The cold gave way to warmth as autumn turned to spring.
A year had passed since the Sanglu Valley branch family’s establishnt.
Following tradition, it was ti to conduct the Qualification Assessnt for clan children alongside the main family.
Perhaps discovering Zhao Qi and Wu Tong had drained too much luck.
Since that last assessnt, neither Yang Family mbers nor clan children had produced any cultivation talents for years.
But this year held promise.
Alongside fresh candidates from branch clans, twelve families from three towns ca seeking entry after hearing the Yang Family accepted external cultivators.
The Yang Family’s strength alone commanded respect.
Having tasted the dynasty’s rewards during the evil cultivator purge, these families saw great prospects in aligning with Yang!
A hundred spiritual crystals!
That amount would’ve taken them years of grinding labor before.
"Count all age-eligible children quickly!"
"Living under others’ roofs? Fool! Don’t you know how many beg for this chance?"
"Ungrateful brat! Enter those gates and you’ll get spiritual treasures, talismans, elixirs – whatever you need!"
"Look at Liang Family! They were dying under Willow Leaf. After joining Yang? Transford! Even Liang Yi broke through after years stuck!"
Cultivators flocked to pay respects. Barred from Song Mountain, they queued at the Yang residence’s foot.
Thus occurred the spectacle – cultivators lining up outside a mortal family’s compound.
Yang Lingqing received them in the eting hall before tactfully dismissing everyone.
The new branch needed more cultivator families in Sanglu Valley like Liang Family.
But final decisions awaited this year’s assessnt results.
"Sister Lingqing, seventeen ten-year-olds await – three from main family, fourteen clan children."
At Yang Family’s Forbidden Area, Zhao Qi delivered the roster to main courtyard’s entrance.
Yang Lingqing scanned the list. Numbers looked decent, but would any qualify?
"After you and Wu Tong appeared, our ho’s produced no talents. Seems you two took all the luck."
Yang Lingqing teased.
Zhao Qi scratched his head. "Sister Lingqing, I’ve always had bad luck. Maybe this balances things?"
They chatted while descending to Yang’s large courtyard.
"Hail the Master!"
The crowd knelt. Yang Lingqing took the central seat, gesturing them to rise.
Seventeen children approached under nervous elders’ gazes for assessnt.
Yang Lingqing examined each. Reaching the last, she shook her head. "Return ho."
This year brought no success again.
Neither the main family nor the clan children had anyone with complete Qi ridians.
After dismissing everyone, Yang Lingqing frowned slightly.
A family’s worst fear was a generational gap. Though she, Lingrui, and Linghu were still young, the lack of potential cultivators for years gave her a growing sense of unease.
The Yang Family now rode the dynasty’s montum, a perfect ti to train the next generation.
But even the best housewife can’t cook without rice. Without suitable candidates, the Yang Family’s efforts would be pointless.
The twelve families from the three towns weren’t as desperate as the Liang Family once was. Most faced little pressure and only cared about the benefits of joining the Yang Family.
Only a handful truly wished to submit, sothing Yang Lingqing knew well.
As she pondered, her father Yang Feiyun scurried in, breathless.
“Lingqing! Linghu’s back with a child!”
Yang Feiyun blurted excitedly, “A main family boy—surna Yang!”
Yang Lingqing’s eyes lit up instantly.
“Bring him to the mountain!”
“Right away!”
Back at the Yang Family’s Forbidden Area, Yang Lingqing saw the boy clutching Yang Linghu’s hand.
Chubby and round-faced, the child had large, clear eyes. When he spotted Yang Lingqing, he clutched a half-eaten rice ball, grains sticking to his mouth, looking bewildered.
He tilted his head, gaping at her until Yang Linghu nudged him to bow.
“Ah! Oh!”
He hastily stuffed the rice ball into his pocket, forgetting to wipe his mouth, and wobbled into an awkward bow.
“Yang Family disciple… uh… Yang Shu greets the Master!”
Yang Linghu whispered to Yang Lingqing, “Main family child. Complete Qi ridians, great talent. But they say he’s been… slow since birth.”
Yang Lingqing studied Yang Shu’s sloppy kneeling posture. A faint smile crept onto her lips as she made up her mind.
“Slow? Not quite,” she thought.
She nodded slightly. “Rise.”
“Oh! Thanks, Master!”
Yang Shu clambered up, nearly toppling over. Yang Linghu and Zhao Qi exchanged uneasy glances.
Was this kid really suitable?
“Leave us. I’ll speak with Yang Shu alone.”
“Yes.”
Once they left, Yang Lingqing led Yang Shu to a side room.
The boy imdiately fixated on a fruit plate by the window. Without permission, he shuffled over, snatched an apple, and bit into it noisily.
Yang Lingqing watched silently from her cushion as he devoured the entire apple.
“Heh, Master, this fruit’s tasty! Burp!”
A loud belch escaped him. Blushing, he grinned sheepishly.
“Is this act enough?”
“Do they see as a good-for-nothing yet?”
“Ugh… I never wanted trouble. Why’d I have to have talent…”
“Huh? Why’s the Master coming?”
Before he finished thinking, Yang Lingqing stood before him. She dampened a handkerchief and wiped the rice grains off his mouth.
Yang Shu stared, then giggled, “Heh, thanks, Mast—”
Twist.
She yanked his ear. Tears instantly welled up as he wailed, “Waaah! Sorry, Master! Didn’t an to eat it! Couldn’t help it! Don’t punish —”
“Enough pretending.”
Yang Lingqing t his startled gaze. “Nice try, brat. I pulled this sa dumb act when I was little.”
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