“Finally, Du Clan is recruiting guards."
"Du Clan is planning to take in twenty new guards. The minimum requirements for it is for one to be sixteen years of age, physically strong and healthy."
"A Du Clan guard is paid ten xuanbi every month whereby a Captain Guard's pay is fifty xuanbi, much higher compared to the other families’.”
"This is an excellent opportunity! Once one is selected as a Du Clan guard, there might be a chance to learn Du Clan’s martial skills if we performed well."
In the lively streets of Stone City, several burly men exuded an imposing air; dressed in a smart-looking clothes and they were putting up a big red notice on the wall, attracting a crowd to gather towards them as the crowd whispered amongst themselves.
The leader of the group of men was a muscular man riding on a handsome steed which was deep red in color and had a pair of twin horns on its head. Looking at the crowd that had gathered, the leader announced. "Tomorrow morning, Du Clan is holding an open tryout to recruit new guards. As long as someone can take three moves from the Du Clan main descendant[2] juniors and remain undefeated, they are eligible to become Du Clan's guard. Whoever that is capable of defeating or coming to a draw against them, the position of Captain Guard is open for them. There are only twenty places on a first come first served basis."
A trace of pride and arrogance were evident in the leader's sharp eyes; Du Clan has quite a standing in Stone City. Being a part of Du Clan, it is inevitable for them to feel proud.
When the words came out and the notice were put up, the leader and the men hopped on their horses in a neat and tidy fashion, speeding away in the streets in parallel lines.
"The one riding the Blood-sweat Dragon Horse[3] is Du Clan’s Deputy Commander, Du Qi. I heard that he is a Xiantian Warrior."
"If my cultivation is also at the Xiantian level, within the walls of Stone City, I can even walk sideways, I'll see who still dares to find trouble with me."
"You better pray that you do well tomorrow and get selected. Although Du Clan juniors’ are young, each and every one of them is strong. Not many people can withstand three moves from them. Xiantian level cultivation? You’re dreaming, not anyone can reach that level."
"Hey hey, tomorrow, I’ll surely be selected as Du Clan’s guard."
Within the crowd stood a tall and unshaven man with tanned skin. Smiling mysteriously in front of his partners, his voice was low as he said, ”Let me tell you guys a secret, as long as you can become a Captain Guard, there's a chance to cultivate Du Clan’s martial skills. Not only that, there are future opportunities to integrate into Du Clan entirely.”
"Blackie, you’re not lying to us right? A Captain Guard being practice Du Clan’s martial arts skills?" The tall guy’s several companions were shocked and was followed by envy.
The tall man called Blackie boldly guaranteed, saying, "I have a distant relative that is part of Du Clan, do you think I’ll need to lie to you guys."
"You actually have relatives inside Du Clan. Tomorrow, I'm sure that you'll definitely be selected." Those nearby who heard their conversation had turned to look at Blackie, the envy in their eyes increased a notch.
The news that Du Clan was recruiting guards had garnered a lot of attention; as the new force that emerged in Stone City in recent years, they were already included in the rankings of Stone City's five most prominent families. Naturally, they had their every move observed by rivals.
It was dusk. Thick and heavy clouds in the sky shrouded the city, in the horizon the sun smoldered like a fireball whereby strips of crimson splendor seeped through the gaps in the clouds falling on the mountains.
Stone City was situated close to the Wild Beast Mountains, near to the empire's border often experienced beast tides. The residents here struggled for survival, one of the reasons why the residents raised in Stone City all practices martial arts and possessed exceptionally sturdy physique. The five big families were considered as old heritage martial families.
"Deng! Deng!"
Several horses galloped at high speed causing dust to swirled up into a small tornado the streets, leading the group on the Blood-sweat Dragon Horse up front is Deputy Commander of Du Clan, Du Qi.
Behind Du Qi, a big fellow tilted his head to check the time, and then turned around and said to the several mates with him, "The thirteenth day, anyone dares to bet five xuanbi if that fool young master is still there?"
"That fool seem to get even sillier recently, very likely he’s is still there, I bet he is."
"It had been thirteen days that fool should've gone; the previous record was only ten days, so I bet he’s gone."
Five xuanbi was an ordinary guard’s half month wages which greatly tugged at the heartstrings of these several men. Evidently, this wasn't the first time bets were placed. Each person took out five xuanbi, passing it into the hands of the burly man that initiated the bet.
"Pay attention to your attitudes, although that person isn’t favored by the family and his behavior might be rather strange, however, don’t say I did not warn you, he is, after all, a Du Clan young master, your master. If one day you get into trouble because of this, I will not be able to save you.” Du Qi glared severely at the several men.
Du Qi’s sharp gaze caused fear to ripple in the burly man's heart. Recovering, he smiled sheepishly, saying, "Deputy Commander, now in the whole of Du Clan, maybe even in the entire Stone City calls him a fool behind his back. Not to mention he has always been a waste and a fool ah, so even if we refer to him as such amongst us private there’s nothing wrong with it."
"Having said that, Master after all is Master, no matter how much of a waste or fool he is, it is still Du family’s blood running through his veins, understand your own position or bound to suffer in the future." Du Qi scowled at them fiercely.
