Wang Daoling sat on the ground, watching Wang Yue being surrounded by the crowd in the arena. There was not the slightest trace of disappointment on his face. Instead, he let out a long breath. The pressure that had weighed on his heart for so long completely vanished like smoke in the very moment of his defeat.
Ever since word spread through the Lineage that the Dragon Transformation Sect would throw open its gates to recruit disciples, the words he heard most were the earnest reminders of elders, relatives, and friends: "Daoling, you are the most gifted child of our Wang Clan. You will definitely enter the Dragon Transformation Sect."
"With you there, our Wang Clan's position in the county town will surely become even more secure in the future."
At first, he had thought this was the Lineage's recognition of him. But as he learned more about the Wang Clan's circumstances and the balance of power in Spirit Seeking Prefecture, that "recognition" gradually became a heavy shackle. He could not help wondering: if he failed to enter the Dragon Transformation Sect, would those expectant gazes turn into disappointment? Would the elders of the Lineage think he had let down their nurturing?
He was only seventeen this year, an age when he should have been wild and flamboyant, yet he carried the hopes of his entire Lineage on his shoulders. The pressure crushed the breath from his lungs, leaving him distracted even when practicing his fists.
Only when Wang Yue defeated him with a single punch did he realize that having someone even more outstanding, with an even greater chance of entering the Dragon Transformation Sect, was also a good thing.
"Losing... doesn't seem that frightening after all." Wang Daoling murmured. A faint, relieved smile appeared on his lips as he got to his feet, brushed the dust from his clothes, and walked away from the crowd.
The cheers and applause from the training ground gradually died down. The disciples dispersed in twos and threes. Some were still excitedly discussing the match, while others crowded around Xu Li, asking about Wang Yue's time in the rear courtyard.
Wang Yue emerged from the crowd and politely declined several disciples' invitations to drink in celebration. He first returned to his room and packed his personal belongings. Following Wang Shuo's arrangements, he would move in with Wang Shuo from today onward, making it easier for him to receive guidance.
Carrying his bundle toward Wang Shuo's residence, Wang Yue passed through a small alley on the western side of the Martial Academy and spotted a familiar figure quietly leaning against the wall. Moonlight spilled over him, outlining a silhouette that was lonely yet at peace. It was Wang Daoling.
Hearing the footsteps, Wang Daoling lifted his head. When he saw Wang Yue, a flicker of admiration passed through his eyes. "You should already know about the Dragon Transformation Sect recruiting disciples, right?"
Wang Yue nodded, walked over, set down his bundle, and leaned against the wall. "Master Wang has already told me. The assessment will be held in the prefectural city of Spirit Seeking Prefecture on the first day of January next year. Anyone under twenty has a chance."
"There is a chance, but the entrance assessment will definitely be extremely strict." Wang Daoling smiled faintly, his tone carrying a touch of emotion. "In the past, when the Dragon Transformation Sect recruited disciples, they looked not only at age, bone structure, and talent, but also whether one's family had considerable means."
He paused, then turned to Wang Yue with sincere eyes. "Congratulations. You are now the foremost among the Wang Clan's younger generation."
Wang Yue was somewhat surprised. He had clearly taken this position as "first" only by defeating Wang Daoling, yet Wang Daoling not only bore no resentment, but had even come to congratulate him of his own accord. Such breadth of heart was truly rare.
Wang Yue fell silent for a moment and did not respond.
Wang Daoling did not mind and continued, "You may not know this, but in the past, the Dragon Transformation Sect only accepted children under ten. They said disciples at that age had not yet settled their temperaments, making them easier to cultivate and more likely to identify with the sect."
His voice lowered, carrying a grave weight that was difficult to detect. "Have you never wondered why the Dragon Transformation Sect suddenly changed this condition that had remained unchanged for centuries, even accepting disciples under twenty?"
Wang Yue's heart stirred. He truly had not considered this question before. Only after Wang Daoling brought it up did he realize that there was indeed something strange about it. A great sect with a heritage of centuries would never alter its recruitment rules without cause.
"Why?" Wang Yue asked.
Wang Daoling raised his head toward the night sky, his gaze growing deep. "I only happened to hear it from my father. Spirit Seeking Prefecture, where we are now, was actually Zhao Kingdom territory three hundred years ago. Later, the major sects of Great Chang worked together with the imperial court to forcibly carve it out and incorporate it into Great Chang's territory."
"In recent years, there have been frequent disturbances on Zhao Kingdom's side, and friction along the border has grown more and more common. The elders of the Lineage have all been saying that a great war between the two nations may break out at any time. Of course, it may merely be a rumor, and war may not truly come."
Wang Yue's heart jolted. He had only known before that Zhao Kingdom and Great Chang were enemy states. He had never expected Spirit Seeking Prefecture to have such a history, much less that the Dragon Transformation Sect's changed recruitment rules might be connected to the situation between the two nations.
"You mean the Dragon Transformation Sect is expanding its recruitment to prepare for a possible war?" Wang Yue pressed. If that was the case, then next year's recruitment assessment would likely be far more brutal than he had imagined. What the sect needed were disciples who could be trained quickly and sent to the battlefield, not "unpolished jade" that required years of careful polishing.
Wang Daoling did not answer directly. He only said lightly, "Who knows? But no matter the reason, we must give it everything we have in next year's assessment. For us, entering the Dragon Transformation Sect is the only chance to leap out of the county town and step into a broader world."
