The events that followed were hardly remarkable.
The Vice Envoy of Medicine led everyone to a deep pool in a ravine behind Hanging Fate Manor and instructed everyone to wash away the dust and grime, then changed into a uniform set of dark gray clothing.
The clothing was similar to that worn by the few special youths An Jing had seen earlier, but even plainer.
Next came the registration in the roster.
"An Jing, from Gufeng County, Xuanque State, Hanbei Path, bone age eleven..."
"Xia Li, from Hanhai State, Hannan Path, bone age twelve..."
"Tang Yuancheng, from Laifeng City, Liuguang State, Hanbei Path, bone age nine..."
An Jing stood at the forefront with his eyes downcast, silently memorizing all the names called and recorded, analyzing their origins.
Most of those collected by Hanging Fate Manor were children and teenagers from the north of Hanhai who had suffered through the Frost Calamity. The most remote among them was a girl named 'Bai Qinghan' from one of the three paths of Hanhai, Hannan Path.
Her ordeal was probably not the Frost Calamity, but the Demon Calamity that occurred nearly a decade ago. She was born during that calamity and had struggled to survive until now.
After the roster was set, with two hundred forty-eight names on it, the five who were not recorded were the five black-cloaked youths that An Jing had initially discovered. They had already been taken away.
After the registration was complete and dusk approached, it was time for the meal.
The dinner prepared by Hanging Fate Manor was plain—a simple meal of chestnut rice mixed with a peculiar, heavily medicated bean paste, both served in generous portions, along with three oil and salt-rubbed flatbreads.
Simple as it was, everyone found it delicious. When it was announced that they could eat, the entire hall was devoid of any sound other than that of eating.
After all, having endured a year of disaster and subsisted on bark and roots during the journey, how could anyone complain about this ample food?
Not to mention, each person also received a jar of meatball soup. Inside the brown earthenware jar, three white meatballs bobbed in the oily broth, looking particularly appetizing. An Jing scooped up a mouthful with his spoon and tasted the long-missed flavor of meat. The bouncy texture was fresh and salty, inducing an insatiable craving.
Even An Jing, while eating, could not afford to think of anything else. Only after he finished and was led to his dwelling by a worker, did he realize something.
—Hanging Fate Manor was quite skilled in the art of controlling people's hearts.
Standing before his bamboo bed, An Jing turned his head thoughtfully and looked towards Hanging Fate Manor's buildings bathed in moonlight.
For most of the children bought here, they had just been rescued from disaster areas, cured of persistent illnesses, experienced a rough journey leaving their hometown, and were uneasy.
Then, they arrived at a secluded manor hanging on the edge of the world, when they were at their most vulnerable and needed a pillar of support the most.
Hanging Fate Manor washed them, clothed them in new garments, erasing their past exhaustion, panic, and fear. By dressing them in uniform clothing, a common psyche was established.
Lastly, by calling out names from the roster and establishing a sense of recognition, and with ample food and a bit of meat, they deepened everyone's gratitude towards them.
Reflecting on this, An Jing couldn't help but feel moved, "It's only because I possess Innate Wisdom and am naturally skeptical—that even I have a decent, if not quite good, impression of Hanging Fate Manor."
"After all, they truly spent money to heal our diseases, bought people with grain, and so far, no one has abused or mistreated us, youths and maidens. The food, drink, and clothing are all beyond reproach... I see."
At that moment, An Jing had a realization.
As a child, he was rather indifferent to the 'Loyal Warriors' and 'Dark Hands' depicted in heroic tales. He never understood where their loyalty came from, and why they remained so devoted to their masters in the shadows.
But now, he began to understand—if Hanging Fate Manor continued to nurture these youths, by the time they reached adulthood, each would become a true die-hard loyalist of the manor.
Fade into the background? That was nothing. Even if Hanging Fate Manor indeed belonged to an Evil Sect, it wouldn't hinder their loyalty.
The people would regard any wariness, disgust, or caution shown towards Hanging Fate Manor by the outside world as slander, and they would wholeheartedly approve of Hanging Fate Manor as the righteous party.
The worse Hanging Fate Manor's reputation on the outside, the more it would anger those indebted to its kindness and fully identified as disciples of the manor. They would purify themselves further, becoming the true foundation of Hanging Fate Manor!
And that's if Hanging Fate Manor was even an Evil Sect. Were it a prestigious sect, it would be even easier to convince people to willingly die for it, to make sacrifices for the greater good!
"Hmm..."
Owing to the meal he had been provided, An Jing refrained from saying much. Recalling the taste of the meat from the soup in the jar, he murmured to himself, "Okay then, I'll do the work for the meat I ate."
Because of his nature and Innate Wisdom, An Jing knew that in this life, he would very unlikely demonstrate that kind of absolute loyalty to someone else.
But if the pay and treatment were right...
He too could be a devoted servant!
Hanging Fate Manor assigned separate rooms for each boy and girl.
The lodging was a long, open barrack, but they used bamboo partitions to give everyone their own private space.
The room was tiny, with just enough space for a bed and a little room to stretch one's legs, but this narrow environment somehow provided a sense of security to these disaster-stricken children—they had been sleeping in the open for so long that they preferred to huddle in their own cozy little spaces rather than face the harshness of wind and rain.
