fairy family

Chapter 198 Traveling the World, Huang Family's Turtle Peak
In the center of the immortal city, atop the towering clock tower.

The chief examiner, Yuan Wu, frowned as he looked at the three people in front of him, Yu Que and his companion, his eyes revealing a hint of displeasure.

This resulted in the process, which should have been his personal appointment to bestow the True Register upon the three, being transformed into a mere wave of his hand, causing the Dao Palace's fortune to descend from the sky and fall upon Yu Que and the other two.

Although Yu Que and the other two noticed the man's displeasure, he did not make trouble or reprimand them. It is possible that he had a problem with them because of their attempt to force him to abdicate.

So they ignored it all and simply carried out their own ordination ceremony in strict accordance with etiquette.

Dang Dang Dang!
With a surge of good fortune, all the damage to the three's ancestral temple, their physical injuries, and their mental exhaustion vanished.

Instead, their faces were radiant and full of energy.

The three looked at each other, gazing at the golden aura above their heads, and couldn't help but smile at each other.

Having received the blessing of the Dao Palace and obtained the True Register, they are now true disciples of the Huangshan Dao Palace.

All the ceremonies that follow this step are just formalities; they could simply skip work and leave now.

There have been instances in the past where true disciples and their masters were at odds, with one disciple turning away after receiving the true ordination.

Of course, there have been instances where a true disciple was hostile to his master before being granted the true talisman, resulting in errors in the ordination and the disciple being stripped of his status.

This is precisely why, when Yu Que encountered the courtesan smashing her zither in the Red Chamber, he didn't even glance at her, choosing instead to bathe and change before immediately coming to receive his ordination.

What he was careful about was not wanting to be tied down by anything before receiving the ordination.

"Thank you very much, Senior Brother Yuan Wu!"

Although Yu Que and the other two didn't have a very good impression of the examiner Yuan Wu, he was, after all, their mentor. So, after their initial joy, they all bowed to him.

Seeing that the three men knew to bow to him, Yuan Wu's expression softened slightly.

After a few moments of hesitation, the other party spoke in a completely emotionless voice:
"Now that the fortune has declined, your Taoist registrations have all been changed to Huangshan True Disciples, and from now on you will enjoy all the benefits of true disciples of the palace."

However, there are many of you, and I am busy with many affairs, so I cannot accompany you to each and every location. Therefore, you may proceed to the various peaks within the palace on your own to complete the necessary procedures.”

This person's haste to leave was quite unexpected for Yu Que and the other two.

According to past practice, when a new disciple enters the palace, he is accompanied by the chief examiner of that year to handle various miscellaneous matters in the palace and pay respects at the mountain gate.

This year, Yuan Wu actually used the excuse that there were too many of them to even bother with the simple task of leading the newlyweds to pay respects at the mountain.

This made Yu Que and the other two secretly wonder, "Could it be that the three of us have really offended this person?"

After a few moments of silence, all three bowed in unison and said:

"Yes."

They didn't say another word, their attitude neither humble nor arrogant.

However, the three men's behavior was even more irritating to Yuan Wu, and the displeasure he had just suppressed rose up again.

So this person said calmly:
"One examination yields three true disciples; this is unprecedented in the Dao Palace. I've also heard that you've formed a sworn brotherhood, supporting each other and advancing and retreating together—how impressive!"

However, as your mentor, I must remind you that from this day forward, the status of true disciples within the palace has changed. Do not be arrogant or impatient; you must still understand the proper order of seniority.

As soon as he finished speaking, Yuan Wu's figure flashed and he left, leaving the three of them standing on the bell tower looking at each other.

Thinking about what Yuan Wu had just said, the expressions of Yu Que and the other two changed slightly, and even their hearts skipped a beat.

They couldn't help but wonder: "Could it be that the three of us are treated differently from the other disciples as true disciples?"

"Are the three of us merely sharing the same privilege of receiving a true teaching?"

Xie Baiyu and Wang Qilin immediately took out talismans and communicated with their clansmen or teachers to inquire about the matter.

Yu Que also wanted to inquire, but he didn't know any high-ranking people or even ordinary disciples in the Dao Palace, so he had to hold back and patiently wait for his two junior brothers to find out the information.

Anyway, once the two of them found out about this, there was no reason why they couldn't reveal it.

Not long after.

Xie Baiyu and Wang Qilin opened their eyes one after the other, their expressions unreadable.

Yu Que immediately cupped his hands and asked, "Brothers, what do you mean by what Examiner Yuan said just now?"

