The Legend Of A Mortal god

Chapter 6: Unrealistic Ambition

That same morning, everywhere was quiet. There were only a few people and merchants on the street. This was a result of the heavy downpour that fell throughout the night.

"Awwwwooo!!!"

Then, a deep horn sounded, its powerful tone stopping everyone in their tracks. People froze, children paused their games, and merchants halted their sales. In an instant, the silence broke, and cheers erupted all over Yuefeng.

"The immortal peak is taking disciples again!"

"The heavens have smiled upon us!"

"I knew this day would come; our son must go to the immortal peak."

Whispers and shouts filled the streets. Men and women gathered outside their homes, looking at the distant silhouette of the Immortal Peak, the highest mountain visible from Yuefeng.

LI FAMILY MEETING HaLL

Within a few minutes after the loud horn, all the patriarchs of the five noble families assembled in the Li family mansion. Seated in the majestic hall were Tang Hao, the patriarch of the Tang family, and Wang Ying, the patriarch of the Wang family, seated on the right. On the left were Yu Bai, the patriarch of the Yu family, and Fang Bo, the patriarch of the Fang family. At the center sat Li Qiang, the prestigious patriarch of the Li family.

"Uggghhh!!"

Li Qiang cleared his throat, commanding the room's attention.

"As we all know, the Immortal Peak has opened its gates again. This chance comes only once in a hundred years," he began. "It is not just an opportunity; it is the future for our children and Yuefeng.

We did not have the chance to train with any of the seven prestigious immortal sects. But since this opportunity has come to them, we should support them. They are the future of Yuefeng. With them, we can ensure Yuefeng's glory and security. We must not let our pride get in the way of our duty. We should support our younger generation wholeheartedly."

The others nodded in agreement, except for one. The patriarch of the Wang family shook his head with a smile on his face.

Wang Ying smirked and stroked his long gray beard. "Support them? Hah! It's amusing to hear such words from you, Patriarch Li."

"Patriarch Wang, what did you mean by that?" Li Qiang said in a serious tone, his gaze narrowing towards Wang Ying.

"You’re asking me what I mean?" Wang Ying replied, shaking his head in disappointment.

"I wonder who cast out his own son to live on the street, only to come here and pretend to care about the future of the youth."

"Patriarch Li, you are really something else.. Hahaha!," Wang Ying said with a brief laugh as he stroked his beard.

The words hit Li Quian hard and The hall tensed up.

Bang!

Li Qiang slammed his hand on the armrest of his seat, spiritual energy bursting from him like a vortex. "Wang Ying, you dare to insult me under my roof. Don’t blame me for being rude," Li Qiang said, pointing at Wang Ying. "Are you sure the Wang family can give me a proper explanation today?."

You think I'm scared of you!" Wang Ying roared as he stood up, exploding with his own spiritual energy. "The Wang family will be more than happy to welcome you; come if you dare."

Even though the Wang family were the third-rated noble family, they still had enough strong force to give the Li family something to reckon with. Even without that, the Wang family is known as the most noble and upright family among the five noble families. They usually help the poor and judge fairly in any case they're involved with, hence anyone who offends the Wang family now will surely have the common people knocking on their gate.

The energy in the hall clashed like lightning, sending ripples of energy across the hall but just before things could escalate, Tang Hao intervened.

"Enough!...."We are here to discuss the future of Yuefeng and to support our younger generation in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We didn't come here to point fingers at each other."

The pressure gradually faded. Both patriarchs returned to their seats, though the tension still lingered between them like an unsheathed blade.

Tang Hao continued, "Other towns in Donghai will also send their youths. As the capital, we must set an example. Let’s not damage Yuefeng’s reputation with fighting among ourselves."

The meeting continued without further outburst, and hours later, it finally ended.

By midday, the city's central arena mainly used for festivals and duels, was filled with eager youths. Many were bidding farewell to their families and loved ones, while others were casually chatting.

..........

Not far away from the arena.

