The Mist Ridge Mountains are located in the south of the Qing State. The four seasons are not distinct, and even in winter, snow and ice are rare.
Winter is still winter, however, and the weather is much colder than usual, causing animals to forage less often. The Hunting Squad generally reduces outdoor hunting during the winter to rest and recuperate at home.
Now, with early spring arriving and the weather warming up, the Hunting Squad was beginning to increase its hunting frequency.
Every year, the qualification test for the Hunting Squad is scheduled around early spring. After a season of training through spring and summer, by autumn, every newly admitted member is capable of undertaking hunting missions just in time for the peak hunting season in the autumn.
With less than a week left until this year's hunting test, even if Ning Yan ate lavishly and bathed in medicinal herbs every day, he would never make it in time, which put Ning Dahu in a difficult position.
"Xiao Yan, isn't it too rash for you to participate this year? There's simply not enough time. How about waiting until next year? By then, you can also receive the village subsidy in advance to train." Ning Dahu wanted to persuade Ning Yan to wait until next year to take the test.
This world was far from the harmonious society of his past life. The reason Ning Family Village was able to stand firm within a radius of dozens of miles was not only its favorable location and the fact that everyone practiced martial arts, but most importantly, the profound unity of the villagers.
For orphans like Ning Yan whose parents had passed away, apart from daily necessities, anyone wishing to join the Hunting Squad could apply for a three-month advance subsidy. The village would provide extra food supplements and a herbal bath once a month. Of course, this opportunity only came once, which was why every orphan like him cherished it dearly.
Precisely because of this, a village of fewer than two hundred households was able to hold its ground within a hundred-mile radius, with no one daring to come and bully them.
"Brother Dahu, before my father passed away, he arranged for me to take this year's entry test. He said I was already close to the selection standards of the Hunting Squad, and as long as I trained step-by-step, I would definitely succeed in joining," Ning Yan said with absolute conviction.
Ning Yan was lying. Although his physical condition was decent, it was only relative to his peers.
Ning Dali had originally intended for Ning Yan to take things steadily and train properly for a full year, joining the Hunting Squad next year when he turned sixteen.
Though the Hunting Squad was glorious, hunting was no child's play; every year, word spread of someone from this or that village being maimed or even killed while hunting. Consequently, few parents would let their children join the Hunting Squad prematurely.
Hearing Ning Yan's words, Ning Dahu felt no suspicion. After all, in his eyes, Ning Yan was still just a child, and his physical fitness was indeed quite exceptional compared to others his age. Yet Ning Dahu still did not easily agree.
"Uncle Dali really said that? Even if he did, what about these past three months..." Ning Dahu left the sentence unfinished.
During these past three months, the original Ning Yan had suffered the successive deaths of his close family members, leaving his will shattered. Just as he was finally pulling himself together and rallying his spirits, he had unexpectedly fallen into the water; it was already a miracle that his physical condition hadn't regressed.
"Brother Dahu, I've been training diligently these past three months, and my father had already prepared enough food and herbs for me in advance." Since he had already decided to join the Hunting Squad, he might as well round out the lie.
"Well, all right then. You can go give it a try this year. If it doesn't work out, you can try again next year." The requirement was supposed to be turning sixteen before taking the test, but since Ning Dahu was the deputy captain of the Hunting Squad, arranging for someone to take the entry test a bit early was still within his power.
Assuming Ning Yan was just holding a mentality of giving it a try, Ning Dahu agreed.
Seeing Ning Dahu consent, Ning Yan did not look particularly happy; instead, he hesitated, wanting to say something more.
What confidence did Ning Yan have of passing any entry test right now? What he needed was to secure the village's material support for orphans joining the hunting squad during the preceding three months.
Once he secured this portion of material support, relying on the miraculous energy conversion of the bead, he was confident he would pass and join the Hunting Squad.
"Brother Dahu, I want to trouble you with something. Could you accompany me to apply for the three-month orphan material support?" If Ning Yan went to apply by himself, the village authorities would likely refuse. Although the village was relatively well-off compared to others, it was not wealthy enough to be wasteful.
With only seven days left, and him being merely a fifteen-year-old boy, no one would shoulder that responsibility. After all, the village was not a charity hall; what if he took the supplies, resold them in town, and squandered them wantonly?
"That won't do. If it's just going to try out, I agree, but I cannot agree to you applying for the supplies. Do you know that a person can only apply once?" Hearing Ning Yan say this, Ning Dahu immediately voiced his objection.
Ning Dahu's reaction came as no surprise to Ning Yan. After his parents passed away, Ning Dahu had treated Ning Yan like a younger biological brother.
