At dawn that day, the first light was just beginning to show. The April morning breeze was perfect, carrying less of spring's chill and more crisp freshness.
Liu Yunche arrived early at Green Grain Martial Academy by carriage. Wei Cong drove the carriage and would also accompany the academy's group beyond the city.
At the white jade platform before the academy, young men and women gathered in little groups of three or five, chatting idly.
Now and then, members of the Martial Academy's Guardian Corps could be seen around them. Clad in black robes, they wore solemn expressions and stood ramrod straight as they maintained order.
Liu Yunche wore a dark fitted outfit that day, its cuffs adorned with white cloud patterns.
Concealed Edge hung at his waist. His exceptional bearing, paired with his refined and handsome features, drew many sidelong glances.
"Yunche, you're here." In the distance, Shi Qingyue had been chatting with He Wu, Li Xuantong, Li Xuansheng, and the others. Catching sight of Liu Yunche, Shi Qingyue smiled and waved him over.
Liu Yunche strode over quickly, a smile playing on his lips as he cupped his fists. "It has been a long time, everyone."
He Wu teased, "Brother Yunche, it has indeed been a long time. You said you'd come find me in the south of the city, but you broke your word... haha."
With an apologetic look on his face, Liu Yunche explained, "I've been busy practicing martial arts and breaking through to Iron Skin these past few days. I truly neglected it. Next time, I'll treat Brother He to a feast."
The moment he said that, everyone looked over.
He Wu hesitated. "It's only been two and a half months, Brother Yunche... You really broke through to Iron Skin?"
After meeting Liu Yunche last time, he had gone back to investigate further. His family had instructed him to focus on winning Liu Yunche over and building a friendship, and not to offend him lightly.
From then on, he had regarded Liu Yunche even more highly. Yet even so, he had never expected Liu Yunche to truly break through to Iron Skin before the hunt.
Li Xuantong's lips parted slightly. Though she said nothing, a trace of surprise flickered in her eyes.
She wore a jade-green fitted outfit that day. Years of martial training had given her a graceful figure, and she held an indigo longsword in her arms.
Liu Yunche smiled at her, considering it a greeting.
Li Xuansheng still looked every bit the refined young gentleman. He wore white silk robes, one hand clasped behind his back and the other holding a plain folding fan. In a gentle voice, he said:
"Brother Liu, we meet again."
"Brother Li." Liu Yunche cupped his fists. He inwardly sighed. Iron Skin...
Looking at Liu Yunche's refined face, Li Xuansheng could not help recalling what his father had told him that day.
"You must not let down your guard. Be careful and prudent."
At that thought, Li Xuansheng quietly kept his guard up. After all, a gentleman had once said: "One must not harbor the heart to harm others, but one must never lack the heart to guard against them."
I will not take the initiative to harm others, but I must also guard against others harming me.
Shi Qingyue said, "When we enter the mountains later, we should go together. That way, we can look out for one another."
"So you're all here." A hearty yet steady voice sounded.
The group turned toward the sound and saw Jiang Xu walking over at an unhurried pace. He wore a green fitted outfit that day, looking valiant and dashing.
"Senior Brother Jiang." Li Xuantong smiled with her eyes and called out brightly.
"Junior Sister Li." Jiang Xu nodded, then addressed the group. "For this hunt, I'll be part of the rescue team patrolling the forest and taking part in rescue efforts."
"The Martial Academy will distribute signal flares shortly. If you encounter danger, ignite one immediately. The nearest rescue personnel will rush over at once."
"Rest assured, Senior Brother Jiang. We won't make a joke of our own lives," He Wu replied.
"That would be best." Jiang Xu paused briefly, and his tone grew heavier as he continued, "This time, disciples from martial schools of all sizes in the city will also be joining us."
"You must be careful. Sometimes... danger does not come solely from demonic beasts."
Jiang Xu stopped short of saying more, but no one present was a fool. Everyone understood the meaning beneath his words.
Seeing the solemn looks on their faces, he added:
"You only need to keep this in mind. The martial artists participating this time are strictly limited to the Skin Tempering and Flesh Tempering levels. No Tendon Forging martial artists will be allowed to interfere."
"Thank you, Senior Brother Jiang," Shi Qingyue said seriously.
