Talent Empowerment

"Heaven and Earth, Yellow and Black; Cosmos and Primeval Wilderness."

"Sun and Moon Wax and Wane; Stars and Constellations Arrayed."

"Cold Comes, Heat Goes; Autumn Harvest, Winter Storage."

Early morning.

Xu Chuan taught the two little ones the Thousand Character Classic.

He had copied out two versions, one for each of them.

He had also personally made a set of tables and chairs suited to their height, making it easier for them to study.

He read one line, and the two followed along with the words on their papers.

Clear childish voices echoed through the entire small courtyard. The roosters and hens had all been let out, wandering about the yard and pecking for food everywhere.

Wisps of green smoke slowly rose above the kitchen.

After breakfast.

Bai Jing held her younger son while overseeing Xu Mingwei and Xu Mingyuan's copying practice.

The two wrote stroke by stroke, exceptionally earnestly.

Xu Chuan, meanwhile, began renovating the house—designing it, gathering materials, finding laborers—and kept himself busily occupied.

Even so, he still set aside time each day to stroll through the fields and forest.

To check on things, pull weeds, and the like.

Then he would practice the Lesser Dragon Elephant Technique for an hour.

[Heaven Rewards Diligence]—only perseverance could bring rewards.

A month and a half flashed by.

The Xu Family residence had already changed beyond recognition.

It had become a proper homestead with five main rooms, a hall, and half a mu of courtyard space.

It could be considered above average throughout Dongxi Village.

Once a new home was completed, there was a custom of warming the house. Another banquet was unavoidable, and naturally, gifts would be received as well.

The years passed in the blink of an eye.

Before long, it was the yearly sacrifice.

Under Xu Chuan's daily instruction and Bai Jing's strict supervision, Xu Mingwei had already learned every character in the Thousand Character Classic and could write nearly half of them.

As for Xu Mingyuan, he was still too young and remained only at the stage of recognizing characters.

After the yearly sacrifice.

Xu Chuan finally made his decision: he would bestow talents upon Xu Mingwei.

After the second generation of descendants had been born, the [Bloodline Genealogy] had gained another page.

And five Destiny Talents had emerged.

They were [Innate Divine Strength], [Seek Advantage, Avoid Harm], [Talent for Making Money], [Eagle Eye], and [Whispers of All Spirits].

All of these were ownerless talents and could be bestowed upon Xu Chuan himself.

But that thought merely flashed through his mind.

Because even if he bestowed them all upon himself, as a mere mortal, he would still be unable to attend to everything at once.

Just as it was now: even with three Destiny Talents, [Daily Divination] was of little use to him at present.

For a family to prosper, everyone naturally had to work together with one heart and one mind. That was the lasting path.

"Shitou, you are the Legitimate Eldest Son. In the future, you must shoulder the Xu Family. Your father intends for you to follow the Martial Dao. Do you have any objections?"

Xu Chuan shed his usual gentleness, his expression exceptionally solemn.

Xu Mingwei also sensed the heaviness in the air. He raised his little face, looked directly at Xu Chuan, and nodded. "Father has taught us many principles these days. Shitou understands."

"Shitou will obey all of Father's instructions."

"Shitou will set a good example for his younger brothers!"

"I will not disgrace the Xu Family, nor will I make Father lose face!"

Xu Chuan nodded in satisfaction and took out the family genealogy.

"Prick a drop of blood onto this."

Only Xu Chuan and Xu Mingwei were in the main hall. Everyone else had been ordered not to enter.

Xu Mingwei trusted Xu Chuan absolutely and did as he was told without hesitation.

The blood was absorbed by the family genealogy. Xu Mingwei was surprised to see it, but he did not ask any questions.

"Now kneel down, close your eyes, and repeat after me."

"Year Yi Si, Piously Sacrifice to Ancestors. Virtue Bestowed Upon Descendants, Blessings Upon the Household. Spring and Autumn Without Laziness, Filial Thoughts Are Sincere. May the Spirits Clearly Accept, Bless and Inspire the Family Name, We Solemnly Pray for Your Enjoyment."

"Year Yi Si, Piously Sacrifice to Ancestors. Virtue Bestowed Upon Descendants, Blessings Upon the Household, We Solemnly Pray for Your Enjoyment."

As the first-generation Old Ancestor and the true controller of the family genealogy, Xu Chuan could directly bestow talents upon himself.

But for others, strict procedures had to be followed.

If Xu Chuan presided over it, he could choose a specific talent to bestow. Without him, however, the family genealogy would randomly grant one Destiny Talent.

When Xu Mingwei finished reciting, Xu Chuan sensed a translucent thread extending from him and connecting to the family genealogy.

