A week later, during the hour of Chen, the usually calm mortal town beneath Dragon Yuan Mountain became far more lively than normal.
At the center square of the town, dozens of youths had already gathered.
Some stood nervously in groups while whispering to one another. Others carried determined expressions, their backs straight as they tried to appear fearless. There were boys with rough skin from helping their families in the fields and girls with sharp eyes and steady breathing that hinted at years of physical training.
Most were between twelve and fourteen years old.
These were the children who had failed the spiritual root tests yet still refused to live ordinary mortal lives.
Some wore simple gray robes issued by the Lin Family. Others still wore old patched clothing from their homes. A few carried wooden weapons strapped to their backs while others clenched their fists repeatedly to calm themselves.
The atmosphere was tense.
This was the beginning of their martial path.
Lin Sheng stood quietly near the edge of the square.
His black robes fluttered lightly beneath the morning wind as he calmly observed the gathered crowd.
Among them, he recognized several familiar faces from the Spirit Testing Hall months ago.
Some of those children who had failed the tests were absent.
It seemed many had chosen the easier path.
To descend the mountain.
To marry.
To have children.
To continue the bloodline in hopes that future descendants might possess spiritual roots.
Compared to the brutal martial path, such a life was far safer and more comfortable.
The martial path demanded constant tempering of the body, fierce battles, and injuries that could cripple a person for life. Even then, martial artists still possessed shorter lifespans than immortal cultivators.
Most people naturally chose comfort.
Very few chose hardship.
Lin Sheng quietly understood this.
As he stood there, his thoughts drifted toward Old Liang's previous teachings.
"The prerequisite for the martial path is root bone and age."
Martial cultivation relied heavily on the body's development. Once a person aged too much, their bones and meridians would become fixed, greatly reducing future growth potential.
That was why martial training usually began around twelve years old.
The earlier one started, the better.
While pondering this, Lin Sheng suddenly noticed a familiar figure standing not too far away.
Lin Shou.
The youth looked much thinner than before.
His clothes were wrinkled and his face appeared exhausted, as if he had not rested properly in days. Yet despite his ragged appearance, his eyes carried a stubborn determination.
A determination that had not disappeared.
Lin Sheng's gaze shifted slightly.
Three youths were walking toward Lin Shou.
Judging by their expressions, they clearly did not come with good intentions.
One of them sneered loudly.
"Lin Shou, you should give up pursuing Su Yun already. You're not even worthy to clean our Young Master's shoes."
The other two immediately laughed mockingly.
Lin Shou remained silent.
His fists tightened slightly, but he did not speak.
Seeing no reaction, another youth stepped forward with a grin.
"Our Young Master told us to relay a message."
He deliberately paused before continuing.
"Su Yun's family has officially agreed to the engagement."
The moment those words entered his ears, Lin Shou's body visibly stiffened.
His eyes widened slightly.
For a brief moment, pain flashed through them.
But he still endured it.
The three hooligans exchanged glances before continuing arrogantly.
"Young Master promised to properly take care of Su Yun."
"So you should learn to give up."
They waited for Lin Shou to explode in anger.
Unfortunately for them, Lin Shou only lowered his head silently.
Though his fists trembled slightly, he still restrained himself.
Seeing this, the three looked disappointed.
After laughing mockingly once more, they finally turned and left.
Lin Sheng watched quietly from the side.
"It was wise not to attack," he thought inwardly.
This was still a mortal city under the Lin Family's jurisdiction.
Mortals formed the foundation of cultivation families.
Without mortals, where would future cultivators come from?
Because of this, the family enforced strict rules regarding violence inside the city.
Minor fights could lead to heavy fines.
Serious incidents might even result in crippled cultivation or expulsion.
Lin Shou enduring humiliation instead of acting impulsively was the correct decision.
Still...
Lin Sheng's expression became slightly strange.
"No talent."
"Lost childhood lover."
"Offended a young master from the same clan."
Why did this situation feel strangely familiar?
The thought only lasted a moment before he dismissed it.
"Probably coincidence."
Around the square, many youths had been secretly observing the scene like it was entertainment. When no fight broke out, most lost interest and turned away disappointed.
Time slowly passed.
The morning sun gradually rose higher into the sky.
After nearly an hour of waiting, the air suddenly changed.
A powerful gust of wind swept across the square.
Dust scattered violently.
Before the gathered youths could react, a sharp screech echoed from above.
SCREEEECH!
Many instinctively looked upward.
Then their faces turned pale.
A gigantic winged beast descended from the sky.
Its wings stretched over ten meters wide, casting a massive shadow over the square below. Dark feathers gleamed beneath the sunlight while its sharp golden eyes scanned the crowd like a predator observing prey.
The pressure released from its body was terrifying.
Some weaker youths immediately stumbled backward in fear.
