The morning fog has not yet cleared, but it has entered the valley entrance where Chapel of Light's Hope is located.
The old crooked-necked trees at the mouth of the valley are filled with water, pouring into people's necks drop by drop.
Under the bluestone city wall, the craftsmen of the Defense Clan have already started work. The sound of hammers is muffled by the mist, like a layer of quilt.
Suddenly one of the craftsmen cursed, "This is a broken nail," and the other laughed, and the rhythm of the hammer was disrupted.
On the stone steps in front of the wooden house in the valley, several women squatted and washed clothes. The clothes in the bamboo baskets were stained with morning dew.
A man's undershirt was hanging out to dry on a bamboo pole nearby, swaying in the wind, and the hem was still dripping with water, leaving a small patch of dark color on the dirt floor.
The old man Dawnlight Village held his grandson's hand, followed by four or five half-year-old children, and walked slowly towards the Martial Soul Awakening platform in the middle of the valley.
The yellow dog ran ahead, wagging its tail, and suddenly stopped, sniffed the air, and sneezed violently.
It was stunned for a moment, then chased a grasshopper and ran into the medicine garden on the roadside, splashing mud all the way.
Chen Jieqi was wearing a plain robe and walking slowly along the path between the wooden houses.
He didn't wear any fancy clothes, nor did he deliberately restrain his aura. The Naaru Brand between his eyebrows was almost invisible in the morning mist, leaving only a gentle aura that blended well with the tranquility in the valley.
"Benefactor."
The old man saw him from a distance. He had just bent over halfway when his grandson pulled him and staggered him.
"Slow down! Why are you pulling on my waistband... Oh, Mr. Chen."
The children shouted, their voices varied, and one child bit his finger and forgot to speak.
Chen Jieqi raised his hand to help, and his eyes fell on the old man's grandson. The child was wearing coarse clothes that had been washed white.
He was holding a small wooden stick tightly in his hand, with curiosity hidden in his eyes and a bit of restraint.
"I just have free time today, so I'll take them to test Soul Power."
"It's a trouble for my benefactor, it's a trouble for my benefactor."
The old man smiled so much that his eyebrows stretched and all the wrinkles on his face were squeezed.
"Since this child awakened Blue Silver Grass, he has been looking forward to learning from you every day."
Chen Jieqi didn't say much, just nodded and walked to the Martial Soul Awakening stage first.
It was a simple stone platform, built overnight by the Defense Clan craftsmen. The stone platform was engraved with simple Soul Power guidance patterns. Although it was simple, it was sufficient.
Several children lined up and put their hands on the stone platform one by one.
Most of them are ordinary Martial Soul, there are basically no Soul Power, only Dawnlight Village is the grandson of the old man,
As soon as the fingertips touched the stone platform, the light green Soul Power slowly emerged, and the lines lit up faintly.
"Innate Soul Power 3 level, not bad."
Chen Jieqi squatted down and just touched the child's forehead with his hand, when the boy suddenly sneezed and sprayed his nose with mucus.
Chen Jieqi's hand froze in mid-air, the child's face turned red and he shrank back.
"It's okay." Chen Jieqi wiped his hands on the corner of his robe.
"Blue Silver Grass is ordinary, but his vitality is strong. If you practice well, you will be able to protect yourself and grandpa in the future."
The child's eyes lit up, he nodded vigorously, and held Chen Jieqi's sleeves tightly with his little hands.
Chen Jieqi looked at the little hand holding his sleeve and paused.
He remembered that when he was six years old, when Martial Soul Awakening was standing next to him, Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan,
At that time, others were protecting him, but now it is his turn to protect others.
"Practice hard." He said, his voice softer than usual.
The old man stood aside, watching this scene, turned his back, coughed twice, and shook his shoulders.
"Grandpa, are you crying?" a child asked.
"Fart," the old man muttered, "The wind is so strong that I'm blinded."
He turned around and took out a cloth bag from his arms. Inside was a bowl of millet porridge. When he handed it over, there was still a grain of rice on the edge of the bowl.
"My benefactor, it's just been cooked while it's still hot. It's just... a bit thick, don't dislike it."
Chen Jieqi took it and touched the warm wall of the bowl with his right finger. The wall of the bowl was rough. He changed his hand to hold it.
Suddenly I remembered that Dugu Bo had made porridge for him before. It was mushy and terribly painful, and Yan Sister Yan insisted that it was a tonic.
