Chapter 78

It was unclear whether it was Tang Jie's words or the sudden appearance of Qi Shaoming and An Ruo Meng that suddenly dampened the enthusiasm of the group of students from the Free and Easy Society.

After swimming across the long embankment, the students didn't continue swimming but instead went to a nearby tavern for a meal.

The innkeeper, who was observant, immediately recognized the students from the Moon Washing Academy by their attire and promptly welcomed them to a high-class private room.

Cai Junyang was the most generous of all, and as soon as the banquet began, he raised his wine cup and loudly said, "Come, we are gathered here by fate. Let's raise a toast to our becoming classmates!"

"Cheers!"

"Cheers!"

"Cheers!"

All the students shouted in unison, even the female students shouting loudly as they drank their wine.

As the first cup of wine was downed, the atmosphere quickly became lively.

Cai Junyang was undoubtedly the best drinker among them. He was naturally outgoing and had a great capacity for alcohol. He took turns drinking with the group of students, and even after several rounds, he showed no signs of being affected. If Tang Jie hadn't firmly refused, Cai Junyang wouldn't have let him off.

After finishing a large jar of wine, Cai Junyang became even more boisterous. Standing on the upper floor of the tavern, he shouted out, "Cai Junyang, a student of the Moon Washing Academy, makes a vow at the Moon Viewing Tower. Today, I am a student who diligently practices, and in the future, I will be a sword cultivator, wielding my sword in the world... One day, I, Cai Junyang, will make the entire Qixia Realm know my name!"

"Great!" The crowd applauded and cheered.

"Parroting words," Cai Junyang swayed his head slightly, slightly tipsy: "Brother Tang's roar in front of the Moon Washing Academy that day was truly a display of ambition and passion. I am now..."

He burped: "A bit late."

"It also depends on who it is," Hua Yang sneered. "With Brother Cai's talent and strength, such words are called grand declarations. But if some people say such things, it's just boasting."

The group of students then looked at Tang Jie and laughed.

But Cai Junyang shook his head: "Brother Hua, you're wrong. Whether someone has the strength isn't just about talent; it ultimately depends on real competition. Although I haven't seen Brother Tang in action, his quick reflexes during the long embankment play today were quite impressive. I bet that if we really fought, Brother Hua, you wouldn't be a match for Brother Tang."

Hua Yang was also at the fifth level of the Jade Gate, but compared to Tang Jie, he had the support of his family and didn't think he would be inferior to Tang Jie.

Hearing Cai Junyang say this, his face turned red: "We'll have to see in a fight."

He then looked at Tang Jie: "Tang Jie, dare you fight me?"

Tang Jie shook his head: "We're here to have fun today. There's no need to fight. There will be plenty of opportunities in the future."

"How can you be afraid?" Hua Yang's voice was particularly loud.

Are you trying to provoke me?

Tang Jie smiled inwardly but just shook his head: "If Brother Hua says I'm afraid, then I must be. Please be lenient and let me off. I'm just a small person and don't deserve too much attention."

Hearing this, Hua Yang couldn't push him too far and could only huff: "So you're a coward."

Tang Jie just smiled and didn't take it to heart.

It was Ping Jingyue who mediated: "Alright, alright, we're all classmates. What's there to argue about? If you really want to fight, there will be plenty of opportunities in the future. The major exams are over, and the trials are about to begin. Show your skills then."

Hearing this, the students fell silent.

Only Wei Tianchong, who didn't understand, asked Tang Jie: "What trials? Didn't they say the trials start at the Spirit Lake stage?"

Tang Jie replied: "It's formal cultivation."

"Formal cultivation?" Wei Tianchong was puzzled: "Aren't we already cultivating?"

Tang Jie gave him an exasperated look: "Cultivation involves both practice and refinement. You've practiced, but have you refined?"

Wei Tianchong was taken aback. He wanted to say he practiced regularly, but he knew that what Tang Jie and the others meant was different.

Shu Mingyang explained: "The trials are combat courses. Students learn spells, but daily practice alone is not enough. They need to engage in actual combat drills to improve themselves. Practice and refinement combined is true cultivation!"

"What's the difference from the trials?" Shimeng blurted out.

Like Wei Tianchong, he didn't know about the trials.

Shu Mingyang replied: "The trials are external combat, fighting against demonic beasts. The rewards are significant, but so are the risks. If things go wrong, it's normal for people to die. The trials, on the other hand, are training within the academy. Formal trials begin after the first major exam, and all students, whether they pass or not, can participate. If you want to participate early, there's no reward. Compared to the trials, formal cultivation is much safer, but the rewards are less."

"Rewards too?" Wei Tianchong was immediately interested.

