Inner Qi

"Abbot arriving!"

About two or three quarters of an hour later, a booming voice rang out from beyond the hall. Immediately afterward, a group of yellow-robed monks filed in, surrounding seven elderly monks clad in crimson kasayas.

These seven were the abbot of Treasure Pearl Temple in Fangnan Prefecture, Great Yan Kingdom, along with the six Seat Masters of the temple's Four Institutes and Two Halls.

"Amitabha. Yuanyin, the hour is nearly upon us. Have all the disciples who are to receive the precepts and enter the temple today arrived?"

As soon as the seven entered the hall, the leading old monk—black-browed, white-bearded, with twelve precept scars atop his head—pressed his palms together. After chanting a Buddhist invocation, he asked a young yellow-robed monk in the hall.

"Reporting to the Abbot, they have all arrived."

Hearing this, the yellow-robed monk Yuanyin immediately stepped forward, pressed his palms together, and gave a slight bow as he answered respectfully.

"Mm. Since all the disciples have arrived, let the precept-taking formally begin!"

The black-browed, white-bearded Abbot nodded at those words, then led the Six Great Seat Masters in commencing the formal ordination ceremony.

At Treasure Pearl Temple, accepting disciples into its fold was a major affair, generally held only once a year. Thus, its rites were exceedingly cumbersome.

From burning incense, praying, and chanting sutras to paying respects to the Buddha and informing the patriarchs, an entire round of rituals took more than an hour.

Such grueling exertion might have been nothing to adults, but for this group of novice monks who had only just passed twelve—children who might still have been elementary school students in the modern age—it was sheer torment. Had Treasure Pearl Temple's novices not chanted sutras and worshipped Buddha since childhood, tempering both body and will until they far surpassed ordinary children, they would likely have collapsed long ago.

Even so, after this elaborate sequence of rites, the many novice monks were groaning inwardly. The excitement they had felt that morning at the prospect of entering the temple had long vanished.

Fortunately, after more than an hour of torment, Treasure Pearl Temple's tedious rites finally reached their conclusion.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

As three resounding bell chimes rang out beyond the hall, the monks of Treasure Pearl Temple all rose to their feet. After chanting a Buddhist invocation, the ordination ceremony formally began.

"Amitabha!"

Another clear Buddhist invocation rang out. The white-bearded Abbot, draped in kasaya robes and bearing a solemn, treasured visage, held three thick incense sticks in his hand. He then walked before the foremost novice monk in the formation and spoke with grave dignity:

"Jingding, today this old monk shall administer your precepts, receiving you into the fold of Treasure Pearl Temple on behalf of the Buddha and the patriarchs. Henceforth, you must remember the five Buddhist precepts: do not kill, do not steal, do not commit sexual misconduct, do not speak falsely, and do not drink alcohol. Do you remember them?"

"Reporting to Grandmaster, Jingding remembers!"

Upon hearing the Abbot's words, the young novice Jingding hurriedly bowed, pressed his palms together, and answered respectfully.

"Mm. A child worth teaching!"

The Abbot nodded in satisfaction, then placed the three incense sticks upon Jingding's smooth, bald head.

Sizzle!

The intense heat seared his skin. In the next instant, three round precept scars formed on Jingding's head. At that moment, it signified that Jingding had formally received the precepts, severed his mortal ties, taken refuge in Buddha, and entered the fold of Treasure Pearl Temple.

"Disciple Jingding has formally received the precepts and become a disciple of Treasure Pearl Temple. His aptitude and bone structure are both excellent; he may enter the Dharma Institute!"

The moment Jingding's precept scars formed, a booming voice rang out again. Gu Han focused his gaze and saw a yellow-robed monk holding a scroll, his voice bright and clear. Jingding, meanwhile, was so delighted that he was beside himself with joy, hastening over to stand beside a yellow-robed monk behind the Dharma Institute's Seat Master.

At this moment, the other novice monks looked at Jingding with unconcealed envy in their eyes.

"The Dharma Institute!"

Hearing those words, Gu Han was startled as a flood of memories surged into his mind.

Treasure Pearl Temple of Fangnan, Great Yan, had established Four Institutes and Two Halls ever since its founding patriarch built the temple a thousand years ago: the Dharma Institute, Discipline Institute, Medicine Master Institute, Dao Proving Institute, Arhat Hall, and Prajna Hall.

