The square in front of the Lishuijian Sect was crowded with people. Not only the old, middle-aged and young disciples from the outer courtyard of the Jianzong came here to watch the triennial advancement conference, but also the young students who had just started and were less than ten years old.
Children, all come here too.
Every time they hear the passing chants coming from the stage, everyone from adults to young children have a strong feeling of jealousy in their eyes.
When the person who passed the test jumped off the high platform with great energy, some people who were familiar with him immediately rushed to the front desk and surrounded him, flattering and complimenting him profusely, wishing they could marry him immediately.
"Next, Ye Feng!" The supervisor elder's loud shout came from the high platform.
As the sound fell, the entire square fell silent at the same time. However, this silence only lasted for less than a few seconds before it was drowned out by a sound as noisy as ocean waves.
"Bah, it's this idiot again. It's been ten years and he's still gotten nothing. I really don't know what the elders in the sect were thinking back then, to take in such an idiot."
"Not only are they idiots, but even idiots can achieve some success after spending ten years cultivating the soul of the sword. How can they be like him and stay at the first level for ten years?"
"Hmph, this guy actually has the nerve to take the test. If I remember correctly, this is the third time he has come to take part in the test. In my opinion, this waste will probably be the same as the previous two times, still stuck in Sword Soul One.
Level realm."
People's cynicism flooded Ye Feng's thoughts like a tide, and the ridicule, disdain, and contempt in their eyes pierced his body like a knife, making his heart tremble violently.
Facing the familiar fellow disciples beside him, Ye Feng's expression was neither sad nor happy, and he looked at everyone as if he were looking at a stranger.
It has been ten years. Except for the fact that when he was eight years old and entered the Lishui Sword Sect as a genius sword cultivator and was fawned over by the people around him, every day of the following nine years was not spent in the laughter of everyone. If he had
If he really took these sarcastic remarks to heart, he might have been pissed to death nine years ago.
"Is this the face of human nature? Is it because they all came to fawn over me because of my outstanding talent, so when I was desperate, I trampled on my dignity so hard?" Ye Feng glanced at the crowd beside him, holding up his hands.
He clenched his fists and stepped onto the test stand with clenched teeth.
On the ten-meter-high platform, there was only the supervisor and an ocher boulder half a meter high. Seeing the supervisor indicating that he put his palms on the trial stone, Ye Feng rolled up his sleeves and slowly stretched out his palm towards the boulder.
The palm of his hand touched the boulder, and immediately a red brilliance flashed on the surface of the boulder. These brilliance were only a little weaker than the firelight. Just when Ye Feng was about to increase his strength, the brilliance on the boulder jumped a few times and suddenly went out.
The elder supervisor looked at the boulder that had returned to the ocher color, his eyes full of disappointment. Immediately, his expression returned to his stern look again, and he read loudly: "Ye Feng, Soul of the Sword, Level 1! Eliminated!"
The elder's announcement made everyone in the audience burst into laughter. Some disciples who had successfully advanced and obtained the qualifications to enter the inner courtyard looked at Ye Feng with contempt.
And those who also failed to advance, but had great achievements, instantly changed from being crestfallen to being arrogant, with bursts of ridicule coming out of their mouths.
"Trash, get down. The trial platform is not the place you should be. Go back to farming."
"Farming, if you let such a waste go farming, you are looking down upon him. If you don't allow him to farm, the result will be no harvest in ten years."
The sinister sarcasm caused everyone around to burst into laughter. The sound of the words reached Ye Feng's ears, which made his facial muscles jump twice and he clenched his fists harder and harder.
"I'm sorry, elder, for disturbing you." Even though his heart was full of mixed emotions, Ye Feng still bowed to the supervisor elder.
After saying a hasty farewell, Ye Feng jumped off the high platform and turned around to leave Qianshan Square amid people's laughter.
After walking out of the square, Ye Feng let out a long breath and his expression became depressed.
He is not a saint, so he cannot face everyone's ridicule without any fluctuations in his mood. He knows very well that the more humble and cowardly he is in front of others, the more intense the ridicule will be. In the Li Shui Sword Sect, which speaks with strength, no one
I will sympathize with him as a weakling. If he wants to fight back, the best way is to practice hard and prove that he is not a waste.
Looking back at the still crowded square, Ye Feng clenched his fists again. At this moment, he secretly swore that one day he would make those who laughed at him speechless and unable to raise their heads in front of him.
After walking through the deep path in the woods on one side of the square, Ye Feng came to an unusually open forest glade.
A simple wooden house was built in the open space, with stacks of neat logs placed around the house. At this moment, there was a burly, dark-faced, tiger-headed young man waving an ax and splitting the wood hard.
The boy who chops firewood is called Luo Hu, and he is a child of an Orion family at the foot of the Lishuijian Sect. Luo Hu's job on weekdays is to cut trees in the Lishuijian Sect, while Ye Feng's job is to split the trees logged by Luo Hu into firewood.
