The Weak Are Slaves

"Everyone is here. Lord Zhang, please take a look. Of course, I also wish to participate in the Divine Kingdom Grand Selection. If possible, I am willing to serve under you, Lord, and listen to your teachings."

Lian Chengyu said respectfully.

Zhang Yuxian cast his gaze towards Lian Chengyu, sizing him up.

"Hmm? What realm has your cultivation reached?"

Martial Practitioners in the Mortal Blood Realm are, after all, still in the body-refining stage, practicing purely physical skills. The five layers of Mortal Blood are divided by outward physical manifestations. It's difficult to discern at a glance whether someone's meridians are open or if their bones and tendons can produce sound.

Unless one's cultivation reaches the point of projecting spiritual energy, using spiritual perception to sense every inch of the opponent's flesh and blood, which is known as opening the 'Heavenly Eye,' can one judge the cultivation level of a Warrior in the Mortal Blood Realm.

Clearly, Zhang Yuxian had not yet reached this stage.

"Replying to Lord, I have already reached the peak of the fifth layer of Mortal Blood, Qi Induction, and am only one step away from the Purple Blood Realm!"

"Oh?" Zhang Yuxian's eyebrows twitched slightly. "To reach such a realm in a small tribe in the Great Wilderness, with scarce resources, either you have exceptional talent or you've encountered a fortunate encounter. Either way, it's quite remarkable!"

Zhang Yuxian nodded repeatedly. "You may stay!"

"Thank you for your appreciation, Lord!" Lian Chengyu said respectfully, not without a hint of joy in his heart, as he knew it was only natural for him to pass Zhang Yuxian's assessment!

His goal was the Divine Kingdom Grand Selection. If he couldn't even pass the preliminary selection, what grand ambitions could he possibly harbor?

After selecting Lian Chengyu, Zhang Yuxian turned his head to look at the members of the Warrior Reserve Camp. He observed them for a full half-stick of incense, but was slightly disappointed.

Apart from Lian Chengyu, there was no one else from the entire Lian Clan who caught his eye.

It seemed he would have to pick the best among the mediocre and select some people reluctantly.

Although the order from above was to select thirty people, Zhang Yuxian had his own principles. He simply couldn't be bothered to teach those who were truly hopeless.

"Are there no other members of your Lian Clan who intend to participate in the Divine Kingdom Grand Selection?"

Zhang Yuxian's gaze swept over the common folk of the Lian Clan.

Upon meeting Zhang Yuxian's gaze, these commoners became somewhat reserved. They would have liked to be guided by a legendary figure like Zhang Yuxian. However, they struggled to get enough to eat daily, so how could they know martial arts? Even if they stepped forward to register, they would only be dismissed by Zhang Yuxian.

At that point, they would only be embarrassing themselves, and the entire tribe would laugh at their overestimation of their own abilities.

The commoners' reaction was within Lian Chengyu's expectations. He smiled and said, "Please forgive my Lord's amusement. The martial practitioners of our tribe are all standing here. As for the others, they are ordinary civilians of the tribe with no great prospects. They usually toil in the fields and are skilled at gathering herbs in the mountains. As for practicing martial arts, they are simply not cut out for it. Please don't mind these commoners, my Lord. My Lord, please..."

Before Lian Chengyu could finish speaking, a discordant voice suddenly rang out from the crowd, "Please make way..."

As he spoke, a young boy, pulling a little girl, squeezed out from the crowd.

Yi Yun had arrived late and was at the outer edge of the crowd, unlike the members of the Warrior Reserve Camp who had secured advantageous positions.

"Yun'er, you..."

Before Jiang Xiaorou could understand what was happening, Yi Yun, holding her hand, had pulled her through, parting the last layer of the crowd. Only then did she realize where she and Yi Yun had ended up.

Jiang Xiaorou was completely stunned. They were right in the center of the plaza!

Seeing Zhang Yuxian standing before her, surrounded by the high-ranking members of the Lian Clan, Jiang Xiaorou became flustered.

Just then, Jiang Xiaorou felt Yi Yun suddenly let go of her hand and continue walking forward. He stopped only after reaching the front of all the Warrior Reserve Camp members.

Jiang Xiaorou opened her mouth, but in the end, she couldn't utter a single word.

As for Lian Chengyu, the smile on his face froze instantly. The members of the Warrior Reserve Camp were also dumbfounded!

Zhang Yuxian looked at Yi Yun with surprise and asked, "You want to register?"

"Yes, Lord!" Yi Yun's voice was concise and powerful.

As soon as he said this, the entire place fell silent. Everyone looked at Yi Yun in disbelief.

Had this Yi Yun gone mad?

Didn't he know his own limitations? He looked like a scrawny kid, weighing less than eighty pounds. The burly men standing in the crowd who weren't even qualified to register were a hundred times stronger than him!

