Zhang Cheng spoke slowly, "There, you might run into experts from our Dayuan Prefecture. You might also encounter old monsters from the other prefectures and counties of Qingzhou—men who have been honing their skills for a decade or two."
"Tens of thousands will be fighting for just a few hundred spots. The competition will be incredibly fierce."
Chu Bai clenched the sheepskin manuscript in his hand. In that instant, his two-hundred-zhang Divine Thought contracted at will. His aura turned inward, as deep and contained as the Abyss, with only a glint of gold flickering in the depths of his eyes.
"I know you’re young and full of vigor, and your combat prowess is unmatched in Anping."
"But climbing the Heaven-Scaling Ladder isn’t just a battle of courage. It’s a battle of wits and a battle for your life."
Zhang Cheng gave Chu Bai a final pat on the shoulder, the weight of it as heavy as a mountain. "Remember: your life comes first, securing a spot second. As long as you can make it out of that Lawless Land alive, with your talent, you’ll reach Foundation Establishment sooner or later, even if you don’t succeed this time. If you lose your life, you lose everything."
Chu Bai rose and carefully tucked the manuscript into his robes.
He gave Zhang Cheng a deep, formal bow, his voice echoing through the Inner Hall. "Thank you for your teachings, Master. I will not let you down!"
Zhang Cheng watched the young man’s tall, straight back disappear into the night and let out a long sigh.
His last earthly tie to Anping County had been severed with that final sip of tea.
On the Sanmu Riverbank, the setting sun was the color of blood.
In the twilight, the rolling river shimmered with crimson light, like a great red dragon winding its way across the earth.
The wind carried a hint of moisture, and the distant caws of crows echoed through the empty river valley, adding to the desolate, somber atmosphere.
Chu Bai stood at the edge of a cliff, his dark teal official robe whipping in the wind. He slowly raised his right hand, curled his index finger slightly, and traced a streak of golden light in the empty air.
In that instant, a vast aura filled with the authority of the Divine Dao descended. The ceaselessly churning river strangely fell silent, as if the entire Sanmu River had held its breath.
"My Lord."
The center of the river slowly parted, and an ethereal figure emerged, clad in a pale blue Divine Robe and holding a Jade Tablet. With every step it took, a crystalline water lily bloomed beneath its feet.
The Stream Water Spirit stood upon the river’s surface and bowed low to Chu Bai on the bank, its posture exceedingly humble, filled with a piety that seemed to emanate from its very soul.
"I leave for Qingzhou tomorrow to take the examination. I’ll be gone for a few months at the least, half a year at most."
Chu Bai gazed down from on high at this True God he had personally granted Enlightenment. His voice was as level as ice, yet it carried an indisputable Slaughter Qi. "In my absence, you will guard Chu Family Village in my stead."
"If any reckless evil spirits or petty scoundrels dare disturb my parents’ home, you need not concern yourself with the laws of the Great Zhou, nor must you abide by the old custom of not interfering in mortal affairs. Manifest your divine presence and obliterate them."
If anyone else had heard this, their jaws would have hit the floor.
Divine Spirits act only upon celestial edicts. Not even a higher-ranked official could issue a direct command to one.
"This old servant accepts your command! I swear that for a hundred li around the Sanmu River, no evil shall trespass. My Lord’s home will be as unshakeable as a mountain!"
The Stream Water Spirit bowed its head, its voice humming through the river valley.
Chu Bai nodded and dismissed it with a wave of his sleeve.
The Water Uncle bowed again before dissolving into a cloud of mist and returning to the heart of the river.
As for Lord Locust of Dahuai Lane, Chu Bai didn’t pay him a special visit.
Lord Locust was stationed in the bustling city and was primarily responsible for gathering intelligence, acting as Chu Bai’s eyes and ears. The Sanmu River God, on the other hand, possessed true Divine Authority and controlled the entire river system, making him far more convenient and direct to use.
Then, Chu Bai turned and walked back to Chu Family Village, cloaked in the last rays of the setting sun.
Within the village, the air grew thick with the smoke of evening meals.
Chu Xianglin still sat on the newly built stone stool, PUFFING away on his dry pipe. Through the curling smoke, his gaze was deep and silent. He would occasionally glance at his son, only to then rub his calloused palms together a few times.
Mrs. Li, like any mother sending her son off on a long journey, bustled about in the kitchen.
Ten-year-old Little Manx had already shed some of her childish innocence. She stood quietly by the doorway, her large, expressive eyes filled with an unwillingness to let him go.
"Little Manx, take this."
Chu Bai stepped forward and pressed a specially crafted Protective Jade Talisman into his sister’s hand. It was a vibrant emerald green and etched with complex patterns.
"If you run into any trouble at the academy, crush it. Someone will come and help you."
Chu Bai ruffled his sister’s hair, a rare hint of warmth showing in his eyes.
Just then, a clatter of hooves echoed from the village entrance.
Pang Song, Feng Qin, Hu Hao, and a group of trusted subordinates from the Demon-slaying Team burst in, carrying jugs of fine wine.
"Lord Chu!" Pang Song bellowed. "You’re leaving on a long journey tomorrow, so tonight, no one goes home sober!"
That night, red lanterns were hung high in the Chu Family’s courtyard. Chu Bai drank deep with these subordinates, men with whom he had faced life and death.
There were no formalities of rank, only the bold camaraderie and hopeful expectations shared between men.
Pang Song beat his chest, promising to watch over Anping. Feng Qin and Hu Hao, eyes red with emotion, wished for their captain to fight his way to glory in Qingzhou.
「The next morning, before the dew had dried.」
Chu Bai stepped out of his house, knelt, and kowtowed deeply to his parents. Then he rose to his feet and left without a single look back.
He walked to the open fields at the edge of the village. Beneath his feet, the crystalline Upper Grade Dharma Artifact, the [Fire Element Ring], instantly erupted in a brilliant crimson light.
"Rise!"
Two crimson wheels of fire spun wildly beneath his feet, and Chu Bai transformed into a streak of red light. Like a bolt of lightning tearing across the firmament, he shot toward the distant Qingzhou City, carrying with him the foundation and Slaughter Qi he had built over three long years in Anping County.
The sky was vast, the world wide open. He was on his way to climb the ten-thousand-zhang Celestial Ladder!
As the sky began to lighten and the first sliver of dawn appeared on the horizon, a cold morning mist drifted across the wilderness.

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