C43 The Mountain Gate Was Closed.

Ten days had passed.

With only five days remaining until the Fang Sect's disciple recruitment deadline, Min Zhenkang continued his journey at a relaxed pace.

The most significant change was that he now only needed to rest once a day, and his steps no longer left deep pits in the ground.

He could now constantly circulate the Profound Qi within his body, perpetually practicing the cultivation technique of the Immortal Demon Body.

Murong Fu, walking alongside him, had grown quiet. Whether from exhaustion or disinterest in speaking alone, he seldom broke the silence. But eventually, his voice would emerge.

"Brother, with just five days left before the Fang Sect stops recruiting, aren't you worried about the time crunch?"

With a quarter of the journey to the Fang Sect still ahead and no increase in his pace, Min Zhenkang's lack of urgency prompted Murong Fu to voice his concern.

It's like the emperor isn't in a hurry, but the eunuch is!

"What's the matter? If you're in a rush, go ahead without me," Min Zhenkang replied, unfazed.

"I'm not the one who's worried; I'm concerned for you! Aren't you afraid of missing out? Or do you have a contingency plan?"

"Do you really want to know?"

"Yes, tell me!"

Murong Fu was clearly on tenterhooks, eagerly awaiting Min Zhenkang's response.

"No backup plan. If I miss the deadline, I'll just wait a few more years," Min Zhenkang said nonchalantly.

Murong Fu nearly stumbled in shock. "You can't be serious! Are you just going to let this chance slip by so easily?" he asked, eyes wide with disbelief.

"Why would I joke about this? What good does it do me to tease you? If it's a miss, then it's a miss. What else can be done? You don't seriously think I could dismantle the entire Fang Sect, do you?" Min Zhenkang's indifference was unwavering.

"I'm actually worried you might just do that. If you dismantle the Fang Sect, where would I go to hone my skills? Then this whole journey would have been for nothing!" Murong Fu couldn't shake the feeling that the formidable man before him might just be bold enough to take down the Fang Sect.

Though it was uncertain whether Min Zhenkang could actually accomplish such a feat, Murong Fu was convinced that he had the audacity to try.

"Forget it. I'm not ready to die just yet—I haven't even found a wife!" Min Zhenkang exclaimed.

"Don't worry. If we're late, I'll get you in!" Murong Fu assured him, thumping his chest confidently.

"Alright, I'm counting on you then!"

"Relax, it's all under control! Hehe!"

Five days flew by in a flash, and today marked the last chance to join the Fang Sect. Anyone who missed out would have to wait years for another opportunity.

"Man, you're really calm for someone who knows today's the final day!"

"What's there to worry about? You promised to get me in, right? So I'm not stressing. Just have your big brother put in a word for me, and I'll waltz right through the gates!"

"Hehe, you've got a point. Let's go then!"

It was said that Min Zhenkang was following Murong Fu.

But in reality, for the past ten days, it was Murong Fu who had been keeping pace with Min Zhenkang.

"What's Little Dragon up to? Dad sent word that he'd left already. Why hasn't he arrived? Could something have happened?"

Outside the Fang Sect's mountain gate, a young man gazed into the distance, his anxiety like ants skittering over a hot pan.

"I can't just wait here. I have to find Little Dragon. If anything's happened to him, I'd never be able to face Dad."

Murong Lin was restless with worry.

By Murong Fu's usual speed, he should have been here by now. Yet, with the mountain gate about to close, there was still no sign of his brother. Even if Murong Fu was known to be playful, he wouldn't forget something this important.

Sure, Murong Lin could easily get his brother in even if they were late, but that didn't ease his mind.

Determined, Murong Lin set out to personally meet his brother.

"Senior Brother Murong, where are you headed?" Just as Murong Lin was about to search for his brother, a voice called out from behind.

"Junior Sister Tang! Why didn't you take the chance to get acquainted with the place earlier?"

Upon seeing the newcomer, he realized it was Tang Tian.

Indeed, Tang Tian had also come to join the Fang Sect's disciple recruitment and had breezed through the examination with ease.

For someone of Tang Tian's caliber, the examination was merely a formality, practically superfluous.

As the young mistress of Steelgrave City, and with the Fang Sect situated within its territory, it was a given that the city's prestige had to be acknowledged.

Besides, even if Tang Tian were held to the strictest standards of the examination, her cultivation and innate talent would make passing it a trivial task.

"There's no rush. We'll have plenty of time to get acquainted later. After all, we're going to be here for years, maybe even decades, so there's no need to hurry."

"That sounds good."

"Senior Brother Murong, are you heading out?"

"Yes, my father sent word a few days ago that Little Long had set out for the Fang Sect, but I've yet to catch sight of him. I'm concerned something might have happened, so I'm going to look for him."

"Oh? Little Long has arrived?"

"Indeed. My father and I both agreed that the Fang Sect would be the perfect place for Little Long to hone his temperament. He may be nearing twenty, but he still acts much like a child."

"You're right; Little Long certainly could use some toughening up. Otherwise, his future prospects could be limited. I'm free at the moment, so why don't I join you, Senior Brother Murong, in searching for Little Long?"

"Thank you, that would be great, Junior Sister Tang."

"No problem at all!"

Together, they set out from the mountain gate in search of Murong Fu.

"Why hasn't Zhenkang arrived yet? I'm starting to worry about the situation back home!" Inside the mountain gate, another young man was restlessly pacing.

This was Min Qigang, who had arrived at the Fang Sect ahead of Tang Guo on a recommendation.

