass; family members and onlookers were kept outside the street’s barriers.

Several long queues of well-groomed young men had already formed along the street. Some were refined scholars, others muscular martial artists; there were shy young ladies from modest families and poised daughters of prominent households. Excitement and anxiety mingled in the air. They all yearned to become disciples of the Steady Light Buddha Master, yet feared rejection.

Before the manor’s main gate stood several desks, each manned by a clerk meticulously registering the young applicants’ information.

Song Wen joined the crowd, slowly advancing with the line.

Not all candidates passed the preliminary selection. Many were turned away, their faces crestfallen as they retreated, only to face scolding and recriminations from their elders upon exiting Upper Double Street.

Those who successfully passed the initial selection were overjoyed. Their elders, waiting beyond the street barricades, beamed with pride as they watched from afar. The envious glances from onlookers, knowing their descendants had been chosen, flushed their faces crimson with pride.

After waiting for a grueling two hours, Song Wen finally reached the clerk responsible for registering personal information.

The clerk, an elderly man, raised his clouded eyes and scanned Song Wen’s face. A flicker of astonishment immediately crossed his features.

It was no wonder. The young man Song Wen was impersonating was strikingly handsome. Even amidst the city’s most comely youths gathered there, he stood out like a crane among chickens.

"Name and place of origin!" the clerk said curtly.

"Master," Song Wen replied, "this humble peasant is Fang Pengyi from Sifang Village in Fengbai County."

Fengbai County was a small town under the jurisdiction of Guanling City, barely fifty li away.

The clerk showed no skepticism about Song Wen’s statement and continued, "Can you read and write?"

"Master, I began my education at the age of five and have diligently pursued my studies ever since. I have endured over twelve years of scholarly toil," Song Wen answered.

The clerk nodded slightly, lowered his head, and furiously recorded Song Wen’s details in the ledger before him. Then, he tossed Song Wen a wooden token.

"This wooden tag serves as proof of your successful completion of the preliminary selection. Guard it well and do not lose it," the old clerk cautioned.

"Thank you, Master," Song Wen replied.

He took the tag and saw the inscription: "Male, Number 4952."

At that moment, a soldier approached Song Wen. "Young master, please follow me. City Lord Miao has prepared uniform accommodations for all those who passed the preliminary selection. I will escort you there."

Led by the soldier, Song Wen left Upper Double Street, weaving through the bustling crowd until they reached a military training ground not far from the City Lord’s Manor.

The expansive training ground had rows of neat wooden barracks along one edge, likely reserve quarters for the army.

Several thousand young men and women had already gathered in front of the barracks, clustering in small groups and excitedly whispering to each other. Many more were inside the wooden huts.

"Young master, all rooms in the barracks are fully stocked with daily necessities. You may freely choose any vacant room. I must take my leave now," the soldier said, then turned and departed.

Song Wen casually selected an empty wooden hut and stepped inside.

The cramped hut, barely a few square meters in size, contained everything needed for daily life: a wooden bed, a table, a teapot, bedding, and other essential items.

As evening fell.

The setting sun bled crimson across the horizon.

After finishing the meal brought by the soldiers, Song Wen and the other young people were summoned to a vast, open clearing. Over ten thousand of them, evenly divided between men and women, stood in neat square formations.

At the front of the clearing rose a high stone platform, where City Lord Miao Sheng of Guanling City appeared.

"Greetings, everyone. I am Miao Sheng, the City Lord of Guanling City."

"We pay our respects to City Lord Miao!" the young men and women shouted in unison.

Miao Sheng raised a hand, silencing the crowd. "You have all passed the first round of selection," he continued. "You are the cream of Guanling City’s youth. Tomorrow, at mid-morning, the second test will assess your understanding of the Buddhist Dharma."

"Each of you will now receive a copy of the Lotus Sutra. This sacred text of the Buddhist Sect comprises twenty-eight Chapters and over sixty thousand characters. You have tonight to memorize and comprehend its teachings."

A murmur rippled through the crowd.

The Lotus Sutra was an exceedingly obscure scripture. Though most of the ten thousand young people were devout Buddhists, few had ever encountered this particular text.

Unfazed by the growing commotion, Miao Sheng continued.

"Tomorrow at mid-morning, you will be tested on your ability to recite this sutra from memory. The men and women will be ranked separately, and the top three thousand from each group will proceed to Xidong Mountain to pay homage to the Steady Light Buddha."

"I urge you to make the most of tonight. Focus intently on memorizing and comprehending the sutra’s essence, but also ensure you get sufficient rest. Physical and mental exhaustion could jeopardize your performance in tomorrow’s selection."

With these words, Miao Sheng gestured dismissively behind him.

Behind the high platform stood a hundred soldiers, each carrying a bundle of Buddhist scriptures—copies of the Lotus Sutra.

The soldiers circled around the platform and approached the crowd of young men and women, distributing the texts.

Those who received a sutra wasted no time, eagerly flipping through the pages.

Song Wen also received a copy. Just as he was about to join the rush and begin reading, a low voice reached his ear.

"Friend, might you possess a knack for broad learning and exceptional memory?"

Song Wen turned toward the voice and saw a young man, sixteen or seventeen years old, standing beside him, looking at him with hopeful eyes. The young man had a sturdy build, his muscular limbs hinting at considerable martial prowess.

"Brother, what can I do for you?" Song Wen asked, his confidence palpable despite his evasive tone.

A flicker of delight flashed in the young man’s eyes. After glancing around cautiously to ensure they were unobserved, he lowered his voice to a near-whisper, audible only to them.

"My name is Xu Yan, and I live in the wooden hut next to yours. I’ve practiced martial arts since childhood and developed formidable skills—I’m considered quite skilled in Guanling City. But even the strongest martial arts pale in comparison to the Buddhist Dharma of Steady Light Buddha Master. I’m determined to enter Xidong Mountain to study the Dharma, but my memory isn’t as sharp as my martial skills. I can’t memorize those obscure scriptures at all. During tomorrow’s assessment, could you perhaps... let me glance at your notes for reference?"

(End of the Chapter)

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