However, Ning Yan had already thought of a counter-argument.
"Brother Dahu, I believe I will succeed this time. Once I succeed, won't this batch of supplies go unclaimed anyway? Besides, if I receive the supplies and use them on myself, the physical improvement I gain will be solid and real. Even if I don't pass this time, it won't affect my continued progress next year." Ning Yan laid out his reasons.
Hearing this, Ning Dahu thought it over carefully.
In Ning Dahu's impression, although Ning Yan could be mischievous, he had never lied. Since he believed he could pass the test, he would give him a chance. Furthermore, Ning Dahu made up his mind that if Ning Yan failed the Hunting Squad test this time, he would personally provide the food and herbs needed for Ning Yan's training next year.
With that thought, Ning Dahu stopped struggling with the dilemma.
"Fine. Since you've made up your mind and want to get the supplies for the test, I'll accompany you to apply for them. But I can't guarantee whether the old village chief will agree."
"Brother Dahu, with you accompanying me, the village chief will definitely agree. After all, who in our village doesn't know that Brother Dahu is the most reliable person in his words and actions?" Hearing Ning Dahu agree, Ning Yan was overjoyed.
"All right, stop buttering me up. Get a good rest tonight, and tomorrow morning after breakfast, we'll meet at the village entrance square." Ning Dahu patted Ning Yan's shoulder and said with a grin.
"This is a rabbit from today's hunt; take it and cook it." Ning Dahu pulled a plump rabbit from the bag hanging behind his back and handed it to Ning Yan.
Ning Yan did not reach out to take it. "Brother Dahu, you should take the rabbit back. It can add some nourishment for Sister-in-law Cuie and Dabao, and Sister-in-law Cuie is pregnant right now—it's just the time for her to build up her health."
"Take it if I tell you to. That brat Dabao is already fat enough, and I was just planning to put him on a diet. Besides, you don't know your Brother Dahu's capability; could I ever let my own wife go without proper food? Furthermore, this is something your Sister-in-law Cuie specifically reminded me about several times before I left home this morning."
Without giving him room to refuse, Ning Dahu shoved the rabbit into Ning Yan's hands and turned to leave.
After Ning Dahu left, Ning Yan looked at the rabbit in his hands, a smile appearing involuntarily on his face.
In Ning Yan's impression, this world was like the ancient times of his past life—devoid of towering skyscrapers, mobile phones, and the internet. Although martial arts existed, the social mode of production remained extremely backward. The vast majority of people still worried about their three meals a day, save for the villagers of Ning Family Village, who stood united and relied on the mountains to live, making their lives relatively affluent.
Precisely because of this, Ning Yan felt a warmth between people that he had never experienced in his previous life.
In his past life, amidst reinforced concrete towers, even neighbors living door-to-door did not know each other and passed without a greeting. Even in the countryside, neighborly relations had long since lost their former warmth.
Not dwelling further on the past, Ning Yan walked into the kitchen to prepare the rabbit. Although he hadn't processed rabbits in his past life, ever since fusing with the original owner's memories, he had not only inherited the physical condition but also completely mastered all sorts of skills and languages.
Before long, Ning Yan had turned the rabbit into a fragrant rabbit soup, cooking a full pot with other ingredients from the house.
"The taste isn't bad. It seems I have a talent for being a chef." Ning Yan finished the entire pot of rabbit soup. True to the saying that a growing adolescent could eat a family out of house and home, that massive pot—enough for three or four people—was devoured by Ning Yan in one breath. Naturally, while he ate, the bead began to work, rapidly digesting the food and converting it into energy.
After finishing the meal, Ning Yan sat cross-legged on the bed, feeling the energy surging within his body as he sensed his physique improving every single second. Once the energy was fully digested, Ning Yan felt a remarkable increase in his strength, though there was nothing nearby to test it on.
Sinking his consciousness into his mind, gazing at the bead within and feeling this genuine, tangible power, boundless pride welled up in Ning Yan's heart.
"In this life, I will definitely reach the absolute pinnacle and roam free through the mortal world. From now on, I'll call you the Ascension Bead, accompanying me to ascend to the heavens."
Ning Yan felt that naming the bead the Ascension Bead was a bit chuunibyou, but he felt that only this name could match the miraculous nature of the bead. Moreover, living a second life, Ning Yan hoped to live brilliantly enough to truly make the world vast and let him roam as he pleased.
Of course, the most important thing was that the bead was his greatest secret; no matter how close anyone might become to him in the future, he would never leak this secret.
As the energy was consumed, Ning Yan gradually drifted off to sleep. After all, having experienced something as bizarre as transmigration in a single day, it was already quite extraordinary that he could adapt so quickly.