It wasnt possible to learn a combat technique overnight, though Anton still put in his best effort. He was hindered by the fact that he didnt have a bow, so he could only practice so of the vision techniques from Hawk Eyes Archery and begin a basic attempt at Spirit Arrows. If he had a bow, he might have tried out a few things from Thousand Arrows, but to get a bow he needed to work and to work, he needed to rest.
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Anton woke up before dawn. That was his regular ti, and he was planning to get to regular work. First he needed so sustenance, so he found his way over to the dining hall nearest to him. The kitchens were just getting started, but Anton saw there were so industrious workers there as well. He got a nice bowl of porridge and so toast. Perhaps because he hadnt eaten in the company of others in quite so ti, he felt it was the best al hed had in months. Maybe half a year, if he was honest. Not the most filling, because Vincent had certainly filled him up, but the most ultimately satisfying.
There were few others awake in the early morning, and none who were interested in sitting next to an old man. That left Anton open to observe those around him. Unlike the impression hed first gotten, he found that the disciples of the Order of Ninety-Nine Stars werent all quite what he thought. Those involved with testing like Sterling had all been sixth star or higher, but there were so fifth star and even a small handful of fourth star cultivators like Anton. The large dining hall was still mostly empty even with those people in it, seemingly able to support hundreds at the sa ti. However, Anton supposed that most of the third star cultivators would be young fellows just joining. Then in a few weeks they would reach the fourth star and begin to surpass him. He needed to do his best to at least keep up with so of them, or hed never have his chance.
Anton finished his light al. He was sure after a half day of labor he would be quite famished and ready for a heavier al. He found himself already looking forward to what that might be as he headed towards the nearest fields. It was dawn when he arrived, and Anton found there were only a handful of others there with him. Are there not that many workers? Anton asked of the youth next to him.
There are more, the young man replied, But theyll show up soti after dawn. Elder Howland doesnt mind as long as they put in the work though those of us who show up at dawn usually get paid better. Youre new here, I take it? Im Hoyt. Hoyt extended his hand.
Everyone can tell, apparently, Anton received the hand and shook it, Anton.
Pleased to et you, Senior Anton.
Just Anton is fine. Were both fourth star cultivators, outer disciples. If anything, I should call you Senior Hoyt, since you joined before .
Hoyt grimaced, Please dont.
Elder Howland showed up not a few minutes later though Anton had the feeling that hed been around the whole ti. There werent many places to hide in the untilled and currently empty fields, but sohow hed almost appeared from nowhere. Anton had turned to see him as soon as he felt the fifteen star presence, but he was already close by that point.
Anton first beca suspicious as he was handed a hoe. He was no stranger to tilling soil by hand, but as soon as the family farm had expanded enough hed gotten an ox and a proper plough. There was no way that the Order of Ninety-Nine Stars didnt know the utility of an ox, or couldnt afford one. It wasnt as if they were working on a small area, either.
He didnt complain, beginning to till the soil as instructed- though he didnt hear anything new. He swung his hoe, feeling like an eighty maybe even as young as seventy year old man as his hoe connected with soil, turning it. He recalled his children and grandchildren complaining about his overworking himself, but he only pushed himself as hard as he needed. Just enough to take care of the days work. As he swung his hoe, Anton circulated the Ninety-Nine Stars cultivation technique, feeding so of the surrounding natural energy into his muscles. Each swing into the dirt stirred up more natural energy and his suspicions intensified.
So of the others in the area seed to be focusing on their muscles, but werent cultivating at all. Anton felt Hoyt was doing the sa thing as him. He couldnt bla the kid for having sloppy technique- Antons own near century of experience was sothing hard to match. At least Hoyt was clearly trying. So didnt seem concerned about their technique, just trying to run out the clock. Anton put all of his muscle into the swings, working his arms and back, and even his legs. By the ti lunch ca, he was nearly exhausted.
Lunch was delivered to the work area, consisting of a selection of various things. Many disciples went straight for the ats, but Anton made sure to mix in vegetables. He had to admit that they were the best quality he had ever tasted. Sothing about the natural energy in the area, perhaps. After resting for lunch, he felt reinvigorated enough to continue exhausting himself until evening.
