A Land Without Gods - Volume 1: Journey To The Heaven Chapter 2 1: Purple Sparrow Inn
Late again, Lu Yan running as fast as he can to racing against the sunset. This is not the first time he has been late, however this maybe the most important. He has used all his luck to be accepted into Divine Wing Sect, one of the true sects that approved by the heaven. Every hard part has been done, all he needs to do is to show up at the Purple Sparrow Inn before the sunset today. It supposed to be simple but now he might miss it.
“How can I be blamed though, it is my first time to travel this far. There is just too much new things I need to try and do. If you can’t enjoy life then what is the meaning of being alive anyway.” Lu Yan keep telling himself this thing, so he can feel better for his mistake. He has played until past midnight and has to wake up at noon. With no money to buy a horse or rent a carriage, his only option is to run. Now he has run for six hours straight, a feat can only be achieved because of his breakthrough to the 1st level of Body Refining Cultivation.
However, it is only a first level, Lu Yan already exhausted to the point of almost collapse. Only his guilt carrying him through this time. Being a cultivator is not actually his dream, it just all the bully he got that force him to become one. He has spent a whole year to practice Body Refining Technique and now all his life saving has been used to travel here. He really can’t go back home with nothing.
Divine Wing Sect is his only shot as well. In this Southern region, there is only 5 sect that can be called to be approved by the heaven. Only two of them he can reach, the other three is either too far or he need to cross into another country that is in bad terms with his. Lu Yan came from Ji Country in which actually the home to the Five Primordial Beasts Sect. However, he can’t join that sect, the people who bullied him are mostly come from that sect.
Because of its location most cultivator’s Lu Yan know are come from this sect. Some of his childhood friends are becoming bullies after they accepted into it. Lu Yan has been their target for quite some time. If he joins that sect, he will become their junior and get bullied once more. Luckily though his hometown is near the border with Yin Country, home of the Divine Wing Sect.
While both country and sect are rather in good terms with each other, some pseudo competition stern between both sect apprentices. Which for the sake of efficacy will be shortened into Beast and Wing sect as starting right now? These two sentences are nothing compared to how much these sects name will be mentioned in the upcoming stories. It is no wonder Lu Yan get slandered a lot when he chooses to apply for the Wing Sect. Most people are saying he is not good enough for the Beast Sect so he has to enter the inferior Wing Sect. Another one that he is actually half a girl by choosing it. It is a common saying in his hometown that said girl choose the Wing Sect and boy choose the Beast Sect. Which give him more reason to join the Wing Sect, since he will choose a place with more girls anytime.
However, Lu Yan reminiscence has to be hold back as he already arrived at the Purple Sparrow Inn. He never been here before, but this is the first purple building he ever see in his life. The sun already set and he has to rely on their tolerance for now. As he arrives he see a young man wearing a white Daoist robe with a wing symbol. These symbols are cheesy but at least this wing is better than the weird symbol of the Beast Sect.
To his surprise this man is not just throw him out, but ask for his token instead. He got this token three months ago from some cultivator that recruiting at the neighbor town. This token is so important that he keep it inside a roll of clothing inside his bag. In the condition of panic and tired like this it actually took him almost an hour to look for it. For each second, he can’t find it the panic get worse and worse to the point he almost throws up. Lucky for him there is nothing in his stomach right now for him to throw up. Anyway, he able to get inside the inn which means people just exaggerating about how strict the sect rules are.
Inside the inn another young man with the same robe greet him “You’re late! Luckily our big brother not here right now, otherwise you won’t be allowed in here. Anyway, just join the other for dinner first, we will go tomorrow at dawn.” The talk about the girls in Wing Sect can’t be true after all, two cultivators he saw both are man and there is an older brother out there. From seven applicants already there only two of them are girls and one of them look exactly like a boy, the average is not good.
Through short chatter he soon sees a new hope, his good fortune before come from a girl named Liu Fang. She is the daughter Liu Zhang, the prefect here. Not only a noble birth, she is also rumored to be one of the most beautiful and talented youngsters in the Yin Country. As if the God ever just, there is just someone who born good in everything and those someone like him that is average in everything. There surely is someone else who is just bad at everything but those people life will never mentioned in any stories. Anyway, as she is late there is no way they can close the application door yet. In fact, her late has worried them, so one person has to go pick her up.
Just after he eat a scene happen at the front door, the Wing cultivator get out followed by all the others candidates. Lu Yan has to follow them through. There he sees the most beautiful girl he ever seen holding a slim spear. Right across her is handsome man with a broadsword, his face looks fierce. Both look like they are at the same age at him.
“Wretched girl gives me back my jade pendant.” This boy just called a girl that most likely to be Liu Fang with name. You not supposed to pick a fight with girl, especially when she is pretty not to mention a daughter of the prefect. This guy though looks like he doesn’t care about all that, beside why would a girl of a rich family steal from some weird looking guy.
“I buy this pendant with my money how can you say I stole them.” The girl answer while both are already exchanging some blows. “You buy from a thief, that count as stealing as well. Who know if you are the one order them to steal from me.” Both of them exchanging blows and words at the same time for a while. The matters between them already clear from both of their first sentence. However, clearing them is not that easy. Someone has to lose something and no one want to stay at the losing end. Another thing that clear is that both of them clearly have some skills. Their power and speed at least at the level of guard captain in his hometown. Which mean around the 3rd or 4th level of Body Refining Technique.
