Legacy of Dragon's Blood

Wushan Town, a small town located in the western Fenlai Kingdom of the first mountain range, the "Monster Mountain Range," in the Yulan continent.

As the morning sun rose, a hint of chilly air still lingered in Wushan Town. Most of the residents had already begun their work, even the children of six or seven years old were up and engaged in their traditional morning exercises.

On the open space to the east of Wushan Town, the warm morning sunlight filtered through the trees, leaving dappled spots on the ground. A large group of children, estimated to be around one or two hundred, were divided into three teams. Each team stood in rows, their faces serious and solemn. The northernmost group consisted of children aged around six to eight, the middle group around nine to twelve, and the southernmost group comprised teenagers aged thirteen to sixteen.

Standing before this gathering of children were three sturdy middle-aged men dressed in short vests and coarse cloth trousers.

"To become a great warrior, one must undergo rigorous training from a young age," declared the leader of the middle-aged men, Sherman, with his hands behind his back and his head held high. His stern gaze swept over the youngest group of children, aged six or seven, who remained silent, their wide eyes fixed on him, too intimidated to speak.

Sherman was the captain of the guard for the Baruch family, the owners of Wushan Town.

"You are all commoners, unable to practice powerful combat qi techniques like those of the noble families. If you wish to stand out, to not be looked down upon in the future, you must train diligently using the oldest, simplest, and most fundamental methods – training your bodies and building your strength. Do you understand?" Sherman's gaze swept over the group of children.

"We understand!" the teenagers shouted in unison.

"Very well," Sherman nodded in satisfaction, the younger children mostly looking bewildered, while the teenagers' gazes were resolute, understanding the implications of Sherman's words.

Throughout the Yulan continent, every man had to work hard from a young age. Those who didn't train diligently would be looked down upon in the future. Strength and wealth represented a man's status. A man without strength would be scorned by women.

If they wanted to make their parents proud, to be admired by girls, to live a prosperous life in the future, they had to become great warriors.

As they were commoners, they couldn't practice the precious combat qi techniques. Their only way was to train their bodies and build their strength from a young age. They had to work harder than the nobles, investing more effort and sweat.

"Morning, as the sun rises, all things come to life. This is the best time to absorb the essence of heaven and earth and enhance our potential. As usual, feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, hands at waist level in the 'Qi-infused style.' When practicing the Qi-infused style, remember to 'focus your attention, keep your mind calm, and breathe naturally,'" Sherman instructed coldly.

Qi-infused style was the simplest and most effective method for training the body, accumulated through generations of experience.

Instantly, the children, numbering around one or two hundred, assumed the required posture of the Qi-infused style.

"Remember, focus your attention, keep your mind calm, and breathe naturally!" Sherman walked among the teenagers, his tone cold.

Upon closer inspection, it was evident that the teenagers from the southern group were composed, with natural breathing and stable posture. Clearly, they had made some progress in the Qi-infused style.

However, looking at the younger children in the northern group, their knees were uneven, their legs loose and unstable, showing no strength at all.

Sherman turned to the other two middle-aged men and said, "You each take charge of the southern and central teams. I will handle the younger children."

"Yes, captain," the two men responded promptly. They then carefully observed the central and southern teams, occasionally nudging the legs of the teenagers to check if they were standing steadily enough.

Sherman strode towards the group of six or seven-year-old children in the north, making the children instantly tense.

"Oh no, here comes the big boss," whispered a blond child with big eyes named Hadley.

Sherman entered the midst of the children, looking at them with an indifferent expression, but inwardly he sighed, "These children are still too young, both physically and mentally. The demands on them cannot be too high. However, it's good to cultivate physical fitness from a young age. Rigorous training from childhood increases the chances of survival on the battlefield in the future."

Teaching children... guiding them, inspiring them, was the most effective method! Coercion would only backfire!

"Stand up straight, all of you," Sherman snorted.

Instantly, each child straightened their chest and stared ahead.

A slight smile played at Sherman's lips as he walked to the front. He removed his vest, revealing muscular lines that widened the eyes of the children, even drawing envy from the teenagers in the central and southern groups. Aside from his almost perfect muscles, Sherman's bare upper body bore scars from knives and swords, dozens of them, which fascinated all the children.

Knife scars, sword scars, these were the badges of honor for men!

They all admired Sherman deeply. Sherman, a great Level 6 warrior, a hero forged in life and death! He was a remarkable figure even in the big cities, but in Wushan Town, he was revered by all.

