Chapter 7: The Chosen Ones

Meng Qi arrived at the door, and upon looking inside, he saw seven or eight people, each dressed differently in a variety of colors, far more eye-catching than the monotonous attire of Shaolin.

Meng Qi was sweeping away the remaining snow in the courtyard when suddenly, the door of a side room opened, and a young Taoist priest with two buns on his head stood at the door and shouted: "Hey, little monk, the room is a bit dirty, come and clean it up."

Then she turned her sword upside down and returned a salute: "Hmm, my name is Jiang Zhiwei, a disciple of the Sword Washing Pavilion. I sincerely apologize for involving you in our conflict."

The bright moon outside the window shines through the thin layers of clouds, casting a scene of shallow rippling water before the bed

In a state of surprise, Meng Qi vaguely saw that the person attempting to trip him was the same little Taoist with double buns from earlier. His features were pronounced, and the most striking aspect was his thick, dark eyebrows that resembled two flying daggers. At that moment, he did not even glance at Meng Qi, his eyes fixed intently on the space ahead of Meng Qi.

"In the end, it was so exciting, the long sword, the Taoist..." Zhenhui excitedly recounted, waving his hands, but his speech was too disorganized for Meng Qi to understand.

I was too reckless," the young Taoist said as he turned to Meng Qi, then quickly turned his head away

Meng Qi raised his head in a bit of confusion and happened to see a face that was strikingly beautiful. She had arched eyebrows and large eyes, with her black hair simply tied up and flowing down smoothly. Dressed in a pale yellow long dress, she appeared to be around sixteen or seventeen years old, yet there was not a hint of childishness about her.

The competition and sparring will begin in the afternoon? Meng Qi felt a stir in his heart and quickly stepped forward to ask.

Upon hearing their response, Meng Qi's fleeting hope was doused by a bucket of cold water, leaving him in a state of confusion.

Xuanxin let out a sound of surprise: "There is a Taoist skill that can rival the 'Rulai Divine Palm', called 'Seven Swords of Heaven Cutting'. It has also been lost for a long time. The foundation of the Zhenwu Sect and the Xijian Pavilion is based on one of its techniques, and their relationship is similar to that between the Vajra Temple and our Shaolin. Moreover, the Xijian Pavilion only respects the Taoist ancestor and does not enter the Taoist school. In the end, who was defeated?"

"Yes, Senior Brother Zhang," the young Taoist replied somewhat aggrievedly. However, it seemed that this Senior Brother Zhang held a high reputation among the young disciples of various sects, as the others in the room remained silent, with no one coming to Qingjing's defense.

The final battle will take place between Zhang Yuanshan of the Zhenwu Sect and Miss Jiang Zhiwei of the Xijian Pavilion, hehe. They have previously defeated the young disciples of various sects, including Zhen Miao and Zhen Ben.

At first glance, Meng Qi thought that this handsome and masculine man was in his twenties, but upon closer inspection, he could tell from the features of his face that he was probably only seventeen or eighteen years old

Suddenly, a foot unexpectedly stretched out from somewhere, precisely in front of Meng Qi's foot

At that moment, a shade of pale yellow caught Meng Qi's eye, and immediately after, a long sword, wrapped in a heavy copper-green scabbard, appeared out of nowhere like a celestial swan, gently resting against Meng Qi's chest.

The young girl turned her head to look at Meng Qi, suddenly breaking into a smile, with two dimples appearing at the corners of her mouth, making her look very sweet: "Little monk, don't mind that bad person; he just wants to use you to test my swordsmanship."

Zhenwu Sect, Xijian Pavilion? At an unknown time, Xuanxin walked over and said, "Hey, the young disciples of these two sects have unexpectedly crossed paths as rivals."

What are you doing at m.hetushu.com? Suddenly, a deep voice sounded at the entrance

It seems that the Shaolin of this world does not prohibit female guests from entering... Meng Qi carefully stepped over several guests, intending to clean up the broken teacups on the floor

"Brother Zhenguan, Brother Zhenying, do you know how to leave the Servitude Institute? Or are there any specific requirements?" As long as the requirements are clear, rather than being dependent on one's heart, Meng Qi believes he has hope of achieving it

Meng Qi waved his arms, striving to maintain his balance and prevent a fall, but the young Taoist adept skillfully timed his foot strikes, leaving him unable to regain his center of gravity. He could only sorrowfully watch as the ground drew nearer, his mind conjuring a dismal image of himself falling in a most humiliating manner.

His eyebrows are raised, combined with the youthful innocence on his face, giving off a hint of bravado

Thank you for saving me, miss. Meng Qi steadied himself and instinctively expressed his gratitude

At this moment, the young Taoist from the Xuantian Sect snorted again: "I just didn't expect the disciples of Shaolin to be so weak, easily tripped up with just a casual move"

She did not say it outright, but Meng Qi sensed a pride and confidence in her own abilities

Her pink lips parted slightly, her voice as clear as a oriole: "The Xuantian Sect claims to be the lineage of the Heavenly Emperor, is this the kind of sect that bullies children?"

Comparing oneself to others can be infuriating... This phrase suddenly popped into Meng Qi's mind, and then he curiously asked, "Who is the ultimate winner?"

His laughter is more unpleasant than his crying, evoking a sense of the cuckoo weeping blood.

Zhenyan slightly nodded and then sighed: "Their age seems to be similar to mine, yet their martial arts skills are ten times greater than mine, sigh..."

It is unknown how much time has passed when Meng Qicai fell into a deep sleep

Returning to the servant's quarters, with some time left before lunch at https://www.hetushu.com, Meng Qi felt restless and was eager to practice his skills. However, having already completed the "Hundred Days of Foundation Building" and lacking a technique for "Meditative Energy Storage," he could only retreat to the meditation room, repeatedly practicing the Arhat Fist to refine his physical body.

