He shouted and climbed up the cold iron chain bridge, using both his hands and feet, and actually “slid” across the entire bridge in one go, drawing waves of cheers from the crowd of commoners on the riverbank.

Ethan Brooks was utterly stunned by what he saw—Jack Bolton climbed so nimbly, truly born to practice martial arts.

“Iron Ox, well done! When we get home, I’ll cook you one—no, two big pork legs to eat!”

Mr. Bolton’s face flushed with excitement as he shouted loudly.

Once across the iron chain bridge, you become an outer disciple of the Medicine King Sect. From now on, his son, Mr. Bolton’s son, would no longer be a lowly butcher’s boy, but finally an outer disciple of the Medicine King Sect, and a bright future awaited him.

On the other side of the bridge, a few white-robed youths from the Medicine King Sect were receiving the children who had crossed the bridge, leading them into the Medicine King Manor.

Ethan Brooks watched, both excited and anxious.

Crossing this cold iron chain bridge—some say it’s hard, some say it’s easy.

As long as you have a strong body and strength like Jack Bolton, and are careful, you have a chance to make it across and become an outer disciple of the Medicine King Sect.

Although Ethan Brooks was thin and not as burly and strong as Jack Bolton, he had done heavy labor since childhood, often climbed trees to fetch bird nests, dove into rivers to catch fish, was agile and nimble, and had plenty of climbing experience.

His only worry was that he had no adults from his family with him. If he slipped and fell into the river, soaking wet, with no change of clothes and no fire to warm up, even if he didn’t die, he’d freeze half to death.

So there was only one chance—he had to make it this time. If he failed, he’d have to wait until next year to try again for the Medicine King Sect. It was hard to find work in Gusu County, and he didn’t know if he could last until this time next year.

Ethan Brooks racked his brains for a solution, then suddenly looked up at the sun in the sky.

In the cold winter, the sun rises later, and at noon it’s the warmest. At that time, he could avoid his hands and feet freezing stiff. After being baked by the sun for a while, the iron chains would also be a bit warmer.

With this plan in mind, he calmed down.

Too much walking around would make him hungry and tired, so he simply found a clean stone under a big tree near the iron chain bridge, sat down to rest, and tried to conserve his energy.

Ethan Brooks waited for a whole morning.

In the two or three hours of the morning, nearly fifty or sixty children tried to cross the bridge, but only a dozen or so succeeded.

Most of the weaker children were eliminated—the elimination rate was extremely high. In fact, many young and timid children didn’t dare to get on the bridge at all, no matter how much the adults scolded or beat them, they simply refused.

By noon, when the sun was at its hottest, most of the ice on the iron chains had silently melted away.

At this time, the crowd gathered at the head of the bridge had gradually thinned out. The brave children had already tried, and those who didn’t dare had long been taken away by their disappointed parents.

Fewer than one in five children could make it across the cold iron chain bridge—maybe even less.

Ethan Brooks kept glancing at the sun.

The iron chains had been baked by the sun for half a day; they shouldn’t be too cold now.

He didn’t dare wait any longer. He took out three coarse steamed buns from his pocket and ate them in big bites until he was full. Then he scooped a mouthful of stream water from under the bridge, warmed it in his mouth before swallowing, rested for a while, and regained his strength.

Ethan Brooks stretched his hands and feet, and finally began to attempt crossing the cold iron chain bridge.

Whether he could join the Medicine King Sect and secure a livelihood and a future—all depended on this all-out effort!

Ethan Brooks carefully gripped one of the arm-thick iron chains. Instantly, his palm felt a biting chill from the chain, freezing to the bone.

Even after being baked by the sun for most of the day, the iron chain was still so icy!

Ethan Brooks’s palm trembled from the cold, startling him. He quickly let go.

No wonder so many children couldn’t make it across—the iron chain was just too cold. Grabbing the chain barehanded, your palms would quickly go numb and lose feeling, and in the end, you’d lose your grip and fall into the river valley below.

Ethan Brooks thought for a moment, then tore two pieces of ragged burlap from the hem of his clothes, wrapped them around his small hands, and tied them tight to ward off the cold.

The burlap couldn’t be too thick, or his fingers would lose sensation and slip easily, making it hard to grip.

But it couldn’t be too thin either, or it wouldn’t block out the cold.

Only then did he grab the iron chain again with both hands, using both hands and feet, and began to climb the icy chain.

Ethan Brooks gripped the freezing iron chain with both hands, shivering from the cold. Fortunately, most of the frost and ice on the chain had already melted in the sun, so it wasn’t as slippery.

The longer he stayed, the more likely he was to get frostbitten and numb. Once his hands and feet went numb from the cold, falling into the water was almost certain.

Ethan Brooks clenched his teeth, not daring to pause for even a moment, and quickly climbed forward using both hands and feet.

After climbing more than ten zhang, reaching halfway, his arms were already trembling slightly, and he felt extremely strained.

If he hadn’t eaten those three coarse steamed buns earlier to fill his belly and regain his strength, he probably would have fallen into the river long ago.

Ethan Brooks was very worried, afraid that one careless move would send him plunging into the river, and his dream of joining the Medicine King Sect and making a name for himself in the martial world would end right here on this cold iron chain bridge. And if he fell into the river, he’d surely be half-frozen to death.