The wind blew gently, carrying the scent of wet earth. Inside a simple horse-drawn carriage, a 17-year-old boy lay humming softly.
His red clothes stood out against the dark brown surroundings. The boy closed his eyes, enjoying the melody of the raindrops.
On the roof of the carriage, a sparrow chirped softly. Sadness was hidden in its eyes. Every now and then, it would peek at the young man and sigh softly, as if it wanted to say something but was hesitant.
In the front seat, an old man with a finger hat directed the horse onto the main road, away from the forest.
Five minutes later, the carriage stopped in front of the city gate. The man glanced back and said, "We're here, young master."
The young man opened his eyes. He patted his red clothes and jumped down. He threw five copper coins at the old man and walked into the city with the sparrow flying by his side.
"Stop!" shouted a guard.
Seeing that they did not stop, another guard asked, "Who are you and what are you doing here?"
The young man—Ye Yan—only glanced briefly before throwing two silver coins. He continued walking without looking back at their reaction.
"Brother, is it okay to do that?" asked the sparrow worriedly.
"Don't worry, they'll shut up after receiving it," replied Ye Yan, looking indifferent.
The bamboo hat he took from the carriage covered part of his face. Only his long black hair, tied up high, swayed with his movements.
"We have to hurry," said Ye Yan, his tone turning serious. "Are you sure the Sect exam is being held here, in Blue River City?"
"Mm," the sparrow nodded slightly. "They always held it here in the past."
Ye Yan continued walking. His gaze swept around; residents were passing by on the streets. In the distance, he could hear the roar of water. As its name suggested, the city was divided by a large river—the Blue River—whose surface glistened like dragon scales under the newly risen sun.
Their steps stopped at a tea shop. The words of a bird could not be entirely trusted; they did not yet know for sure when the exam would be held or if this was indeed the location.
The young man sat near the window and ordered a cup of tea. He listened quietly to the other guests' conversation.
"The once-in-50-years exam will be held again this year!" one of the guests said excitedly.
The others chimed in, equally excited. "I can't wait! But don't the immortals only look for young people?"
"Yes, the rules are still the same. Only children aged 6 to 20 are accepted," replied the guest.
"I'm 21 this year. Can I still be selected?" said a young man, the panic in his voice impossible to hide.
A waiter placed a cup on the table, a polite smile on his lips. "Is there anything else I can help you with, sir?"
Ye Yan didn't answer right away. He slowly sipped his tea before turning his head and smiling cheerfully. "Yes, brother, I want to know when the exam starts?"
The waiter blushed slightly, looking at the handsome face beneath the straw hat. "Um, it's usually held tomorrow afternoon. Young Master, if you want to take the exam, go to the city center."
"Do you know which sect is coming?" Ye Yan asked again.
The servant pondered for a moment, then replied. "Many say it's the Pure Sky Sect and the Gate of Empty Stars this time."
"Brother, is the test only held here?" Ye Yan asked curiously.
"No, the Sect also holds it in other major cities. But this city is special because it is often chosen among other cities in the Qian Jian Kingdom." The waiter shook his head, refuting Ye Yan's words.
"Thank you, brother." His eyes curved into a crescent moon as the young man smiled.
"N-no problem," replied the waiter stammeringly, his face flushing.
"I recommend staying at the inn at the end of this street. They offer discounts for exam participants and it's not far from the city center," continued the waiter.
"What a coincidence! I don't have much money, so..." Ye Yan looked down shyly, scratching the back of his head, which wasn't itchy.
The waiter just smiled. "I hope you get selected later."
"I hope so too," he replied. "Thank you, sir, for telling me this."
Ye Yan put two copper coins on the table, but the waiter quickly handed them back. "No need to pay, consider it my treat."
"But..." Ye Yan hesitated to accept, but the waiter's insistent gaze left him no choice. "In that case, thank you, sir."
After that, a young man and a sparrow left the tea shop and walked towards the inn.
The sparrow on Ye Yan's shoulder yawned lazily and muttered, "Brother did it again."
The rain had stopped, leaving behind a cold breeze and gray skies. Ye Yan entered the inn, took off his hat, and leaned casually against the front desk. "One room."
"Sure, sir, five silver coins," replied a waiter.
Ye Yan placed the coins on the table. From the corner of his eye, he observed the crowd at several tables. From their clothes, Ye Yan knew they had come from other cities.
Many of them were children of wealthy parents. The gold, feathers, and luxurious clothes they wore made them look like peacocks.
"Here's your room key," said the waiter.
Ye Yan took it and immediately went upstairs to his room. After closing the door, Ye Yan sat down near the window. He looked outside, watching the crowd below.
The sparrow lay on the bed, tears silently flowing, wetting the pillow. Its small beak opened slightly, letting out a soft chirp. "Grandfather..."
Ye Yan sighed. It had been a month since the incident in Frozen Wind Village. Ye Mu still couldn't let go of Grandfather Chen. He claimed not to remember Grandfather ever killing him.
And Ye Yan knew that the stupid bird wasn't lying. Otherwise, why would he still be crying for him?
Ye Yan approached and sat cross-legged on the mattress. He closed his eyes and began to meditate.
Ye Yan's eyebrows furrowed. In his Dantian, he saw a seal spreading throughout his body. The seal looked ancient and strange, even Ye Yan himself had never seen it before.
He had first seen it two weeks ago, when he had successfully become a cultivator and entered the second level of Qi Purification. For the great Heavenly Emperor, the situation was truly pitiful.
Even so, Ye Yan was convinced that it was this seal that allowed Ye Mu's body to heal itself so quickly.
The pitiful condition of his body gradually improved over the past month. The old man's statement about the 'Eternal Monster' was indeed true.
But on the other hand, Ye Yan had a bad feeling about this seal. He opened his eyes, clenched his fists, and muttered softly. "I must regain my strength."