I Have a Dream

"I have a dream: to pursue Immortal Cultivation..."

Situ Mingyue wrote a few words on the paper, then began staring blankly into space.

If she wanted that seal, she could only take part in the selection.

What was three thousand words to her? Even if she had to make it up, she could cobble together three thousand words. She was even certain she would pass the selection.

But when she began writing, she could not continue.

She discovered that this was not so easy to fabricate, especially since the topic seemed to point straight at one's true heart. Even if she wanted to invent something, it was hard to do so.

She began to ponder: why exactly did she cultivate?

Gradually, the maid beside her watched her young lady scratch at her head until her hair was a complete mess. Her clothes had fallen open without her even noticing, exposing what should not have been exposed...

"Young Lady, how about not participating?" Chunxiao tentatively consoled her. "It is only a seal. There is nothing so precious about it. When the opportunity is right, we can ask Senior Hualingzi to carve another one for you."

"You cultivate too, so you write one as well!" Situ Mingyue pointed at Chunxiao. "You must participate in the selection too. If you win, give the seal to me."

"Me too?" Chunxiao stared at her young lady in astonishment. How had the fire ended up burning her?

"Write!" Situ Mingyue left no room for doubt.

Chunxiao had no choice but to take out paper and brush and begin writing.

After thinking for a moment, she put brush to paper. "My name is Chunxiao. I grew up in the Lineage and am a servant of the Lineage. In order to care for Young Lady better, I received guidance from the elders of the Lineage and began cultivating..."

Situ Mingyue was stunned. Why could she not write anything, while Chunxiao wrote so smoothly?

"Let me see!"

She took Chunxiao's essay and fell silent after reading it for a while.

A moment later, she threw her arms around Chunxiao and said emotionally, "You have taken care of me since we were young, yet I never knew any of this. From today onward, though we are called mistress and servant, we are truly sisters. Whatever I have in the future, I will share with you. One day, we sisters will ascend to the Immortal Realm together. Chunxiao, thank you!"

"Young Lady, I do not deserve this. It is all what I should do," Chunxiao said hurriedly.

Situ Mingyue waved a hand decisively. "Then it is settled."

She sat down, took a deep breath, and began writing. "My name is Situ Mingyue, eldest daughter of the Situ Family. The Situ Family's business stretches across the Cloud Soaring Empire. How could such vast commerce be inherited by a mediocre person? Thus, from childhood, my father taught me that I must possess strength. Only strength can control everything in the merchant association..."

This time, her writing flowed much more smoothly.

Yet many others still sat before paper and brushes, staring blankly.

What were they supposed to write?

Why cultivate... how could they possibly speak the real reason aloud?

Then they would just make one up?

But fabricating a three-thousand-word lie did not seem so easy!

Even if it was difficult, they still had to fabricate something.

Even if they could not obtain the seal, the task had to be completed.

"Eldest Senior Brother, Eldest Senior Brother!" Wang Baole ran toward the main hall, panting as he found Zhang Yang.

Zhang Yang walked out and asked, "Have you thought it through?"

"I have!" Wang Baole wore a resolute expression. "I cannot write. I ask Eldest Senior Brother to record it for me."

Zhang Yang took out paper and brush, gesturing for Wang Baole to begin. "Speak!"

"My name is Wang Baole, the young master of the Wang Clan in White Tiger City, Cloud Mountain Empire. My family was wealthy, and my parents loved me dearly. Because of that, I could swagger through White Tiger City sideways without looking at anyone's face. Everyone had to fear me somewhat."

"Since childhood, I liked practicing martial arts and disliked reading and writing. I believed that, as a man, studying was truly pathetic, while fighting and killing were real skill. Until one day, I finally caused trouble. I offended someone I should not have offended. Not only did I bring a great calamity upon myself, I also brought a disaster that destroyed my Lineage..."

Wang Baole's voice grew lower and heavier as he spoke, and tears gradually began streaming down his face.

Zhang Yang pretended not to see Wang Baole's state and merely recorded everything in silence.

"I accidentally heard that people could come to Azure Cloud Sect for assessment. They said Azure Cloud Sect was a great sect. A great sect like this was surely not something my enemies would dare provoke. So I came to take the Azure Cloud Sect assessment. The reason I cultivate is to avoid disaster. If I can succeed in cultivation, I also want revenge."

After quite some time, Wang Baole finally finished, and Zhang Yang had finished recording as well.

By then, Wang Baole's face was covered in tears, and he was sobbing too hard to speak.

After a long while, Wang Baole finally said, "Eldest Senior Brother, I concealed the matter of joining the sect. I do not know how the sect will deal with me."

Zhang Yang asked in return, "Has the sect ever said that people seeking revenge cannot join the sect? Is there any rule saying secrets cannot be hidden?"

Whose secret was greater than his?

"But..."

Zhang Yang gathered up the sheets of paper. "The sect is only responsible for nurturing you. It will not step forward to avenge you. Therefore, you can only take revenge yourself. But I can guarantee you this: if anyone dares kill you, the sect will certainly punish the murderer as well.

"Cultivate diligently in the future, and read more when you have nothing to do. You are already so grown up, yet you cannot even write. How embarrassing. Start by practicing your name. This is your name—first learn to write these three characters well."

He wrote Wang Baole's name on the paper and handed it to him.

"Thank you, Eldest Senior Brother!" Wang Baole respectfully accepted the sheet.

"From now on, let us revitalize Azure Cloud Sect together!" Zhang Yang said with a smile.

"Mm!" Wang Baole nodded fiercely, then turned to leave. Suddenly remembering something, he looked back and said, "Azure Cloud Sect forever!"

Zhang Yang's expression did not change as he nodded in agreement. "Azure Cloud Sect forever!"

Wang Baole left, and another person came in.

"Eldest Senior Brother, I cannot read, so please help me write it down. Thank you!" an honest-looking youth said awkwardly.

Zhang Yang took out another sheet of paper and gestured for him to begin.

"My name is Li Er. I am from Big Hollow Village."

"Hm? You are Li Er?" Zhang Yang looked at Li Er.

Li Er froze and looked at Zhang Yang. "Eldest Senior Brother, have you heard of me?"

Zhang Yang said with a cheerful smile, "When I toured Azure Cloud Sect, I visited your village and met your father. When he heard that you had joined Azure Cloud Sect, he was very happy. He even said that when he had time, he would come to Azure Cloud Sect to see you. Do not disappoint your father's expectations."

Li Er's eyes could not help turning red, and he lowered his head.

"Come, you may begin," Zhang Yang prompted Li Er.

Li Er nodded heavily, took a deep breath, and began describing his story again.

Zhang Yang recorded it as well.

While Zhang Yang was writing, people who had completed the task continuously came to submit their work.

As the seven-day deadline drew nearer and nearer, those who had delayed until the end had no choice but to hand in their assignments.

Zhang Yang read through all the essays and had already gotten a clear measure of all eighty-seven people.

Some were obviously full of wild fabrication. Such people naturally had to be guarded against carefully. People like Wang Baole and Li Er, who had revealed their true feelings, were at least far more trustworthy than those who made things up.

The earlier they submitted and the more detailed their fabrications were, the less trustworthy they were. They needed special attention.

Those who delayed until the end and handed theirs in hesitantly could be won over.

"Eldest Senior Brother, here!" Situ Mingyue hurried over and handed him several sheets of paper. "These are Chunxiao's and mine. We are participating in the selection too."

"Ah?" Zhang Yang looked at Situ Mingyue in surprise.

I was conducting ideological education, and somehow I educated you two as well?