MGA: Chapter 1303 – Nominal Disciple
When Chu Feng got closer and closer to the Fallen Leaves Bamboo Forest, he was able to sense that there was a majestic spirit formation that completely covered the Fallen Leaves Bamboo Forest from the sky to the ground.
The Fallen Leaves Bamboo Forest could only be seen from afar and not approached. Only through a special designated entrance would one be able to enter it.
Furthermore, at this moment, many figures appeared in Chu Feng’s line of sight. Those people were either flying in the sky or moving about on the ground. However, they were all rushing toward the direction of the Fallen Leaves Bamboo Forest’s entrance.
Chu Feng was surprised by this scene. After inquiring about the Fallen Leaves Bamboo Forest as he journeyed toward it, Chu Feng already knew that the Fallen Leaves Bamboo Forest wasn’t an unoccupied territory.
Instead, the Fallen Leaves Bamboo Forest had long ago been occupied by people. Three thousand years ago, someone had already set up a sect at this place. Furthermore, the name of this sect was also Fallen Leaves Bamboo Forest.
Although this Fallen Leaves Bamboo Forest had only existed for three thousand years, a very insignificant amount of time when compared to the Three Palaces, Four Clans and Nine Powers, the colossi that already existed for over ten thousand years, and was even inferior to the time that the Cyanwood Mountain had existed, the development of the Fallen Leaves Bamboo Forest was extremely fast. The Fallen Leaves Bamboo Forest possessed numerous experts akin to the clouds in the sky. Even in the Alliance Domain, they could be considered to be very powerful and were known to be one of the strongest major powers in the Alliance Domain, second to only the World Spiritist Alliance.
Furthermore, this month happened to be the month in which the Fallen Leaves Bamboo Forest would hold their once-a-year recruitment of new disciples. Thus, in recent days, people from all over the Alliance Domain would assemble at the Fallen Leaves Bamboo Forest.
However, Chu Feng was not interested in what sort of disciples the Fallen Leaves Bamboo Forest was planning to recruit, nor was he interested in how they were going to recruit their disciples. He had not come to the Fallen Leaves Bamboo Forest to become a disciple.
After all, Chu Feng had declined even the invitation from the World Spiritist Alliance. Thus, he would naturally not be interested in this Fallen Leaves Bamboo Forest.
There was only a single purpose that had brought Chu Feng here. That is, he wanted to meet Hong Qiang.
He had made the decision that, regardless of whether Hong Qiang might be able to help him or not, he still wanted to meet him once.
After all, Hong Qiang could be said to be the first expert in the Holy Land of Martialism that Chu Feng had met. Although it might only have been a piece of consciousness, it could still be considered as a meeting. Thus, no matter what, Chu Feng insisted on paying this senior a visit. The visit would help him accomplish a cherished desire in his heart and also complete the promise that he had made back then.
A Fallen Leaves Bamboo Forest’s disciple looked to Chu Feng and coldly asked. “What? You wish to find Elder Hong Qiang?”
Due to the fact that Chu Feng had hidden his aura, this rank nine Martial Lord was not only looking at Chu Feng with an ice-cold expression, he was also looking at Chu Feng with disdain.
As for the reason why Chu Feng had hidden his cultivation, it was because, after going through the whole invitation incident at the World Spiritist Alliance, he feared that the Fallen Leaves Bamboo Forest would also want to invite him should he reveal his true cultivation.
If they were to invite him, Chu Feng would naturally reject them. However, it would be one thing if they were to allow him to leave. Yet, if they were to harbor hard feelings from Chu Feng’s rejection and decide to harm him, then the gains he would obtain from this visit would not be able to make up for the losses.
Although being high-profile would be displaying one’s strength and causing others to be afraid, sometimes one had no choice but to be low-profile.
Since he had decided to conceal his strength, Chu Feng anticipated that there would be people who would look down on him with their dog eyes. Thus, Chu Feng did not take offense at it. Instead, he flipped his palm, took out several Martial Beads and snuck them into that disciple’s hands. With a smile on his face, he said, “Brother, is Elder Hong Qiang present?”
“Yoh, Brother, you’re character’s pretty good, you surely know how to handle matters.”
When he saw the Martial Beads, the disciple immediately put them away. After he accepted Chu Feng’s Martial Beads, his attitude toward Chu Feng took a hundred and eighty degree change. He was now very polite toward Chu Feng.
Merely, when Hong Qiang was mentioned, the disciple began to frown.
In a difficult and awkward manner, he said, “Elder Hong Qiang is indeed in the Fallen Leaves Bamboo Forest. Furthermore, he is the head of the Discarded Bamboo Forest. However, it is said that Elder Hong Qiang is in closed-doors training all year round and would never receive guests. Brother, I fear that it would be impossible for you to meet Elder Hong Qiang.”