Of these Four Institutes and Two Halls, the Discipline Institute, Medicine Master Institute, and Dao Proving Institute could be set aside for now.

However, the Dharma Institute, Prajna Hall, and Arhat Hall served similar functions. All were places that delved deeply into martial arts and trained Treasure Pearl Temple's warrior monks.

Among them, the Dharma Institute and Prajna Hall stood on equal footing. The former specialized in staff and fist techniques, while the latter specialized in finger, claw, and palm techniques. The backbone and peak experts among Treasure Pearl Temple's warrior monks generally emerged from these two branches, so their entry requirements were exceptionally high. Only disciples with excellent aptitude and bone structure could enter.

As for Arhat Hall, it fell far short. Though it claimed to study martial arts in depth, it actually taught everything. Its many martial arts were miscellaneous but not refined. Essentially, it served as the reserve for the Dharma Institute and Prajna Hall, taking in the disciples those two branches had rejected.

Now that Jingding had entered the Dharma Institute, it meant that he would at least achieve modest success in martial arts in the future and become part of Treasure Pearl Temple's backbone. Such an opportunity naturally made the novice monks green with envy.

Alas, when I chose my identity, I didn't have enough Simulation Points. The original body's aptitude isn't utterly worthless, but it isn't particularly good either. My chances of entering the Dharma Institute or Prajna Hall are probably next to none. Eight times out of ten, I'll be assigned to Arhat Hall.

Gu Han sighed inwardly.

As a novice monk who had grown up in Treasure Pearl Temple since childhood, the original Jingming had naturally undergone aptitude testing long ago. Thus, through the original body's memories, Gu Han could determine exactly what level his aptitude was at and which hall or institute he could enter.

Sure enough, after the Abbot branded precept scars onto Gu Han's head, a clear voice rang out once more through the Great Hero Hall.

"Disciple Jingming has formally received the precepts and become a disciple of Treasure Pearl Temple. His aptitude and bone structure are ordinary; he is assigned to Arhat Hall!"

Just as expected!

Hearing this, Gu Han felt helpless and could only walk over to a plump yellow-robed monk beside the Arhat Hall's Seat Master.

Within Treasure Pearl Temple's Great Hero Hall, the disciples' ordination and entry into the temple proceeded in an orderly fashion, and before long, it was all complete.

Afterward, whether joyful or sorrowful, the disciples gradually accepted their lot and followed the Seat Masters away, intending to return to their respective branches and begin their formal cultivation.

"Senior Brother Jingming! Senior Brother Jingming!"

Just as Gu Han was following the Arhat Hall's Seat Master away, a voice stopped him. Looking closely, he saw that it was the young novice Jingyuan.

"Oh, so it's Junior Brother Jingyuan. Your senior brother was somewhat distracted just now and nearly forgot to congratulate you on entering Prajna Hall this time. Before long, you will receive this temple's divine arts. Once you achieve success in martial arts, becoming one of the temple's backbone will be no difficulty at all."

Gu Han smiled lightly and offered his congratulations.

Compared to the original Jingming, the young novice Jingyuan possessed far greater aptitude. This time, he had also been selected by Prajna Hall and could study its martial arts in depth.

"Hehe! Thank you for your praise, Senior Brother, but I do not deserve it. I only entered Prajna Hall through sheer luck this time; it is nothing worth mentioning. Senior Brother, you must not lose heart either. Even if you have entered Arhat Hall, you may not necessarily be unable to become a Martial Arts Master someday.

I once read in a miscellaneous book from the Scripture Library that several hundred years ago, there seemed to have been an eminent monk in our temple much like you, Senior Brother. Though his aptitude was ordinary and he too entered Arhat Hall at first, he still cultivated Inner Qi through immense perseverance. He suppressed countless eminent monks from the Dharma Institute and Prajna Hall, contended against the Seat Masters of every branch, roamed unhindered beneath heaven, and achieved a mighty reputation for an age!

I have always thought Senior Brother smarter than me since childhood. If you work hard, perhaps you may not be unable to become like that senior predecessor!"

The young novice Jingyuan first smiled and modestly demurred for a few words, then sincerely tried to console Gu Han.

"Ah, Inner Qi?"

Hearing that term, Gu Han's heart stirred.