Heaven Does Not Choose the Weak.

Every year, the Qingye Empire always holds an acceptance exam for members from all over the plains of the Empire, they prepare to prove themselves worthy of entering one of the Nine Great Sects. Its location is at the height of a mountain that can penetrate the clouds in the sky.

Today the prospective exam participants are riding a blade on their feet, flying towards the place where the exam will take place, the Main Pavilion. Witnessed directly by the leaders of the Nine Great Sects as well as by the most renowned Cultivation Emperor.

Hei Xing, an eighteen-year-old young man, is instead climbing thousands of stairs. Above his head, hovers a sharp metal ridden by his female friend, Feng Yun.

They are orphans who have grown up together since they were little, they don't even know who their parents are. Since birth, they only know that they were taken care of by the same person, their Cultivation Master in a motherly village.

"Master said, this is an exercise in restraining one's limits," complained Hei Xing with a lazy breath. "But this is very exhausting."

The sun is increasingly burning Hei Xing's pale white skin, the journey to the peak is still very far. He glanced at the magnificent pavilion obscured by thick fog from a distance, he felt as if he was stepping on stairs that were leading him to heaven at the top of that mountain.

"Hey, fool! Stop complaining!" retorted Feng Yun who passed over Hei Xing's head. "I've been shading you, haven't I?"

Hei Xing then raised his head, his breath becoming more labored with every stride, his temples weakening from annoyance, his long white hair was already drenched in sweat.

"Who are you calling a fool?!" he retorted. He raised his middle finger to Feng Yun with a flat face, but his voice screamed very loudly. "Just wait at the exam later, who will be called the fool in the end! You big fool!"

While he was standing on that step, his body was circled nine times by Feng Yun, the woman's sky-blue hair swaying from the wind that hit with every swoosh.

"Of course you're the fool," she answered cynically. She squatted on her blade while looking at Hei Xing with an annoying smirk, then showed off a white book with a nine-star pattern on its cover.

"We already proved it at the book retrieval with Master, didn't we?" she continued. She stood up and turned her back to Hei Xing without any care at all. "This Nine-Star Book is proof that I am not only smart, but proof that I am loved by Heaven and Earth."

Hei Xing just remained silent, his sturdy chest trembling. He wanted so badly to hit his arrogant friend, his hands were even already clenched until the veins bulged on the back of his hands. But every time he felt disturbed, he always remembered Master's message, "Never use power just because of anger alone."

He felt as if, if Feng Yun only wanted to make him annoyed, his friend also surely remembered their Master's words.

"Hahh... look... even I who have no Qi can be chosen by the Book!" Hei Xing also took out his book from under his shabby black robe. "Just watch later! I will become a Cultivation Emperor loved by many women!"

While stepping, he puffed out his chest with a wide smile while closing his eyes, his inner self saying that Hei Xing was boasting about his book: a tattered One-Star Book, but the star symbol on the cover was not even clearly visible.

"Loved by many women? Hmph!" Feng Yun turned her face away. "Even that Book isn't worthy of being called a Book, Hei Xing..." She tried to belittle her friend's self-esteem.

"I'll go first, don't be late," she continued. Without further ado, she left that white-haired man alone.

"Damn it! Give me a ride!" cursed Hei Xing jumping up and down because of envy. "Just you watch, damn it!"

Hei Xing took a stance, he lowered his body then stretched his legs alternately.

"Damn! I won't lose!" he shouted thunderously. Without another word, he ran very fast until dust billowed behind his body every time his feet stepped on the stairs.

"WAIT FOR ME, FENG YUN!"

Hei Xing ran like someone who was fleeing from death. For him, today could not be missed even if he had to go stark naked.

Hundreds from all corners of the Qingye plains will determine their fate today. Including him who dreams of becoming a Cultivation Emperor respected by all circles.

Despite him having no talent and often receiving insults from every person he met, Hei Xing wanted to become a Cultivator recognized throughout Qingye.

