Bonfire, Convoy Camp
Zhao Wei internally scoffed at Guard Head Li's words.
However, he didn't speak out. He did not want to go against the city guards. And he had much bigger fish to fry.
Wang Jiandong stops deep into the surrounding forest during his after-meal walk, "You can come out now, Zhao Wei. "
"Wang Jiandong! So you did notice. " Zhao Wei grins as he emerges from the darkness.
"Have you come for a spar again? Need I remind you the last time we had a spar, you started crying? " Wang Jiandong unsheathes a short sword and turns around with a mocking smile.
"This will not be like last time. "
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Bonfire Remains, Convoy Camp
As Yu Ming takes a bowl of porridge and sits down to eat,
"Little Brother Yu, did you sleep well ?" Zhang Xin sits down on the log beside Yu Ming.
"I slept well through the night. Why do you ask ?" Yu Ming looks at Zhang Xin curiously as her voice takes on a gossiping tone.
"I don't know the exact details, but Brother Wang and Young Master Zhao had a loud clash, so loud that the guards had to intervene. Both of them will travel with guards till we reach Kaiqi City."
"... Isn't Wang Jiandong worried about revenge from Town Lord Zhao ?"
"Perhaps he has an impressive background."
As Zhang Xin watches Yu Ming continue with an uncertain expression, she suddenly asks, "Are you surprised that I am not worried about Brother Wang ?"
Zhang Xin explains nonchalantly before Yu Ming can deny her claims, "While he may be charming, even I know that he was only interested in my Zhang Clan and never me. "
Both finish their meals in silence and return to Carriage No: 73.
Without Wang Jiandong to take much of their attention, Chen Li and Zhang Xin engage with Qian Hai and Li Wei much more, and Qian Hai snorts and sneers a lot less.
As the journey passes, true to Zhang Xin's words, Wang Jiandong never appears on the carriage again for the next few days.
After two more days, the convoy finally reaches Kaiqi as the five discuss the mysterious Immortal Master Wu Jun.
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City Gates, Kaiqi City
As people start to leave their carriages, Yu Ming stares at the enormous city gates and numerous guards that dot the gates in incomprehension.
Never has he seen so many people together in his life. Nor has he ever seen anything the size of city gates.
Looking at the three boys gawking at the city gates, Chen Li giggles, "It's known that Kaiqi City houses nearly 8 Million people. That's almost 1000 times that of Huanxi Town. That is a City. "
Yu Ming's head snaps toward Chen Li as he goggles at her.
He doesn't even know what 8 Million is, but he is sure it's incomprehensibly huge, as just thinking of 1000 Huanxi Towns makes him dizzy.
Yu Ming continues to be in a daze as he joins the queue for entrance under the lead of Guard Head Li.
Guard Head Li shows a square seal to the guards at the gates to gain immediate entrance inside by skipping the huge line waiting outside.
"You have been arranged to stay at Azure Cloud Inn till the test. The Aptitude Test will start in two days when all the convoys arrive. That will be all. "
The group watches as all the guards leave with Guad Head Li.
"I know the directions to Azure Cloud Inn and have lived there in the past. " a young boy with a tanned face stands out and waves everyone to follow him.
Everyone follows the boy as they converse and take in the sights around them. They stop at the gates of an Azure Inn with 'Azure Cloud' carved on a hanging wooden plate.
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
Yu Ming feels a flash of sharp pain in his eyes as he stares at the carving for a while.
It seems the Inn had been expecting them as everyone is allotted a room swiftly based on their carriages.
Tired from the intense experience, Li Wei and Yu Ming sleep for a few hours till evening before waking up refreshed and ready to explore the city.
After asking around, they find Qian Hai has gone to Cloud's End Pavillion.
Li Wei convinces Yu Ming to go in the opposite direction and explore the City Hall and Selection grounds where the test is to be held.
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Sect Selection Trial Ground
As they watch a vast ground closed on all sides with guards at every 5 meters of the perimeter, Yu Ming notices an intricate and decorated platform with multiple thrones and a few seats on a lower position.
"Brother Li Wei, what are those thrones for?"
"They are for the Sect Members who preside the Selection, " a middle-aged man in Daoist robes slowly approaches them with a smile.
