It was the hour of the Dragon. Xu Yi and more than fifty others had assembled early on a spacious platform in Xi Hua Valley. The sun shone brightly, flowers bloomed throughout the valley, and butterflies fluttered as orioles busied themselves among the blossoms. On Tu Hun Star, such a rare and lively scene stirred a sense of beauty in everyone's heart.
"Big Yellow, no need to guard me. Go forage on your own. And while you're at it, find someone to fight now and then. Get some practice in."
Xu Yi sent the thought out.
The little wolfdog, hidden hundreds of feet underground, received the order and bounded off happily.
Though utterly loyal to Xu Yi, it had only just gained its wits. Everything in the world was still new and fascinating to it.
After the little wolfdog left, Xu Yi felt a little bored, so he settled down to admire the lively scene before him.
Their group consisted of the refiners summoned by the Spring City Council for this gathering. They had already assembled in Spring City. According to a white-bearded supervisor named Dong Guo Shun, in a few days they would no longer be called refiners, but Star Refining Masters.
As for Xu Yi and the others, in the eyes of the white-bearded Dong Guo Shun, they had not even crossed the threshold of Star Refining Master. They could only be called refining recruits. Only after passing the examination would they have a chance to become Star Refining Masters.
Clearly, the purpose of bringing their group out of Spring City and gathering them here today was to test them.
As the sunlight shifted from a patch of white peonies to a bed of sun-baked roses, Dong Guo Shun finally arrived, accompanied by three male cultivators in hemp