The village square remained silent for a long time after the crystal shattered.
Everyone stared at Lin Feng as if he were a stranger.
A Heavenly Lightning Spirit Root.
Most villagers had never even heard of such a thing before.
Yet judging from Elder Xu's shocked reaction, it was something extraordinary.
Whispers quickly spread.
"That woodcutter boy… a genius?"
"Impossible…"
"He's going to become a cultivator!"
Some villagers looked envious.
Others looked regretful.
If they had known earlier, perhaps they would have treated Lin Feng better.
But Lin Feng paid them no attention.
Right now, his mind was filled with only one thought.
Cultivation.
Elder Xu waved his sleeve, calming the crowd.
"The recruitment is finished."
He glanced at the shattered crystal with a slightly pained expression.
Testing crystals were not cheap.
But compared to a Heavenly Lightning Spirit Root, such a loss meant nothing.
He turned to Lin Feng again, his expression becoming gentler.
"You will come with us to the Azure Sky Sect tomorrow morning."
Lin Feng nodded.
"Yes, Elder."
"Good."
Elder Xu then looked around.
"Everyone else may leave."
The villagers slowly dispersed, still talking excitedly.
But many continued to stare at Lin Feng.
Their gazes were completely different now.
Respect.
Envy.
Awe.
As the crowd thinned, Lin Feng quickly ran back toward his small hut.
The path felt strangely different.
The same muddy road.
The same broken fences.
Yet everything felt distant now.
By tomorrow…
He would leave this place forever.
When he entered the hut, Old Lin was sitting up weakly.
"You passed, didn't you?" the old man asked with a faint smile.
Lin Feng froze.
"How did you know?"
Old Lin chuckled.
"The whole village is talking about it."
"They said lightning exploded from the crystal."
Lin Feng scratched his head awkwardly.
"Something like that…"
Old Lin studied him for a moment.
Then he nodded slowly.
"Good."
"Very good."
His eyes shone with pride.
"You always worked harder than other children."
"It seems heaven finally noticed."
Lin Feng sat beside him quietly.
"Grandfather… I have to leave tomorrow."
Old Lin waved his hand dismissively.
"Of course you do."..
"Opportunities like this cannot be missed."
"But what about you?" Lin Feng asked softly.
The old man coughed lightly.
"I've lived long enough."
"Besides, the villagers will help me."
Lin Feng knew that was not entirely true.
But he also knew arguing would change nothing.
He lowered his head.
"I will come back."
Old Lin smiled.
"If you become a powerful cultivator, then perhaps you can fly back on a sword."
Lin Feng chuckled.
"That would be impressive."
For a moment, the atmosphere became peaceful.
Night slowly fell over Azure Village.
Outside the hut, Lin Feng sat beneath the stars.
The sky above the Azure Cloud Mountains was vast and endless.
Lightning occasionally flashed far away among the clouds.
Lin Feng stared at it silently.
His heart burned with determination.
The world of cultivators…
He would step into it tomorrow.
But he also understood something important.
The cultivation world was dangerous.
People fought for resources, techniques, and power.
Weakness meant death.
If he wanted to survive…
He had to become stronger than everyone else.
Lin Feng clenched his fists.
"I will reach the peak of cultivation."
"I will stand above the heavens."
The wind rustled softly through the trees.
As if responding to his vow.
The next morning arrived quickly.
The entire village gathered again to see Lin Feng off.
Three disciples from the Azure Sky Sect stood in the square.
Beside them floated a massive flying sword, nearly ten meters long.
Its surface glowed faintly with spiritual light.
Lin Feng had never seen anything so incredible.
Elder Xu nodded toward him.
"Come."
Lin Feng stepped forward.
Before boarding the sword, he turned around one last time.
Old Lin stood near the back of the crowd, leaning on a wooden cane.
The old man raised his hand.
"Go, Feng'er."
Lin Feng bowed deeply.
"Take care of yourself, grandfather."
Then he stepped onto the flying sword.
The other two new recruits climbed up nervously as well.
Elder Xu waved his sleeve.
Spiritual energy surged.
The sword trembled.
Then—
WHOOSH!
It shot into the sky like lightning.
The villagers gasped as the flying sword soared above the clouds.
Below them, Azure Village quickly shrank into a tiny dot.
Lin Feng stood quietly at the edge of the sword.
The wind roared past his face.
Mountains, forests, and rivers stretched endlessly across the land.
This was the world beyond the village.
A world filled with powerful cultivators.
A world where strength ruled everything.
Lin Feng looked toward the distant horizon.
The towering peaks of the Azure Sky Sect slowly appeared through the clouds.
His journey had truly begun.
....(◠‿・)—☆