Meng Qi took a gentle breath, refraining from unnecessary words, and simply said: "This humble monk is truly resolute"

Seeing the two fellow disciples defeated in the temple, Zhenyan wore a look of schadenfreude.

Oh, it seems there is also a girl? Meng Qi did not dare to scrutinize her closely, lest he lose his decorum, but in a hurried glance just now, he seemed to have seen a young girl dressed in a pale yellow long dress

Zen Heart Courtyard is the place where Shaolin receives guests, consisting of multiple courtyards. At this moment, the bare trees stand tall, covered by a thin layer of snow

"Very well, benefactor." Meng Qi performed a one-handed bow and, holding the broom, walked towards the side room, while the young Taoist, still bearing a hint of childishness, had already returned to the house

The monks discussed the martial arts competition late into the night. After returning to the meditation room, Meng Qi found it difficult to calm his mind for a long time. He thought of the exceptional talents Zhang Yuanshan and Jiang Zhiwei, and then reflected on himself, which left him feeling quite agitated

The young girl retracted her long sword and let out a soft laugh: "You resemble a young master from a noble family, rather than a little monk who should be addressing the female benefactor."

The long sword exerted very little force, and Meng Qi could hardly feel any pain; however, its angle and strength were just right, instantly halting Meng Qi's downward momentum and restoring his balance

The demeanor is quite mature... Meng Qi suppressed the anger and frustration he had just felt, silently evaluating himself.

Meng Qi turned around and saw a young man dressed in a Bagua robe walking in with his hands behind his back. He had long eyebrows that met his hair, a straight nose resembling a book, and his eyes sparkled like lightning.

Zhenying and Zhenguan had a brief commotion, but soon fell silent again, once more entering a state of "self-isolation," while Zhenhui's breathing grew increasingly prolonged, clearly indicating that she had fallen into a deep sleep

It was not until the evening that Meng Qicai saw Zhenyan, Zhenhui, and others return, their faces filled with excitement and enthusiasm, engaging in endless exchanges with one another

"Enemies on a narrow road?" Meng Qi felt that the relationship between Zhang Yuanshan and Jiang Zhiwei was not bad.

Upon hearing these words, the one who loves to sleep truly sat up and laughed heartily: "After much contemplation, I finally entered Shaolin, yet after three years and another three years, I remain trapped here. In two more years, I will be sent out of the temple, having achieved nothing. Haha, having achieved nothing, how am I to face the elders at home!"

It was merely my own lack of skill... This sentence was not spoken by Meng Qi, who nodded slightly, indicating that he would not take such trivial matters to heart. He then joined his hands together, softly chanted a Buddhist invocation, and bowed his head to clean the floor before exiting the room

"Brother Zhang, Qingjing tripped this little monk to test my swordsmanship." Jiang Zhiwei stated the matter simply, without embellishment.

Zhenhui nodded vigorously: "Hmm, so wonderful! It's a pity that you were not present, Senior Brother."

He is merely a servant monk. Why don't I assess the martial skills of your family's servant and see if they are as strong as yours?" Jiang Zhiwei said with a sarcastic smile at the corner of her mouth

"The Miscellaneous Labor Institute? Hmph, in these seven years, I have not seen anyone succeed! Hey, that bald donkey Xuan Ku is simply talking big to trick us into doing hard labor!" Zhen Guan gritted his teeth, as if he wanted to devour someone's flesh and blood.

Brother Zhang, of the Zhang surname, gently nodded and said to Meng Qi: "Brother Meng, I am Zhang Yuanshan of the Zhenwu Sect. I have been esteemed by friends from various sects, who call me 'senior brother.' I hope you can understand the matters of today.

Brother Zhang looked at Qingjing and said with an imposing demeanor, "Since you have left the mountain gate, every action you take represents the Xuantian Sect; do not lose face."

When will I be able to leave the servant quarters and truly begin my martial arts training... Meng Qi pondered, unable to contain himself, and decided to ask the two long-time servant monks, Zhen Guan and Zhen Ying. Master Xuan Zang must have his reasons for placing me here.

Hmph, the young Taoist from the Xuantian Sect did not respond, merely letting out a soft hum.

You! The young Taoist priest suddenly stood up

Meng Qi gazed out of the window, finding it difficult to fall asleep, feeling as if he were a bird trapped in a cage, unable to break free, with emotions of restlessness, urgency, and frustration rising and falling in succession

Zhang Yuanshan of the Zhenwu Sect was defeated by Miss Jiang Zhiwei by a narrow margin. Zhenyan quickly responded, as he was quoting the assessment of the esteemed monk Kongjian, the abbot of the Damo Institute.

At this point, she gently pressed her lips together and slightly raised her head: "But even if he sees my swordsmanship, what of it?"

This little monk still has some backbone ... ... " From a distance, Meng Qi faintly heard Jiang Zhiwei make this remark.

At lunchtime, Zhenhui and the others had not yet returned, as it was said they had been assigned to clean the Damo Institute, which was the venue for the disciples from various sects to engage in combat and sparring.

Meng Qi did not have time to retract his legs and stumbled over the top, feeling his center of gravity shift, as he crawled forward in a clumsy manner

Xuanxin was taken aback: "The girl from Xijian Pavilion won? It won't be another Su Wuming, will it? Hehe, be careful, as the extreme is easily broken."

The moonlight, like water, illuminated Meng Qi, as if draping him in a layer of sheer veil. Suddenly, a shade of azure light flickered on his chest, strikingly otherworldly.