"Alright, pick up your colleagues and rest inside the shrine for today. We've also prepared food for you."
Elder feng ming spoke calmly as he instructed the two youngsters.
"Yes elder"
The slave youngster and hao Jun carefully started picking up the other youths one by one taking them inside the shrine.
"Phew, I'm so tired, I will need to rest after this" Both youngsters thought to themselves as they went inside the shrine.
Inside the shrine, the floor was paved jade-green tiles and had two stories, the walls were well polished wooden, even though the shrine was leaning left when people looked from the outside, inside it was perfect. it was also more spacious.
"Woah…" The slave youth's eyes widened as he looked around and placed the youth down, "I've never seen a place like this before…"
"Heh, of course you're a slave how would you get the chance to see something this magnificent" Hao Jun who was carefully placing down the youth he had picked up scoffed as he looked at the slave youngster.
Upon hearing Hao Jun's mocking tone the youngster looked towards Hao jun with a kind smile on his face.
"Brother Hao Jun," the slave youngster lowered his head and cupped his fists as he looked at hao Jun with a meaningful gaze, "it seems we will be living here together for a while"
"Hmph" Hao Jun snorted and left the shrine but he understood the young man's intentions.
The young slave wanted to live peacefully, and had no intentions of making any of the other youths lives difficult.
Since the young slaves had been accepted into jade wind sect, they were no longer slaves but honored disciples who will inherit jade wind sects martial arts
And as such he wasn't planning to be looked down upon by a person who was in the same position as him.
"Hehe"
The young man rubbed his index finger on his nose as he chuckled.
"Though, I've become a disciple, I will need to work hard and proof my worth, if I don't bring any value to the sect they will surely get rid of me."
The boy clearly knew in his heart that nothing in this world is free.
He had risked his life to climb the huge mountain, the elders of the sect had given them all two options and that was to reach the top or die, there was no room for disobedience.
The elders were martial masters, everyone knows how powerful they are. What could a mortal possibly do against them?
"If I want to live in this world as I please.." The young man clinched his fist as he looked up at the shrine ceiling, his eyes shining with determination, "then I will have to gain strength, I will do whatever it takes to become strong."
He had escaped being a slave for now, but this was just the beginning, If he did not use this opportunity given to him to the fullest, then he could become a slave again at anytime.
Growing up as a slave. He had seen how harsh the world can be when you're weak.
"Strength is the only thing that guarantees freedom in this world, even wealthy people bow before martial masters, if i become a martial master then being wealthy will be just the bonus"
After thinking through he quickly walked out.
"She's the last one, there's no one left for you to carry" but Hao Jun had arrived carrying the last youth who was unconscious.
The young man nodded towards Hao Jun and went back into the shrine.
There were only five of them but the shrine was more than big enough to accommodate fourty people.
"I will take a look upstairs"
The boy looked up and saw there were still many places to be explored in the shrine.
He took the stairs and quickly arrived upstairs,
"So, the sleeping quarters are here" he thought as he climbed up and found several rooms.
"Even though this shrine looks luxurious, I haven't come across any treasures. It's as if the entire place was looted and then abandoned."
"Only a few of these rooms have food and clothes prepared."
After thoroughly searching the shrine, he confirmed there were no treasures—only rooms with beds and a few supplies laid out for them.
After looking at the beds, he immediately felt sleepy and wanted to lay down but.
"grrrooowl" his stomach was screaming at him. as if saying you dare go to sleep? While I'm in pain?
He lightly touched his belly and could feel his belly's movements "I should eat something first before going to bed"
"Which room should I choose" he thought as he walked slowly looking through the rooms once agian.
"Yea, this one is perfect" the room he had chosen was not much different than the others but this one had a window where he could see the outside.
Outside the shrine window, the sky had deepened into shades of gold and crimson as the sun slowly dipped beyond the horizon. In the distance, flocks of birds drifted across the glowing expanse, their silhouettes fading into the warm hues that painted the evening sky.
He quickly closed the door as he went inside and sat cross-legged, the food had already been prepared for them.
In front of him layed multiple dishes and the rich aroma had engulfed the room as he closed the door.
If the shrine window was left open countless animals would've came in and feast on the food before he had the chance
"Hhee, isn't this bronze mudfish? Which can only be found in muddy lakes?" The young man's eyes widened, his heart beating fast as he drooled over the food.
the fish laying in front of the young man was 13 inches long and was bronze in color, the fish was known to only grow in muddy lakes, but there were no lakes like that where the boy had come from which made the fish rare and expensive.
And since he had been a slave he never tasted it and only watch wealthy villagers eat it. He could only watch from the sidelines as his owners devoured the fish.
"To think a day would come where I would devour this fish" his eyes were shining, he quickly picked the fish as he licked his upper lip and bitting the fish like a maniac.
Even though the fish was dead it seemed as if he could feel the young man's teeth plunging into his body.
"Despite growing up in filthy muddy lakes, it tastes soo good" he couldn't help complement as he chowed on the food, some of the fish came out flying from his mouth, his eating habit needs some work.