Seeing the fiery gazes of the children, Sherman couldn't help but smile inwardly. He wanted these children to have admiration and longing in their hearts. This way, they would work harder and be more motivated!

"Let's turn up the heat," Sherman chuckled to himself, then approached a huge stone lock, weighing around three to four hundred pounds.

With one hand, Sherman effortlessly began to swing the stone lock, which seemed as light as wood in his hands. The children widened their eyes and mouths in amazement.

"Too light, Rory. After training, you guys should make some bigger stone locks," Sherman casually tossed the stone lock, which flew over ten meters before crashing heavily beside a large tree, shaking the ground. Then he walked over to a group of boulders.

"Hoo!" Sherman took a deep breath, his muscles visibly bulging. He then delivered a powerful punch to one of the greenish stones, the sharp whistling sound causing the children nearby to widen their eyes. Sherman's fist struck the huge green stone solidly.

"Boom!" The heavy, deep impact of fist against stone made every child's heart skip a beat.

That was a hard green stone.

The stone vibrated several times, then cracked in seven or eight places before finally splitting into pieces, while Sherman's fist remained unscathed.

"Captain is still so powerful," Rory, one of the two middle-aged men, laughed and approached Sherman.

The other middle-aged man, Roger, also joined them. When the children were practicing the Qi-infused style, it was their time to chat casually, occasionally checking if the children were slacking off.

Sherman shook his head with a smile, "It's not the same anymore. When I was in the army, I trained hard every day, engaged in bloody battles on the battlefield. Now, it's just stretching my muscles at most every day. It's not as passionate as before."

All the children looked at Sherman with admiration.

That huge green stone was smashed to pieces with just one punch. What kind of strength was this? And swinging that three to four hundred-pound stone lock so casually, what kind of power was that?

Sherman turned his head, satisfied with the children's reactions.

"Remember, even without relying on combat qi, it's theoretically possible to become a Level 6 warrior through pure training to the limit! And a Level 6 warrior joining the army can easily become a mid-level officer and gain access to combat qi cultivation methods in the army! Even if you can't become a Level 6 warrior, as long as you become the most ordinary Level 1 warrior, you qualify to join the army. Remember, a man who can't even reach Level 1, well, he's not a man!" Sherman's expression was stern.

"If you're a man, you should stand tall, facing any challenge without fear!"

Upon hearing these words, the faces of the six or seven-year-old children couldn't help but break into smiles. This phrase was Sherman's mantra and one he often taught the children.

"Each of you stands firm. Look at how the brothers in the south stand," Sherman rebuked.

The six or seven-year-old children immediately tried to stand firm.

After a while, those children started to wobble, feeling the soreness in their legs. They gritted their teeth and persisted, but soon they all collapsed to the ground.

Sherman's expression remained cold, but he silently nodded in approval. The performance of these children, only six or seven years old, satisfied him greatly.

Before long, some of the children in the central group, around ten years old, also couldn't hold on any longer and sat down.

"You can hold on as long as you can. I won't force you, but if you don't measure up in the future, you have only yourselves to blame," Sherman said coldly.

"Huh?" Rory suddenly looked surprised at the northern group.

At this moment, many children in the central group, around ten years old, had fallen to the ground, but there was still a six-year-old boy in the northern group who persisted.

"Lin Lei is here for the first time today, and he's this good!" Rory exclaimed in astonishment. Roger and Sherman also noticed, and Sherman looked over. At this moment, there was only one brown-haired boy in the northern group who remained steadfast, his lips tightly pressed together, his eyes determined as he gazed ahead, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

A hint of surprise flashed in Sherman's eyes.

"Good boy!" Sherman admired in his heart. At just six years old, to keep up with children around ten years old in the Qi-infused style was quite remarkable.

Lin Lei, whose full name was Lin Lei Baruch, was the eldest son of the Baruch family, the owners of Wushan Town. The Baruch family was a very ancient family that had once flourished. However, after thousands of years of inheritance, the entire family now consisted of only three members: the patriarch, Hogg Baruch, and his two sons. The eldest son, Lin Lei Baruch, was only six years old. The younger son, Walton Baruch, was only two years old. As for the matriarch of the Baruch family, she died after giving birth to her youngest son. Lin Lei's grandfather also lost his life in war while serving in the military.

Lin Lei's legs trembled. Despite his firm determination, he couldn't control his muscles, which were sore to the extreme, and he finally sat down.

