Chapter 112: 112
On a mountain peak to the north of the city, a hawk forged from black iron unfurled its metal wings that were several dozen meters in width . It stood on a stone altar more than a dozen meters tall, looking over the entire Jiaping city . It was not hidden at all, as if it were boldly broadcasting that the Hawkwolf Guard watched over and protected this city . Whether you were a person of the jianghu or a Qi Practitioner, you were all under the careful gaze of the hawk .
Li Qingshan disembarked from the ship and went straight towards the mountain peak . There were a series of structures below the iron hawk and that was the Hawkwolf Guard . Only after he had left did Diao Fei disembark and follow behind him . His eyes were filled with determination once more . No matter how well Li Qingshan hid his strength, it was not enough to shake Diao Fei’s determination to become a member of the Hawkwolf Guard .
Li Qingshan followed the neat, stone steps . The two sides were filled with dense shrubbery, almost blotting out the sky above . The mountain peak was not very tall, only several hundred meters . It was nowhere close to the height of the great mountains of the Boundless mountains . However, when he looked back at the city below his feet, it gave him quite a lofty sensation .
At the end of the stone steps was a stone archway . The two words, Hawkwolf Guard, were written on it in a bold, obvious fashion . Past the archway was a large square, and at the centre of it was the huge iron hawk . From afar, it did not seem too special; only from up close did he get a feel for the imposing aura of the hawk . In particular, the hawk’s eyes seemed to pierce right through people like it was alive . Below its feet were twelve large words written in a similar fashion, ‘The Hawk Gazes Over the World, the Wolves Watch the Nine Provinces . ’
The gazing hawk was obvious . It needed no explanation . They were similar to the bold hawks in the sky, watching over the land . However, watching wolves described a certain posture . Normally, when people were called by their names from behind, they would definitely look back . However, they would only turn their heads and not their bodies . This was the posture of watching wolves, and those who were like that tended to be crafty and suspicious .
Not only were the twelve words teeming with extravagance, but they also described the function of the Hawkwolf Guard perfectly . Li Qingshan did not know calligraphy, but even he could tell that the twelve words here and the two words on the archway were written by the same person . They possessed an irreplicable imposing aura, dominating and sweeping up the world . Compared to the huge hawk statue, it was even more stunning .
Before Li Qingshan could even study it carefully, a young man came up . “You must be here to enlist in the Hawkwolf Guard!”
The envoy in black studied Li Qingshan in doubt . Seeing how he remained composed, he said nonchalantly, “Come with me!” He led Li Qingshan to a large hall . “Go in . Everyone is waiting inside . You need to record your name and cultivation once you go in . ”
Li Qingshan stepped into the hall, and immediately, many gazes landed on him . Every single one of them were like knives .
Li Qingshan saw over twenty people within the hall . There were men and women, old and young . Some stood in groups of three or five, while others meditated alone . Every single one of them were Qi Practitioners . Most of their gazes at Li Qingshan were hostile . Some mocked him with raised brows, happily pointing and discussing with their companions, while some showed disdain, immediately shifting their gazes . There was also a person or two who showed doubt .
This was the first time Li Qingshan had seen so many Qi Practitioners . He felt rather indescribably excited . He had finally come into contact with the cultivation groups of this world .
In reality, he had already experienced some brutal contact with this world through Xuanyue, but most of those people were monstrously powerful . As such, the only feelings he experienced were admiration and despair . It was far too great of a difference and was surreal as a result . Only when he saw these people now did he treat them as equals or even look down on them .
Li Qingshan saw several dozen wooden tablets hanging on the walls of the hall with a name on each . He glanced past it before arriving in front of a long table in a corner of the hall . An envoy in black leaned on the table and scribbled away . He said without even looking up, “Name, background, master, and cultivation . Remember, don’t hide anything, or once you are caught…”
The envoy did not continue, but the threat was obvious . Only now did Li Qingshan understand why these people remained here . They wanted to learn about their opponents .
Originally, Li Qingshan wanted to take out the Black Wolf tablet and go see the Black Hawk commander Zhuo Zhibo, allowing him to directly join, but he did not see a single proper Hawkwolf guard here at all . There were only a few envoys in black receiving them, so he gave up on that thought . He just happened to be interested in taking a look around . He would come across the person he was searching for in the end anyways . He refused to believe that Zhuo Zhibo would miss such a great event .
“Li Qingshan, first layer Qi Practitioner…” Li Qingshan said .
As soon as Li Qingshan stated his cultivation, he heard a few sniggers .
“Even a first layer Qi Practitioner is trying to enlist in the Hawkwolf Guard . This kid is stupid!”
“Go home and drink milk! You shouldn’t have come . ”“Is he really a first layer Qi Practitioner? He doesn’t seem like it . Don’t tell me he’s lying!?”
