And just like that, the two left, arms slung over each other's shoulders. Before they went, Wang Meng carefully tucked the handwritten copy of the Nourishing Essence Technique into his robes. He cherished this manual dearly—it was his first Magical Artifact and contained his first Cultivation Technique.
"We're not going home 'til we're drunk tonight!" Wang Meng boomed with gusto, finally seeing the light of day again.
"To celebrate Brother Meng coming out of seclusion!"
"Bullshit! We should be celebrating you getting into the Holy Hall's Arrow Sect. The Bow Cultivators are about to get one more fatty Divine Shooter!" Wang Meng laughed.
Zhang Xiaojiang's parents weren't Cultivators, but his family was much better off than Wang Meng's. That didn't stop the two from becoming the closest of friends, though. It was mainly because when they were kids, Wang Meng always stood up for the Little Fatty whenever he got bullied. That kind of childhood bond is the most special. But for all his chubbiness, Zhang Xiaojiang's innate talent was actually better than Wang Meng's. He was born with a Fourth Layer of Life Mark and was accepted directly into the Arrow Sect of the Thunderlight Holy Hall Branch. Rumor had it his eyesight was exceptional.
'Maybe in three years, it'll be Zhang Xiaojiang looking out for me.' Wang Meng felt a pang of disappointment, but he quickly shook it off. 'It's a good thing for my brother to have a promising future. Besides, I still have time. Hard work can change anything!'
Returning to the Thunderlight City District that day, Wang Meng and Zhang Xiaojiang really did get completely hammered. The Little Fatty didn't say much; as Wang Meng's best friend, he knew his buddy had been determined to enter the Holy Hall since childhood. Wang Meng worked harder than anyone, but sometimes fate just loved to play cruel jokes. The irony was, he himself had a Fourth Layer of Life Mark. If he could, the fatty really wished he could trade places with Wang Meng.
In the middle of the night, the two returned to Zhang Xiaojiang's house, arms around each other. It was a gift from his father, a reward for the fatty getting into the Holy Hall. It was said that there had been several grand banquets just to celebrate. For the wealthy, having a Cultivator in the family brought even more prestige and status.
In the eyes of ordinary people, the Holy Hall was first-class, and everything else was second-rate.
The fatty was out the moment he hit the bed, his thunderous snores filling the room. The Little Fatty was happy. He thought his life was perfect just as it was—peeking at pretty girls bathing with Wang Meng, getting into brawls, and being chased all over town. It was great.
As he dreamed, the thought of getting into the Holy Hall when Wang Meng couldn't made the fatty clench his chubby little fists. He mumbled, "Brother Meng, you said you'd help me conquer the Holy Hall and pick up all the pretty girls... Waaah... Hu Jing's legs are so nice. I really wanna touch 'em."
With that, a river of drool gushed out and soaked his pillow.
Wang Meng, however, lay with his eyes wide open, unable to sleep. Tomorrow would decide his fate. Deep in his bones, he was not one to ever admit defeat.
「The next morning」
Early the next day, the two arrived at the Thunderlight Hall Branch. Wang Meng felt a surge of longing as he watched the Holy Hall disciples walk by in their distinctive white robes.
Hundreds of people were still waiting in line outside for the re-evaluation. The wait felt endless. Neither Wang Meng nor the fatty said a word. The atmosphere was suffocatingly tense, and it wasn't just them; everyone felt it.
Watching the re-evaluation candidates come out one by one with their heads bowed, some even bursting into tears on the spot, the fatty grew even more anxious. Wang Meng, on the other hand, was fine. The more critical the moment, the calmer he became.
Wang Meng had a clear plan and a simple goal. 'Even if it doesn't work out this year, I'll just cultivate on my own for three years. I'll have the fatty as my inside man, anyway.'
"Number one hundred and thirty, Wang Meng."
Wang Meng took a steadying breath, squared his shoulders, and walked in.
Two Holy Hall Elders sat inside the room. They were clearly a higher rank than the examiners from the initial test, as each wore four golden Sword Star emblems on his chest. A person had to reach the tenth layer of Life Mark just to earn a single one of those emblems.
The Elder on the left, who had a large beard, glanced at Wang Meng. "Throw a punch," he said flatly.
Wang Meng's Second Layer of Life Mark was obvious at a glance to experts like these.
Without hesitating, Wang Meng walked steadily to the testing wall and slammed his heavily bandaged fist into it. He had given it his all over the past month. He felt no anxiety, no regrets.
