1 My name is Taotie...

Green Rock, an ordinary little village located within the White River Kingdom of the Orient Continent.

Early in the morning on an empty area in the middle of the village, a large group of children could be seen there. All of them stood there silently with solemn faces. All of the children in the group were approximately six to eight years old.

In front of them was standing a sturdily built middle-aged man.

"Congratulations to all of you on passing the 'Warrior's Blood Test', you all should be proud of yourselves." After saying that, the middle-aged man paused for a moment.

"From today onwards all of you are no longer spoiled brats. Now all of you can become powerful warriors in the future with your hard work." The man in the middle said coldly.

All the children tightened their lips. Most of them pressed their head down, not daring to look in the eyes of that middle-aged man.

The middle-aged man's name was Liu. He used to be a first-class general in the royal army before he had some heated argument with the King and he was thrown out of the capital and sent to this village to train and send the village kids for being foot soldiers in the royal army of White River Kingdom.

"All of you have to remember that if you want to be a powerful warrior, then you have to train hard. All of you are commoners. Unlike those kids from rich and influential families, you won't have any special resources or secret manuals to increase your strength without working hard.

So if you want to increase your strength, if you want to be respected like them, then you have to use what you have, the most basic and simple way of increasing your strength and that is through training hard. Training every day until you bath in sweat, until every limb and muscles in your body start aching."

Captain Liu swept his cold, fierce gaze across the children gathered in front of him.

"Understand?!"

"Understood." Children replied.

"I cannot hear you." The middle-aged man shouted in a loud voice, "Once again. Understand?"

"Understood Captain Liu." A loud voice erupted and reverberated in air as the children shouted in unison.

"Good." Satisfied with the response this time, Captain Liu nodded. He could see many determined eyes in between the group of children in front of him.

In the White River Kingdom, money and strength was everything. A man without them would be looked down. If one wanted their parents to be proud, to be in the dream of every woman, to be worshiped by the younger generation, he had to either have a lot of money or have above-average strength.

For village children's having a lot of money was next to impossible but they can have strength but since they were at bottom of the social hierarchy, they didn't have precious resources to increase their strength rapidly so they had to train hundred times more harder, spend more sweat and blood than those privileged ones if they wanted to be treated special.

"Tell me how many of you have heard the name of Theodore, the brave and Winston, the great magus?" Captain Liu asked.

Many children raised their hands. They were familiar with those two names. Those were the names of one of the greatest warriors and one of the greatest magi who reached the legendary 'Saint' level in recent times.

"Good… good. But how many of you know that they were commoners in their childhood just like you?" Once again Captain Liu asked.

"...….."

With eyes wide open every child raised his head and stared at the middle-aged man with a stunned expression on their faces. Now the previous desire of strength fueled up higher.

"Captain Liu, is it true that they reached the legendary 'Saint' level?" Suddenly one of the children raising hand asked curiously.

"Of course it's true. When they were a thousand years old they attained that level. They were so powerful that even the kings of every kingdom had to be respectful to them. But they attained all of that by bitterly hard training since they were your age." Captain Liu stopped to see the expression on the faces of the children before him.

As per his expectation, they all have their mouth wide open, sucking a mouthful of air inside.

While smiling inwardly, he continued with the cold voice, "And you know when I was working in the Palace I found out the technique with which they started their training when they were just your age."

"That technique was an ancient technique; it was called 'Solar Absorption Technique' back then. And fortunately, I found someone who taught me that technique." In a mysterious-sounding voice, Captain Liu spoke.

"Now, how many of you want to learn that technique? Raise your hands." He asked while looking in front of him.

As he had expected there was not a single child whose hand was not in the air.

"Ok then, listen to me carefully without missing a word and do what I tell you."

"The sun is the source of life, it constantly gives natural energy and by absorbing that natural energy the plants grow, the animals remain healthy and everything thrives. But even if the sun gives the natural energy all day, the best time to absorb that is in the morning because in the morning the natural energy is calm and fresh, neither too heated nor too cold." Captain Liu stopped there and looked at the curious faces of the children in front of him.

He continued, "Now everyone will do as I say. Sit down on the ground with your legs folded."

Every child sat down as he said with folded legs.

"Good. Now slowly close your eyes." After saying that he stopped for a moment to see if everyone was following his instructions.

"You in the last row stop staring at that girl and close your eyes." While pointing his finger towards a young boy, Captain Liu said before continuing again, "Good, everyone is doing well. Now put your hands on both of your knees."

"You three with earrings in the third row don't put both hands on one knee. Put your right hand on the right knee and left hand on left knee." Once again while pointing towards three children he instructed.

