Iron Bear Gang

The next day, dawn had barely broken, and a gentle breeze brushed against their faces.

As usual, Zhang Tie and his second brother, Zhang Yin, carried bundles of chopped firewood on their backs as they headed home.

However, before they reached their doorstep, an ornate carriage came into view. It was parked before their home, and beside it sat a solemn-looking coachman. His eyes were bright and bulging, giving people an indescribable feeling.

Zhang Tie's heart skipped a beat at the sight, and an inexplicable premonition surged within him. If his guess was correct, what was meant to come had finally come.

The moment they entered the courtyard, their footsteps alerted their father inside.

Their father looked up, then hurried out of the main hall, looking somewhat nervous. "Zhang Yin, Zhang Tie, put down the firewood and come inside quickly. An honored guest has arrived today."

Before long, Zhang Tie and Zhang Yin entered the main hall.

A man in black sat upright in the chair at the center of the room. He was a little over twenty, with a thin face, refined features, and an imposing air.

Their father and eldest brother, Zhang Jin, sat to the right, their expressions respectful and restrained.

Just as Zhang Tie was about to speak, his father spoke again. "Zhang Tie, hurry and bring out the thing the honored guest asked you to keep. This is such an important matter, yet you never said a word. Go quickly, the honored guest has been waiting for a long time."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Tie immediately left the main hall and headed toward the room where he slept. Yet in that instant, he understood that his eldest brother must have already explained everything to their father.

Soon, Zhang Tie returned from the room carrying a white box. He carefully placed it on the table near the man in black.

The man in black reached out and picked up the box. With a crack, it opened. He examined the item inside intently, a satisfied smile appearing on his face. He nodded lightly before putting the box away.

"Not bad. Your temperament is acceptable as well." The man in black looked at Zhang Tie.

"Let me introduce myself. My name is Li Shufei, and I am a steward of the Iron Bear Gang. I will not waste words. In a moment, I can examine the martial foundations of the three of you children. If any of you are promising, I can guarantee your entry into the Iron Bear Gang.

"Even as Outer Sect disciples of the Iron Bear Gang, you can receive more than ten taels of silver each month. All right, the three of you, come over." As he spoke, the man in black waved his hand.

At those words, Zhang Tie's father's eyes immediately lit up as he quickly calculated in his heart.

An Outer Sect disciple earned more than ten taels of silver every month. Ten taels of silver—that was half a year's income from his blacksmith shop! Thinking of this, he hurriedly urged the three brothers forward.

Before long, Li Shufei had carefully examined the martial foundations of all three. "Your name is Zhang Tie, correct?" Li Shufei asked, looking at Zhang Tie.

"Yes." Zhang Tie answered respectfully.

"Although Zhang Tie's foundation is ordinary, his blood and vitality are abundant. He should possess natural divine strength, making him well suited for cultivating the Iron Bear Gang's External martial arts. Becoming an Outer Sect disciple should be more than manageable for him. If he is willing to work hard, entering the Inner Sect is not without hope." Li Shufei nodded slowly.

Hearing this, Zhang Tie's father was overjoyed. He hurried forward and patted Zhang Tie on the shoulder, his delight impossible to conceal.

"Hurry and pack your things. You will return with me shortly. This is the Iron Bear Gang token. If anything happens to your family in the future, they may take this token to the Iron Bear Gang branch in the County Town. They will help deliver letters to the gang." With that, Li Shufei tossed a one-inch iron hook onto the table, then said no more and closed his eyes to rest.

Zhang Tie's father picked up the token from the table and hurriedly called his other two sons over to pack Zhang Tie's belongings.

Half an hour later, Zhang Tie climbed into the carriage with his things.

He sat beside the window, watching his parents and brothers grow farther and farther away. His heart was filled with mixed emotions. This scene reminded him of his previous life, when he had left home to participate in the Seven Mysteries Sect's test. It felt as though it had happened only yesterday, every detail still vivid in his mind.

The carriage jolted onward, but Zhang Tie's thoughts had long drifted far away. He imagined what the Iron Bear Gang would be like, imagined his future life of cultivation. His heart was filled with anticipation, yet also a trace of unease.

Before long, the carriage finally left the familiar County Town and entered an unfamiliar wilderness. Zhang Tie looked out at the rolling mountains and endless fields, and countless thoughts rose in his heart.

"Is this my new beginning?" Zhang Tie muttered.

Li Shufei patted him on the shoulder. "Kid, do not overthink it. Once we reach the Iron Bear Gang, work hard and you will surely make something of yourself. Even at worst, it will be better than being a blacksmith. If you happen to enter the Inner Sect, that would be like soaring to the heavens in a single step."

Zhang Tie nodded, and anticipation filled his gaze.

The carriage continued onward, sunlight spilling across the road and casting streaks of golden light.

After crossing a mountain and traveling for quite some time, the carriage finally arrived at a bustling town. Through the window, Zhang Tie saw the crowded streets and dazzling array of shops, and a sense of novelty rose within him.

"This town is much livelier than our County Town," Zhang Tie said.