"How do you feel, Lin Lei?" Sherman smiled as he walked over.

Lin Lei grinned, showing his little tiger teeth. "Not bad, Uncle Sherman." Sherman was the captain of the Baruch family's guard and had watched Lin Lei grow up since he was a child. They naturally had a close relationship.

"Well done, like a man," Sherman patted Lin Lei's head, causing Lin Lei's hair to become as messy as straw.

"Hehe," Lin Lei grinned, feeling very happy about Sherman's praise.

After resting for a while, they resumed training. The training intensity for the six or seven-year-old children was much lighter, but for the teenagers, it was quite terrifying.

All the youngsters, including the children, lay with their heads and feet on separate flat stones, their bodies suspended in the air, supported solely by the strength of their waist.

"The waist, the hips, this triangular area," Sherman gestured with his hands to the abdomen area. "This area is the core of the whole body. Whether it's speed or strength, the core is this triangular area, which is very important."

Sherman kept speaking while carefully observing the movements of each teenager.

"Keep it up, don't let your waist sag!" Sherman shouted.

Immediately, many teenagers strained to keep their waists up. Lin Lei was doing this for the first time today, with his little head and feet resting on two flat stones. But at this moment, Lin Lei already felt his waist burning and sore.

"Hold on, hold on. I'm the best," Lin Lei encouraged himself. Lin Lei had always had excellent physical fitness since he was young, hardly ever getting sick. Coupled with his determination, his outstanding performance was not surprising.

"Thud!" The first child fell down.

However, the flat stones used as pillows and footrests were only about twenty centimeters high, so the children wouldn't get hurt even if they fell.

"Thud!" "Thud!"... As time passed, one by one, the children couldn't hold on anymore.

Lin Lei clenched his teeth, feeling the extreme soreness in his waist. He could hardly feel anything: "My body feels so heavy, I can't hold on much longer. But I have to, just a little longer." At this point, among the six to eight-year-old group, only Lin Lei remained persevering.

Sherman saw Lin Lei and couldn't help but show a pleased expression.

"Rory," Sherman suddenly commanded.

"Captain," Rory immediately straightened up, awaiting orders.

Sherman ordered, "Prepare some dye for tomorrow. When they're doing waist training, place a stick under each person's waist, smearing dye on the sticks. If anyone slackens, their waist touches the stick, staining them with dye, and their training workload doubles."

"Yes, Captain," Rory replied loudly, though his mouth twitched. He chuckled inwardly, "The captain has quite a few tricks up his sleeve. Those kids are in for it."

Indeed.

The faces of those teenagers turned bitter. Normally, they could slack off with subtle movements, but once Sherman did this, they couldn't slack off anymore.

Sherman continued sternly, "I can tell you that after a warrior cultivates combat qi, the location of qi storage is just below the navel, about the size of a fist. You should understand the importance of training this core triangular area now! This is the core; if this area fails, training elsewhere is useless."

A good mentor was crucial for children.

And Sherman was a great warrior who knew the focus of training, the importance of gradual progress, and what level of training each age group should achieve. Pushing too hard could cause the children to collapse.

"Combat qi?"

Upon hearing this term, the teenagers and the resting children all widened their eyes and looked at Sherman.

For civilian children, combat qi was something they eagerly anticipated. Even Lin Lei, the scion of a declining noble family, longed for combat qi.

"Thud!"

Lin Lei finally couldn't hold on anymore, but he managed to lower himself slowly using his arms.

"Feels so good!" When Lin Lei rested his sore waist, he felt a tingling sensation, penetrating deep into his muscles, as if it reached into his bones. Lin Lei squinted his eyes in contentment.

"What number am I?" Lin Lei suddenly opened his eyes wide and looked around.

All the children from the six to eight-year-old group had fallen, and most of the children around ten years old in the central group had also fallen. However, the fourteen or fifteen-year-old teenagers were still persevering. Sherman, with a stern expression, continued:

"Remember, your body is like a container, a wine glass. And combat qi is like wine! How much wine a glass can hold depends on its size. Similarly... a person's cultivation of combat qi ultimately depends on the degree of physical training. If the body is weak, even with powerful combat qi techniques, the body can't bear much combat qi, and they won't become powerful warriors." Sherman imparted many important messages to these children.

Many warriors, because they weren't taught in their youth, only understood the relationship between physical strength and combat qi later in life. But by then, if they were too old, physical training wouldn't be very effective.

