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墨書 Inktalez
"Are you feeling better? How do you feel?" During the evening rest, seeing his son step out of the carriage, aside from looking a bit pale, Ren Xingkong seemed to be mostly fine. He asked softly.
"I'm much better now, but I really can't eat dinner," Ren Xingkong replied weakly. Although he was hungry, the moment he thought about food, he couldn't help but recall the scene of that corpse, which made him feel nauseous.
"This world is like this: survival of the fittest, cruel and real. You can still give up now; the road you will walk in the future will be a hundred times more brutal than this. A slight misstep could lead to irreparable consequences," Ren Xingkong said, looking at his son beside him who appeared somewhat dazed, and sighed gently.
"Father, don't worry. I am mentally prepared now; I won't show such weakness again. Since this path is one I've chosen for myself, no matter how hard or difficult it gets, I will continue on without giving up."
Ren Pingsheng said solemnly, his pale face showing a hint of determination under the moonlight. Perhaps at this moment, he truly grew up and was no longer the carefree youth he once was.
The next stretch of the journey went smoothly without any trouble; those mountain bandits were still very protective of their own heads. They wouldn't act recklessly like that unfortunate group of Bandits, who couldn't distinguish their targets before attacking. It's just a pity for those dozen lives.
"Mr. Ren, we will soon arrive at Yellowstone City. I have other matters to attend to afterward, so I might not be able to accompany you. However, Brother Zhu should have already arrived," Liu Hong rode over apologetically.
"Haha, Liu Lao, go ahead with your business; it’s not a big deal. With Brother Zhu around, I believe joining your faction shouldn't be a problem."
"With your son's talent and abilities, there shouldn't be any issues. And with Brother Zhu’s recommendation, there's even less to worry about. Once everything settles down, we can celebrate together."
"Great! Let's invite Brother Zhu as well; he has quite a bit of good wine over there. We must drink until we’re satisfied."
After about fifteen minutes, they finally arrived at Yellowstone City. This time the cargo was completely safe; no one dared to rob at the city gate.
Looking at the grand gate towering ten zhang high with the three characters "Yellowstone City" carved above it gave a sense of unity and completeness. In Ren Pingsheng's eyes, the characters were vigorous and powerful, exuding an indescribable charm.
Indeed, it was taller, wider, and more imposing than the gate of Yellowstone Town, with even more foot traffic. Although they hadn't entered the city yet, the lively atmosphere inside was already palpable!
Once they entered the city, the group split up; Liu Hong took his caravan away clearly to report back. The father and son duo of Ren Xingkong wandered along the main street running north-south.
"Father, this city is indeed more prosperous," Ren Pingsheng said cheerfully after entering the city. It seemed that after a few days of rest, he had fully recovered.
"Cities are naturally good, but there are many more cities that are larger and more prosperous than this one. However, that will depend on you to achieve."
"There are even bigger and more prosperous cities; I must go see them." This once again surprised Ren Pingsheng. He thought such a city was the best, but indeed, this world is broader and more wonderful than what is written in books.
"Mr. Ren, long time no see." A middle-aged man greeted with a hearty laugh.
"Brother Zhu, you still have your charm. I’ll leave this matter in your hands. This is my son; I’m entrusting him to you. This is your Uncle Zhu, so if you have any issues in the future, you can find him." Ren Xingkong said happily.
"Uncle Zhu!" Ren Pingsheng respectfully bowed.
The man wore a black long gown, with his long hair tied back in a bun. His chiseled face had distinct features, yet his eyes carried a hint of weariness, giving off an impression of steadfastness and composure.
"Good, he looks like a promising talent. Just in time for our sect to recruit disciples; we’ve already gathered quite a few children around Yellowstone City. We’ll head back to the sect together early the day after tomorrow."
"Brother Zhu, we must drink to our heart's content tomorrow night. I heard from Liu Laoge that you have quite a stash of good wine."
"This old fellow thinks about my wine every day. He has plenty of his own; let’s see if I don’t expose all of it tomorrow night." Zhu Gui frowned and said somewhat disgruntled, clearly not pleased. Meanwhile, Ren Xingkong raised an eyebrow and suppressed a smile.
In the blink of an eye, it was the morning of the third day. At the agreed time, Ren Xingkong brought his son to gather at the North City Gate. Since Azure Wind Sword Sect was located thousands of miles north of Yellowstone City, this location was chosen.
"Lifelong, you are going to enter Azure Wind Sword Sect now; this is the path you chose for yourself, so I won’t advise you otherwise. However, I must tell you that you were once a scholar, so you must know how to make good use of your strengths. In this world, strength is important, but knowledge and wisdom can sometimes be even more crucial. Otherwise, you'll just be a reckless person who can be used by others at any time and ultimately meet a tragic end. Do you understand?"
His tone was serious, showing that he was indeed worried about his son.
"I understand, Father. I will remember it well." Ren Pingsheng nodded solemnly. He had always trusted his father's words and kept them deeply in his heart.
"Mr. Ren, you've arrived." Zhu Gui, still in his black long gown, spotted them from afar.
