9: Night Watchman

Thunder rumbled!

The immense sound of thunder echoed between heaven and earth, as layers of clouds stacked in the sky, heavy and thick.

Streaks of lightning tore through the sky, accompanied by a torrential downpour, surging towards the human world.

Under the curtain of rain, the entire world was dim and filled with a sense of oppression, transmitting mournful wails amidst the storm, as if crying out about the cruelty of this chaotic era.

Seven Stars Province has a humid climate, with rain year-round. As one of the thirteen provinces in Cang Yan Territory, though it’s just a small, peripheral province, it boasts vast lands and abundant resources.

There are three major sects in Seven Stars Province.

They are—

Flying Origin Palace, Seven Stars Sect, and Red Tiger Sect.

Among them, Flying Origin Palace is not only the strongest of the three major sects but also the ruling power of the entire Seven Stars Province.

Seven Stars Sect and Red Tiger Sect are merely affiliated sects of Flying Origin Palace.

Red Tiger Sect is located in the southern part of Seven Stars Province.

The sect is built on a massive mountain peak, with buildings encircling the mountain body, presenting an extraordinary grandeur.

The mountainside serves as a boundary, forming a dividing line that splits the entire sect into the Upper Sect and Lower Sect.

Outer Sect Disciples are all located in the Lower Sect below the mountainside.

Only Inner Sect Disciples and core direct disciples are qualified to enter the Upper Sect.

This is also why Xiao Shi, despite being in the sect for so long, has never seen an Inner Sect Disciple.

Besides their own sects, the three major sects also govern several cities.

Jin Yun City, as the main city governed by Red Tiger Sect, has always flourished under the management of Red Tiger Sect.

There are not many cities in the entire Seven Stars Province.

Every city is incredibly important.

Especially in such a chaotic world, being able to live in a city is undoubtedly the goal and dream of many people.

After all, compared to the wild, which lacks order, although there can be fighting and death in the city, it is undoubtedly much safer than the dangers and chaos outside.

Thus, living in a city became the dream of many people.

Every day, many people enter the city, and many who arrive don't want to leave.

It's just that… every city has its rules.

You can't just stay if you want to.

By the time Xiao Shi and the other Outer Sect Disciples arrived at Jin Yun City, it was already afternoon.

As soon as he entered the city, Xiao Shi heard the bustling clamor.

Even on a rainy day.

The entire Jin Yun City was very lively.

The one responsible for leading these Outer Sect Disciples to Jin Yun City was a short, round-faced man from the Upper Sect.

He seemed to be an elder from the Upper Sect.

After entering Jin Yun City, he led everyone directly to a magnificent building.

This building was prominently located in the center of Jin Yun City, very conspicuous.

The building's overall color was pitch black, exuding a cold aura.

Despite being in a busy area, no pedestrians approached it; they all went around, as if some horror existed there, making them afraid to get close.

Above the building's main entrance, there was a plaque with three large, black, cold characters.

Night Watch Division!

At this moment, a Black-Clothed Youth was standing at the entrance of the Night Watch Division. Upon seeing Xiao Shi and the group, he immediately stepped forward and respectfully greeted the round-faced elder.

The round-faced elder nodded.

He glanced at Xiao Shi and the others behind him and said indifferently.

“This is the Night Watch Division, where you will be assigned. You will serve here for three years. After three years, whether you can be promoted to Inner Sect Disciple will depend on your own fortunes.”

After the round-faced elder finished speaking, he completed a simple handover with the Black-Clothed Youth, then did not linger and left directly.

“Follow me.”

The Black-Clothed Youth beckoned to the crowd and led them into the Night Watch Division.

The Night Watch Division was very spacious inside.

Along the way, Xiao Shi and the others also saw some Night Watch.

These Night Watch were all dressed in uniform black attire, wearing wide black straw hats. Most of them had indifferent expressions and hurried footsteps.

As they passed by Xiao Shi and the others, the powerful vital energy emanating from these Night Watch clearly indicated that their cultivation levels were generally between the sixth and seventh layers of the Entering Martial Realm.

To determine the specific cultivation of a Martial Warrior of the Entrance to Martial Realm, besides engaging in combat, the primary method is to assess the strength of their vital energy.

Each level of the Entering Martial Realm corresponds to a different intensity of vital energy.

The higher the level, the stronger one's vital energy.

While this method of judgment is not 100% accurate, the margin of error will not be too large.

Unless the other party possesses some treasure that conceals vital energy, or has undergone body refinement, which compresses vital energy after successful refinement, preventing it from displaying the vital energy corresponding to their true cultivation.

However, both of these situations are extremely rare.

“So strong!”

Many Outer Sect Disciples, after sensing the vital energy fluctuations of these Night Watch, quietly exclaimed in admiration.

Continuing forward, after passing several pavilions and paths, Xiao Shi and the group were soon led to a plaza.

In the very center of the plaza, four figures were seated on chairs, quietly awaiting everyone's arrival.

As they drew closer.

Everyone immediately felt an incredibly astonishing vital energy fluctuation emanating from these four individuals!

Far exceeding that of the Night Watch they had seen before!

The one seated furthest to the left was a lazy-looking purple-haired woman, approximately twenty years old, with fair skin and a cold demeanor. Her hair was tied in a high ponytail, and one long, straight leg was propped on the chair, gently swaying. She merely gave the arriving Outer Sect Disciples a casual glance before losing interest.

Seated second from the left was a gray-haired old man.

The old man had narrow eyes and a black spot on his face. He was stern and unsmiling, seemingly very strict, as he carefully observed the Outer Sect Disciples.

The third was a tall, large-faced middle-aged man.

He was at least two meters tall.

Sitting there, he resembled an iron tower, and his gaze towards the numerous Outer Sect Disciples was equally serious.

Seated furthest to the right was a Slit-Eyes with a gentle smile and a friendly expression, looking quite intrigued, as if very interested in these new Outer Sect Disciples.

“Four Captains, these are the Outer Sect Disciples who have come to report.”

The Black-Clothed Youth who had led Xiao Shi and the others over spoke respectfully to the four individuals in front.

As he spoke.

Everyone immediately realized that the four individuals before them were the four Captains of the Night Watch Division.

The Night Watch Division is mainly divided into four teams: A, B, C, and D.

Each team has a Captain.

Within the Night Watch Division, their status is second only to the Director.

“Don’t waste time, let’s get started.”

The purple-haired woman, as the Captain of Team A, said impatiently.

“Yes.”

The Black-Clothed Youth nodded.

He took out the jade slip he had received earlier from the round-faced elder and looked at the Outer Sect Disciples.

“Now, those whose names I call, please step forward.”

“Ding Yan.”

From the crowd.

A chubby young man nervously walked to the front.

Everyone's gaze immediately focused on the chubby young man.

Under the scrutiny of so many eyes, the chubby young man became even more nervous.

The Black-Clothed Youth looked at the jade slip and read.

“Ding Yan, sixteen years old, five mission executions! Three of which were Level 5 missions, one Level 4 mission, and one Level 3 mission.”

The four Captains in front heard this. The gray-haired old man, as the Captain of Squad B, and the two-meter tall strong man, as the Captain of Squad C, both nodded slightly.

“Mediocre.”

“Not bad.”

The Captain of Squad C pondered for a moment and said in a booming voice.

“Come to my Squad C.”

“...Yes!”

The chubby boy named Ding Yan obediently nodded and stood behind the Captain of Squad C, joining Squad C.

This is a customary practice whenever a batch of Outer Sect Disciples arrives at the Night Watch Division.

The four Captains will make their selections based on the missions they have previously completed and their cultivation strength.