Jiang Xu waved a hand. "We are fellow disciples. There is no need for this."
At the center of the white jade platform, several imposing martial artists dressed in luxurious clothing stood divided along either side. Their eyes swept over the academy's young students. The atmosphere seemed peaceful, but undercurrents churned beneath the surface.
"Brother Lu, this is the first time the Martial Academy has organized a citywide hunt. It seems your academy is determined to win this year's Hidden Dragon Gathering."
Tao Ran smiled faintly. As one of the Three Great Families of Verdant Grain County, the Tao Clan knew far more inside information than ordinary people could imagine.
As a senior elder with real authority in the Tao Clan, though his rank was not particularly high, he was still far beyond comparison with ordinary people.
Take this Hidden Dragon Gathering, for instance. Even its rewards stirred his heart, let alone the ladder to advancement it offered...
At that thought, a hint of fervor rose in Tao Ran's heart. He looked toward Elder Lu with an air of probing indirectness. "Could it be... that your academy is hiding several top young talents unknown to others?"
The instant those words fell, the scene abruptly quieted. The gazes of those around them landed, as though by prior agreement, on Elder Lu and Li Qinwu beside him.
Li Qinwu smiled without warmth. Neither hurried nor slow, his speech was calm and utterly flat, yet the corner of his lips hid a faint trace of mockery.
"Brother Tao overestimates the Martial Academy. How could we possibly have the ability to hide any geniuses?"
He paused, his gaze sweeping lightly over Tao Ran, He Wei, and Liu Sheng. His tone remained even, but the mockery overflowed from his words.
"The disciples in the Martial Academy who could be called geniuses were recruited by your three families long ago and taken into your folds."
"In such circumstances, it is already no easy thing for Green Grain Martial Academy to retain a few diligent disciples of ordinary aptitude. How could we dare hope for any top young talents?"
He Wei naturally heard the dissatisfaction in Li Qinwu's words. Yet he did not care in the slightest; if anything, he felt rather pleased with himself.
"Brother Li, that is not quite right. Fine birds choose the trees on which to roost."
"The Superior Martial Arts and abundant resources the academy cannot provide, our great families can. The geniuses willingly come to us. When all is said and done, we are helping the Martial Academy share its burden."
Tao Ran still wore a faint smile. He lightly waved a hand to smooth things over, his tone seemingly modest but carrying an unmistakable arrogance.
"Everyone is doing this for the younger generation of Verdant Grain County's martial world. It is merely a minor dispute, so why take it so seriously? There is no need to let the younger ones see us make a joke of ourselves."
They had reaped every benefit, yet still put on an act of magnanimity, showing not the slightest regard for the Martial Academy's pent-up grievance.
Li Qinwu snorted coldly, feeling somewhat helpless. Water flowed downward, and people climbed upward.
He was not surprised that these disciples had made such choices, but deep down, disappointment still welled up within him.
Elder Lu did not avoid the others as he spoke to Li Qinwu.
"These disciples cannot withstand temptation. They covet temporary resources; their hearts are unsteady and their resolve insufficient. They will find it difficult to achieve much in the future, so there is no need to waste your effort on them."
Tao Ran, He Wei, and Liu Sheng saw this, but none of them cared much.
They had gone to great lengths to recruit these geniuses precisely to cultivate loyal thugs and expand their Lineages' power. Naturally, they did not need them to possess much of a future.
After all, resources were never enough. Their families were large and influential, and even their own clan disciples still needed to be trained.
Of course, if they truly encountered a once-in-ten-thousand, heaven-shocking talent with an immeasurable future, they would naturally pour every resource of their entire Lineage into nurturing them.
Forming a good bond in advance and securing a lasting path for the Lineage was also the way great families survived.
Seeing the atmosphere in the field grow increasingly stifling, Elder Lu stepped forward. The aura around him suddenly grew dense and heavy, and his rich voice directly crushed all the surrounding noise, breaking the silent stalemate.
"The time has come. We should depart."
His gaze blazed as he swept across the fully equipped young disciples below the platform. With a solemn, imposing expression, he loudly announced the rules of the hunt.
"This hunt in Azure Radiance Mountain beyond the city is primarily for tempering your cultivation and gathering demonic beast materials."