Wang and Xie both breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Junior Brother Yu, don't panic. Although there have been changes in the true disciples, it's not as bad as we had imagined."

Wang Qilin added, "This matter is merely a change in the rules for the upper-class people in the palace, and has nothing to do with us."

Yu Que asked another question in detail, and Xie Baiyu finally explained:

"Based on the discussions among the people of the Dao Palace, and after petitioning the Palace Master, starting this year, the top three disciples of the Heavenly Temple lineage in the annual palace examinations will be granted the status of True Transmission. If there is no Heavenly Temple lineage, then the disciple ranked first will be granted the status of True Transmission."

The treatment of the new disciples is the same as before, with no difference whatsoever.

As for the nine true disciples who preceded us, they were given the ancient title of 'Wandering Scholars,' and enjoyed even higher privileges, including the right to take in disciples, establish separate residences, and create branch lineages.

After letting Yu Que process this, Xie Baiyu continued:

"The number of so-called 'Walking the World' remains fixed at nine, and will not be increased, but they can be changed. All the true disciples in the palace compete for them, and the cycle is every five years."

After hearing all this, Yu Que suddenly realized.

It turns out that after the three of them forced the Dao Palace to abdicate, although they brought all three into the palace and opened the door to convenience for them, this convenience was not just opened for them, but rather to directly expand their influence.

As for the original nine true disciples, they were also directly promoted and became the true disciples among the true disciples.

Yu Que had no reaction to this decision; he breathed a sigh of relief and said to his two junior fellow disciples:

"That's good, at least the treatment of us true disciples hasn't changed."

Moreover, the Dao Palace's actions not only demonstrate magnanimity but also prevent us from offending those nine senior disciples and being ostracized by them.

Upon hearing this, Xie Baiyu and Wang Qilin pondered for a moment and then nodded in agreement.

As the three discussed this, they realized that Huangshan Dao Palace's move was likely also in preparation for the revival of spiritual energy, thereby reserving candidates for true disciples to facilitate dealing with the great struggle to come.

After some discussion, Wang Qilin suddenly shouted:

"The matter is as it is, there's no need to say anything more."

Even if the status of a true disciple declines year by year, we still have the upper hand. That so-called 'traveling the world' might still have a place for us fellow disciples.” After finishing his light remark, he gracefully cupped his hands towards the two men, chuckling, “See you in the palace, gentlemen. I must go and show off to my clansmen in the city.”

Wang Qilin summoned his ghost chariot and sped off towards a certain place in the city.

Yu Que and Xie Baiyu stood on the clock tower and glanced at each other.

Xie Baiyu pondered for a moment, then said, "Junior Brother Yu, you're new to the palace, would you like me to accompany you around?"

Upon hearing this, Yu Que realized that his senior brother, whom he had taken for granted, also seemed to have something to attend to, so he politely declined the offer and smiled, saying:
"Both of you senior brothers are from prominent families on the mountain. Entering the palace is like returning home for you. Since you both have things to do, you may leave now."

Anyway, the true disciples in the palace have their own set of procedures, which you don't need, and I, your junior brother, can enjoy it all by myself."

Xie Baiyu smiled and said:
"Haha, that's right. Then we'll let you, our junior brother, enjoy this praise all by yourself today."

After saying this, the man summoned his flying boat and sailed away.

The next moment, only Yu Que remained on the towering clock tower.

He stood alone, surrounded by a biting mountain wind and wisps of clouds, and for a moment he felt a sense of loneliness and isolation.

However, Yu Que soon looked down at the clock tower and saw faces, all of them looking up at the sky.

Using his hearing, he could even hear envious voices coming from below the clock tower:
"Where is Master Zhen? Why hasn't he come down yet?"

"The imperial carriage and ceremonial guards are all set up, just waiting for the three gentlemen to come down."

"By the way, there are three true disciples this year, so why is there only one imperial carriage? Are the three masters to ride together?"

Upon hearing this, Yu Que couldn't help but glance at the clock tower.

A grand platform, hundreds of feet wide, was placed directly below the bell tower, flanked by eighty-one strongmen, along with over a hundred maids and nearly a thousand children, each carrying incense, fruit, water, and banners.

In addition, there are twenty-four other kinds of spirit banners surrounding the area, including the banner of guiding light, the banner of illuminating the eyes, the banner of divine blessing, and the banner of the Emperor's blessing.

The clouds around the imperial carriage formed various shapes, such as dragons, tigers, phoenixes, birds, mountains, and rivers, full of spiritual energy, and rushed straight to Yu Que's feet.