"I will prove to the world... who deserves to stand above."

Arriving at the top, he pounded through the last hundred stairs without a sound. His legs moved on their own, automatically, as if they had separated from his body that screamed for rest, one step finally planted on the mountain peak.

Hei Xing's calves were trembling, as if numb, exhausted from running without stopping at all, the cold air stabbed to the bone and entered his throat without permission every time he breathed, steamy and irregular.

"F-finally arrived." He wiped the sweat on his forehead that was streaming. "Fyuhh..."

At that height, his eyes instantly widened in awe at the scenery around him, a palace-like pavilion stood solidly before him, hundreds of people milled about gripping their sword hilts with various expressions: enthusiastic, nervous, even blank.

"Hmm... it's quite crowded too—"

Brak!

Just as he had taken one step forward and hadn't yet managed to land his foot on the floor made of stone, someone crashed into him from the side very hard until the impact sent them bouncing then falling together.

"Ouch!" his voice was muffled because something soft was pressing on his face. "Move!"

His eyes couldn't see anything, his hands then roughly pushed something soft on his face.

"Kyaa~"

A woman's moan was heard from above Hei Xing's body, making him fall silent. But his hands, continuously kneaded that lump.

"Stop it!"

Her tone sounded like a snap.

When that something lifted, Hei Xing's cheeks immediately turned red, his eyes widened because he was stunned by the beauty of a woman who seemed to be his age sitting on his stomach.

Her pink hair almost covered her face, her soft and thin lips turned downward in a pout, her eyes narrowed cynically but both her hands were propped on Hei Xing's chest.

If the mountain peak was heaven, then that girl was its angel. At least, that was what crossed Hei Xing's mind, time seemed to slow down when he focused on gazing at that lovely face.

"Y-You perverted bastard!"

Crott!!

That girl jabbed her two fingers into Hei Xing's eyeballs quickly.

"Ouchh!!!" whimpered Hei Xing immediately touching his irises, instantly the weight pressing on his stomach disappeared slowly, that girl had already gotten up leaving him who was grimacing in pain near the stairs.

"Isn't that girl... Yan Zhi?"

"What a damn pervert man!"

Hei Xing quickly sat up with his eyes still closed, his ears busy listening to the people around him. He felt he was being talked about over an incident that wasn't his fault.

His inner self cursed a few harsh words without anyone knowing, that he was annoyed right now for several reasons: because he was left by his friend, also because of the stranger who crashed into him.

The girl who bumped into him should have apologized to him. But... what happened was just a misunderstanding that should have never happened.

He opened his eyes, then stood up. People were already entering that magnificent building, he too stepped forward wanting to enter.

Hei Xing tried to avoid the exam participants who flew above his head without ever making sure if there were people below the metal that could slash someone's neck.

The atmosphere became more crowded and packed.

Not only crowded, but a long queue.

He tried to pass by several people to register himself as a participant, at this moment he was wondering. Had Feng Yun registered herself yet? Maybe she had, because she arrived first, but Hei Xing hadn't seen his annoying friend yet upon arriving at the mountain peak.

Several men were sitting at the registration table, they were the ones handling the participants who registered.

Hei Xing kept stepping even though squeezed by sweaty bodies, trying so he could move from the hundreds of people pressing tightly.

"A little more—"

Boing! Boing!

Again, he experienced a soft sensation.

Hei Xing smelled a soothing flower fragrance.

His face was again muffled by something.

"Damn it! Again—"

When he stepped backward...

"Hoi... kid!"

That tone was spoken by an adult woman standing upright before him, her clothing only an open dark bra, covered by her black hair.

He looked up but that woman looked at Hei Xing like a black panther ready to pounce on its prey.

"A-Ahh I thought you were that girl—"

"Who do you think I am?!"

That woman's aura was very different, as if he was face to face with the final king.

"Lady Mo Jianxiu... we better continue—"

"Shut up, Xuanzhi Yuze! You should have used that space-shifting technique so we would arrive quickly!"

