That morning, Qingshan Village was filled with an unusual commotion. The sound of people talking excitedly echoed from all corners of the village. Ye Lin woke up earlier than usual because of the noise.
He stepped out of his hut and saw many people gathered in the village square. Curiosity made him run closer to see what was happening.
"What's going on, Uncle Wang?" Ye Lin asked the middle-aged man standing at the edge of the crowd.
"Oh, Lin'er!" Uncle Wang turned with a beaming face. "There's big news! The Spring Blossom Sect is coming here today!"
Ye Lin's heart pounded. "The Spring Blossom Sect?"
"Yes! They're a pretty famous cultivator sect in this region," Uncle Wang explained enthusiastically. "They say they're looking for new disciples and will hold a selection test!"
Ye Lin felt a complicated mix of emotions. Excitement, hope, and anxiety blended together in his chest. This was the opportunity he had been waiting for.
"Who is allowed to take the test, Uncle?" Ye Lin asked carefully.
"Hmm, they said children under fifteen," Uncle Wang replied. "But..." he paused, looking at Ye Lin with an uncomfortable expression.
"But what, Uncle?"
"The children who take the test have to pay an administration fee first. Ten silver coins per person," Uncle Wang said regretfully. "That's a huge amount of money for us, Lin'er."
Ye Lin's heart sank immediately. Ten silver coins? He had never even held that much at once. The money he saved from working hard every day was at most a few copper coins.
"Besides," Uncle Wang continued, stroking Ye Lin's head, "cultivation tests are very difficult. Usually, only children from noble families or wealthy merchants can pass. They've been trained and well-nourished since childhood."
All day, Ye Lin worked as usual, but his mind couldn't let go of the news about the Spring Blossom Sect. Every time he lifted a heavy load or did physical work, he wondered if his physical strength was enough to pass a cultivator's test.
While helping Uncle Li move wood, he closed his eyes for a moment to see the system in his mind.
[Status]
Name: Ye Lin
Age: 9 Years
Cultivation Level: Mortal Realm
Techniques: None
"Still Mortal Realm," he thought with mixed feelings. "But at least I know my true condition."
"Lin'er, you're daydreaming again," Uncle Li chided with a smile. "You must be thinking about that cultivator sect, right?"
Ye Lin nodded, embarrassed. "Sorry, Uncle Li."
"It's alright, son. It's normal for a child your age to dream of becoming a cultivator," Uncle Li said, patting his shoulder. "But remember, a farmer's life is also noble. We are the ones who feed those cultivators."
In the late afternoon, as Ye Lin sat in front of his hut counting the copper coins he had collected, a commotion was heard from the direction of the main village road.
"They're coming! They're coming!" a child shouted while running.
Ye Lin quickly put away his coins and ran towards the main road. There, he saw a sight he had never seen before.
Three people wearing light green robes with cherry blossom embroidery walked gracefully toward the village square. The one in front was a middle-aged woman with a stern but beautiful face. Her hair was neatly tied up, and her eyes radiated an aura different from ordinary people.
Behind her, two young men followed with equally graceful steps. The three of them didn't walk in a hurry, but every step they took felt full of authority.
"Those must be real cultivators," someone whispered in the crowd.
"Look at the way they walk. It's like they're floating."
Ye Lin watched carefully. It was true; their steps looked very light, as if their feet barely touched the ground. The aura they radiated was also different—calm yet powerful.
The middle-aged woman stopped in the middle of the square and spoke in a clear voice that could be heard by all the villagers, even without shouting.
"People of Qingshan Village," she said with an authoritative tone. "I am Zhang Mei Hua, the Outer Elder of the Spring Blossom Sect. We have come here to find young talents with the potential to walk the path of cultivation."
The crowd fell silent instantly. Everyone listened with full attention.
"Children under fifteen who wish to take the selection test, please gather here," Zhang Mei Hua continued. "But remember, this test is not easy. We will only accept the best."
Slowly, some children began to come forward. Ye Lin recognized most of them—children from the relatively wealthy merchant families in the village.
There was Li Wei, the son of the richest merchant in the village who always wore good clothes. There was also Chen Ping, the village chief's son whose body was plump from overeating. And several other children who clearly came from well-off families.
Ye Lin stood at the back of the crowd, feeling the painful difference between himself and the children who came forward. Their clothes were clean and neat, their bodies healthy and well-fed, while he...
He looked at his own clothes, which were worn and had holes in several places. His thin body was a result of frequent hunger. His face was dirty from working hard every day.
"How can I possibly compete with them?" he thought with a heavy heart.
