Chapter 1: Seven Mysterious Gates

The smell inside the carriage was clearly unpleasant. This was hardly surprising, given that a space meant for only a dozen or so people was crammed with nearly thirty children. Although children are much smaller than adults, their numbers still made the carriage extremely crowded.

Han Li cleverly tucked his slender body into a corner of the carriage, secretly observing the other children inside.

The children who had come to take the entrance examination were clearly divided into three categories based on their attire and background.

The first category consisted of the richly dressed boy sitting in the center of the carriage, surrounded by most of the other children.

This boy, Wu Yan, was thirteen years old, making him the oldest person in the carriage. His age technically exceeded the limit, but his elder cousin was married to an influential figure within the Seven Mysteries Sect, so his age was naturally not an issue. Wu Yan's family owned a martial arts school and was quite wealthy. He had also practiced some martial arts since childhood; while not particularly skilled, it was more than enough to handle children like Han Li, who possessed only crude strength and had never formally trained.

It was clear that individuals like Wu Yan, with their wealthy and influential families, and some martial arts skills, naturally became the "big brother" to most of the children in the carriage.

The second category comprised the children clustering around Wu Yan. These children came from diverse backgrounds: some families owned shops, others worked odd jobs, and some relied on their craftsmanship for a living. However, they all shared one characteristic: they had grown up in towns. Consequently, they had naturally learned, to varying degrees, how to read people and pursue opportunities from their elders. Thus, these children surrounded Wu Yan, calling him "Young Master Wu" one moment and "Big Brother Wu" the next. Wu Yan appeared accustomed to these appellations and clearly enjoyed them.

The last category was represented by children like Han Li. These individuals came from remote, impoverished villages where families typically lived off the land and water, making them very poor. There were only five or six such children in the carriage, the smallest group. They mostly appeared timid and hesitant to speak loudly, simply watching as others laughed freely, a stark contrast to the boisterous children who often made noise.

The carriage departed from Qingniu Town, speeding westward. Along the way, it stopped at several more locations to pick up additional children, finally arriving at Mount Caixia, the headquarters of the Seven Mysteries Sect, on the evening of the fifth day.

As soon as the children disembarked, they were captivated by the vibrant beauty of Mount Caixia's sunset. It wasn't until Protector Wang urged them forward that they snapped out of their trance and continued walking.

Mount Caixia was originally named Luofeng Mountain. Legend has it that in ancient times, a five-colored phoenix landed here and transformed into this mountain. Later, people who visited discovered that the mountain was extraordinarily beautiful at sunset, appearing as if enveloped in colorful clouds, leading to its renaming as Mount Caixia. Of course, since the Seven Mysteries Sect took possession of this mountain, outsiders were naturally no longer permitted to freely enjoy its scenic beauty.

Mount Caixia is the second largest mountain in Jingzhou, surpassed only by Mount Baimang in terms of area. Its mountain range spans over ten li in circumference. The mountain boasts more than a dozen peaks of varying sizes, all extremely perilous, and thus occupied by the various branches of the Seven Mysteries Sect. The main peak of Mount Caixia, "Sunset Peak," is particularly treacherous. Not only is it exceptionally high and steep, but there is also only one path from the base to the summit. After the Seven Mysteries Sect established its main hall there, they set up thirteen checkpoints, both visible and hidden, along the path's critical points, making it virtually impregnable and ensuring complete security.

Han Li walked forward, observing his surroundings, when suddenly the procession ahead halted. A hearty voice then rang out.

"Brother Wang, what took you so long? You're two days behind schedule."

"Hall Master Yue, we were delayed a bit on the road. Apologies for troubling you," Protector Wang said, standing at the front of the group. He respectfully bowed to a red-faced elder, completely shedding his earlier overbearing demeanor and showing a hint of deference.

"Is this the latest batch of disciples sent up the mountain?"

"The seventeenth batch."

"Hmm!" Hall Master Yue glanced at Han Li and the others with an air of importance.

"Take them to the Guest Hall. Let them rest well for a night. The selection of qualified disciples will begin early tomorrow morning. Those who don't pass should be sent down the mountain promptly to avoid breaking the mountain's rules."

"Understood, Hall Master Yue."

Walking up the stone steps to the mountain, all the children were excited, yet no one dared to speak loudly. Although they were young, they all knew that this place would determine their future destinies.

Protector Wang led the way, smiling and greeting everyone he met. It was evident that he knew many people within the sect and had a good reputation.

Most of the people encountered along the path wore green satin robes. They either carried knives or swords, and occasionally, those who practiced unarmed combat had bulging pouches at their waists, though it was unclear what they contained. From their demeanor and movements, it was clear that these individuals were agile and possessed good martial arts skills.

Han Li and the others were led to a relatively low peak, where there was a cluster of earthen houses at the summit. They spent the night there. That night, Han Li dreamt that he was dressed in fine robes, wielded a golden sword, and possessed unparalleled martial arts. He had gloriously thrashed the blacksmith's son from his village—a boy he could never defeat in real life. The dream was so vivid and satisfying that he was still relishing it when he woke up the next morning.

After waking up in the morning, Protector Wang did not allow anyone to eat breakfast. Instead, he led everyone directly to a large bamboo-covered slope at the foot of the mountain. There, Hall Master Yue, whom they had met the day before, along with several other unfamiliar young people, were already waiting.