BTTH: Auto Cultivation System

Walking along the peaceful and quiet street, Xiao Hua observed the Xiao Clan, which now seemed deserted. He shook his head helplessly. Due to the arrival of the recruitment team from Jia Nan Academy, half of the clan members had gone to watch, even though today was the last day of recruitment.

This was just the Xiao Clan, not even the entire Wu Tan City. As Xiao Hua and Xiao Xun Er left the clan, the streets were silent, with most of the shops closed, as people were testing their mettle for the recruitment exam of Jia Nan Academy.

Even the shops that remained open were run by elderly people, patiently waiting for those who had gone to the recruitment team of Jia Nan Academy to return. Whether the news was good or bad, they would wait patiently for their loved ones.

"I knew this would happen, but I wonder if their excitement has made them forget about Jia Nan Academy's strict requirements..." Xiao Hua said.

"Fufufu. They're just trying to take every chance they can to change their luck and fate. After all, everyone has a desire to make it big, Big Brother Xiao Hua," Xiao Xun Er remarked.

"It's that very naivety that will cost them. The world of cultivators isn't kind or merciful to the weak. Sometimes, death is a mercy in the cultivation world..." Xiao Hua shook his head.

"And that's why you want to become stronger, right? To protect me and let me be free." Xiao Xun Er teased.

"..." Xiao Hua pursed his lips, his face turning red with embarrassment, which prompted Xiao Xun Er to giggle cutely.

When they arrived at the huge plaza, the recruitment location for Jia Nan Academy, Xiao Hua and Xiao Xun Er were surprised by the seemingly never-ending queue in front of them. There were countless of noises and disturbances happening, as countless young people were struggling to head into the interior of the plaza.

Were it not for the governor’s soldiers maintaining order near the edge of the plaza, the agitated crowd would have desperately rushed in. The soldiers would have guarded the interior as well, but many were stationed at the entrance of Wu Tan City, trying to manage the influx of people from other territories who were also eager to join Jia Nan Academy, causing a blockage at the entrance.

The people attempting to rush in belonged to nearby cities that the recruitment team of Jia Nan Academy was responsible for. Despite the recruitment team being stationed in Wu Tan City this time, their jurisdiction included these other nearby cities. Thus, when Xiao Yan and his group arrived at the recruitment location the next day and saw the seemingly endless queue, they were stunned.

“I take it all back, Xun'er. These people are insane. I understand that today is the last day of recruitment, but how is the queue still this long...?" Xiao Hua exclaimed, astonished as he gazed at the restless crowd.

"Indeed. This isn’t just a desire to join Jia Nan Academy. It’s an obsession..." Xiao Xun Er replied, her mouth wide open in surprise, which she quickly covered with her hand in a graceful manner.

"Hearing about it and seeing it for yourself are truly different. It seems I didn’t take the recruitment of Jia Nan Academy seriously enough,” Xiao Hua admitted.

“It’s not surprising, Big Brother Xiao Hua. It seems people want to join Jia Nan Academy so badly that they’re even disguising themselves as young.”

Xiao Hua and Xiao Xun Er glanced at the elderly people wearing makeup and wigs. Some were even practicing popular phrases and imitating the behavior of the younger generation. Their desperation was so evident that it almost brought tears to their eyes.

“Nevertheless, it seems like Old Ling is right. The recruitment will end even before it’s our turn, so we have to go through the backdoor.” Xiao Hua stated calmly.

 “Fortunately, we have connection with the soldiers. Else, we might as well have to give up on this year recruitment.” Xiao Xun Er let out a helpless sigh.

Afterwards, both of them turned and walked on the other side of the plaza. When they arrived, they saw the officer they knew and shouted to let them through. Upon hearing his order, the lined-up soldiers moved slowly and opened a path in the middle.

However, Xiao Hua and Xiao Xun Er understand that this is a test for the people that want to go through the backdoor. They both looked and smiled at each other. Xiao Hua walked forward first, and he felt the surrounding expressionless soldiers emitting a scent of blood from their bodies.

