"You want to join the Tianyang Sect?" Gao Fei furrowed his brow.
"Yes," the pot-bellied man nodded. "That's exactly what I an. This is a once-in-a-lifeti opportunity, you must seize it. If you truly can join the Tianyang Sect, then you'll have made it big."
"Is the Tianyang Sect really as good as you say it is?"
"If you don't believe , you can go and ask around."
"I've grown accustod to being free and easy, and I don't like being restricted."
"The Tianyang Sect treats its disciples very well. Not only are they well fed and provided for, but they also impart the Supre Technique. There's a saying that goes around in the world: 'To enter the Tianyang Sect is like a carp leaping through the dragon's gate!'"
"Does the Tianyang Sect have a Secret Manual for repairing the Dantian?"
"Certainly. The Tianyang Sect is a major Sect with tens of thousands of years of heritage and unimaginably profound foundations. They have all kinds of Secret Manuals you could wish for. Entering the Tianyang Sect is like entering a treasure trove, where you can learn whatever you desire."
"Where is the Tianyang Sect?" inquired Gao Fei.
"After leaving Desert City, head east. Travel a few hundred miles, and you will co across a dense forest. In the heart of that forest is a great mountain, and at the top of that mountain is where you'll find the Tianyang Sect," explained the pot-bellied man.
"This Longsword now belongs to you." Gao Fei handed the Longsword to the pot-bellied man, then turned and walked away.
"Take care, sir, and feel free to co back anyti," the pot-bellied man, now gripping the Longsword, couldn't close his mouth for smiling. "To exchange a piece of well-known information for a Treasure in good condition, this deal was incredibly worthwhile. That guy just now was a total fool."
...
After leaving the shop, Gao Fei did not return to the inn but instead left Desert City directly.
"The recruitnt of disciples by the Tianyang Sect is a big event, and surely many people are aware of it," the voice of Xuan Jizi echoed in his mind. "To give away a Longsword for information that you could find out anywhere, you really suffered a big loss."
Gao Fei nodded. "Indeed, I have suffered a big loss."
"Knowing that you've made a loss, why did you still give the Longsword to him?" Xuan Jizi asked, puzzled.
"Have you ever thought? If I didn't hand over the Longsword, would that fat man have let the matter go?" Gao Fei said helplessly. "He's a local bully, and I'm an outsider; I would certainly lose if it ca to a fight." Pausing, he added, "Right now, I have no Cultivation, and I'm only slightly stronger than an average person. If I encounter danger, the likelihood of dying is quite high."
"You've thought it through quite a bit."
"To be perfectly safe, one has to think ahead."
"It's just a pity to lose that Longsword."
"No matter. Once I recover my Cultivation, I'll take the Longsword back!"
"...If that fat man heard you say this, he'd probably chop you up with a kitchen knife."
"He won't be able to hear it."
...
He walked east.
Several days later, Gao Fei saw a dense forest. From different angles, he couldn't see the end of the forest. The trees stood tall, the leaves lush, and the sunlight reflecting off the leaves created dazzling halos.
"There really is a forest here, seems that fat man didn't deceive ," Gao Fei glanced around to confirm there was no danger and then stepped into the forest. He walked straight for several kiloters, after which he heard a clamor ahead.
Gao Fei looked up to see a huge plaza ahead, filled with people—n and won, old and young. Roughly counting, there were tens of thousands of people.
Wow!
Gao Fei marveled silently at the strong draw of the Tianyang Sect—a re whisper of the Sect taking on disciples had attracted so many people. Impressive indeed.
"So many people have co!"
"Everyone wants to enter the Tianyang Sect to learn advanced Spells."
"The Tianyang Sect had already announced they would only recruit three hundred disciples this ti, and yet tens of thousands have co. More than half will have to be eliminated."
"The competition is bound to be brutal."
"Leave it to fate."
"Why is there still no movent?"
"Who knows? I've been here for three days and still haven't seen anyone from the Tianyang Sect."
"They must be busy, I suppose. Since we're here, let's wait patiently. The people from the Tianyang Sect will co sooner or later."
...
A buzz of discussion spread around him.
Gao Fei found a quiet spot to sit down and then he intently listened to the conversations of the people around him, gleaning quite a bit of information from their talks.
The sky slowly darkened, and a crescent moon appeared, casting a clear and brilliant moonlight down upon everyone.
People spread out to prepare their als, so frying vegetables, others grilling at, and so drinking alcohol. The various sounds blended together, creating a lively atmosphere. Gao Fei was also getting hungry, so he took out two fruits from his pocket and slowly started eating them; they were fresh and sweet, picked along the way.
After his cultivation was lost, Gao Fei was just like any ordinary person and needed to eat daily to replenish his energy.
After everyone was full and satisfied, they sat together and chatted about all sorts of topics. Gao Fei sat alone at a distance, gazing at the starry sky, lost in his thoughts, and nobody knew what he was thinking about.
