Chapter 2

Ai Hui stood among the crowd, his face dark and gloomy, carrying an old and worn backpack. His mood was terrible. Just now, he had taken out his money pouch to open it, only to find that the money had vanished, leaving behind only a pile of stones.

Damn fatso, he even stole from me!

He made a vow in his heart that when he returned to the old land and saw this guy again, he would hang him up and beat him.

After a moment of daze, he took a deep breath and prayed that the Wuxing Sky really provided food and lodging as the fatso had said. If not, he would just have to beat the fatso even harder.

For now, he put the matter of the money aside and focused on what was in front of him.

It was still early for the registration, but the entrance to the Induction Field was already surrounded by a crowd of students. They greeted each other excitedly, discussing and inquiring in groups of three or five.

After spending three years in the wild and dangerous wilderness, Ai Hui was very unaccustomed to such a noisy scene. In the wilderness, as long as anything approached within five meters of him, he would become alert, which had become his instinct.

But now... there were fourteen people within five meters of him.

He adjusted his body uneasily, but it was of no use. He could only try his best to suppress the impulse to run away or take out the fourteen targets. In the wilderness, once an unknown creature approached him, he would only have these two choices.

Well, "in the wilderness" again...

Before even entering the Induction Field, Ai Hui had already noticed that he was out of place with the surroundings. He took a deep breath and tried to calm the agitation in his heart. He knew this was a psychological barrier he had to overcome.

After a moment, he steeled himself and pushed his way toward the entrance of the Induction Field.

Pushing through the crowd like a tide, Ai Hui's clothes were disheveled, and his hair stood on end. He panted heavily, and the short fifty meters felt more exhausting than walking fifty kilometers.

Standing in front of the entrance to the Induction Field, Ai Hui looked up at the towering gate.

The gate of the Induction Field was tall, about sixty meters high, made of irregular iron plates crudely pieced together. It looked like a large, patched-up rag. The gate was rusted and scarred.

In front of the iron gate, a deep groove about half a meter wide and straight as a line cut through the stone slabs. The erosion of time had made its edges smooth, and there was a half-pool of water in the groove.

Ai Hui silently gazed at the small water ditch.

In the Wuxing Sky, this small water ditch was known to everyone. Ai Hui knew about it because it was related to sword cultivators.

It was called the "Final Line of Defense."

During the darkest days of the invasion by the wilderness, this shallow ditch, no more than half a meter wide and two hundred meters long, was the last line of defense in that battle for survival.

The last named sword cultivator in history, burning his life, swung the most brilliant sword, killing the enemy leader and carving this final line of defense. Inspired, humans resisted tenaciously and held out until the Wuxing Sky opened.

The scarred iron gate was made from scrap metal dragged back from the battlefield. The Induction Field was established here to remind future generations not to forget those times and the original purpose of the Wuxing Sky.

The faces and smoke of war have faded with time, but the remembrance and legends have been passed down through generations.

The Induction Field held a unique status in the Wuxing Sky, which was likely related to this.

Ai Hui's knowledge of the final line of defense came from the sword manuals he had organized in the sword cultivator training ground.

Almost all the sword manuals that mentioned this line of defense praised the sword stroke to the utmost. For example, the sword that separated life and death, or the sword that separated two eras. In the hearts of those who remembered the sword cultivators, that sword announced the end of the cultivation era and the beginning of the Wuxing Sky era.

These things had nothing to do with Ai Hui. He had organized many sword manuals but never had any foolish thoughts of reviving sword cultivators.

Well, the boss was foolish, so his business failed, and he owed a lot of money, even losing his life. But being able to see the relics mentioned many times in the sword manuals still felt good to Ai Hui. Except for the slight sadness that came with thinking about the boss.

He quickly returned to his usual state. Three years in the wilderness had toughened him, and he had seen enough life and death to feel less and less about these past events that had faded with the wind. The living must strive to live, and the dead will rest in peace.

After paying respects to the relic, he quickly retreated from the crowd, all the way to the outer edge. The constant agitation disappeared, and he let out a long sigh of relief.

Suddenly, a familiar figure caught his eye, and Ai Hui's face darkened.

He took a step forward and kicked the chest of the figure in front of him with a swift kick.

"Bang!"

The fat figure flew sideways and fell heavily to the ground.

Before the fatso could get up, Ai Hui stepped on his face and said in a low voice, "Give me the money."

The fatso didn't blink, "Gone!"

"Whose money is gone?" The force on his foot increased rapidly, and the danger in Ai Hui's tone grew.

"All gone." The fatso spoke quickly, "I sent my money home."

"My money." Ai Hui's tone was still calm, but even the most dull person could hear the anger beneath the calm, like boiling lava.

