Wushan Town, an ordinary town in the Finlay Kingdom of the Yulan Continent, located at the western side of the first mountain range, the Warcraft Mountains.
The early morning sun rose, casting a hint of chilliness over Wushan Town. The residents of the town had already begun their work, even the six or seven-year-old children had started their traditional morning exercises.
On the open space to the east of Wushan Town, the warm morning sunlight filtered through the trees, leaving dappled spots on the ground.
A large group of children, estimated to be around two hundred, were divided into three teams. Each team stood in rows on the open space, looking serious. The team to the north consisted of six to eight-year-old children, while the middle team comprised of nine to twelve-year-olds, and the southern team consisted of youths aged thirteen to sixteen.
In front of this group of children were three sturdy middle-aged men, all dressed in short vests and coarse cloth pants.
"To become a great warrior, you must train hard from a young age." The leader of the men stood with his hands behind his back, his head held high, his gaze cold and stern. He looked towards the group of six or seven-year-old children to the north, who all kept quiet with wide-eyed gazes fixed on him, not daring to speak.
The leader's name was Hillman, the captain of the guard of the Baruk family, the owners of Wushan Town.
"You are all commoners, unable to cultivate powerful combat Qi as the noble families do. If you want to stand out, if you want to be respected in the future, you must train according to the oldest, simplest, and most basic methods – physical training, endurance, understand?"
Hillman's gaze swept over the group of children.
"Understood." The group of youths shouted loudly.
"Very good." Hillman nodded in satisfaction, the eyes of the six to seven-year-old children were mostly puzzled, while the teenagers in their teens looked determined because they understood the meaning behind Hillman's words.
On the Yulan Continent, almost every man had to train hard from a young age. Those who didn't train diligently would be looked down upon in the future! Strength and wealth represent a man's status! A man without strength would not only be looked down upon by women but also by other men.
To make their parents proud, to be admired by girls, to have a bright future!
They were all commoners, unable to cultivate the precious combat Qi manuals. Their only method was to train their bodies and endure. Work hard, put in more effort than the nobles to prove themselves!
"In the morning, as the sun rises, all life is full of vitality. This is the best time to absorb the essence of heaven and earth, to enhance our physical potential. As usual, legs apart, shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, hands placed at the waist, in the 'Qi Storage Position,' remember to 'focus, maintain calm in your mind, and breathe naturally." Hillman coldly commanded.
The 'Qi Storage Position' was the simplest and most effective way to train the body, an experience accumulated over countless years.
Soon, all the children were in the correct position as required by the 'Qi Storage Position.'
"Remember, focus your attention, keep your mind calm, breathe naturally!" Hillman walked among the group of youths, coldly saying.
Looking down, it was clear that the teenagers of the southern team were focused, breathing naturally, and maintaining a stable posture. They had already achieved some progress in the 'Qi Storage Position.'
However, looking at the children in the north, aged six to seven, their knees were at different angles, their legs were loose, clearly lacking strength and stability.
Hillman said to the other two middle-aged men, "You each take charge of the southern and central teams, and I will manage those children."
"Yes, Captain." The two middle-aged men immediately complied, carefully observing the central and southern teams, occasionally nudging the legs of the teenagers to see if they were steady.
Meanwhile, Hillman walked towards the group of six to seven-year-old children to the north, making them nervous.
"Oh no, the big boss is here." A blond child with big eyes, named Hadley, whispered.
Hillman walked into the group of children, his face cold but his heart sighing: "These children are too young, not yet physically or mentally ready. Their demands cannot be too high. However, it is good for them to cultivate their bodies from an early age, to train diligently and seriously, so that they have a better chance of surviving on the battlefield in the future."
Teaching children, seducing them, attracting them, is the most effective method! Force only leads to a backlash!
"Stand up, all of you." Hillman snorted.
Immediately, each child straightened their chest and looked ahead.
A faint smile appeared on Hillman's lips as he walked to the front, took off his vest, and the muscular lines of his body made the children widen their eyes. Even the teenagers from the central and southern teams looked enviously at Hillman's muscles.