To reach the 1st level is already hard for him and it supposed to get harder from there. Some say without the help of special technique and elixirs it is impossible to achieve further progression. That is why this sect are important, since they are the one teaching that special techniques that come from the heaven itself. Coming from a notable family it is no wonder Liu Fang can get this kind of resources, but this other guy doesn’t look rich at all.
The two Wing Sect apprentices soon come to their senses. They enjoy watching this fight unfold, but afraid that Lin Fang will be injured. Somehow, they look like they already knew the identities of both. The apprentice that wait outside before release his sword and break the fight, while the one greeted Lu Yan inside shout to them “Both of you are going to be brother and sister in our sect, you are not allowed to fight at each other now.” This word seems able to stop both youngsters, though killing intent still can be seen from their eyes.
The one shouting before looks like he is the senior between the two, yet he still confuses of how to settle the problem “Your grudge can be talk about when our big brother return here, now just come inside and eat. Anyone who still like to spar can have a go whether against me or my brother. Otherwise just replenish your energy inside.” This challenge showing how confident a sect disciple is. The boy hesitated, but Liu Fang already enter the inn, so he followed after all.
Not long after some other people come inside, one of them certainly are the Wing Sect oldest brother. The two other seems older with armor and spear, with Liu family reputation of being a spear user these two men are more likely escorts for Liu Fang.
“Guo Feng you really looking to die.” One of the old men are immediately strike when he the boy. However, his path is cut by the Wing Sect disciples that come with him “Stop! Guo Feng is already a disciple of Divine Wing Sect. Please give us face, he is Miss Liu sect brother as well, you shouldn’t hurt him.”
“Since when he became a disciple, he wasn’t just this morning. Cao Fan, we haven’t arrived at the Divine Mountain yet so he can’t be disciple yet.” The old man doesn’t want to give in, but the guy called Cao Fan is quick to answer “Since he arrived at the inn. The recruitment already made before by our seniors, when the candidates arrive here mean both parties already agreed of this. So, it is our duty to take them to the Divine Mountain safely. How are we going to answer our elders if one of them die on our watch?”
This remark calmed the old man a little bit. Even if this sect disciple still young, he is already one of inner disciple at the sect. His choice of word is also good, that he mentioned how Liu Fang is also one of their sects. It means he can’t act rashly. If he looks down at a member of the sect, it means he slap the face of the Liu family as well since the daughter of their patriarch are joining the sect.
“So, Guo Feng since these two heroes has decide not to prolong this matter shouldn’t you do the same.” Cao Fan now had his attention to the young man “I can’t, my pendant has been stolen surely I have to get it back. If no one going to help me do it then I can only rely on myself to get justice done” but this matter doesn’t feel like it going to settle easily.
“Audacious! How can a Liu family steal from others? Our Miss Liu certainly pay for that pendant, if you lost it in the first place it was your fault. You want someone to pay then look for the thief that has taken our money, how can you blame us for your recklessness.” The old man surely defends his miss all the way.
“Guo Feng, think about it even if you get your pendant back what good will it come to you. If you are at the bad side of Liu family then you definitely can live anywhere in the Yin territory. We can protect you as long as you are in the sect, but what can of live you will have outside.” This Cao Fan actually a rare rational person in the world of cultivation that able to think with his head. Everything he said are logic and true, at least that what Lu Yan can think of. There is no pendant expensive enough to be trade with his life.
“That pendant is family heirloom, in her possession that pendant is only be a pretty decoration. For me it is extremely important, there is no way I can have other possess it.” Guo Feng though keep his feelings out of the way. “Can you prove it though? Anyone can say it is them to begin with but how can anyone know if it is true?” Cao Fan again come up with logical argument that Guo Feng and the people from Liu family lack of.
“What good it is? if I can prove it can you get it back for me? Are you dare to stand at the bad side of the Liu family? It is easy actually, I have my family name inscribed at the pendant.” If it is not for the fact that Guo Feng is far stronger than him, Lu Yan would come out and beat him senseless. How come he is not telling that from the beginning, shouldn’t that will make thing easy for him at least. “Liar this pendant has no mark in it.” Liu Fang takes the pendant out, it pretty much look like some regular pendant.
In the end Guo Feng manage to face slap the Liu family by proving he is the rightful owner of that pendant. While look like a regular pendant, it actually a magical item that can show the character Guo inscribed in it when Guo Feng pour his blood into it. Cao Fan ended up to promise Liu Fang, he is going to pay three times of what she paid for that pendant. However, the Liu two escorts play it down and said Cao Fan do not need to. While Guo Feng also insist nobody has to pay since it was his to begin with, such a long not needed drama Lu Yan can’t stand to.
Other spectators might be excited with such turnaround, but Lu Yan just too tired. All he wanted is to throw his body to bed, since he knows there is going to be a long journey tomorrow morning. He always has a problem to wake early so he really need to go sleep soon. So, he only heard sums up of the results without paying attention to the detail.