He straightened and patted Wang Yue on the shoulder. "I'll be going now. Next year, we will seek entry together in the prefectural city."
With that, he turned and walked into the night beyond the alley. His steps were much lighter than when he had come, as though he had cast off a burden weighing a thousand jin.
Wang Yue watched his back vanish into the darkness, then lowered his head in thought. Zhao Kingdom's disturbances, the sect's expanded recruitment, the possibility of war—these pieces of information were like fragments of a puzzle, gradually forming a grander picture in his mind. They also gave him a greater sense of urgency about next year's Dragon Transformation Sect assessment.
Standing in the alley with his bundle in hand, Wang Yue pondered for a while. After committing the information about Zhao Kingdom's disturbances and the sect's expanded recruitment to memory, he picked up his bundle again and hurried toward Wang Shuo's residence.
Wang Shuo's residence stood at the innermost part of the Martial Academy. It was a separate courtyard with a small yard, much more spacious than the rooms of ordinary disciples. Several old locust trees grew inside, and moonlight filtered through their branches and leaves, scattering mottled shadows across the ground.
When he pushed open the gate, the courtyard was quiet. Wang Shuo seemed to still be inside the house.
Wang Yue walked softly into the eastern room. Wang Shuo had specially prepared it for him. Though the room was not large, it was clean and orderly, with a bed, table, and cabinet all provided. It was far more comfortable than his previous room.
He placed his bundle on the bed and unpacked it: his night-traveling clothes, Black Cloud Fist gloves, and Good Victory Saber all returned to their proper places.
Just as he finished tidying up, footsteps sounded outside the courtyard. Wang Yue stepped out of his room and saw Wang Shuo returning from outside with a tray. On it were two steaming bowls of rice porridge and a small dish of pickled vegetables.
"Finished settling in?" Wang Shuo smiled when he saw him, placing the tray on the stone table in the courtyard. "I just heard you won the match. I figured you had not eaten yet, so I went to the kitchen and brought you something."
Wang Yue sat down at the stone table and looked at the rice porridge in his bowl, warmth rising in his heart. "Thank you, Master."
"Eat first. We can talk after." Wang Shuo waved a hand, then picked up a bowl of rice porridge himself and began drinking.
Neither of them spoke, and they soon finished their porridge.
Wang Shuo set down his bowl, took out his tobacco pouch, and slowly packed it, lit it, and exhaled a ring of smoke before smiling. "You brat are quite something. You even defeated Wang Daoling. You are now the top figure among our Wang Clan's younger generation. Tell me, how do you feel?"
Hearing that, Wang Yue put down his bowl, scratched the back of his head, and grinned. Rather than offering polite words like "I lived up to expectations" or "I will keep working hard," he put on a greedy look. "As for how I feel... it would be even better if I could drink one bowl of Blood Nourishing Soup every day."
Ever since entering the Martial Academy, he had been thinking about Blood Nourishing Soup. Wang Shuo had previously agreed only to "one bowl every three days." Now that he had become first among the younger generation and had taken Wang Shuo as his master, he naturally had to seize the chance to haggle.
Wang Shuo could not help laughing as he scolded, "You brat, you have already become first among the younger generation, and you are still fixated on Blood Nourishing Soup. Don't you have any grand ambitions?"
Wang Yue hunched his neck and did not dare reply. Blood Nourishing Soup was vital to improving his Blood Qi. This was not a matter of lacking grand ambitions.
To his surprise, Wang Shuo smiled, then changed the subject. "But since you managed to defeat Wang Daoling, you have brought honor to me as well. One bowl a day it is, so long as you can digest it."
"Huh?" Wang Yue froze, thinking he had misheard. His eyes widened as he stared at Wang Shuo. "You... you really agreed?"
He had only mentioned it casually and had not expected Wang Shuo to truly agree. After all, the medicinal ingredients for a bowl of Blood Nourishing Soup were not cheap. One bowl a day meant thirty bowls a month, which was no small expense for the Lineage.
One person's share was equal to the quota of thirty ordinary Martial Academy disciples.
Wang Shuo flicked away some ash, expectation in his eyes. "This old man has never had much skill in his life. My greatest wish is to see our Wang Clan produce a disciple who can enter a great sect. You are the most talented child I have ever seen. Do not let this old man's hopes down."
The smile on Wang Yue's face instantly faded at those words. He rose to his feet and gave Wang Shuo a deep bow. His gaze was firm, and his voice resolute. "Rest assured, Master. In next year's Dragon Transformation Sect assessment, this disciple will certainly give his all and definitely enter the Dragon Transformation Sect. I will not disappoint you!"
He did not merely want to enter the Dragon Transformation Sect. He wanted to establish himself within it, learn profound martial arts, and see just how vast that "boundless world" truly was—and how powerful those "heaven's chosen of the world" were!
Wang Shuo looked at his steadfast gaze and nodded in satisfaction. Then he reminded him, "But do not be too eager for quick success. Blood Nourishing Soup may be good, but you cannot consume too much of it. Cultivation must proceed step by step as well. Do not harm your foundation in pursuit of speed, understand?"
"This disciple understands!" Wang Yue answered solemnly.
Under the moonlight, one old and one young sat beside the stone table. One slowly smoked his tobacco, while the other planned for the future with bright eyes. The atmosphere in the courtyard was warm and filled with hope.
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