The Sword Sect, Suspended Mountain, Servant Peak.
As a renowned major sect in the Southern Region, the Sword Sect has the boundless Ten - Thousand - Mountain Range at its back and faces the Great Qin Empire to the south. Its buildings sprawl across the Suspended Mountain, which stretches for over a thousand li. The Suspended Mountain features seven main peaks and thirty - six smaller peaks. Among them, the Servant Peak is one of these numerous smaller peaks. As the name implies, the Servant Peak is where the servant disciples reside.
Although the Servant Peak is the living area for servant disciples, its scale is comparable to that of a small city in the Great Qin Empire with a population of over three hundred thousand.
At the break of dawn, as usual, Yang Ye woke up. After a quick wash, he picked up the broom behind the door and stepped out of the room.
Gazing at the faint white glow on the horizon, Yang Ye took a deep breath of the fresh morning air. Moments later, his slightly youthful face was filled with determination as he murmured, "Work hard, persevere, and never give up!" With that, he walked briskly towards Breeze Valley.
"Look, isn't that the former outer - sect disciple?"
"So it's him. As you know, that was in the past. Now he's just a servant disciple, sweeping the floor just like us."
"What a pity. He's such a handsome young man! Looking at his age, he's probably only sixteen or seventeen. At this age, he should have had a promising future, but now he's doing menial work. What a shame!"
"I heard that he was once taken in as an outer - sect disciple by an outer - sect elder in Annan City. But he couldn't absorb any profound qi for a whole year. In a fit of anger, the outer - sect elder demoted him to a servant disciple. It's said that he's the first outer - sect disciple in the history of the Sword Sect to be demoted to a servant disciple, and he even got the title of 'the number - one useless talent of the Sword Sect'!"
"The number - one useless talent of the Sword Sect. Tsk tsk, that's quite a resounding title!"
Hearing the words of those around him, Yang Ye paused in his steps, gripping the broom in his right hand tighter. Moments later, he took a deep breath, ignored them, and quickly walked towards Breeze Valley.
Breeze Valley is located at the back of the Servant Peak. It is surrounded by several small mountains standing like tripods, with a sunken valley bottom in the middle. The valley is filled with lush grass and greenery, and countless towering trees stand like umbrellas, blotting out the sky and the sun. This is where servant disciples usually gather herbs and cut firewood, and it is also where Yang Ye usually practices.
On a huge boulder, Yang Ye casually tossed the broom aside and then sat cross - legged on the boulder. He took out an envelope and a small clay figurine from his bosom. These were the family letter he received last night. Since he had been busy for nearly seven or eight hours yesterday, he didn't have time to read it.
Looking at the small clay figurine in his hand, a gentle smile appeared on Yang Ye's somewhat youthful face. The clay figurine was small and not very delicate, but its facial features were distinct. It was made by his younger sister based on his appearance. Although it didn't look exactly like him and was rather rough, it was the most precious thing to him.
After gently caressing it for a while, Yang Ye put the clay figurine back into his bosom. He looked at the envelope in his hand, gently blew the dust off it, and then carefully took out the letter inside and started reading.
"Brother, we've received the gold coins you sent back last month. Ever since you were taken in as an outer - sect disciple by the Sword Sect, those neighbors who used to look down on our family often come to visit. Humph, Xiaoyao knows that they treat me and Mother well because they know you have abilities now. They're a bunch of snobbish people."
Yang Ye took a deep breath, and the corners of his mouth twitched into a self - deprecating smile. "Outer - sect disciple......"
After a long time, Yang Ye suppressed the feelings of unwillingness and helplessness in his heart and then focused his eyes on the letter.
"Also, those people from the Liu family are so annoying. They actually proposed marriage to Mother, asking Xiaoyao to be a concubine for that three - hundred - jin fatty in their family. That fatty can barely walk. Just looking at him makes Xiaoyao lose her appetite. They still want Xiaoyao to be his concubine. Fortunately, Mother didn't agree! Even if I really have to get married, Xiaoyao wants to marry... Brother... Um, so embarrassing. Brother, you're not allowed to laugh at me, not even in your heart!"