Xiao Hua didn’t feel a single bit of pressure. Not surprising, as he already felt the pressure that was emitted by heaven itself. The pressure the soldiers were emitting from this formation seems like child play compared to it.

The same applied to Xiao Xun Er. The clash between her Heavenly Flame, the Gold Emperor Incinerating Heavenly Flame, and the Frozen Netherworld Fruit had accelerated her growth even beyond her novel counterpart, a fact that made Xiao Hua proud. It meant she would not be weak.

After all, this reassured him that he wouldn’t have to worry about Xiao Xun Er when he eventually left for the Great Thousand World.

As they walked, they casually brushed off the pressure emanating from the soldiers in formation. The soldiers admired these two children and nodded in approval, though a tinge of sadness lingered in their hearts. Such intense pressure and bloodlust weren’t things children should be able to brush off so easily.

‘If it were a normal person, someone who had never experienced a formation like this or the horrors of life-and-death battles, they would feel an intense pressure that would make it difficult to breathe. In the worst-case scenario, some might even faint or die from shock.’

‘What kind of training did they undergo to casually shrug off this pressure? I always thought these two were just spoiled, talented children, but I was wrong.’

The officer who let them pass and led them inside pondered over the resilience of their minds. Like the others, he pitied them, knowing that the training they endured was far beyond what any child should experience. Once the pair passed through the formation, the soldiers ceased emitting pressure and closed the path to prevent anyone without permission from entering through the backdoor.

However, before they entered, the soldiers, including the officer that leads them, stomped their feet three times, gaining the attention of Xiao Hua and Xiao Xun’er. What they saw surprised them, as they saw the soldiers giving a salute towards these two.

Although they don’t know the reasons, seeing these soldiers’ salutes warms their hearts and causes them to smile. After giving a salute back, they enter the Jia Nan Academy’s camp.

Seeing the two children's backs brought a smile to the soldiers' faces as they silently offered their best wishes in their hearts. But soon, their expressions returned to seriousness as they resumed their steadfast stance.

They saw a couple of Jia Nan Academy’s students having a discussion among them. One of them realized Xiao Hua and Xiao Xun’er entered through the backdoor and asked the others.

“Wait, did those two kids entered through the backdoor?”

“Eh? Kids?”

“What the hell? Did the soldiers at the back hold back a little, sees that they were still children?”

“Wouldn’t blame them if it’s true. After all, only psycho would release their bloodlust towards children. Especially when they both are so cute!”

“Anyway, this put us on the spot. Should we test them, or should we tell them to leave…?”

They scratched their heads trying to find a solution. However, one of them just shook their heads and decided to call one of the instructors that oversees the recruitment process. Since today is the last day of recruitment, there are couple of instructors with three of them being the seniors and most experience one.

“Over here, Instructor Li!” shouted a male student, waving his hand to call over one of the three senior instructors.

“Alright, alright. Why not just kick the brats out, even if they did sneak in through the backdoor?” grumbled Instructor Li.

Xiao Hua and Xiao Xun Er turned their attention to the man with an unkempt beard who lazily approached them. He was about to send them away when he suddenly sensed their cultivation levels.

“This is… Hahahaha!! Both of them are 1-Star Dou Practitioners!” The instructor burst into laughter.

“WHAT?!”

The surrounding students were stunned by their instructor's words. After all, these two children weren’t even twelve years old and had already reached the Dou Practitioner realm. Although they were from Jia Nan Academy, such a feat was unheard of.

“Old Hei! Old Ming! Drop whatever you’re doing and take a look at these brats!” Instructor Li shouted, calling for the other two instructors.

“Why are you shouting, you brat?!”

“Calm down, both of you. What is it, Lei Brat? We were busy with paperwork, so this better be worth our time.”