"Used to buy this spot." The fatso looked shameless, "There was no other way after the application period. I had to spend money and go through a lot of trouble. Your money was just enough. You should be nicer to me. Haven't you heard that debtors are like lords? If I die, the money is gone..."

The fatso rambled on, and Ai Hui's anger suddenly disappeared. He stomped on the fatso's face a few times without expression.

The people around them looked away in disgust. The fatso was covered in dirt and mud, and Ai Hui's clothes, though clean, were washed out and looked shabby. The luggage bag he carried was also white and looked very poor.

The fatso, with footprints on his face, got up without a hint of guilt or embarrassment.

The two of them found a place away from the crowd and sat down. The fatso pulled out a piece of malt candy from somewhere and started chewing it, looking around curiously.

"Why aren't you excited?" The fatso looked at Ai Hui in confusion, "The Induction Field! Once we're in, we won't be laborers anymore! In ten years, we can bring our families to the Wuxing Sky. That's like a carp jumping over the dragon gate. Do you know how many people in the old land want a spot?"

Ai Hui ignored him and pulled a blade of grass from a pile of weeds growing between the stone bricks, chewing it. "Which element are you?"

"Fire element!" The fatso grinned, his small eyes squinting, "I never knew my constitution was so good..."

The fatso suddenly realized he almost said too much and stopped himself.

Ai Hui turned his head, looking suspicious, "Good constitution?"

The rules of the Wuxing Sky Induction Field were strict. Regardless of gender or status, everyone had to enter the Induction Field to study once they reached the age. For people from the old land, as long as they passed the constitution test, they could enter the Induction Field.

The fatso, without a hint of guilt, said, "Yeah, I almost made it. My talent is much better than yours. Otherwise, I couldn't have spent the money. The rules of the Induction Field are so strict, and it's not easy to find a way in."

Well, he couldn't let Ai Hui know that he got the spot because he passed the constitution test, or the money would be lost. The fatso reminded himself repeatedly, maintaining a calm and composed expression.

Ai Hui said, "Oh," and looked away. His constitution was average, far from the standard.

"Pity we have different attributes," the fatso said regretfully. His constitution was the fire element, while Ai Hui's was the metal element, meaning they would be in different teams.

Ai Hui also felt a bit regretful. He and the fatso had worked well together and trusted each other. If they were in the same team, he could take better care of the fatso.

Knowing what Ai Hui was thinking, the fatso grinned, "Don't worry, I'm a veteran of the wilderness. Those kids can't bully me."

At that moment, a bright red cloud drifted from the sky and slowly landed on the ground, causing a stir. A handsome young man in fine clothes stepped down, and many girls exclaimed, "So handsome!"

"Rich or noble!" The fatso's eyes were immediately drawn, his tone full of envy, "The quality of this fire cloud is top-notch! Bright red, no impurities. Look, the shape of the cloud is like a flame. Wow, a premium fire cloud. This guy must have a big background. We should find a chance to get close to him!"

The grass in Ai Hui's mouth was chewed to bits, and he suddenly felt a bit nostalgic for the wilderness, where there were iron spine vines everywhere. That thing was not only sweet but also very tough, and it remained elastic even after chewing for a long time. He glanced at the fire cloud and looked away. It was eye-catching and slow, which would make it the best prey in the wilderness.

The fire cloud seemed to be a signal, and soon, various strange flying objects from all directions landed on the square in front of the Induction Field.

The fatso was like he had been injected with adrenaline, extremely excited, and spouted a bunch of terms Ai Hui had never heard before. His eyes were sharp, recognizing these flying objects and even naming their prices.

Listening to the fatso's chatter, Ai Hui's gaze aimlessly swept over the crowd. In the wilderness, it was hard to see such young faces. Everyone in the wilderness was like a beast, fierce, alert, and dangerous.

But the young people here had fresh, sunny, and vibrant faces. Their excited eyes were filled with hope for the future. The boys eagerly surrounded the girls, trying to be charming and humorous to attract their attention. The girls blushed shyly, like the morning sun-dyed clouds, with a faint smile on their lips, as beautiful as flowers.

The fresh taste of the grass spread in his mouth, and Ai Hui felt a bit dazed and envious.

The envy flashed in his eyes and then disappeared. His gaze returned to its usual calm and indifferent state. Thinking of the boss and the laborers who had fallen in the wilderness over the past three years, turning into white bones, he felt he was already lucky enough.

Being alive was more important than anything, and being alive was the greatest luck.

The fatso's chatter, which had been annoying, now sounded more pleasant.

The tall gate slowly opened, and Ai Hui patted the dirt off his clothes and stood up, his rebellious face showing determination. He knew that behind the gate was a new path, a path he had never imagined before.

He didn't know what lay at the end of that path.

But just like when he entered the wilderness three years ago, he took a step forward, not looking back, and said to the fatso, "Let's go."

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