Lu Er looked at the eight children who had arrived, gathered them, and smilingly admonished them:
"There are six children from the neighboring Blackwater Town, and they'll be here soon. They will enter the Green Dragon Gang with you.
Remember that you are the excellent young teenagers from our Qingyang Town, the hope of our Qingyang Town.
When you get to the Green Dragon Gang, you must perform well. When you hold important positions in the future, always remember Qingyang Town, which raised you."
Lu Zhao quickly walked over and said, "The carriage from Blackwater Town has arrived."
Lu Er nodded after hearing this and said, "Let's go, we'll wait outside."
Everyone went out and waited by the roadside for a while before the Blackwater Town carriage slowly approached and stopped in front of them.
This was a super large carriage, slowly pulled by four horses.
A person of similar age to Second Uncle got out of the carriage. He was half a head taller than Second Uncle and looked very burly and robust.
Seeing this person, Second Uncle quickly went up to him, smiled, and cupped his hands in greeting, "Greetings, Protector Zhang."
He then took out a heavy small pouch and handed it over. Protector Zhang took it, weighed it, and only then did a trace of a smile appear on his Face.
Seeing Protector Zhang smile, Second Uncle quickly said, "These are the children recommended from our town."
Then he pulled Lu Yun and Liang Zi over and said, "This is my nephew from my own family, whom I recommended. I hope Protector Zhang will take good care of him along the way."
Protector Zhang glanced at the two and nodded, saying, "Let them all get on. This journey will take several days, so don't delay the time."
Subsequently, the eight people were arranged into the carriage one by one.
Second Uncle gave the two a final few words of advice: "When you get to the gang, if you don't have strength, just be honest and don't cause trouble.
That's not like our place here. If you get into trouble, you won't even know how you died."
Lu Yun and Liang Zi said with red eyes, "We understand, Second Uncle, please take care."
After Lu Yun and Liang Zi got into the carriage, the carriage, with a whinny, headed straight for the Green Dragon Gang.
Although the carriage was very large, it still felt a bit crowded with fifteen people.
Everyone was quite excited when they first got on the carriage, chattering non-stop.
Among them were three wearing silk clothes, who were likely children from wealthy families in the town.
The few of them got along quite well in the carriage, and they seemed more knowledgeable and intelligent than their peers.
There were also five children whose clothing, though not as bright and splendid as the three, was still not comparable to what Lu Yun and Lu Liang wore.
These children constantly surrounded the three, often smiling deferentially. They were likely also from the town, but from ordinary families.
The remaining six children all wore coarse linen clothes. Most of them were from mountain villages and sat far away.
Lu Yun looked around and seemed to understand that wherever there are people, there are hierarchies, there is Jianghu, and there are human relationships.
He looked at Protector Zhang, who had his eyes closed, either Cultivating or resting.
Looking out the window, the carriage was speeding along the main road. He didn't know where they were. This was his first long journey, and he didn't know what his fate would be.
He glanced at Liang Zi beside him. That guy was actually leaning against the carriage, asleep. Lu Yun then smiled and also leaned against the carriage and fell asleep.
After an unknown amount of time, the carriage arrived at a large town. This town was much larger than Qingyang Town, with people coming and going.
Protector Zhang said, "This is Taian Town.
Don't get out of the carriage. We'll resupply here. It's only one more day's journey to the gang." After speaking, he got out of the carriage and left.
The children in the carriage looked at each other, and after a while, they all took out their dry rations and started eating.
After the time it took for a meal, Protector Zhang and the others returned, and the carriage continued on its way.
Everyone had just eaten their fill, so they were in high spirits and not sleepy.
One of the wealthy children, whose family must have given Protector Zhang a lot of money, then boldly asked:
"Protector Zhang, what is the gang like? Could you spare a little time to tell us about it?"
Protector Zhang looked at the boy after hearing this, then at the other children's expectant Faces.
