I work as a security guard at a cemetery, and I overhear the dead chatting about getting rich quick.

Pei Zhaochuan had not yet arrived in the capital.

The phrase "modern monk" became a trending topic.

The cause was Zhou Qi.

After completing the first phase of observation, he was allowed to resume his normal life.

The research center gave him two options.

I'll stay and volunteer long-term.

Or go back to your original job.

Zhou Qi thought for a long time.

I chose the second one.

The reasons are very practical.

"I still have to pay my rent."

So the next morning.

In an old residential area in Beijing.

A modern cultivator who has just opened his first meridian is wearing a delivery rider's uniform and riding an electric scooter to start delivering packages again.

It's unclear who took the photo.

In the video, Zhou Qi is seen carrying a case of bottled water up to the fifth floor.

After coming down, he sat on the steps, catching his breath.

First comment:

[Returned from cultivation, back to delivering orders.]

Article :

"Is this what you call a modern monk?"

The third one is even worse.

[The celestial rider, mission accomplished.]

At first, it was all fun.

The wind direction changed in the afternoon.

Zhou Qi posted a video himself.

There was no research center to help with the writing.

The camera was also shaking badly.

"Many people ask me if I become particularly powerful after opening my meridians."

"no."

"I probably couldn't beat a professional boxer in a fight right now."

"You'll still be panting even if you run fast."

"But when I practiced the official Qi Sensing Technique before, the people who conducted the sect's tests said that my aptitude was average."

"I thought that was the end of it."

"Later, the lab told me that it was okay to go slower."

"So I continued."

He raised his hand.

There are no special effects on the palm.

There was only a very faint fluctuation of spiritual energy.

"Now my first meridian is open."

"I don't know when the next one will be open."

"Anyway, I can walk."

"Then let's go."

The video quickly garnered over ten million views.

Not a single boastful statement.

This, on the contrary, brought the term "modern monk" to life for the first time.

When Lin Ye went to the research center in the afternoon, Ji Nanxing was staring at the public opinion data.

"Did you guys buy trending topics?"

"no."

"Then why is he so popular?"

"Because he's ordinary."

Ji Nanxing turned the screen to him.

Among highly interactive users, the vast majority are neither awakened individuals nor have a cultivation background.

"No matter how strong Pei Zhaochuan is, ordinary people will only think he's impressive."

"Zhou Qi is different."

"They will feel like this is themselves."

Lin Ye understood.

The person you can most easily identify with in a story isn't necessarily the most dazzling one.

Rather, it was someone similar to oneself who had taken an extra step forward.

3 PM.

Gu Zong's response has arrived.

Xuan Yue Zong didn't say anything.

The Qingya Sect even liked Zhou Qi's video.

A young disciple of the Tai Xuan Dao Palace posted a message on a public account.

[To merely establish a lineage, why call oneself a cultivator?]

Two hours later.

This sentence received over 70,000 negative comments.

The disciple deleted it overnight.

Yan Shouzhen called personally.

first sentence:

"Young people are ignorant."

Lin Ye almost burst out laughing.

Gu Zong returned less than half a month ago.

I've already started to learn how to delete posts and censor personal opinions.

But the real shock came at night.

The preliminary list of the second batch of 10,000 people to be tested has been released.

Number of applicants.

Four million three hundred thousand.

A quota of 10,000 people.

More than four million people were vying for it.

Many people realized for the first time:

The demand for "continuous improvement" in this society is much greater than expected.

The Coordination Committee held an emergency meeting that day.

Some people are worried that the scale is expanding too fast.

Some suggested that the testing should initially be limited to key cities.

Some have even suggested directly entrusting ancient sects with part of the teaching.

Lin Ye barely spoke throughout the entire process.

Until someone asked:

"If short-term resources are insufficient, wouldn't prioritizing highly qualified groups be more efficient?"

Xie Hongyi even raised her eyes slightly.

This statement sounds a lot like the logic of a religious sect.

Lin Ye thought for a moment.

"Those with high aptitude should certainly be given special attention and training."

"But don't close the basic roads."

Why?

"Because you don't know who the next Zhou Qi will be."

The other person frowned.

"Zhou Qi is not a genius."

"I know."

Lin Ye said, "But what if we only open the door to geniuses?"

"Finally, what's the difference between this system and a sect?"

The meeting room fell silent for a few seconds.

Ji Nanxing lowered his head and wrote a line on his document.

Lin Ye caught a glimpse of it in the corner of his eye.

**Focusing on key areas does not equate to achieving a basic monopoly.**

She finished writing and looked up.

"This sentence can be included in the plan later."

"What about copyright fees?"

"no."

"Never mind then."

Xie Hongyi hummed softly beside her.

He was clearly laughing.

7 PM.

Pei Zhaochuan has arrived.

He did not fly into the city on his sword.

There was no elaborate or traditional ceremony.

I came by high-speed rail.

Even the tickets I bought myself.

When the video was transmitted back to Qi, Lin Ye was stunned for a moment.

"Will he buy a ticket?"

Xie Hongyi looked at him like he was an idiot.

"It's not like they just crawled out of their coffin a day ago."

"It's been almost ten days since the Taiheng Sword Mansion returned to the border."

"..."

reasonable.

What surprised Lin Ye even more was...

After getting off the bus, Pei Zhaochuan did not go to the Gu Zong reception area first.

He first went to the site of the first batch of pilot campuses of the National Cultivation Academy.

I watched for a full twenty minutes through the construction fence.

Then we went to the research center's public display area to see the data on ordinary people's feelings.

There was no mockery.

There was no sneer.

He didn't say anything.

Nine o'clock in the evening.

Lin Ye met him for the first time in the reception hall.

He looked to be around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old.

Her black hair was tied up.

However, he wasn't wearing an ancient robe.

A simple dark gray coat.

Only the sword at his waist retained the ancient cultivation feel.

He glanced at Lin Ye for a few seconds first.

There was no hostility.

It's more about scrutiny.

Then he reached out his hand.

"Pei Zhaochuan."

Lin Ye shook hands with him.

"Linye."

After Pei Zhaochuan released his grip, his first words were not provocative.

"I have watched your cultivation course."

"How is it?"

"That's impressive."

Lin Ye raised an eyebrow.

This is not what I expected.

Pei Zhaochuan continued:

"It can help hundreds of people of average talent to stably open their meridians."

"The Taiheng Sword Palace cannot do it."

Lin Ye didn't even have time to be modest.

Then came the second half of the sentence.

"But that's not the kind of monk I understand."

"What do you mean?"

Pei Zhaochuan looked out the window.

The lights in the research building in the distance were still on.

"It can draw in qi."

"It can open the pulse."

"To live longer and be stronger."

"These can all be taught."

"But if cultivation is just about paving a safe path for everyone to walk on."

He turned back.

"Let's go all the way to the end."

"Who will tell you?"

"What is meant by 'one's own way'?"

Lin Ye looked at him.

Finally, he smiled.

"You really didn't come here to praise us."

Pei Zhaochuan smiled as well.

"I'm genuinely praising you."

"I genuinely don't believe it."

"You can teach people how to get started."

"I admit it."

He raised his hand and pressed it against the hilt of the sword at his waist.

"But can we train real cultivators?"

"I want to see it with my own eyes."