---
This job opportunity had come at just the right time. Zhang Yu was now homeless, and would likely die in a few days if he didn't find work.
He stepped forward toward the man who had offered the job and said, "Sir! I'm ready to work, when can I start?" Zhang Yu's voice carried eagerness.
But he froze in place when the man mocked him.
"You? Hahaha! Did I ever say I'd hire beggars? Hahaha! Even a job cleaning an inn or scrubbing latrines would be too much for you!"
Zhang Yu fell completely silent. He only clenched his fists, lowered his head, and walked away.
He had heard from Yi Shu that the rules inside the central cities were absolute—any fight or assault would land him straight in prison.
Zhang Yu did not want to destroy his future over a momentary burst of anger that would fade in time.
"If I cannot endure something this small, then I don't deserve to be her brother, nor to become strong!"
"But… what should I do now? The fee is certainly one silver coin, but where am I supposed to find a job that would take me now…?" He looked down at his clothes, which were indeed ragged.
He had to find work today, or else he would be forced to sleep on the streets like a true beggar.
He asked at every shop he saw. Most rejected him outright, while others offered grueling work for one silver coin—or less.
The sun had already set when Zhang Yu sat down by one of the roadsides.
His teeth ground against each other, his eyes burning with rage, but within him, despair was mounting. What was he to do now?
"I'll try three more times. If I get rejected again, then I'll sleep on the street, I won't even care! I refuse to accept total defeat!" Zhang Yu thought, steeling himself.
He straightened up and walked into a shop selling ornaments and jewelry. "Sir, do you need a worker? I am ready for any kind of task!"
The shopkeeper did not answer. Instead, he examined Zhang Yu from head to toe, and without even a final glance, shook his head.
Zhang Yu sighed in despair and left.
This time, he found an inn. He entered and asked, already prepared to hear rejection once more. But this time, he was truly surprised!
"Yes, I do need someone to clean the inn and feed the horses. I suppose there's no problem for you with that? I'll pay you two silver coins per month."
Though the innkeeper looked down on Zhang Yu and spoke arrogantly, the latter did not mind. He felt as if this innkeeper had been sent by the heavens themselves to help him.
"Two silver coins? I've hit the jackpot!"
Zhang Yu accepted at once and thanked the innkeeper.
When asked about lodging, the innkeeper pointed to the stables.
The stables were full of horses, but there was a small room with hay for a bed, which Zhang Yu used.
He lay down on the hay, sighing.
Raising his hand and staring at it, he thought: "I've found a job, solved the problem of the fee and lodging. With the remaining silver coin, I can eat cheap, small meals to last me the rest of the month."
"This really is a blessing…"
"Yi Shu told me that the Ming Wu Sect is one of the strongest sects on the entire continent!"
"But at the same time, he warned me a lot. He said this sect has no rules, no morals, no manners. All they care about is strength. If you're strong enough, you can even ascend to the position of sect leader with ease, and no one would object."
"But how has such a sect survived all this time? If strength is all that matters… I wonder."
"It doesn't matter. Since Wuchi wants me to go there, then so be it. Yi Shu said it is one of the most volatile sects—when ruled by a demonic person, it becomes demonic; when ruled by a righteous person, it becomes righteous; when ruled by a selfish one, it becomes selfish, and so on…"
"Even the factions within it are no different. Everything revolves around strength… How will I survive in all that…?"
"Well, since the sect is at the far ends of the eastern region, it'll take some time to reach it. I can increase my strength along the way."
"Speaking of increasing strength… was what Yi Shu said really true?"
"I thought energy flowed through certain paths in the body and gathered in a specific place… but it's completely different!"
"To start with, he said energy is a gift from the heavens, through which one can increase their power. No one knows exactly what it is, but it simply exists."
"According to him, energy enters the body from various places, and the way it is trained depends on the cultivation technique. Even the results differ. If someone channels their energy one way, then suddenly changes it, they would face a massive backlash and might even die in the process."
"But then how was I able to kill Tu Yuan's men back then? Was that because of Wuchi?"
"Oh! Yi Shu said energy can gather in a certain place determined by the technique, and even within the same technique, the place it gathers differs due to genetics, experiences, personality, and one's understanding of the heavens."
"I look forward to the day I can cultivate too!" Zhang Yu smiled and chuckled softly.
He put his hand under his head and sank into a deep sleep. He hadn't rested like this in a long time.
---
The sky was clear. The clouds slumbered in deep sleep, delaying their morning appearance.
But even so, this delay created a beautiful sight. The sunrise shone brilliantly, unhindered, painting the horizon with radiant blue.
