novel-bin Chapter 82 Outer Gate
Chapter 82 Outer Gate
In the hall of the Foreign Affairs Office, the sandalwood incense mixed with the smell of ink, making people dizzy.
Jiang Lan placed his hand on the spirit-testing stele. The stele was cool, and a faint blue light emanated from it, as thin as morning mist. It only shone for three breaths before dissipating.
Four characters appeared on the surface of the stele: "Fourth Grade Dao Foundation".
Deacon Zhang sat behind his desk, picking up his pen to annotate the register, the pen tip making a scratching sound.
"Yu City, Reed Bay, Jiang Lan, nineteen years old, nine acupoints, fourth grade of Dao Foundation."
He paused, looked up from the roster, and glanced at Jiang Lan indifferently.
"Outer gate, courtyard number B. Let's settle in there first."
Jiang Lan clasped his hands in a fist salute, turned around, and walked out of the hall.
The sunlight was blinding, and he squinted. Behind him, he heard Deacon Zhang talking to someone else…
"Another fourth-rank? The outer sect is already overflowing."
"Coming from a small place, it would be quite good if one could reach the fourth rank."
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.
Seven days ago, at Luweiwan Wharf.
Before dawn, a thin layer of ice floated on the river. Cheng Erniang stood on the dock, wearing a faded cotton-padded jacket and a headscarf wrapped around her head, with a few strands of white hair peeking out and swaying wildly in the wind.
"Send a message back when you arrive," she said.
Jiang Lan took the bundle and nodded.
Jiang Lan boarded the boat. The oars creaked as the boat pulled away from the shore. Cheng Erniang stood on the dock, her figure growing smaller and smaller.
The boat rounded the bend in the river, and the shadow of the dock was swallowed up by the reeds. Jiang Lan withdrew her gaze, lifted the curtain, and entered the cabin.
Liu Changqing sat opposite Jiang Lan at a small table, hot tea brewing in a purple clay teapot, steam rising gently. He poured her a cup and then pushed it towards her.
"The Daishan Sect is divided into five branches." Her voice was not loud, and her pace was not fast, as if she were talking about something ordinary. "The Talisman Branch is mainly responsible for drawing talismans, suppressing evil spirits, and exorcising evil. The Feng Shui Branch is responsible for geomancy, setting up formations, and changing one's fortune. The Incantation Branch is responsible for killing with incantations. The Yin Spirit Branch is responsible for cultivating the Yin spirit and communicating with ghosts. The Suppressing Evil Branch is responsible for treating Yin evil spirits and evil energy. It is the most arduous and tiring, and also the least popular."
Jiang Lan picked up her teacup and took a sip.
"The Dao Foundation Spiritual Aura is divided into nine grades, with the ninth grade being the highest. Those above the sixth grade can enter the inner sect." Liu Changqing looked at him. "Was your recommendation letter written by Zhou Tieshan? He comes from the Zhensha Clan." He paused. "The Zhensha Clan is most in need of people, and many die there. Therefore, their entry requirements are the lowest. Sometimes, they even accept fifth-grade Dao Foundation cultivators."
"The prefectural city is not like Gaolin," Liu Changqing continued. "There are sects and Taoist sects, secular powerful families, wandering immortals from the underworld, merchant guilds and underworld organizations, local underworld officials, and various forces that are deeply intertwined."
"Besides Mount Dai, there are four other major sects: Qixia Manor, Xuanjia Sect, and Hanyu Valley, which are on par with the Mount Dai Sect. These four sects control the tax revenue of eighty-seven cities and suppress powerful clans and evil cults." He picked up his teacup and gently blew away the foam. "Of those from humble backgrounds, less than one in ten can enter the inner sect. The rest spend three years in the outer sect, having to fend for themselves."
"What about the Suppressing Evil Vein?" Jiang Lan asked.
Liu Changqing glanced at him. "The inner sect of the Suppressing Evil Pulse also requires a sixth-rank. But they have a special outer sect recruitment program, sending them to the most dangerous places to slay evil and suppress evil spirits, risking their lives for merit. If they accumulate enough merit, they can also enter the inner sect." He put down his teacup. "However, if ten go, it's good if half come back."
……
On the evening of the fifth day, the ship entered Qianchuanze. The water suddenly opened up, dotted with islands and teeming with waterbirds. Jiang Lan stood on the deck and saw a giant city slowly emerging on the distant horizon.
The city walls towered high, exceeding ten zhang (approximately 33 meters), constructed of metallic-looking blue-gray stone. The city towers stood majestically like a colossal beast, their banners fluttering in the wind.
Several wide canals, as wide as great rivers, converge here, where thousands of sails compete and hundreds of boats race. Magnificent painted boats, merchant ships laden with goods, and even armed warships flying the flags of different gangs shuttle endlessly on the waterways. The docks are bustling with noise, and goods are piled up like mountains.
Jiang Lan held her breath.
Liu Changqing stood beside him, his gaze indifferent. "A world of difference?"
Jiang Lan nodded.
"Once we're in the city, I'll escort you to the mountain gate." Liu Changqing turned and went back to the cabin.
The carriage sped along the bluestone avenue, passing through water gates and entering the inner city. The streets were wide and smooth, with buildings lining both sides, including towering towers and palaces with flying eaves and brackets, and plaques with names such as "Wanbaoge", "Shenbingfang" and "Dandinglou" hanging on them, all gleaming with light.