Throughout the entire Huangshan Immortal City, everything else was overshadowed by this overwhelming force.

But he suddenly looked up and glanced in the direction where the chief examiner, Yuan Wu, had left.

Yu Que narrowed his eyes slightly.

As the people below were discussing, this kind of imperial platform was usually reserved for a single true disciple in previous years.

Now that three true disciples have appeared in the palace examination, it is unclear whether the chief examiner Yuan Wu did it on purpose or was simply too lazy to care. As a result, there is only one imperial carriage, and the positions on the carriage are all prepared for just one person.

Realizing this, Yu Que suddenly had a much better impression of his two adopted senior brothers.

After standing still for a moment, he looked down at the commotion below and sighed softly:
"As a true man, this is what you should do."

He immediately stopped delaying and stepped into the air to walk towards the imperial carriage below.

Without needing to use his magic, the moment he took a step, his aura surged, and the entire scene above the immortal city changed. The clouds of dragons, tigers, phoenixes, and other mythical creatures below vied to fly towards his feet, supporting him as he walked step by step toward the imperial carriage.

As the situation changed, tens of thousands of people at the foot of the bell tower looked up, their eyes burning with fervor as they gazed at Yu Que.

Those strongmen, maids, and boys either shouted and transformed into figures several meters tall, or bowed and chanted, their mysterious voices making the scene even more magnificent and ethereal.

In addition, thousands of constables from the immortal city, all dressed in black robes, lined up one by one to clear a wide avenue from the crowded immortal city.

Yu Que descended upon the imperial carriage, his body radiating an aura of immortality. He stood with his hands behind his back and uttered only one word:

"Enter the palace!"

The eighty-one strongmen around bowed their heads and obeyed the command. They swung their several-foot-long bodies to lift up the imperial carriage, as if they were worshipping a deity, and traversed the entire immortal city. Along the way, they crossed rivers, leveled ditches, and dismantled shops.

Anything that stood in the way of a true disciple entering the palace was completely flattened and torn down.

This scene, witnessed by the people of the city, caused many to be captivated and driven to madness.

The old leader, who was originally going down the mountain, also quietly stood in a corner, looking pleased and clapping and shouting repeatedly.

Someone nearby noticed his loud laughter and muttered, "It's not like your family got into the top school," giving him a reproachful look.

Upon hearing this, the old leader immediately pointed to the missing imperial carriage and laughed loudly:
"What a coincidence, this fellow is actually from my own courtyard! Haha!"

Those around him rolled their eyes and ignored the old man.

………………

The imperial carriage, which was sent out from the bell tower of the immortal city, followed a fixed route within the city, traveling only north and south.

But once you leave the Immortal City, things are all different.

The disciples of the nine families on the mountain would mostly order their strongmen to rush straight to their respective ancestral peaks to offer sacrifices to their ancestors.

Disciples of the same lineage, if they have been accepted into the sect beforehand, will also head to the corresponding mountain peak. However, unless there are special requirements, they will first arrive at Lotus Peak, the main peak of Huangshan Mountain, to pay their respects to the palace master and handle miscellaneous matters.

Yu Que had just left the city.

The strongmen who were carrying the imperial carriage chose a direction and rushed towards it.

Although they appeared to be golden figures cast in bronze and iron, they were not puppets, but Dao soldiers. Each of them was quick-witted and had a cultivation level of the upper eighth rank, with the leader being the upper seventh rank. In terms of realm, they were all above Yu Que.

Therefore, seeing that Yu Que had not given any instructions, and that the warriors had inquired about the backgrounds of the three true disciples beforehand, knowing that Yu Que was not from a prominent family and had no master, they set off on their own towards Lotus Peak.

However, not long after leaving the city, Yu Que realized this and suddenly spoke up:

"Instead of going to Lotus Peak, let's go to Ao Fish Peak instead."

Upon hearing this, the seventh-rank upper-level warrior was taken aback.

The other party did not utter a single question, but immediately waved the banner in their hand and continued forward, but changed their destination to head towards the Aoyu Peak in the Yuquekou area.

This Ao Fish Peak is a must-pass place between the front and back mountains of Huangshan, the first of the thirty-six minor peaks, and the ancestral peak of the Huang family in the palace. It is the location of the coffins of the Huang family's ancestors throughout the ages.

Similarly, this peak was also used by the Huang family to imprison their clansmen, and Old Huang was on it.

(End of this chapter)