Chapter 4: Angong Mountain Trials {I}

Fei Hong managed to stand up despite his wobbly legs. He had a foggy memory of what happened to him. But the piercing marks on his chest where sharp claws had left their marks, reminded him of his close encounter with the dread beast that appeared from nowhere.

Looking to his right, he saw the body of a horned leopard, impaled on the crude spear he had crafted for himself. A horned leopard! He had killed a horned leopard? Fei Hong couldn't conceal his joy, but knew he was extremely fortunate to have the leopard landed directly on the spear. He could have been totally dead by now.

He brought out a knife and quickly removed the core of the beast, hiding it away. Watchful of the approaching nightfall, Fei Hong tied the body of the horned leopard to a rope he made from a nettles fibre. With his strong body, Fei Hong was able to move quite fast while dragging the body of the beast. Outside of the forest, Fei Hong hid the body of the beast, and ran with all his might towards the village alchemist's house.

"What?! A high grade core?!" The alchemist looked at the boy in utter disbelief. He couldn't belief how a boy with no awakening could kill a high level horned leopard. There was no way he could do that. Slowly, he asked. "Where's the body?"

"I hid it somewhere."

"Do you mind selling it to me? I'll have your money, and the medicine ready before tomorrow morning. I assure you."

Fei Hong left happily. His parents would soon recover. That was a reason for celebration. He was coming back home when he heard the sound of a village cryer shouting.

"Honour to the Sacred Swords!"

Sacred Swords?! Fei Hong suddenly became happy. This Sacred Swords Sect was the largest sect in the Wutan Empire. Every five years, around a hundred new disciples would be selected from the surrounding towns and villages. If they could enter Sacred Swords Sect, they would be taught by the master. This opportunity was as rare as the Sacred Secrets of Life!

So Fei Hong heard the news and rushed forward to join the small queue waiting to put down their names. When it was his time to sign up, he quickly arranged himself and patted his patched garment. "I want to sign up! My name is Fei Hong!"

"Huh, who do you think you are?!" One of the people present asked him.

"It turned out to be the village fool, Fei Hong!" Another answered.

"Haha...you dare come here to sign up?! Are you not ashamed of yourself having no awakening?! Haha!"

"Yes, I have no awakening, but I still show my face to sign up! Haha..."

Oher people around were watching all this with great excitement. After all, they all had self awareness of their strength and limited abilities. The knew that even if they signed up based on their own abilities, they would only be embarrassed. So, they didn't want to sign up. But now, when they saw the slightly strong boy, but with no blood awakening, they laughed heartily.

"The stupid Fei Hong, he came to sign up. Hehehehe!!!"

The male Sacred Swords disciple who was in charge of the signing up was dressed in a dark yellow costume with a Sacred Swords seal embroidered on his chest. He was about to write Fei Hong's name in the registration book when he stopped. He was startled when he heard the laughter of the people around him. He looked up and saw Fei Hong biting his lips but with a tough face. He couldn't help, but frown. Eventually, he wrote down Fei Hong's name and then raised his head. "Fei Hong, you'll come to Angong Mountain tomorrow. You must be there before the rising hour."

Fei Hong nodded, and thanked him. He turned and left silently, away from the rising laughter of the people around. Soon, Fei Hong returned to his disarrayed home. His white-haired grandfather was reminiscing alone in the yard. Fei Hong knew that his grandfather didn't want to be disturbed at this time, so he didn't say a word, crept around and entered the house.

Fei Hong looked at his parents and shook his head. "Very soon. Pa, ma." He had done everything needed to make his parents well again. Fei Hong's mood improved.

Just as he was about to say something, a cold voice suddenly came from outside the door: "Going to the Angong mountain tomorrow, aren't you?! I don't agree with that!"

The sound of the voice made Fei Hong look startled. The voice was familiar, yet strange. And who could have known about him putting downnhis name for the trials. Well, words spread fast. He stared at the door of the house to see who was coming in. The person who came in was his grandfather. He had thought his grandfather was reminiscing outside.

"Grandfather..." Fein Hong screamed in a hurry and stepped aside.

"Hm." The white-haired grandfather responded, and his long white beard flayed slightly. He sat on the wooden chair in the hall with his hands in his sleeves, looked at Fei Hong and asked, "Are you really going to the Sacred Swords?"

"Yes, grandpa." Fei Hong nodded: "I want to try. If I can really join the Sacred Swords Sect and become an external disciple of the Sacred Swords Sect, then there will be masters who will teach me, and maybe it will wake me up. Our heritage of the bloodline..."

Before Fei Hong finished speaking, Grandpa interrupted him, "No, I don't agree! Hong, why don't you think about it? With your situation and qualifications, it is impossible for you to wake up the so-called blood inheritance in your body. You should forget about it and continue with your life. Our family of four is calm and peaceful. How nice to live a quiet life, why bother to cling to those things outside of you. If you had this potential, how could you fail for ten years in a row! Moreover, look at your parents. They are very sick. Who'll take care of them?"

"Grandpa, I just want to be strong and change my future. And you don't need to worry about father and mother. Ive taken care of it. They'll be well soon." Fei Hong's expression was softly firm. "Grandpa, I want you all to live a good life."

Flurry of colour appeared in Grandpa's eyes. During awakening, the inheritance of bloodline was the dream of everyone in Wutang Continent. Fei Hong had been praying for a way to awaken his soul and possibly to activate his bloodline since the time he failed it as a child. And now...

"Hmm, I understand Hong. I was only worried for you and the family. Go to the sect. They'll help you to awaken the bloodline, and then to hone it, if successful. As I said, your grandpa is just worried about what will happen to you. After all, the Angong trial is not for ordinary people, as you already know. Although I myself did not inherit the ancestral bloodline, I awakened my blood when I was younger than you. It is not really a cultivation practice, but it could lead to that. Yes, we are still humans. But after living for most of your life, you'll come to an understanding of these things. Hong, know these things."

After that, the old man stood up, and walked out of the door. His legs slightly trembling. He sat in front of the massive oak tree and continued to reminisce.

Fei Hong smiled and went to cook dinner. The following morning, he went to see the alchemist. He collected the medicine and the money as promised. After giving the medicine to his parents, Fei Hong was extremely happy when he saw its immediate effect on his parents. He had done it. Nobody needed to worry now, not even his grandfather. Now, he could face the sect trials with a peaceful mind.

Before dawn the next day, Fei Hong started his journey on the road to Angong Mountain. It was almost two hours away from Fei Hong's house, and he was required to arrive before the rising hour. But at the speed he was going, Fei Hong knew it would take at least three hours for him to get there.