The cultivators came back.
Yeah, those guys — from the demon incident.
Same robes. Same faces. Same annoying leader dude with his "I'm better than you" attitude.
> "We are the great Crimson Moon Sect," he said again, trying to sound cool like anyone even asked.
"We've come to recruit mortals. If you're lucky, you become a disciple. If you're unlucky… congrats, you get to sweep floors."
Everyone in the village was like, "Omg omg it's cultivators again!"
Even though last time they ran away like scared cats.
Parents dragged their kids out like, "Go make the family proud or don't come back!"
And the cultivators pulled out that shiny rock again — yeah, the one that glows if you got good roots or whatever.
People lined up.
First kid cried. Second kid peed himself (probably). Third kid's rock didn't even light up — rip.
Then it was Yun Wao's turn.
Man was looking like trash.
Didn't sleep. Didn't eat. Looked like he fought a cow and lost.
He walked up like he didn't care.
Didn't say a word. Just stepped on the rock.
Blue light.
Mid root. Not trash, not genius.
One of the sect guys nodded and threw him a stale bun like:
> "Yeah whatever, next."
Yun Wao just caught it and sat under a tree.
Didn't even eat it. Just looked at it like:
> "Bro… how did my life end up like this?"
He used to live in a palace.
Now he was sitting in dirt, holding moldy bread like it was treasure.
And the worst part?
He passed.
Yeah… he actually passed.
---