He was dressed in a yellow robe, with two golden dragons playing with pearls embroidered on his chest. A white jade hairpin held up his hair, a finely carved dragon-shaped jade pendant hung at his waist, and an amber jade thumb ring adorned his hand. At a glance, it was clear he was no ordinary young man.

The Daoist guide stopped in his tracks and turned around with a gloomy face. If it weren’t for the youth’s attire, which hinted at his identity, he would have already lost his temper at such arrogance from a new disciple who hadn’t even made a name for himself yet. Still, his tone was unfriendly as he replied, “New disciples only get this treatment. If you’re not satisfied, go argue with the elders!”

“How dare you! Do you know who he is? He is the third prince George Washington, the current emperor’s most beloved son of the Xianglong Kingdom!” A follower beside the third prince George Washington shouted loudly. This attendant was also dressed in splendid clothes and carried himself with an air of nobility, clearly a scion of the powerful.

A look of disdainful amusement appeared on the Daoist guide’s face as he flicked his wide sleeve and said, “Even if your emperor himself came here, he’d have to follow the rules of the Taichu Sect on Dayu Mountain. Third prince? Just a mere mortal—don’t put on airs in Taichu.”

With that, he strode away at his leisure.

Having been snubbed, George Washington and the other noble youths beside him wore sullen expressions. George Washington suddenly laughed and said, “Doesn’t Father always teach us to go among the common people and understand their hardships? Isn’t this a perfect opportunity to experience that?”

Worthy of a royal scion—he deftly turned the situation around, giving himself a way out and even winning the favor of many less privileged disciples.

George Washington took the lead and walked into the dormitory. A musty smell hit him in the face. The long, narrow room was dark and damp; stepping on the floor produced a squelching sound as water seeped up.

George Washington’s status as a prince drew much attention, and many people were already approaching him to make connections.

Jason Bolton and Ryan Bolton, both beaming with enthusiasm, had already gathered several youths around them, chatting animatedly.

While most people were busy making friends and forming alliances for the future, a few sat silently on the edge of their beds—either out of shyness or natural introversion.

Henry Sullivan didn’t join the crowd. He responded perfunctorily to those who tried to strike up a conversation, picked a bed, and began tidying up his space.

Next to Henry Sullivan, a small, thin boy who only reached Henry Sullivan’s shoulder stood timidly. Delicate and at a loss, it seemed to be his first time far from home and sharing a room with so many people. Because he was so small and unremarkable, no one took the initiative to greet him.

“Hey, help me pull down the bedding, will you?” Seeing how lost and alone he looked, Henry Sullivan felt a surge of compassion and greeted him, “Xiaoyushan Henry Sullivan. And you?”

The boy gave a slight smile, revealing white teeth. He deftly took the bedding, helped Henry Sullivan shake off the dust, and then said shyly, “Xu... Edward Bennett...”

While most people were socializing, the sight of Henry Sullivan and Edward Bennett making their beds caught George Washington’s attention.

The small and thin Edward Bennett aside, Henry Sullivan himself was upright and sunny, with bronzed muscles and a sturdy build that spoke of good physical fitness and likely strong potential.

George Washington walked up to Henry Sullivan, cupped his hands, and said, “George Washington. May I ask your honorable name, brother?”

“Henry Sullivan.” Henry Sullivan returned the gesture.

“Brother Sullivan, from now on we’re both disciples of the Taichu Sect, and fellow apprentices of the same year. The Taichu Sect is full of powerful figures, and as new disciples, we won’t get much attention. In the future, let’s support each other and advance together!”

With a warm smile, George Washington put his arm around Henry Sullivan’s shoulder in a very friendly manner.

After all, George Washington was the third prince of Xianglong Kingdom. Since he had come over to talk, it would seem arrogant to brush him off, so Henry Sullivan smiled and chatted with him casually. However, the small Edward Bennett stood right beside Henry Sullivan, yet George Washington didn’t spare him a glance, as if he didn’t exist at all.

Very soon, Henry Sullivan formed an opinion: George Washington was outwardly warm but inwardly calculating, only befriending those he deemed valuable or promising.

The group of youths chatted for a while, and soon night fell completely. The cold mountain wind howled through the cracks in the walls.

Though the days were still warm in early autumn, the temperature difference between day and night was huge. Especially in this cold, damp dormitory, some of the weaker ones were already shivering from the cold.

Although the two large bunks could easily sleep two hundred people, and there were more than two hundred quilts laid out, the bedding was thin and damp—squeeze it and water would drip out, and it gave off a pungent musty smell.

Chapter 0005: The Manifestation Platform and the Immortal-Seeing Eye

The boys all climbed into bed, forced to accept the dirty, hard bunks and the damp, moldy quilts in the cold wind. Everyone wanted a good night’s rest to recover from the exhaustion of traveling day and night, and to prepare for tomorrow’s final test—a new chapter in their lives.

Edward Bennett lay right next to Henry Sullivan, shivering under the thin quilt until his lips turned purple. Not only Edward Bennett, but even the strong and healthy Henry Sullivan and the other new disciples felt the biting cold.

In the dim candlelight, a black hand reached out toward Edward Bennett, pulling away the quilt tightly wrapped around him.