Half a year passed in the blink of an eye. Through diligent physical training and relentless strength-building, Linley endured the warmth of spring, the scorching heat of summer, and stepped into the cool depths of autumn. Beside the open field east of Wushan Town stood a row of tall poplar trees. Now, with every gust of wind, clusters of yellowed leaves would float and swirl down slowly, littering the entire field with their withered, golden-brown remains.
The sky gradually darkened.
Today, the crowd at the eastern field was unusually large, numbering nearly three hundred people.
"Today's evening training ends here," Hilman announced with a smile. "But before we disperse, let's all send our blessings to the group of youths from Wushan Town who will soon leave to join the military."
After the autumn harvest, it was enlistment season. In this martial world where combat prowess was revered, every young man aspired to become a great warrior. Of course, some also dreamed of becoming mages. However, the path to becoming a mage was far more challenging—only one in ten thousand possessed the innate talent for magic. With odds that low, most people didn't even consider it."Becoming a warrior is far simpler. Reach adulthood at sixteen years old and attain at least the first-level warrior standard. As long as these two conditions are met, one can easily join the military."
"Uncle Hillman, thank you!"
One hundred and twenty-six teenagers aged seventeen or eighteen bowed respectfully. Normally these youths wouldn't attend training sessions, having already reached adulthood and secured their own occupations. Yet they had all been nurtured by Hillman since childhood, making him their true mentor.
Before enlisting, they came to bid farewell to Hillman.
Watching this group of vibrant seventeen- and eighteen-year-olds, Hillman felt waves of emotion. He understood these youths currently burned with longing for military life, yet wondered - after ten years of army service, how many would return alive?
"Of these 126, may half survive," Hillman silently prayed.
Surveying the group, Hillman declared in a booming voice: "Listen well, lads! You are men of Wutian Town! Men of Wutian Town must square their shoulders and meet any challenge without flinching! Do you hear me?"
The seventeen-year-olds immediately straightened their postures, their ardent eyes blazing with anticipation for military life, roaring in unison: "WE HEAR YOU!""Excellent." Hillman's ramrod-straight posture and steely gaze bore the distinctive marks of a military man.
"Tomorrow you depart. Prepare thoroughly tonight. I know your capabilities well - each of you could easily qualify for military service! I, Hillman, shall await your glorious return to Wushan Town!" The drillmaster's voice rang out clearly.
The 126 youths' eyes kindled with ambition.
To return home in triumph - this dream burned in every young heart.
"Now, I order you all to return immediately and make final preparations. Dismissed!" Hillman barked with military abruptness.
"Aye, sir!"
The 126 youths responded in unison before filing out under the envious, worshipful gazes of nearly two hundred underage children still remaining. Tomorrow would herald their embarkation upon an entirely new chapter.
"I've two years left before coming of age. Then I too can enlist."
"Truly I yearn for that fervent military life. Existing perpetually in Wushan Town, however long one lingered, would be meaningless."A group of teenagers around thirteen or fourteen years old chatted excitedly among themselves, all yearning for passionate and thrilling lives filled with fervor. They aspired to achieve great feats, to earn the admiration of girls, and to win praise from their families and hometown folks.
These were their dreams!
"Linley, your father Lord Hogg has urgent business today. Don't play around with the other kids here - come back with us," Hillman approached Linley, gazing fondly at the boy he'd always cherished.
Linley possessed remarkable intelligence. Educated by his father Hogg since childhood, he could already read most characters and comprehend ordinary books. Literacy was considered a luxury, typically reserved for nobility. The ancient Baruch family, however, possessed a vast collection of books.
"Uncle Hillman, I know. Father has reminded me three times already today. He's never emphasized anything this seriously before. I won't stay to play," Linley grinned, revealing a row of pearly white teeth with one conspicuous gap - he was currently losing his baby teeth.
"Alright now, with a front tooth missing, your smile lets the wind through," Hillman chuckled. "Let's head back."In the front courtyard of the ancient Baruch family estate, the household had just finished dinner. Linley was playing with his two-and-a-half-year-old younger brother.
"Brother, hug, hug."
Little Warton gazed at Linley with eyes pure and untainted by any impurities. Toodling unsteadily, he stretched out his chubby little hands and ran cheerfully toward Linley, who crouched nearby waiting patiently.
"Warton, come on, come on." Linley encouraged.
The toddler's stumbling steps made one constantly fear he might fall. Yet little Warton ultimately managed to crash into Linley's embrace. Warton's water-soft, crystal-clear skin now glowed rosy, his pitch-black eyes sparkling with excitement as he called out in milky tones, "Brother, brother."
Looking at his blood brother, Linley's heart overflowed with boundless affection.
