The time of 4 years quickly flew by.
Ye Qingyu was now 14 years old. He was a youth that lived in the poor district of Deer City, which was part of the Snow Country.
4 years ago, within Snow Country's borders, the air moved restlessly and an apparition appeared.
Ye Qingyu's parents, during an unprecedented wave of demon attack due to an abnormal turn of events, died in battle. As a result of this, Ye Qingyu became an orphan and the Ye family deteriorated from then on.
Today, was the end of the four-year promise.
"Father, Mother, the four-year promise has been fulfilled!"
As the sundial pointed to the predetermined time, Ye Qingyu's face that was originally slack suddenly brightened up. His eyes opened wide and in it, you could see a lightning like glimmer.
In that instant, he seemed to turn into another person entirely.
In front of the grave, Ye Qingyu respectfully knelt down and bowed three times. Then, he started digging.
After uncovering the newly turned soil, three inches under, a black box was carefully hidden.
It was an extremely ordinary looking box.
The work outside was shoddy, without a lock and the long-time buried underground has caused obvious signs of rust to appear on the iron box.
Ye Qingyu carefully took out and opened the box, where a bronze badge was lying within.
Under the bright dawn sun, the badge which depicted the crossing of swords, shimmered under the light.
This was the most important possession his parents had left him.
"Mother, Father, according to the promise, I can now do the things I want to do. Can I now return to a normal person? Haha, those folks who have laughed at me for four years, will they be so shocked that their chins will drop?"
When he finished speaking, Ye Qingyu thought of something and a strange smile appeared on his mouth.
After 4 lonely years, despite undergoing hardship and torment, this did not twist Ye Qingyu's personality at all.
He was still filled with optimism, still filled with confidence.
What he lost was just some unimportant things, but what he gained was truly valuable – a calm, unwavering, determined, and rational heart and a pair of eyes filled with wisdom that could see through lies and falseness.
Only through experiencing hardship, can a person truly be moulded.
For Ye Qingyu, these four years could be comparable to a complete rebirth.
"Haha, for those who have laughed at the Ye family for these four years you guys are about to become extremely unfortunate. I'm a person who is extremely vengeful. Mother, Father, right now I'll act freely, you will definitely not blame me, isn't that right?"
Ye Qingyu's expression was calm and peaceful, as if his parents were sitting in front of him.
Carefully, Ye Qingyu stored the badge away.
Then he suddenly thought of something.
"Also, what the Ye Family have lost, I will take it all back with my own hands. Dad, what you've said is correct, without strength all this anger is meaningless. So I've decided, I will go to the White Deer Academy to learn first, you guys won't object right? Wait until I've become strong that sword, our property and the Ye Family mansion, I will take it all back!"
The teenager seemed as if he was swearing a solemn oath.
"Ah, that's right, even though until death you didn't want me to be involved in this issue, but I will definitely investigate clearly. What happened exactly in the battle to defend the city that caused you to fall ... No matter who stands in my way, I will, one fist at a time, break through the sky and shine the light on the shady folks who will pay the price!"
Ye Qingyu looked at the still tombstone as if he could see his parents' familiar faces.
His smile was filled with confidence.
In the distance, the golden rays of dawn pierced the morning mist like a sword, and countless beams of light shown.
Ye Qingyu's body was covered with light and he turned, walking towards the sun.
A legend, although late by four years, but ultimately unstoppable, began in the cemetery slums, quietly rising.
... ...
According to the rumours, there were countless time warped hidden worlds and these could be divided into countless domains.
The number of domains were like the number of stars in the sky inexhaustible.
But since the beginning of the world, through the chaos of millennia, the number of domains discovered by the strongest of each species were only eighty-one, with the [Qingyun domain], [Aria domain] and the [Southern domain] being the most prosperous.
Every domain was extremely broad and vast, with each forming a small world, giving birth to endless races and countless lives.
The Heaven wasteland domain, was one of the extremely young domains and had only been excavated for less than a hundred years so the reputation was not high.
Within this Heaven wasteland domain, was Deer city, a comparatively remote town in this world.
...
The time was summer.
Within Deer City, the annual White Deer Academy selection process was currently undergoing.
As the best beginner martial training center for thousands of kilometers* since the White Deer college began sixty years ago, it was the dream of countless youths to attend this academy.
As a result of this, since the sun had risen, there were tens of thousands of crazed people, crowded into the entrance of White Deer Academy.
As the bell sounded in the academy, accompanied by countless cheers the selection process for new students had begun.
Gradually, the bright glare of the sun continued to heat up, but this could not stop the enthusiasm of the teenagers.
In addition to the thousands of males and females of suitable age in Deer City, there were also countless youths who fulfilled the admission criteria that travelled here. Disregarding the thousand-mile journey they've set off from different villages and settlements, through mountains and rivers, accompanied by their loved ones for protection, to participate in the selection process.
Especially for the countless youths that originated from the poor, this was a chance to change their fate.