"Very good. Now take a deep breath with your nose till your lungs are full and then release it slowly."

"Excellent, all of you are doing well. Now maintain a calm mind then focus your concentration inside your body and try to find a red wheel near your navel."

After a few moments

"How many of you found it? Just nod your head."

Few heads nodded.

"Now those who have found it out, try to spin that wheel. By doing that you can absorb the natural energy very easily.

And those who have not found it, try to calm your mind more and concentrate inside your body." Captain Liu coldly instructed.

'Solar Absorption Technique was not an unknown technique. It was ancient but it was also the most commonly used technique for absorbing natural energy. But to make his students interested, Captain Liu had to mystify that technique every year and came up with a new name every year for the new batch.

"Remember you all have to maintain a calm mind and focus your concentration." Captain Liu instructed coldly as he walked amidst the children.

While looking at them with a cold face, he was sighing in his heart.

'What a pity. Every year I make these kids dream about such great men but I never dare to tell them that in a few years they will be forced to go to the battlefield as cannon fodder. Who knows if any one of them could even survive to reach even Level 5 Warrior?'

Sigh.....

Removing gloominess from his heart Captain Liu once again spoke, "Always remember you have to become strong, if not for anyone else then for yourself. In this world, only the ones with wealth and strength are worshipped. Only they can get the spouses they like, as beautiful as handsome they want. Only with strength and money, you can do whatever you want and no one will question you.

But if you remain weak or poor then you'll be just like dirt on shoes of powerful ones, you'll be thrown out by them. You can never get a beautiful or handsome spouse and even if you can somehow get one, someone stronger than you will snatch him or her away from you before your eyes."

"Remember no one likes a weak or poor man or woman, they can never get respect from others. If you want to keep your head high, not to lower it before anyone then you must work hard without slacking off even slightest."

Upon hearing till now, every child there was burning with spirit to become strong as if that was the only way of survival for them.

After a while, when many children felt there legs going numb, they started shaking them a little.

"Hold out as long as you can. I'll not force you but in future, if you remain weak than others then you'll only have yourself to blame ...

Hmm?!." Captain Liu was coldly saying that when his eyes fall on a child in the last row.

At that point in time, almost every child was shaking their legs and trying their best to keep their eyes shut.

But that child was still sitting cross-legged without any movement.

'Has he comprehended the technique already?' Astonishment appeared on his face.

'No. I can't sense any concentrated energy aroun...… How?!' Suddenly with jaw dropped and eyes wide opened he stared at that child with disbelief. Not only that child was sitting there silently but Captain Liu could now even feel natural energy concentrated around him.

Finding that 'Saurya Chakra' or as he calls it the Red Wheel on the first day of training was already feet to be proud of; it showed a potential of becoming a once in a hundred years expert. And if one can move that wheel one the first day even if slightest then it showed the potential of becoming a once in a thousand years expert. But that child was not only spinning that Chakra but he was doing it perfectly and gathering the natural energy from his surrounding already.

'It must be a potential of once in a million-year expert.' Captain Liu thought with excitement, he even forgot that most of the children had already opened their eyes and stretching their legs using the opportunity since he was not looking at them.

"Good kid!" Captain Liu secretly praised while nodding his head with a slight smile on his face.

Cough…. Cough

Soon he pulled back his thought and assumed his previous cold face and said, "Now everyone takes a deep breath and then slowly open your eyes after releasing the breath."

Everyone did as told. While taking a peek at that child in the last row he once again spoke, "Now all of you stand up slowly and then stretch your legs to remove the numbness."

With a sigh of relief, everyone stood up at once.

Thud…. Thud…. Thud…

But few of them fall just when they tried to stand up and many when they tried to jerk their legs in the air.

Hahaha...…

The serious training atmosphere filled with laughter. Every child was laughing at others seeing them falling like tree lumps.

The middle-aged man didn't disturb them for a while and let them enjoy it.

After a few moments

Cough… Cough…

"Now all of you know how to train yourself. Remember to train in the 'Solar Adsorption Technique' every morning from today onwards. You can also come and ask me if you have any issues.

But most importantly all of you have to remember that now you all are just one year away from entering the Imperial Academy. Next year, around this time you'll be giving the entrance exam of Imperial Academy. If you can enter and graduate from there then you can easily become a mid-level officer in the Royal Army and increase your status from a commoner."

"With this, today's training ends now. Anyone wants to ask something?" With the sun shining above his head Captain Liu announced.

"Captain Liu, are we Level 1 Warrior now?" Suddenly a child curiously asked.

"Have you started spinning that red wheel and absorbing the natural energy?" The man asked.