"The Liu family!" A cold glint flashed in Yang Ye's eyes. This family had quite a bit of influence in Annan City. In the past, the head of the Liu family wanted to take his mother as a concubine, but his mother refused to the death. The Liu family didn't dare to cause a death, after all, the laws of the Great Qin Empire were strict. If they caused a death, the Liu family would also be in trouble.
But the Liu family didn't give up. They made things difficult for their family everywhere in Annan City, trying to force his mother to join the Liu family willingly. Although life was tough, his mother still didn't compromise with the Liu family. This situation continued until he was taken in as an outer - sect disciple by an outer - sect elder of the Sword Sect. After he became an outer - sect disciple, the Liu family became a bit more cautious and didn't dare to push too hard.
But he never expected that now the Liu family would set their sights on his younger sister!
"Strength, I need strength! I must become an outer - sect disciple." Yang Ye clenched his fists tightly. He knew that if the news of his demotion to a servant disciple spread back to Annan City, the Liu family would run amok, and the situation of his mother and younger sister would be extremely dangerous.
Thinking of this, Yang Ye put the letter away and walked under the boulder. He pushed aside the branches in one spot under the boulder, and beneath the branches were four dark, bracelet - like iron blocks.
He put the four dark iron blocks on his arms and ankles. As soon as he put them on, Yang Ye immediately felt a sense of heaviness. Fortunately, after a year, he was now used to the weight of these iron blocks.
After putting on the iron blocks, Yang Ye walked in front of a big tree. He pushed hard with his feet, leaped into the air, and firmly grasped the branches with his hands. Then, using the pulling force of his arms, he moved up and down. As he moved, his body assumed a strange posture, and this posture made all the muscles in his body move together.
This was the "Body - Tempering Technique" that he obtained when he became an outer - sect disciple. It wasn't anything extraordinary. Every outer - sect disciple had a copy. The purpose of this cultivation method was to strengthen the physical body. When the muscles and bones in the body reached a certain level, a wisp of profound qi would be generated. Once one had profound qi, they would become a true profound cultivator.
That year, he practiced with this "Body - Tempering Technique" for half a year but didn't manage to cultivate even a wisp of profound qi. It was precisely because of this that he was demoted from an outer - sect disciple to the lowest - level servant disciple of the Sword Sect.
An outer - sect disciple being demoted to a servant disciple was an unprecedented event in the history of the Sword Sect. So he got a very resounding nickname: the number - one useless talent in history! Not only that, he also became a negative example for the outer - sect elders of the Sword Sect to teach outer - sect disciples.
Whenever an outer - sect disciple slacked off or didn't take things seriously, the outer - sect elders would say, "Do you want to be the second Yang Ye?"
Under normal circumstances, most people would leave the Sword Sect and return to the secular world. But Yang Ye didn't. Not only did he not return to the secular world, he was even willing to become a servant disciple!
All this was because he didn't want to disappoint his mother and sister! He was the hope of his sister and mother. Since he became an outer - sect disciple of the Sword Sect, no one dared to bully his sister and mother; because of his status as an outer - sect disciple, his sister and mother finally had a better life!
If he went back, all this would change!
"Huff... Huff..."
Moments later, intense gasping sounds suddenly echoed in the quiet Breeze Valley. Sweat dripped into his eyes, and the stinging pain made Yang Ye tightly close his eyes, allowing the sweat on his forehead to pour down his face like rain.
At this moment, Yang Ye felt his whole body was sore, numb, and exhausted. Especially his arms felt as heavy as if filled with lead. Most people would choose to rest at this time, but he didn't. Gritting his teeth, he tightly grasped the branches with his hands and continued to move up and down.