Two more senior instructors emerged from the tent, both as highly ranked as Instructor Lei. They were the oldest and most experienced instructors in the group that had arrived in Wu Tan City.

"Look at them! Tell me this isn't worth your time, Old Ming!" Instructor Lei snorted before lifting Xiao Hua and Xiao Xun Er into the air.

The two old men inspected the children, and were shocked to find that both had reached the Dou Practitioner Realm.

“Hahaha! It seems we’ve managed to snag a dragon and a phoenix in this small city!” Instructor Hei laughed heartily despite his age.

“Indeed. This truly wasn't a waste of time after all…” Old Ming was still stunned, at a loss for words.

“What did I tell you, old bastards? I told you we’d hit the jackpot!” Instructor Lei grinned excitedly.

The instructors were excited at seeing Xiao Hua and Xiao Xun Er. After all, they can see that their cultivation realms are not artificial, where one reached by eating pills, but a genuine one. How can they be not happy with recruiting such monstrous children.

Xiao Hua and Xiao Xun Er smiled wryly at the instructors' reactions. Although they understood, the instructors were being a bit too loud. They just wanted Instructor Lei to put them down, as they were feeling uncomfortable.

Noticing their discomfort, Instructor Lei immediately set them down. Once they felt relieved, he asked, “Little boy and little girl, could you tell us your names, ages, and cultivation realms?”

“Xiao Hua, 5 years old, and a 4-Star Dou Practitioner,” Xiao Hua replied respectfully.

“Xiao Xun Er, 5 years old, and a 1-Star Dou Practitioner,” Xiao Xun Er added.

““We greet the instructors.””

Xiao Hua and Xiao Xun Er changed their demeanor and greeted the instructors, answering them without hiding anything.

The instructors and students inhaled a cold breath hearing that they both are only 5 years old. Yet, they both have reached Dou Practitioner, with one of them already 4-Star.

‘Polite, not arrogant and respects others. What a good child they are.’

Instructor Lei, Old Hei and Old Ming nodded in approval with their personalities and mannerism. They were excited at this finding and couldn’t wait to return to gloats at the others.

“Since that’s how it is, why don’t you enter the tent with us old men?” Instructor Lei offered.

“It’s fine, Instructor Wei. If this heat bothered us, we wouldn’t reach where we are now. Right, Xun’er?” Xiao Hua turned it down and sat down.

“Fufufu. That’s right, Brother Xiao Hua.” Xiao Xun Er nodded.

“Hahaha! Is that so? What a good temperament you have, boy! Your surname is Xiao, does that mean you belong to the Xiao Clan here? Does that mean they were sending you to have a better journey in your cultivation?”

Xiao Hua and Xiao Xun Er nodded at his questions. Although they didn't really tell them that it was because of they cannot afford to cultivate their talent, but the three instructors could easily seen the reason for it.

If they failed to spot this reason, the three instructors would be wasting their time and experiences especially they have seen this couple of times. A small clan suddenly give birth to an overwhelming talented person.

“Now, now. Join the other newcomers and wait for a while. Once we finish this, we would explain on what do to next.” Old Ming wave his hand and pointed at the student under the trees.

After the three instructors left and went back into the tent, Xiao Hua and Xiao Xun Er walked around and found a shade that fit both of them. While waiting, they meet someone that belonged to the Xiao Clan.

“Oh! It’s Cousin Xiao Hua and Cousin Xiao Xun Er! As expected, you both passed the admission test with ease. Right, Brother Tao?”

“Hahaha! It’s not that surprising, Yang’er. After all these two cousins of ours are the most talented in the clan history. Rather, it would be weird that we passed and not them, right?”

Xiao Hua and Xiao Xun’er turned their attention towards the two brothers that walked here while waving their hands. They saw that these two brothers were sweating profusely, unable to withstand the heat.

Undoubtedly, these two brothers were here to follow and assist Xiao Hua and Xiao Xun Er. After all, no matter how strong they are right now, one can’t really deny that they are still children.