Besides, Yi Yun had never practiced martial arts. He nearly died falling while gathering herbs, and he couldn't even chop firewood properly with Savage Bones. And he wanted to register?

Those first-class males who had been contemplating registering but dared not, seeing this little brat Yi Yun step forward, became furious.

"Is this kid trying to cause trouble at a time like this? Doesn't he want to live?"

When people have the courage to do something they themselves lack the courage to do, they can't help but feel jealous and denigrate them. The common folk of the Lian Clan were in such a state now.

"Yi Yun, you insolent servant! What kind of occasion is this today that you dare to cause trouble here! Get down immediately!"

Lian Chengyu couldn't believe that this simpleton Yi Yun would pull such a stunt on such an important occasion.

Yi Yun was merely a child, and even among children, he was one of the weakest. Yet he dared to register for the Grand Selection. Wasn't this clearly making a mockery of Zhang Yuxian?

It was utterly disgraceful. This could even damage his image in Zhang Yuxian's eyes. Zhang Yuxian might think he was incompetent at managing his tribesmen, unable to even control a child.

Yi Yun glanced calmly at Lian Chengyu. Regarding Lian Chengyu calling him a servant, Yi Yun calmly replied, "In the Great Wilderness, those who are weak and controlled by others are servants. To put it plainly, the weak are slaves. If I were weak, then it would be right for others to call me a slave, and I would not dare to retort. But if one day, Young Master Lian encounters someone stronger, you might also become a slave. What do you think, Young Master Lian?"

Yi Yun's words carried a hidden meaning, and Lian Chengyu's expression changed. He was furious. How dare a mere servant from a tribe speak to him like this!?

If Zhang Yuxian weren't present, Lian Chengyu would have struck Yi Yun down with a palm strike right then and there.

"The weak are slaves?" Zhang Yuxian's lips curved upwards, and he looked at Yi Yun with surprise. "Interesting. To have such insight from a small tribe in the wilderness. You are right, the weak are slaves. This applies to everyone. If one day I am controlled by a stronger individual, even I will become a slave."

Hearing Zhang Yuxian's words, Yi Yun was taken aback. He hadn't expected Zhang Yuxian to readily admit that he too could be controlled by others. While such candidness wasn't uncommon among powerful figures, it was rarely displayed by a great figure towards a minor one, as they often felt disdain.

Zhang Yuxian's approachable demeanor genuinely surprised Yi Yun.

Lian Chengyu's initial rage was stifled by Zhang Yuxian's words. If even an elite from the Brocade Dragon Guard admitted it, what more could he say!

However, this didn't mean Lian Chengyu could tolerate Yi Yun causing trouble at today's event. He said to Zhang Yuxian, "Emissary Lord, this brat named Yi Yun is a low-ranking medicine boy from my Lian Clan. He hasn't practiced any martial arts at all. His appearance today is purely to amuse you. I will throw him down right now. Please forgive my lack of discipline over my clansmen, Emissary Lord, for causing this embarrassment."

Lian Chengyu's anger wasn't because he was worried about Yi Yun challenging his status, but because Yi Yun had embarrassed him in front of Zhang Yuxian today.

Unexpectedly, Zhang Yuxian didn't mind. He casually pointed to a spot and said to Yi Yun, "You child are quite amusing. Stand over there. I'll see if you're truly suited for martial arts later."

Although Zhang Yuxian appreciated Yi Yun, he didn't pay him too much attention. In his opinion, among the people of the Great Wilderness, those suited for martial arts were rare as phoenix feathers. Since Yi Yun dared to step forward, he would help Yi Yun get tested.

Since Zhang Yuxian had spoken, Lian Chengyu could only lower his face, cast a resentful glance at Yi Yun, and say no more.

"Thank you, sir."

Yi Yun thanked him neither servilely nor arrogantly and stood beside the Warrior Reserve Camp's line. Coincidentally, he ended up standing next to Zhao Tiezhu.

This was because Zhao Tiezhu was currently close with Lian Chengyu and had implicitly become the leader of the Warrior Reserve Camp, standing at the front of the line. Therefore, when Yi Yun went over, he naturally stood next to Zhao Tiezhu.

The result was that Yi Yun was now standing in the first position.

Zhao Tiezhu wasn't annoyed by this at all. Joking aside, what was his status and strength compared to a fool like Yi Yun?

He was going to enter a city and become a steward for a National Scholar in the future. Why bother arguing with an idiot?

"Little servant, are you here to be funny?"

Zhao Tiezhu's face was full of mocking laughter. He was waiting to see Yi Yun make a fool of himself.

Yi Yun couldn't be bothered to respond. He stood with his hands behind his back, silent.

Meanwhile, Zhang Yuxian had already begun the selection process. No one knew what his criteria for selection were, and they were all mustering their strength, waiting.