As the mechanism clattered into motion, several metal platforms extended from the mountainside beside the training hall, facing the cliff. Each platform was only wide enough for one person, and a finger-thick rope hung from its edge.
The boys and girls exchanged bewildered looks. Those who were quick enough to understand what the platforms were for immediately turned pale.
Xu Mo emerged from the room and frowned slightly at the disciples in the training hall. “What are you staring at? Hurry up and get down there!”
One boy swallowed and asked nervously, “Instructor Mo, are we… supposed to go down from here?”
Xu Mo’s face darkened. “Obviously! Did you think I activated the Spiraling Dragon Ropes just to give you something to look at?”
A girl edged toward the cliff and peered down. Jagged rocks littered the ground far below, and the dizzying height made her retreat at once. “Instructor Mo, we could climb down the mountain…”
“Climb down, my ass!” Xu Mo exploded. “You useless lot! Nobody’s telling you to jump. Don’t you know how to slide down the Spiraling Dragon Ropes? Every one of you has at least reached the third level of Qi Refining, yet you’re scared of a little height?”
The girl bit her lower lip, clearly unhappy about being scolded, but the dizzying drop still made her take several steps back.
“Move! Stop wasting time. Anyone who refuses to go down needn’t bother coming back tomorrow!” Xu Mo roared. Everyone present fell silent with fear.
These young people had been admitted to the training hall not merely because they belonged to the Xu family, but also because they possessed fairly good talent. A cultivation clan’s strength ultimately depended on the number of cultivators it had. Being expelled by Xu Mo would mean giving up their opportunity to cultivate immortality, something neither they nor their parents would accept.
Entering the training hall was an honor, whereas being expelled from it was a terrible disgrace, practically equivalent to being thrown out of the family.
While many still hesitated, a few of the bolder disciples had begun walking onto the metal platforms.
As Xu Mo had said, aside from Xu Zirong, who had joined later, even the weakest among them had reached the third level of Qi Refining. Sliding down a cliff with ropes posed no real danger to them. But all their previous training had taken place inside the training hall, and the sheer height of the cliff frightened them when they saw it for the first time.
Once the first person went down, others followed. After three or four boys slid down the Spiraling Dragon Ropes without injury, the remaining disciples began lining up and descending in an orderly fashion.
Xu Ziyan looked from the ropes to Xu Zirong and grew worried. Strictly speaking, Zirong had only been exposed to cultivation for a day (not really!), and his body had not yet been strengthened through cultivation. Asking him to use the Spiraling Dragon Ropes now was rather too much, but exempting him would break the Xu family’s rules.
Although Xu Zirong had joined the training hall halfway through, everyone was treated equally once admitted. Xu Ziyan could give him a little extra help within the rules, or even help him cheat a bit, but allowing him to take a different route down the mountain was simply out of the question.
“Zirong, if you’re scared, hold on tight to Big Brother and close your eyes, all right?” Xu Ziyan instructed him softly. He could think of no better solution than carrying Zirong down himself. Their combined weight might pose a small risk, but he doubted it would be anything serious.
Xu Zirong looked at him and nodded. “I understand, Big Brother.”
“Good boy. Don’t think about anything else. Just hold on to me.” Xu Ziyan took Zirong by the hand and led him to a metal platform. More than half the disciples had already descended, while those remaining were inching toward the edge under Xu Mo’s intimidating gaze.
Xu Ziyan took a length of rope out of his storage bag and tied himself securely to Xu Zirong. Xu Mo pretended not to notice this half-cheating arrangement. After all, Zirong had been there for only a day, and letting an eight-year-old slide down alone would be a problem if anything happened.
Xu Zirong held tightly to Xu Ziyan. The older boy’s body gave off a gentle warmth. Perhaps because Zirong cultivated the Blood Sea Heart Scripture, his own body temperature was somewhat low. He usually took little notice of it, but embracing this enormous ‘hot-water bottle’ filled him with an inexplicable sense of attachment.
It felt comfortable and warm. The arms wrapped around him were not yet particularly strong, but they held him with unmistakable resolve.
Xu Zirong knew that Xu Ziyan would never let him fall. He could not explain where that certainty came from, but he believed it all the same!
