CHAPTER 905: ENTERING THE MOUNTAIN

Translator: CinderTL

As Song Wen had predicted, when the assessment results were announced, both he and Xu Yan had indeed secured spots within the top three thousand men.

"Brother Fang, this is wonderful! I can finally set foot on Xidong Mountain!" Xu Yan exclaimed, barely containing his joy.

A faint smile appeared on Song Wen’s face. "Congratulations, Brother Xu."

"Congratulations to you as well!" Xu Yan replied. "And I owe it all to you."

At that moment, Miao Sheng reappeared on the high platform. "The top three thousand men and women will remain. All others must depart immediately and return home."

The selected candidates beamed with unbridled delight, congratulating each other amidst waves of laughter that echoed across the training ground. In stark contrast, the faces of those who had failed turned ashen, their momentary hope dashed, leaving them bitter and resentful.

Yet no matter how bitter their disappointment, they had no choice but to obediently leave the Military Training Ground. Some stubbornly lingered, kneeling before the platform to plead with Miao Sheng for another chance, but their pleas were futile. Soldiers dragged them away, one by one.

Once the last of the rejected candidates had departed, only six thousand young people remained—three thousand men and three thousand women. Miao Sheng surveyed the assembled youth from the platform and announced in a booming voice, "The journey to Xidong Mountain begins now!"

"You are Guanling City’s most outstanding young talents," Miao Sheng announced. "I urge you to seize this opportunity at Xidong Mountain to diligently study the Buddhist Dharma. Upon attaining enlightenment, remember to give back to Guanling City."

"We humbly obey the City Lord’s command," the crowd responded in scattered unison.

Miao Sheng continued, "Time is pressing, and we have a long journey ahead. Let us depart for Xidong Mountain immediately."

Thump... thump... thump...

The heavy, rhythmic footfalls of an approaching army echoed through the air. The assembled youths turned to see a thousand soldiers, each brandishing a long spear, jogging in perfect formation.

The spears formed a dense forest of steel, their polished points glinting menacingly. The soldiers’ iron armor gleamed coldly, and their synchronized steps exuded an aura of tiger-like ferocity. It was clear: this was an elite fighting force.

The six thousand young people couldn’t help but feel a surge of awe. Fresh from their sheltered lives, they had never witnessed such a display of military might.

"Attention! We depart now!" Miao Sheng announced. "I will lead these thousand soldiers to escort you to Xidong Mountain."

Under the watchful gaze of the thousand soldiers, the six thousand youths set out for Xidong Mountain.

Along the way, their procession drew the attention of numerous devotees. Some, overcome with religious fervor, knelt in worship as if revering future High Monks of the Buddhist Sect on pilgrimage.

The group soon arrived at the foot of Xidong Mountain, only to be stopped by a Formation barrier.

Suddenly, ripples spread across the top of the barrier, like concentric rings on the surface of a pond.

Several days after their initial appearance before the crowd, the two "Novice Monks" materialized once more in the sky.

"I am Miao Sheng, the humble Lord of Guanling City," he announced. "I have long held sincere reverence for the Buddha. Hearing that Sun Moon Temple is seeking three thousand devout men and women to forge virtuous connections, I personally selected six thousand talented youths, equally divided between genders. I implore the High Monks to show compassion and accept them, granting them the blessing of enlightenment and the opportunity to jointly cultivate the path to enlightenment."

The two "Novice Monks" exchanged a knowing glance, their eyes gleaming with scorn.

Their gazes swept over the young men and women below, scrutinizing them with the shrewdness of merchants inspecting livestock at a market.

"Senior Sister, this batch seems promising," one of the Novice Monks remarked.

The senior sister nodded, her eyes showing satisfaction.

Suddenly, the invisible barrier blocking the crowd’s path rippled slightly, then shattered abruptly, revealing a towering entrance.

The passage within was shrouded in swirling mist, its depths hazy and indistinct.

"Only the three thousand chosen faithful may enter. All others, stay back," the senior sister declared loudly.

The selected youths stepped forward, their feet carrying them into the mist-shrouded passage.

The distant onlookers watched their figures vanish into the gloom, their eyes burning with envy.

"How could there be so much farmland here?" Xu Yan exclaimed in surprise.

After entering the passage, the group traversed a mist-shrouded section before emerging into an unexpectedly clear space.

Contrary to their expectations, there was no Ancient Temple Treasure Hall, no Enlightened High Monk, and no solemn Buddha Image. Instead, vast stretches of fertile farmland lay before them.

The fields were planted not with immortal herbs or spirit roots, but with ordinary rice.

The rice paddies showed varying stages of growth. Some had just been planted, while others were already bearing golden grains.

Compared to ordinary rice, these grains were noticeably larger and plumper.

The farmland extended along the base of the mountain, rising several hundred feet before merging into a thin layer of mist. The swirling clouds and fog obscured the upper slopes of the mountain, making it impossible to see what lay beyond.

It was past the Shen Hour, and dusk was beginning to settle.

With no welcoming party in sight, the group had no choice but to follow the wide bluestone road at their feet, marching in an orderly procession toward the base of the mountain.

As they moved beyond the fields, the road transitioned into a path flanked by towering, dense forests.

After navigating several winding paths, countless wooden houses built into the mountainside came into view.

These dwellings clustered at the foot of the mountain, surrounding a massive Buddhist hall at their center.

The hall was remarkably spacious, its roof inlaid with countless gemstones that emitted a soft, radiant glow, bathing the entire structure in light.

Over a hundred men and women sat cross-legged within the hall, scriptures in hand, chanting softly. The Brahmaic sound of their voices resonated through the air.

The sudden arrival of thousands of people immediately drew the attention of those inside.

A burly man in his early twenties strode out of the hall to greet them.

"Are you the newly arrived devotees?" he asked.

"Yes!" replied a scholar standing at the front, clasping his hands in a formal greeting. "May I ask, brother, what this place is? And why are the High Monks of Sun Moon Temple and the Steady Light Buddha Master nowhere to be seen?"

A wry smile flickered across the burly man’s face. "Not everyone is worthy to meet the High Monks or the Steady Light Buddha Master. Only those with exceptional innate talent and profound spiritual roots have the karmic fortune to receive such an audience."

The scholar asked, "How can we know which of us possesses the innate wisdom to be chosen?"

The burly man replied, "The Steady Light Buddha Master and the High Monks of Sun Moon Temple naturally recognize those with profound wisdom roots. Every ten days, a beam of Buddha’s light descends unpredictably from the heavens, guiding those with exceptional potential to the mountain. Presumably, those chosen ones will meet the Steady Light Buddha Master."

The scholar suddenly understood: the man before him and the others in the Buddhist hall were the ones left behind after the selection. None of those chosen had ever returned.

"May I ask your name, brother? What must we do before we are chosen?"

"I am Qu Xin," the burly man answered, "appointed by the High Monks of Sun Moon Temple to temporarily oversee matters here. For now, your task is simply to live well. The wooden huts are stocked with all the necessities—cooking pots, stoves, clothing, bedding, and enough Spirit Grain to sustain you. Additionally, daily morning and evening services are held at Chenshi (7-9 AM) and Youshi (5-7 PM), during which you must gather in the Buddhist hall to recite scriptures. The rest of your time will be spent working in the fields."

(End of the Chapter)

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