He then nodded and said, "Alright, since I'm idle anyway, it's good to tell you. The gang's name is the 'Green Dragon Gang'."
Then he said respectfully, "The Gang Leader is the soul of the Green Dragon Gang, an absolute authority within the gang. Below him, there are:
Two Deputy Gang Leaders
Four Grand Elders
Eight Protectors
And many deacons.
Disciples are divided into four Ranks:
Gray-Robed Disciples (Probationary Disciples);
Green-Robed Disciples (Official Disciples);
Black-Clothed Disciple (Elite Disciples);
Purple-Robed Disciples (Core Disciple);
There are also two Great Offerings who respectively manage the Medicine Valley and the Weapon Pavilion.
That's generally it. You'll naturally learn more when you join the gang later.
However, whether you can even join the gang is still up for debate."
The rich child asked in confusion, "Are we not considered Disciples of the Green Dragon Gang yet?"
Protector Zhang said disdainfully, "Who said you are gang Disciples now?
The place we are going to now is Rocky Ridge, thirty li away from the gang.
Once there, you will need to pass an assessment set by the gang. Only after passing the assessment will you be considered probationary Disciples of the gang."
There's an assessment? Everyone looked dejected.
Protector Zhang looked at everyone and snorted:
"The gang's requirements for selecting Disciples are, first, absolute loyalty.
Second, excellent physical qualities in all aspects, so that our Green Dragon Gang can flourish.
If we don't assess and recruit some useless people, what's the point? The gang would eventually fall apart."
After that, everyone was thinking about the assessment, their spirits low, and no one spoke anymore. Soon, everyone fell asleep again.
After an unknown amount of time, the carriage finally arrived at Rocky Ridge. They heard someone shout loudly, "Wake up, we're here."
After getting out of the carriage, everyone saw many people, and also saw more than a dozen carriages similar to the one they had ridden in.
There were more than two hundred children like them, and they were the last carriage to arrive.
At this moment, an old man with sinister eyes and thin lips, who gave off a chilling aura, came over from beside the other carriages.
After he arrived, he smiled sinisterly and said, "Protector Zhang, why are you so slow? Everyone's waiting for you. You certainly have a lot of Face."
Protector Zhang was so angry that he bristled and cursed, "Protector Jiu, what the hell are you talking about? Everyone knows I went to the farthest place.
I rushed as fast as I could to get here. Don't stand there making sarcastic remarks."
Protector Jiu didn't care after hearing this. He chuckled and asked, "I wonder how many of these lads you brought will pass the assessment?
I have several over there who are descendants of martial artists who have been training their bodies since childhood."
Protector Zhang's expression clearly soured upon hearing this. He snorted, "Mind your own business."
Protector Jiu looked at Protector Zhang, smiled sinisterly, and left.
Not long after, a green-robed Elder appeared in the square ahead.
He walked steadily and calmly to the center of the square, briefly introduced his identity, and then, with a booming voice, explained the assessment rules.
Protector Zhang was a little surprised and said, "I didn't expect Elder Jian to be presiding over the new Disciple assessment this time. In the past, it was always the Protectors' job."
That Protector Jiu's ears were incredibly sharp. He finally found an opportunity to strike at Protector Zhang, and immediately taunted:
"Relations with the Blood Sabre Sect have become tense again recently. This is a precautionary measure. Hmph, you don't even know this and you're still a Protector."
Protector Zhang was so angry he wanted to slap that guy a few times, but then Elder Jian's voice came over, and they both fell silent.
"The assessment has two parts. The first part is a long-distance run.
Run along the path at the foot of the mountain beside me until you can see the place with the red flag, pull down a small flag, and then return the same way.
It's approximately twenty li, and the passing time is one shichen.
The second part, do you see the mountain behind me?
Climb this mountain. The large fierce beasts on the mountain have already been driven away. You have three shichen to climb it, and that counts as passing the assessment.
The assessment will begin two shichen later. There is food and drink over there, so you can take this time to rest and replenish yourselves well."
