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Chapter 1: A Lian
A Lian determinedly stood in the golden rays flickering through the clouds and mist curled around the Ninth Heavenly Pavilion. Although she had previously undergone a great deal of mental preparation, she still felt somewhat intimidated by the extravagance in front of her.
It truly was worthy of being called the Ninth Heavenly Pavilion!
The Ninth Heavenly Pavilion was the Holy Land of the best cultivated Immortals in the Three Realms. Originally it was only for recruiting the children of the Celestial Realm, but since the Three Realms now lived in harmony, it gradually became available to those from outside, to the extent that even Demon Realm scholars could be recruited. Even so, these circumstances were appropriately demanding, and for a demon, stepping through the entrance of the Ninth Heavenly Pavilion was a big step towards becoming an immortal.
******
A Lian was a silver carp from Dongze Lake. The number of scholars the Ninth Heavenly Pavilion accepted from the outside were always very few in number. So when it came to the tiny region of Dongze Lake’s turn, the quota to be filled was no more than two.
A Lian had merely 300 years of cultivation. She was just a small fish with negligible cultivation, she had not even lived at Dongze Lake for a thousand years, only five hundred.
When her best friend, A Pang, found out that she wanted to sign up for the examination, she naturally tried to dissuade her. In A Pang’s words, as a fish, she was so white and plump that she was a prime target, yet she had still managed to live until now, so why would she want to lower her chances of survival by going to such a place? A Pang thoroughly understood that this foolish fish was an unusually stubborn being. If there was something she wanted to do, nobody would ever be able to stop her.
A Pang was a freshwater crab with only 500 years of cultivation and her only friend. She was stunning and often relied on her looks to get her way. As a consequence, she didn’t get along well with the other residents of Dongze Lake. As for A Lian, she lacked friends because not only was she timid and cowardly, but because she rarely went outside.
In regards to that, she used to have friends, but one after the other they had all been caught by fishermen and cooked into Chinese food. As the days went by, A Lian slowly but surely turned into the last one left. As a result, a rumor went around that she was unlucky because any fish that came in contact with her would get itself caught and eaten, and she alone would still be perfectly fine.
A Lian had been deeply hurt when she’d heard these words. And even though she felt wronged, she also quietly thought to herself that it seemed sensible. Afterward, she no longer tried to make friends to avoid bringing harm to the other fishes.
Similarly, when A Pang met her, she considered it fate.
That day, A Pang was trapped between two large stones, fiercely brandishing her claws. Hesitating a bit, she went up and asked if it was okay for her to help free her.
A Pang had advised her not to go to the Ninth Heavenly Pavilion many times, but seeing that she still would not listen and stubbornly insisted on her own ideas, she just as well let her have her way with it. Who would have thought that a small fish, regardless of hardships and obstacles, would actually succeed by using zeal and passion to overcome all difficulties and thrillingly seize a spot in the end!
Even though a spot in Ninth Heavenly Pavilion was unexpectedly seized, A Lian had also suffered in that competition. Formerly a healthy fish with a fair complexion, she turned into a creature on its last gasp of air. There was not even one spot from head to toe that was without damage, leaving A Pang utterly distressed and strictly scolding her.
Only after one full month of self-cultivation did she manage to restore her vitality. During the time she was injured, A Lian was almost caught. But she was lucky enough to have been captured by a broken net and barely managed to escape.
A Pang sighed many times, she was still the same old foolish fish, with truly the same old foolish luck.
******
A Lian regained her composure, took a deep breath, and then carrying her little book bag she energetically stepped into the blessed Holy Land.
When she entered a fellow senior brother and senior sister came to receive her. The one who had come with her today was a white male sturgeon. This white sturgeon was a born threat and was known as a bully in Dongze Lake. Such a fierce creature like him was something A Lian would never want to provoke. As such, she tried to maintain a distance from him as much as she could during the entire journey.
The senior brother led the white sturgeon away. And the tall and delicate senior sister with hair combed into a luoji[1], in a light green ruqun[2], lead her to female disciples’ residence.
This senior sister was born with the right features and good looks. A Lian remembered A Pang’s words, “When away from home, remember to be polite and smile,” and so she said, “Senior sister is very beautiful, what should I address you as?”
Although the senior sister that came to get A Lian was beautiful, her face was emotionless, and she only coldly and indifferently gazed at A Lian in response.
In fact, one could not blame the senior sister, because at this time the new disciples they received were usually second generation celestial immortals, or ones who had a prominent background. But contrary to her expectations, they’d been sent to receive these small fish demons who came from some remote place. Now, hearing these words, the senior sister became unhappy. No one ever liked to hear empty words of praise, but if the apparent flattery was extremely blunt, in that case, it could only count as undisguised mockery and satire.
A Lian was a bit embarrassed, but she knew that the disciples of the Ninth Pavilion were not only the descendants of divine immortals, but elites from various races. Each and every one of them were above her, so not liking her was something A Lian could understand.
Remaining silent for a long time, A Lian then cautiously said, “Senior sister, I’ve heard that High God Rong Lin comes over here to teach….”
The senior sister was not very responsive, but hearing A Lian ask her something she paused her steps, and slowly turned her head to look into that pair of big beautiful, watery eyes.
“You want to meet High God Rong Lin?” she asked softly.
High God Rong Lin, was the Heavenly God of War, he was naturally just, honest and incomparable.
The senior sister did not have a good impression of her since the beginning. Now hearing her ask about High God Rong Lin, the look in her eyes held even more contempt.
High God Rong Lin did not like to go out, the only visitors who had a chance to see him were at the Ninth Pavilion.
This was not the first female disciple she had received, they too had asked her about the presence of High God Rong Lin. It was not an exaggeration to say that the Ninth Heavenly Pavilion had the highest number of girls, all who were trying to meet with High God Rong Lin.
In light of this….
The senior sister has carefully sized her up, and also had to acknowledge that this big-headed fish had several points of beauty. High God Rong Lin was the same as the light breeze and clear moon[3], an elegant and incomparable master. How could she let this small demon have her way to keep thinking such blasphemy? Immediately her eyebrows pinched and she declared, “High God Rong Lin has never taught new disciples, even us senior disciples rarely get to see him… I advise you to think it over from now, do not waste your time.”
Although the manner of speaking was not proper, she had at least answered her question. Upon hearing her senior sister’s remark, A Lian’s appearance saddened slightly. When all was said and done, she felt a sense of disappointment inside.
She did come to the Ninth Heavenly Pavilion because of High God Rong Lin. However, he didn’t teach new disciples. It was hard to avoid feeling disappointed by this.
Then respectfully A Lian said, “Many thanks senior sister.”
Seeing her like this, the senior sister only listened. However what she had just said had not been false, it was true that High God Rong Lin did not give lessons to the new disciples. They had indeed entered school for a year now and had only seen High God Rong Lin from a distance. As for getting lectures, that was merely wishful thinking.
A Lian still had many doubts. Even though she seemed simple-minded, she was attentive in her own way. She well understood that this senior sister did not like her, or rather, did not like her asking about seeing High God Rong Lin. Because of this, she immediately took the desire to ask more questions and kept it in her mind.
Once she entered the Ninth Heavenly Pavilion, there would be plenty of opportunities to meet High God Rong Lin in the future.
Footnotes:
[1]Luoji – Spiral hair coil
[2]Ruqun – Traditional Chinese garment consisting of a blouse and a wrap-around skirt.
[3]Idiom meaning noble and benevolent character.
All names with A + something sounds like Ah-something. A Lian -> Ah Lian
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thanks for the chapter