Chapter 2: Barbarian Pillars

  It's been a month since then, and the Zu Yuan tribe has also returned to calm. The matter of Man Tian being injured is no longer the focus of discussion in the tribe. Instead, the situation with Man Lin and Man Shi, who were kicked by Man Zhu, is not much better than Man Tian's. They have been at home nursing their wounds for a month, it is unknown whether they are really seriously injured or just afraid of running into Man Zhu again.

  On this day, the door was tightly closed, and in the room, Mantian stood beside the bed, slowly punching out a set of fists, trying his best to control his strength so as not to make any explosive sounds. For a month now, Mantian had been secretly practicing his fistwork every day. Judging from his movements, it seemed as if he hadn't been injured at all. If not for the fact that his face was pale and his eyes were sunken, one wouldn't have thought him to be someone recovering from illness, but rather a lively and spirited young man.

  When it comes to injuries, it's also strange for Man Tian. After waking up from his injury, he found that his body was intact and undamaged, except for some external wounds. His spine didn't break, which made Man Tian very curious, even suspecting that the sound of bones breaking he heard before fainting was an illusion? After all, he had only fainted for three days, how could his bones be perfectly fine in just three days?

  Although so, Man Tian's parents still worried, and forcibly required Man Tian to lie in bed for a month. The bored Man Tian didn't want his parents to worry, so he could only secretly get out of bed to practice.

  After retracting his fist, Man Tian carefully sensed the transformation of power within his body after this punch. However, he heard the sound of heavy footsteps and a faint smile appeared on his face as he walked to the door, opened it, and looked at the tall figure in front of him. He felt that the young man's power had increased several times stronger than a month ago. Man Tian's pupils constricted, and he exclaimed: "Man Zhu, you've broken through to the sixth rank of the Man Warrior?"

  It's Mo Zhu. Since the trial of the tribe opened up his bloodline, Mo Zhu has been out cultivating bitterly and it's rare to see him for several months unless he was injured like last time in Mo Tian.

  Looking at the barbarian who was half a head shorter than himself, with a fragile body that seemed like it would be blown down by a gust of wind, the barbarian's rough face muscles twitched a few times, squeezing out a smile, saying: "Yes, I just broke through yesterday."

  Suddenly, Man Zhu seemed to have thought of something and looked surprised, exclaiming: "Man Tian, how did you know I broke through?"

  Manzhu's words made Mantian stunned, how did he know that Manzhu had broken through? Logically speaking, as an ordinary person, he shouldn't be able to sense Manzhu's cultivation. Mantian's expression slightly solidified, feeling the violent power within Manzhu's body, and his heart was filled with surprise, why could he feel the power within Manzhu's body?

  Feeling Mo Zhu's gaze, Mo Tian hurriedly said: "I also just heard about it."

  Manzhu looked at Mantian with a mixture of trust and doubt, nodded slightly, thought for a moment, then suddenly became clear-headed. Immediately after, his expression turned serious, saying: "Mantian, I'm going to leave the tribe."

  Man Tian's heart skipped a beat, he raised his head and looked at Man Zhu, his expression unchanged as he said: "Leave?"

  "Yes, I plan to attend Xiao Guzong's disciple assessment." A fierce light flashed across Meng Zhu's eyes.

  Man Tian's heart was complicated, and he had naturally heard of the small ancient sect with a great reputation. The top sect in the border region recruits disciples every year, and Man Zhu's qualifications would easily pass the test. However, Man Zhu left this time, and it was unknown when they could meet again. Thinking of this, Man Tian's heart was filled with reluctance to part.

  Facing the fierce gaze, Mo Tian's pale face squeezed out a smile and said: "Alright, with your talent, going to Xiao Gu Zong might just allow you to learn powerful battle techniques."

  "Hmm. However, that's not my main purpose. Next time I come back, I'll give you a surprise!" A mysterious smile appeared on Mo Ran's face as he patted Mo Tian's shoulder twice before turning around and leaving.

  This is the second time Mo Tian has seen Mo Zhu's heartfelt smile, the first was five years ago when Mo Tian ate the fruit and fell into a coma for a month!

  When Manzhu was eight years old, his parents died under the claws of a fierce beast. That year, Manzhu lost his soul and fell into despair. That year, Mantian provoked Manzhu to fight him, hoping that through battle, he could help Manzhu forget his pain and walk out of the valley.

  ……

  Under the heavens, the tribes are divided into three ranks: lower, middle, and upper. The upper rank is also known as a clan, and the clans are further divided into seven levels by stars, with one star being the lowest and seven stars being the highest. Xiao Gu Zong is a sect in the border region, and its status is extremely high in the border region. It is said that Xiao Gu Zong has a deep relationship with a certain large clan in the southern border region. The southern border region consists of 26 regions! This border region ranks low in the southern border region, and even the largest clan is only a one-star clan. How dare they offend Xiao Gu Zong?

  The Zuyuan tribe is a small lower-level tribe in the border region, and it's impossible to count how many tribes there are in the border region! If the barbarian pillar can really enter Xiaoguzong, then the status of the Zuyuan tribe will soar within a radius of thousands of miles, and even ordinary middle-level tribes won't dare to underestimate the Zuyuan tribe.

  So, this time Manzhu went to Xiaoguzong to take the assessment, which excited the entire Zuyuan tribe. Many tribespeople even took out their accumulated silver coins to give to Manzhu as a gift, hoping that he could successfully become a disciple of Xiaoguzong and bring honor to the Zuyuan tribe.

