< in the Blackwater Nation, at the Qiyun Sect. >>

Qiyunzong, as one of the oldest cultivating sects in Heishui Kingdom, has a gigantic plaza in front of its mountain gate, exceeding a thousand meters in length and width.

The plaza in front of the Qiyun Sect's gate was teeming with people.

Here, everyone has the Qiyun Sect mountain gate's path on their lips. Whenever a young man in an ordinary disciple's robe rushes out of the mountain gate, one or two middle-aged people will excitedly rush out and embrace him.

The handyman disciples at Qiyunzong are strictly managed. No disciple of Qiyunzong may leave the mountain unless it's a matter of grave importance.

However, disciples of the Qi Yun Sect's miscellaneous duties were not allowed to leave the mountain. However, their relatives could visit once a year.

June is the only month of the year when Qiyunzong allows relatives to visit the miscellaneous disciples within the sect. Therefore, from the beginning of June, the plaza in front of the Qiyunzong mountain gate is filled with relatives who come to visit their children.

Even though it is the end of June, relatives of Qiyunzong杂役 disciples continue to visit.

Ye Tian and his wife are also on this list.

When the mountain gate first opened, they delivered the letter. Now it is almost noon, but they still haven't seen their son, Ye Zhen.

Ye Tian is still alright, but Ye Zhen's mother, Mi Jiangxue, who was standing beside him with a long sword on her back and was both wise and had a hint of heroic spirit in her demeanor, was so anxious that she was sweating profusely.

If it weren't for the strict rules of Qiyunzong, Mi Jiangxue would have probably gone to Qiyunzong herself and confronted her son Ye Zhen.

Suddenly, Mi Jiangxue grabbed Ye Tian's arm fiercely. Ye Tian's eyes widened in surprise.

"Truly, truly!"

At the gate of Qiyunzong, a man in gray robes, tall and strong with sword-shaped eyebrows that slanted skyward, was running towards them, his face drenched in sweat.

Qiyunzong's peak stood tall with a vast territory. Ever since Ye Zhen received the message from the head disciple, he had rushed over non-stop, but still, it took him another two hours to reach the mountain gate.

"Father! Mother!"

From afar, Ye Zhen saw her anxious parents waiting there. In a cry of surprise tinged with tears, she rushed towards them.

While Ye Zhen was still hesitating, Mi Jiangxue scooped her son into her arms.

At the age of fifteen, he left home to join the Qiyun Sect as a handyman disciple, despite it being Ye Zhen's own insistence.

But the year of separation still made Ye Zhen miss her parents dearly. At first glance, her nose felt sour.

"Really, you've lost weight and tanned."

As a family, they moved to the pavilion beside the road and spoke of their longing for separation. Especially Mi Jiangxue looked around, no matter where she looked, her son had become thinner and more haggard.

As for Ye Zhen, his one year of hard work had resulted in sturdy arms and a well-defined chest. However, Li Guang completely ignored it.

"Truly, Ah-er, it's already been a year since you left. This past year, how has your cultivation been progressing?" After some casual conversation, father Ye Tian began to inquire.

As soon as he heard this, Ye Zhen's face immediately darkened.

This year, Ye Zhen was confident that he had put in as much effort as anyone else, but his cultivation progress was comparatively slow.

"Father, I just broke through to the late stage of the first level of cultivation, my strength is around a thousand jin, barely filling my meridians." Ye Zhen's voice was a little weak.

Both Ye Tian and Mi Jiangxue's brows furrowed at the same time, Ye Tian's even more so, forming a crease between them.

"That shouldn't be the case. Even though your meridian talent is only mid-grade among the three meridians, in eleven months, you should at least have reached a state of surging energy, reaching the peak of the first level of cultivation and having a strength close to two thousand jin."

Ye Zhen remained silent.

“Back when I was at Qiyunzong, my innate talent was half a rank lower than yours. I only had three lower meridians, but in just one year, my cultivation level smoothly reached the peak of Refining Qi Level One, passing the sect's first annual assessment. Now that a year has passed, are you lazy...”

Ye Tianzheng was about to retort when Mi Jiangxue suddenly elbowed him, glaring at him and saying, “What are you saying?”

"My son is average in talent, I admit it. But this talent comes from his parents, it's not his fault. However, who dares say my son doesn't practice diligently, doesn't put his heart into it? I will fight tooth and nail with him."

When Mi Jiangxue glared at Ye Tian, he just chuckled wryly. "The Qiyun Sect holds an exam every year, and for miscellaneous disciples like us, it's held once a year. If your cultivation doesn't reach the peak of Refining Level One, you will be directly expelled from the sect. I'm just worried..."

Qi Yunzong杂役 disciple at fifteen years old, one exam per year, promotion every three years.