He lowered his head and took a sip. The aroma of rice mixed with a bit of burnt taste.
At this moment, there were slight footsteps in the distance, and Ye Lingling slowly walked over carrying a plain medicine box.
She was still wearing a plain long dress with a calm expression. She walked up to Chen Jieqi and nodded slightly.
"Team Chen, my father asked me to come to diagnose and treat the villagers. I also brought some Ye Family healing medicine."
"Thank you for your hard work." Chen Jieqi stood up and glanced at the medicine box in her hand.
"Ye Family, are you okay over there?"
"Everything is fine." Ye Lingling nodded, glanced at his right arm, and then looked at the medicine box.
"My father said that as the competition is approaching, Ye Family can send a few tribesmen over to take care of the villagers.
Secondly, I can also familiarize myself with the healing rhythm of the competition in advance, which may help Huangdou Academy."
Chen Jieqi hummed and nodded,
"That's fine. I'd like to ask Uncle Ye to worry about it."
While the two were talking, a burst of rough footsteps came, and Yang Wudi strode over carrying a medicine basket.
His body was still stained with mud, and his face looked a little tired, but he was still in good spirits.
Yang Wudi dropped the medicine basket on the ground, and mud splashed on the uppers of Chen Jieqi's shoes. He reached out and dug in the basket for a long time.
He took out a black porcelain bottle and threw it back without looking at it.
"Go on!"
Before Chen Jieqi catches it,.
"It alleviates the backlash." Yang Wudi said,
"If those young boys can't hold on after the game, give it to them. Don't waste it."
"Thank you, Senior Yang, I will pass it on." Chen Jieqi said after catching it.
Yang Wudi waved his hand, squatted down to inspect the Soul Power pattern on the stone platform, and muttered,
"Defense Clan The lines are really rough..."
The yellow dog ran back at some point and circled around Yang Wudi's legs, sweeping the medicine basket with its tail and shaking it.
Yang Wudi glared at it and said, "Get lost."
The dog didn't roll away. Instead, he sat down on his shoe and stuck out his tongue.
At this moment, the voice of a guard came from the mouth of the valley, and a guard wearing Crown Prince's Residence clothes walked over quickly,
Walk up to Chen Jieqi, bow and salute,
"Mr. Chen, His Royal Highness asked his subordinates to send the competition schedule and information about each academy, as well as a message,
Please don't... well, never take risks alone again."
"Got it." Chen Jieqi said.
He put the envelope into Soul Tool, his fingers paused at the mouth of the bag for a moment,
"No more", she almost let it slip.
He quietly covered it with his sleeves and pressed lightly with his fingertips.
The guard bowed in agreement, turned around and retreated.
Ye Lingling was diagnosing the pulse of an old man. Without raising his head, he just took out a Xiao Bai porcelain bottle from the medicine box and placed it on the stone steps.
"It's for soothing," she said, her voice as cold as ever.
Then he turned around and continued to treat the next elderly person.
Chen Jieqi raised his eyes and glanced at her. Without saying anything, he took the porcelain bottle and stuffed it into Soul Tool.
The morning fog gradually dissipated, and the sun rose, shining on every corner of the valley.
Yang Wudi is busy in the medicine garden. The green smoke from the medicine refining furnace is rising, intertwined with the aroma of herbs.
Ye Lingling was sitting on the stone steps, diagnosing the pulses of several elderly people with a serious look on his face.
The old man Dawnlight Village was holding his grandson and sitting aside, looking at everything in front of him with a steady smile on his lips.
Chen Jieqi leaned on the stone pillar of the awakening platform, holding the bowl of warm millet porridge in his hand.
He glanced at the envelope and ointment in his hand again, and the Naaru Brand between his eyebrows shone slightly.
The voice of Sheng Hui sounded in my mind,
"The competition is getting closer."
"I know."
Chen Jieqi responded, looking in the direction of Heaven Dou City,
"Secure this place first and prepare for war. When the competition is over, we will check for clues about Stone Gate."
The wind blows through the valley mouth, bringing the aroma of medicinal herbs and the sound of craftsmen hammering in the distance.
Chen Jieqi leaned against the stone pillar and finished the porridge in his hand. There was still a trace of warmth at the bottom of the bowl. He said nothing.
But Sheng Hui knows what he is thinking.
Next to Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well on the other side, a special Blue Silver Grass was trembling gently in the morning breeze, swaying in a graceful manner. It was more energetic than the surrounding herbs.