Currently, Min Qigang's attire matched that of the Fang Sect disciples, signifying that he had passed the sect's recruitment examination and had been accepted as an outer sect disciple.

Despite his anxiety, Min Qigang dared not stray from the mountain gate, especially since today marked the final day it would be open. If he left to find Min Zhenkang and failed to return on time, it would spell trouble.

He was uncertain when the mountain gate would open again or if there was another way to gain entry.

Thus, he was left to pace anxiously within the confines of the gate.

"Brother Qigang, what's the matter? You look as if you're waiting for someone."

"Oh, Brother Li, I am indeed waiting—I'm waiting for my brother. He intended to join the Fang Sect's disciple recruitment, but today is the last day the gate is open. If he misses it, it'll be years before the next chance."

"Really? Didn't you come here together?"

"No, I traveled from Steelgrave City. My brother had to return home before he could set out."

Truth be told, Min Qigang had no idea if Min Zhenkang would make it, as he hadn't received a clear confirmation.

Nevertheless, Min Qigang clung to the hope that Min Zhenkang would arrive to join the Fang Sect's recruitment, providing them with mutual support within the sect.

"Why not go out and search for your brother?"

"I've thought about it, but I'm unsure when the gate will close. If I'm not back before it shuts, I'd be in a real bind."

"I see your point. Well, I won't keep you any longer, Brother Qigang. I'm heading inside."

"Alright, take care."

Min Qigang was left alone with his worries.

He watched the steady stream of people, but there was no sign of Min Zhenkang.

The sun crept westward before finally setting.

The Fang Sect's recruitment for the year had officially concluded. Some left elated, having passed the tests, while others departed in dejection, having failed.

Min Qigang, a successful candidate himself, showed no sign of joy.

As the mountain gate closed slowly, the sinking realization that Min Zhenkang would not arrive settled in. Min Qigang was left to wonder whether his brother had simply run out of time or if some misfortune had befallen the Min family, preventing Min Zhenkang's attendance.

If the reason was simply the first, it wouldn't be too bad. He could just wait a few more years, and when the Fang Sect next opened its doors for disciple recruitment, he'd have another shot.

But if it was the latter reason, Min Qigang couldn't bear to think any further.

With Min Zhenkang not showing up and no news of his family's situation, his best bet was to focus on cultivating here. Later on, he could see if an opportunity to visit home would arise.

Min Qigang turned and made his way toward where the Fang Sect's outer disciples were gathered.

"Senior Brother Murong, are you certain Little Long has arrived? We've been searching for so long, yet there's no sign of him."

"Plus, we've asked so many people, and nobody has seen Little Long or heard about any skirmishes in the area."

Tang Tian and Murong Lin had been on the hunt for Murong Fu for nearly a day with no luck in catching even a glimpse of him.

"I'm positive Little Long is out here. My father has no reason to deceive me."

"Alright, let's keep looking then!"

"Okay."

They resumed their quest for Murong Fu's whereabouts.

"Excuse me, brother, have you seen someone named Murong Fu?"

Tang Tian approached a passerby eagerly to ask.

"Sorry, I haven't come across him."

"Oh, alright, thank you."

Tang Tian gave Murong Lin a shrug, a gesture of their shared frustration.

Undeterred, they pressed on at full speed, stopping to question anyone they crossed paths with, but their efforts continued to yield no results.

"Murong Fu, what's that you're carrying on your back?" Murong Fu finally blurted out the question.

"Just a broken stick."

"Huh, it must not be light if it's been able to weigh you down like this! Haven't you gotten tired from lugging around such a heavy stick these past days?"

"And it looks like you haven't taken it off since I first met you."

"I've gotten used to it by now, so I don't really feel its weight anymore. Though, I might feel a bit off if I were to actually remove it!"

"Ah, maybe I should take a leaf out of your book and find something to weigh myself down with!"

Murong Fu, clearly bored, pulled out a weapon from his Bag of Heaven and Earth and slung it over his back.

"If you're serious about strengthening your body, don't rely on Profound Qi to lighten your weapon. Halt the flow of Profound Qi and feel the true weight of your weapon," Min Zhenkang instructed.

"Oh."

"Ah!"

The moment Murong Fu ceased channeling his Profound Qi, he was instantly overwhelmed by the weight.

Startled, Murong Fu hastened to reactivate his Profound Qi, easing the load on himself.

Seeing him struggle, Min Zhenkang extended a hand to help Murong Fu to his feet.

"You're rushing it. Given your current state, I suggest you start with a middle-grade treasure artifact to carry. That's probably the maximum your body can handle right now. Once you've adjusted, you can graduate to a high-grade treasure artifact."

Min Zhenkang shook his head at the sight of Murong Fu's weapon choice.

The man had boldly strapped on a low-grade spirit artifact without any mental preparation, and then abruptly cut off his Profound Qi. It was a stroke of luck that Murong Fu wasn't crushed to the point of coughing up blood.

Yet, this also revealed Murong Fu's wealth; he could effortlessly produce a low-grade spirit artifact.

"Oh!" With a resigned nod, Murong Fu dutifully stowed the low-grade spirit artifact back into his Bag of Heaven and Earth and selected a middle-grade treasure artifact to wear instead.

Learning from his earlier mishap, Murong Fu was more cautious this time, gradually halting the flow of Profound Qi.

Once the Profound Qi had fully ceased, Murong Fu stood as any ordinary man would, the weight of the middle-grade treasure artifact on his back pushing him to his physical limits.

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