Without a mother, without grandparents. Though there was father and the old butler's care. The precociously mature Linley cherished his younger brother with extraordinary devotion. In Linley's view, as the elder brother, it was his duty to protect his sibling.
"Warton, what did you learn today?" Linley asked with a smile.Warton furrowed his brow, his adorable expression deep in thought for a moment before exclaiming excitedly, "Today I learned how to use burlap!"
"Burlap?" Linley couldn't help but smile. "What did you clean with it?"
Warton counted on his fingers and said, "First I used the burlap to scrub the floor, then I cleaned the chamber pot, and finally I cleaned... the bowls! Yes, the eating bowls!" He looked up at Linley with bright, expectant eyes, awaiting praise.
"You cleaned the chamber pot and then the bowls?" Linley's eyes widened.
"What's wrong? I scrubbed them really clean." Warton tilted his little head up, his face filled with innocent confusion as he stared at his older brother.
"Young Master Linley, your father is asking for you. Let me hold Young Master Warton." A kindly old man with a ruddy, bulbous nose approached. This was 'Hiri', the steward of the Baruch family. The entire household had no servants or maids except for this steward.
Linley had no time to continue discussing the matter with Warton. He immediately handed his brother to Grandpa Hiri and rose and headed toward the living room.
"Father, why did you summon me this time?" Even at his young age, Linley sensed this summons involved something significant.Entering the living room, a grandfather clock taller than Linley stood in one corner.
Grandfather clocks were considered rather luxurious items, typically owned by wealthy or aristocratic families. At this moment, Linley's father was seated before the fireplace, facing the flames that danced continuously, accompanied by the occasional *crackle* and *snap* of splitting firewood.
"Huh? Why did Father change clothes?" Linley felt a flicker of surprise as he noticed his father in the living room. When at home, his father usually dressed simply. During dinner earlier, he had worn ordinary attire, yet now he had changed into a set of luxurious garments.
Hogg exuded the unique demeanor of an ancient noble lineage—a temperament not born of mere wealth, but cultivated through the traditions of an old family. What ordinary household could match a clan whose legacy had been passed down over five thousand years?
Hogg rose to his feet and turned. Upon seeing Linley, his eyes lit up.
"Linley, come with me to the ancestral hall. Uncle Hilli, you're familiar with our family affairs. Join us as well," Hogg said with a gentle smile.
"The ancestral hall?" Linley was taken aback.
Within the Baruch family estate, relatives typically resided in the front courtyard's main mansion. The rear courtyards, largely unmaintained and uncleaned, held only the ancestral hall—a place for honoring forebears. It was cleaned monthly, but otherwise remained untouched."Now isn't the time for ancestral worship—why are we going to the ancestral hall?" Linley was filled with confusion.
Exiting the parlor, Hogg, Linley, and Housekeeper Hiri—who carried Wharton in his arms—walked along a moss-covered, centuries-old stone path toward the rear courtyard.
Late autumn, the night chill hung heavy like water.
A cold breeze swept through, causing Linley to shiver involuntarily. Yet he stayed silent, sensing the unusual heaviness in the air. Following his father, Linley stepped into the ancestral hall.
*Creak.* The hall's doors closed.
As a row of candles was lit, the chamber brightened instantly. Linley's gaze fell upon the dense array of ancestral tablets lining the front of the hall. Their sheer number spoke volumes of the Baruch family's ancient legacy.
Hogg stood silently before the rows of tablets, uttering not a word.
Linley's tension mounted. The only sound in the hall was the faint crackling of candle flames. The silence pressed down, thick and suffocating.
Suddenly, Hogg turned to face him, his gaze solemn. "Linley," he began gravely, "there are matters to attend to today. But first, I must tell you of the Baruch family's history."Linley felt his heart thumping rapidly.
"Matters of the family? What could it be?" Linley wondered inwardly, filled with anticipation, yet he dared not speak aloud.
Hogg's face bore a trace of pride as he declared solemnly, "Linley, our Baruch family has been passed down for five thousand years. Throughout the entire Kingdom of Fenlai, you likely won't find a second family as ancient as ours." His tone carried absolute arrogance.
Antiquity—this was something deeply revered among nobles.
"Linley, do you know of the four legendary Ultimate Warriors in the history of the Yulan Continent?" Hogg turned to look at him.
Linley's eyes lit up as he nodded. "Yes, Uncle Hillman mentioned them. The four legendary Ultimate Warriors are the Dragonblood Warrior, the Purpleflame Warrior, the Tigerstripe Warrior, and the Undying Warrior."
Hogg smiled approvingly. "Correct. Now, I shall tell you this: the four Ultimate Warriors represent four ancient families. And our Baruch family is the noble, ancient lineage that carries the bloodline of the Dragonblood Warrior!"