Chapter 001: What the Heck is Going On

Verdant, winding mountains coiled around a surging great river like a giant serpent. Beneath the jagged cliffs, two hundred zhang high, carved by blades and axes, lay the unremarkable "Qingmu City." It was merely a county city under Qingzhou, one of the nine major provinces of the Zhao Kingdom, about the size of a small county in modern society.

There were at least eighteen or twenty such small county cities under the jurisdiction of just one province in Zhao Kingdom. Moreover, Qingmu City was truly at the bottom of the barrel. Even within Qingzhou, it was one of the poorest and most backward counties.

However, at just six o'clock, while modern people were still nestled in their soft silk quilts sleeping in, the training grounds of The Bennett Residence were already thundering with applause, shaking the heavens, trembling the earth. Waves of cheers erupted like the sea, spreading from The Bennett Residence throughout all of Qingmu City.

Because today was once again the semiannual "Blood Root" test at The Bennett Residence, the day to select talented disciples. "Blood Root" referred to the "bloodline index," which indicated one's aptitude for martial cultivation.

It was similar in concept to "IQ" in modern society.

On the "Tai Xuan Continent," martial artists focused on cultivating "bloodline abilities." Children as young as five began preliminary martial body training. Only by training the body to perfection could one use strong muscles to vibrate the "bloodline." Once "vein vibration" succeeded, the bloodline would vibrate the air, absorbing the energy of heaven and earth, thus entering the "Vein Pulse Realm."

Only disciples who reached the "Vein Pulse Realm" could be called "martial artists." Before that, they were just ordinary people.

And the "Tai Xuan Continent" was a land where martial prowess was revered to the extreme. The status of ordinary people was lower than that of a dog kept by the strong. Therefore, only by pursuing higher martial arts could one gain status, wealth, beauty, power, longevity, and everything else.

Just like scholars in ancient China: "All trades are lowly, only studying is high." Because only by passing the imperial exams could one rise above others.

On the Tai Xuan Continent, if you couldn't awaken your bloodline, you were basically finished. You were destined to be mediocre for life.

"Juntian, go lie down for a bit. Testing 'Blood Root' energy takes a lot of effort and is exhausting. Your mother has already stewed eight-treasure lotus seed soup for you. Drink it after you wake up; it'll work even better." William Bennett's father, Charles Bennett, said with a face full of affection, gently patting his son's shoulder and smiling reassuringly.

William Bennett understood that he had just returned from the family training ground after testing his "bloodline index." His father didn't ask about the result—actually, one look at his face told the whole story. His father was being considerate, pretending not to know.

William Bennett understood even more how much pressure his father was under right now. As a core elder of the The Bennett Residence Elder Council, his own son was still stuck at the peak of the "Body Refining Realm," unable to vibrate his bloodline and enter the "Vein Pulse Realm."

Today, after the bloodline energy test, William Bennett's result was once again a big fat "zero." Because the minimum standard for vibrating the bloodline was "10 decibels." A bloodline vibration of "zero" meant your bloodline hadn't moved at all. Strictly speaking, you were still just an ordinary person, not a martial artist.

Idiot!

Useless!

Good-for-nothing!

Blockhead!

Even "bastard," "not of our The Bennett Family blood," and a series of other humiliations flooded William Bennett's ears wave after wave. Even Charles Bennett, the core elder of The Bennett Residence, heard it all.

Some clan members even suggested that if William Bennett still couldn't enter the "Vein Pulse Realm" next time, it would mean Charles Bennett was a failure as a father, with inferior "seed," and that it was a disgrace for a dignified core elder to have such a useless son. It had become the laughingstock of Qingmu City. Therefore, they proposed that Charles Bennett should be implicated and kicked out of the circle of elders.

Of course, there were plenty of people in The Bennett Residence. And not a few coveted Charles Bennett's position as core elder.

"Dad, I..." William Bennett's voice was choked, his mood extremely low.

"It's fine. In a few days, I'll try to get you a bowl of 'Renwu Realm' fierce beast blood to drink. Maybe that'll do the trick." Charles Bennett laughed it off, pretending not to care. But William Bennett knew his father was smiling on the outside, but suffering inside.

"Dad, I'm going to train." William Bennett couldn't stay any longer. Like a tiger descending the mountain, he dashed into the woods behind the house.

He began furiously punching and kicking the trees, shouting madly as he vented, the loud cracks of his fists and feet echoing.

In William Bennett's mind flashed the mocking face of his cousin James Bennett: "Blockhead!" "I'll beat you to death!" William Bennett imagined the huge tree as James Bennett and punched it hard, his hands covered in blood.

Another tree became his younger cousin Henry Bennett's sneer: "Useless!" "Kick you to death, you bastard." William Bennett kicked another tree hard, blood oozing from his foot.

A long stone nearby turned into the disdain of The Bennett Residence's number one beauty, Grace Bennett. Just like that, William Bennett kept tormenting himself in a frenzy. Finally, covered in blood, he collapsed in pain.