Li Shufei opened his eyes and glanced at Zhang Tie. "This is nothing. Once you enter the Iron Bear Gang, there will be plenty more to broaden your horizons."

Before long, the carriage stopped at the foot of a mountain. A stone monument taller than a man stood there, bearing the three large characters: Iron Bear Gang.

"We are here. Get down." Li Shufei was the first to leave the carriage.

Zhang Tie followed Li Shufei through the mountain gate. Not long after circling around a forest, he saw pavilions and towers scattered across the distance. From the training grounds came bursts of shouts and cries.

"This is the Iron Bear Gang. You will be staying here for a long time from now on," Li Shufei said.

Zhang Tie looked at everything before him, feeling slightly excited as well.

Next, Li Shufei led Zhang Tie onward to the area where the Outer Sect disciples lived. There were hundreds of Stone houses of various sizes, arranged in an orderly fashion. Yet most of their doors and windows were tightly shut, clearly having stood empty for a long time.

Li Shufei chose a Stone house for Zhang Tie. "Rest here for now. If there are any changes later, further arrangements will be made." Zhang Tie nodded and put away his belongings.

Next, Zhang Tie followed Li Shufei to the External Affairs Hall.

The External Affairs Hall stood in a tranquil area. Two ancient pines, vigorous and upright, stood on either side of its entrance.

Upon entering the hall, Zhang Tie saw an elderly man reclining in a grand chair with his eyes closed. The old man appeared to be over sixty. His gray hair was combed meticulously and tied neatly atop his head with a wooden hairpin.

His face was thin and covered in wrinkles. He wore a long black robe embroidered with the Iron Bear Gang's emblem on its sleeves.

Li Shufei said respectfully, "Elder Wang, this is Zhang Tie, a newly admitted Outer Sect disciple."

Elder Wang slowly opened his eyes. His gaze was sharp as lightning as it swept over Zhang Tie. He nodded slightly, then waved for a disciple standing nearby to retrieve from a cabinet at the back a set of standard Outer Sect disciple clothing, a token, and an Iron Bear Gang handbook, which he handed to Zhang Tie.

Once Zhang Tie had received the items, the old man spoke. "Now that you have entered the Iron Bear Gang, you must obey the gang rules and cultivate diligently. Go back and rest well today. Tomorrow, report officially to the External Affairs Hall."

Zhang Tie cupped his hands in salute. "Thank you, Elder Wang." Elder Wang closed his eyes again and waved, signaling for Zhang Tie and Li Shufei to leave.

By the time they left the External Affairs Hall, it was already late. The afterglow of the setting sun dyed the horizon crimson. When Zhang Tie returned to his residence, he was starving, so he first went to the Logistics Hall according to the directions in the handbook and collected several steamed buns.

When he returned to the Stone house, the room seemed somewhat dim.

Zhang Tie lit an oil lamp, sat at the crude wooden table, took out the steamed buns, and wolfed them down. After filling his stomach, he briefly cleaned the entire room. Then, unable to wait any longer, he opened the admission handbook, wanting to understand as quickly as possible the Iron Bear Gang that would soon become the place where he would establish himself.

It turned out that the country he was in was called the Black Phoenix Kingdom.

The name came from the country's shape on the map, which resembled a Black Phoenix spreading its wings in flight. The Iron Bear Gang was located in the western part of the Black Phoenix Kingdom. More than two hundred li farther west lay the border of the Black Phoenix Kingdom.

The mountain where the Iron Bear Gang was located was called Green Wolf Mountain.

More than a hundred years ago, there had once been a major gang here known as the Green Wolf Sect. It had been famous and powerful in its prime.

However, it had later been destroyed by the Iron Bear Gang, which took over this place. Perhaps to intimidate other sects, or perhaps because everyone had grown used to the name, the mountain's name was never changed. It remained Green Wolf Mountain.

The town they had passed through at the foot of the mountain was called Iron Bear Town, and it fell under the Iron Bear Gang's jurisdiction. The town was basically filled with the Iron Bear Gang's industries and Outer Sect disciples.

If Outer Sect disciples failed to cultivate successfully and enter the Inner Sect within five years, or failed to rise to a certain position within the gang, they would be sent out to manage Gang industries. No wonder there were so many empty Stone houses outside.

The handbook also contained detailed introductions to the various halls of the gang. The Iron Bear Gang was mainly divided into the Elder Council, Enforcement Hall, Black Bear Hall, Lark Hall, Mission Hall, External Affairs Hall, Logistics Hall, and more. The hall Zhang Tie belonged to was the External Affairs Hall. When he reported tomorrow, he would presumably receive a Cultivation Method and daily assignments.

The more Zhang Tie read, the more absorbed he became, his heart filled with expectation and longing for the future.

He imagined himself cultivating diligently, standing out within the gang, and becoming a master of his generation. Yet the long journey and exhaustion eventually made it impossible for him to resist the encroaching drowsiness.

At some point, Zhang Tie fell asleep without realizing it, the booklet still in his hand.