“You won’t be far from death if you falsely report your cultivation . ”
The people in the hall were second layer Qi Practitioners at the very least . If people possessed the innate talent to practise qi, most of them would work hard on cultivation . They would only come out after they had broken through to the second layer . As for those who practised internal martial arts and reached the innate realm, they would use their converted true qi to forcefully break through to the second layer . As a result, very few first layer Qi Practitioners wandered the world .
Even the envoy responsible for recording the information raised his head . “Is that true? Non-Qi Practitioners are forbidden from enlisting . ” Although he was not a Qi Practitioner, he remained within the Hawkwolf Guard most of the time, so his insight was rather impressive . He could tell that Li Qingshan did not seem like a Qi Practitioner at all .
Suddenly, Li Qingshan understood a bad habit of his . After experiencing the dangers of the Boundless mountains, withdrawing all of his aura with the Spirit Turtle’s Method of Sea Suppression had become almost an instinct of his . Even after developing true qi, he maintained the same habit .
Obviously, he had to firmly suppress his daemon qi, without allowing even a single sliver to leak out . However, there was no need for him to be so cautious with his true qi . Wearing his identity as a Qi Practitioner around could save quite a lot of trouble at times .
However, it led to a roar of laughter in the hall . Even the gazes of doubt pulled back, no longer taking Li Qingshan seriously . The unknown was terrifying, which was why a donkey could scare away a tiger . However, once the donkey displayed everything it had, that was when everything would be over .
The envoy placed down his brush and also smiled . “I can see that you’re young . It’s not easy for you to possess this talent, so why don’t you go home and cultivate for a few more years? You can come once you break through to the second layer . The competition this time will be dangerous . ”Li Qingshan ignored the laughter and thanked the person for his kind-hearted warning . Afterwards, he said confidently, “I have confidence in myself!”
The envoy said nothing more, continuing to write .
No clan, no sect, no master . These were Li Qingshan’s details .
In just a short while, the envoy completed the records . He raised his head . “The competition begins in three days . You can go . There will be people who will arrange accommodation for you . You are welcome to stay here as well . ”
Another envoy picked up a wooden tablet and hung it at the end of the wall together with everyone else’s names . There obviously was not any particularly complex information on it . On the front, there was his name, while on the back, there was his cultivation .
It amazed Li Qingshan . To a Qi Practitioner, background and masters were both useless . Strength was the only calling card, the only thing that people were wary of .
When he turned around, he instead looked at the Qi Practitioners like they were trash before shaking his head . In particular, he said to the people who mocked him, “Trash . ” Arrogance was his nature, while mocking a whole crowd was his talent .
“Who are you talking to?” said a Qi Practitioner angrily . He was the person who told Li Qingshan to go home and drink milk earlier .
“I’m talking to whoever that answers me!” Li Qingshan said . The people who had not badmouthed Li Qingshan obviously would not feel like he was cursing at them . The Qi Practitioner arrived in front of Li Qingshan in a flash . Suddenly, he raised his head, and true qi gathered . The envoy who recorded their information said, “Those who fight on the mountain will be executed without mercy . ”
The Qi Practitioner’s hand trembled a few times before finally putting it back down .
The rules of the Hawkwolf Guard were no joke . In the very beginning, when the Hawkwolf Guard recruited people, they never provided any accommodation to these people . All they had to do was arrive on the day of the competition, but then many people were unable to .
Qi Practitioners stayed in Jiaping city to eliminate rivals, using everything that they had, whether it be poisoning, encircling, or ambushing . Often, it would end before it had even begun . This was why the rules were changed later on, where the people enlisting would all stay on the mountain, and any form of attacks against one another were forbidden . If they fought, they would be executed without mercy .
Li Qingshan said, “Come bite me, you idiot!” Just how did that go again? My discreetness is not a reason for you to walk all over me . An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth . That was the principle he lived by . You know how to curse, but my mouth isn’t dumb either!
The Qi Practitioner laughed out of anger . “In three days’ time, I’ll let you know what being better off dead than alive means . ” Some other Qi Practitioners sneered as well .
At this moment, Diao Fei entered the hall . He glanced at Li Qingshan before looking at the wall . He let out a sigh of relief . As it seemed, Li Qingshan really was a first layer Qi Practitioner, only concealing his cultivation using some sort of method . He sure had frightened him . However, it was still a mystery to him as to just how Li Qingshan had killed Qian Rongming . He dared not be careless .
The other people in the hall immediately shifted their attention from Li Qingshan when they saw Diao Fei . A third layer Qi Practitioner was a powerful contender for the competition this time . They needed to observe him carefully . Compared to him, Li Qingshan was just a clown . His death was near, and he deserved no attention .
Li Qingshan did not remain in the hall . He left the hall, and another envoy brought him up the mountain . He walked past the well-tended plants and the wonderful gardens . Having been managed by master gardeners, the scenery would change with every few steps . There were simply far too many beautiful things to take in .