The story of my life

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The adherents welcomed the children to their new huts. The huts were situated further down the hill compared to the adherents' cabins and had a rather plain and simple appearance. There were 40 huts in total, symbolizing the number of children allowed to join the sect after the competition. Elijah gazed at the hut he had been assigned to. Thunder approached and sniffed the wooden walls. The boy entered the hut, which consisted of a single room. His new bed was placed in one corner, while opposite it stood a table with several books scattered on top. As Elijah examined them, he noticed that the titles were written in Chinese. He almost called System, but her voice echoed in his head.

"A new notification! A request for language settings has been received. The download of the language setting pack is confirmed. The download process has started. Please wait..."

Elijah fell backward. The pain in his head intensified, as if someone were standing there, repeatedly striking his skull with a hammer. It felt as though all the bones in his head were cracking, and someone was pushing and squishing his brain like a fidget toy. He wanted to scream, to bang his head against the wall just to escape the torment, but his body didn't respond. He couldn't utter a sound or move his limbs—it was as if he had been paralyzed. Less than a minute passed before the invisible grip of pain suddenly released him. He regained his ability to move. Elijah took a deep breath but remained frozen. It hurt. He couldn't even comprehend what had just happened. One moment he was standing, and the next he had to gather himself and rise from the floor. He gripped the table, managing to get back on his feet. He looked around, and his gaze once again fell upon the books. Initially, Elijah hadn't paid much attention to the cultivation books and turned his back on them. However, he took another look. How did he know that the books were about the cultivation process? He peered closer and understood—he could now read the titles. Well, now he certainly knew the meaning of the phrase he had heard so often in his past life: "I will embed all the knowledge in your head if necessary."

***

Elijah decided not to delve into the books and left the hut instead. He thought it would be a good idea to take a walk while he still had the chance. Thunder continued sniffing the walls of the house. The dog turned towards Elijah and approached him. Elijah smiled and petted Thunder's head. It seemed like everyone was settling into their new homes. They would be staying there for a month without leaving, so there was a sense of urgency in getting comfortable and familiarizing themselves with the surroundings. Elijah didn't have any personal belongings or a bag, so he simply rested his head on the dog and gazed up at the sky.

The adherents responsible for the new arrivals noticed Elijah's action but didn't comment on it. They often took under their care those children who had nothing with them, particularly orphans. Some of the adherents had been in similar situations before and empathized with the orphans, willingly offering their assistance in cultivation, provided the children passed the month of meditation. The senior adherents were encouraged by the masters to continue this practice as the relationships formed through acts of kindness towards the younger generation of cultivators positively influenced the sect's reputation. Moreover, it helped prevent conflicts among the adherents.

However, these children were not yet officially part of the sect. Those who couldn't manifest a talent for cultivation within themselves would be sent to the villages and settlements under the sect's jurisdiction. Therefore, there was no need to worry about potential failures. While the relationships between the adherents and the new recruits might appear troublesome at first glance, they had intentionally chosen to send those who didn't succeed in cultivation to remote settlements. These villages had a significant elderly population since the younger generation tended to leave their hometowns for the capital to escape monsters and evil spirits. The seniors, on the other hand, preferred to stay in their birthplaces, but due to their age, they were unable to work and provide for themselves adequately. With the help of the younger cultivators, the villages under the Wind sect's control began to flourish, resembling small towns with occasional visits from traveling merchants. The people in these villages thrived. They supplied the sect with food, fabrics, metals, and even furs, which proved to be more cost-effective than purchasing the same resources from other cities, sects, or clans. The sect's reputation among the villagers was of utmost importance. They adored the sect and anyone associated with it, so there was no reason to fear the possibility of a civil unrest in the near future.I was looking at the sky above. It was still daytime. Only three hours passed since the moment I had woke up