Chapter 105: Reputation and the Great Dharma Protector Canon

  Five days later, Lu Qing and his five companions finally returned to the foot of Chaoyang Peak. At this moment, the accumulated snow had melted, and the snowmelt converged into a stream that wound its way down to the river at the foot of the mountain. The frozen river surface, which had been frozen for a whole winter, began to thaw, and floating ice blocks collided with each other in the flowing water, shattering into countless small pieces.

  At this time, under the sunlight, each piece of ice seemed like a smooth mirror reflecting the sun's radiance in all directions. The five people continued on their way up the mountain road, encountering many outer sect disciples along the way, who were all carrying bamboo baskets on their backs filled with incense, candles, vegetables and fruits.

  Duan Qingyun strangely grabbed an outer sect disciple: "What's going on, is there some grand ceremony or ritual to be held at the summit?"

  Indeed, at the beginning of each month, people from the village market will bring up their monthly offerings. Generally, if there's nothing big going on, it's not necessary to do such a large-scale shopping at this time.

  This outer sect disciple was not very old, about the same age as Duan Qingyun. After seeing the attire of Duan Qingyun and his group, he was visibly nervous and fearful. He knew that the people standing before him were the top figures of the inner sect.

  "Ah——" Seeing the expression of this outer sect disciple, Duan Qingyun patted his forehead, and Lu Qing and others also slightly furrowed their brows. They knew that this tension might be due to the difference in strength status, but fear was not that simple.

  "Just answer us and we won't make things difficult for you." Yu Ji Hua took a step forward, pulled open Duan Qing Yun's hand, and said in a gentle tone.

  He looked up at the five people in front of him, and after finding that there was no malice on their faces, this outer sect disciple spoke with a slightly trembling voice: "I heard that an elder named Lu Qing from the inner sect is about to hold a grand ceremony to be appointed as a protector, so the executive elder asked us to go down the mountain to buy some preparation supplies in the nearby Chaoyang Town. He said that everything for the protector's ceremony must be brand new, and the things previously sent up cannot be used."

  After finishing speaking, the outer door disciple still subconsciously looked at Lu Qing a few more times. No matter how he looked, he felt that the person in front of him seemed to have a familiar feeling, as if it was related to something he had heard recently.

  "Alright, you can go now," Yu Jihua waved his hand and said.

  "Yes." Responding with a single word, this outer sect disciple hastily chased after the purchasing team in front.

  "Wait a minute..." Yu Jihua thought for a moment before speaking again.

  His foot slipped, and the outer sect disciple hastily turned around and said: "Everyone, I really only know this much, please spare me." His words were laced with deep pleading and fear.

  Heaving a sigh, Yu and Hua opened his mouth and said: "From now on, if someone gives you trouble again, just report it to Lu Hu Fa." After finishing, he glanced at Lu Qing.

  "Lu Hu Fa?" The outer sect disciple was taken aback, and then followed the gaze to look at Lu Qing. After seeing Lu Qing's face, which was about the same age as his own, he suddenly felt a shock in his heart. Then, following Lu Qing's face, he saw the huge sword body of Lu Qing's Heart Sword, and suddenly had an epiphany.

  Lu Bao, thinking back and forth, apart from the one who is about to be promoted to Nei Zong's Shixiong, there isn't anyone on Feng Shang with the surname Lu, and also has such a young face. It can only be that Lu Qing Shixiong, who along with Nei Zong's Da Shixiong Nie Qing Tian is considered one of the two legends of this generation of Chaoyang Peak.

  His eyes shone with unparalleled excitement, and the outer sect disciple bowed deeply to Lu Qing, saying: "Thank you, Lu Gongfa." Then, as if feeling that the courtesy was still not enough, he also bowed separately to Yu and Hua before turning around and leaving.

  "Are you puzzled by what I did?" Yu Jihua spoke up after the outer sect disciple had walked far away.

  He nodded and Lu Qing said: "Why is he so afraid of us?"

  "Because we are inner sect disciples." Yu Ji and Hua Chen said in a low voice, "Your time as the sect leader has not been long, and you usually spend most of your days cultivating, so there are many things that you do not understand."

  Yu Jiuhua paused for a moment before continuing, "Among the five major peaks, the gap between inner sect disciples and outer sect disciples is enormous. Although they are referred to as 'fellow brothers', their actual relationship is almost that of master and servant. Like us in the inner sect, due to different relationships with various powers, we have also been divided into several different courtyards. For example, the four of us here, plus Qingtian, can be said to be the strongest among all the powers."

  Once there is power, there will be disputes, and many of these outer disciples will also be involved. And some others, because of their weak strength, are often overlooked and become the objects of bullying, which has long been a common occurrence in the entire Five Peaks.

  "Doesn't the sect have any rules to protect outer disciples?" Lu Qing asked with a frown.

