C2

'Ah! 'Chao Yang sat up from the ground in fear and touched his chest. Luckily, there was no knife.

He wiped the sweat off his forehead and his body became wet. He looked around and saw smoke rising from the direction of the village at the foot of the mountain.

"I'm back again. Was it a dream just now? But what I remember is it was at the top of the mountain. Why is it lying at the foot of the mountain?" Where did that old man go? " The morning sun was full of questions.

Looking at the blue mushrooms in the bamboo basket, which were emitting a faint blue light, the sun secretly cried out, "Not good! This mushroom has been harvesting for half a day! Father and Mother must be worried to death!"

"No, I need to hurry home." He picked up the bamboo basket and ran like a wisp of smoke towards the direction of the village.

The Xiang Family Village was under the jurisdiction of Luo City and had a population of about five thousand. It was a medium-sized village where all the families with surnames of the dynasty lived in, and every ancient house lived very close by. Legend has it that it was designed by an elder of the dynasty based on gossip, neatly arranged in two rows, with the word "well" written on each side.

Not long after, Chao Yang arrived home. He was so anxious that he broke into the house, disregarding the etiquette his parents had taught him.

"Father, Mother!"

She wore a light blue dress, her long hair hanging down to her shoulders. She was tied up with a blue silk ribbon, her jade hairpin was lightly pulled up, and her hairpin was as thin as water droplets. With a slight shake, she looked like an ethereal rain.

"Mother, I missed you to death!" Chao Yang put down his basket and ran over to hug her.

"Child, you have been harvesting mushrooms since early in the morning. Have you gone to play with Huzi?" He gently looked at Chao Yang.

Chao Yang didn't dare tell his mother what had happened that morning. It was too horrifying. His mother rubbed her waist and hugged him even more tightly.

"This child is already so old!" The light from his mother's personality was astonishing.

"You're getting more and more ignorant. Knock on the door first before you enter!" A loud and clear voice rang out.

"Father!" Chao Yang had always been afraid of him, but now that he had done something wrong, he hid behind his mother.

That man had an imposing appearance. He was dressed in coarse clothes and did not look that handsome. His father had taken the Imperial Examinations before and was an Elementary Scholar. Now, he was serving as a teacher in the village, teaching his children.

He was about to be lectured again.

"Alright, alright. Every time Yang'er makes a mistake, you have to teach him a lesson. He's still a child ?" His mother wanted to help Chao Yang.

Chao Yang's father rolled his eyes. You were saying so much just now, but now you're shaking your head speechlessly, "You! Just stick with him like that! "

Chao Yang snickered. 'Father is afraid of mother. Mother passed me. I'm afraid of father. This family is truly happy!'

"Mom, I'm hungry!"

"I finished the steamed bun I brought you in the morning. Mother will prepare it for you right now!"

The sun was shining, and the steamed buns and chicken legs were all given to the old man.

"Yu'er, you two eat first, don't wait for me. Third uncle told me to go to the ancestral hall, there might be some matters to discuss!"

"Then go and come back quickly!"

Chao Yang rolled his eyes. His third uncle was the chief of the village. He didn't know why his father was looking for him. Forget it, the affairs of the village were always complicated.

Not long after Chao Yang's father left, a child about the same age as Chao Yang snuck in. His fat body looked a little valiant, with a sunny face hanging under his messy hair. He looked really adorable.

"Brother Yang, where did you go this morning?"

"Huzi, why are you here?" Chao Yang asked back.

"It's a long story. This involves a very great matter. It can be said that it shocked the world ?" Hu Zi imitated the tone of an adult and spoke at a leisurely pace.

Chao Yang looked down on him. This fatty only asked him why he was here, and there were so many things.

Hu Zi knew that Chao Yang did not believe him. "Follow me." He grabbed his hand and ran away.

"Yang'er, you haven't eaten yet!" Chao Yang's mother chased after him and shouted.

"Wait for me to come back!" The two ghosts had already disappeared.