The road was teeming with pedestrians, including merchants in silk robes, martial arts masters with swords at their sides, and Taoist priests on horseback. Their auras varied in strength, but all exuded a fierce and valiant spirit.
The carriage left the western part of the city and headed towards a body of water. Dingbo Lake was vast and misty, with the water and sky merging into one. In the distance, a magnificent complex of buildings came into view—hundreds of bridges, boardwalks, and pavilions connected islands and water platforms, forming a small city floating on the water.
The architecture is simple and imposing, mostly constructed with dark-colored boulders and ancient wood, with flying eaves and bracket sets, creating a magnificent atmosphere. Egrets fly between the pavilions, and mist swirls around them.
The mountain gate is made up of two black stone pillars, with a huge jade plaque hanging in the middle, inscribed with the three large characters "Daishan School".
The carriage stopped, but Liu Changqing did not get off. He simply lifted the curtain and glanced at him.
"That's all I can do for you."
Jiang Lan clasped his hands in thanks: "Thank you for your care along the way, Master."
"Take care!" Liu Changqing lowered the curtain, the carriage drove away, and the sound of the wheels rolling over the bluestone slabs gradually faded into the distance.
Jiang Lan took a deep breath, straightened her clothes, and strode towards the archway square.
The square was spacious and already crowded with people. Young faces, their expressions a mixture of nervousness and anticipation. On one side of the square stood a stone building, which served as the reception area.
Jiang Lan waited in line, and when it was his turn, he took out Zhou Tieshan's letter of recommendation and identity document from his pocket and placed them on the table.
Deacon Zhang sat behind his desk, his face stern. He carefully examined the letters and then picked up the register to make his entry.
"Jiang Lan, Yu Cheng, nineteen years old, nine acupoints." He paused, then took out the spirit-testing tablet. "Place your hand here."
Jiang Lan placed her hand on it. A thin layer of blue light emanated from it, dissipating in three breaths.
Fourth-grade Daoist foundation.
Deacon Zhang paused for a moment, then wrote a note on the roster: "Fourth grade of Dao Foundation, below average aptitude."
He took a wooden plaque from the drawer and tossed it onto the table. "Outer Gate, Courtyard B. Go to Anping Residence and wait. We'll let you know if there's any news."
Jiang Lan picked up the wooden plaque, clasped his hands in farewell, and took his leave.
On the street next to the mountain gate, there was an inn with a sign that read "Anpingju". Jiang Lan went in and asked for a single room.
The waiter led him upstairs and opened the door—the room was small, with a bed, a table, a chair, and a little light coming in from the window facing the street. Jiang Lan put down his bundle, closed the door, and sat on the edge of the bed.
The alley downstairs was noisy with people. He heard voices drifting in through the cracks in the window.
"I've been assigned to the Talisman Clan! Sixth Rank Dao Foundation!"
"I am the feng shui master. And you?"
"...Outer sect. Rank four."
After a moment of silence, he said, "The outer sect isn't bad either; there will be another chance in three years."
"Three years? If you don't get promoted in three years, you'll have to leave. Your family is rich enough to support you, but mine isn't."
Jiang Lan closed the window. The sound was shut out, leaving only a muffled layer.
He sat cross-legged on the bed, closing his eyes and regulating his breathing. The breathing technique of the Iron Body circulated within his body, causing a tingling, needle-like sensation under his skin. He paid no attention to it, focusing solely on guiding his breath.
A golden light appeared in my mind:
【Iron Bones and Golden Body - Iron Skin (36/100)】
……
Inside the mountain gate, in the courtyard of the Zhensha lineage, Elder Tan sat behind his desk, a stack of rosters spread out before him. The candlelight flickered, casting a dim light on his face. He picked up the rosters and turned the pages one by one.
"Qi Baorui, nineteen years old, nine acupoints, fifth grade of Dao Foundation. Barely." He placed it on the left.
"Yu Manwen, eighteen years old, peak of the Nine Acupoints, sixth grade of Dao Foundation. This girl is not bad." He placed it on the right.
"Sun Ba, nineteen years old, nine acupoints, third grade of Dao Foundation. Useless." He closed the page and threw it on the ground.
His fingers stopped when he turned to the last page. The paper read: Jiang Lan, twenty-two years old, nine acupoints, fourth-grade Dao Foundation. Hometown: Reed Bay, Yu City.
Elder Tan stared at the line of text, remaining silent for a few moments. Then he closed the page of the roster and tossed it into the pile of waste paper beside him.
"A fourth-grade Dao Foundation cultivator, suitable for the outer sect. Although the Zhensha Clan is short of people, they don't just accept anyone."
He blew out the oil lamp, got up, and left.
In the pile of waste paper, Jiang Lan's roster was pressed at the bottom, with only a corner showing.
In Anping Residence, Jiang Lan continued his cultivation.
The breathing technique of the Iron Bones and Golden Body guides the internal organs, turning the tingling under the skin into a slight stinging pain, and the joints make a creaking sound.
He closed his eyes and focused his consciousness into his dantian.
He didn't know that his name had been thrown into the waste paper pile; all he knew was that he was a fourth-grade Dao Foundation cultivator in the Outer Sect, Class B.
This is the beginning, not the end.