At that mont, a man with a sharp chin and monkey cheeks approached Gao Fei: "Hey, brother, are you here to seek a ntor as well?"
Gao Fei turned his head and glanced at the man: "Yes."
"I'm also here to seek a ntor. My na is Zhu Xiaoliang," the man said with a smile. "I live in Henghe Town, just dozens of miles away from that small town. Brother, what's your na?"
"My na is Gao Fei," said Gao Fei. "Do you need sothing from ?"
"No, I'm just bored and ca over to chat with you," Zhu Xiaoliang said with a smile. "I saw you sitting here alone, lost in thought. Are you upset about sothing? If it's okay with you, tell about it, and I'll offer so advice."
"I'm thinking about joining the Tianyang Sect," Gao Fei said. "I've heard that the Tianyang Sect is very strict with its discipleship and requires many assessnts."
"That's true, I've heard that as well," Zhu Xiaoliang nodded. "Tianyang Sect is a major sect, so it's understandable that they're strict about discipleship. Don't overthink it. You should eat when you need to and drink when you need to. Don't brood over things. What's yours will be yours, and what's not won't co no matter how much you long for it.
Take it easy and don't worry too much."
Gao Fei smiled: "You seem quite optimistic."
"Since I was sensible, my mother always taught to be down-to-earth. If you can live a day with a smile, then don't spend it crying. I've always rembered that. My mother was the best woman in this world, but what's hateful is…" At this point, Zhu Xiaoliang's eyes started to redden: "My mother was killed by a gang of bandits. I was out at that ti and narrowly escaped…"
"Bandits?" Gao Fei raised an eyebrow. "Bandits killed your mother?"
"Yes, those damned bandits not only killed my mother but also went on a killing spree against others. I was the only one from our town who survived." Zhu Xiaoliang wiped his eyes. "Blood was everywhere, thousands of people from the town died; their deaths were terribly tragic.
I cried over my mother's corpse for an entire day and night…" Zhu Xiaoliang took a deep breath, his eyes red as he said: "I knelt at my mother's grave and swore to the heavens that I would acquire skills and then take revenge on those bandits!"
"Revenge is indeed called for," Gao Fei nodded.
"Later, when I heard that the Tianyang Sect was recruiting disciples, I imdiately ca here. I hope I can be selected this ti," Zhu Xiaoliang said. "If not, I'll have to find another way."
"Don't worry," Gao Fei patted Zhu Xiaoliang on the shoulder. "You'll definitely be chosen."
"I hope so," said Zhu Xiaoliang.
With Zhu Xiaoliang's company, Gao Fei didn't feel lonely. That night, they talked a lot, and after a night of interaction, they beca more familiar with each other and their conversation more casual.
They agreed that if they both got into the Tianyang Sect, they would help and support each other.
And just like that, the night quietly passed.
...
As dawn broke, a figure flew in from afar, stepping on a Flying Sword, standing tall and proud, looking very carefree and dashing.
"The people from the Tianyang Sect have arrived!" soone shouted, and then the place erupted.
Tens of thousands of people quickly stood up, straightened their clothes, and stood up straight, presenting theirselves in the best ntal state to greet the envoy from the Tianyang Sect.
"Whoosh!"
The envoy from the Tianyang Sect jumped down from the Flying Sword and floated gently to the ground. With a wave of his hand, the Flying Sword shrank rapidly and flew into his sleeve.
"The Tianyang Sect is only recruiting three hundred disciples this ti—not one more," the envoy declared in a loud voice that carried across the entire plaza, so everyone of the tens of thousands of candidates could hear clearly. "That ans over half of you will be eliminated."
Tens of thousands of people listened quietly, not a single person spoke.
"There are three assessnts today, those who pass all of them will be able to join the Tianyang Sect," the envoy announced loudly. "The first assessnt is to test everyone's talent for cultivation. I will recite an Incantation, and you must rember it in the shortest ti possible and also understand its essence. Are you all ready?"
"We're ready," everyone said in unison.
"This is a Heart Clarity Spell, it's quite lengthy, listen carefully..." The envoy proceeded to recite an Incantation that amounted to hundreds of phrases, complex and difficult to comprehend. "Alright, I've finished. Did everyone rember?"
"Envoy, could you please repeat it?" soone tentatively asked. "I didn't rember a few phrases of the Incantation..."
"No," the envoy said emphatically. "I will only say it once! Anyone who can't rember it is eliminated imdiately, with no room for negotiation."
Hearing the envoy's words, many people showed expressions of despair. They couldn't rember it. Hundreds of phrases of the Incantation, to be morized after hearing them just once, required an incredible mory.
"Those who can't rember the Incantation, stand on the left side," the envoy commanded. "Those who rembered it, stand on the right side, and do it quickly! Don't dawdle!"
In a short ti, tens of thousands of people divided into two groups.
The left side had more people, aning there were more who hadn't rembered the Incantation.
There were relatively fewer people on the right side, about ten thousand or so.
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