Not long after, Chao Yang's father slowly strolled over to the ancestral hall. This ancestral hall not only served as a sacrificial offering to the ancestors, it also had a variety of uses. For example, teaching at the ancestral hall is where the clan head exercises his authority. Anyone who violates the clan rules is educated and treated here until they are expelled from the ancestral hall. I wonder why third uncle called me here? In front of the ancestral hall, there was a wall of light forming a wall. The gate was tall and tall, with four square stone eaves supporting a thick, curved beam. The wooden structure of the third floor of the four pillars and three floors was listed on the ten-meter-wide forehead of the third floor. On the second floor, each row had a total of nine steps. Each row was supported by an eaves with beautiful flowing lines and a suitable structure. On both sides of the door, there was a pair of fine carvings of a pair of drumming stones.

He was quite familiar with the environment here. As he walked into the main hall, he saw an old man sitting on an armchair. Because of his age, the old man's goatee had completely turned white.

"Shitou, you're here!" Third Uncle stood up to welcome him.

Chao Shi was his name. When he was young, his elders would always call him Shitou. Seeing that his great-uncle had stood up, he quickly went to help him up.

"Great-uncle, slow down!"

Third Uncle stroked his beard. "Ai, I'm old!"

"Uncle, don't say that. You are the pillar of the village!"

"In the future, it will be all to you youngsters. Oh right, Shitou, a few days ago, the village elders held a meeting and decided to let Zhaoyang and Tiger go to the Luo City Academy to train."

He knew that every two years, the twelve villages in Luo City would send eight years old children to train and become the focus of attention of the entire world, but there were very few who succeeded in their training. Once they started cultivating, they could basically be sentenced to death by law, and out of the children chosen for eight years, none of them had come back, so it was certain that they were all dead.

"Uncle, I'm begging you. I'm just a child at Chaoyang. How can I explain to Yu'er?" Chao Shi kneeled down. He was a man with backbone, but he could do anything for the sake of his child!

"Shitou, what are you doing? Quickly get up!" After all, his great-uncle was old, and his tears flowed faster.

"Third uncle, Ji Mujian, his three sons, why didn't they choose them?" Tears streamed down Shi Yan's face.

"I understand what you mean, Shitou. In this matter, I am not biased, and the descendants of the emperor are also my descendants, how could I not wish to replace those children by myself? But I cannot. Third uncle's voice became hoarse, indicating that there was nothing he could do.

Chao Shi immediately understood. The family had an uncle who was an official in Luo City. It was very easy to solve this problem, even if they had ten sons.

"Shitou, I watched you grow up. If you really don't want to, then take Yu'er and Yang Yang and run! "I'm already a long year old, and have had enough of living. Just look for me if you want to find fault with the people from Luo City!" He did not want to die so early. Occupying power was extremely important, but for matters of suicide, he had to use tender feelings to deal with it, especially towards a bookworm like Chao Shi.

"Uncle, please don't. I will discuss this with Yu'er and won't implicate the village." Chao Shi was a scholar. He was upright and honest, and couldn't escape for his own selfish desires.

"According to the rules of the Tian Jin Kingdom, all families that participate in the cultivation will receive tax relief. In addition, don't be so pessimistic when you have your second life as a participant, for some things lost, there will be compensation, and that is the logic of the heavens. Moreover, I see that Yang Tian has talent, maybe he will become the Tian Shi, and he will become the hero of our village!"

The great-uncle used all sorts of good words and kept his face expressionless. He said that this was my son and that he wouldn't give it to me even if he were to exchange it with the world. He was a little impatient and said, "Great-uncle, I'm going back to discuss it."

"Go!"

Chao Shi walked out of the ancestral hall dejectedly. He never would have thought that their conversation would last so long. The sun had already set in the west, leaving behind a patch of multicolored light that dyed the ground.

"You won't be able to run away!" the great-uncle muttered to himself as he watched her figure recede into the distance with narrowed eyes.

At the foot of the green mountain, the two children sat on the ground with their backs facing each other.

"After I die, bury me there. Right, over there." Morning Tiger pointed at the top of the mountain.

"What nonsense are you spouting? You won't die!"

Yesterday, my parents received the news that I was going to train, so they cried for a day at home, and my mother even fainted from crying. Father said that in the past eight years, not a single child has come back. Chao Hu lowered his head and said powerlessly.

