The next morning, the rooster crowed through the dawn mist.
When Wang Da Niu stepped out of his house with a sickle on his shoulder, he saw a listless Han Ye.
"Brother Han, didn't sleep well last night?"
He asked with a smile at the corner of his mouth.
"Don't mention it."
Han Ye yawned, not wanting to talk about the events of last night.
After leaving Widow Liu's house last night, he noticed people practicing martial arts in the Inner Mansion. He spent most of the night waiting for these martial artists to drop some attributes, but none did the whole night.
It was utterly disappointing.
This indirectly showed that the dropping of attributes was quite random and not a guaranteed event.
Seeing everyone walking to the west instead of heading to the fields in the east, Han Ye couldn't help but ask,
"We're not farming today?"
"The steward said last night that the fruits are ripe, so we're going to the orchard to pick fruits today." Wang Da Niu explained softly, with a chuckling,
"Moreover, we don't have to endure the direct sunlight under the trees. Brother Han, you should be happy about that."
But Han Ye shook his head and sighed, "Working for others... no matter how happy I'm, I just can't feel it."
"What does it mean to work?"
Wang Da Niu asked curiously.
"Working means toiling for others without reaping any benefits for yourself."
After pondering for a while, Han Ye gave an explanation.
"If that's the case, am I not working for others every day?"
"Don't worry, we're all in the same boat."
As they walked, a sight full of hustle and bustle came into view.
The hills were full of orange trees. Under the sunlight, the oranges looked golden and tempting.
Even though it was broad daylight, Han Ye could hardly keep his eyes open. He was terribly tired, mostly because he had stayed up late last night.
"You must collect all these oranges before it gets dark. If not, you'll have to go hungry tonight!"
The cold voice of the steward urged them from the side, causing the farmers to start working immediately.
After yawning, Han Ye also started working.
He worked earnestly for about half an hour.
Despite his hard work, he found that Wang Da Niu had already harvested seven or eight large baskets of oranges.
He had barely filled three baskets himself.
Wang Da Niu tied several large baskets together and carried them on his back.
Han Ye truly admired Da Niu's attitude toward life.
He knew that working hard like this wasn't rewarding. The pain and fatigue of hard work came from the endless grind that eroded the spirit.
But Da Niu was different. He didn't think that way. Was it because he didn't know? Han Ye thought it wasn't the case.
It was because a true warrior could bravely confront life even after understanding its harsh realities.
With a heavy grunt, Wang Da Niu carried all the oranges to the designated place and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"Wow."
Again, several strands of green light fell.
„Collect attribute: Strength of an Ox +2"
„Collect attribute: Strength of an Ox +1"
…
"Da Niu, you are my god."
Seeing this scene, Han Ye murmured to himself, then started to check his attribute progress.
"Strength of an Ox (35/100): Possess great strength, equal to the strength of an ox, with endless stamina."
Continuing at this rate, it wouldn't be long before he'd maxed out his attribute.
He had already started imagining what would happen when the attribute bar was full.
"Clip-clop!"
Suddenly, the sound of hooves treading the ground came. A graceful figure was seen riding a horse.
Seeing the steward in his brocade robe, one of them hurried to greet him, spoke a few words to the person on the horse, and then immediately nodded his head respectfully.
Then, he shouted at everyone,
"Everyone, come over here, there's an announcement!"
Everyone stopped their work and turned to look. As the rustling footsteps came closer, they began to gather as one. Han Ye, initially too tired to function, perked up at the sight of the person on the horse.
This person was familiar; wasn't it the same woman in deep green martial robe who trained the family servants in the inner courtyard last night?
What was she doing here?
The woman in the deep green martial robe had thin eyebrows and an imposing aura. Her sharp gaze swept over the farmers present. Her red lips moved as she said,
"I am Liu Lingqi, the young lady of Liu Manor. I am here to inform everyone that an excellent opportunity is about to come. If you seize this opportunity, you can escape from the status of a tenant farmer, earn money and food, and even become a member of Liu Manor."
Her words immediately caused an uproar among the crowd.
Most people here were farmers without their own land, who were forced to come to the Liu Manor to make a living. If they had a choice, who would want to be a tenant farmer here?
Hearing this, Han Ye also started to listen attentively.
If he could free himself of the twenty-year bond, he wouldn't have to risk his life and flee the Liu Manor.
