Deep green mountains and crystal clear rivers, the scenery is endlessly beautiful!
A young man clad in coarse robe, with a vigorous look on his face, reclines beneath the tree outside a thatch roofed cottage, gazing at the sunset.
An elder in a green robe came forward, kicking the young man's foot.
"What's the matter? I've done everything you've requested. All the firewood for our house is piled up like a mountain," the young man pointed at the woodpile behind the cottage.
The elder didn't say anything. He went to the woodpile and, under the surprised gaze of the young man, lit it.
"We're leaving today. Didn't you want to learn swordsmanship? The opportunity has come. But first, we need to go somewhere," the elder finished speaking and led the young man away from the cottage to a canyon.
In the canyon was a solitary grave with an unmarked tombstone in front.
"Old man, whose grave is this?" the young man asked while looking at the elder.
The elder turned his head towards the young man, "Did you kick this tombstone a few times before? I'll tell you now, this is your grave!"
The young man was full of surprise. He pointed at the grave, then at his own chest.
"That's right, it's your own grave. Fourteen years ago, I passed by this place and found signs of life inside, so I dug you out and have raised you for fourteen years!" The elder said, looking at the young man.
The young man was utterly shocked, "Old man, are you saying that I, Qin Chu, was not picked up by you, but dug out by you?"
"Yes, there is a jade pendant on your neck with the character 'Qin', and 'Chu' is because the sun was just beginning to rise that day, so I gave you the name 'Qin Chu'. I have other things to do and have already wasted fourteen years, I can't afford to waste more, so I'm telling you everything today," the elder spoke.
After listening to the elder's words, Qin Chu fell silent, then bowed deeply at the elder, "Qin Chu thanks you for raising me these fourteen years!"
"Years ago, there was a sword wound on your body that went through your chest. You survived because there was a drop of holy blood in your body. You must remember this and not mention it to anyone, it could mean your death," the elder said, looking at Qin Chu.
Afterward, the old man told Qin Chu that the stone coffin that buried him was chiseled out by swords. The people who buried him seemed to be in a rush, possibly fleeing from a pursuit. The injuries on Qin Chu's body were the results of their pursuers. As for finding out about his past, the jade pendant was a clue. Another method was to go to the Qingyun Sect. There is an elder named Mo in the Qingyun Sect who is skilled in divination and might be able to deduce what had happened fourteen years ago.
"For the past fourteen years, I had you take medicinal baths every day. The holy blood in your body has grown. In addition, you must continue to practice the heart method I passed to you. As for your relentless desire to learn the sword art at the Qingyun Sect, go ahead! However, you should know that meeting Elder Mo is difficult and requires qualifications. Without the credentials that command respect, why would they help you? Also, you're blindly searching for your past now, not even knowing how you'll die. If you want to survive, first make yourself stronger, at least know where to find food tomorrow!" The old man faded away into the sky after finishing his words.
After the old man left, Qin Chu stood in front of the tombstone and reached out to touch it, saying, "No matter who buried me, I must say, you guys are really bold to bury me alive!"
With a chuckle, Qin Chu returned to the thatched cottage and packed a few clothes. Tying them over his shoulder, he vanished from the cottage. He was off to the Qingyun Sect.
A figure could be seen running between the mountains, swift as a cheetah. It was Qin Chu, the one who left the thatched house.
Any beasts that blocked his path were beaten to death with a single punch, even the tigers.
In the Southern Flame State, the Qingyun Sect was the only sword sect in the region, a sanctuary for swordsmen. Every time the Qingyun Sect recruited disciples, tens of thousands wanted to join, but the requirements were strict. Only one in a hundred could make it.
The annual recruitment of the Qingyun Sect had ended. There were those who were happy, and those who were upset. The hopeful teenagers that were not accepted by the Qingyun Sect left with disappointment.
A young man carrying a bag on his back arrived at the gate of the Qingyun Sect, "Why are there so few people for the Disciple Acceptance Festival?"
The disciple guarding the Qingyun Sect looked at him as if he were a fool. "The Recruitment ended yesterday. What do you think?"
Hearing the words of the Qingyun Sect disciple, the young man smacked his forehead. Despite rushing, he was still late. This young man was none other than Qin Chu.
"Brother, could you pull some strings? Make an exception?" Qin Chu said while rubbing his hands. He had no choice. If he didn't join the Qingyun Sect today, he wouldn't know where to get dinner. He couldn't possibly starve.