At the sight of the middle-aged man, both boys immediately bow deferentially, "Greetings Immortal Master! "
"Now, now... you are embarrassing this humble Daoist. I am neither an immortal nor a master. Be at ease. "
"Kaiqi City is located in a neutral Territory and that makes it especially difficult to recruit disciples. So the surrounding Sects came to an agreement and Sect Selection Trials were born. "
"It looks like you both are also here for selection. If we have fate, then we shall meet tomorrow. "
Following that, Daoist Wu smiles enigmatically at the two before moving on.
Excited that they had seen a real cultivator so soon, Yu Ming and Li Wei continue to explore the city until it is time for dinner. As the two find themselves embarrassingly short of money, they decide to return to the Inn and find Zhang Xin and Chen Li to share their stories.
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Dinner Hall, Azure Cloud Inn, Kaiqi City
The two boys along with Zhang Xin and Chen Li go for dinner served by the inn.
"Are you sure he was a cultivator?" Chen Li looks at them suspiciously.
"He was a cultivator for sure, He called himself a Daoist. "
"If you say so..."
Once they finished their meals, Zhang Xin invited them to their room to introduce them to her new friends.
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Zhang Xin's Room, Azure Cloud Inn, Kaiqi City
Zhang Xin introduces them to a cold woman of age 15, Jian Xinting with an extremely sharp glint in her eyes, making both Li Wei and Yu Ming feel like they are sitting on needles.
"Yu Ming (Li Wei) greets Lady Jian! "
"I am Jian Xinting. " The two breathe a sigh of relief as Lady Jian goes back to sipping her cup of tea.
"And this is Lady Jin who I met when I went to the Zhang Clan gathering years ago. "
A woman with a tall figure and dignified expression nods towards them slightly with impeccable manners. Again, the two feel out of their depth as they scramble to reply.
While an awkward silence stretches, Yu Ming tries to break the ice awkwardly," If I may ask, ... why did the two of you wait till 15 years of age before coming for Sect Selection ?"
Lady Jin, Jin Ya, slowly replies, " It seems like you don't have a clue about the tests. "
Yu Ming blushes as she continues, " Our families had already tested us for Qi Roots when we were ten. Once it was determined we had Qi Roots, we immediately started training for the selection. Many children from larger clans appearing in the tests have also been preparing for the test for five years. We don't worry whether we will enter a sect, we only worry whether we can stand out in the tests."
"Do we get a reward for standing out? "
"You could say that... Children who stand out are more likely to be given special treatment. Those who are exceptional can even be taken in as a disciple by an elder. "
"Lady Jin, what do the Root, Constitution, and Heart Tests comprise? "
Li Wei asks with shining eyes, quite tempted by the rewards.
"The Root Tests depends on your talent where there is nothing you can do to stand out. As for Constitution Test, It tests your willpower, background, and combat sense. What can you do against [Qi Gathering] cultivators? The Heart Test tests your knowledge, perception, and compatibility with the sects. "
Lady Jian ends with a disdainful snort while glaring at Li Wei as he wilts under her glare.
Yu Ming and Li Wei quickly take their leave as the atmosphere becomes more and more stifling.
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Yu Ming's Room, Azure Cloud Inn, Kaiqi City
"Ming, Wei, I have been searching for both of you. "
Once Qian Hai has been informed, " While meeting some cultivators is a rare opportunity, I would rather go for another visit to Cloud's End Pavillion. "
Looking at Qian Hai's lecherous smile with disgust, Li Wei mocks,
"Brother Hai, are you not afraid you won't have the energy during the tests? "
"Hehe... Don't worry, I have plenty of energy. I even met and made friends with the famous Young Master Chen from City Lord's Residence. Want me to introduce you, Wei ?"
".... No. "
"Brother Qian Hai, What is the Cloud's End Pavillion? "
"Er... It's a place too early for you, Ming. Let's sleep, let's sleep. "
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Next Day, Azure Cloud Inn, Kaiqi City
The entire day went by in a flash as Yu Ming and others awaited the tests. Li Wei went to see more cultivators but had no luck while Yu Ming read through the Basic Qi Training Manual again but didn't train as the test was just tomorrow.
He studied the talisman, which had some intricate diagrams which formed a vague image of a bell. He eventually tucked it into his inner pocket.
Thinking about the selection, Yu Ming slept with equal parts excitement and fear.