"Brother Zhu, I’m leaving the child in your care. We had such a great time drinking yesterday; I wonder when we will meet again next."
"Leave it to me, don't worry, there won't be any problems. As for drinking, there will always be opportunities. I'll come find you when I have the time."
After about a cup of tea's worth of time, everyone had arrived—fifty youths, aged between ten and fifteen. This is also a rule of the Azure Wind Sword Sect: the age must be between ten and fifteen.
This is considered the best age for cultivation; those below or above this age are not accepted.
Fifty people is actually a relatively small number. Many are willing to participate in the assessment accompanied by their families, so many set off early.
In Canglan City, twenty miles away from the Azure Wind Sword Sect, there are currently thousands of children who meet the requirements, just waiting for the Azure Wind Sword Sect to open its doors for recruitment.
"Alright, everyone is here. Those unrelated should step back a bit." After saying this, Zhu Gui took out a small black boat-shaped artifact and tossed it into the air. The boat instantly enlarged, transforming into a floating black iron vessel. The iron boat hovered three feet above the ground, standing still in midair.
This spectacle immediately astonished the fifty youths, who whispered among themselves in surprise, unsure how this iron boat had appeared.
To them, it was filled with mystery. Ren Pingsheng shared a similar expression, with a hint of excitement in his eyes. At this moment, he was particularly grateful that Father had told him about the wonders of the outside world.
"You fools, you don't even know what an artifact is. This can not only change size at will but can also fly in the sky like a bird." The voice was somewhat harsh and unrestrained.
This was a boy who looked around fourteen or fifteen years old, dressed extravagantly in silk robes, with a golden cloud belt around his waist adorned with a blue jade pendant. His hair was tied up with an intricately carved golden crown, giving off an air of nobility at first glance. However, his triangular eyes and exaggerated mouth completely ruined the atmosphere.
"Everyone get on board; we are about to depart." Zhu Gui lowered the Black Iron Boat slightly and then jumped onto it. In front of a raised circular platform, he placed several Spirit Stones into the grooves.
Once he saw all fifty youths had boarded, he infused a bit of Spiritual Energy into the center of the platform. The Black Iron Boat then rose up with a transparent shield surrounding it before quickly ascending to nearly one hundred feet in height and heading straight north.
Ren Pingsheng kept looking back until Yellowstone City disappeared from sight before reluctantly turning around. He realized he had truly embarked on his own path; there would no longer be Father beside him offering guidance, nor anyone to shield him from storms—everything would be on his own shoulders now!
"Father, Uncle Wang, you must wait for me to return. I believe that one day I will learn enough skills to return on my own." Ren Pingsheng thought to himself.
Time passed as he lost himself in daydreams and curiosity about new experiences.
The Black Iron Boat, which was originally speeding along, suddenly came to a halt. The fifty people on board were momentarily stunned, then quickly realized that they had arrived at their destination.
As they looked around, a towering mountain came into view, stretching endlessly, with its highest peak seemingly reaching into the clouds. With their limited eyesight, the young ones could not discern just how high the mountain was. The lush greenery covering the mountain, illuminated by the setting sun, appeared to be draped in a layer of golden light, presenting a unique beauty.
“Elder Zhu, you’re back.” While they were marveling at the beautiful scenery, the Black Iron Boat landed in a square that spanned tens of thousands of square meters. Several disciples dressed in blue robes immediately approached them.
“Yes, these are the qualified disciples selected from Yellowstone City. I’ll leave Zhang Jun and the others to you; please arrange for them to stay at Qing Song Courtyard on Songshi Peak.” Zhu Gui collected the Black Iron Boat, gave a brief instruction, and then departed.
“You little ones, come with me. I’m Zhang Jun, your Brother Shi. There may be times when we fight side by side in the future.” The man named Zhang Jun stepped forward and led the fifty youths up a small path leading up the mountain while introducing himself.
Walking on the stone steps, all fifty were exceptionally excited, yet no one dared to speak loudly. Although they were young, they understood that this place would determine their future destinies.
Soon they were brought to a shorter peak, which seemed to be Songshi Peak. The summit was quite spacious and lined with rows of houses.
“Alright, you all should rest well tonight; there will be assessments early tomorrow morning. If you’re hungry, there’s food over there.” Zhang Jun pointed to a large building that resembled a palace nearby, which was in the direction of the kitchen.
Each of the fifty chose a room for themselves, and that night passed in sleep. Many had smiles on their faces, likely having dreamt pleasant dreams. At least Ren Pingsheng dreamed of becoming an unparalleled strongman who could fly freely in the sky.
After hastily eating something, they followed Zhang Jun back to the square from yesterday. However, it was now a different scene.
Today marked the annual day for recruiting disciples at the Azure Wind Sword Sect. The square was packed with people; even the stone steps behind were filled with individuals. All these people had come with dreams of becoming unparalleled strongmen and aimed to join the Azure Wind Sword Sect.
Before Ren Pingsheng and the others could think too much about it, a bell rang from afar, sounding nine times. The entrance examination for disciples of the Azure Wind Sword Sect officially began.
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