Hoyts legs carried him in the sa direction as Anton. It appeared he lived in the sa region, instead of coming from the other side of the fields like most of the other workers. There wasnt much to discuss about their day, but Anton brought up the one thing he thought was strange. Why do we not use plows? It would require many fewer workers to till the fields.
Hoyt shrugged, I cant say for sure. If you ask Elder Howland, he says sothing about animals disturbing the natural energy in the area. However, if you ask well, I think youve stumbled onto this idea yourself. They just want to see how we work.
And whether we think to cultivate ourselves while we cultivate the land, Anton grinned. Are you from a farming background?
No, my father was a laborer in Edelhull. Still, I interacted with them enough to know what they were talking about. Cultivating the body isnt exactly like cultivating land, but they can clearly be done together. Just wait until we get to picking weeds from among the magic herbs. Theres so much natural energy there Hoyt shook his head, Well, its not possible to use it all, and so needs to be left for the plants. But its just as much as so of the nice training places that you have to pay for, and you get paid instead.
-----
Hoyt lived more to the north of the dining hall, while Anton lived to the south, so they parted ways at the conclusion of dinner. As Anton was approaching, he noticed sothing. The other residences were now occupied. He should have expected that, but hed forgotten. Before heading to greet them, he moved into his courtyard, washing off the days dirt and gri with a few buckets of water from the pump there. It seed extravagant for each courtyard to have its own pump, but then again cultivators seed to value privacy.
Anton found his way to his first neighbor. He could tell that they werent imdiately in the middle of cultivation, so he knocked on their door. A man perhaps in his late twenties answered the door. Yes, what is it? Am I being summoned for sothing?
Anton did his best to smile pleasantly. I just thought it would be good to introduce myself. I am Anton, one of your neighbors.
Oh, yes. The man looked him over, Im Hayden. Good to et you. Though he said the words, his expression and the way he quickly closed the door belied the actual aning of them.
His reception at the second neighbor was not particularly better. A young woman just at the border of adulthood responded to his knock. Anton took the initiative to introduce himself and his purpose for being there.
Oh. Hello. Im Velvet. The young woman bowed her head. Youre the old man who got to skip the test, right? Howd you do that?
Anton sighed, Those at the fourth star do not have to take the test.
I see, she nodded. So you spent all that ti cultivating to the fourth star alone so you could join the sect. I suppose that makes sense.
While Velvet was slightly more pleasant than Hayden, her words clearly indicated she didnt think much of Anton. He hadnt even known he would skip the test by being fourth star. If hed known, he wasnt sure if he should have delayed slightly or not. Failing the test would have been disheartening.
Sothing Anton noticed from the first two neighbors was that they didnt cultivate the Ninety-Nine Stars. Well, they were just starting to show signs of it, but they seed to be sothing similar to the third star in other techniques. Presumably they would be changing cultivation techniques, though perhaps they had access to sothing particularly impressive- though in that case they might have little use for the Order as a whole, even with its other resources.
His third and final neighbor was cultivating when he arrived. However, they stopped when he stood outside the door. Perhaps they sensed him, but regardless Anton took the chance to knock. Opening the door was a young woman who he recognized from the test. Good evening. I am Anton, the neighbor in the house counterclockwise one in the complex.
The young woman nodded. Catarina.
I dont an to pry, but I believe I passed you in Edelhull. Did the young man you were with earlier get assigned to a different complex?
The young woman had little expression on her face as she spoke. No. Timothy is kind of an idiot. He failed the test.
Im sorry to hear that.
Dont be, Catarina said. Hell probably pass next month anyway. Catarina squinted her eyes at Anton. Werent you third star?
I managed to complete the fourth star just in ti for the test. Or lack of it, apparently.
I see, Catarina nodded. Good evening, she inclined her head and closed the door. Though her words were straightforward, they seed at least generally polite though unexpressive. Anton felt her return to cultivating again not a few monts later. So she had sensed him coming. She was third star as well, apparently having already been practicing the Ninety-Nine Stars, and he felt she would reach fourth star fairly quickly. Indeed, if shed sohow failed the test she would certainly be able to skip the one coming in another month.
Anton returned to his own ho. Though hed been cultivating during the day, it wasnt quite the sa while moving and while still. His muscles still ached from their exertion, and a bit of cultivating would help ease that. Then he had to put in a bit of practice for his archery techniques- or at least what he could do without a bow- before finally catching enough sleep for the next day.
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