For Ning Que, the opening of the second floor was a big event. Regardless of whether he could seize that slim opportunity, at least this opportunity was realistically placed in front of him.
For most people, being calm when faced with big events is a quality worth appreciating. Ning Que, who has experienced countless life and death tests, can barely do this.
Forcibly forcing myself to calm down, I also need to do the most important preparation, which is to take Sangsang with me.
The spring had not yet lifted its head, and the city of Chang'an was still dark. He took Sangsang in a carriage and left the Suzaku Gate and came to the academy under the mountains in the southern suburbs.
It was still early in the morning, and the morning breeze was still cool, but the area around the academy meadow, which should be quiet, was already extremely lively. The Yulin Army cavalry wearing full armor patrolled around vigilantly. Under the temporary awning, officials from various departments of the Ministry of Etiquette
We were nervously arranging seats. Under the green trees in the distance, there were some men standing expressionless. These men were wearing official uniforms, but it was unclear which department they belonged to, and they exuded a dangerous smell.
Looking at the lively but solemn scenes around him, Ning Que remembered the academy's admission test a year ago and found that today's security alert level was not much different from the day of the admission test. He suddenly understood that the opening of the second floor was of course
It cannot be just a major event in his life, but also a major event for the entire city of Chang'an.
And this year, because Prince Longqing from the Temple Judgment Department wanted to enter the second floor of the academy, it involved the complex relationship between the Tang Empire, the Xiling Temple and the Yan Kingdom, and it became a major event that attracted the attention of the whole world.
Due to tight security and bad luck, Sangsang was unable to enter the academy this time, and could only regretfully stay in the meadow outside the academy's stone gate and wait.
At this time, there was still half a day before the opening of the second floor. Ning Que deliberately came here in advance. Naturally, it was not to sit on the lawn of the academy and bask in the sun like a tourist. He walked into the familiar academy and walked straight along.
In the diagonal alley at the back, I passed through the bamboo forest and walked around the wetland twice. Then I walked to the old school and said hello to the teacher who had just woken up. He lifted up his shirt and walked upstairs.
I don’t know whether it was because it was too early or for some other reason. Professor Yu’s childish figure did not appear next to the desk by the east window. Ning Que was slightly startled, then walked to the desk by the west window and moistened it with water.
After taking a few deep breaths, I casually wrote a word. After confirming that my mood was clear and calm, I put down my pen and left.
After walking through the wet area, the large dense forest suddenly opened up before our eyes. The green meadow was as smooth as felt under the first morning light, making those who saw it want to take off their clothes and roll on it for a dozen times.
This is a very remote place in the academy. Except for Ning Que himself, few students have come here for the past six months. Even those who come will only sit on the edge of the meadow, look at the stars and fall in love, instead of strolling into the meadow.
Crossing such a long distance, we walked into the middle of the sword-like forest.
Ning Que walked among the tall and steep trees, caressing the smooth, branchless trunks with his palms, and looked up at the sparse branches at the top of the forest. He frowned slightly and was silent.
"What did you do today?" The female professor's calm voice sounded in the forest.
"The student has met Mr."
Ning Que looked at the figure approaching in the forest, bowed very respectfully, straightened up and thought carefully for a moment before replying: "I ate a bowl of chicken noodle soup today, with shredded pickled radish, and took a carriage to the academy.
I stood outside the stone gate for a while, then went to Bingshe to put down my things, walked around the lake twice and a half, went to see Mr. Xi, and then wanted to go upstairs to ask you for advice. Since you were not here, I wrote a word and then
Came here."
The female professor walked up to him, her face that could never tell her age was filled with tranquility. She did not ask Ning Que what he wanted to ask her, but smiled and said calmly: "It's a pity that he has done so many things.
, you still can’t calm down.”
Ning Cao nodded and replied honestly: "I know I don't have much chance, but it is inevitable that I will have some lucky ideas. Once I have an idea, it is difficult to calm down. I wonder if there is anything you can teach me, sir?"
"I'm just a mediocre person in the Cave and Mysterious Realm." The female professor gently lifted the floating hair from her forehead and said with a smile: "For someone with great ideas like you, there is really nothing to teach you."
Ning Que smiled and scratched his head in embarrassment.