The latter part of his sentence stung the morning sun. After experiencing the dreamscape, he already knew that this world wasn't as beautiful as he had imagined, and he still wanted to become stronger.

"Don't be depressed, maybe I'll go with you!"

He had pretended to be pitiful for a long time, but he had been waiting for this line.

"Really, as expected of a good brother. I'll tell my parents right now and bring you along as well!" Chou Hu swept away his previous depressed state and became excited.

Your sister, I really want to beat him up. He was so happy when I died with him.

"Hehe, I was just joking. I was thinking of marrying a beautiful wife!" Chao Yang said slyly.

"Sigh!" 'Brother Yang, every year you burn a wife with paper in your mind, I want the one with big breasts. Right, widow Wang, don't look at me like that. I often peek at her taking a bath ? '

If the morning sun was defeated, how could he make a paper with a big chest? "It's too late, we should go home. I beg father tonight, let him plead on your behalf, maybe there will be a chance!" These words flowed into his heart, making him very touched.

"Brother Yang, thank you!" The corners of Tiger Chao's eyes were moist.

In fact, Chu Zhaoyang's mood was also rather complicated. What exactly did he have to do to become strong? The time to return home was slower than usual by half. When he arrived at his house, he heard the sounds of fighting.

"Chao Shi, you idiot! "Why do you want my Yang'er to cultivate? I don't agree, I won't agree even if I die."

Chao Yang was greatly alarmed. 'Am I really going as well?' His mother had never been so angry before. Furthermore, she had obviously cried for a long time.

"This is the decision of the village. If we don't agree, the village will be punished. The young men of my clan are never cowards and fear death!"

"Go f * cking hell, tomorrow I'll take Yang'er to my home, I don't want to come back!"

"Yu'er, you have to understand that the cultivation system is set by the state. To protect one's family and country is what a man should do."

"Then I can have Yang'er study for the top scholar, be it an official, practice martial arts, or join the army and contribute. Why must he go to the Heavenwalker?"

"Fine. You can take Yang'er with you. If anything happens, I'll shoulder the burden myself. I owe you too much, mother and son. I didn't give you the right life." Chao Shi was also reluctant to part with his child, but he could not do that coward's thing.

Why can't I let that dream go? Could it be that I'm really afraid of something? No, I want to be strong. In the future, no one can control me, much less hurt my family. I am about to become a Skywalker. I have good character, so no matter what I do, I will become very powerful.

Chao Yang pushed the door open and entered. He said to his parents, "Stop arguing, I'll go!"

His voice was as firm as iron, shocking everyone who heard him. Was this what an eight year old said?

"Yang'er, don't talk nonsense. Mother will bring you away tomorrow."

Without any regrets, he replied, "Mother, I'm not stupid. If I don't go, the village will make things difficult for you. If I go, but I run out, they won't say anything. I'll just casually pretend to be sick and come back."

"Is that okay?" Chao Shi couldn't help but ask. He also didn't know what the world of cultivation was like. His mother also looked over with a puzzled expression.

"Of course you can. You all won't remember. Two years ago, Big Brother Shui wasn't feeling well, so he didn't go to work as a soldier. He also went to war when he was eight years old," Chao Yang said this, but in his heart, he was determined to not return.

"That's right, Yu'er. Ah Shui is back!" Chao Shi was excited for a moment. Perhaps it really was as Chao Yang had said, he could pretend to be sick and come back!

"But, in the past eight years, why haven't there been any children who are not well enough to cultivate?" Chao Yang's mother asked doubtfully.

This mother was too smart! Chu Zhaoyang wasn't in a hurry. He said slowly, "Maybe they have something to eat. They can't bear to stay here any longer." "Mother, I can't even leave you for half a day. I'll definitely come back, moreover, I'm born to be a lucky general, so everything will definitely be fine."

Seeing their son being so concerned for their family at such a young age, the couple felt very gratified. They thought to themselves, if the morning sun really has grown up, if he really wants to cultivate, should he agree to it? But what could they do if they didn't agree?