Qingming Shangsi, the West Lake is fine, full of prosperity. Who is competing on the road? Green willows and red wheels travel on inlaid cars.
As the day wanes, travelers leave, their revelry and intoxication a clamor. The road turns and the embankment slants. Flowers line the way to the city walls.
At Yingtan train station, Yan Shouyi and his group alighted. Looking at the bustling street scene, their spirits brightened.
The weather had been gloomy for days. Long Feicheng always said it was an ominous sign, and he had been particularly restrained, refraining from visiting clubs to avoid being caught by Officer Xia Zhi again.
This trip to Longhu Mountain could truly be described as bringing the whole family along.
Yan Shouyi, Long Feicheng, Luo Ning, A Gong, Wang Jiwang, He Xiping, and Zhao Yiyao – these seven were beyond question. They intended to showcase their skills at the Luotian Great Ceremony.
It was worth mentioning that Wang Jiwang, worried about Wang Zhilai being left alone in Rongcheng, brought him along. As for Old Jin, having never participated in such a grand event as the Luotian Great Ceremony, he volunteered to come along to broaden his horizons.
As the group exited the train station, Long Feicheng couldn't help but look around. A Gong curiously asked, "Little Long, what are you looking at?"
Long Feicheng lowered his voice and said, "Tomorrow is the day the Luotian Great Ceremony begins. Today, the station must be filled with experts from various factions attending the ceremony. I'm observing."
"Uh... Little Long, actually..."
"Hush!" Long Feicheng interrupted A Gong and blurted out, "I've been learning physiognomy from Brother Yan recently, and it's a perfect opportunity to practice. Please don't remind me; let me figure it out myself! The more formidable the expert, the more low-key they are. They are deeply hidden, and I need to concentrate..."
"But," Zhao Yiyao pointed behind Long Feicheng and said, "look behind you."
"Look at what?"
Long Feicheng turned around in surprise and saw that behind them were more than a dozen buses. The sides of the buses had banners that read, "Longhu Mountain Welcomes Guests from All Walks of Life to the Luotian Great Ceremony."
In front of the buses, many young Taoist priests from Longhu Mountain were bustling about.
In addition, there were disciples dressed as Taoists and monks from various sects, holding signs with the names of their factions, cooperating with the Longhu Mountain disciples for registration.
Long Feicheng was dumbfounded: "Wh-what's going on? Aren't they concerned about appearances at all? They're so open and aboveboard, aren't they afraid of ordinary people seeing them?"
In Long Feicheng's eyes, these factions should have been like Yan Shouyi and his group, concealing their identities and not acting casually in front of ordinary people.
But their current grand display with banners was completely different from what Long Feicheng had imagined.
Yan Shouyi smiled and said, "They are righteous sects; there's no need to hide their identities."
"What do you mean by that?" Long Feicheng still didn't understand.
He Xiping explained, "Nowadays, various factions keep up with the times. All new disciples must be officially registered. Everyone's identity is recorded in the national archives, so there's no need to hide their identities."
Luo Ning added, "Secondly, they are representing their respective factions at the Luotian Great Ceremony, so they naturally want to be conspicuous. It's best to publicize their names and let ordinary people know about their factions. Otherwise, what's the point of them traveling all the way to Yingtan?"
Zhao Yiyao also said, "Their factions also need new blood. If they can attract a few disciples through this wave of publicity, it's a win for them." Da Feng Fiction Network
Wang Jiwang stated, "Moreover, as the foremost among the mystical schools, Longhu Mountain must maintain a certain level of reception. Otherwise, wouldn't it be a disgrace to Longhu Mountain?"
After listening to the explanations from the elders, Long Feicheng reluctantly accepted but was still a bit disappointed: "Do they really have no need to hide at all?"
"Well, there's really no need. Believe me, look."
Yan Shouyi casually pulled over a passerby and asked, "Handsome guy, want a fortune telling?"
"Tell your mother, get lost!" The passerby directly gave Yan Shouyi the middle finger.
Everyone was stunned.
Yan Shouyi sighed and explained, "People nowadays don't believe in this stuff anymore. Ordinary people have no interest in the Luotian Great Ceremony, so do they still have a reason to hide?"
Long Feicheng: "...I understand."
Yan Shouyi tidied his clothes and led everyone towards the Longhu Mountain reception area.
The young Taoist priests at the reception area had a discerning eye. They immediately recognized that Yan Shouyi's group were no ordinary people, judging by their demeanor, they seemed to be elite disciples of a renowned sect.
So, two young Taoist priests stepped forward, saluted them politely, and said,
"Please come this way. After completing your registration, you may board the bus, and we will take you directly to the back mountain of Longhu Mountain."
Longhu Mountain had now become a publicly accessible scenic spot. Therefore, the Celestial Master's Mansion had divided Longhu Mountain into a front mountain and a back mountain. The front mountain served as a tourist attraction, while the back mountain was guarded by disciples to prevent ordinary tourists from entering.
If Yan Shouyi and his group had gone to Longhu Mountain on their own, they might not have been able to find the location of the back mountain.
