Chapter 44: The Martial Saint Mountain
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
It wasn’t easy to join the Natural Law School. People who could join it were only the most exceptional geniuses in the Fire Field.
That was why the new disciples of the Natural Law School became famous rapidly in the dynasty and the Fire Field.
Jiang Chen learned that the recruitment of the Natural Law School was two weeks later, so he decided to find a place to lodge first.
He heard interesting news at an inn.
“If I stay here, I will be well informed,” Jiang Chen thought. He asked many questions when the waiter of the inn showed him the way to his room.
“I can tell from your age that you’ve come here to join a sect or a school. You’re asking the right man.
“All sects and schools have a different requirement to recruit disciples. So there is no taboo that you need to avoid, but you have to pay attention to one thing. If you pa.s.s the test of a sect or a school, don’t go to another secretly. If you’re found out, you’ll be blacklisted by all the sects and schools.
“Someone did that before. He was accepted by a sect, but he wanted to know whether he could be accepted by a better one. In the end, no one wanted him when they found out what he had done.”
It was indeed something of note, but Jiang Chen wasn’t thinking about it so much. He only had one goal, and that was the Natural Law School.
“So it’s important to choose a sect that suits you. It’s fine if you don’t pa.s.s the test., but if you pa.s.s and find it doesn’t suit you at all, you will feel remorse.”
Jiang Chen thought for a while and asked directly, “Is there anything to keep in mind if I want to join the Natural Law School?”
The waiter, who was walking ahead of him, stopped and turned around. He looked surprised, but also used to such a situation.
“Sir, I’ll just be honest. Take no offense.”
“Please, go ahead.”
“I don’t suggest you join it. There are risks that will endanger your life, since the Natural Law School has the cruelest requirements among all sects and schools.
“Some sects and schools use a tool to test talent. Some will organize a compet.i.tion, where the winner will be qualified.
“But the Natural Law School is different. All its applicants will be sent to a trial ground to fight and kill each other.
“Many people die every year! People who get recruited have to step on others’ corpses.”
According to the Natural Law School, talent would decide how many achievements one could make in the future, but it was something else that decided whether you could go far enough.
That was the ability to face the danger.
The Natural Law School didn’t want to spend time on people as delicate as greenhouse flowers, who could be killed easily.
The waiter knew there were many people trying to join the Natural Law School and he had given the same advice many times, but he found Jiang Chen different.
Jiang Chen didn’t give him a response. He looked as if he were thinking, “That’s why the Natural Law School could be listed in the top ten sects and schools.”
“Another question. Where can I practice with my sword in the city?”
This place wasn’t like the Southwind Ridge, where he could practice in his large yard, as well as in the mountains.
By comparison, there were many limitations in the city. The inn where Jiang Chen was lodging didn’t have enough s.p.a.ce for him to practice.
“There is a mountain in the city, the Martial Saint Mountain.” The waiter wasn’t surprised by Jiang Chen’s question, so he answered him without any hesitation.
Only ten days to go until the recruitment of the Natural Law School. Jiang Chen didn’t want to idle around.
He wanted to practice using his sword with his right hand.
Although he wasn’t good at using a sword with his right hand, he expected to make up for it with more practice. Besides, he already had much experience using his left hand.
“I’ll see what I’ve missed through practice with my right hand.”
Jiang Chen didn’t have enough fighting experience. He had been advancing too fast and didn’t have a good foundation.
After unpacking his stuff, Jiang Chen bought an ordinary iron sword and went to the Martial Saint Mountain.
The Martial Saint Mountain was much bigger than he had imagined. It had been constructed in a magnificent manner and had a great landscape.
There was a square for people to practice martial arts techniques. There were also many stone statues of famous people. Some of the columns were inscribed with their life stories.
The only problem was that one had to buy a ticket to get in.
People who came to practice with swords were also a part of the landscape.
Jiang Chen was a little embarra.s.sed that he was going to practice with his right hand.
Of course, he wasn’t going to give up so easily, but he didn’t rush to start the practice. Instead, he visited the mountain and appreciated the artistic buildings and goldfish in the lake.
During his visit, he learned where the mountain had gotten its name. It was called the Martial Saint Mountain because a powerful man second-to-none had used to live there. His residence was a historical site and attracted many visitors.
Jiang Chen also visited it. It was made up of some ordinary cabins.
Another historic site was the mountain top, where the martial saint had fought with a well-matched adversary.
It was unique for the local people to have preserved the traces of that fight. The visitors could feel how fierce the fight was even just by visiting.
The most important thing was the sword trail left by the martial saint. Many people said that they could feel the spirit of the sword from the trail and thereby could improve their swordsmans.h.i.+p.
As soon as he heard this story, Jiang Chen went to the mountain top right away.
The first thing he saw were two giant statues, each with a sword, fighting against each other.
In the square, there were some people practicing, and there were also tourists watching.
The world beyond the mountain was indeed more wonderful.
Martial arts techniques are a type of knowledge. The knowledge was more comprehensive and deeper in developed areas, unlike it was in the Hundred Thousand Mountains. If Jiang Chen hadn’t memorized so many things, he would have had no way to advance and would have had to study fist methods with Fan Tu.
Jiang Chen saw the first sword trail left by the martial saint. It was on a rock, still very clear.
He was stopped by a youngster when he was about to move closer.
“Not open to tourists right now.”
“Aren’t these people all tourists?”
“Not right now.”
Jiang Chen didn’t understand why, but the man was impatient. He was frowning like he was ready to drive Jiang Chen away at any moment.
Jiang Chen looked around. The tourists were standing behind a yellow line, and most of the people who were practicing inside were very young.
The youngster who had stopped Jiang Chen glanced at him and turned around to go back to the square.
“My friend, don’t be upset. You can enter after they leave.
“These are local people of Ninedragons. They regard themselves as the owners of the Martial Saint Mountain, so they have priority for almost everything. Not only for this square, but also other places.”
Jiang Chen immediately understood. He looked over to the square. Each of the ten-odd youngsters there was holding a treasured sword, which emitted a cool radiance and gave an outwardly aggressive feeling.
Suddenly Jiang Chen’s eyes settled on the man who was speaking to him.
He was also a seventeen or eighteen-years-old man, splendidly dressed. He looked quite similar to the people inside.
“Are you also a local?” Jiang Chen asked out of curiosity.
“There are certainly more than a dozen of people in Ninedragons,” the youngster smiled mockingly.
It turned out that the leader of the people inside was called Yang Jianwei. He was a famous, promising youngster in Ninedragons and had many brilliant friends. They refused entry for not only the tourists, but also mediocre locals.
They claimed they were afraid that those people would lose face for Ninedragons.
The youngster who was talking to Jiang Chen was called Hong Feiyu. He was ordinary-looking, very tall, with long arms that could touch his knees.