If one's cultivation reaches the peak of the third level at the age of eighteen, they can become an outer disciple with a promising future.

Qiyunzong's outer sect disciples, that was the army shaker of Blackwater Kingdom.

As long as one can become an outer disciple of the Qiyun Sect, even if their cultivation progress stagnates in the future, at the very least, they would be able to secure a position as a thousand-man commander in the Hei Shui Kingdom's army.

The position of thousand-man captain, by Blackwater's military standards, was considered mid-level.

For most people, the position of a thousand-household commander is already a step toward success, and with a little development, it can be passed down through generations.

But conversely, if one's cultivation hadn't broken through to the fourth level of Refining Qi by the age of eighteen, they wouldn't even be qualified as a menial disciple. Let alone being recommended by Qiyunzong to serve in the Blackwater Nation military.

Even worse, the Qiyun Sect has a yearly assessment. A杂役 disciple's time in the sect is only one year. If their cultivation doesn't reach the peak of Refinement Level One, they will be directly expelled from the sect.

And now, in a month's time, Ye Zhen will face the Qiyun Sect's annual assessment for its handyman disciples.

Ye Tian's worry also stems from this.

Looking at his worried father and his mother who was desperately trying to protect him, Ye Zhen wore a look of realization.

The father's doubts, were also his confusion.

For the past ten months, Ye Zhen has been cultivating diligently, but his cultivation progress is frustratingly slow.

He advanced at the same time as him, and even fellow disciples who only had two meridians of heavenly talent had already broken through to the late stage of Refinement One Realm two or three months ago, possessing a strength of over one thousand four hundred jin.

He was at the same level as his fellow disciples in terms of talent, and his cultivation had already reached the peak of Refinement Stage One.

This situation left Ye Zhen very puzzled.

Sometimes, Ye Zhen even wondered if her talent for pulse reading had been misjudged.

But when testing his pulse for potential talent, the three and a half phantom pulses that first appeared were something he had witnessed with his own eyes.

With this happening, the atmosphere became somewhat heavy for a while.

Suddenly, Ye Tianchang took a deep breath: "My son, why don't you go home with your father? There's nothing to gain by staying at Qiyunzong. You've wasted several years here for nothing. Going back home with me, we won't worry about food and clothing, why bother with this hardship?"

"Yes, truly! Although our family isn't well-off, with this strength, as long as we are willing to work hard, I can get you married to a good man in town, perhaps five or six sons. It's not out of the question." Mi Jiangxue patted her chest and said.

"Six or seven wives for your son?" Ye Tian was taken aback, as if surprised by Mi Jiangxue's words.

Mi Jiangxue glanced at Ye Tian, "What's wrong? You want to as well?" The fierceness in her eyes was unmistakable, she was waiting for Ye Tian to respond.

Ye Tian hurriedly shook his head, afraid that if he denied it too slowly, he would be in trouble.

At this sight, Ye Zhen couldn't help but laugh.

After the family had finished laughing, Mi Jiangxue's expression became serious. " Zhen'er, Mother is being sincere. Why don't you just come home with Mother? What is this crime for? Mother only hopes that you will be safe and sound throughout your life."

Ye Zhenshen was startled, and slightly raised his head to look at the azure sky.

A glimpse of a figure, like an ethereal fairy, flying overhead had once flashed before my eyes. The memory resurfaced again now.

That moment gave Ye Zhen an extremely strong impulse—he too wanted to soar freely under that azure sky. How dashing that would be!

A moment of youthful impulsiveness, became Ye Zhen's lifelong or perhaps current pursuit and persistence.

Looking at his son's expression, Ye Tian, though reluctant, still spoke: "Son, even if we don't leave now, in a month, it will be the Qiyun Sect's annual examination for handyman disciples. Then..."

Yè Tiān's meaning was clear as day. If they didn't leave now, in a month they would be expelled from the sect.

Ye Zhen saw it clearly. When her father, Ye Tian, said this, his eyes were already filled with loss.

Father Ye Tian had also learned from Qi Yunzong in the past, but his cultivation level did not break through to the fourth level of training within three years. He was expelled by Qi Yunzong. Even though he later practiced hard and broke through to the fourth level of training, it was all in vain.

This matter has always been regarded by Ye Tian as a lifelong pursuit.

Ye Tian originally entrusted this wish to his son, Ye Zhen. But now, Ye Zhen...

Ye Zhen's face suddenly became resolute and solemn: "Father, Mother, I won't go back. I swear, I will definitely avenge the outer disciples of Qiyunzong."

"Still swearing?"

Father Ye Tian's eyes widened immediately, "Not to mention whether you can break through to the fourth level of refining within three years, just say in front of us, how will you pass the sect examination a month later?"

If he said it again, his father Ye Tian would no longer be able to bear it.

