Chapter 7: Leaving a Letter

"Exactly, Fourth Brother, you gave the spot to Second Brother, and we feel it wasn't worth it for you. What that child Wang Zhuo said just now was right, Hu Zi is definitely stronger than Tie Zhu, and might really be accepted by an Immortal." Tie Zhu's Father's Fifth Younger Brother chimed in from the side.

Wang Zhuo smiled smugly, adding fuel to the fire as he said, "This is all their own doing. My father and I advised them before, but it was useless. Their whole family is stubborn as a mule, so obstinate! Now that they've hit a wall, who can they blame?"

Wang Hao showed reluctance and said, "Tie Zhu, he…"

Before he could finish, Wang Hao's Father glared fiercely at him. Wang Hao's voice hitched, and he sighed softly, no longer interrupting.

Tie Zhu's Fourth Uncle sighed internally and said in a deep voice, "Whoever mentions this again is making trouble with me, Lao Si. This matter is settled. The fact that Tie Zhu wasn't chosen can only be blamed on his lack of fortune, nothing else. Tie Zhu, don't take it to heart. If things don't work out, just follow Fourth Uncle outside. Heh heh, Fourth Uncle can't speak for an Immortal School, but if it's a Mortal School in the Jianghu, Fourth Uncle can still save some Face. You and your younger brother Hu Zi can go together then. I originally planned to send him to a School in the Jianghu for training anyway."

When Wang Zhuo heard this, he immediately burst into laughter and said contemptuously, "Tie Zhu, I think what Fourth Uncle said is fine. Go ahead. When you get there, just tell them you're trash that was eliminated by the Immortals. Maybe they'll accept you immediately once they hear that."

Wang Lin slowly raised his head, his dark eyes blankly sweeping over the mocking relatives around him, finally resting on Wang Zhuo. He said word by word, "Wang Zhuo, listen carefully. In this life, I, Wang Lin, will absolutely step into an Immortal School. I will remember every single one of the insults you and your father hurled at my family."

Wang Zhuo sneered, about to retort, but Fourth Uncle frowned and shouted at Wang Zhuo, "You little brat! If you keep running your mouth, I'll cripple you right now and turn you into an idiot! I don't believe an Immortal would still want you then!"

Wang Zhuo's Father's expression changed drastically. He hurriedly stepped forward, pulling Wang Zhuo behind him, and sternly cried, "Lao Si, how dare you!"

The relatives all around wore cold smiles, watching the scene unfolding before them.

Tie Zhu's Fourth Uncle laughed heartily, a cold light flickering in his eyes, and said deeply, "Oh? Big Brother, are you saying I wouldn't dare?"

Tie Zhu's Father quickly stepped forward and pulled Lao Si back, saying anxiously, "Lao Si, listen to Second Brother. You have a wife and children at home; it's not worth getting into trouble for Second Brother like this. Second Brother will remember your kindness forever, Lao Si. See me off. Your Sister-in-Law and I will take Tie Zhu home."

Tie Zhu's Fourth Uncle stared at Wang Zhuo's Father, sneered a few times, then looked deeply at his Second Brother, nodded, pulled Tie Zhu, and left the large mansion with Tie Zhu's parents.

From far away, Wang Lin could still faintly hear the mocking sounds of the relatives in the courtyard.

Sitting in Fourth Uncle's carriage, the family embarked on the journey home.

There was silence inside the carriage. Tie Zhu's Father sighed internally, admitting that saying he wasn't disappointed would be a lie, but Tie Zhu was his son after all. He sighed softly and said, "Tie Zhu, what's this? It's nothing. When your father was driven out of the house back then, I was even more depressed than you, but didn't I persevere all the same? Listen to Father, go home and study hard, and try to get a good score on the Big Exam next year. If you don't like studying, then go out and relax with your Fourth Uncle."

Tie Zhu's Mother looked lovingly at her son and comforted him, "Tie Zhu, don't do anything foolish. I only have you, my child. If anything happens to you, I won't want to live either. Child, you must be strong." As she spoke, her tears flowed down.

Wang Lin looked at his parents, nodded, and said, "Father, Mother, don't worry. I won't do anything foolish. I have a plan; you don't need to worry."

Tie Zhu's Mother held him close in her arms and whispered, "Tie Zhu, it's all over now. Let's not think about this anymore."

The warm embrace of his mother allowed the wounds in Wang Lin's heart to gradually show signs of healing. Wang Lin had been too exhausted these past few days, mentally drained and utterly fatigued. As the carriage bumped along, he slowly fell asleep.

He had a dream, dreaming that he had become an Immortal, flying through the sky with his parents… Late at night, Tie Zhu woke up. He looked at the familiar small room around him, sighed softly, and his eyes flickered, his internal resolve growing firmer. Leaving the small room, he gazed deeply at his parents' room, picked up paper and brush, left a letter, pocketed enough dry rations, and left the house.

"The Path to Immortality, I will not give up! I must go and try the Heng Yue School again! Even if they still don't accept me, I must find out the locations of other Immortal Schools." Wang Lin's gaze was firm. Carrying his bundle, he left the mountain village and walked outward.

At this time, the moonlight paved the way, and the star trails pointed forward, stretching Wang Lin's silhouette long, long… Three days later, Wang Lin was walking on a remote mountain path. The day he was carried under the arm by the Youth named Zhang, he vaguely saw the general direction when he opened his eyes.

Heading persistently eastward, Wang Lin continued his journey, ignoring the weeds that cut his legs.

A week later, he had completely entered the deep mountains. Fortunately, man-eating beasts were few in this area. Wang Lin proceeded cautiously all the way, and finally, on the morning of this day, standing on the peak of a solitary mountain, he saw the familiar cloud-shrouded mountain peaks in the distance.

By now, he was exhausted. Sitting on the mountaintop, he took out his dry rations and chewed a few bites. Gazing at the Heng Yue School's mountain gate, his eyes were resolute. Just then, a sound of heavy animal breathing came from behind him. Wang Lin's hairs stood on end, and when he looked back, his Face instantly turned pale.

A massive White Tiger stared with blood-red eyes, revealing deep cold intent. Saliva dripped from its mouth, making a "pat-pat" sound as it hit the ground.

With a roar, the White Tiger pounced. Wang Lin gave a bitter smile and jumped off the adjacent cliff without hesitation. The falling Gale Wind whipped his Face, and Wang Lin couldn't help but recall his parents' gazes and the mocking words of his relatives.

"Father, Mother, Tie Zhu is unfilial. Farewell forever."

Branches jutted out horizontally from the cliff Face, intertwined and messy. Wang Lin's body plummeted at an extremely high speed, and the scattered branches snapped one after another from top to bottom. Just as he fell to the middle section of the cliff, a sudden, massive suction force appeared.

Wang Lin was involuntarily pulled by this suction force, dragged into a cave within a fissure in the cliff Face, and pressed tightly against the cave wall. In his daze, Wang Lin only felt his body being fiercely sucked backward as if he were in a wind vent. After a long time, the suction gradually disappeared, and his body fell from the wall.

It took him a long time to recover before he struggled to stand up. His clothes were shredded into rags by the branches, and his body was covered in wounds. His right arm, in particular, was throbbing relentlessly and swollen high. Excruciating pain surged like waves, and large beads of sweat streamed down. When he touched it, he couldn't tell if the bone was broken, but it was clearly an injury sustained when hitting the wall just now.