Cai Junyang said: "Of course. The trials are the foundation of our future achievements. The path to immortality is like a mountain path, with thousands competing. You don't think a cup of wine on the ferry or a dish at Qianwei轩 is the competition, do you? The trials are the real competition, the beginning of everything, and the guarantee of our success! Each day's trials are ranked, and as long as you're on the list, the academy will provide resource rewards. Only by standing out in the trials can you have a smooth path. Otherwise, with so many spells in the academy and the difficulty of cultivation, just advancing one realm takes a lot of effort. How can you have time to practice spells? Even a ninth-level Jade Gate would be too busy. Ultimately, you need to rank high to get more resources. Moreover, the trial results are also included in the trial scores. Only with good scores can you qualify for the next competition."

"Is that so?" Wei Tianchong understood: "My elder brother didn't mention this."

Tang Jie replied: "They didn't mention it because they didn't go."

"Didn't go?" Wei Tianchong was surprised: "Can you skip the trials?"

"More accurately, you are required to attend for at least three days each month," Tang Jie said. "Some who are not strong enough know it's useless to go and don't want to waste time. For those with poor talent, advancing in cultivation is more important. After all, the restrictions on spells are lower, and there will always be opportunities to obtain them later, so they don't care much. Some are afraid of pain and don't want to go often. These three types usually only participate in the minimum required trials, and even when they do, they often just go through the motions, conceding as soon as they enter the arena."

"Afraid of pain?"

"Yes, the academy allows real combat. If you encounter someone ruthless, getting half-dead is common."

Hearing this, Wei Tianchong couldn't help but shiver: "So scary? I'd rather not go."

Tang Jie, hearing this, was annoyed and could only say: "Young Master, resources are limited, and the path to immortality is competitive! The competition in cultivation starts with the trials. Everything before that is just to get us used to the atmosphere. If you retreat at this starting point and can't face a little danger, you'll eventually be pushed out on the path to immortality!"

"But..." Wei Tianchong was still hesitant.

Tang Jie knew that reason alone wouldn't convince him and said: "Moreover, for others, the trials might be brutal, but not necessarily for you."

"Why?" Wei Tianchong was puzzled.

"Because you have puppets."

"Puppets?" Wei Tianchong's eyes lit up.

"Exactly, puppets!" Tang Jie affirmed. "Puppets are considered part of your strength. After all, they are built with resources. If you have the resources to take potions to improve, puppets have no reason not to count. However, you must register them for the trials and not transfer them to others. Young Master, you are quite skilled in carving. You can bring your wolf puppet to participate in battles and gain some combat experience. If you encounter someone you can't beat, just concede, and you won't be harmed. But if you win, it will greatly benefit you. If you can obtain some resources, your cultivation will progress faster. That's why I suggested you make puppets in the first place."

Initially, his suggestion for Wei Tianchong to make puppets was to earn money, but Wei Tianchong, having fun with the puppets, completely forgot about the money.

It wasn't until Tang Jie mentioned it today that he remembered this goal. The two thousand spirit coins weren't just for his amusement.

Wei Tianchong was immediately very interested.

Although he was greedy and lazy, he still had some ambition. If he could pay a small price to obtain resources, speed up his cultivation, and achieve a relatively high ranking in the academy, his mother would surely be happy.

He was about to enter the Spirit Spring in a couple of days. By then, he could choose a spell and, with the help of his battle puppet, might win a few matches.

Hua Yang was already sneering: "From the tone of Brother Tang, it seems you will definitely participate in the trials?"

Tang Jie lazily replied: "I'm just a lowly servant student with no resources. Since the academy provides an opportunity to obtain resources, I should try to seize it."

"Good, if that's the case, we'll see you in the Divine Weapon Arena. I'll definitely want to see Brother Tang's strength and see if you are as strong as Brother Cai says."

Tang Jie calmly replied: "You'll have to wait in line. I'm not very popular lately, and I estimate there will be many who want to take the opportunity to beat me up."

Hearing this, everyone burst into laughter.

Ever since Tang Jie shouted at the academy gate, there have been people who harbored resentment towards him. Whether it was the Li Yu incident, the formation of the Free and Easy Society, Ping Jingyue's special treatment, or his status as a top student, he has attracted various malicious gazes.

However, few people actually caused him trouble. You Shaofeng was the first, but certainly not the last.

Everyone was waiting for the opportunity in the Divine Weapon Arena.

After the argument, they continued drinking.

Student gatherings always involve high-spirited discussions and endless talk. Some imagined the future, some reminisced about the past, some compared themselves, and some competed in drinking.

After a few rounds of drinks, a student, who was quite drunk, raised his voice: "Cultivation has no time, the academy has its end, today we are classmates, tomorrow we will be fellow immortals, walking the path of the Dao, together... together..."

He was momentarily at a loss, not knowing what to say next.

Shu Mingyang continued: "Together to alleviate the suffering of the world."

"Great!" All the students applauded.

A student named Li Yijing shook his head: "Not appropriate, not appropriate. In today's world, the four seas are peaceful. How can there be suffering in the world? Brother Shu's ambition for the world is good, but it's too dark a view of the present."

"There is still some," Shu Mingyang said.

