Chapter 002: Kaiyang Bieyuan

The horse let out a long cry in pain, its front legs lifted off the ground while its hind legs pushed forcefully, charging forward. Whether intentional or not, the direction of the horse's charge was precisely towards where Chen Qian was located

Therefore, this time, as the first introductory event after the war, the competition is naturally very intense, but it is also a rare opportunity

When the number of people in the training ground increased to nearly sixty, the old man suddenly turned his head and, in a slightly hoarse voice, said to the young man beside him, "Alright, it is getting late; we can begin now"

As soon as he finished speaking, Guo Hou seemed unwilling to give Chen Qian a chance to retort, stuffing the silver into the other party's hand before turning to leave

At this moment

Brother Mo Lu ... ...

Noticing the expression on his younger brother's face, Xia Feijian smiled faintly: "This is good. Although the Chen family escort agency has established itself independently, it ultimately belongs to the same clan as that old man Chen Zhenliang. They are all part of the Ma Su faction, posing a potential threat to our Daxi. If we can suppress and keep them in check, I believe my father will be very pleased."

Listening to Guo Hou's introduction in his ears, Chen Qian walked silently down the street, looking around. His memory was quite good; he could remember the roads and terrain he passed through very clearly in a short time.

The young man dressed in an extravagant cloak was none other than Xia Feijian, whom I had encountered earlier on the road. Beside Xia Feijian stood the young man in blue, Mo Lu, whom I had just seen.

Chen Qian glanced at Guo Hou and suddenly asked, "Senior Brother, tell me honestly, how much silver did my family spend in total for me to participate in this initiation ceremony this time?"

Watching the distant figures of several people fade away amidst the dust, Chen Qian felt as if the anger in his chest was about to explode. However, the fleeting images of his parents in his mind forced him to suppress the impulse within.

As they walked, Chen Qian's anger gradually subsided, but neither of them noticed the faint glow emanating from the red bead around his neck, a gift from his father, which had appeared when Chen Qian was agitated.

Only after the two approached did they finally hear what was being argued about in front of the door

He slowly surveyed the people around him and coldly stated: "Without silver offerings, one cannot participate in the initiation ceremony. This is a decree personally set by the sect leader and is documented. If anyone is dissatisfied, they may challenge me to a duel"

Guo Hou was still repeating his words, which Chen Qian had already understood in his heart. At this moment, Guo Hou was merely trying to relieve Chen Qian's stress. However, seeing his somewhat stiff expression, it was evident that he was even more nervous than Chen Qian.

Withdrawing his gaze, Chen Qian was guided to the training ground, where more than forty individuals were lined up and standing in formation. In front of these forty individuals stood three people.

Everyone was taken aback by the words, but before they could react, Xia Feijian's new words were once again spoken: "Then, the sparring officially begins now. Those whose names are called, step forward..."

The same time

How can this be reasonable! A few years ago, I saw others participate in this introductory course, and there was no entry fee required. Not to mention any admission qualifications!

"Second Brother, rest assured, I am well aware of the situation. That young man just now is Chen Qian from the Chen Family Escort Agency in the city, nicknamed 'Chen Erceng.' This fellow has been stuck at the second level of the mortal realm for several years, which shows that his talent and strength are quite mediocre. He is the perfect opponent for me, especially since I am about to take charge of the business of the Hanzhou Escort Agency..." Xia Feitan said, his expression calm and confident.

"Disciple, that is the Kaiyang Courtyard, our destination for this trip," Guo Hou remarked as he noticed the ancient gate. "Strange, why are so many people gathered at the entrance? It seems there is even a dispute."

A few cries of anguish rang out, and those crowded at the door suddenly fell to the ground, their clothes stained with blood

Noticing Chen Qian's expression, Xia Feitan became even more arrogant. He laughed and said, "Chen Ercheng, considering that we have some acquaintance, I will kindly remind you: it is best to bring more silver when you go to the Kaiyang villa this time, as it will surely be useful! Haha!"

Chen Qian

On Wuqiu Mountain, the Kaiyang Sect stands out, with one sword surpassing the three absolute champions of the Northwest

The distances from the eight counties to Hanzhou vary, some being closer and others farther, but generally, they are all within a day's journey. Among the eight counties, Chixian is adjacent to Hanshui, making travel by water more expedient. Additionally, Chixian is the closest to Wuqiu Mountain, thus attracting a considerable number of merchants and travelers.