"Alright," Zhang Mei Hua said after seeing the children gathered. "Before the test begins, there is an administration fee that must be paid. Ten silver coins per participant."
As expected, the parents of the children who came forward immediately handed over the money without hesitation. For them, ten silver coins was not a burdensome amount.
Ye Lin swallowed hard. Ten silver coins... that was equivalent to his earnings for months of hard work.
"In addition," Zhang Mei Hua continued, "participants must also bring food supplies for three days. The test will be held on the mountain behind the village and requires good physical endurance."
Another impossible requirement for Ye Lin. Food supplies for three days? He often struggled to get food for a single day.
Zhang Mei Hua then began to explain the test that would be conducted. "The first test is a physical endurance test. You must climb the mountain behind the village within a set time. Those who fail will be immediately eliminated."
"The second test is a spiritual root test. We will check if you have the talent for cultivation. This is the most important test."
"The last test is a character test. We will see how you face difficult situations and whether you are worthy of becoming a disciple of the Spring Blossom Sect."
The more she explained, the further Ye Lin felt from his opportunity. He had no money, no supplies, and most importantly, he wasn't sure if his skinny body could endure the strenuous physical test.
That night, Ye Lin sat alone in front of his hut with a very heavy heart. The hope that had grown since hearing the news about the cultivator sect was now almost completely extinguished.
He closed his eyes and looked at the system in his mind.
[Status]
Name: Ye Lin
Age: 9 Years
Cultivation Level: Mortal Realm
Techniques: None
"Mortal Realm," he whispered bitterly. "No wonder I'm not worthy."
But then he remembered the words of the gray-eyed old man. "True strength doesn't come from the outside, but from within yourself."
"What did he mean by that?" Ye Lin murmured, staring at the stars in the sky. "Strength from within..."
He thought about his life's journey so far. Since childhood, he had faced extraordinary hardships. Losing both parents, living in poverty, working hard to survive. But he had never given up.
"Maybe that's what the old man meant," he thought. "The strength not to give up even in difficult circumstances."
Suddenly, a crazy idea popped into his head. What if he took the test secretly? Without officially registering, without paying the administration fee?
"That's insane," he muttered. "But... there's no harm in trying."
The next day, Ye Lin woke up earlier than usual. He had decided to follow his crazy plan. Even without officially registering, he would try to follow the test from a distance.
That morning, he worked faster than usual to finish all his tasks. He helped Uncle Wang haul sacks, cleaned Aunt Chen's coop, and did several other small jobs.
When noon arrived, he heard a commotion from the village square. The test had begun.
Ye Lin ran to the square and saw the participant children gathered with Zhang Mei Hua and the two other young cultivators. They were ready to depart for the mountain behind the village.
"Alright, children," Zhang Mei Hua said in a firm voice. "Follow us to the starting point of the first test."
The group began to walk toward the mountain. Ye Lin followed from a distance, hiding among the trees and rocks so as not to be seen.
His heart was pounding. This was the first time he had done something so rebellious. But his resolve was firm. He had to try, even if his chances were very slim.
After walking for about an hour, the group arrived at the foot of White Stone Mountain, the mountain behind Qingshan Village. The mountain wasn't very high, but the path was steep and rocky.
Zhang Mei Hua stopped in a flat area and gathered all the participants.
"The first test begins now," she said, pointing to the mountain peak. "You must reach the peak of this mountain before sunset. Those who fail will be considered eliminated."
"But remember," she continued in a more serious tone, "it's not just about speed. We will also evaluate how you deal with difficulties, how you help struggling companions, and how you remain calm in difficult situations."
The participants nodded nervously. Some of them looked confident, but others began to look worried.
"Go!" Zhang Mei Hua shouted.
The children immediately ran toward the climbing path. Ye Lin, who was hiding behind a large tree, waited until the group was a little further away before he started to follow.
The climb started easily enough. The initial path was still gentle and not too dangerous. But the higher they went, the steeper and rockier the path became.
Ye Lin followed from behind at a safe distance. His thin body actually gave him an advantage—he could move more nimbly among the rocks and didn't get tired as easily.
Ahead, he could see some participants were already starting to get exhausted. Li Wei, with his plump body, had fallen far behind, panting heavily. Chen Ping also began to show signs of fatigue.
But there were also those who still looked fresh, like Zhao Ling, a thirteen-year-old girl who was known to be quite athletic in the village.
"Those who are already exhausted will definitely not pass," Ye Lin thought as he continued to climb carefully.
After climbing for a few hours, the sun began to sink to the west. Ye Lin could see a few participants who had already reached the mountain peak, but most were still struggling on the way.
