The New Year is approaching, and the cold weather has not cooled down people's enthusiasm. The streets and alleys are as lively as boiling water.
Merchants have to settle their debts, and those who have received their wages and those who owe debts are all thinking about how to celebrate the New Year. Some are happy and others are worried.
Early that morning, teacher Zhang Lin found Niu Xiaosheng who was practicing in the bamboo forest.
"Hunting in Jingshan?"
"That's right."
Zhang Lin nodded and explained: "This rule has been set since the establishment of the martial arts academy, and it has become a tradition now. Every year, the martial arts students registered in the Yamen must participate in the hunt. Our Qingzhou martial arts students hunt
The place is Jingshan. If you don't go, you will be deprived of your status as a child and will never be hired."
"Where is Jingshan? Is it far away?"
I am more concerned about this Niu Xiaosheng. The transportation in this world is not developed, and we have to guard against attacks by thieves and beasts along the way. The road is not easy to travel.
"It's quite far, but you don't have to worry. Every year when the hunting is about to start, the county government will send flying spirit beasts to pick up people, and the martial arts academy will also send teachers to accompany them. It won't take long, and they will definitely be back for the New Year.
"
Hearing this, Niu Xiaosheng felt much relieved and began to ask about the content of the hunt, and Zhang Lin also answered them one by one.
"Let's not think about the top ten. After the hunt begins, you must pay attention to safety. The ranking is not important. The important thing is to come back alive. You have been training for the first time for less than a year, so just go through the motions."
Zhang Lin reminded.
People die every year in hunting, which is unavoidable. Hunting is not a family affair. Once it starts, life and death are determined, wealth is determined by heaven, and the accompanying teachers cannot interfere.
In the next three days, the Wuyuan will give children who want to participate in the hunt a break to spend time with their families. On the fourth day, they will return to the Wuyuan on time to gather.
"so many people!"
When Niu Xiaosheng said goodbye to his master Chen Pan and came to the school grounds where he was gathering, he was immediately startled.
Nearly twenty people gathered in the spacious school grounds. Except for him and Liu Sheng, the rest were obviously old students. There were also a few familiar figures among them, such as the girl in white whom he met by the lake that day.
"Nothing surprising."
Liu Sheng was wearing a white suit, with a short knife inlaid with gems hanging from his waist, and walked up to Niu Xiaosheng.
He just entered the skin training stage a few days ago and became a warrior. "Some old students have been holding back in the past years, just waiting for now. As long as they are enthroned this year and their strength does not exceed the skin training level, they will not violate the regulations."
This operation suddenly made Niu Xiaosheng feel very familiar, and he couldn't help but complain, "A bunch of stupid people!"
He turned to look at Liu Sheng, a little strange, "Since you know this rule, why don't you hold it in for a while and try again in a few years. Maybe you can get a good ranking."
"I don't need it."
Liu Sheng raised his chin slightly to express disdain.
In fact, his family also told him about this matter. If he can get into the top ten after a few years of holding back, it would be a good thing. Not only will the rewards be generous, but the most important thing is to be able to show his face in front of the nobles in the county.
But if you can't make it into the top ten and get on the hunting list, there won't be much difference between the eleventh place and the last place, except for bragging in the future.
In this case, it is better to focus on cultivation and strive to be admitted as a martial arts scholar as soon as possible.
Of course, not everyone thinks this way. What if God favors you and makes the top ten? So there will be some bad guys almost every year.
Suddenly, Niu Xiaosheng felt a cold gaze falling on him. He did not turn his head immediately, but pretended to talk to Liu Sheng beside him, and glanced there with the corner of his eyes.
"It's him!"
The owner of the gaze was no stranger. He had met Niu Xiaosheng once before. It was the young man named Zhang who he met when he first went to Zaowu that day.
It's just that I have no interaction with him. Could it be a matter of the Zhang family?
Before Niu Xiaosheng could think too much, a sharp crane sound suddenly came from the sky, and everyone's eardrums felt a faint sting.
Everyone looked up at the sky and saw a few black spots in the clouds growing from small to large, and finally turned into huge white cranes.
"The crane is here! It's so big!"
Someone exclaimed.
This white crane was indeed ridiculously big, visually estimated to be six or seven meters high. As it slowly descended, it flapped its wings, and a strong wind blew around it, causing sand and rocks to fly.
Soon, four snow-white cranes, surrounded by spiritual light, stopped on the school grounds.
"Stop dilly-dallying, work in groups of five or six and get on the crane!"
The accompanying instructor gave the command.
Niu Xiaosheng followed the crowd and climbed up the crane's back, and found that it was quite spacious, more than enough for six people, and the crane's feathers were soft, making it comfortable to sit on.
After all the children participating in the hunt climbed on the crane's back, the four cranes immediately spread their wings and soared into the sky, straight into the sky.
During this process, a cover surrounded by green light covered everyone on the crane's back, blocking the strong wind.
“How spectacular!”
Looking at the sea of clouds within reach below, a boy sitting behind Niu Xiaosheng let out an excited exclamation.
In fact, not only him, but others also looked in amazement at this time. After all, flying on a crane may only happen once in a lifetime.
Linghe's speed was extremely fast, and it only took about an hour to reach the county's territory.
"Look, there is Jingshan!"
After the spirit crane descended and rushed out of the sea of clouds, the accompanying instructor pointed downwards and shouted.
Everyone looked down and saw a huge wall. The wall isolated a huge forest, and deep in the forest there was a towering mountain.
The city wall in Heishui County is nothing compared to the huge wall below. Seeing this city wall, Niu Xiaosheng couldn't help but think of "Attack on Titan" in his mind. It's just that the wall there was to block the giant, but here it was to block the giant.
Monster.
The crane began to descend rapidly, which scared many people into screaming. For some people who are afraid of heights, this was not a good experience.
One after another, the cranes fell into the continuous building complex next to the huge wall. This is the place where the county government places hunting personnel every year. In addition to the four cranes on Niu Xiaosheng's side, there are other cranes in the sky from time to time.
The crane carried children from other places and landed.
There were twenty-one children participating in the hunt in Heishui County, and they were assigned to two courtyards. The courtyards were not small, and each child had a small independent room.
The accompanying instructor gathered them together and began to warn them: "The hunt will start tomorrow. Let's rest here for a day. Don't wander around. Stay here and recharge your batteries."
"yes!"
Everyone agreed very simply, but looking at the perfunctory expressions on some people's faces, you knew that they would definitely not listen.
After the instructor left, everyone gathered together in twos and threes and began to discuss tomorrow's hunt. Liu Sheng, who was originally staying with Niu Xiaosheng, was also pulled into a small group by his cousin. Only Niu Xiaosheng returned to the room alone.
.
This is not because the old student deliberately isolates him, but because he does not want to bring a burden with him and affect his own performance.