In addition to his almost perfect muscular lines, Hillman's exposed upper body had scars of swords and knives, dozens of scars in all. All the children looked at these scars with shining eyes.
Sword and knife scars were a man's badge of honor!
Deep down, everyone admired Hillman. A great sixth-level warrior, a hero forged in life and death! In the big cities, he was a remarkable figure. In Wushan Town, he was a respected figure.
Seeing the children's eager gazes, Hillman couldn't help but smile. He wanted these children to admire and yearn for him. This way, they would work harder, be more motivated!
"Step it up." Hillman thought to himself and went to a giant stone lock, weighing three to four hundred pounds.
Hillman grabbed the stone lock with one hand and effortlessly started swinging it, it seemed as light as wood in his hand. The children were wide-eyed and open-mouthed.
"Too light, Rory, after training, make some heavier stone locks for them." Hillman casually threw the stone lock, which flew over ten meters, "Thud!" heavily landing near a large tree, causing the ground to shake. Hillman then walked to a pile of random stones.
"Huah!"
Hillman took a deep breath, his muscles visibly bulging, he punched one of the green stones. The sharp whistling of the air made the children's eyes widen. Hillman's fist smashed heavily onto the huge green stone.
"Thud!" The heavy impact between the fist and the green stone made the children's hearts skip a beat.
That was a hard green stone.
The green stone vibrated several times, cracks appeared, and eventually shattered into pieces. Hillman's fist had not a scratch.
"The Captain is as impressive as ever." One of the middle-aged men, Rory, laughed. He then walked up to Hillman.
The other middle-aged man, Roger, also approached. While the children were training in the 'Qi Storage Position,' these three leaders could chat casually. Their occasional attention to the children would prevent them from slacking off.
Hillman shook his head with a smile, "Not anymore. When I was in the military, I trained hard every day, fought bloody battles on the battlefield. Now, I just stretch my bones and muscles, not as passionate as before."
All the children looked up to Hillman.
A giant green stone shattering with one punch. What kind of strength was that? The three to four hundred pound stone lock effortlessly swung. What kind of power was that?
Hillman turned around and saw the children's eyes, a sense of satisfaction evident in his gaze.
"You should remember that even without combat Qi, simply training the body to its limits is theoretically possible to become a sixth-level warrior!
A six-level warrior who joins the military can easily become a mid-level officer, easily gaining access to combat Qi cultivation methods in the military! Even if one cannot become a six-level warrior, as long as one achieves the most basic first-level warrior, they are qualified to join the army. Remember, a man who cannot even reach the level of a first-level warrior is not a man!" Hillman's face was stern.
"If you are a man, you should hold your head high, face any challenge without fear!"
When they heard this, the children aged six to seven couldn't help but smile, trying to hold back their laughter. This was Hillman's catchphrase, a phrase he often said to motivate the children.
"Stand firm, look at how the older brothers in the central team are standing." Hillman barked.
The children from six to seven years old immediately tried to stand steady.
After a while, the children in the central team, around ten years old, started to struggle as well and eventually sat down on the ground.
The children could hold on for as long as they could, but Hillman would not force them. He simply pointed out that if they wanted a better future, they could only blame themselves for not being enough.
"Huh?" Rory suddenly looked amazed at the one group in the north.
At this moment, most of the ten-year-olds in the central team had sat down, but surprisingly, there was still a six-year-old child holding on in the northern team.
"Lin Lei, this is his first time training, and he's doing so well!" Rory exclaimed. Both Roger and Hillman noticed, and Hillman walked over to see that only a brown-haired boy, Lin Lei, was holding on in the northern team. The boy clenched his fists tightly, looking determined and focused, his knuckles turning white.
A glimmer of surprise shone in Hillman's eyes.
"Well done!" Hillman silently praised Lin Lei. At only six years old, he could match up to ten-year-olds in the 'Qi Storage Position.' This aptitude was a glimpse of his potential.