Others turned pale and trembled uncontrollably.
Even breathing became difficult.
Lin Sheng narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Demonic beast..."
But what truly caught his attention was the figure standing atop the beast's back.
A man.
Tall and broad shouldered.
His arms were folded calmly as if standing atop such a ferocious creature was completely ordinary.
The man suddenly tapped the beast lightly.
"Xiao Yi, calm down."
"Don't scare them to death."
As if understanding human speech, the eagle-like beast let out a dissatisfied snort before slowly retracting most of its aura.
The suffocating pressure immediately weakened.
Only then did the gathered youths manage to breathe properly again.
The man leapt down from the beast's back.
BOOM!
His figure landed steadily before the crowd.
The moment Lin Sheng saw his face clearly, recognition flashed through his eyes.
It was the Martial Guardian who had visited Old Liang previously.
The same man who guarded Cloud Mist Market.
Most of the gathered youths still looked frightened.
Some were even sweating heavily.
The Martial Guardian swept his gaze across everyone casually.
Internally, he seemed slightly surprised.
"This batch isn't bad."
"Quite a few remained standing after Xiao Yi released its aura."
His gaze briefly lingered on three individuals.
The cold girl who had remained expressionless throughout the entire ordeal.
Lin Sheng.
And Lin Shou.
Especially Lin Sheng.
The Martial Guardian could vaguely sense unusual calmness from the boy.
Not arrogance.
Not fearlessness.
Simply... calm.
The Martial Guardian smiled faintly before speaking loudly.
"Those going for martial training."
"Get on."
"And don't waste my time."
The moment those words fell, the gathered youths hesitated.
Climb onto that beast?
Many instinctively swallowed nervously.
The eagle's sharp claws alone were larger than human heads.
If it suddenly became hungry halfway through the journey...
Some immediately imagined horrifying scenes.
Fear naturally appeared.
While everyone hesitated, a figure suddenly moved.
A young girl around twelve years old walked forward calmly.
Her expression remained cold and indifferent, as if none of the others mattered.
Without hesitation, she grabbed onto the giant eagle's feathers and began climbing upward.
Her movements were swift and steady.
Not even a trace of fear appeared on her face.
The Martial Guardian nodded slightly in approval.
Immediately afterward, Lin Sheng also stepped forward.
Compared to the others, his expression remained calm.
He lightly grabbed onto the beast's feathers and climbed upward steadily.
The feathers felt surprisingly hard.
Almost like steel.
Lin Sheng silently estimated that ordinary weapons probably could not even pierce this creature's defenses.
After him, Lin Shou clenched his teeth and followed as well.
Seeing three people climb up so quickly, the fear in the others weakened significantly.
One by one, the remaining youths finally gathered their courage and began climbing.
Though many still moved carefully while trembling.
A few almost slipped midway.
Eventually, everyone climbed aboard.
The giant eagle let out another loud screech.
The Martial Guardian leapt back onto its head before glancing at the crowd.
"Sit tight."
The next moment—
BOOM!
Massive wings spread outward.
A terrifying gust of wind erupted across the square.
Then the gigantic beast shot upward into the sky.
Many youths screamed instinctively.
Some grabbed onto nearby feathers desperately while others shut their eyes tightly.
The mortal town below rapidly shrank.
The houses became tiny.
The people below looked like ants.
Clouds drifted around them as they ascended higher and higher into the sky.
Lin Sheng remained seated calmly while observing the scenery below.
The Eastern Region truly was vast.
Countless mountains stretched endlessly across the land like giant dragons slumbering beneath the heavens.
Forests filled with ancient trees covered the earth.
Occasionally, he could even sense dangerous auras hidden deep within certain mountain ranges.
Demonic beasts.
Spirit beasts.
The world of cultivation was far more dangerous than ordinary mortals imagined.
The wind roared around them continuously.
Several youths gradually adapted to the height and finally dared to open their eyes.
Expressions of excitement slowly appeared.
Flying.
This was flying.
Even if they relied on a demonic beast, this experience alone was enough to leave a lifelong impression.
Lin Shou stared at the world below silently.
The previous depression in his eyes seemed slightly reduced.
As for the cold girl, she remained expressionless from beginning to end.
Lin Sheng quietly observed everyone before withdrawing his gaze.
Instead, he focused inwardly.
Inside his sea of consciousness, the white dwarf continued rotating silently while the eight star points revolved around it steadily.
Ever since entering the Entering Samadhi realm, his mind had become far clearer than before.
His comprehension.
Reaction speed.
Mental strength.
All had improved significantly.
At the same time, the upgraded chip continuously operated within his consciousness.
•[Environmental scan active...]•
•[Detected high altitude wind pressure...]•
•[Detected lifeform: Wind Feather Eagle.]•
•[Threat Level: High.]•
Lin Sheng silently ignored the notifications.