The family genealogy emitted a faint green light and was about to grant a talent at random, but Xu Chuan stopped it.

He pressed a finger to Xu Mingwei's brow and directly bestowed two talents: [Innate Divine Strength] and [Eagle Eye].

Since he was to walk the path of Martial Dao, naturally he had to fill up on related talents.

[Innate Divine Strength] would cause his strength to increase day by day in the future, far surpassing ordinary people. His muscles and bones would gradually transform as well, making him suited for the Martial Dao.

[Eagle Eye], as its name implied, would make his eyes as keen and profound as a hawk's, able to perceive all things.

With both talents bestowed, the weapon Xu Mingwei would excel at most in the future was destined to be the bow.

"All right, Shitou. Open your eyes."

Xu Mingwei obediently did as he was told, but when he opened his eyes, the black booklet was gone.

"How do you feel?"

"My forehead felt cool just now, but it's gone now. But Father, what did that passage we recited mean?"

"It is the prayer our Xu Family uses when worshipping our ancestors, asking them to protect us with peace and flourishing fortune. You must remember it in your heart and pass it down generation after generation."

"Understood, Father."

Xu Chuan smiled and rubbed Xu Mingwei's head. "Tomorrow, you must rise early and practice martial arts and archery with me. After that, you will study and write with A Yuan, then accompany me as I inspect the paddy fields and forest."

"I do not require you to excel at farming, but you must understand the basics, so that you can make a decision when something happens."

"All your remaining time will be devoted to martial arts practice."

"Can you do that?"

"Father, Shitou can!"

Determination shone through Xu Mingwei's childish gaze.

With Xu Chuan teaching by word and example, Xu Mingwei had also developed a temperament capable of enduring hardship.

Aside from studying and writing with Xu Mingyuan every day, he spent most of his remaining time following Xu Chuan, learning his knowledge and the ways of dealing with people and conducting himself.

Xu Mingyuan felt he was being neglected and clamored to join his older brother, but Xu Chuan refused and even sternly scolded him.

It was Xu Mingwei who comforted him. "In the future, when Big Brother practices martial arts in the yard, you can join me."

"Yay!"

Xu Mingyuan immediately became happy again.

Every day, he looked forward to Xu Mingwei returning so they could be together.

Several nights later.

"Husband, Shitou is only six years old. Aren't you being too strict with him?"

"These past few days, I've clearly seen the exhaustion on his face. It truly pains my heart."

Xu Chuan chuckled. "If Wife wishes to be a kind mother, then Husband can only be a strict father. If both sides indulge him, what kind of person could we possibly raise?"

"Perhaps Husband is right, but I..."

"Enough." Xu Chuan raised a hand to stop her from continuing.

When it was time to be firm, he would naturally be firm.

Seeing that worry still lingered in Bai Jing's eyes, Xu Chuan sighed. "Our Shitou is a persevering child, just like me. He can endure hardship and work hard. Once he gets through this period, he should be able to adapt."

After a few months, his talents would gradually begin to manifest.

"Our family does not lack silver for now, so there is no need to scrimp. Add more meat to every meal."

"Shitou's martial arts practice cannot do without it either."

"This concubine understands."

"Then, Wife, let us rest tonight."

Xu Chuan's hands began to wander, but Bai Jing shoved him away in one motion.

Bai Jing turned onto her side and said evenly, "This concubine is feeling somewhat unwell tonight. Husband may resolve it himself."

"Uh—"

Xu Chuan's eyes went wide.

This woman was getting out of hand!

After watching quietly for a while, he simply blew out the lamp and went to sleep.

The next day.

The inky darkness of dawn had yet to fade when the eastern sky had already turned the blue-gray of crab shell.

In the courtyard.

Dark sweat stains spread across the back of Xu Chuan's cotton shirt, while the white mist of his breath condensed into slender arrows.

Young Xu Mingwei imitated his movements. His chubby little arms were like lotus-root segments, and his posture looked crooked and awkward.

Xu Chuan stopped from time to time to correct his movements.

When he did well, Xu Chuan praised him. When he did poorly, Xu Chuan sternly rebuked him.

Xu Mingwei's eyes were full of tenacity. Even if he felt wronged, he would only swallow it after breaking it into pieces, never revealing the slightest bit.

More than half an hour passed.

After washing up, it was time to study.

"Heaven and Earth, Yellow and Black; Cosmos and Primeval Wilderness."

"Sun and Moon Wax and Wane; Stars and Constellations Arrayed."

Two crisp childish voices pierced the thin morning mist, startling awake the sparrows dozing beneath the eaves.

It was another brand-new day.