Li Cheng stood silently in front of a noodle shop where he worked as a waiter in his worn clothes and rolled-up sleeves as a result of his work. Which made him look like any other commoner. He stood there as he watched the whole scene.

"If only I had a spiritual root. If only I could cultivate," he muttered to himself, clenching his fists.

His gaze landed on the grand staircase that led to the open arena where Immortal envoys would soon arrive.

"Maybe, just maybe, one of the sects will take pity. Even the lowest sect in the Immortal Peak is a thousand times better than being called a useless person here."

Li Cheng reached a decision. He untied his apron and handed it to the shop owner.

"Hey! You still have hours left on your shift!" the owner shouted. "I won't pay you if you come back."

But Li Cheng was already gone. He ran toward the arena, the wind lifting the side of his tattered robe.

When he arrived, the arena was already crowded with people. Li Cheng adjusted the bamboo straw hat on his head used to council his face and found a quiet corner, trying not to attract attention. That would lead to people bothering him.

Soon, a gilded carriage rolled into the arena. A young man stepped out, holding a hand fan. Many people recognized him—Li Yuen. He stood by the carriage for a few minutes, fanning himself. Some people, looking for attention and personal gain, began to shower him with praise.

He got down from the carriage, with his servant by his side.

Within seconds, another carriage stopped, and a handsome young man stepped out. With a red ribbon on his waist and a noble presence, he was someone many recognized, especially women. Wang Yue walked down from the carriage, accompanied by Zhao Tian.

Many young women rushed toward Wang Yue, admiring him; some even tried to touch him. Luckily, Zhao Tian was there to block each and every one of them and cleared a path for him. Otherwise, with so many women running at him, they might have knocked him down.

"Young Master Wang," Li Yuen greeted with a bow. "You're finally here," he said as he approached Wang Yue.

"Young Master Li, you're early," Wang Yue replied, returning the bow.

"Young Master Wang, you look as elegant and handsome as ever. I was wondering who was attracting the crowd earlier when you arrived, and just as I suspected, it turned out to be you," Li Yuen said.

"Not at all, not at all, Young Master Li. I'm sure your strong presence was just as noticeable when you arrived," Wang Yue responded.

The two young men laughed and continued to exchange pleasantries.

Not far from them, Li Cheng stood in a corner, silently observing their interaction.

What noble families... he thought. The two families are clearly at odds, yet in public, they appear to be the best of friends.

Soon, three other carriages arrived one after another.

The first carriage belonged to Tang Xuan, the young master of the Tang family, widely considered the strongest among the five young masters.

The second carriage belonged to Fang Bin, the jovial yet sharp-tongued young master of the Fang family. He was known to be Li Yuen's closest friend and he quickly joined Li Yuen with an easy grin.

The final carriage was different from the others. Silver patterns decorated its black wood frame, and a strong floral scent filled the air.

From the pleasing scent wafting from the carriage, one could easily tell that a woman was inside.

A maidservant stepped forward.

"Young miss, we've arrived."

She drew back the curtain, revealing the figure of a beautiful young woman. As she stepped out, she left everyone in the arena breathless.

She wore a flowing white dress, and a crimson cape draped elegantly over her shoulders. Her hair cascaded down her back. Her features were delicate and radiant; she was beautiful.

This was Yu Mei, the young miss of the Yu family.

As she descended the steps calmly, all eyes were on her. Men were struck speechless by her beauty, while women were in awe of her nobility.

Li Cheng stood in a corner, his with his gaze fixed on her.

Yu Mei suddenly felt a strange sensation, as if someone was watching her. She tilted her head over her shoulder, and her eyes met Li Cheng's. He quickly averted his gaze, turning his head to the opposite side as he adjusted the bamboo straw hat covering most of his face.

Yu Mei stared at him for a moment, but failed to recognize who he was. The hat concealed too much of his features, making it nearly impossible to tell his identity. After a few seconds, she turned away and moved on.

"Oh… is that not Li Cheng?!."

Suddenly, a voice rang out, drawing everyone's attention.