  Shaking his head, Yu Jiuzhou said: "The outer sect disciples are called outer door disciples because they can never step into the threshold of the sword path. I ask you, what kind of strength do they have to make the sect specially formulate laws for them?"

  "So we can't change anything, but when we meet someone who needs help, let's lend a hand. After all, they're not easy either. Even us, sometimes we'll fall and need someone to pull us up. Doing one good deed is better than doing one bad deed." Yu Jihua's tone seemed to have deepened as if he had thought of something.

  Yu and Hua's words also brought back memories of Lu Qing's first visit to Chaoyang Peak. If it weren't for Duan Qingyun, he wouldn't have known which institute he would be assigned to, and all his experiences started from Mingyue Pond. It can be said that if it weren't for Duan Qingyun's hospitality and help back then, Lu Qing wouldn't have risen to prominence so quickly today.

  Thus, the five of them walked in silence until they arrived at the Chaoyang Palace. Two outer sect disciples were already waiting there. Seeing Lu Qing and his group appear at the mountain pass, they hastily came forward to greet them. One of the disciples bowed to Lu Qing and said: "Please, Lord Protector, proceed to the front square for the ceremony. The preparations are almost complete. Peak Master and the other Protectors are all waiting for you on the square."

  "And also to all seniors, please gather at the square." He said and then bowed towards Duan Qingyun and the other three.

  Lu Qing and Duan Qingyun exchanged a glance, this speed and news was so fast that they knew exactly when their people would return to the peak, and they were even prepared, it really shocked them.

  Five people entered the Chaoyang Palace and arrived at the square in front of the Chaoyang Hall. At this moment, many people had already gathered on the square. The disciples of the inner sect were almost all present because the Beast Ruins task was cancelled, so many people returned on the day the task was cancelled to start preparing for the Mid-year Grand Competition. This year's Mid-year Grand Competition is different from previous years as it determines the quota for entering the Sword Pool, and everyone will go all out.

  At this time, Lu Qing saw that in front of the six-zhang-square Yangtai, a large incense case was being placed, on which fresh melons and fruits were offered, with two ancient candle holders on both sides, and in the middle, a three-foot incense burner inlaid with purple jade was burning high-quality incense.

  While the Zhāoyáng peaks were mainly presided over by Xuánqīng and five guardians wearing white martial robes, who sat in a hierarchical order on the Yàoyáng platform, behind them, the inner sect disciples stood quietly with their swords sheathed, while the outer sect disciples did not dare to make a sound, standing around respectfully.

  At this time, Lu Qing and five others heard footsteps, almost simultaneously, everyone's gaze turned around.

  "Lu Qing is coming up to the Yangtai." At this time, Xuan Qing's calm and majestic voice sounded.

  With a steady gaze, Lu Qing's Soul Refining Technique circulated, keeping his mind calm and unruffled. He raised his head to calmly meet the gazes of everyone present, then took step by step towards the Radiant Sun Platform.

  At this moment, looking at the radiant stage in front of him, Lu Qing couldn't help but think of when he first participated in morning training and talked to that silly young man, Shu Yu.

  "Lu Shidi, you're new here and don't know, this morning practice is just a thousand-year-old tradition of mine on Chaoyang Peak, it can only be considered as a warm-up for daily cultivation. The real cultivation is after the morning practice, everyone finds their own place, whether it's the maple forest next to Chaoyang Palace or the back mountain, they're all good places to go. And Master isn't here every day, generally speaking, he comes once or twice a month. As for that stone platform in front..."

  "That stone platform is also known as the Radiant Sun Platform, it's where our ancestors watched the sunrise and suddenly enlightened to create the Radiant Sun Sword Style. And during morning practice, it was also the place where generations of senior masters came to receive their swords. However, nowadays the senior master only focuses on the way of the sword and doesn't often come here even with the master's permission, so now it's taken over by the second senior master."

  Just over half a year ago, he was still looking up at the dazzling Yang stage with an upward gaze, but now, after more than half a year has passed, that figure is still in its original position, and he not only has his cultivation and strength greatly improved, but also at this moment, is about to ascend to the dazzling Yang stage under the watchful eyes of the crowd.

  The karma and causal relationships of these individuals cannot be clearly explained at this time.

  With a sigh in his heart, Lu Qing removed all his thoughts and walked through the crowd of inner sect disciples at a steady pace. As he reached the second row and first row, he clearly felt two unbelievable gazes, one from Gong Yangyu and the other from Tai Yun, who now occupied the original position of Yu Hua.

  At this moment, no one can understand the feelings of Gong Yangyu and Tai Yun. The new inner sect disciple who was not taken seriously by them at first, and could be trampled underfoot at will, now, after more than half a year, is still as vivid as yesterday in their minds, yet he has not only gained great strength but also about to obtain the position of protector that is second only to one person.

  And yet they had to maintain a solemn and dignified demeanor to attend this grand ceremony, which was really hard for them to accept.