"The world may not be suffering, but injustice is common! I think it's more satisfying to walk the path of the Dao together, wielding swords to right wrongs!" Cai Junyang loudly said.

Another student continued: "That's the style of a martial hero. We cultivators don't have such passionate emotions. Not appropriate, not appropriate. Brother Junyang, you don't seem like a cultivator."

"Exactly, I think it's more divine to walk the path of the Dao and wander the world freely." Ping Jingyue interjected.

A student laughed: "It depends on who you walk the path with, wandering the world."

"Of course, such things are not suitable for classmates to do together, but for Dao companions." Someone interjected.

Everyone burst into laughter, making Ping Jingyue blush and spit out: "A bunch of frivolous people."

Her eyes, however, glanced at Tang Jie.

Tang Jie smiled: "The path of the Dao is difficult, and the competition on the path to immortality is fierce. If we walk the path of the Dao together, we should climb the peak of life and death together."

"Walk the path of the Dao together, climb the peak of life and death?" Everyone pondered these words.

Liu Hongyan said: "Brother Tang's ambition is no less than Brother Junyang's, but it's a bit too deadly. It would be more enjoyable to walk the path of the Dao and wander the world freely with my Yueyue."

Everyone burst into laughter, cheering, while Hua Yang huffed, feeling extremely resentful.

Tang Jie, however, said calmly: "The view on the peak of life and death is beautiful, and at the end of the path to immortality, there are traces of beauty."

Hearing this, everyone was taken aback.

Although Liu Hongyan was joking, if it were another student, they would likely have said a few flattering words to please the two beauties in the society. Unexpectedly, Tang Jie refused with one sentence.

Even Ping Jingyue's face dimmed slightly, forcing a smile: "At the end of the path to immortality, whose beauty can catch Brother Tang's eye?"

Tang Jie laughed: "I speak loosely, and you listen loosely. Why take it seriously? I became a servant student to seek the path to immortality. If I were to seek beauty, I would become a slave student. So, I don't expect that. I'll just serve my young master well."

Everyone laughed together.

Wei Tianchong was busy eating meat. Hearing Tang Jie's words, he nodded with a mouth full of chicken wings: "Yes, yes, right, we... walk the path of the Dao together, eat delicious food... here, this is for you!"

He already stuffed a chicken thigh into Tang Jie's hand.

Tang Jie took it without hesitation: "Thank you, young master."

Everyone was speechless, and Shu Mingyang laughed: "It seems Young Master Wei's ambition is to enjoy a life of luxury and pleasure every day and night."

Wei Tianchong nodded repeatedly: "I know, it's a bit vulgar, and you might look down on me. But I'm simple. Why do people cultivate? In my view, it's to live comfortably, ultimately for oneself! Brother Shu, you want to save the world, probably to enjoy the fame in history, right? That's called seeking fame! Brother Cai, you want to right wrongs with your sword, probably to enjoy the gratitude of others, right? That's called seeking emotion. So, everyone has their own goals. I'm not as great as you, I just want to enjoy life without suffering, hehe."

This made everyone look at Wei Tianchong differently.

Wei Tianchong was startled by the gazes and looked back at Tang Jie: "Did I say something wrong?"

Tang Jie shook his head and smiled: "Not this time. Young Master is a simple person. Simple people see problems directly and fundamentally, and they may not be worse than those who seem smart."

"Is that so, hehe." Wei Tianchong grinned and continued eating.

Everyone was speechless, and Shu Mingyang said loudly: "Young Master Wei is right. No matter why we cultivate, it's all about personal goals. Why should anyone's pursuit be considered more noble? I looked down on Young Master before, but your words have enlightened me. I was a bit arrogant."

Saying this, he bowed to Wei Tianchong as an apology, making Wei Tianchong a bit awkward.

Cai Junyang raised his cup: "Come, no matter what the future holds, we are classmates today. The path to immortality is long, and the days of competition are long, but at least today, we are classmates and friends. Let's drink to this, today's classmates, future fellow immortals!"

"Today's classmates, future fellow immortals!" All the students stood up and raised their cups.

Clank!

The wine cups collided, splashing wine into the air.

At that moment, looking at this passionate and spirited scene, Tang Jie suddenly thought of a poem.

Standing alone in the cold autumn, the Xiang River flows north, at the head of Orange Isle. Seeing the mountains red with autumn leaves, the forests dyed layer upon layer; the river clear and blue, a hundred boats racing. Eagles soar in the sky, fish swim in the shallow water, all creatures enjoying freedom in the frosty sky. Gazing at the vast expanse, I ask the boundless earth, who will rule its rise and fall?

Bringing many friends, we once toured here. Recalling the glorious days of the past. In our youth, we were full of vigor; our spirits high, our words bold, criticizing the world, writing with passion, regarding the mighty lords of old as mere dirt. Do you remember, striking the water in midstream, stopping the flying boats?

"Ode to Changsha"!

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PS: Too many drafts used up, one update today, need to take a break.

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