  Manzhu left, but Man Tian did not see him off. Instead, he lay in bed, quietly listening to the cheers outside the room. Man Tian's heart was filled with complex emotions! If only he could, he wanted to leave the tribe with Manzhu and take part in Xiaoguzong's assessment!

  "Barbarian pillar, study hard and master the art of war, come back soon. I will also work twice as hard." Barbarian Tian said in a low voice, then he jumped off the bed, slowly punching out a set of fists, quietly feeling the power from his bones.

  Three days later!

  Man Tian walked in the midst of his tribe, Man Zhu left the tribe. Except for his parents, Man Tian was alone at home all day, which made him feel suffocated.

  "This Manchu family, I don't know what kind of evil they've committed. For generations, not a single one of them has become a scholar-official. Originally, I thought his two sons would bring honor to the family, but who knew that the eldest son would betray and flee the clan, while the second son became a useless person!"

  "Yes, I think Ah Yong and Ah Lian have aged too quickly over the years! Especially Ah Yong, the weapons he forges now are not as sturdy as they used to be. There are hardly anyone in the tribe who wants Ah Yong's forged weapons anymore."

  "Ayong's two sons are getting older and older, the eldest son is missing, the second son has become a useless person, I think these hard days have not arrived yet."

  "Yes, Ah Yong's son offended Man Shi and Man Lin again, afterwards in the tribe..."

  The barbarian's footsteps came to a halt, listening to the conversation in the small courtyard ahead. The barbarian's heart was like a knife cut, his body couldn't help but tremble, misty eyes appeared, fists clenched, fingernails dug into his palm, and he turned back home.

  One month later!

  "Ding ding ding!!"

  On this day, in the small courtyard of the Man Tian family, Man Tian wore a beast skin cloak on his chest, holding a red-hot sword blank in his left hand and a black iron hammer in his right hand, striking the sword blank with great force. With each strike, sparks flew everywhere.

  Since hearing the rumors, Man Tian began to learn how to forge weapons with his father, Man Yong. Man Tian had no other purpose but to reduce the burden on his parents. As time passed, Man Tian suddenly felt that every strike of the hammer allowed him to feel the power of his bones more intensely! He thus made forging a way to experience the power of his bones.

  This month, he still hasn't felt the flow of energy in his bones, which has caused a considerable amount of frustration in Mo Tian's heart, making him doubt whether what was written on the beast skin could really be felt.

  "Bang! Bang!" The mighty iron hammer swung by Mantian grew stronger and stronger, as if venting the discontent in his heart. Thinking of all he had been through, Mantian's pale face looked unusually stiff, and his eyes burst with endless sharpness. He was unwilling to accept that even the flow of energy described on the beast skin could not be felt, was it destined for him to become an ordinary person this life?

  "No!! I will become strong!! Even without the blood of the clan god, I will become strong!!" Mo Tian roared in his heart, his lean right hand suddenly raised the iron hammer and struck the sword embryo on the anvil with all his might.

  "Bang!!" In an instant, a deafening explosion shook the air, and the sword embryo on the iron anvil was struck by Mo Tian's furious blow, instantly shattering into countless scarlet iron fragments that flew in all directions. A perfectly good sword embryo had been shattered into four pieces with just one strike from Mo Tian! Staring at the remaining hilt of the sword embryo, Mo Tian stood there in a daze, his own strength... how did it become so powerful!!

  "This is iron forging, not steel tempering!" Just as Mo Tian was stunned, a hoarse voice came from behind him.

  Man Tian suddenly turned his head and found that an old man with a hunchback was standing three zhang away, leaning on a cane. The old man wore a white robe with a yellowish tint, with several whips tied to his head. His face was deeply lined, bearing the weight of years. His eyes were tightly closed, as if he couldn't open them. Seeing this old man, Man Tian's expression became strange. This old man was actually Man Tian's great-uncle-grandfather, and even Man Tian's father, Man Yong, had to address him as "Uncle-Great-Uncle". In the clan, people usually respectfully called him "Man Gong".

  As for this Mo Gong, Mo Tian had not heard much rumors about him, or rather, few people in the Zu Yu tribe knew about Mo Gong's past, only knowing that Mo Gong was exceptionally talented when he was young, and at a young age, he left to apprentice with a master, his youthful vigor led him to leave, and after experiencing many hardships, he returned as a blind man.

  At first, some of the tribespeople wanted to know what Man Gong had gone through, but Man Gong responded with silence. As time went on, the tribespeople's curiosity also faded away, and no one thought about trying to understand Man Gong anymore.

  Man Tian hesitated for a moment upon hearing Man Gong's words and asked in confusion: "Man Gong, what is the difference between forging and ironwork?"

  "What's the difference between you and a barbarian?" The old man walked away slowly with his cane.

  Upon hearing the old man's words, Man Tian's expression stiffened. Wasn't he making a joke about not being a barbarian? But turning it over in his mind, Man Tian was stunned. Yes, he was human, and the barbarians were also human, yet there was a world of difference between them. And wasn't ironwork also hammering, and forging also hammering? Wasn't there a difference between these two as well? Man Tian vaguely grasped something, but couldn't carefully comprehend it.

  Watching the old man's back as he walked away, Man Tian fell into deep thought.

  PS: Kids, you can not give a recommendation ticket, but must collect it! Collecting is related to the next starting point of Han Li's recommendation!! Everyone must generously collect it! Han Li thanks you!!