Liu Lingqi placed both her hands down, and once again, the scene fell into silence. She announced loudly:
"In seven days, Liu Manor will hold a selection. Anyone who passes will no longer need to farm and can follow me to practice martial arts, and then participate in an examination half a year later."
"This examination is the triennial entry examination of the Dragon Sparrow Sect. As long as you pass, you can become a cultivator!"
Han Ye's eyes lit up upon hearing this.
So this world does have cultivators.
Which means, those immortals who can fly and hide in the earth do exist.
He originally thought they were just martial artists and swordsmen of the martial world, having martial strength but no divine skills.
Looks like his destiny of "Accumulation" is capable of achieving greater things.
If he could see the attributes of those cultivators, his own attributes are bound to evolve!
This selection must be handled well. Only after being selected can he come into contact with these cultivators with broad-ranging divine powers.
He just wasn't sure what the entry examination required.
Could it be a spiritual root?
It is said that there is such a set.
Then, what is his spiritual root, or rather, does he have a spiritual root?
...
After Liu Lingqi finished speaking, she once again sized up the people at the scene and said to the guard captain beside her:
"The number of participants is not enough, we need more. Call the farmers from the same village and select a few more. This is a rare opportunity and we need to grasp it well. The more people that join, the greater chance we have. As long as there are many people who join the sect, Liu Manor has the potential to rise, and may even return to the Capital City."
Having said that, she quickly mounted her horse and left.
The crowd also dispersed, each discussing fervently about the selection happening after seven days.
Wang Da Niu looked at Han Ye, who was harvesting oranges nearby, and asked:
"Brother Han, will you participate in this selection?"
"Of course."
Han Ye nodded resolutely.
He wouldn't let such a good opportunity slip by.
Wang Da Niu hesitated and said, "I feel that this business of joining cultivation sects is very mysterious, and I don't think it suits me. I don't really want to go. It's not bad to have a few acres of land to farm. If I have to travel far, what will happen to my parents at home?"
Han Ye said very seriously: "Da Niu, you can do it. Have some confidence in yourself, you're already stronger than many others. As for your parents, if you pass the entry examination, Liu Manor will give a large sum of money to your parents. They will basically be carefree in their later years."
"If that's the case, I can give it a try."
Wang Da Niu lightly nodded his head.
...
In the following few days, in preparation for the internal selection of Liu Manor,
Han Ye felt that it was very important to fill his 'Cartload' first, but there was no heavy manual work to do these few days. Instead, he was dealing with trivial matters such as grinding grain. Wang Da Niu's attributes were not easy to pick up.
Only during work hours in the day would there be a chance to drop.
So, he could only pick up attributes outside Widow Liu's house every night, enhancing himself. While inside the house it was bustling, and he was doing sit-ups and push-ups on the ground.
Until the third night.
Han Ye arrived outside the house as scheduled, rolled up his sleeves and prepared to do thirty squats.
However, after finishing his routine, there were no sounds coming.
"Huh, why is there no sound today?"
Han Ye wondered to himself.
He checked his attributes.
'Friend of Women (48/50): Charm is doubled for married women, older women tend to have a good impression of you.'
He was only two points short of maxing out his attributes.
But where was the person?
"Creak!"
The wooden door was opened, and the charming Widow Liu peeked out. With a rosewood comb in her hair, her hair moist, she saw Han Ye outside the house.
"Oh, isn't this Han Ye, the tenant farmer of Liu Manor? Why are you not going back to your room so late and have instead come here? What are you doing?"
Widow Liu looked at the young and robust Han Ye, her eyes fixed on his muscular chest and sturdy arms, her gaze flirtatious.
For some reason, Han Ye seemed particularly handsome today.
In her eyes, Han Ye was full of vitality, manly and handsome, as if there was a filter over him.
With an embarrassed expression on his face, Han Ye knew it was the 'Friend of Women' at work.
He scratched his head and told the truth: "Eh, I came to exercise."
With an "I understand you" expression, Widow Liu smiled enchantingly and said: "Exercising, huh? Why not come in and exercise? There are too many mosquitoes outside."
"No, thanks."
Han Ye refused seriously and interrupted: "Sister, may I ask where the man you were with before is?"
"Him..."
Widow Liu's gaze wandered as she said: "He's not in good shape today and needs to rest for a few days. Why, are you very interested in him~"
"Oh… I see. In that case, I will take my leave."
"Farewell!"
...