Dawn had yet to break, but dozens of torches were already burning in the Xiao Clan's Martial Arts Arena.
The morning chill carried the damp scent of grass and trees, making every young member of the Xiao Clan dragged from a warm bed hunch their shoulders, bleary-eyed and utterly bewildered.
Xiao Zhan stood atop the raised platform with his hands behind his back. He had not slept all night, and his eyes were even more bloodshot than yesterday, but his back remained as straight as a javelin, radiating the authority of the head of a family.
His gaze swept over the dozens of boys and girls of varying ages below, finally lingering briefly on a black-clad youth whose forlorn expression made him seem out of place among the crowd.
That youth was Xiao Yan. He had sensed something and had not slept all night either. He stood there numbly, unable to muster the slightest interest in anything around him, as though the entire world had nothing to do with him. His lifeless appearance sent another stab of pain through Xiao Zhan's heart.
"Ahem!"
Xiao Zhan cleared his throat. His powerful voice echoed through the silent Martial Arts Arena, instantly driving away everyone's drowsiness.
"Today, I have a special task for you! This is the perfect season to gather ink spirit mushrooms outside the city. I've decided that all our younger members will go together today for a picking contest! Whoever gathers the most ink spirit mushrooms before sunset can collect a reward from the accounts office, along with a first-tier medicinal pill, Blood-Clotting Powder!"
His announcement immediately stirred a small commotion below the platform. For these youngsters, who had yet to start earning money, the more money the better. And Blood-Clotting Powder was a precious remedy for injuries sustained during