"No. I tried to spin it but it just moved slightly I think." With a sad face, the child replied.

"Then no. You're still not a Level 1 Warrior, but don't be disappointed just practice that technique and you will definitely be able to spin that red wheel and absorb the natural energy, and then you'll be Level 1 Warrior." The Captain replied.

"Captain Liu, among magus and warrior who is stronger?"

"Captain Liu, how many levels are there before reaching the legendary saint level?"

With high spirits, the children started shooting their questions at the man standing in front of them.

Captain Liu smiled. He was asked these questions almost every year. He could even guarantee that now he always waits to be asked those questions.

With excitement in his heart but with a cold voice he said, "Warriors and Magus are divided into ten levels. But since training for a magus cost a lot so usually, commoners like us chose becoming Warrior since childhood. But it is not like one is better than the other, at a same level both of them are considered equal. Like if level five Magi can dry up a pond with his technique then a level 5 Warrior can also dry up that pond with his sword technique.

And above Level 10 comes the legendary Saint level. So if you want to become a Saint-level expert then you must reach at Level 10 as a warrior or as a magus first."

Captain Liu stopped to look the excitement in the eyes of the children in front of him before continuing, "Those who can reach the legendary saint level can live up to thousands of years without eating or drinking anything. Not just that, they can even fly in the air like birds and make mountain collapse with one punch as well as dry up endless oceans with just one blow and eradicate an army of millions with few blows. They are absolutely invincible."

Silence…

Hearing till that, every child was stunned. All of them had their mouth wide open. Suddenly their heart filled with the desire to attain Sainthood one day and destroy a mountain with one punch and dry up ocean with one blow.

"Ok. That's it for today. All of you can return now." Finally, Captain Liu announced.

"See you later!"

"See you!"

"What are you going to do now?"

"I am going to practice."

"Hehe… you know I was able to move that red wheel."

"So what?! Just wait I'll become Level 1 Warrior faster than you."

"Guys, let's go and catch some honeycombs!"

"Hey, I saw that blue-haired girl looking at you before."

"Really?!"

"Pfft... What you don't believe me? Go and ask her yourself."

Instantly the empty area filled with noises of the children and the previous silence and peaceful atmosphere was nowhere to be seen. While saying each other goodbyes many left for their homes as many left in groups to the dark forest nearby and few left for tailing some girls they saw today.

Apart from them a child was standing in a corner and looking at all other children with bright eyes. Sometimes he opened his mouth a little bit but then immediately closed it, many times his hand lifted in the air towards the boys standing in front of him but before anyone could notice the hand used to get down.

But after many unsuccessful attempts of talking to others, he bowed his head, turned around and started walking away from them.

"Kid." A voice sounded from behind him and he felt someone's hand on his shoulder.

A strange warm feeling arose in the heart of that child. He turned his head to look towards the first person who spoke to him.

"C..Ca..Captain Liu?!" An astonished voice leaked out of his mouth.

Since the time Captain Liu had seen this once in a million-year potential expert, he was unable to move his eyes somewhere else and he noticed his unsuccessful attempt of trying to make friends too.

"What's your name Kid?"

Captain Liu know almost every genius of nearby villages not only that but he had also taught many of them since their childhood till they join Imperial Academy. Those geniuses' parents themselves brought their child to him to train. But he had never seen this child before so curiosity took over him and he asked.

"I…I… My name is Taotie Wusun." The previous warm feeling of heart instantly turned cold as his heart shook. His eyes showed an unknown fear as if he was caught while doing something wrong as he spoke with his trembling voice.

"Haha… don't fret relax kid, relax." Seeing the fear in Taotie eye's Captain Liu immediately reassured him to relax while replacing his cold face to a smiling face.

"How was the training? Did you understand everything?" Like a caring teacher, Captain Liu asked Taotie.

"Y..yes." With the trembling voice, the kid replied. For some reason, he was still fearful of something.

"Good… Good…" Satisfied with reply Captain Liu continued, "If you want to train more or if you have any difficulty while training then you can come to ask me anytime. Okay?"

Taotie nodded and turned to leave in a rush with a promise to never return there.

Captain Liu didn't give more thought about the fearful voice or rush of the kid. For him, it was totally normal for a kid to feel like that before him. He didn't even notice or sensed any ominous or annihilative aura coming from him.

"Wusun?!!!"

But his mind suddenly struck as a name of a certain clan resounded in his mind. But all he could remember was that this clan is an ancient royal clan, he couldn't recall anything else. But since it was still an ancient royal clan and he had never heard any ancient royal clan nearby so he decided to follow Taotie.