The sun rose over Du City, heralding a new day in Zhang Yu's life.
He was still asleep when the door burst open and a man kicked him, shouting: "What the hell, you're still sleeping? Do you think you're some pampered son? Get up and work!"
Waking up to a kick in the stomach was certainly terrible. Zhang Yu clutched his belly at once, groaning in silence as he staggered to his feet and replied politely: "I-I'm sorry! This is my first day, I don't know the tasks well yet, I hope you'll guide me!"
The man spat in contempt, then nodded and began to instruct Zhang Yu on feeding the horses, cleaning the inn in the morning before customers arrived, tidying rooms, and so forth.
By the time Zhang Yu finished all his work, night had already fallen.
The work was far from easy—it was grueling indeed. Zhang Yu sighed with exhaustion and collapsed onto the hay. "So this will be my life for the time being… Well, it's not bad. At least I earn money through my own effort!"
"I think I'll stay here for a year before moving on. The place is decent."
"But if I keep earning only two silver coins, how will I save money for other needs…? I don't plan on cleaning and feeding horses for an entire year…"
After pondering various matters, Zhang Yu drifted to sleep. He worked, then rested.
Just like that, a whole month of Zhang Yu's new life passed, and it was time to receive his pay.
The innkeeper did not give the money directly to him, but to servants who distributed it to the lowest ranks, like Zhang Yu.
While Zhang Yu was feeding the horses, he suddenly spat blood and collapsed!
The man handing out wages had thrown a silver coin at Zhang Yu's chest.
Zhang Yu felt his chest tear apart, crying out in agony. "Aaagh!!!" He clutched his chest as tears welled in his eyes.
He glared in pain and fury at the man, shouting: "W-what are you doing…?!!"
But his cry did nothing except make veins bulge on the man's forehead. He kicked Zhang Yu in the same spot where the coin had struck.
Spitting on his face, the man roared: "A horse-feeding bastard dares question me? Believe it or not, if I kill you right now, no one will care!"
Zhang Yu screamed in pain. It wouldn't be surprising if his rib was broken.
"It hurts! It hurts…! Damn you and your silver coin!"
"Wait… one silver coin?!! Where's the other?!"
Zhang Yu cried out in rage when he realized he had only been paid half!
The man smirked and pulled out another silver coin, licking it. "Is this what you're looking for? Hahaha! You'll never get it. This is my fee for the trouble of giving you your wages! Hahaha!"
Veins throbbed across Zhang Yu's head. His eyes burned with bloodshot rage. His teeth ground against each other, nails digging into his palms.
He forgot the pain. He only wanted to kill this man!
Planting his foot down, he stood and charged with a fierce punch.
But the man dodged easily and retaliated with a kick to Zhang Yu's stomach, sending him flying into the wall.
"You dare attack me?!! I'm no man if I don't make you beg for death you'll never reach!" the man shouted in fury.
He approached the breathless Zhang Yu.
Zhang Yu struggled to breathe, the kick having stolen all air from his lungs.
But his eyes never left the man. They glared with pure hatred.
"Those eyes… I hate them!" the man roared, raining punches onto Zhang Yu's eyes until they swelled.
Zhang Yu had already lost consciousness. Otherwise, he could never have endured the pain.
The man took pleasure in beating every part of Zhang Yu's body until he grew tired.
He spat once more on Zhang Yu's face, cursed him, then left.
---
At midnight, Zhang Yu woke. His entire body screamed in pain.
When he realized what had happened, he couldn't hold back his tears.
But even crying hurt—his eyes throbbed with searing agony.
"What have I done to deserve this…?" Zhang Yu wept.
"How am I supposed to live now…?!" he cried within his heart.
One silver coin was the entry fee, due tomorrow.
So how would he survive the rest of the month? The thought was unbearable.
He cried bitterly until exhaustion and pain forced him into sleep.
While Zhang Yu slept, he did not notice his wounds and bruises heating up, smoke-like red energy rising faintly.
The next morning, he was surprised to find he could at least walk.
"Was my healing ability always this good? Or did that bastard not hit me as hard as I thought?"
Though his body ached, it was not nearly as bad as the night before, though even walking still hurt.
"Ah! The entry fee!" Zhang Yu grabbed the silver coin, wiped the blood off it, and staggered painfully outside to pay.
After some time, he reached the gate, paid the fee, then left with a sigh.
"Now I have no money left…" Zhang Yu felt sorrowful.
"To think I'm this weak… it's shameful."
"But what can I do? I don't know any cultivation techniques, and if Wuchi wanted to give me one, he would have. Clearly he has no intention of teaching me—he's just using me completely…"
"Should I train my body? I guess I have no choice."
