Chapter 10

As he entered the mountain village, Ding Qi keenly sensed that the atmosphere in Zhangjiao today was somewhat strange compared to the usual calm of the village.

"Could something have happened?" Ding Qi thought oddly.

It wasn't until dinner time that Ding Qi learned the reason from his family.

Today, the people of Zhangjiao had gone to the outside world to sell mountain goods and brought back a shocking piece of news. It turned out that official notices had been posted in the towns outside, announcing a call for conscription. The mountain villages near Qixia Mountain, including Zhangjiao, were all within the conscription area.

This news was like a bolt from the blue for the mountain people, and it made the atmosphere in the village very strange.

Qixia Mountain was located at the border between the states of Xia and Lu, in a remote and neglected area. About twenty to thirty years ago, a war had broken out between the two states, affecting the area near Qixia Mountain.

During that conscription, most of the young and strong men from the villages near Qixia Mountain never returned.

Many people in the mountain village still vividly remembered the last conscription, and talking about it filled them with sorrow.

From the many elders, Ding Qi learned that the land near Qixia Mountain had changed hands at least four times in the past hundred years. During the last conscription, this area belonged to the state of Lu. However, after the last war, Lu suffered a defeat, and this area was now nominally under the jurisdiction of the state of Xia.

In such a neglected area, the mountain people naturally had no thoughts of serving in the army for their country. This forced conscription only brought panic to the area.

Upon learning this news, Ding Qi's face was full of surprise.

However, what his family said next made him feel relieved.

Regarding this conscription, the military service of the Ding family had been canceled. The person who canceled the Ding family's military service was none other than Ding Qi's second uncle, Ding Shan.

Originally, as an ordinary outer disciple of the Qingyun Sect, Ding Shan naturally did not have such power. However, an unexpected event changed this situation.

Not long after Ding Qi returned from Liangcheng, after many years of hard work, Ding Shan finally had a chance to rise to prominence. He was promoted by a high-ranking figure in the Qingyun Sect, and his status within the sect improved significantly.

Hearing this explanation, Ding Qi finally understood why Ding Shan suddenly had such great power.

In places like Jingzhou, where the government's influence was extremely weak, the influence of martial arts sects was very significant. Often, local officials had to act according to the wishes of the martial arts sects.

It seemed that this time, Ding Shan had used the power of the Qingyun Sect to cancel the military service of the Ding family.

"I wonder which high-ranking figure took a liking to my second uncle." After understanding the situation, Ding Qi felt curious.

During the inner sect examination, Ding Qi had also met several high-ranking figures of the Qingyun Sect. He recalled the Hall Master Wei, the Guardian Shi, the Deputy Sect Leader Sha, and others, wondering if the high-ranking figure who promoted his second uncle was one of them.

For a moment, Ding Qi was lost in speculation.

Ding Qi probably wouldn't have thought that the person who promoted Ding Shan was indeed one of the high-ranking figures he had met. To be precise, it was Elder Guan, under the direction of Deputy Sect Leader Sha, who had recruited and promoted Ding Shan.

To be fair, Ding Shan's promotion was due to Ding Qi's exceptional performance during the examination, which made Deputy Sect Leader Sha think of Ding Shan and promote him. This had some connection to Ding Qi, and if he knew the details, he might have had many feelings. This could be considered a mix of fortune and misfortune.

"Never mind, I'll ask my second uncle when I go to Liangcheng next time." Ding Qi finally thought, unable to guess.

Regardless, with his family relieved from military service, Ding Qi finally felt at ease.

In the following days, Ding Qi spent his time picking Fengwei grass on the mountain. However, on the fifth day, news came about the apprenticeship that Ding Shan had arranged for him outside.

The last time Ding Qi returned, this matter had already been decided. Now, the final news had finally arrived.

At the same time, this also meant that he would soon leave the small mountain village again. This time, however, besides the initial excitement, Ding Qi felt somewhat uneasy.

That day, Ding Qi looked at the stars in the sky, looking preoccupied.

"I wonder what kind of apprenticeship my second uncle has arranged for me. I hope it's not too busy." Ding Qi sighed slightly.

The quick confirmation of the apprenticeship made Ding Qi feel somewhat unprepared.

From his elder brother, he knew that being an apprentice was a rather arduous task.

Ding Qi was not afraid of hard work; he was just worried that the apprenticeship would be too busy, leaving no time for him to practice his martial arts.

In the end, his wish was to achieve success in his cultivation and make a name for himself in the martial world.

However, thinking about being able to enter Liangcheng again and choose suitable martial arts for himself, the small worry in Ding Qi's heart was quickly replaced by joy. He began to look forward to leaving the small mountain village again.

Lifting his head, Ding Qi looked at the stars in the sky with longing, imagining himself in the future, dressed in white, holding a long sword, and upholding justice in the martial world. Even his face involuntarily showed a hopeful smile.