Behind her, a sweet beautiful woman with long wavy jade-like hair accompanied her. Hei Xing glanced briefly at her, her expression seemed... pressured.

"W-Wasn't it, uh... Lady who asked me to accompany you to look around—"

"Shut up, Yuze!"

Without turning her head, she gripped the head of the young man in front of her. Then, her tired-looking droopy eyelids... returned to Hei Xing's face.

"Adadadah!"

Her grip was strong, even her fist seemed like it would be crushed if she let Mo Jianxiu keep pressing on his head.

"This kid... I don't feel Qi from him," continued Mo Jianxiu. "What is this crippled human coming here for?"

Hearing that, Hei Xing suddenly narrowed his eyes at that rude woman. Both his hands immediately gripped Mo Jianxiu's hand tightly.

He was born hated by Qi, yet his Meridian absorbed the Qi he touched towards his Dantian. But unfortunately, that spiritual energy only affected his muscles, becoming mere physical density that spread from his navel to all body functions.

The One-Star Book under Hei Xing's robe responded, the book also stored the Qi absorbed by its owner.

Briefly Hei Xing saw that woman's eyebrow rise as if amazed by him. In an instant, Mo Jianxiu curved a smile.

BASH!!!

"ARGH!"

Hei Xing was hurled.

He was thrown towards the crowd, crashing into the queue of prospective participants.

"Whatever!" shouted Mo Jianxiu. "Come on, Yuze!"

"A-Alright, Lady."

Xuanzhi Yuze took out her Book, a brightly lit portal appeared when she murmured something. Mo Jianxiu entered that oval light followed by her who entered the veil last.

"Forgive us, handsome young man," said Xuanzhi Yuze kissing her lips coquettishly.

Without much time.

When they had completely vanished.

That portal shrank then disappeared.

"What the heck?" said Hei Xing getting up from the people he fell on top of who were in pain. "Huhh."

Tap. Tap. Tap.

He looked down, cleaning his clothes from dust.

"Hey..." that voice sounded soft, a woman again. "M-May I be with you?"

When Hei Xing turned around, sure enough, a large mound of fatty meat right in front of his face bounced up and down.

"Ahh..." He quickly stood up and exchanged glances with that girl. "Sure, but let's leave here first."

While stepping, Hei Xing was puzzled. His mind kept dwelling on the brown-haired girl who suddenly approached him. Out of all the people in that place, why him?

He glanced briefly at the girl walking beside him. Hei Xing's gaze was full of suspicion as well as confusion.

"What is she following me for?" his inner self asked.

That girl looked down, she said, "My name... is Xiao Rou." Without glancing at Hei Xing at all.

"Ahh... nice to meet you... I'm Hei Xing," he replied scratching his hair.

"I-I'm confused..." Xiao Rou continued to speak. "I-I saw you were having trouble, and I thought we had the same condition..." Her eyes now focused on Hei Xing. "Would you accompany me to carry out the exam together?"

That girl's words made Hei Xing smile faintly. Of all the ridiculous events today, only Xiao Rou acted normally.

Of course he would say, "Yes." while showing his two canine teeth at the side of his clean and white lips. "Why not? I'm also alone... my friend is who knows where, hehe..."

"A-A friend?"

"Right, a friend."

"Is it okay if you're with me?"

"Of course."

Both of them agreed to be together during the exam. They immediately headed to the registration place when the queue began to quiet down, then wrote their names as student candidates who would vie for the chance to enter one of the Nine Great Sects of the Qingye Empire.

Hei Xing walked casually while tucking both his hands into the sleeves of his shabby black robe. His steps seemed light, as if all the insults and condescending gazes from the people around him never truly bothered him.

With a tattered One-Star Book, and talent considered completely nonexistent, Hei Xing kept stepping without hesitation.

He wanted to prove to the world, that someone like him also deserved to stand under the same sky, without exception.

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