"Father, mother, believe me, I can do it!" When he said this with conviction, Ye Zhen couldn't help but think back to the small he had discovered a few days ago. His eyes suddenly became incredibly resolute.

Whether it's for his childhood dream or for his own aspirations, he must persevere!

Just as Ye Tian was about to say something else, he was elbowed by Mi Jiangxue, and the atmosphere became heavy once again.

"Alright, if you want to keep it, then just keep it." With a cold snort, Father Ye Tian turned his face away and said nothing more.

Mother Mi Jiangxue, however, pulled Ye Zhen aside and stuffed several packages into her hands. "Your father knows the ins and outs of Qi Yunzong. There are many things inside that require extra money."

Here, this is your father's hard-earned hundred taels of silver for the year. Take it and buy whatever you need...

"Inside this package, there are a few pairs of shoes your mother made for you by hand, and a few new sets of clothes, as well as some of the food you like to eat, such as roasted and cured meats...."

Listening to her mother, Mi Jiang Xue's words, Ye Zhen's eyes instantly blurred.

One knows their own family situation best. While they have a few acres of land, it's easy to eat but difficult to live comfortably. They also face exploitation from the clan. If not for the father possessing the cultivation base of the fourth level, able to do some laborious tasks and earn some silver to make ends meet, he wouldn't have his current life.

After a year apart, my father's temples were now streaked with gray, clearly a result of excessive hardship.

At this moment, Ye Zhen almost had a feeling of rushing home to her parents.

"Here, take it," Mother Mi Jiangxue thrust the package into Ye Zhen's hand, her gaze lingering on the tears welling up in her son's eyes.

"Wait!"

Just as Mi Jiang Xue was about to put the package into Ye Zhen's hands, Ye Tian suddenly strode over and took the package.

Then, to the astonishment of both Mi Jiangxue and Ye Zhen, he fumbled around in his own bosom for a moment before producing two large silver ingots and shoving them inside.

Looking at Ye Tian's work, Mi Jiangxue was stunned, "Tian, how did you put the money you brought back into it........"

Halfway through her sentence, Mi Jiangxue suddenly reacted and covered her mouth.

But Father Ye Tian ignored his mother and pushed the package back into Ye Zhen's hands. "Zhen'er, I remember that at Qiyunzong, a Yuan Dan costs 200 taels of silver, right?"

I gave you 200 taels of silver. Remember to buy one when you get back.

With this Yuandan's boost to your cultivation, you'll be able to withstand the Qiyunzong's annual sect assessment.

Having said that, Ye Tian slapped Ye Zhen's shoulder hard as usual. "Good boy, don't disappoint your old man!"

Ye Zhen's divine sense swept over the palm strike, which lacked its former force. He then glanced at his father, Ye Tian, whose face was now haggard and frail. Ye Zhen felt a chill run down his spine. Grasping his father's wrist, he suddenly gasped, "Father, your cultivation base...?"

Before, the father's surging energy and throbbing pulse could make Ye Zhen's fingers hurt. This was the favorite game Ye Zhen played with his father when they were affectionate as children, always finding it fun.

But now, the force of that pulse...

"What a fuss. Your father's cultivation hasn't broken through to the Yuan Realm, has it? As people age, their Qi wanes, and naturally, their cultivation declines..."

Ye Tian took the object back from his son's hand with a bit of force, desperately masking the pain on his face.

"Son, we're leaving. Father will watch over you!"

With a vigorous wave, Father Ye Tian pulled Mi Jiangxue, who still wanted to say something, towards the mountainside, leaving only Ye Zhen standing dumbfounded, tears blurring her vision.

The father is less than forty years old, right in his prime.

As long as one supplements properly, how could one's qi possibly decline?

That's clearly his father working tirelessly to earn money, struggling hard for every coin, yet too frugal to treat himself to anything decent...

Watching the backs of her parents disappear into the mountains, Ye Zhen fiercely waved goodbye, carrying the increasingly heavy package in her hands, and walked towards the mountain gate.

Walking the mountain path, Ye Zhen's tears had dried, and her spirit had become unbreakable.

"I must do this for the outer sect disciples, and only for the outer sect disciples. This is the only way to lighten my parents' burden and fulfill my father's wish."

Yè really knew that her persistence was too stubborn.

But Ye Zhen wasn't the kind of person who was stubborn or fixated on a single point.

Ye Zhen was very clear that with her current cultivation speed, let alone breaking through to the fourth level of Refining Qi to become an outer disciple, it would be difficult even to pass the Qiyun Sect's annual examination.

This, Ye Zhen was very clear about.

Ye Zhen insisted so much because Ye Zhen had a secret that no one knew about.

A little thing that fills Ye Zhen with anticipation.