After a while, everybody got ready. We were all excited and scared. After all, this concerns our future, and everybody wanted to prove themselves. As for me, I was also excited. In two decades of my life there were very few instances where I was as excited as today. Not because of the prize but because I would be playing a battle royale in real life.
Certainly, there are slightly different rules here, but who cares?
...
Ela took us towards the training ground, situated in the east wing of the outer palace. There, an old man was waiting for us.
'Don't tell me...'
Indeed, it was old man Ma. He seems to be preparing something. He was spreading lightly glowing crystals on the ground.
Since, there was still some time before departure, no one was in hurry. Instead, we all used this instance to slow our rapidly beating heart.
...
I looked around the ground seeing the haphazardly drawn but pleasant looking sketch. This should be a formation. There were all kinds of symbols, drawings of animals and weapons like runes in the sketch. When the old man threw some crystals on the ground, certain lines would light up. It was a bizarre sight to look at.
...
Ela noticed everybody's curiosity. So, she said, "These are called formation or an array. It may look like a simple rune sketch but there are hundreds of interconnected talisman drawings in them. This, you are seeing is a teleportation array. This array will help you all to reach your destination. As why it is only being prepared now is that your test location was altered this morning. As for why it was altered, you all don't need to know.
Also, just to let you know, once you get older, you can also dabble in these kinds of things. Cultivation is a passive process whereas martial arts, arrays, alchemy, etc. are used to actively utilize the benefits brought by this process.
For most people, cultivation is a boring and long process. So, they all search for some excitement to spice up their lives.
There are also lots of things you don't know. We also deliberately stopped the information of the outside world reach you. You must know that you will all be cultivators in the future. So, we made sure that you will only be affected by other things after cultivation becomes your habit.
Also don't worry, this information blockade is only applicable till the end of the test."
...
Hearing all this, I was stunned.
'This world cultivates realistically!'
...
After a while, the array was ready. The old man surely took his time. Even Ela seems pissed off. I can feel it.
We stood inside the array. There was a flash of light and I arrived on the island scratch-less. Well, it looks like the formation was quite advanced. I didn't feel dizzy or anything similar.
I looked around and saw a vast lake. Somehow, I was transported into a... small lake island? Is that what it is called?
Hmm, I can perfectly describe this situation as stranded on an island.
Anyway, this place looks somewhat safe.
Oh well, I will simply stay here for three years.
'Ahh, I seemed to have forgotten something.'
'What is it? What is it...?'
'Now I remember.'
'I am a vegetarian!'
'Shit!'
'Should I start eating meat? How does it taste? How to cook?'
'I don't know.'
'Do I have to skin and cut the animal myself?'
'But I don't want to.'
'Wait! My brain...don't overthink. There should definitely be some fruit trees in the island.'
Anyway, I can't stay here. I have to find someplace with fruits. Otherwise, after three years, I may be eliminated by hunger. Now that seems dangerous.
At this moment, unknown to anyone, his dormant laziness kicked in.
'But I have three years, right?'
'I will do it someday later.'
So, in the middle of an island surrounded by sea, there is a lake. Middle of a lake, there is an island. And on that island, a 5 years boy could be seen practicing a glaive day in and day out.
And, he seems pissed.
...
Elsewhere, on the island, Ye Feng was standing upright at the top of a small hill. He looked doggedly at the surrounding.
He then looked towards the sky and swore.
"Even if I had to go against the heaven itself to get stronger, I will do it. Wherever you are, someday I will hunt you down myself."
(A/N: Lol, here comes our heaven defier.)
...
He had a tragic childhood. He was born a genius and could overpower someone two to three years older than him when he was just one year old. He was the young master of the Ye clan. But during his second birthday, a group of unknown assailants came and started slaughtering his family. His sensible father hid him in a secret compartment as soon as the skirmishes started to save him. The next day, when the stealth array of the compartment used up all the power, he got out.
Outside, the two years old Ye Feng was introduced to a gruesome sight. He saw his family and his clansmen all dead. At that very moment his head went blank and something seemed to have awaken inside of him. It was a core. A core that could only be formed in the core consolidation realm was innately formed in his body. Even though he could not use it. It will definitely make his cultivation easier in the future.
The core was pure black with strange bone-like runes present on the surface. It was evil-looking with aura so unholy; it could convert a mortal monk into a fiend. But the next thing he received was nothing but contradiction to the nature of his core. After the core awakening, he also got a cultivation technique called 'Righteous Heart Sutra.'
...
Coincidentally, a Stone clan's elder was flying through that place. He suddenly noticed something unusual and turned left. He shortly arrived at the blood-soaked Ye clan's mansion. He also noticed a child standing blankly in the middle of the mansion. He observed the child for a moment and found something interesting.
'Hmm, having an innate core, is it? Not bad at all.'
He then arrived before the boy and said, "If u want revenge, come with me. I will give you an opportunity. As for how much of it can you grasp will be your problem.'
(A/N: Did he really said that to a toddler? REALLY??)
...
Ye Feng came back to his senses. He looked around and couldn't help but wept. But he was indeed a genius. He stopped crying in a short while. Ye Feng's intelligence is also beyond his age. So, he un-hesitantly accepted the old man's offer.
He didn't even bother to look at the old man. He just wanted one thing: strength. He wanted to be strong enough to find the murderer of this clan and have his revenge. He wanted to be strong enough to not go through similar experience. These five year was his chance. A chance to be strong, and he will grab it no matter what.
(A/N: Believe it or not, cultivation is a job.)