“Father has long since figured it out. The Medicine King Sect is no worse than the Tianying Sect. The pharmacies in the county, the manors and farmland outside the city—are any of them less than what the Tianying Sect has? If you can join the Medicine King Sect as an outer disciple, endure for a few decades, maybe you could even become the chief manager of a pharmacy, with dozens of people under your command! You wouldn’t have to be like your father, a lowly butcher, being ordered around and yelled at. Even though I’m a butcher, my son can still become a man of status.”

Mr. Bolton thought of Mr. Foster Sr.’s bossy face, always barking orders at him, and felt indignant, spitting fiercely on the ground.

Back in the day, Mr. Foster Sr. was just a lowly attendant at the Tianying Inn, not much higher than Mr. Bolton himself, so what was there to be so proud of?

The only reason Mr. Foster Sr. holds his current position as chief manager of the Tianying Inn is because he later became an outer disciple of the Tianying Sect and gradually rose to success. Otherwise, he’d have been a servant all his life.

He, Mr. Bolton, also wanted his son Jack Bolton to become a disciple of a major sect in Wu County, to rise above others and finally hold his head high.

“Hey, Dad! Who’s that over there... Is that the little fisherman from the countryside? How did that kid end up in the south of the city too!”

Jack Bolton, having finished his big meat bun, suddenly spotted a young figure ahead on the road, dressed in coarse linen and straw sandals, and cried out in surprise.

Jack Bolton was a local in the county town, often bullying Sam at the inn, and likewise looked down on the young fisherman Ethan Brooks from Zhouzhuang.

Mr. Bolton also saw Ethan Brooks, and couldn’t help but slow the reins, catching up to the thin figure.

Ethan Brooks heard the sound of a donkey cart behind him and quickly stepped aside, turning to see Mr. Bolton and his chubby son driving the cart, and was surprised.

He actually knew Mr. Bolton from before, since Mr. Bolton’s wife was from Zhouzhuang as well—they were all fellow villagers and often ran into each other in Zhouzhuang.

“Uncle Zhang, weren’t you going back to Zhouzhuang to visit family? How come you’re here?!”

Ethan Brooks was puzzled. Seeing Mr. Bolton’s awkward expression, then glancing at the nearby Medicine King Manor, he immediately understood. Mr. Bolton had told Mr. Foster Sr. he was going home to visit family, but in reality, he wanted to bring his son to join the Medicine King Sect.

It seemed that among the common folk of Gusu County, there were plenty who wanted to join a martial sect and make something of themselves—he was far from the only one.

“Oh, it’s little Chen! Haha, what a coincidence! The weather’s nice today, so I was just about to head back to Zhouzhuang. I heard from old Li that the Medicine King Sect is recruiting, so I thought I’d come by and see the excitement, haha! Little Chen, are you also here to apprentice at the Medicine King Sect? What a coincidence!”

Mr. Bolton laughed heartily, trying to cover his embarrassment.

Originally, he hadn’t wanted to pay much attention to Ethan Brooks, this little fisherman. But thinking that his son and this young fisherman might both join the Medicine King Sect and become fellow disciples, perhaps they could look out for each other, so he chatted a bit more.

The rest of the way wasn’t far. Ethan Brooks, Mr. Bolton, and the chubby boy chatted idly, and soon arrived together outside the Medicine King Manor.

……

Outside the Medicine King Manor, there was a stream encircling the mountain, with only a single iron chain bridge, over twenty zhang long, to cross.

The stream below wasn’t deep, but the water was icy cold and bone-chilling.

Originally, the iron chain bridge was covered with hundreds of large wooden planks, nothing special, easy to cross.

But now, all those planks had been removed, leaving only a few bare iron chains, dozens of zhang long, connecting both banks—suddenly making the crossing treacherous. At night, the chains froze over with ice, becoming extremely slippery.

This was a natural barrier for the Medicine King Manor.

With just one man guarding the iron chain bridge, the mountain gate could be held.

Four Medicine King Sect guards in blue stood arrogantly at the entrance to the bridge, arms crossed over their chests, looking down at the lively crowd of commoners gathered outside the manor.

The Medicine King Sect was one of the most powerful forces in all thirteen counties of Wu, far above ordinary small sects and gangs. Even these manor guards were a cut above the rest.

The usually arrogant county constables had to address these Medicine King Sect guards respectfully as “sir,” not daring to put on any official airs.

Ordinary martial artists and small-time gangs didn’t even dare act up in front of Medicine King Sect disciples.

Every year, countless newcomers wanted to join the Medicine King Sect.

But those who were unqualified were all turned away—not just anyone could join. To train in martial arts, you had to be young and have a certain amount of talent.

The Medicine King Sect had strict rules for recruiting disciples, only accepting a batch of promising boys aged eight or nine to thirteen each year during the twelfth lunar month, to be carefully trained as valuable members of the sect.

By the iron chain bridge, local gentry from nearby towns, tenant farmers with hoes, poor scholars fanning themselves, and even a few anxious constables had all gathered, hoping to get their children into the Medicine King Sect. But the icy iron chain bridge blocked their way, leaving them anxiously waiting by the bridge.

Ethan Brooks hurriedly squeezed into the crowd, wanting to hear what the adults were discussing.