Xia Feijian lowered his head and replied, then raised his head and stepped forward, standing directly in front of several rows of people. He scanned the crowd and said: "Ladies and gentlemen, you have all spent a considerable amount to be here, which shows that both you and your families are very sincere! Originally, with your expenditures, you could have entered the sect directly, but as you can see, there are too many people here today, and the sect cannot accept everyone. We can only select the best, so you need to demonstrate your abilities here!"

Seeing the mocking smile on Xia Feitan's face, Chen Qianxin felt a surge of anger. At that moment, the senior brother Guo Hou, who was riding nearby, suddenly spoke up: "The person beside Xia Feitan is his second brother, Xia Feijian! Junior brother, do not act impulsively"

"You need not ask too much about this; since you are already here, junior brother, you must work hard and not disappoint the master’s wife." Guo Hou said as he took out several pieces of broken silver from his pocket. "Given the situation just now, you will certainly need money once you go in. Do not be pretentious; take this silver, and along with the broken silver the master’s wife gave you, it should be sufficient. I will return to the inn and wait for you."

Chen Qian spoke, his gaze skipping over layers of people, landing on a courtyard gate not far away

What?

Xia Fei Tan

At this moment, Xia Feitan and a few others, who had originally been standing behind Chen Qian and the others, turned and left, leaving only a few triumphant smiles behind.

A young man with a stern appearance walked out from within the door, standing tall. He wore a cap with a swastika pattern and a blue robe, holding a long sword, which was stained with blood

With a single word spoken, Xia Fei Tan raised the whip and struck his mount forcefully.

A few people who remained in place immediately quickened their pace to catch up

Chen Qian is here today to formally join the Kaiyang Sect. Now that he has encountered an official disciple of the Kaiyang Sect, he must naturally refrain from acting impulsively

Is it really the case that we traveled all this way, only to lose our eligibility just because we didn't pay?

At this point, Xia Feijian curled the corner of his mouth into a smile: "This demonstration and the method of the books are quite simple. We are all martial artists, and we entered this path to practice martial arts. Therefore, today we will pair up two by two to spar with each other, and the victor will gain entry into the sect"

Turning my head, what caught my eye were seven or eight mounted riders occupying more than half of the road

The man known as Mo Lu paid no attention to the two individuals, merely observing the people around him. Blood dripped from the long sword in his hand, and in an instant, the originally noisy crowd began to disperse.

After about the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, the crowd gathered in front of the door had dispersed, leaving only a few individuals behind, among them was Brother Chen Qian.

The Kaiyang Sect is one of the Seven Sword Alliances of Zhongzhou, and has been a renowned major sect in the Northwest since ancient times. Except for the years of chaos in the North following the Great Stream's entry into the pass seven years ago, an initiation ceremony for accepting disciples is held every five years.

After the person finished speaking, the two young men with swords hurriedly stepped forward to pay their respects

Behind the training ground lies a corridor surrounded by greenery, through the layers of branches and leaves on the corridor, one can faintly see several ancient houses.

Endure! You must endure! Only by joining the Kaiyang Sect and obtaining the breathing techniques can you rapidly enhance your cultivation, making steady progress, and truly eradicate these insults! A gentleman takes revenge; ten years is not too late. What matters is having the strength to seek revenge

A sudden change occurred, and the originally bustling crowd fell silent, everyone holding their breath and looking towards the door.

During the introductory period, the Kaiyang sect, located around Wuqiu Mountain, will select disciples from the various Kaiyang branches in several county towns within a few days, choosing the most outstanding and sincere candidates to join the sect

Although this group of people is also dressed in vigorous attire, their garments are luxurious and opulent, subtly radiating brilliance, clearly made of silk. The horses they ride are also quite magnificent, and each person's face is full of vitality. A group of individuals gathers together, exuding a robust spirit, truly a sight of fine clothes and spirited horses

Xia Feitan, the third son of the prominent Xia family in Hanzhou City

Corresponding to the ancient and quaint door and wall, there is a group of people in front of the door. A few simply dressed men can be seen debating something with two young men carrying swords.

Xia Feijian, the second son of the Xia family, is said to have nearly reached the peak of the Mortal Realm. More importantly, Xia Feijian joined the Kaiyang Sect several years ago and is a formal disciple

What are you arguing about

Behind him, Guo Hou looked at Chen Qian's somewhat slender figure, sighed, and followed him.

