The sky was just beginning to brighten as Lin Yun once again slipped back into his room, unseen and unheard. For more than a decade, he had returned at this time almost every day.
Because he used Spiritual Qi to temper his body, a full night of cultivation hadn't left Lin Yun feeling tired at all. In fact, he felt energized.
After washing up in his room, Lin Yun left as he always did and headed for the dining room.
When he arrived at the dining room, Lin Xiaotian and Zhang Jingxiang were already there. Servants were bringing out plates of breakfast. Seeing Lin Yun approach, Zhang Jingxiang smiled lovingly. "Yun'Er, hurry and eat."
At her words, Lin Yun went to his mother's side, and the family enjoyed a warm, happy breakfast together.
"Yun'Er, after breakfast, come with me to the army's Martial Arts Training Ground," Lin Xiaotian said abruptly in the middle of the meal.
Lin Yun remained calm at his father's words, but Zhang Jingxiang was clearly displeased. She shot Lin Xiaotian a cold glare. "Look at you, what kind of father are you? Why do you insist on forcing Yun'Er to go to that wretched place? Are you telling me you don't know how your subordinates' sons bully him?"
The "wretched place" Zhang Jingxiang spoke of was, of course, the army's Martial Arts Training Ground. It was the largest training ground in all of Iron Gate Pass, used for the soldiers' daily drills.
As the supreme commander of Iron Gate Pass, Lin Xiaotian and his Vice Generals had started a tradition in their spare time. Every year, on the eighth day of the eighth month, each of their families would bring their children to the army's Martial Arts Training Ground to spar. The adults would also put up their own treasures as rewards.
This tradition, as Lin Yun recalled, had begun when he was ten years old. Over the past eight or nine years, it had evolved into a grand event at the army's Martial Arts Training Ground. Every year on August 8th, numerous civilians and soldiers would gather to watch.
Watching his parents argue, Lin Yun felt rather helpless. It couldn't be helped. When the competition first started, he took first place almost every year. But as time went on, his cultivation method, different from everyone else's, led to slower progress in his Realm. Naturally, he could no longer compete.
The last two or three years had been even worse. Nearly all of his peers had broken through to the Opening Realm. At only the Eighth Layer of the Body Refining Realm, Lin Yun was no match for them at all.
Because of this, the children of Lin Xiaotian's Vice Generals all secretly despised Lin Yun. A few who particularly disliked him had even humiliated him to his face.
"Jingxiang, we old brothers have held this August 8th tradition for nearly a decade. How can I be the one to break it? Having Yun'Er go is for his own training. Look at the others' sons—they're already approaching the Fifth Layer of the Opening Realm!" As the argument escalated, Lin Xiaotian grew angry, his voice rising as he spoke to Zhang Jingxiang.
But Zhang Jingxiang wasn't the least bit intimidated by the furious Lin Xiaotian. Refusing to yield an inch, she shot back, "That's enough! Do you have any idea how they humiliate Yun'Er? Can't you, his father, show a little more concern for your own son?"
Hearing Zhang Jingxiang's words, Lin Xiaotian fell silent. He knew, of course, that Lin Yun was being humiliated. But as a Grand General, he believed that 'if my son suffers a loss and his old man has to step in to settle the score, I, Lin Xiaotian, would lose all face.'
'After all, Lin Yun is being humiliated by his peers. He can only blame his own lack of strength.'
The one thing that gratified Lin Xiaotian was that whenever Lin Yun was humiliated outside, he never complained about it at home. He had never once mentioned it to his father. Lin Yun bore it all alone.
Seeing his parents' endless bickering, Lin Yun had no choice but to interject. "Mother, it's alright. I'll go with Father to watch for a bit and then come back. I'll be fine."
Hearing this, Zhang Jingxiang's expression changed. She shot Lin Yun a look that clearly said, 'Are you a fool?' Lin Xiaotian, however, roared with laughter. Now that their son had spoken, there was nothing Zhang Jingxiang could do, no matter how much she disapproved.
"Fine, fine, I won't interfere. Yun'Er, just be careful." Since Lin Yun himself had spoken up, Zhang Jingxiang didn't press the matter. However, she shot a glare at Lin Xiaotian, her tone laced with threat.
"You'd better watch our son closely. If anything happens to Yun'Er, you know the consequences."
At Zhang Jingxiang's words, Lin Xiaotian gave a sheepish laugh. If anyone else were to see the expression on this famous Grand General of Yanhuang Country, their jaws would hit the floor.
After breakfast, free from Zhang Jingxiang's opposition, Lin Xiaotian easily led Lin Yun out of the Lin Mansion. They each mounted a fine steed and rode swiftly toward the eastern side of Iron Gate Pass.
As a strategic border fortress of Yanhuang Country, Iron Gate Pass had several times more soldiers than civilians. Of its 1.2 million inhabitants, one million were soldiers.
The remaining two hundred thousand civilians were mostly farmers from the surrounding mountains, who had gradually moved into the fortress after its construction.
After all, it was much safer here than in the mountains, and they would be under the protection of Yanhuang Country's soldiers.
In less than a quarter of an hour, Lin Yun and his father arrived at the army's Martial Arts Training Ground. As soon as they dismounted, two soldiers came forward to take their reins. The father and son then strode into the training ground.
As they entered the Martial Arts Training Ground, soldiers snapped to attention and greeted Lin Xiaotian in unison wherever he passed.
"The General is here..." As they reached the center of the Martial Arts Training Ground, eight of Lin Xiaotian's Vice Generals hurried over to greet him. Trailing behind them were more than a dozen youths of about Lin Yun's age.
The eight Vice Generals were all extremely courteous to Lin Xiaotian. The youths behind them, however, looked at Lin Yun with nothing but disdain and mockery in their eyes.
This group of over a dozen youths, both male and female, all saw Lin Yun as nothing but trash. Eighteen years old and still only at the Eighth Layer of the Body Refining Realm.
"To think that piece of trash actually came to compete. How shameless," one of the youths muttered under his breath.
Though the voice was quiet, it was heard by those nearby. The youth's father immediately forced an apologetic smile, bowing to Lin Xiaotian and offering apologies before turning to scold his son.
The youth looked defiant as his father scolded him. A flash of anger crossed his mocking face, and his gaze toward Lin Yun was now tinged with hatred.
Lin Xiaotian didn't dwell on the matter. He led the group to the chairs at the edge of the Martial Arts Training Ground, then waved a hand and announced in a deep voice, "Let's begin."
At his command, the youths began to prepare. The matchups would be decided by drawing lots. The top three finishers would all receive a reward—prizes jointly contributed by the eight Vice Generals and Lin Xiaotian himself, so they were guaranteed to be impressive.
"I hope I draw that good-for-nothing, Lin Yun."
"Hey, you got him last year. It's my turn now."
As they prepared to draw lots, every one of them was praying they would be matched with Lin Yun. In their eyes, Lin Yun was synonymous with one word: victory.