"What are you thinking? What qualifications do you have to make us, Qingyun Sect, break the rules? Who do you think you are?" the disciple of the Qingyun Sect glared at Qin Chu.
Qin Chu tousled his slightly messy hair. With a flash of his body, he punched the disciple guarding the gate to the ground, "Insult me? Let's settle it with fists." Living in the mountains, he had faced numerous fierce beasts. The solution was always to throw a fist. If his punch was hard enough, the opponent wouldn't dare to show its claws and fangs.
The disciple guarding the gate fell to the ground, clutching his stomach, and curled up like a shrimp.
Just as the Qingyun Sect disciple who was watching the mountain gate was about to speak, two middle-aged men appeared from within the gate.
"Brother Lu, I trust you to take care of my younger son." One of the middle-aged men bowed towards the other, before leaving Qingyun Sect.
The remaining middle-aged man looked at Qin Chu, “You fought at the gate of the Qingyun Sect?”
"He insulted me, it wasn't wrong to hit him, right?" Qin Chu took a step back, adjusting his position. If this middle-aged man was about to fight, he had to be prepared.
"He insulted you, that's his mistake for sure, but one cannot fight at the gate of Qingyun Sect, that's forbidden! You're just a child, I am willing to let it go, what brings you here?" The middle-aged man sized up Qin Chu before asking. Seeing the man had no intention of fighting, Qin Chu relaxed, "I want to join the Qingyun Sect and hope for some leniency, maybe an exception can be made?"
"The Qingyun Sect's initiation ceremony has already ended. Our Sect has countless years of history and tens of thousands of disciples. We aren't a small clan, do you think we can make an exception for you?" The middle-aged man chuckled.
"You should make an exception, because in the future, the Qingyun Sect will pride itself because of me." Qin Chu looked at the man and said.
"You say that the Qingyun Sect will pride itself because of you?" The man remained silent for a moment before responding.
"That's right, that's what I, Qin Chu, am saying!" Qin Chu pat his chest affirmatively.
"Elder Lu, please don't take his foolish talk seriously, I will drive him away right away!" The gatekeeper he previously knocked down crawled back up and spoke.
Elder Lu thought for a while, "The disciple assessment period is over. Even if it wasn't, it's uncertain if you would pass or not. However, because of what you said earlier, I will give you a chance. Will you serve as a miscellaneous disciple?"
"Why wouldn't I accept!” Upon hearing the successful outcome, Qin Chu was thrilled. So what if he was a miscellaneous disciple? At least he would have a place to have dinner tonight.
Elder Lu led Qin Chu into the Qingyun Sect, taking him to the Miscellaneous Duty Building and giving him a brief rundown before leaving.
Qin Chu escorted Elder Lu out of the building, "Thank you, you won't regret your decision today."
"Not bad, but you have a bad habit of resorting to violence!" Elder Lu glanced at Qin Chu before leaving. He warned Qin Chu, but inwardly he thought Qin Chu's spirited character was quite commendable, and that was the reason why he decided to keep him.
Under the arrangement of the hall manager, Qin Chu was taken to the area where the Qingyun Peak chores disciples live by the fellow workmen disciple.
The area where the chores disciples live has many disciples coming and going, and nobody pays attention to Qin Chu.
Before long, a very fat chores disciple handed Qin Chu a broom and asked him to work.
After working for a little while, Qin Chu was scolded several times by the fat chores disciple.
After dinner, when it was time to assign the sleeping quarters, Qin Chu was confused. The fat chores disciple had a room for himself while he was crammed into a room with several others.
"How are we chores disciples being managed by the sect? Was this fat guy arranged by the higher-ups?" Qin Chu asked a weak chores disciple who was lying beside him.
"No, he can fight, and we can't beat him, so he naturally became the leader. Moreover, he can manage things, and the law enforcement of the Chores Hall is naturally pleased to see this." The weak chores disciple replied.
For the next two days, the fat chores disciple kept yelling at Qin Chu, which displeased him greatly.
Just as Qin Chu sat down, the fat chores disciple came over, "Qin Chu, go clean the outer disciples' latrine."
"I won't go, you go if it needs to be done!" Qin Chu was unwilling to do such a menial task like cleaning toilets.
"Are you asking for a beating?" The fat chores disciple raised his fist to hit Qin Chu.
Qin Chu took a step back, then lunged forward, his fist landed on the fat chores disciple's stomach, knocking him over. He then climbed on top of him and punched him in the eye, "Starting from the Chores Hall, there's nothing I can't do!"
