For Ning Que, the opening of the Second floor was a big deal. No matter whether he could grasp the slim chance or not, at least the chance was right in front of him. For most people, being calm in the face of a big deal was an admirable quality.
Ning Que, who had been through countless life-and-death situations, could barely do this. Whenever he encountered a really big event, in addition to forcing himself to calm down, he also had to do the most important preparation work, which was to take Sangsang with him.
The spring sun had not risen yet, and Chang 'an was still dark. He left the Vermilion Bird School in a horse carriage with Sangsang. When they arrived at the Academy at the foot of the mountain in the southern suburbs, the morning breeze was still cool. The meadow of the Academy, which should have been quiet, was already very lively.
The cavalrymen of the Yulin Royal Guards in full armor were vigilantly patrolling around. Under the temporary awning, the officials from the Ministry of Rites were nervously arranging seats. Under the trees in the distance, some men in Tang official uniforms stood expressionlessly. It was unknown which department these people belonged to, but they naturally exuded a dangerous aura.
Looking at the lively and solemn scene around him, Ning Que thought of the Academy Entrance Examination a year ago. He found that the security level today was not much lower than that of the Academy Entrance Examination. Only then did he realize one thing.
The opening of the Second floor was certainly not only a big deal in his life, but also a big deal for the whole of Chang 'an. This year, because Prince Long Qing from the Judicial Department of the Divine Hall was going to enter the Second floor of the Academy, which involved the complicated relationship between the Tang Empire, the West-Hill Divine Palace and the Yan Kingdom, it became a big deal.
Because of the tight security and bad luck, Sangsang could not enter the Academy this time. She could only regretfully wait in the meadow outside the stone gate of the Academy.
At this time, there was still half a day before the opening of the Second floor. Ning Que deliberately came early not to sit in the Academy's meadow and bask in the sun like a tourist. He walked into the familiar Academy, walked through the bamboo forest along the back alley, walked around the wetland twice, and then went to the old library to greet the instructor who had just woken up. Then he lifted the front of his robe and walked upstairs.
Professor Yu's childish figure did not appear beside the desk by the east window, not knowing whether it was because it was too early or for some other reason. Ning Que was slightly startled. He walked to the table by the west window and poured water into the ink to moisten the brush. After a few deep breaths, he casually wrote a piece of calligraphy. After confirming that his mind was clear and calm, he put down the brush and left.
After walking through the dense forest behind the wetland, the view in front of them suddenly widened. The green meadow was as smooth as a blanket under the early morning light, making anyone who saw it want to take off their clothes and roll on it a dozen times.
This was a very remote place in the Academy. In the past half a year, very few students would come here except for Ning Que himself. Even if they came, they would only sit on the edge of the meadow, watching the stars and talking about love. They would not stroll across the meadow and cross such a long distance to walk to the center of the forest that was as sharp as a sword.
Ning Que walked into the tall and steep trees and stroked the smooth trunks with his palm. He looked up at the sparse branches at the top of the forest and frowned in silence.
"What did you do today?" The female professor's voice came from the woods.
"Greetings, teacher."
Ning Que looked at the approaching figure in the woods and bowed respectfully. He straightened up and thought carefully for a moment before answering, "I ate a bowl of chicken noodle soup with pickled radish today. I came to the Academy by horse carriage and stood outside the stone gate for a while. Then I went to Classroom Three to put down my things and walked two and a half circles around the lake. I went to the old library to see the teacher and wanted to go upstairs to ask for your advice. Because you were not here, I wrote a piece of calligraphy and came here."
The female professor walked in front of him. Her face, whose age could never be guessed, was calm and tranquil. She did not ask what Ning Que wanted to ask for advice from her. Instead, she smiled and said calmly, "It's a pity that you still can't calm down after doing so many things."
Ning Que nodded and answered honestly, "I know I don't have much of a chance, but I can't help but think that I'm lucky. Once I have an idea, it's hard to calm down. I wonder if you have anything to teach me?"
"I'm just a mediocre person in the Seethrough State." The female professor gently lifted the floating hair in front of her forehead and said with a smile, "There's really nothing to teach a person like you who has big ideas."
Ning Que smiled and scratched his head awkwardly.
