He looked at the young girl with red-rimmed eyes and offered his final words.

His heart softened. He knew the hardships of the Martial Dao and didn’t want her to have to suffer through them.

"Mm!"

Xu Qing lowered her head, biting her lip, afraid she would start to cry.

The two had depended on each other since childhood. To her, Xu Yang was both brother and father. If he hadn’t worked himself to the bone to support their family, she would have starved to death somewhere long ago.

Now that they were parting, she felt as if her whole world was collapsing.

"Don’t worry, Senior Brother. I’ll help take care of Xiaqing. I’ll make sure no one bullies her," said Qiu Wenjie.

Xu Yang thanked him, then turned to Zhou Shunchang. "Take care, Uncle. I’ll have to trouble you to look after Xiaqing."

With that, he gave a deep bow.

"You can go without any worries," Zhou Shunchang said with a smile.

He knew this journey was Xu Yang’s Dragon Ascension—a monumental opportunity. Unlike Xu Qing, he wasn’t sad; on the contrary, he was happy for him.

"Junior Brother Xu, it’s time to go!" Sun Tao’s voice called out from a distance.

Xu Yang looked over. Many of the others were already mounting their horses, ready to depart.

"Take care!"

He swung himself onto his horse and began to ride away.

"Brother, take care!" Xu Qing cried out from behind him.

Xu Yang waved, then urged his horse onward until he was beside Sun Tao.

Sun Tao was dressed in martial attire with a sword strapped to his back.

Beside him, Lin Wei’s hair was tied up, and she also carried a sword.

After a short wait, all the candidates were mounted, and the column of riders set off at once.

The party of sixty or seventy riders stretched for several hundred meters, kicking up clouds of dust.

’This is torture!’

’As the horses picked up speed, the dust only got worse. The riders at the front were fine, but everyone in the back was eating dust—and it looked like they’d be eating it for days and nights to come.’

After just a short while, Xu Yang could feel a layer of grime on his face and had no choice but to form a barrier with his True Qi to keep the dust out.

At the front of the column were men dispatched by the Government Office, responsible for escorting them to the Purple Sun Sect and verifying their identities.

Their leader was a man named Li He, commander of the Qingyuan County City Guard Army. He was also said to be a disciple of the Purple Sun Sect—and not the kind who washed out and left, like Lin Cheng.

In fact, rumor had it that Li He was still an active disciple, his name recorded on the Purple Sun Sect’s official roster.

He led the way on a magnificent white horse. Around noon, the group arrived at a mountainside tea stall.

"Dismount and eat your rations."

Li He leaped off his horse, tossed the reins to a subordinate, and was the first to sit down at the tea stall.

By the time Xu Yang and the others had tethered and fed their horses, all the seats at the tea stall were taken. They had no choice but to pool their money for a pot of tea and sit on the ground, gnawing on their dry rations.

The stall offered hot meals, but with so many customers arriving at once, it was overwhelmed. The group didn’t have time to wait, so the dry rations would have to do.

"Senior Brother Sun, how much longer until we reach the Purple Sun Sect?" Zhang Yong asked while gnawing on his rations.

Riding for so long was hardly enjoyable. Between the thick dust and the constant need to circulate True Qi as a barrier, he was already at his limit after just half a day.

Sun Tao mumbled, "Another five or six days."

He was exhausted as well, feeling like his body was about to fall apart.

Hearing it would be another five or six days, the faces of the others fell. They could barely handle half a day; another five or six days felt like it would take half their lives.

"Commander Li, could you tell us a little about the Purple Sun Sect?"

Meanwhile, those with both power and status, like Cao Rong and Yun Feng, had taken a seat at Li He’s table and were beginning to ask about the Purple Sun Sect.

Martial Arts Sects were mysterious, and rumors about them were scarce in Qingyuan.

Xu Yang had asked Lin Cheng before, but Lin Cheng had been extremely tight-lipped, as if forbidden from speaking on the matter.

Li He swept his gaze over their eager faces. "Very well. There are some things I can tell you now. You can use the next few days on the road to consider how you’ll proceed once you enter the Sect.

"The Purple Sun Sect is comprised of the Four Peaks, each with its own unique heritage.

"The main peak is Tianquan Peak, the seat of the Sect’s power. Every Sect Leader has come from Tianquan Peak, which specializes in Sword Techniques. Those of you who placed in the top three of the examination will be given priority to join Tianquan Peak and study under an Elder, but only after you complete the three-year trial period as an Outer Disciple.

"Next is Li Fire Peak, which focuses on Fist and Palm Techniques. Its Secret Technique, the Li Fire Technique, is a Divine Skill that cultivates both the internal and external. Its heritage is no weaker than Tianquan Peak’s. The peak also has a tradition of weapon forging, and the benefits for its disciples are second only to those on Medicine King Peak, which specializes in Alchemy.

"Medicine King Peak is the wealthiest of the Four Peaks. Its disciples specialize in Alchemy, the cultivation of Spirit Medicines, or the healing arts, making them all quite affluent. However, its Secret Technique, the Cyan Wood Technique, is somewhat lacking in offensive power, making it a good choice for those who dislike conflict.

"But this peak is highly sought after, and admission is difficult for the average person.

"The fourth is Beast King Peak, which focuses on Saber Techniques and tempering the Physique. Its disciples are the most battle-hungry, and it has the highest mortality rate of the Four Peaks.

"Beast King Peak excels at raising Exotic Beasts and is responsible for supplying the Sect with their blood and flesh. If you want your Cultivation to advance by leaps and bounds and aren’t afraid of risk, then Beast King Peak is the top choice."

Everyone listened, considering their own circumstances and thinking about which peak they should aim for.

Xu Yang immediately set his sights on Medicine King Peak. ’Its disciples aren’t adept at combat, which makes it the perfect place to lay low. But according to Li He, getting into Medicine King Peak is very difficult.’

Cao Rong asked, "Must one be an Outer Disciple for three full years before they can enter a peak?"

’Outer Disciple,’ he thought. ’Sounds like a beast of burden.’ He was a young master of the Cao Family, accustomed to a life of luxury. How could he possibly stoop to doing grunt work for others?

Li He nodded. "The greatest techniques are never taught lightly. Even a genius with an Upper Grade A Root Bone must spend three years in the Outer Sect contributing to the Sect. Only then can you become an Inner Sect Disciple, enter a peak, and enjoy the real benefits."