“So that’s the case…” Hearing what that disciple said, Chu Feng was unable to help himself from feeling disappointed.
He had come from far away, and had even surmounted over half of the entire Alliance Domain to come here. Merely the journey to the Fallen Leaves Bamboo Forest had taken him quite a lot of time.
He had done all of this for the sake of meeting Hong Qiang and accomplishing a cherished desire of his. Yet, he was told that he could not meet Hong Qiang. Thus, if it was said that Chu Feng wasn’t disappointed, it would be a lie.
“Brother, if you truly wished to see Elder Hong Qiang, then I actually have a method.”
Seeing Chu Feng’s disappointed expression, the disciple who had received Chu Feng’s Martial Beads felt apologetic in his heart and actually spoke of an alternative to console Chu Feng.
“What sort of method?” Chu Feng asked.
“Look over there, our Fallen Leaves Bamboo Forest is currently recruiting disciples. The Discarded Bamboo Forest that Elder Hong Qiang presides over is also recruiting disciples. It just so happens that the requirements for their disciples are extremely low.”
“If you truly wish to meet him, you can try to become a disciple of his Discarded Bamboo Forest. The Discarded Bamboo Forest is only so big, and there will definitely be a time when you can meet him,” That disciple said.
“Become a disciple of the Fallen Leaves Bamboo Forest? Forget about it, I do not wish to join any sect,” Chu Feng shook his head.
“No one said that you have to join the Fallen Leaves Bamboo Forest. Didn’t you only want to meet Elder Hong Qiang? In that case, you can become a nominal disciple. The nominal disciples of the Fallen Leaves Bamboo Forest are allowed to leave the Fallen Leaves Bamboo Forest at any given time.”
“There are people that wish to appreciate the beauty of our Fallen Leaves Bamboo Forest at a close distance. For them, they had all come in using the nominal disciple status. After they joined, they did not try to train and instead would just go on a scenic tour around our Fallen Leaves Bamboo Forest. When they were done with their enjoyment of the scenery, they would simply throw away their status as nominal disciples and leave our Fallen Leaves Bamboo Forest with confidence and ease,” That disciple said.
“The Fallen Leaves Bamboo Forest allows such a thing?” Chu Feng was surprised.
“Aiyah, that is something that we’ve come to accept. The beauty of the Fallen Leaves Bamboo Forest must be spread outside. Thus, there must be a need for people to spread its beauty. As such, it is better to use outsiders to spread its beauty than to use our own disciples.”
“However, one must possess a sufficient amount of strength in order to enjoy the scenery of our Fallen Leaves Bamboo Forest.”
“Our Fallen Leaves Bamboo Forest is separated into the Colorful Bamboo Forest, the Golden Bamboo Forest, the Silver Bamboo Forest, the Iron Bamboo Forest, the Copper Bamboo Forest and the Discarded Bamboo Forest, according to the beauty of their scenery.”
“The Colorful Bamboo Forest, the Golden Bamboo Forest and the Silver Bamboo Forest are the three upper tier bamboo forests. The requirements for one to become a disciple of either one of those three bamboo forests are extremely high. Even the examination for nominal disciples is extremely harsh. Without a sufficient amount of strength, one can forget about entering those three bamboo forests.”
“But if one possesses sufficient strength to pass the examination, then entering those three bamboo forests to enjoy the beautiful scenery would not amount to much. The elders simply do not care about it at all.”
“Instead, they are extremely willing for talented individuals to become nominal disciples of the Fallen Leaves Bamboo Forest and come inside the Fallen Leaves Bamboo Forest to enjoy the scenery.”
“After all, it might be possible in the future that one of those people might become a famous expert. In that case, the title of nominal disciple could be used as a means to befriend them,” The disciple explained.
“So that’s the case. Thank you senior brother for your advice,” Chu Feng cupped his fist toward that disciple in an extremely appreciative manner.
Although this disciple had looked down on Chu Feng with his dog eyes at the beginning, after he received Chu Feng’s Martial Beads, he ended up giving Chu Feng a very useful suggestion. It could be said that after he received Chu Feng’s bribe, he did his best to help Chu Feng. People like him could not be considered to be too bad, as they still possessed a decent nature.
Afterwards, Chu Feng decided to enter the Discarded Bamboo Forest with the status of a nominal disciple and try to find Hong Qiang by himself after that. After all, he had journeyed long and far in order to come here and did not wish to leave empty handed. Even though he had to go through some twists and turns, he was willing to do so.