"There's no need to demand a peaceful state of mind under any circumstances. Even though you're also a person who likes to study, you're still a young man after all. You can't be like me, sitting by the east window every day, copying flowers without knowing how long it's been."
The female professor looked at him and said softly, "There are many things in the world that don't depend on whether you have the ability to do it, but on whether you dare to think about it. If you don't even dare to think about it and are controlled by self-doubt, then you're a weak person. I only need to know how strong your desire to enter the Second floor is. Or should I say, how strong is it? "
Ning Que was about to say something, but he did not expect to hear a sentence that shocked him.
"If you give up on entering the Second floor today, I can introduce you to a strong person who is no weaker than Liu Bai."
…
…
It was quiet in the forest. Ning Que looked at the female professor's calm face and realized that her tone when she said this was so casual and normal. It was as if she was saying that if he did not want to eat fruit pancakes, she would make him a bowl of sesame paste noodles. She did not show off, but there was an unquestionable meaning.
However … the Sage of Sword of South Jin Kingdom, Liu Bai, was recognized as the most powerful person in the world. She wanted to introduce a strong person who was no weaker than Liu Bai to be his teacher? Where could he find such a person in the world? How did the female professor know him?
Ning Que was so shocked that he could not speak for a long time. He did not know why he trusted the female professor's promise. However, he did not know why when he opened his mouth with difficulty, the answer was no.
"I still want to … give it a try. I want to see if I can enter the Second floor."
The female professor's eyes were filled with an interesting smile. She looked at him and asked, "Why?"
After a moment of silence, Ning Que said hesitantly, "I don't know why either. I just feel that I've been working so hard on this matter for so long. If I don't give it a try, I won't be satisfied."
"That's all?" The female professor looked into his eyes quietly.
Ning Que scratched his head and replied awkwardly, "Because I really want to enter the Second floor to have a look."
The female professor looked at the awkward expression on his face and suddenly smiled sweetly. She said with a smile, "Thinking is the key. As long as a person wants to do something, they can usually do it. A person's thinking, or ambition, has always been the most beautiful thing in this world. You've made the right choice by persevering."
"I told you last time that these trees are like swords inserted into the earth. If you can pull these trees out, they will be swords piercing into the sky. A person's persistence is self, and self is the sword in your hand."
"It's just a pity." She turned and walked out of the Sword Forest, leaving behind a sigh.
Ning Que did not understand what she meant. He thought nervously, "Does the female professor mean that even though I have a good foundation and will, I am still no match for Prince Long Qing?"
Looking at the slim figure that was gradually disappearing at the edge of the Sword Forest, he suddenly asked, "Sir, you said that if I don't enter the Second floor, you will introduce me to a teacher. Is that true?"
The female professor did not turn back and replied calmly, "Of course it is true."
Ning Que raised his hand to cover his forehead and asked with a smile, "Can I regret it now?"
The female professor replied with a smile, "I have given you a chance."
…
…
Thoughts, persistence, ego, ambition, sword.
The female professor's words seemed to be covered with a layer of veil, and the hidden meaning could not be seen clearly. However, Ning Que vaguely understood something. The female professor had said this to him because she had seen through his nature. Since he escaped from Chang 'an City at the age of four, he had relied on this spirit to survive and live better and better.
Thinking of Chen Pipi's solemn words in the old library last night, "Stay true to yourself" and "Do your best", Ning Que found that it was actually the same as what the female professor had said. After careful consideration, although he still did not know what the test would be when the Second floor opened, he could roughly guess what the test would be.
"This should be something that I am good at."
Ning Que gently clenched his fists and walked through the wetlands and quiet alleys, arriving at the already noisy front yard of the Academy.
Among the black-and-white buildings of the Qingmei Academy, so many people appeared out of nowhere. The professors and doctors who usually spent most of their time researching their own topics had collectively moved all kinds of chairs outside, holding hot tea in their hands and arguing fiercely about what would happen on the Second floor today. They even began to make bets.
The students of the Academy had arrived early. Although most of them did not dare to hope that they could enter the Second floor, no one was willing to miss such a moment. The students surrounded the six students of the course of magic skills and kept cheering for them. Naturally, Xie Chengyun from South Jin Kingdom was the focus of everyone's attention.
It was almost noon.