"Malicious fighting, fellow disciples maiming one another, and underhanded attacks are strictly forbidden. If discovered, offenders will have their cultivation crippled and be permanently expelled from the Martial Academy!"
"If you encounter a life-or-death crisis, immediately set off a signal flare. The rescue team will certainly rush to your aid at once!"
As his words fell, the black-robed Guardian Corps immediately moved into action. Standing tall, they split into ranks on either side and sternly organized the formation.
The young people who had been chatting in groups instantly composed themselves and lined up in order. Their faces now held the gravity of those about to undergo tempering, with none of their earlier laziness remaining.
Liu Yunche and the others also fell silent at once and joined their respective lines. They stood firmly in place and waited for the order to depart.
Elder Lu turned to Li Qinwu and nodded slightly. Then he issued an order in a deep voice that rang across the entire white jade platform.
"All obey! Leave the city and proceed to Azure Radiance Mountain!"
At the command, the vast procession immediately set out. Martial Academy disciples and martial artists from the various schools advanced in separate lines, while the Guardian Corps protected them along the way.
Morning light spilled down as the group walked slowly out of Verdant Grain County, facing the crisp morning breeze and heading toward the vast, shadowy mountain forests beyond the city.
Azure Radiance Mountain covered a vast expanse. Its peaks were shrouded in clouds and mist year-round, and when golden sunlight fell upon them, the sky seemed filled with rosy radiance. Thus, it earned its name.
After the party traveled for a full hour, the rolling mountain range finally came into view in the distance.
From afar, Azure Radiance Mountain's peaks towered one after another, with mist winding through the mountains. Sunlight pierced the clouds and fell upon them, weaving pale golden radiance together with the white mountain fog. Streams of light and color filled the sky. It truly deserved the name "Azure Radiance," where immortal air blended with wildness, carrying an air of unfathomable mystery.
When the group reached the foot of the mountain, the fresh scent of forest plants rushed toward them. The mountain vegetation was far more luxuriant than that within the city. Ancient trees reached for the heavens, vines crisscrossed one another, and all manner of unknown flowers and grasses flourished everywhere. Even the air brimmed with vigorous life.
Quite a few young disciples visiting for the first time could not resist looking around curiously and began whispering among themselves.
"So this is Azure Radiance Mountain? Its reputation truly is well deserved. It looks far more dangerous than the forests near the city."
"More than dangerous. I heard from my family elders that Azure Radiance Mountain is enormous, and demonic beasts run rampant in its deep reaches."
"But accordingly, it also has countless heavenly treasures. All kinds of precious ginseng and spiritual herbs are several times more plentiful here than elsewhere. Every year during the hunt, someone finds rare medicinal herbs and trades them for a huge sum of silver!"
Before the words had even faded, many youths were already rubbing their hands together eagerly. The eyes of some plainly dressed disciples shone all the brighter.
Shi Qingyue and the others stood together. Listening to the surrounding discussion, Shi Qingyue lowered his voice and said to Liu Yunche, He Wu, and the others beside him:
"What they say is true. Azure Radiance Mountain has fertile soil. Its stores of wild medicinal herbs and precious ginseng truly surpass those of the surrounding mountain ranges, and rare herbs of great age appear from time to time as well."
He Wu's gaze shifted slightly as he added, "Not only that. I also heard that several great families in the city have had their eyes on this land for a long time."
"They secretly sent people to establish private medicinal gardens deep within Azure Radiance Mountain, in hidden areas ordinary people cannot reach, specifically to cultivate those rare and priceless medicinal herbs scarcely found outside."
Holding her longsword, Li Xuantong swept her cool gaze across the boundless forest and spoke calmly.
"That is true. However, those medicinal gardens are all deep in Azure Radiance Mountain, where the demonic beasts are powerful, far beyond what people like us can contend with."
Liu Yunche stood to one side and quietly listened to their conversation. His gaze swept over the lush green forest as he silently committed this information to memory.
Elder Lu and several elders from the great families stood at the front of the procession. Looking at the fully equipped young martial artists lined up before them, Elder Lu spoke in a deep voice:
"The demonic beasts on Azure Radiance Mountain's outskirts are mostly low-grade and suitable for your training. Do not venture into the deep mountains without permission! All of you, rest briefly, then enter the mountains in batches for training!"
Before you continue