Good Person

Time flew, and three years passed in the blink of an eye.

Evergreen Valley, nestled by Wanfang Lake, had become the Yun family's solid foundation.

On this day, two figures walked along the ridges between the fields outside the valley.

The leading man, clad in a brocade robe with a steady demeanor, was Ning Yongrui, the town warden of Wanfang Lake—a Qi Refining Stage cultivator.

Beside him followed a youth with a still-immature face, a hint of valor in his brows—his son, Ning Shaojie, who had also stepped into the threshold of Qi Refining.

"Father, what are we doing here?" Ning Shaojie asked, puzzled, as he looked at the tenant farmers working in the fields.

Ning Yongrui's gaze swept over the thriving crops, a faint, enigmatic smile tugging at his lips.

He casually pointed at an old farmer resting nearby and said to Ning Shaojie, "Go, ask him about the Yun family."

Ning Shaojie did as he was told and struck up a conversation with the old farmer.

The old man was a bit reserved at first, but once he heard they were inquiring about the Yun family, his words flowed freely.

"The Yun family? They're a truly good household!" The old farmer's wrinkles relaxed, his face full of gratitude. "We tenants used to farm for other families, handing over most of the harvest, barely scraping by at year's end."

"But the Yun family is different—they only take two-tenths as rent! And on holidays, they give out rice, flour, and cloth as gifts."

"Not only that," the old farmer's voice rose with obvious excitement, "the Yun family's master even taught us a set of boxing techniques called the 'Arhat Fist.'"

"Practicing this Arhat Fist is far better than the random training we did before. Even at my age, I managed to break through to Mid-stage Body Tempering Realm."

"Working for the Yun family, I can speak louder outside, too."

"And whenever a child is born in a household, the Yun family sends gifts and even checks the child's bone structure to see if they have talent for martial arts."

"A few days ago, my wife fell ill. We couldn't afford a doctor, but the Third Miss of the Yun Family came to see her herself, charged nothing, and a few doses of medicine set her right!"

"The Yun Family Matriarch is pregnant—may the heavens bless her with a healthy son."

The old farmer rambled on, recounting all the Yun family's good deeds over the past three years, his words filled with simple praise.

Ning Shaojie listened, his brow slightly furrowed, then returned to his father's side.

"Father, this Yun family is just an ordinary martial clan, but they sure know how to win people over," Ning Shaojie said in a low voice. "Spreading such favors—they're probably trying to secure a better foothold here at Wanfang Lake."

Ning Yongrui gave no direct answer, instead asking, "Then tell me, why do you think I brought you today to see an ordinary martial clan?"

Ning Shaojie was taken aback.

In his view, even if the Yun family had some tricks, they were ultimately just a mortal martial force, incomparable to cultivators like them.

His father's intent here truly baffled him.

Ning Yongrui watched his son's confused expression but did not explain outright.

"Observe more, think more," he said calmly. "After you return today, give me your answer."

With that, he turned and led Ning Shaojie away from the fields.

Retracing their steps from the ridges, Ning Yongrui guided Ning Shaojie without pause, heading straight toward the Yun family estate within Evergreen Valley.

Before they even reached the main gate, an open expanse came into view.

It was a newly built training ground, its rammed earth surface flat and solid, surrounded by several weapon racks holding swords, spears, halberds, and more—a full array.

At that moment, over a dozen sturdy men were shouting and drilling on the training ground, their fists and kicks stirring the air.

Ning Yongrui knew that the Arhat Fist taught to the tenants was instructed here by a Yun family man named Yun Hu.

His gaze, however, did not linger long on those practicing their punches. Instead, it shifted to the other side of the training ground.

A boy of about twelve or thirteen, holding a wooden sword, was practicing sword forms with deliberate precision.

The boy's frame was still slender, clearly not yet of age for formal Body Tempering training. For now, he was mostly comprehending the sword techniques and familiarizing himself with their variations.

From a distance, Ning Yongrui recognized him as Shi Chen, the son of Shi Tie, a Xiantian realm peak expert of the Yun family.

Seeing the boy's keen interest in swordsmanship, Yun Hu had taught him a few moves of Qingcheng Swordplay.

Ning Shaojie followed his father's gaze and raised an eyebrow.

"Father, look at that kid's sword technique."

Though young, he had some discernment. The boy's sword forms were methodical, hinting at an uncommon aura.

"The Yun family sure is generous," Ning Shaojie muttered, a note of confusion in his voice. "Aren't they afraid outsiders will learn such a sword technique?"

In his view, if a family possessed such advanced martial skills, they would surely hoard them, not flaunt them so openly.

Hearing this, Ning Yongrui's lips curled into a meaningful smile, but he said nothing.

His strength and insight far surpassed those of a fledgling like Ning Shaojie.

The moment Shi Chen swung his wooden sword, Ning Yongrui's faintly gleaming pupils contracted almost imperceptibly.

An ordinary person might only see the boy's exquisite swordplay, but he clearly sensed a faint layer of spiritual light swirling around Shi Chen.

That was the mark of a spiritual root.

And judging by the intensity of that light, it was far from the weak glimmer of a common low-grade spiritual root.

This Yun family—truly intriguing.

Ning Yongrui's thoughts raced, yet his expression betrayed nothing.

He did not share his discovery with Ning Shaojie.

A child with spiritual roots, yet not rushed into breaking through to Qi Refining—instead, they were first made to comprehend martial techniques and sword arts. From the looks of it, they were waiting until age twelve to formally begin martial cultivation.

This Yun Clan head's vision was so far-reaching, his schemes so deep, that he likely far exceeded outsiders' imagination.

Crossing the training ground, Ning Yongrui led Ning Shaojie, guided by a Yun Clan servant, into the reception hall of the Evergreen Valley Yun Clan mansion.

The hall was elegantly arranged, with a faint scent of sandalwood drifting through the air, calming the mind.

Before long, footsteps sounded from the inner chamber.

A young man in plain robes walked out slowly, his features handsome, his brow carrying a steadiness that belied his age.

This was the current Yun Clan head, Yun Long.

Ning Yongrui's gaze fell on Yun Long, and his heart stirred slightly.

He had long learned of this young Yun Clan head's deeds through various channels, but seeing him in person, he still marveled inwardly at his youth.

This child—had he just come of age?

Ning Yongrui assessed silently: this man's aura was restrained, his every movement and stillness exuding a majestic poise. He was by no means comparable to an ordinary rogue cultivator.

He secretly circulated his spiritual energy to probe, but it vanished like a mud oxen into the sea, revealing no depth at all.

This only deepened Ning Yongrui's shock.

He was a cultivator at the Sixth Level of Qi Refining!

Unless the other's cultivation far surpassed his, or he possessed some secret aura-concealing technique.

Connecting this to the Yun Clan's rise over the past three years and the faint spiritual energy fluctuations within Evergreen Valley, Ning Yongrui had already formed a judgment.

This Yun Long was likely at least at the Mid Qi Refining Stage, possibly even matching him at the Sixth Level of Qi Refining!

To have such cultivation at this age—his talent was truly terrifying!

Ning Shaojie stood behind his father, originally holding little reverence for this "martial arts minor clan" head.

But now, seeing True Person Yun Long, he felt the other's gaze was calm and unruffled, yet seemed to see through people's hearts.

An invisible pressure bore down on him, making his breath catch.

Only then did he understand why his father valued the Yun Clan so highly.

This was by no means the ordinary martial arts minor clan he had imagined!

This was a Cultivation Family!