"Thank you, two Taoist priests," Yan Shouyi said politely.
The two young Taoist priests, addressed as "Taoist priests" by Yan Shouyi, grinned so wide their mouths crooked. In their daily lives at Longhu Mountain, they were mere errand boys. Being called this way by Yan Shouyi made them feel a bit puffed up.
It was like calling a nurse a doctor, a doctor a director, and a director a dean.
Following the young Taoist priests, they arrived at the registration desk. Yan Shouyi took a form, and halfway through filling it out, he couldn't help but frown:
"Esteemed Taoist priests, may I ask which column should be used for folk sects?"
The young Taoist priests were also taken aback: "What folk sects?"
"You two don't know about folk sects?" Long Feicheng asked in confusion.
The two young Taoist priests exchanged glances, and their attitudes did a complete 180-degree turn. They took back the half-filled form from Yan Shouyi, crumpled it into a ball, and threw it into the waste bin nearby, saying contemptuously,
"Our Luotian Great Ceremony only allows participation from renowned sects. You folk sects are not qualified to participate. You should all go back where you came from!"
Seeing how quickly the two young Taoist priests changed their tune, Yan Shouyi was quite surprised.
After regaining his composure, Yan Shouyi put on a stern face and said in a deep voice, "What's wrong with folk sects? Who said folk sects can't participate in the Luotian Great Ceremony?"
Wang Jiwang also couldn't help but say, "Longhu Mountain is the foremost of the mystical schools, and the Luotian Great Ceremony is even open to Western Buddhism. How can our local folk sects not be allowed to participate?"
"Folk sects are a mixed bag. Who knows if you are good people or bad people? If we let you into the mountain and you cause trouble, who will be responsible?"
The two Taoist priests were now arrogant, not even looking at Yan Shouyi and his group properly.
Luo Ning angrily said, "Before your so-called renowned sects became prominent, what difference was there between them and our folk sects? Besides, we've filled out our information here. If anything happens, you can find us. What is there to worry about?"
"I think these two bastards are deliberately making things difficult for us," Zhao Yiyao exclaimed. "Yan Shouyi, as long as you say the word, I'll beat them up for you!"
As a tough woman from the Northeast, Zhao Yiyao was not afraid of fighting at all. In fact, among the group, she was the most eager to throw a punch.
The young Taoist priests only then noticed that even if Yan Shouyi's group were folk sects, their strength was not something they could afford to provoke. For a moment, they faltered and could only say weakly,
"What do you want? Yingtan is right at our doorstep at Longhu Mountain. If you intend to fight, the elders will certainly not spare you!"
"Heh, your Longhu Mountain elders can at most manage your own people. They can't control us folk sects!" Luo Ning retorted disdainfully.
The argument between the two sides also attracted the attention of others. Many young disciples from renowned sects, upon hearing that Yan Shouyi's group came from folk sects, couldn't help but cast curious glances.
However, these glances carried a strong sense of superiority, as if folk sects were inherently inferior to them.
Just then, a clear voice like the ringing of a bell called out:
"Brother Yan!"
Yan Shouyi turned around and saw that the person calling him was none other than Ling Xiaoxiao, a disciple from Mount Emei.
"Brother Yan, I was thinking if I'd run into you when I got off the train, and I didn't expect to actually meet you!"
Ling Xiaoxiao skipped over, standing prettily in front of Yan Shouyi, then stretched her neck and asked, "Where's sister-in-law? Why isn't sister-in-law here!"
Yan Shouyi said awkwardly, "Your sister-in-law didn't come with me, but we should meet at the Luotian Great Ceremony."
Then Yan Shouyi's gaze shifted to behind Ling Xiaoxiao.
Since she had appeared, the sect leader of Mount Emei was likely nearby.
As expected, behind Ling Xiaoxiao was a group of disciples in white, with an extraordinary demeanor, all following an old nun.
Although this old nun was advanced in age, her charm was still evident. One could imagine she had been a beauty in her youth.
"Brother Yan," Ling Xiaoxiao reminded him, "this is my master, and she is also the sect leader of Mount Emei."
Yan Shouyi nodded. The sect leader of Mount Emei, Master Guanyun.
She was a person without a surname, named Guanyun, and also the junior sister of Yan Shouyi's grandmother, Wen Yuxian.
Master Guanyun walked up to Yan Shouyi, lightly flicked her whisk, and her gaze fell upon the young Taoist priests of Longhu Mountain.
These two young Taoist priests were mere marginal figures even on Longhu Mountain. How could they dare to slight the sect leader of Mount Emei? They quickly saluted, their demeanor servile, completely different from before.
"Fifty years ago, the Old Celestial Master announced that the Luotian Great Ceremony would have no restrictions, allowing participation from Taoist, Buddhist, and even Western sects. Longhu Mountain embraces all rivers. How is it that it has become so narrow-minded with you? Moreover, all classics are not foreign objects, nor do they appear out of thin air. The hundred schools of thought and hundred techniques all originate from the common people. Folk sects are the very foundation of the mystical schools. What right do you have to look down on folk sects and prevent them from participating in the Luotian Great Ceremony?!"