Lin Lei, full name Lin Lei Baruk, the eldest son of the Baruk family in Wushan Town. The Baruk family was a very ancient family, once prosperous, but now, after thousands of years of inheritance, there were only three members left – the patriarch Hogg Baruk, and his two sons. The elder son, Lin Lei Baruk, was only six years old this year, while the younger son, Vought Baruk, was only two years old. The lady of the Baruk family had passed away after giving birth to the younger son. Lin Lei's grandfather had also lost his life in the wars of the military.
Lin Lei's legs trembled, even though his will was firm, his muscles were aching too much, and he finally sat down.
"Lin Lei, how do you feel?" Hillman walked over with a smile.
Lin Lei grinned, revealing little fangs, "Not bad, Uncle Hillman."
Hillman, the captain of the guard of the Baruk family, watched Lin Lei grow up since he was a child. They had a close relationship.
"Well done, you're like a man." Hillman patted Lin Lei's head, making his hair messy like straw.
"Hehe." Lin Lei chuckled, feeling proud of Hillman's praise in his heart.
...
After resting for a while, training resumed. The training intensity for the six to seven-year-old children was light, while the training intensity for the teenagers in their teens was quite terrifying.
The young teenagers, including the children, were lying with their heads and feet resting on smooth stones, their bodies suspended, supported entirely by the strength of their waists.
"The waist, hips, this triangular area." Hillman gestured towards the abdominal area, "This area is the core of the body, whether it is speed or strength, the core is this triangular area, which is very important."
Hillman verbally reiterated while carefully observing each teenager's posture.
"Stand up, don't sag your waist!" Hillman commanded.
Many teenagers immediately tried to hold up their waists, but Lin Lei was trying this for the first time. His head and feet were placed on two smooth stones. However, at this moment, Lin Lei could already feel the heat and ache in his waist.
"Endure, you must endure." Lin Lei encouraged himself in his heart. Lin Lei's physical quality had been very good since childhood, hardly getting sick. With a lot of perseverance, his performance was excellent.
"Thud!" The first child fell down.
However, the stones they used as pillows and footrests were only about twenty centimeters high, so the children didn't get hurt when they fell.
"Thud!" "Thud!"... As time passed, one by one, the children couldn't hold on.
Lin Lei gritted his teeth, feeling his waist reaching its limit, almost losing sensation. "My body is so heavy, can't endure much longer, endure, hold on a bit longer." At this moment, the team of six to seven-year-olds had all fallen, and most of the children around ten years old from the central team had also fallen, except for those fourteen or fifteen-year-old young men who were still holding on. And Hillman continued coldly:
"Remember, a warrior's combat Qi storage position is below the navel, about the size of a fist. You should understand the importance of training the core triangle area now! This is the core, once this area fails, training other areas is useless."
A good leader is important for children.
Hillman, a great sixth-level warrior, knows the focus of training, the progression, and what level children should be at their age. If the level is too high, it can lead to physical breakdown for the children.
"Combat Qi?"
Upon hearing this word, the teenagers and the children who were resting turned their gaze to Hillman.
The combat Qi was something most commoner children were eager for, including Lin Lei, the descendant of a declining noble family.
"Combat Qi can be managed to a certain extent, as they grow older," Hillman said. "They can help reach a more powerful fighting realm."
But one must be diligent in training and have the right training oriented by the sanctuary.
"Can I become a Sanctuary Warrior?" Lin Lei thought to himself, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.
"Today's training ends here." Hillman announced.
The town's training was regular, twice a day. One session in the morning and another in the evening.
"Hillman, tell us a story." As soon as the training ended, the children would ask Hillman to tell them stories of battles, or adventures from around the continent.
Growing up in a small town, the children were full of yearning for the outside world, for the military life.
Hillman smiled, storytelling was his way to motivate the children, making sure they had the desire to train from within. As Hillman believed, only by letting the children actively crave for training would they achieve great success.
"Today, I will tell you all about the legends of the four ultimate warriors on the continent!" Hillman's face showed admiration.
The children were all awestruck at the thought of the four ultimate warriors.