"But how can I train when I don't even have food?"
"I don't even have a place to train, hah…"
Zhang Yu mulled over many things as he returned to the inn.
When he entered, the innkeeper's voice thundered: "Where have you been, you bastard! Do you know you almost ruined my inn? You're fired! Fired!!"
Suddenly, two large men appeared behind the frozen Zhang Yu.
His eyes widened, pupils shrinking in shock. He was utterly stunned!
"I… almost ruined the inn?" he thought, his mind blank.
His face turned pale. The future he had envisioned for himself crumbled instantly.
He assumed the men behind him were city guards come to arrest him.
"The young master of the Yi Clan came seeking orphaned strays no one wants, like you, omen of misfortune! Be grateful that the young master will take you in! This is a blessing, an honor for your whole worthless life!" the innkeeper bellowed.
But his words only added to Zhang Yu's shock. "The Yi Clan? What's this? Why are they looking for orphans? Wait—the Yi Clan?! Isn't that the same family as Yi Shu? Was this his doing? Why? What does he want?" Zhang Yu's mind swirled with questions, but all thoughts vanished in the next instant.
One of the men struck the back of his head, knocking him unconscious, then carried him away.
The innkeeper collapsed, drenched in sweat, his breath ragged. His terror was clear.
---
"This hurts, my head… Where am I?"
"Are my eyes covered? I can't see a thing."
"I can feel many people here with me… are all of them blindfolded too?"
"Wait, that's the sound of a carriage. Where are we being taken?"
"Ah! That's right! I was taken by the Yi Clan!"
"What will happen to me now? I never expected this at all!"
"My life was just starting to get better… Well, not better exactly, but at least I was beginning to settle down—damn it!"
"Will I be killed?!"
"This… the carriage has stopped!"
Zhang Yu heard footsteps approaching. His anxiety grew, sweat pouring down.
Clack!
The carriage door opened. Though Zhang Yu still couldn't see, the sunlight filtering in lessened the darkness slightly.
"We'll untie you soon. We've arrived."
"You'll be led out one by one."
Zhang Yu felt the carriage shake. It was obvious they were taking the orphans out.
Suddenly, a cold sweat trickled down his back. His heart raced, his body heated up.
A hand grabbed him, slung him over a shoulder, and carried him.
After a while, he was thrown onto the ground.
He felt hands behind him loosen the blindfold.
When it came off, Zhang Yu beheld a majestic scene.
Waterfalls, a vast forest, and a great chasm greeted him first.
Before him stood a towering mountain, from whose peak a waterfall cascaded, filling the air with a magical mist.
The forest surrounding them on three sides was magnificent. Trees of different colors stretched out in every direction—red to the right, green to the left, and sky-blue ahead.
But the trees ahead were strange—they seemed both real and unreal, yet Zhang Yu's eyes certainly saw them.
Only when a cry rang out did Zhang Yu notice the figures across the chasm.
"Attention! Young Master Yi Fei will speak!"
Seated on a luxurious chair was a youth, handsome in feature. His eyes were large and bright, his brows precisely shaped.
His body was slender, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. He held a fan, one leg crossed over the other, his hair cascading down to his waist.
This was none other than Young Master Yi Fei.
"Subjects of the Long Wu Empire within the Yu Province! Behold, I, the young master of the Yi Clan, grant you a blessing unseen before!"
"I have gathered you here to witness the birth of heroes! I possess a batch of elixirs gained through immense hardship, risking my life and the lives of my followers! And now, I bestow them upon you, for this young master cannot bear to see children like you wandering the streets, orphaned and destitute!"
"Today you will receive my care, and tomorrow you will stand atop the peaks of the world—praised by millions, envied by millions!"
"Guard Gam, step forth and record the names and ages of these cubs! They are the heroes of the future!"
The children fell silent, then looked around. Thinking on Yi Fei's words, they raised their voices in unison, praising him.
All except Zhang Yu and a few others. The rest were entranced by Yi Fei's speech.
"This… elixirs? And he's sharing them with us…? Couldn't you come up with a better lie than that? Damn it…!" Zhang Yu muttered.
"Damn it! My life will end before it even begins! Wuchi, where are you?!" Zhang Yu was panicked, terrified.
His life had only just started to improve. He had finally begun freeing himself from his past, striving toward his goals. But no—Yi Fei had to appear and destroy everything!
"Damn you!"
Seeing the children's reaction, Yi Fei smiled, his eyes narrowing with malice. Then he declared:
"Guards! Take the children to their chambers and give them the elixirs! Hahahaha!"
---