The young girl looked at Zhanbei and suddenly smiled. "Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. My name is Lin Xue. What about you?"
"Attack Beidong." Zhanbei replied.
"Warrior North," Lin Xue repeated his name, and then said, "Since we have the chance to fight today, why don't we become friends instead? What do you think?"
Zhanbei smiled slightly and extended his hand, "I'm honored, Lin Xue."
Seeing the two become friends, the old man was very happy.
"Young man, I am Lin Zuo, a member of the Lin family. If we meet again in the future, please come and have a chat at my home."
"An agreement is made."
After speaking, the three of them said their goodbyes.
After several days of traveling, Zhanbei finally reached the capital of Shuofang Kingdom - Shangcheng City.
The grandeur and prosperity of this city far exceeded his imagination. The towering city walls resembled a giant dragon coiled up, and the city gates were wide enough to allow ten carriages to enter side by side, exuding the grandeur and solemnity of the capital.
Inside the city, the streets are crisscrossed with various paths, bustling with vehicles and people. The shops lining the streets are selling goods, and the sounds of hawking and bargaining can be heard continuously, creating a lively atmosphere.
Zhanbei's gaze was drawn by all of this. He felt as if he had entered a completely new world, where everything seemed so novel.
He walked through the bustling crowd and headed in the direction of Shuo Fang Wudao Academy.
On both sides of the street, numerous shops were lined up. The cries of vendors, the laughter of children, and the rumbling of horse-drawn carriages merged to form a bustling symphony.
His gaze wandered through all this hustle and bustle until a rapid galloping sound shattered this tranquility.
He looked up and saw a magnificent horse running wildly out of control on the street. The young girl on the horse was dressed in luxurious clothes. Clearly, she was so frightened by this sudden change that she didn't know what to do. She could only hold onto the reins tightly and let the horse take her through the crowd, careening about at will.
The surrounding pedestrians were in a state of panic, running in all directions. The sounds of screams and cries could be heard continuously.
In this chaos, a child stood frozen in the middle of the road, terrified, and was about to be hit by the galloping horse.
Zhanbei's gaze instantly became sharp. Without the slightest hesitation, he shot out like an arrow and, in just a few leaps, reached the child's side.
He quickly picked up the child and with a gentle leap, he avoided the horse's collision. However, the horse still continued to gallop forward wildly, and the girl on the horse's back had a pale complexion and clearly couldn't control the situation.
At this critical moment, the enemy launched another attack.
He approached the horse like a cheetah, grasping the reins with one hand and firmly holding the girl's arm with the other. With a strong pull, he safely lowered her from the horse's back.
Almost at the same moment, the fast horse finally exhausted itself and its speed gradually slowed down until it finally stopped.
The crowd on the street finally let out a sigh of relief and rushed over, discussing the recent incident among themselves.
Zhan Bei gently placed the child back on the ground. The child's parents rushed forward, expressing their deep gratitude to Zhan Bei.
And the fallen girl, still shaken, stood up.
"What kind of person are you? How dare you take the initiative to fight against our county!" The countess's voice contained a hint of anger, clearly displeased with the incident that had just occurred where she had been defeated.
Zhanbei was slightly taken aback. He hadn't expected that his act of saving someone would cause the other person any displeasure.
He replied calmly and respectfully, "I was on a mission to the north. At that time, the situation was urgent. In order to save people, I had no choice but to do so. If I have offended you, please forgive me, Your Highness."
The princess looked at Zhanbei's resolute gaze and the anger in her heart gradually subsided.
She realized that without the decisive action of this young man, the consequences would be unimaginable. Her tone softened: "You saved the Countess of this county and that child. The Countess will never forget your kindness. What do you want, just say it."
Zhanbei smiled slightly and shook his head. "Saving someone in danger is something I should do. I don't expect any rewards. I just hope the princess will be more careful when riding in the future, so that such accidents won't happen again."
The princess's face broke into a pleased smile. She nodded and said, "Zhanbei, I've remembered your name. In the future, if there's any need for help in the capital city, just come to me."
After saying that, the princess along with her attendants left the scene, while Zhanbei continued to head towards the Shuofang Martial Arts Academy.
...
As the pearl of the capital city, the Martial Arts Academy is located in the north of the city, with mountains behind it and water in front. The environment is serene and peaceful, making it the ideal training ground for all martial artists.
Under the gentle glow of the morning sun, Zhanbei finally stood before the majestic gates of Shuofang Martial Arts Academy.
The entrance of the academy is simple yet solemn. On the stone pillars on both sides, intricate martial arts symbols are carved, as if telling the story of a long history and the endless mysteries of martial arts.
On the gate tower, there hung a huge plaque with the golden-embossed characters "Shuofang Wudao College" on it, shining brightly in the sunlight.
Zhan Bei took a deep breath, calming his excited emotions, and then walked into the academy.
As soon as you enter the gate, you will find a wide path made of smooth stones. On both sides, there are lush green trees. Occasionally, there are some stone carvings scattered here and there, all depicting the demeanor of the great martial arts masters of past dynasties.
He walked along the avenue and soon arrived at the registration desk for new students.
There were already quite a few new trainees gathered there. They were either chatting in small groups or standing alone in silence, but without exception, each of them had a shining look in their eyes, expressing their eagerness for martial arts and their aspirations for the future.
Zhanbei walked up to the registration desk and handed the recommendation letter in his hand to the senior who was in charge of the reception.
The senior student took the recommendation letter, examined it carefully, and then a smile of approval appeared on his face: "Welcome, Zhanbei. You are an outstanding student recommended by Qingshi Town from our college this year. Please follow me, I'll take you to handle the enrollment procedures."
Under the guidance of the senior student, Zhanbei completed a series of admission procedures, including receiving the student badge, being assigned a dormitory, and being introduced to the basic rules and daily schedules of the college.
Although the entire process was rather cumbersome, Zhanbei completed it patiently one by one. His heart was filled with expectations for the future.
After completing the procedures, Zhanbei was taken to a simple yet clean dormitory.
Although it was not very big, it was sufficient to meet his daily needs. He put down his luggage, looked around, and silently vowed in his heart that he would study hard here and not disappoint his parents' expectations and the cultivation of Mr. Yuan Lei.
As night fell, Zhanbei stood by the window of the dormitory, gazing at the brightly lit Shangcheng City. The hustle and bustle of the city gradually faded away, replaced by a sense of tranquility and peace.
He knew that from tomorrow on, he would face brand new challenges and opportunities. Here, he would be together with martial artists from all over, striving for the peak of martial arts.
Zhanbei closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then slowly exhaled.