The two Elders exchanged a look, a faint smile appearing on their faces. "How did you spend this past month?"
"I practiced the Nourishing Essence Technique, over and over again. I want to enter the Sword Sect!"
The Sword Sect was undoubtedly the pride of the Holy Hall.
Wang Meng held his head high and stated his goal loudly. He didn't think it was anything to be ashamed of.
The two men's gazes fell on Wang Meng's bandaged hand.
The Elder on the right, whose sharp gaze marked him as a Bow Cultivator, asked coldly, "Oh? You've got quite the mouth on you. My question is this: what is the most important thing in cultivation?"
"Talent," Wang Meng said crisply.
"And what talent do you have to speak of?" Elder Big Beard on the left asked, intrigued.
A Second Layer of Life Mark was far too ordinary in the Holy Hall; at best, it would qualify him for menial labor.
"Persistence!" Wang Meng declared without a hint of hesitation.
The two examiners exchanged a look and shared a faint, noncommittal smile. Elder Big Beard gave a casual wave of his hand. "You may leave."
Wang Meng's fists clenched. He took a deep breath and bowed. 'I know,' he thought. 'Shouting slogans is useless without real improvement. But I'll be back in three years! I definitely will!'
Just as Wang Meng was about to leave, Elder Big Beard suddenly said, "Kid, don't forget to report to the Sword Sect in three days."
Wang Meng froze solid. He spun around in disbelief, jaw hanging open, and pointed at himself. He had thought it would be perfectly normal to be rejected; after all, he'd obtained a Cultivation Technique and trained bitterly for a month without any sign of progress.
The other Arrow Sect Elder waved his hand impatiently. "Don't block the way. There are still many people behind you."
"SWORD SECT, HERE I COME!!!!"
With a thunderous roar, Wang Meng bolted out the door. The many people still waiting outside watched the ecstatic boy, their faces a mixture of envy, jealousy, anxiety, and worry...
The fatty was pacing nervously by the door, even more stressed than Wang Meng had been. His back was soaked with sweat. Before he could even react, Wang Meng grabbed him and nearly yanked him off his feet.
"The S-Sword Sect? You really got in???" The fatty still hadn't recovered from the shock; it felt like a dream.
"Your Brother Meng either doesn't join, or he only joins the Sword Sect!" Wang Meng declared, striking an ultra-cool pose.
He hadn't even finished the pose before the Little Fatty hoisted him onto his shoulders. "Holy crap, Brother Meng, I worship you even more now! If someone with a Second Layer of Life Mark can get into the Sword Sect, then pigs really can fly!"
Zhang Xiaopang immediately earned a knuckle sandwich on his forehead. "Damn it, you little punk! So you thought I had no hope all along, huh?"
"Ahem, ahem, it was a slip of the tongue, wasn't it? Brother Meng, we're bros, so give me the inside scoop. What did you bribe those two Elders with? Was it a beautiful woman? No, that can't be right. Even if she was beautiful, there's no way she'd be into you."
"Why you little...! Zhang Xiaopang, getting into the Arrow Sect has made you bold, huh? Don't run! I'm gonna help you loosen up those bones and lose some weight today! Stop right there! You're still running!"
The two brothers dashed away in a flash, leaving behind a crowd full of envy, jealousy, and resentment.
Over the course of the entire day, only a handful of people passed the re-evaluation, and all of them were admitted to the more obscure sects. Getting into the Sword Sect via re-evaluation wasn't unheard of, but it was about as rare as hen's teeth.
The big-bearded man was a Sword Sect Elder named Xu Huang. Staring at the fist mark Wang Meng had left on the testing wall, he couldn't help but shake his head and burst out laughing. "So fools like that really do exist in this world."
"Cultivation has always been a fool's errand."
The Talisman Sect Elder chuckled. "Still, you've got some nerve. Letting a Second Layer of Life Mark into the Sword Sect through the re-evaluation... People are bound to say you're just grandstanding for attention."
"Hmph. Like I give a damn what they say," Xu Huang said dismissively.
Heaven and Earth are not benevolent; they treat all of creation as straw dogs. Cultivation, at its heart, is an act of defying the heavens to seize power and extend one's life. Who but a "fool" would attempt such a thing?
The Nourishing Essence Technique was never meant to raise one's Life Mark Level. Its purpose was to strengthen the stability of the Life Mark and enhance the output of Elemental Power. It was just that Wang Meng had been so focused on his level that he hadn't noticed.
*(Favorites, Recommendations, Clicks—don't skimp on any of them! That's a form of persistence too!!!)*