After a long time, Yang Ye's face turned red, and sweat poured down his forehead. The blue servant shirt on his upper body was completely soaked. The feeling of reaching his limit made him dizzy. Finally, his hands loosened, and his whole body fell heavily to the ground.
"Huff... Huff..."
Lying on the ground, Yang Ye gasped for breath. At this moment, he didn't even have the strength to move a finger.
A faint white glow appeared on the horizon, and the distant scenery gradually became clear. A gentle breeze blew, and Yang Ye greedily took a breath. Suddenly, Yang Ye sat up abruptly, his eyes wide open, and his face was filled with disbelief!
He actually felt the profound qi!
Yes, he felt the profound qi! That wisp of profound qi flowed intermittently along his meridians and slowly entered the position of his dantian. Although this wisp of qi was still somewhat unsteady and weak, he really felt it.
"Hmm? What's going on?"
Yang Ye felt that after that wisp of profound qi entered the dantian, it suddenly disappeared. Yes, it just vanished as if it had never appeared!
Yang Ye frowned tightly, feeling that wisp of profound qi in his body. Moments later, his eyes widened again, and his face was full of shock.
"I, I, I actually, actually have two dantians..." Yang Ye's throat bobbed, his face filled with incredulity. He found that wisp of profound qi. To be precise, it wasn't just one wisp, but a stream. Deep, deep inside his dantian, there was a small whirlpool, and in this small whirlpool, there was an abundance of profound qi!
Yang Ye now understood why he hadn't absorbed any profound qi before. It wasn't that he couldn't absorb it, but as soon as he absorbed it, it was immediately sucked into that small whirlpool. The reason he didn't discover that small whirlpool was that it was hidden very deep. If he hadn't followed the feeling of the profound qi flowing just now to search, he probably wouldn't have discovered that small whirlpool in his whole life!
And the reason he could feel the profound qi now was that the small whirlpool was full. Yes, the small whirlpool was filled with profound qi, and this wisp of profound qi was squeezed into the normal dantian position. But for some reason, that small whirlpool forcefully sucked that wisp of profound qi back in, not leaving even a trace for the normal dantian.
As far as he knew, normal people should only have one dantian. He didn't know if others were like him with two dantians, but he knew one thing: he wasn't a useless person, and he could cultivate!
Thinking of this, a faint arc appeared at the corner of Yang Ye's mouth. Moments later, the arc gradually widened, and a soft laugh came from his throat. After a while, the soft laugh finally turned into a full - blown, unrestrained laugh.
"I, Yang Ye, can become a profound cultivator. I, Yang Ye, can become a profound cultivator. Hahaha..."
At this moment, Yang Ye laughed until he cried, like a child. For countless days and nights, although he had never given up, an invisible mountain had always been pressing on his shoulders. He wasn't afraid of others making fun of him as a useless person or looking down on him.
But he was afraid that his sister and mother's hopes would be dashed!
He was afraid that his sister and mother would be bullied by the neighbors again as before!
He was afraid that his sister and mother would live the kind of life where they couldn't even afford food again!
He was really afraid, afraid of so many things...
But now, he had the ability to prevent these from happening. As long as he practiced the "Body - Tempering Technique" to its highest level and reached the sixth rank of the mortal realm, he could become an outer - sect disciple. Once he became an outer - sect disciple, he would have cultivation resources, cultivation methods, and sword techniques. Then he would have the opportunity to become an inner - sect disciple.
Once he became an inner - sect disciple, even the city lord of Annan City would treat him with respect!
The gentle sunlight filtered through the forest and shone on Yang Ye's face, which was still stained with tears, making his face turn red.
"Why didn't I notice how beautiful the surrounding scenery was before?"
With a smile, suppressing the excitement in his heart, Yang Ye wiped the tears from his face, then took off the iron blocks on his hands and put them back in their original place. He walked onto the boulder, picked up the broom, and quickly ran towards the valley entrance.
He remembered very well that his task today was to clean the martial practice ground of the Sword Sect!
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