"On our continent, there were four ultimate warriors who appeared thousands of years ago, each possessing strength that could rival dragons. They could walk alone among a million soldiers and easily take the head of an enemy commander! These four ultimate warriors were the Dragon Blood Warrior, the Purple Flame Warrior, the Tiger Stripe Warrior, and the Undead Warrior!"
"Warriors are divided into nine levels. I, as a sixth-level warrior, can easily crush boulders and snap giant trees with a kick! But a nine-level warrior can be the top among the fierce warriors in the Finlay Kingdom. And above the nine-level warrior are the four ultimate warriors, surpassing the nine-level warrior level, and are at the pinnacle of warriors, belonging to the realm of legends!" Hillman was filled with admiration.
"It's too early, old Port."
While the children were excitedly listening and daydreaming about the incredible warriors, Hillman, Rory, and Roger guided them wisely.
Lin Lei couldn't help but shiver with excitement, could he possibly become a Sanctuary Warrior in the future?
"Lin Lei, goodbye."
"Hadley, goodbye."
After bidding farewell to his good friend Hadley, Lin Lei walked alone towards his home, the Baruk family mansion.
The mansion was located in a vast area, with moss and ivy climbing the walls. The walls bore the marks of time. The Baruk family mansion in Wushan Town was their ancestral home, preserved for over five thousand years. However, due to the family's decline, the economic situation had weakened, and the patriarch had to sell some of the family's possessions to make ends meet.
As Lin Lei walked, he couldn't help but ponder, "Will I be able to become a Sanctuary Warrior in the future?"
"Lin Lei." Hillman's voice came from behind, followed by Rory and Roger catching up.
Lin Lei turned around, delighted to see Hillman, "Uncle Hillman!"
Lin Lei took a deep breath and looked up at Hillman, nervously and eagerly asking, "Uncle Hillman, you said the Holy Domain Warriors are so powerful? Then, is it possible for me to become a Holy Domain Warrior?" In Lin Lei's heart, there was the same longing as most children.
Hillman was taken aback, and Rudy and Roger beside him were also stunned.
Holy Domain Warrior?
"These kids really dare to dream. The Kingdom of Finlay has millions of residents, yet even so, there hasn't been a Holy Domain strongman for hundreds of years. To become a Holy Domain strongman..." Hillman knew very well the difficulty of becoming one.
It requires rigorous training from a young age, family nurture, personal talent, as well as opportunities...etc. Becoming a Holy Domain strongman is not something easy to achieve.
Hillman was very clear about how much he had suffered to become a Level Six Warrior and how many times he had been on the brink of life and death. If Level Six Warriors are already so difficult, Level Seven, Eight, Nine are even more challenging, not to mention the Holy Domain. Hillman probably only dared to think about it in his dreams.
However, faced with Lin Lei's eager eyes.
"Lin Lei, Uncle Hillman believes in you. You will definitely become a Holy Domain Warrior." Hillman gazed at Lin Lei firmly and said encouragingly. Hillman's words of encouragement made Lin Lei's eyes light up and his heart filled with desire!
This desire was unprecedentedly intense!
"Uncle Hillman, can I train with the Central Team tomorrow?" Lin Lei suddenly asked.
Hillman, Rudy, and Roger looked at Lin Lei in surprise.
"Father said, if you want to be exceptional, you must put in more effort than others." Lin Lei unintentionally imitated his father's tone.
Hillman suddenly smiled. He had seen Lin Lei's training today. Although Lin Lei was only six years old, his physical fitness was comparable to that of a nine or ten-year-old child. He nodded and said, "Alright, but don't back down. This is not a one or two-day thing; the days ahead will be long."
Lin Lei raised his little head confidently and smiled, "Uncle Hillman, just watch me."
This was a very ordinary morning in Wushan Town, and every day ahead would be the same. A group of children in Wushan Town continued their diligent training under the guidance of Level Six Warrior "Hillman." The only difference from the past was that six-year-old Lin Lei was assigned to the team of children around ten years old.