Chapter 167: Testing the Candidates
Just outside Mu Xia Village, on the grassy plains at the settlement’s footsteps, a small crowd gathered around three young men. A majority of them consisted of women and young children, but they were still somehow eerily quiet as they stood there, staring at the three men.
The largest of the three young men was currently swinging a sword around. Even if that was all there was to it, the children would still be entertained, but sword swings weren’t all that was happening. After every slash, a crescent-shaped stone was sent flying out of the blade. It traveled with such force that it made the onlookers break out into a cold sweat. They instinctively knew it would be trouble for them to be anywhere near the powerful attack.
Beside this tall man was a man of much shorter stature. He wore a strange wooden mask while he swiftly darted all over the place, performing one incredible acrobatic movement after the other.
And if the flashy flips and somersaults still weren’t enough, there was also a bluish-silver fire burning before the last remaining man. It was not only a visual spectacle, but the fumes also managed to reach the villagers. A sweet and exotic scent could be detected around the area. It was the result of the candy-like exterior of the pill being caramelized during the final steps of refining.
It didn’t fail to stir the appetite for sweets from the children, but they were too overwhelmed by everything happening before their eyes to do anything more than stare.
Before the crowd had to wait too long, the three cultivators quickly finished their respective matters and called out to them.
“Thank you to those who have come. I won’t waste any more of your time than needed, so we’ll begin with our tests right away. Can all the children who will be participating please step forth?”
Instantly, the children who had parents glanced up at them for permission, while those who didn’t, sprinted out toward the three cultivators. They varied widely in height due to the age range Li Lang had set. They accepted anyone between the ages of eight and twelve.
This was because Li Lang had always been skeptical of the practice of only recruiting when a child reached the age of ten. He didn’t believe the spiritual roots and meridians magically appeared when they turned ten years old.
Instead, he believed it was just an arbitrary age people set that made it convenient for management. It was just like the age of adulthood that kept changing over history. There likely wasn’t any complex thought put into deciding this number, picking an age where it seemed likely for the children to be capable enough to listen to instructions and endure the vigors of cultivation.
In order to put this to the test, Li Lang didn’t hesitate to widen the age range of those he wished to accept. Combined with the fact they weren’t looking for those who had high aptitude, their pool of candidates theoretically encapsulated everyone willing to participate.
Once the trio counted a total of twenty people assembled before them, it became apparent no one else would be joining. Wei Ping then gave out the next instructions.