An Jing couldn't help but think of capsule hotels. Although he had no clear idea what they were, various images would come to mind, giving him deeper insights into those unfamiliar concepts.
This was his Innate Wisdom. An Jing's Innate Wisdom, coupled with his mature way of thinking, was what he relied on to stay safe amidst numerous dangers.
It had come to this, time to sleep.
Feeling extremely tired, An Jing also knew that instead of analyzing how Hanging Fate Manor cultivated loyal disciples, it would be better to get more sleep and rejuvenate his spirit.
He lay in bed, pulled the blanket over himself, and fell into a deep sleep.
For the following period, Hanging Fate Manor did nothing but allow the two hundred plus children of calamity to adjust their daily routines, nurse their stomachs and bodies to health, and acclimate to the mountainous terrain and soil.
They claimed to be an ancient hidden heritage that, due to extremely harsh living conditions in the deep mountains and forests, found it difficult to recruit normal disciples. To continue their legacy, they would go to various places to buy orphans and refugees who could withstand such a life.
This explanation was actually quite weak and if it had been given at the refugee camps or upon their initial arrival at the manor, anyone who believed it would clearly have a few screws loose.
But after Hanging Fate Manor had taken care of everyone's food, shelter, and clothing—where the young boys and girls slept in peace, where there was daily meat and rice, and where new clothes were provided, all without being sold into servitude or being abused or whipped—their words became credible based on these facts.
From An Jing's perspective, Hanging Fate Manor was like a massive, sealed training camp.
Every morning, the manor would gather all the children. The horsemen leading the group would act as instructors and teach a set of simple health-improving martial skills. In the afternoon, they would teach the children to read and write, followed by a physician's check-up.
These martial skills were far inferior to the family martial arts An Jing had learned, but they indeed strengthened the body. An Jing had only learned the basics of his family's Martial Scripture, so learning additional martial skills wasn't a bad thing.
As for reading and writing, it was a study of an Ancient Scripture of Heavenly Mandate called the "Imperial Heaven Scripture," which wasn't any sort of deceitful text. It mainly preached respecting the imperial heaven and the will of heaven, a notion that was widespread throughout Da Chen.
Between practicing martial skills and reading, they would have meals that An Jing believed to be some kind of medicinal cuisine. He could feel his body rapidly improving with the combination of the medicinal meals and adequate sleep, growing healthier, and his lean frame starting to fill out.
Half a month passed in this way, and everyone's spirit and health had improved significantly since they first arrived at the manor. Everyone, except An Jing, had fully embraced their identity as disciples of Hanging Fate Manor.
Even someone as cautious as An Jing was starting to think this place wasn't too bad.
——Every day was filled with eating and sleeping, studying and practicing martial arts. What a life of luxury!
For many, these days were far better than their lives before the Frost Calamity, even better than at their own homes, and they began to see Hanging Fate Manor as their true 'home'.
Meanwhile, during this time, An Jing gradually became acquainted with the other boys and girls.
First, An Jing had studied martial arts and knew how to read and write. He was the one with the best quality among them, so occasionally, the lecturers and instructors would call him to the front to demonstrate movements or recite scriptures, and then he would be rewarded and praised.
Secondly, it was because An Jing truly had an extraordinary appearance.
When they first arrived at the manor, everyone was practically skin and bones, making it hard to discern any distinctive looks.
But even then, An Jing's presence was enough to suppress everyone's doubts, with only a few holding any resentment.
As everyone gradually regained their health, An Jing regained his original appearance as well.
Naturally gifted with a graceful and elegant demeanor, that was his original state, but after wandering for a year and having killed many evildoers, even An Jing's smile carried a sense of danger, like a clouded leopard in the woods—beautiful yet bloodthirsty.
Even the Master of the Medicine Manor couldn't stop sighing with admiration, remarking that with An Jing's appearance, he didn't need to say a word; anyone would think highly of him.
Towards the arrangements of Hanging Fate Manor, An Jing outwardly expressed immense gratitude, yet he analyzed the situation with a cool head inwardly.
He naturally knew this was a cost-effective way of gaining allegiance, making him, an individual with stellar performance and presentable appearance, instinctively consider himself as 'one of Hanging Fate Valley's own' or as the 'Eldest Senior,' fostering a strong sense of belonging and attracting other children to foster a sense of community.
At the same time, it could also incite a desire to challenge among other 'unwilling' children and their competitive spirit.
An Jing himself took no pride in this identity, but there were always others who would gather around him for it.
However, whether it was due to the identity of the 'Eldest Senior' or his looks, An Jing himself was not sure.
In any case, the children from the same dormitory now all revolved around him; he unwittingly became an almost big-brother-like figure. Whether it was leading the group to the dining hall or organizing them for practice at the Martial Arts Field, he was always in charge.
Just like a true Eldest Senior, guiding the others in their studies, such a life could easily make one too relaxed.
But, these were all just the prelude.
After all, Hanging Fate Manor was a sect of martial arts heritage; it was improbable that they would let anyone live a life of luxury entirely for free.
Soon enough, the time for rigorous and highly challenging formal training arrived.