He himself had reached about three-quarters of the way. His body was indeed tired, but his spirit was still burning. The habit of working hard since childhood gave him better endurance than he had thought.
While taking a short rest behind a large rock, he heard the sound of crying from below. Someone sounded like they were in trouble.
Ye Lin peeked and saw a little girl who had fallen into a hole that wasn't very deep but was enough to prevent her from getting out on her own. The girl was Lin Xia, the daughter of a vegetable merchant who was about eleven years old.
Other participants who passed by didn't stop to help. They were all focused on their own tests and were afraid of being late.
Ye Lin faced a difficult dilemma. If he helped Lin Xia, he risked being seen by the cultivators monitoring the test. But if he didn't help, his heart would not be at peace.
He remembered Zhang Mei Hua's words again: "We will also evaluate how you deal with difficulties, how you help struggling companions..."
A decision was made. Ye Lin came out of his hiding place and approached the hole where Lin Xia was trapped.
"Lin Xia!" he called softly. "Are you alright?"
Lin Xia turned with teary eyes. "Ye Lin? What are you doing here? You're not in the test..."
"That doesn't matter," Ye Lin said, looking for a way to help her. "What's important now is getting you out of there."
Ye Lin looked for a sturdy and long enough branch to help Lin Xia out of the hole. After finding one, he lowered the branch into the hole.
"Hold on tight!" he said, pulling with all his might.
With a lot of effort, Lin Xia finally managed to get out of the hole. Her knee was slightly scraped, but there were no serious injuries.
"Thank you, Ye Lin," Lin Xia said sincerely. "But why are you here?"
Before Ye Lin could answer, the sound of footsteps came from above. One of the young cultivator supervisors of the test was coming down toward them.
Ye Lin felt his heart almost stop. He had been caught.
The young cultivator walked closer with an expression that was difficult to read. Ye Lin prepared to be scolded or even punished for sneaking into the test without permission.
"You..." the cultivator said, looking at Ye Lin from head to toe. "You're not one of the registered participants, are you?"
Ye Lin bowed his head nervously. "I-I'm sorry, Senior Brother. I..."
"I saw you help this girl," the cultivator interrupted. "Even though you could have stayed hidden and not cared."
Ye Lin didn't know how to answer. He felt like a trapped mouse.
"What's your name?" the cultivator asked in a gentler tone.
"Ye Lin, Senior Brother."
"Ye Lin..." the cultivator nodded slowly. "I am Wu Ming, an inner disciple of the Spring Blossom Sect. May I know why you followed this test secretly?"
Ye Lin swallowed hard. "I... I want to become a cultivator, Senior Brother. But I don't have the money to pay the administration fee."
Wu Ming looked at Ye Lin with a curious gaze. "You're an orphan, aren't you?"
"Yes, Senior Brother."
"Hmm," Wu Ming was silent for a moment, thinking about something. "Lin Xia, continue your climb. There's still time to reach the peak before sunset."
Lin Xia nodded and ran to continue her climb, but didn't forget to look back at Ye Lin with a worried expression.
After Lin Xia was gone, Wu Ming looked back at Ye Lin. "Ye Lin, are you sure you want to become a cultivator? The path of cultivation is not easy. It's full of dangers and sacrifices."
"I am sure, Senior Brother," Ye Lin replied firmly, though his voice trembled.
"Good," Wu Ming said with a faint smile. "I will give you one chance. But with a condition."
Ye Lin's eyes lit up with hope. "What condition, Senior Brother?"
"You must reach the mountain peak before sunset, just like the other participants. And you must do it under more difficult conditions."
Wu Ming took a stone the size of a fist and gave it to Ye Lin. "Carry this while you climb. Don't let it fall or get left behind."
Ye Lin took the stone without hesitation. Although it added weight, he didn't complain at all.
"And one more thing," Wu Ming continued. "If you manage to reach the peak, I will report to Elder Zhang about what you did today. But I can't promise anything after that."
"Thank you, Senior Brother!" Ye Lin said, bowing deeply.
Wu Ming nodded and began to climb back up to the peak. Ye Lin took a deep breath, held the stone tightly, and began to continue his climb with a burning spirit.
The sun was getting lower in the sky. Time was running out, but Ye Lin's determination burned even brighter. This was the only chance he had.
In his mind, the system remained silent as usual. But for some reason, he felt a warm sensation there, as if the system was also supporting his struggle.
"I can definitely do it," he whispered as he continued to climb with the heavy stone in his hand. "I have to."
The shadows of the sun grew longer, indicating that time was running out. But Ye Lin kept forcing his feet to step, one by one, toward the peak that was getting closer.
The real struggle had just begun.