Many predecessors accumulated experiences through numerous detours. Through Sherman's guidance, these important experiences were quietly engraved in the minds of this group of children. Sherman didn't want these children to go through the same detours.

After experiencing the 'Qi-infused style' and coordinated training of various parts of the body such as the waist, legs, shoulders, and back, almost all the children were sitting on the ground. Sherman's training level was arranged very appropriately.

"Today's morning training ends here," Sherman announced.

The training in Wushan Town followed a routine, divided into two sessions each day: one in the morning and another in the evening.

"Sherman uncle, tell us a story!" As soon as the training dispersed, the children immediately called out. Every day after the morning training, Sherman would tell these children stories about battles in the military or other places on the continent.

Children who grew up in small towns like Wushan were eager to learn about the outside world and military life.

Sherman smiled slightly. Telling stories to motivate the children was his idea. He believed that only when children were eager to train voluntarily could they achieve high levels of success.

"Today, I'll tell you about the four ultimate warriors in the legends of our continent!" Sherman's face also showed a hint of admiration.

The children perked up their ears, their eyes gleaming. Even Lin Lei, sitting on the ground, felt his heart skip a beat. "The four ultimate warriors in the legends?" Lin Lei couldn't help but raise his ears and fix his gaze on Sherman.

Sherman's eyes sparkled with excitement, though his voice remained steady. "Thousands of years ago, four ultimate warriors appeared on our continent. These four ultimate warriors possessed strengths comparable to dragons. They could single-handedly rampage through a million soldiers, effortlessly taking the heads of enemy generals! These four ultimate warriors are the Dragonblood Warrior, Purple Flame Warrior, Tigerstripe Warrior, and Undead Warrior!"

"Warriors are divided into nine levels. I, as a mere Level Six warrior, can easily crush boulders with a single palm and kick down large trees! A Level Nine warrior is perhaps the strongest in our Fenlai Kingdom. Above the Level Nine warriors are the four ultimate warriors, surpassing Level Nine and reaching the pinnacle of warriors, belonging to the legendary realm of sanctity!" Sherman's eyes were full of longing. "The legendary realm of sanctity allows these ultimate warriors to melt giant icebergs, stir up endless oceans, collapse towering mountains, destroy cities with millions of inhabitants, and bring down countless meteors from the sky! They are invincible and supreme beings."

Silence fell, and all the children were stunned.

Sherman pointed to the mountain in the northeast direction. "Do you see that Wushan? Isn't it huge?" Sherman chuckled.

After hearing so much from Sherman, the children were already in shock. They all nodded vigorously. Wushan was thousands of meters high and stretched for thousands of kilometers. In the eyes of humans, it was indeed a massive entity.

"But these ultimate warriors can destroy Wushan in the blink of an eye," Sherman said confidently.

A Level Six warrior could only destroy a boulder with a palm, while the ultimate warriors could destroy entire mountains. This astonished all the children. They opened their mouths wide, widened their eyes, and felt a tremor in their hearts. In their hearts, they couldn't help but feel fear, anticipation, and longing for the ultimate warriors.

"Destroy a mountain?" Sherman's words greatly shocked Lin Lei.

Before long, the group of children left in shock, and Sherman, Rory, and Roger were the last ones to leave. Watching the large group of children leave in groups of three or five, Sherman smiled.

"These children are the hope of our future in Wushan Town," Sherman said with a smile.

Rory and Roger also watched the children leave. Nearly every civilian child in every part of the continent was trained rigorously from a young age. Seeing these children, Rory and Roger seemed to see their own childhood and youth.

"Captain Sherman, you are much more powerful than you were back then. Under your guidance, I believe Wushan Town will become the strongest among the dozen or so towns nearby," Rory sighed.

The strength of the instructor determined the future of a place.

"By the way, Captain, how do you know that the ultimate warriors, the four ultimate warriors, are so powerful?" Rory suddenly asked curiously.

Sherman smiled embarrassedly. "Well, actually, I don't know how powerful the four ultimate warriors really are. After all, they are legendary figures. No one has seen them for many years."

"You don't know, yet you're deceiving the children?" Rory and Roger were speechless.

Sherman smiled slightly. "Although I'm not sure how powerful the four ultimate warriors are, I do know... about the Sanctified Mages, also known as the wizards who reach sanctity. They can cast forbidden magic, destroying tens of thousands of armies and collapsing entire cities. If Sanctified Mages are so powerful, the Sanctified Warriors probably aren't far behind, right?"