Once you pass the selection process and became part of White Deer Academy, it represented that you had taken one step into heaven**.
After training hard and becoming a strong Yuan qi*** warrior, then you can begin changing your poor fate and that of your parents.
In this time, the whole Deer City seemed as if it was undergoing a holiday celebration.
"Ah, have you heard, the daughter of the president of the Cheongna
Commerce Company, Song Qing Luo, who is only 12 years old, have successfully passed through the selection examination in her first try.
Through all six appraisals, she was appraised as excellent and possessing first class talent! This time the Cheongna Commerce
Company will produce a young genius!"
"That doesn't mean much, the son of South district's leader, Lee Seungjin, has also been appraised as having first class talent and has long been looked upon favourably by several Elders of White Deer Academy…"
"That's not too strange, as part of a wealthy family, from when they were small, their roads to becoming strong has already been prepared.
Cultivation techniques, spirit medicines and resources have all been arranged for them. For those rich young masters, they were born with a set of golden keys in their mouth, and as long as they prepare a little bit passing through the White Deer Academy selection process how can it not be simple?"
"That's right, compared to the lowly students, those aristocratic children won because of the difference in the starting line!"
"It's hard for a precious talent to be born in a poor family!
Outside White Deer Academy, everyone was discussing heatedly.
People were extremely emotional.
Because from the start of the examination to now, the majority of youths that had passed, came from a wealthy background. And for the poor students that had come to take part in the examination, out of a hundred there were only one or two that were able to pass, causing the small probability to shock everyone.
Those teenagers who had passed were cheering in celebration while those who had been eliminated were crying, their faces fill with despair.
Some families were happy while some were filled with worry.
The air of noble young masters and the depression of the poor teenagers presented a stark contrast.
The martial road, has always been incomparably cruel.
The admission venue selection grounds was at the entrance of the academy.
The entire selection process was conducted under the eyes of everyone.
In this aspect, it was at least fair. For countless poor youths, this was the only chance at changing their fate.
The crowds of people made the entire test area packed.
As the examiner endlessly announced the results, the crowd would emit a shocked exclamation and the despairing sounds of those eliminated would drift out, crying or begging.
At this time, the crowd split apart.
An imposing youth, his face filled with smiles, squeezed out from the crowd and walked towards the selection grounds.
Once the teenager appeared, it attracted the attention of many bystanders.
He looked to be around fourteen to fifteen years old, his clothing simple and his black hair was tied back with a simple rope, falling on the back to his waist like a waterfall. He had a slender physique filled with strength with sword-like eyebrows and star-like eyes, possessing an angular face filled with confidence.
No matter who glanced at him, they would feel a surge of pressure due to his heroic atmosphere.
Although this youth wore a robe that was covered with patches and was evidently too short for him, it was extremely clean. A pair of straw sandals that looked as if it was about to break down was worn. He looked extremely shabby, but his atmosphere was like a victorious general returning from battle.
"Eh? Quickly look, isn't that Ye Qingyu? That idiot… doesn't he look… changed?"
"Oi, is that guy going to participate in the admission selection again?"
"Haha, he really came. I remember, that stupid child has already undergone quite a few of White Deer Academy selections?"
"That's right isn't it? That guy is a bit crazy, I guess the shock of losing his parents has impacted him too much. It's been four years of continuous entry into the examination, and every time he can't even pass the first appraisal. He has long since becoming the biggest joke of Deer City, and he has no sense of shame, he has even come here to be embarrassed again!"
"Hahaha, its all because the venerable Dean of White Deer Academy has once praised him, saying that he was a genius that had the potential to enter the Deer City ranking, even the hidden dragon rankings!
"Maybe the old dean was confused and misjudged…"
"I feel so too, however this poor Ye Qingyu stupidly thought it was for real, coming every time for the examination. Haha, it's so pitiful, it's funny!"
The crowd did not bother to disguise their discussion, and the discussion clearly passed into Ye Qingyu's ears.
His lips carried a faint smile, not caring in the least.
"A bunch of fools, knowing nothing, if not for the… I would have long entered White Deer Academy."
Ye Qingyu came to the outermost appraisal spot, obtaining the test nameplate.
According to the rules, only after obtaining the nameplate, could he participate in White Deer Academy's six appraisals. He had already taken part four times in the selection process so he knew about every aspect of the rules very well.
"Eh, isn't this the four-year champion? He's coming again this year?" a teenager wearing purple silk clothing said cynically, suddenly stepping near Ye Qingyu.
"Hahaha…"
"After this time, he should be the five-year champion, right? Ah, this is too fearsome…"
*Technically says li (Chinese measurement of distance, roughly equivalent to 500 metres) but since the whole concept of distance is so muddled, I'll just keep it a smiles.
** Chinese idiom here, 一步登天, where the literal translation is one step into heaven pretty much means you've become successful in one go.
***So the term in raw says yuan qi, or 元气. I'm most likely just going to refer to this as qi from now on.