"Understand, Deputy Commander." Immediately, the several guards awkwardly nodded, they understood the reasoning behind Deputy Commander’s words.
Seeing this Du Qi’s face somewhat eased, then looked at the burly man, "Five xuanbi right, I also bet on five xuanbi that he is still there."
"Haha, Deputy Commander also placed a bet."
Feeling the tense atmosphere before loosened, their speed accelerated, curious to know if the mentioned Du young master is still there.
As one of Stone City’s big five families, in the Du Clan compound stood grand architectures with an olden heritage, accentuated the barren hill at the side of the main door.
On that barren hill, were oddly devoid of any grass or plants, birds do not land on it, even snakes and rats does not pass through, no different from an ominous land of death. Everyone in Du Clan thought that barren hill is inauspicious, and shuns it.
According to rumors, Du Clan compound's main door used to face that barren hill. However, about a dozen years ago the Du Clan shifted the main entrance’s direction because of the belief that it was bad luck, and from then onwards Du Clan which was a third-level family began to rise in Stone City, strengthening the belief that the barren hill was an ominous land that no one wants to get close to.
On the deathly barren hill, which was lifeless and dry; there were just sand and pebbles on the ground. There was also a protruded stone tablet which probably had half of its length above ground and the remaining was buried underneath.
The top half was a full thirty feet high; its whole surface was mottled with the years. No one knew how long it had existed, at the very least, no one in Du Clan knows. Hearsay, the stone tablet has been there since their ancestors’ time, probably due to the long years which has caused small cracks and intricate fine lines cover the surface.
No one in Du Clan was interested in the stone tablet, especially when the stone tablet was located on the barren hill; previous generations of Du Clan Elders had researched the stone tablet and unquestionably concluded it as an ordinary stone.
The only thing extraordinary about the stone tablet was its sturdiness; during a violent storm more than a decade ago, the infamous Du Clan young master, Du Shaofu stood before that stone tablet in a daze. A streak of lightning struck the stone tablet, resulted in Du Shaofu, who was in the promixity to it fell into a coma for three days and three nights whereas the stone were fine without a scratch whatsoever.
"Damn, that idiot ...... it's already the thirteenth day ah, why is he still there."
"I lost two weeks worth of wages. The remaining days of the month would be difficult to endure when that time comes. Loan me some living expenses."
It was sunset. In front of Du Clan main door, several burly men could be seen checking the distant barren hill, where a slender figure of a youth stood before a protruded stone, in a daze.
Who could have known this time that this 'fool' would have broken the previous record, standing in front of the stone tablet without moving or resting for thirteen days in a row.
"Let’s go, it's getting dark, tomorrow, there will be a lot of young misses and young masters sparring in the guards’ tryout. There shouldn’t be any mishaps."
Du Qi retracted his gaze from the barren stone tablet and sighed in his heart. The guards’ tryout tomorrow was in fact, an opportunity for the Du Clan juniors to gauge the level of their cultivation, killing two birds with one stone; however, these matters were irrelevant to the youth on the barren hill. Although he was raised as a Du Clan young master, tomorrow's tryout did not concern him, probably because such things never would.
"It has been thirteen days already, but the fool’s still standing over there. His condition must be getting worse.”
"It is said the family had searched for many famous healers to cure the fool, alas to no effect, maybe there really is no cure for him."
Maidservants glanced towards the barren hill from time to time, which was accompanied by a sense of pity for this young master. It never crossed anyone's mind that Young Master Du would turn into a fool.
Dusk gradually gave way to the night, leaving a faint blush where the sun had set. The last source of light had disappeared, and the world dimmed.
Before the stone tablet, a purple-robed youth sat cross-legged. He looked about fifteen or sixteen years of age. His face was slightly more mature compared his peers with represented his resolution and fortitude, thick eyebrows above his closed eyes.
This youth’s name is Du Shaofu; a pleasant face, unless one came from Stone City, it was hard to imagine why anyone would call him a fool.
Stars gradually emerged, twinkling and a white crescent moon hung in the depths of the sky like a blade which bloomed into a bright white radiance.
Deep into the night, while the entire Du Clan was in deep slumber, no one paid attention to the young man on the barren hill. The ancient stone tablet which stood in the moonlight’s shadow gave an eerie feeling.
"Boom!"
Abruptly, on that ancient stone tablet, faint glows radiated within the complex cracked lines and grooves. The lines continued to crack as the whole barren hill shook slightly, if there was anyone around to witness this, they would be speechless.
"Ka Ka."
Finally, as the ancient stone tablet glowed increasingly brighter, more and more cracks appeared from within and a bright curtain of light wrapped around Du Shaofu’s body and the stone tablet suddenly crumbled into a pile of gravel, heaped upon the barren hill.
"Chi Chi!"
When the glow of light disappeared, Du Shaofu opened his eyes and twin rays of light shot out like lightning in the dark, an ancient atmosphere swept out from that lean body, causing the surrounding space to ripple slightly.
"Hu~!"
Spitting out foul qi through the mouth, Du Shaofu broke into a faint smile, sighing gently and said: "It took ten years’ time, but i finally comprehended the first style."
Notes:
1. Xuanbi - currency terms
2. Main descendant - main inheriting line
3. Blood Sweat Dragon Horse- a name for a horse that is said to perspire blood.