"In addition, telling these stories to the children motivates them. Didn't you see the expressions of yearning on their faces after hearing the stories?" Sherman smiled proudly.

Rory and Roger could only remain speechless.

...

"Lin Lei, goodbye."

"Hadley, goodbye."

After bidding farewell to his good friend Hadley, Lin Lei walked alone towards his home and soon arrived at the Baruch family's mansion.

The Baruch family's mansion was vast, with various plants like moss and ivy winding around the walls. The mansion, the ancestral home of the Baruch family in Wushan Town, had been passed down for over five thousand years and had undergone continuous repairs over the centuries, still standing tall.

However, with the decline of the family, the Baruch family's economic situation had worsened over time. In the end, they could only rely on their ancestral wealth. Over a hundred years ago, the current head of the Baruch family decided that the entire family would only live in the one-third of the mansion's area, while the rest of the courtyard and estate were left neglected to save money.

Even so, to this day, Lin Lei's father, Hogg Baruch, still had to frequently sell off some family items to make ends meet.

The grand gates of the mansion were open.

"A Sanctified Warrior?" Lin Lei pondered as he walked. "Could I become a Sanctified Warrior in the future?"

"Lin Lei." Sherman's voice sounded from behind, and Sherman, Rory, and Roger caught up.

Lin Lei turned around, immediately joyful. "Uncle Sherman!"

Then, Lin Lei took a deep breath and looked up at Sherman, nervously and expectantly asking, "Uncle Sherman, you said Sanctified Warriors are so powerful? Is there a possibility for me to become one?" Lin Lei shared the same aspirations as most children.

Sherman was momentarily stunned, and Rory and Roger were also taken aback.

A Sanctified Warrior?

"These kids really dare to dream. Even with millions of residents in the Fenlai Kingdom, there hasn't been a Sanctified Warrior for hundreds of years. To become one..." Sherman was acutely aware of the difficulty of becoming a Sanctified Warrior.

It required rigorous training from a young age, family nurturing, personal talent, and opportunity... becoming a Sanctified Warrior was far from easy.

Sherman was well aware that he had endured countless hardships and hovered between life and death to become a Level Six warrior. If Level Six was this challenging, then Levels Seven, Eight, and Nine were even more so. As for Sanctification, Sherman probably only dared to dream about it.

But faced with Lin Lei's eager gaze...

"Lin Lei, Uncle Sherman believes in you. You will definitely become a Sanctified Warrior," Sherman said firmly, looking at Lin Lei. Sherman's encouraging words lit up Lin Lei's eyes, filling him with hope!

This hope was unprecedentedly fervent!

"Uncle Sherman, can I train with the central team tomorrow?" Lin Lei suddenly asked.

Sherman, Rory, and Roger were all surprised by Lin Lei's request.

"My father said, to become exceptional, you must exert more effort than others," Lin Lei involuntarily imitated his father's tone.

Sherman suddenly laughed. He had witnessed Lin Lei's training today. Although Lin Lei was only six years old, his physical fitness matched that of nine or ten-year-olds. He nodded and smiled, "Alright, but you must not falter. Remember, this isn't just for one or two days; the days ahead are long."

Lin Lei raised his head confidently and smiled, "Uncle Sherman, watch me."

It was just an ordinary morning in Wushan Town, and every day thereafter would be the same. Under the guidance of Level Six warrior Sherman, a group of children in Wushan Town continued their rigorous training. The only difference from the past was that six-year-old Lin Lei was now assigned to the group of children around ten years old.

In the blink of an eye, half a year had passed. Lin Lei had spent the warm spring, scorching summer, and now entered the chilly autumn through rigorous physical training. Along the eastern edge of Wushan Town, beside the empty space, a row of tall poplar trees swayed in the wind, shedding numerous dry yellow leaves that slowly spiraled down. The entire area was covered with yellowing fallen leaves.

The sky was gradually darkening.

Today, there were unusually many people in the eastern empty space, nearly three hundred.

"Today's evening training ends here," Sherman smiled and said, "But before that, let's wish the batch of children from Wushan Town who are about to join the military."

After the busy autumn harvest, it was the season for joining the military. In an era where martial prowess was esteemed across the continent, every young person took pride in becoming a great warrior. Of course, many also aspired to become mages. How