"There is no need to demand peace of mind under any circumstances. Although you are also a person who is good at reading, after all, you have a young mind and cannot sit by the east window like me every day, copying hairpins and not knowing the year."
The female professor looked at him and said softly: "Many things in the world are not about whether you have the ability to do it, but 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 are a weak person.
Man, I just need to know how strong or how powerful is your desire to go to the second floor?"
Ning Que was about to say something, but he didn't expect to hear something that shocked him immediately.
"If you give up entering the second floor today, I can introduce you to a strong man who is not weaker than Liu Bai as your teacher."
There was silence in the forest. Ning Que looked at the calm face of the female professor and found that the tone of the other person's words was so casual and ordinary, as if she was saying that if you don't want to eat pancakes and fruit, then I will make a bowl for you.
The sesame sauce noodles don't show off in any way, but they have an unquestionable flavor.
However... Liu Bai, the Sword Master of the Southern Jin Dynasty, is recognized as the most powerful person in the world. He wants to introduce a strong man who is not weaker than Liu Bai to be his teacher? Where can he find such a person in the world? What about the female professor?
Do you recognize it?
Ning Que was so shocked that he couldn't speak for a long time. He didn't know why. He believed in the female professor's promise. However, he also didn't know why. When he opened his mouth with difficulty, the answer he said was no.
He said sincerely: "I still want to... give it a try and see if it is possible for me to enter the second floor."
There was an interesting smile in the female professor's eyes, she looked at him and asked: "Why?"
Ning Que was silent for a moment and then hesitated and said: "I don't know why, I just feel like I have been struggling with this matter for so long and put so much effort into it, and I will never be reconciled if I don't give it a try."
"That's it?" The female professor looked into his eyes quietly.
Ning Que scratched his head and responded with some embarrassment: "Because I really want to go to the second floor to have a look."
The female professor looked at the embarrassed expression on his face, and suddenly smiled sweetly, her beauty suddenly increased, and said with a smile: "Thinking is the key. As long as people want to do something, they can often do it. People's ideas or ambitions are inherently
The most beautiful thing in the world, it is the right choice for you to insist on it."
"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 the sky. Human attachment is the self, and self is in your hands.
sword."
"It's just a pity." She turned around and walked out of the sword forest, leaving a soft sigh.
Ning Que didn't understand the meaning of this sigh of regret, and thought a little nervously, did the female professor mean that although she had good bones and a good will, she still couldn't be the opponent of Prince Long Qing this time?
Looking at the slim figure that was about to disappear at the edge of the sword forest, he suddenly asked: "Sir, just now you said that if I don't enter the second floor, you will introduce me to the teacher. Is it true?"
The female professor did not look back and responded calmly: "Of course it is true."
Ning Que raised his hand to cover his forehead and asked with a smile, "Is it okay if I regret it now?"
The female professor smiled and replied: "I gave you a chance."
Ideas, persistence, ego, ambition, sword.
The female professor's words seemed to be covered with a layer of gauze, and it was difficult to see the true meaning hidden inside. However, Ning Que vaguely understood the meaning, because the female professor would say these words to him, so he naturally understood it.
His nature, since he escaped from Chang'an City at the age of four, Ning Que has relied on these spiritual qualities to survive and live better and better.
Thinking of what Chen Pipi said with a solemn expression in Jiuli last night: "Keep your heart" and "do your best", Ning Que discovered that this and the female professor's statement actually had the same meaning. After thinking about it carefully, although he still didn't know the two words
What is the test method when the floor is opened, but you can probably guess what aspects the test questions will test.
"This should be something I'm good at."
Ning Que gently clenched his fists and walked through the wetlands and quiet alleys until he came to the front yard of the academy, which was already bustling with people.
Among the black and white Qingmei Academy buildings, so many people appeared out of nowhere. The professors and doctors who spend most of their time researching their own topics came outside collectively carrying various chairs, holding hands.
Holding hot tea in their hands, they argued fiercely about today's events on the second floor, and even started to make bets.
The students of the academy arrived in groups early. Although most of them did not dare to expect to enter the second floor, no one wanted to miss such a moment. The students surrounded the six students from the surgery department in the center and kept saying
Cheer them on, and Xie Chengyun of the Southern Jin Dynasty is naturally the focus of everyone's attention.
