Everyone ascended, but I didn't get on board

Chapter 129 Campaign Walk
The flying boat stopped steadily in the sky. After a while, a monk wearing a blue robe with a white background, embroidered with a bunch of red runes, and with all kinds of strange accessories hanging around his waist flew out. It gave people a flashy feeling. The strange thing was that the disciple was only in the Foundation Establishment Stage.

He glanced down at the monks below, but there was no respect in his eyes. Instead, he spoke in a haughty and cold voice, "Are you the monks who are running for the Shi Ningcheng Movement? Get on board and follow me back to the sect."

Everyone looked delighted and, regardless of each other's attitude, jumped onto the boat one after another. Qiu Ci naturally followed.

The flying boat was moving very fast. After leaving Shi Ning City, it flew all the way to the northwest. The cultivators on the boat were not familiar with each other, so no one spoke. It was unexpectedly quiet and Qiu Ci had no chance to eavesdrop.

Half an hour later, the flying boat finally arrived at the Lianshen Sect.

Qiu Ci originally thought that an immortal sect that could be on par with the four great families and dominate the entire Fengdong Continent would at least be a powerful force. However, after taking a look, he found that the so-called Lianshen Sect was only the scale of an ordinary immortal sect. The place looked smaller than the original Xuantian Sect. Although the spiritual energy was rich, it was not as good as the Shuangxing Academy.

Even the entire sect gives people a gloomy feeling. Although the palaces and pavilions in the sect are exquisitely built, the dark color scheme always gives a sense of age. In particular, the sect is paved with thick stone slabs everywhere. There is no greenery or vitality, let alone some low-level spiritual plants.

And she didn't know if it was an illusion, but ever since she entered the Lianshen Sect, she always smelled a faint odor of decay, but she couldn't find where it came from.

The flying boat stopped at the square of the Lianshen Sect, where a group of disciples were already waiting. Like the disciple who had just been on the flying boat, most of these people were at the Foundation Establishment stage, and some were even at the Qi Refining stage. There wasn't even a Golden Core to be seen, let alone a Nascent Soul or a Spirit Transformation stage.

It was not known whether the Lianshen Sect did not take these people who were running for the "walking" position seriously, or whether the Lianshen Sect was really not that strong.

In addition to the people from Shi Ning City, two or three flying boats also came over one after another, and some people got off from them one after another. They should have been picked up from other cities.

Qiu Ci counted carefully and found that there were more than forty people who came to run for election, among which only four were in the Nascent Soul stage, and the others were in the Golden Core stage.

The foundation-building disciple who was on the flying boat before, seeing that everyone was present, led everyone into the Soul Refining Sect. However, he did not head towards the main hall in front, but turned around and went towards the side hall, and then after many twists and turns, he arrived in front of a courtyard.

"You'll stay here for the next few days, two to a room. Choose a room of your choice." The disciple pointed to the courtyard in front and said, "The elders will summon you in a month and decide who will be the 'walking' candidates then."

As he spoke, he made another incantation and opened the restrictions in the courtyard, saying, "The courtyard has the training resources you need. You just need to concentrate on your training. The specific candidates for the walk-through will be decided by the elders themselves."

After saying this, he didn't stay any longer and turned around and left with those foundation-building disciples.

Everyone was initially a little dissatisfied with the arrangement of two people per room, but as soon as they entered the courtyard, someone exclaimed, "The spiritual energy in this courtyard is so rich!"

The others also sensed it, and their eyes were filled with surprise.

"Sure enough, the spiritual energy here is three times that outside. It seems that there must be a high-level spiritual gathering array."

"As expected of the Refining God Sect, this is indeed a grand gesture."

"It would be great if I could officially become a walking creature. Then the resources would be even more abundant."

"Oh, right? Didn't they say there were training resources in the courtyard?" Someone suddenly thought of something and immediately chose a room and walked in. Less than half a moment later, they ran out excitedly, "Look at this!"

He held a palm-sized bottle in his hand, opened the bottle, and looked at the monks excitedly.

"This aura is... Spiritual Spring Water!?" Someone instantly recognized it and exclaimed in surprise. They also rushed into the house and brought out a similar bottle. "It really is Spiritual Spring Water. Each room has two bottles."

"Quick! Try it!" someone urged. The man didn't hesitate, drinking the spiritual spring water in one gulp. Then, he sat in meditation for a while, feeling a surge of spiritual energy throughout his body. He exclaimed in surprise, "I feel a lot lighter, and even my realm has loosened. This is truly a good thing."

Qiu Ci was stunned. Isn't spiritual spring water just the product of spiritual energy compressed into liquid? It's not that rare, and it's not meant to be drunk, right? Besides, there are several bathhouses made with spiritual spring water within Shuangxing Academy. As long as students have enough credits and apply to the academy, they can go in and practice physical training.

But everyone present showed ecstatic expressions and immediately chose their roommates to move in. In less than a moment, almost everyone in the courtyard had left.

"Fellow Daoist..." Seeing that Qiu Ci was the only one left, a round-faced man stepped forward, patted her and said, "You're too slow to react. This is the only room left. If you don't mind, you can live with me."

"Oh, okay!" Qiu Ci had no objection and followed him into the next room. There was no such thing as strict separation between men and women among monks.

"Here." The round-faced man thrust a bottle from the table into her hands and urged, "Spiritual spring water is not common, drink it quickly."

Qiu Ci: “…”

I don't want to drink bath water, thank you!
But he still took it and threw it into the storage bag.

The round-faced man didn't ask any more questions, but continued to speak enthusiastically, "My name is Qu Tengfei, what's your name, fellow Daoist?"

"Friend Qu, my name is Chu Qiuci." She replied.

"So it's Fellow Daoist Chu." He chuckled and said, "It's fate that we can run for election together. Maybe we can work together in the future. By the way..."

He suddenly thought of something and said mysteriously, "Although the Lianshen Sect's selection criteria for walking is never leaked, I heard that the higher the cultivation level, the more likely one is to be selected. So, this month, I suggest that fellow Taoist practice in seclusion and strive for a breakthrough. This will increase your chances of being selected."

"Oh?" Qiu Ci glanced at him in surprise and took the opportunity to ask, "Fellow Daoist Qu really wants to be chosen as the 'walker'?"

"Who wouldn't want to?" Qu Tengfei smiled and said naively, "I heard that once you become a walking elder, you represent the elders of the sect, and your status is second only to the sect master. Even the mayors of the various cities have to bow to you when they see you. It's no exaggeration to say that you're soaring to the sky."

"Is it so good?" Qiu Ci was a little surprised.

"Of course." Qu Tengfei continued, "And as long as you become a walking cultivator, the Refining God Sect will provide all the resources you need for cultivation. Then you won't have to worry about resources. Spiritual spring water like today's will be available as much as you want. Maybe you can even use it for a bath, hahahaha..."

Qiu Ci, who had really taken a bath: "..."

"Although becoming a walking being is risky, compared to the benefits gained, it's worth a try," he said seriously.

"Is the risk really that great?" Qiu Ci asked.

"Yes." Qu Tengfei nodded, his expression becoming more serious. "I heard that the walkers carry out missions that are extremely dangerous for the sect. Very few walkers can complete them completely. That's why the various families and sects select a new batch of walkers every once in a while."

“…” Qiu Ci vaguely felt that something was wrong, but he couldn’t be sure.

"Alas, if it weren't for my little sister, I wouldn't be in such a hurry to enter the city." Qu Tengfei sighed, his expression darkening. "My little sister is about to establish her foundation. If there is no other way, she will be branded as a slave and become a mining slave. If I become a walking slave, I can protect her."

"..."