, sent to the kitchen.
Chopping firewood and logging trees was originally a servant's job. As a disciple of the outer courtyard of Ye Feng's Lishuijian Sect, he didn't have to do this work. However, it was precisely because he had not made any progress in his ten years of cultivation that the elders in the sect
His attitude towards him plummeted, causing him to go from being the sect's key training target to becoming a servant.
Hearing the footsteps, Luo Hu raised his head and saw that it was Ye Feng coming back. He immediately threw the ax aside, smiled and walked forward, saying: "Brother Ye, you are back. How about this test, you will definitely succeed."
Advance and meet the standards to enter the inner courtyard?"
Luo Hu's enthusiasm made Ye Feng look a little ashamed. He shook his head, walked quickly to the tree stump, grabbed the axe, and chopped down the log in front of him fiercely.
There was a "click" sound, and the five-foot-long log, as thick as a bucket, was cut open in the middle.
Seeing Ye Feng splitting such a thick log with an axe, Luo Hu was so shocked that he couldn't help but gasp.
"Brother Ye, it doesn't matter if you can't enter the inner courtyard. A person with extraordinary knowledge like you will definitely have a great future. Even if you don't enter the inner courtyard of the sect, it won't be a big deal." Luo Hu comforted him.
Luo Hu's comfort warmed Ye Feng's heart. Looking up at this kind and simple companion, Ye Feng's eyes showed a soft light.
He stood up and entered the wooden house. After walking out, Ye Feng already had five more porcelain bottles of golden sore medicine secretly made by the Li Shui Sword Sect in his hand.
After casually stuffing the porcelain bottle into Luo Hu's hands, Ye Feng whispered: "Luo Hu, I failed to advance this time. I'm afraid I will be expelled from the Li Shui Sword Sect soon. Then I will no longer be able to get golden sores for your father."
Take the medicine and take care of yourself from now on."
"What? Will the Li Shui Sword Sect chase you down the mountain?" Luo Hu stood there in shock, not knowing what to say.
He went up to the mountain at the age of thirteen and has been chopping firewood with Ye Feng for five years. When he first heard that this friend who had never stopped giving him medicine for sores in the past five years was leaving, he couldn't help but feel extremely disappointed.
"No, no way. The Li Shui Sword Sect brought you into the sect with great fanfare, so how could they expel you from the sect? Where should you go after leaving the Li Shui Sword Sect?" Luo Hu muttered absentmindedly.
Suddenly, Luo Hu's eyes lit up, and he pulled Ye Feng and said, "If you have nowhere to go after going down the mountain, you can go to my house. Although our family is just an ordinary hunter, we are not short of food for one person. If you are willing, I will ask my father to
Teach you hunting skills, and you will definitely become the best hunter by then."
Ye Feng smiled and patted Luo Hu on the shoulder with a lonely expression. Let alone the fact that the first genius of the Lishui Sword Sect was to be assigned to Orion, I am afraid that the Lishui Sword Sect would not agree to it, not to mention that he could not accept this fate.
If he is really kicked out of the gate, he will definitely be prohibited from staying within a radius of three hundred miles from the Water Sword Sect. And from the moment he leaves, he will never be able to mention the sect to anyone again.
Seeing the mist rising in Luo Hu's eyes, Ye Feng couldn't bear it in his heart, and said casually: "Actually, I am not certain to be expelled from the Sword Sect. If I pass the examination of the disciples who come down from the mountain in three months, I can pass the Soul of the Sword
Once you reach the fourth level of cultivation, you will be left in the sect."
Hearing that Ye Feng still had a chance, Luo Hu's face was filled with joy. He nodded vigorously and said: "Yes, brother Ye, your cultivation level will definitely reach level four in three months, and you will definitely be able to stay by then.
"
Speaking of this, Luo Hu seemed to suddenly remember something and said again: "Since you will be assessed again in three months, why not leave the work of chopping firewood to me during this period. Don't worry, I will never delay the kitchen.
Use firewood and people will punish you."
Luo Hu's words made Ye Feng very tempted. Indeed, splitting firewood delayed his cultivation to a certain extent. Although he was not sure that he could improve his cultivation to the fourth level of Sword Soul within three months, he still wanted to
Give it a try, even if you don't succeed in the end, you won't regret it.
"Okay, starting tomorrow, I will go to Nanshan Water Pool to practice, and I will leave the wood chopping to you. Don't worry, I won't treat you badly these days. All my subsidies for the past three months will be recorded in your name."
Ye Feng said.
"This..." Luo Hu wanted to refuse, but when he saw Ye Feng's determined look, he swallowed back the words. He just thought in his mind that he would return the subsidy to Ye Feng in at least three months.