It's nearly noon.
Accompanied by melodious ritual music, His Royal Highness Prince Li Peiyan of the Tang Dynasty, Princess Li Yu, and several officials from the imperial court came from below the meadow, followed closely by envoys from various countries and dozens of priests and Taoists from the Xiling Temple.
Some of the green trees along the road in the middle of the meadow have already bloomed, and they are pink and fresh and lovely. Especially the peach tree near the main entrance of the academy, which is in full bloom for some reason, delicately fluttering in the spring breeze.
A young man wearing dark-colored clothing walked from the road. The blooming peach blossoms were set off by his perfect cheeks, and all color suddenly disappeared. This man was none other than Prince Longqing of the Yan Kingdom.
All the priests below Mo Li, the vice-president of Xiling Yutian Academy, and envoys from various countries stood up collectively. The students in the academy who were talking about it fell silent. Even the professors and doctors of the academy who were used to seeing the opening ceremony of the second floor looked at the sun.
The young prince who walked among the flowers couldn't help but clasped his hands in admiration.
Ning Que stood in the corner outside the crowd, watching the movement in the field. No one noticed him. Even after that day, no one would really regard an ordinary academy student like him as the opponent of Prince Long Qing.
The professor of the academy came out. He was one of the talisman masters who cultivated in the academy, and his status was extremely noble. Seeing this professor appear, everyone, whether they were princes, princesses or the big shots in the Xiling Temple, stood up and bowed slightly to pay tribute to the talisman masters.
No one would put on airs in front of such a person, not to mention that he is in charge of presiding over the opening of the building today.
"The second floor of the academy is open today, and only one person is available."
The professor looked at the hundreds of people in the room expressionlessly and said, I don't know if some talisman was used, but the old voice was clearly heard in everyone's ears, and it didn't sound loud and deafening.
"The exam method is very simple."
The professor pointed to the mountain covered by mist behind the academy and said: "There are stone paths that go around the mountain. Anyone who wants to enter the second floor of the academy can enter the mountain at will. Whoever can reach the top of the mountain can enter the second floor. If
If neither can reach it, then the winner will be determined by who climbs higher."
Use mountain climbing to judge the outcome and decide who is qualified to enter the second floor of the academy? Many students looked puzzled and confused, thinking that this would be too ridiculous and childish, while the faces of people like Prince Li Peiyan and Priest Mo Li
But there was no expression on his face. They, the big shots, knew some details about the opening of the second floor in previous years. They knew that people in the academy liked to make such mysteries, so of course they wouldn't think it was child's play.
Everyone in the room raised their heads and looked at the big mountain behind the academy. At this time, the sun had risen to the top of the sky, and the light was blazing. However, for some reason, it failed to dispel the fog on the mountainside. Chu Yunwu could not be seen at all.
Among the mountains, one can only faintly see the stone cliffs on the top of the mountain.
It was only then that many students in the academy remembered that they had never seen this mountain directly on weekdays. Although this mountain was tall and dangerous, just behind the academy, it became so silent and peaceful because of its silence.
It seems to have disappeared, and no one will ever go out of its way to observe it.
The mountain is there, and it will always be there. If that's the case, why bother going to see it?
The road leading to the back mountain is just behind the quiet alley of the academy, and behind a fence not far from the second floor. Standing on the stone flat of the academy, people can clearly see the not-so-distant section at the foot of the mountain.
Rugged mountain roads.
It was quiet, no one spoke.
Time passed by minute by minute, and no one walked towards the mountain.
"It seems that the young monk has no choice but to take the first step."
In the dead silence caused by tension, a voice suddenly rang out. To everyone's surprise, the first person to start climbing the mountain and heading towards the second floor of the academy was not the students in the academy, nor was it the one who was looked upon by Haotian Dao believers all over the world.
If Prince Longqing is the Son of God, he is... a young monk.
The monk was about twenty years old, with a handsome appearance. He was wearing a tattered but clean monk's robe, and a pair of straw sandals on his feet. The edges of the straw sandals were almost rotten. It can be imagined that these shoes had accompanied him through many walks.
There are so many barren mountains and rivers, and the ground is full of thorns, but if you look carefully, you can see that there is no dirt on his feet.