Chapter 122: The County Sects Select Disciples

Walking towards the Study Pavilion, Fang Cun encountered quite a few Academy Disciples along the way. He greeted each with a smile and a respectful clasp of his hands.

Seeing him, the other Disciples also grew bold, exchanging a few lighthearted words and jokes with Fang Cun.

Compared to the old janitor’s fear of angering the Academy, these Disciples didn’t seem to care much about the Academy’s stance anymore. After all, their three-year term was nearly over. The fate and future prospects for most of them were already settled.

Some would join the City Guard Office, or even serve the Prefect, gaining an official position. They would cultivate while managing official duties.

Others would risk their lives at the Nightwatcher Palace.

Of course, some had become determined. After three more months of leisure, they planned to escape into the jianghu world.

Escaping into the jianghu meant being hunted by Great Xia, but at least they wouldn’t have to go to the Nightwatcher Palace.

As long as they avoided the palace and stayed within the city, they might have a chance to strike a deal with the City Governor’s office and acquire a new identity.

Undoubtedly, the best path forward was joining a County Sect.

…

Entering Great Xia’s imperial court meant dealing with mundane affairs, fighting Demons, and fulfilling assigned duties, serving Great Xia.

Though they might receive cultivation techniques or Spirit Pills as rewards, they would never again get the chance to focus solely on improving their cultivation. To some extent, a Qi Refiner’s cultivation level for life often got fixed at that stage. There might be a chance to advance one tier higher, but for most, hopes were slim.

If they went to the Nightwatcher Palace, they had to slay monsters, explore treacherous lands, and face the endless dangers of the Desolate Wasteland. While the rewards – cultivation techniques, pills, treasures – were exceptionally generous, how many actually survived in the Nightwatcher Palace?

Therefore, only the County Sects remained!

Joining a County Sect meant they could continue focusing entirely on cultivation, improving their strength.

Every Immortal Seedling who entered a County Sect held the hope of breaking through the Treasure Realm in this lifetime, entering the Divine Realm…

Of course, the actual probability was another matter!

The reason Fang Cun had returned to the Academy now was actually due to messages one after another from the five of the Nanshan Alliance.

Elders from the great Immortal Sects of Qingjiang Prefecture had already arrived in Willow Lake City one after another. They had reviewed the Dossiers of the Disciples from White Xiang Academy. It seemed the candidates chosen from Willow Lake City’s White Xiang Academy to enter the County Sects would be finalized within the next day or two.

…

“Why are you only coming now? I sent you a message three days ago…”

He Zhenzhang hurried forward to meet Fang Cun as soon as he arrived, looking at him with a slightly reproachful expression.

“I know!”

Fang Cun smiled at He Zhenzhang. He also knew that He Zhenzhang had gone to the Fang Family, drank tea all afternoon – three whole pots! – while relentlessly inquiring if Second Young Master Fang was busy lately, if he’d been out anywhere… Unfortunately, Fang Cun hadn’t been home then. He’d been at the Twelve Continuous Docks viewing the new account books Lin Jiyi had prepared to understand the recent situation in Willow Lake City’s jianghu world, and hadn’t made it back in time.

“Yesterday, the Elders from the Qingjiang County’s six great County Sects – Nine Immortals Sect, Leshui Sect, Yun Huan Sect, Lingwu Sect, Shoushan Sect – all arrived in Willow Lake City,” Meng Zhixue looked up, saw Fang Cun, scrambled to her feet nearly knocking over the inkstone. “Our Academy Disciples’ Dossiers were all submitted. The results are probably out by now…”

Qingjiang Prefecture had six major County Sects. Every three years, they selected Disciples from the various Academies across the Prefecture. Since these Academies, large and small, usually produced a few exceptionally talented disciples every three years, the major Sects competed fiercely. But all this competition eventually felt undignified, leading to an unspoken agreement. Before the three-year term ended, they competed fiercely behind the scenes – some promising a direct ascension to True Disciple status with key training; others promising a guaranteed path to immortality bringing prosperity to one’s entire family; some even directly promised a Dao partner…

But when it came to the final, crucial selection stage, the County Sects stopped competing. They arrived like leisurely wandering hermits, invited together. They toured various Academies, partly to observe the Academy’s atmosphere, and partly to jointly review the Dossiers of the Disciples, selecting favored students, appearing as if there was not a bit of competition left. In reality, the Disciples they truly wanted were likely already chosen.

“Oh?”

Fang Cun smiled, unsurprised, looking at the two. “So your County Sects are settled?”

Meng Zhixue’s expression seemed very calm. “The results aren’t out yet…”

Fang Cun laughed. “Just say it directly!”

He Zhenzhang couldn’t hold back. Grinning, he said, “Though I, He Zhenzhang, am not particularly talented, I struck some luck. My Dao Scroll reached Elder Chen of Leshui Sect, and he favored it. In three months, I’ll be heading to the Leshui Sect to cultivate. Junior Sister Meng Qing’er has great talent in the Scripture of Souls. She was spotted long ago by the Sect Leader of Yun Huan Sect. Junior Brother Nie Quan decided early on to inherit his family legacy and stay in the City Guard Office as a Demon-capturing officer. As for Senior Brother Yu Qingli, Brother Yu… His talent is extraordinary. I heard several Sects are competing fiercely for him…”

“And Fairy Meng…” he turned to Meng Zhixue, “She’s going to Nine Immortals Sect…”

Naturally!

Fang Cun wasn’t surprised. After all, the five of the Nanshan Alliance entering County Sects was hardly unexpected. Each was highly talented and ranked firmly in the top five on the Academy’s Ledger of Merits. By the standards of his previous life, they were the Academy’s top students. Especially Meng Zhixue. Her selection by Nine Immortals Sect had actually been settled a year prior.

Nine Immortals Sect was universally regarded as the top Sect in Qingjiang Prefecture. Her going there to cultivate was entirely predictable.

“Fang…”

Seeing He Zhenzhang had revealed it, Meng Zhixue looked somewhat concerned. Hesitating slightly, she spoke to Fang Cun. “The official results of the County Sects’ selection won’t be announced until tomorrow… So… any talk right now isn’t really reliable!”

“Oh?”

Fang Cun was momentarily taken aback, then suddenly understood her meaning. “Oh.”

He suddenly felt weary for a moment. So this blockhead, stammering here, had this little consideration in mind. Because at this stage, most Disciples had already been privately contacted about the Elders’ selections. Though not officially announced, the Disciples mostly knew where they stood.

Meng Zhixue was actually worried that he hadn’t been selected by any County Sect yet and was trying to offer consolation.

Someone with such low emotional intelligence really shouldn’t try to comfort others…

Looking at Meng Zhixue’s earnest yet somewhat wooden expression, Fang Cun could only feel helpless inside.

But since it was brought up, he had to smile and look at her. “Was my Dossier not submitted?”

“It was submitted!”

Meng Zhixue said promptly. “I submitted it myself, as the Academy Head’s personal disciple. Second Young Master Fang’s Dossier carried top marks in talent, family background, cultivation, scholarship, and virtue. It was placed first among all the Dossiers from our White Xiang Academy and delivered to the Elders. Moreover, at the banquet hosted by the City Governor for the visiting Sect Elders, he specifically mentioned several outstanding Willow Lake Disciples, particularly praising you highly. The various Sect Elders also commended the Fang Family’s children from Willow Lake for their exceptional talent, except…”

She spoke very seriously, her voice trailing off midway.

Fang Cun, however, already knew this outcome and wasn’t surprised at all. He chuckled. “Except no one actually chose me, right?”