Accompanied by melodious ritual music, Prince Li Peiyan of the Tang Empire, Princess Li Yu, and several officials of the imperial court walked up from the meadow. Following closely behind them were envoys from various countries and dozens of divine priests and Taoists from the West-Hill Divine Palace.
Some of the green trees along the path in the middle of the meadow had already blossomed. They were pink, fresh and lovely, especially the peach tree near the main entrance of the Academy. For some reason, it was especially in full bloom, tenderly swaying in the spring breeze.
A young man in a dark robe walked from the path. The blooming peach blossoms were set off by his perfect cheeks and suddenly lost all color. This man was Prince Long Qing of the Yan Kingdom.
All the divine priests under Mo Li, the Deputy Headmaster of the Yutian Academy of West-Hill, as well as the envoys from various countries all stood up. The Academy students who were in a heated discussion suddenly fell silent. Even the professors and doctors of the Academy who were used to the opening ceremony of the Second floor could not help but clap their hands in admiration when they saw the young prince walking through the sunlight and flowers.
Ning Que stood in the corner of the crowd and watched the movements in the field. No one noticed him. Even after that day, no one would really consider an ordinary Academy student like him as an opponent of Prince Long Qing.
A professor of the Academy walked out.
Seeing the professor's appearance, all the princes, princesses, and bigwigs of the West-Hill Divine Palace stood up and slightly bowed to him. This was because the professor was a Divine Talisman Master who lived in seclusion in the Academy and had an extremely noble status. No one would put on airs in front of such a person, not to mention that the opening ceremony of the Second floor of the Academy was presided over by this professor.
"The Second floor of the Academy opens today and only accepts one person."
The professor looked at the hundreds of people in the field and said expressionlessly. No one knew what kind of talisman magic he used, but his old voice was clearly transmitted to everyone's ears, and it did not seem to be loud or ear-piercing.
"The test method is very simple."
The professor pointed to the mountain behind the Academy that was covered by clouds and mist and said, "The stone path turns around the mountain. If you want to enter the Second floor of the Academy, please climb the mountain at will. Whoever can reach the top of the mountain can enter the Second floor. If no one can reach the top, then the winner will be determined by the one who climbs higher."
…
…
To determine the winner by climbing the mountain to determine who was qualified to enter the Second floor of the Academy?
The people on the front lawn of the Academy looked puzzled and thought that this was too absurd and childish. However, no expression could be seen on the faces of Prince Li Peiyan and Priest Mo Li. These bigwigs still knew some details about the opening of the Second floor in the past and knew that the people in the Academy liked to be mysterious, but they did not think that it was child's play.
Everyone in the field raised their heads and looked at the mountain behind the Academy. At this time, the sun had risen to the highest point of the sky and the light was the most intense. However, for some reason, the blazing sun could not disperse the mist on the mountainside. People could not see the appearance of the mountain in the clouds at all, and could only see the sloping mountain path under the clouds.
It was not until now that many students of the Academy remembered that they had never looked at this mountain. Although this mountain was tall and steep and was just behind the Academy, it seemed to have disappeared because of its silence and calmness.
The mountain was there, the mountain would always be there. Since that was the case, why would they specially look at it?
The road to the back of the mountain was behind the quiet alley of the Academy and behind a fence not far from the Second floor. People could clearly see the not so rugged mountain path at the foot of the mountain when they stood on the stone ground of the Academy.
It was quiet, and no one spoke.
Time ticked by, but no one walked towards the mountain.
"It seems that I have to go first."
In the dead silence caused by the tension, a person's voice suddenly sounded. To everyone's surprise, the first to climb the mountain and move towards the Second floor of the Academy was not a student of the Academy, nor was it Prince Long Qing, who was regarded as the Son of God by all the believers of Haotian Taoism. It was … a young monk.
The monk was about twenty years old and had a handsome appearance. He wore a tattered but clean monk's robe and a pair of straw sandals. The edges of the straw sandals were almost rotting away. One could imagine how many barren hills and treacherous rivers these shoes had accompanied him through. However, if one looked closely, one could see that there was not a single speck of dirt on his feet.
His feet were as white as a lotus.
…
(To be continued … If you like this work, please come to Qidian.Com to vote for me. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
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