Martial Sage from the Vajra Skill

"First, we’ll go to the barracks and find Commander Li."

With a grim expression, Li Qiang entered the city and led Xu Yang and the other two toward the City Guard Army’s barracks.

"Excuse us. We are disciples of the Purple Sun Sect, and we have business with Commander Li. Please announce our arrival."

After revealing their identities, the four were quickly able to see Li He.

Li He had clearly been informed that the Purple Sun Sect would be sending people, so he was not surprised.

After exchanging some pleasantries, Li He said, "Junior Brothers, you haven’t been back in many years. You must be homesick. I won’t keep you. Just come find me on the day the Martial Arts Examination begins.

Leave the horses at the barracks. I’ll have someone look after them. When you’re ready to return to the Sect, you can come here and retrieve them."

"Then we will trouble Senior Brother Li to deliver the Sect’s official documents to the County Magistrate," Li Qiang said with a cupped-fist salute.

The group was indeed eager to get home, so they didn’t stand on ceremony with Li He, immediately leaving the barracks and going their separate ways.

"In the blink of an eye, two years have passed." Walking on the familiar streets, Sun Tao felt a bit dazed.

Compared to the Purple Sun Sect, Qingyuan County was practically a beggar’s den—dilapidated and old—but at this moment, it exuded an inexplicable sense of familiarity.

’I’m about to see that little girl. When she sees me, she’ll probably cry her eyes out.’

A smile tugged at the corner of Xu Yang’s mouth. The thought of the little girl, all grown up and still crying like a baby, made him want to laugh.

"Is that... Xu Yang? Why is he back?" someone recognized Xu Yang.

Coming from a farming family, he had changed his fate and achieved Dragon Ascension through martial arts. He, along with Lu Ren and Zhang Yong, could be called role models for the lower class of Qingyuan County.

Furthermore, since many people had watched the Martial Arts Examination, quite a few in Qingyuan County recognized him. After just a short walk, he had already been recognized by several people, sparking discussion.

"He’s returned home in glory!" someone said.

But that was quickly countered, because in all of Qingyuan, it was rare for those who had achieved Dragon Ascension and left to ever return.

"I didn’t realize Junior Brother Xu was so famous," Sun Tao said with a laugh.

He had also successfully achieved Dragon Ascension in the Martial Arts Examination, but walking next to Xu Yang, no one recognized him.

Xu Yang laughed and said, "I didn’t expect so many people to recognize me either."

The two walked for a while, and Sun Tao even bought some of Qingyuan County’s specialty snacks from a roadside stall. Xu Yang had some too.

After eating Exotic Beast Meat every day at the Purple Sun Sect, eating these things he had craved as a child but couldn’t afford now felt incredibly delicious.

Sun Tao suddenly spoke up, "Junior Brother Xu, what do you say we go pay our respects to Master first?"

Xu Yang wasn’t one of Lin Cheng’s Inner Disciples, so technically, he didn’t need to go. But Sun Tao hadn’t yet dared to tell Lin Cheng about Lin Wei’s death, and he knew it would be impossible to hide now that they were back.

He hoped Xu Yang would accompany him and personally explain to Lin Cheng.

"Alright!" Xu Yang nodded.

’After all, I do call him Master, and Master Lin has always treated me differently than others. It’s only right that I go see him first now that I’m back. Besides, he even entrusted me with looking after Lin Wei.’

The two of them weaved through streets and alleys and soon saw the familiar Weiyuan Hall.

Shouts and yells echoed from within the walls, and it sounded like there were quite a few people.

"Who are you two looking for? Are you here to become apprentices?" 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

As the two walked into Weiyuan Hall, a disciple immediately stepped forward to stop and question them.

The two exchanged a glance, unable to help but sigh at how much things had changed. They were once prominent figures in Weiyuan Hall, yet now, no one even recognized them.

Sun Tao laughed and said, "Junior Brother, we’re not here to become apprentices. We were also once disciples of Weiyuan Hall, and we’ve returned to pay our respects to Master Lin."

"Then go right ahead, Senior Brothers."

Hearing that the two weren’t there to become apprentices, the disciple couldn’t be bothered with them and returned to his spot to continue practicing his forms.

"Well, this is..." Sun Tao gave a wry smile.

Seeing two Dragon Ascending Geniuses being ignored like this, he could only give a wry smile and walk with Xu Yang toward the Inner Courtyard.

"Huh? Senior Brother Sun Tao, Senior Brother Xu Yang, you’re back?"

Just as the two were about to enter the Inner Courtyard, they ran right into An Ye, who was just coming out.

The once-naive youth now had a more resolute and mature look on his face, even carrying a hint of authority.

"Yes. Is Master here?" Sun Tao asked with a smile.

An Ye nodded vigorously. "He is! Master is in the small courtyard."

With that, he turned and ran into the Inner Courtyard, shouting, "Master, Senior Brother Xu Yang and Senior Brother Sun Tao are back!"

’Just a moment ago, I thought he’d matured and become more composed, but I didn’t expect him to revert to his old self so quickly.’ With a single great shout, he shattered the tranquility of Weiyuan Hall.

Although many didn’t recognize Xu Yang and Sun Tao’s faces, they had all heard their names.

This was especially true for Xu Yang. Weiyuan Hall had more disciples than ever, and the biggest reason was that they had achieved high rankings in the Martial Arts Examination, bringing fame to the hall.

In a great clamor, the group of Outer Courtyard Disciples stopped their training and ran over to greet the two.

The young man from before was constantly apologizing to people.

The Inner Courtyard disciples also ran out, their gazes burning as they looked at the two.

They had already reached Qi Gathering, and their goal was to achieve Dragon Ascension in the Martial Arts Examination just like these two and make a name for themselves.

’What a fine field of flourishing leeks.’ Xu Yang sighed internally as he met the disciples’ gazes.

’If these people knew how cruel the Purple Sun Sect is... if they knew that of the sixty people from Qingyuan County who achieved Dragon Ascension two years ago, fewer than forty are still alive... I wonder what they would think.’

"Greetings, Senior Brother Xu Yang!"

A somewhat familiar voice called out. Xu Yang looked and saw that it was Tian Li, the young man who used to always follow Qiu Wenjie around and train with him.

In two years, Tian Li had also matured a lot and now carried the air of a Martial Artist.

With a brief scan, he found that Tian Li’s Cultivation had already reached Qi Gathering Great Success. If he participated in the Martial Arts Examination, he would have a high chance of achieving Dragon Ascension.

"Junior Brother Tian, your cultivation is quite good. To think you’ve already reached Qi Gathering Great Success. It seems you haven’t been slacking these past two years," Xu Yang said with a smile.