After clearly seeing the figures of the three individuals, Chen Qian's pupils constricted slightly; he had already encountered two of them before.

"Senior Brother." Noticing that Guo Hou wanted to repeat himself again, Chen Qian could no longer hold back and interrupted him, "You know this is the first initiation ceremony after the war, many of the original precautions and experiences are no longer applicable. Now, the Kaiyang Sect has undergone significant reforms through the efforts of Da Xi, and it is already different..."

Yes, Master

A male voice came from within the door, followed by a flash of cold light from inside the residence

In addition to Hanzhou, which serves as the capital, there are eight directly governed counties.

At the forefront were two young men who bore a slight resemblance to each other. The younger of the two was of a similar age to Chen Qian, his face adorned with a mocking expression; he was none other than Xia Fei Tan.

Upon hearing these words, Chen Qian in the crowd felt a heaviness in his heart

This red county is the location of the Kaiyang Branch within the territory of Hanzhou

Ah! Ah! Ah!

Vendors of various kinds gathered along both sides of the street, and for them, the biennial entry-level event in the Northwest felt much like the imperial examinations, with a constant flow of people, presenting a prime opportunity to make money

Mo Lu glanced at the few people left behind and nodded: "You should have already paid the entrance fee. Therefore, those participating may follow me into the side courtyard. Those who wish to accompany them must pay an observation fee." After saying this, he turned around and, with his wide sleeves billowing, stepped away.

The mocking voice came from behind Chen Qian; upon hearing this voice, Chen Qian knew without turning around who had spoken.

The noise grew increasingly loud, and the crowd became more and more agitated, pressing towards the gate of the residence. Some individuals even appeared ready to resort to violence, while the two young men with swords blocking the entrance showed signs of slight panic on their faces

Herod!

Chen Qian consciously entered the ranks, positioning himself on the periphery. It was at this moment that he spotted Xia Feitan's figure in the crowd. The young master of a wealthy family was looking at him with a perplexed smile, which made Chen Qian feel a vague sense of unease in his heart

Compared to Chen Qian's horse, Xia Feitan's horse was evidently stronger. This sudden impact immediately startled Chen Qian's mount, causing it to become somewhat agitated and nearly throw Chen Qian off its back. It was only after the latter tugged at the reins a few times that the horse calmed down

That was when Xia Feitan's smile grew even broader

Inside the courtyard, the first thing that catches the eye is a spacious and expansive training ground, which occupies a considerable area

The smile of Xia Feitan is inexplicably strange, could it be that he has some plans? However, the Kaiyang Sect is after all a major sect, could it really allow him to carry out any schemes?

As the words fell, the two brothers, along with their servants behind them, quickened their pace a few more notches

This Kaiyang villa is indeed a spacious courtyard

There is no reason for this, is there not!

Third brother, this time my master is personally coming to preside over the initiation ceremony at this branch estate. This is a rare opportunity, so you must perform exceptionally well, in order to skip the outer disciples and directly rank among the inner disciples.

As he pondered, Chen Qian instead calmed down, waving his hand to stop his senior brother, who was about to offer words of comfort: "Senior Brother, it is getting late; we should hasten our journey." Having said this, he mounted his horse and set off.

Chen Qian looked at his senior brother's back, expressionless as he clenched his fists. He then turned and stepped into the courtyard, subsequently writing his name on the desk behind the door. After matching it with the record, he handed a silver coin to the scribe as a gratuity before entering.

Beside these two individuals stood an elderly man, approximately fifty years of age, wearing a small crown and a gray long robe. His complexion was rosy, with two small mustaches above his lips, and his eyes were narrow like slits, glimmering with a sharp brilliance.

Chen Qian was taken aback by the words and a hint of vigilance emerged in his gaze as he looked at the person beside Xia Feitan

The outer wall of the courtyard is simple and elegant, clearly showing its age, while the plaque in front of the door is inscribed with four large characters that depict flying dragons soaring in the wind

After Chen Qian stood still, several people arrived one after another

In front of Chen Qian and his brother, Xia Fei and his brother were riding their horses while engaging in loud conversation

Kaiyang Bieyuan

Hanzhou is a city comprising eight counties