“Hold tight!” Xu Ziyan murmured. He hooked his wrist around the Spiraling Dragon Rope and leaped off the cliff.
Xu Zirong was not afraid of the height, but he closed his eyes anyway, enjoying the weightless sensation of descending at high speed.
The arm around his waist held him tightly. Pressed against Xu Ziyan’s chest, he could even feel his heartbeat: one beat after another, strong and steady, brimming with life. It was an oddly captivating sound.
“There, we’re down. Uh… Zirong, what are you doing?” Sliding down the rope had taken little time. Xu Ziyan felt only a slight jolt on landing because of their combined weight, nothing that could even be called a minor injury.
But then…
What was Zirong doing?
Xu Ziyan was baffled. The small child lay against his chest with narrowed eyes and an expression of utter contentment. If this were modern times and Zirong were a woman, he might have assumed he had said something sweet enough to move her. But neither the setting nor the person fit that explanation. So what on earth was Zirong doing?
“Have we landed already?” Before opening his eyes, Xu Zirong had carefully composed himself. Looking innocent and a little surprised, he said, “We’re already down? That was fast!”
Xu Ziyan thought nothing more of it. He set Zirong on the ground and moved aside to leave enough landing space for those following them.
Xu Zirong felt a little disappointed. Such a strong, vigorous heart… If he killed Xu Ziyan and refined his blood, he could probably reach the third level of Qi Refining in one go. Unfortunately, he still needed to remain with the Xu family, and things would become terribly troublesome without Xu Ziyan’s protection.
He certainly did not believe that his so-called ‘father’ would transfer his hopes to him if Xu Ziyan died. It was more likely Xu Xiao would make him accompany Xu Ziyan to the grave.
Quietly withdrawing his covetous gaze, Xu Zirong suppressed the violent urge that had suddenly risen within him. Really… this savage impulse kept emerging whenever he let his guard down. He had forcibly suppressed it last time, but if he did not find some way to ease it soon, it might burst out on its own.
Well, this outing was a good opportunity to vent. The Forest Sea was full of demonic beasts. As long as he could get away from Xu Ziyan for a little while, catching a low-level demonic beast or an ordinary animal would be no trouble.
“Let’s go. We’ll head this way.” The girl and the two other boys had also slid down the ropes, and they walked toward Xu Ziyan, who was waiting nearby.
Since Xu Ziyan had taken the initiative to join their team, everyone tacitly accepted the girl as its leader.
Her name was Xu Zijing. The two boys following her were Xu Zixue and Xu Ziluo.
Neither boy liked talking much. In fact, all three, including Xu Zijing, tended to keep to themselves. Their branch of the Xu family was not very powerful and ranked near the bottom of the clan.
No matter how united a family might be, comparisons and competition among its branches were inevitable, particularly among its young members.
The training hall had its fair share of little cliques, but the three of them stayed outside those circles and rarely mixed with the others.
Xu Ziyan rather admired their attitude. Most of the other children were still too young to see beyond their small corner of the Xu family and had already begun forming factions. These three siblings, however, knew exactly what they wanted. They stayed out of petty factional struggles and concentrated on cultivation. With enough strength, all that scheming would amount to nothing.
The group of five soon headed deeper into the Forest Sea. Its outer reaches were intended for weaker disciples. Apart from Xu Zirong, the other four were at the fourth level of Qi Refining or higher, so there was no point wasting time there.
After entering the forest, they stopped suppressing their auras. With several cultivators of their strength present, demonic beasts at the fourth level of Qi Refining or below would not dare approach.
Without beasts harassing them, they advanced quickly. Xu Zijing had prepared thoroughly beforehand.
She had somehow obtained a map of the Forest Sea’s outskirts and carefully marked several areas where demonic beasts were active.
“Shh!” Xu Ziyan was the strongest of them and had the keenest senses. Footsteps in the distance immediately put him on alert.
The instant he reacted, Xu Zijing and the other two took up defensive positions.
Xu Ziyan mentally congratulated himself once again on choosing such reliable teammates. Had he joined a group of flatterers instead, he might already have been close to tears.
“Who’s there?” Xu Zijing shouted.
The footsteps stopped abruptly. Then bushes rustled in the distance, and a disheveled boy came running out.