A Glimpse of His Talent

In the Zhao Family schoolroom, a teacher in a blue robe held a yellowed classic.

"One does not seek immortality; immortality comes naturally. Refine essence, temper the body, and refine the essence as well..."

A dozen youths in brocade robes sat below. This was where the Zhao Family's descendants studied, learning methods to cultivate the mind, temper their temperament, and shore up their foundations in the Dao.

Without that foundation, the higher one's cultivation, the more perilous the Dao Path.

And the retainers of other surnames?

The Zhao Family taught them only rudimentary combat techniques. Retainers were expendable; as long as they were useful, that was enough.

By cutting them off from the roots of mind-cultivation, the Zhao Family ensured their paths to cultivation would go no further. This was the thousand-year-old way of preventing trouble before it arose.

Even with their families in hand, the Zhao Family couldn't guarantee there wouldn't be desperate men willing to risk their lives.

One more shackle could never hurt.

A hundred meters away, the training room rang with rough breathing, like oxen panting.

Zhao Minglai stood in the center, his thick brows drawn together. The luminous white Qi Testing Bead in his hand glowed with a steady, gentle light—clear and even, without the slightest hitch.

He fixed his gaze on the youth before him, his voice weighted with astonishment. "Wang Yuan, have you brought the Refining Essence Technique to perfection?"

The other children had been at the residence for over a month, and most were still feeling their way through the breathing exercises. Simply keeping their vital essence from scattering was already no small feat. Yet the son of a tenant farmer had actually reached the threshold of perfection?

Li Tui lowered his head slightly. "In reply, Teacher, this disciple only felt the channels of qi open yesterday."

"Yesterday?" Zhao Minglai raised an eyebrow.

The Qi Testing Bead never lied. That glow clearly showed the Refining Essence Technique had reached mastery, and the vital essence flowed in harmony without impediment. If not for today's routine inspection, the child might have kept it hidden indefinitely.

What Zhao Minglai didn't know was that Li Tui had crossed that threshold ten days ago.

"Since you've already succeeded, why didn't you report it sooner?"

Li Tui raised his head, his expression frank. "This disciple often hears Teacher instruct us that the foundations matter most in cultivation. Though I was fortunate enough to glimpse the way, I still sensed a slight hitch when circulating the qi. I didn't dare claim perfection, so I practiced for a few more days to be sure."

His answer left no room for fault. It showed caution while also praising Zhao Minglai's teachings.

Zhao Minglai's expression eased. "Talent is rare, but a temperament like yours is rarer still." He glanced around the training room. The other children had already stopped meditating, looking over with envy or jealousy.

"What are you staring at?" Zhao Minglai suddenly roared. "I tell you to cultivate properly every day, yet every one of you drags your feet and slacks off! Now that you've seen someone else make progress, you've found your spirit?"

His voice cracked through the air like a whip.

"No lunch for any of you today! You can leave when you've mastered the circulation of your vital essence!"

The youths paled and hurriedly shut their eyes. Only Huang Bao, in the corner, flashed with excitement. Big brother really is amazing! He drew a deep breath and focused even harder on circulating the clumsy Refining Essence Technique.

Zhao Minglai patted Li Tui on the shoulder. "Come with me."

The inner room was simple, with a table and two chairs. Zhao Minglai sat down and poured a cup of cold tea. Li Tui stood respectfully at his side, his deference measured just right.

Zhao Minglai took a sip of tea, his gaze lingering on Li Tui.

The boy had decent talent and a steady temperament. He was worth cultivating.

But then there was the Third Young Master...

He thought of that little tyrant and how quickly he went through attendants. He'd driven one away just last month, then dismissed two more the day before yesterday. He was willful and difficult to please. The clan's own youths were all unwilling to stay by his side, so Zhao Minglai had turned his attention to retainers of other surnames.

If the boy lasted a while, Zhao Minglai could count it as a credit to his own tutelage. If he didn't, he was merely a youth of another surname. If he broke, then so be it.

"Wang Yuan." Zhao Minglai set down his teacup. "You should understand that your talent is different from that of the other children outside. Now that you've mastered the Refining Essence Technique, continuing to train alongside them would only waste your time."

A look of confusion appeared on Li Tui's face. "Teacher, you mean...?"

Zhao Minglai smiled faintly, his tone casual. "I've found a position for you. The Third Young Master of the residence needs a study companion. If you're willing, I'll put in a word for you."

Li Tui's eyes lit up. The title alone made it clear that a study companion's duties would bring him close to the Third Young Master, and that was naturally better than struggling through cultivation in the outer court. But his face soon turned pale.

He hadn't been at the residence long, but he'd already heard the rumors. The Third Young Master, Zhao Yuanchong, was willful and difficult, and the people around him changed one after another. Few lasted long.

Some said he disliked people coming too close; others said he had a strange temper. In short, he wasn't easy to deal with.

More importantly, for all its impressive-sounding title, a study companion was really just a higher-ranking servant. To think it could bring him close to the Zhao Family's inner circle was pure fantasy.

No matter how closely a retainer's son served, he could never cross the threshold into the main line.

Li Tui's lips moved, and his voice dropped. "The Third Young Master... this disciple heard..."

"Heard what?"

Li Tui lowered his head, twisting the hem of his clothes in his fingers. "I heard... he's not easy to please."

It was blunt, but it suited the temperament of a farm boy: he didn't know how to conceal his thoughts, and said what was on his mind.

Zhao Minglai laughed inwardly. It was good that he was afraid. If he'd seemed too eager, that would have been suspicious.

"The Third Young Master is your master, so of course he's different from other people." His tone was flat, as if he were discussing something ordinary. "Just do your duty, speak little, and work hard. He won't make things difficult for you."

It was easy to say. Zhao Minglai had neatly shifted all responsibility away from himself: if Li Tui did well, it was simply his duty; if he failed, it would be his own fault.

Li Tui fell silent for a moment, rapidly weighing his options.

A study companion might have low status, but the position had one tangible advantage: resources.

No matter how unruly the Third Young Master was, he was still a direct descendant of the Zhao Family. The food, supplies, and cultivation resources given to those around him—even what trickled through the cracks—far surpassed what was available to the retainers' children in the outer court.

And the risks? If the rumors were true and the boy was as difficult as they said, one small mistake could get him kicked out or even earn him the young master's enmity, cutting off his prospects at the Zhao Mansion.

But then again, as the son of a tenant farmer, he had few prospects to lose in the first place. Following the rules and cultivating in the outer court was certainly safe, but it offered little chance to rise. If he took a gamble, perhaps he could carve out a path for himself.

Li Tui looked up. The fear had left his face, replaced by the earnest composure of a youth putting on a brave front. "This disciple is willing to give it a try."

After a pause, he added, "If... I don't do well, I hope Teacher won't blame me."

A flicker of satisfaction crossed Zhao Minglai's eyes.

He was afraid, yet still agreed. That courage was worth more than those who shrank back at the mere mention of the Third Young Master.

"Then you should start learning the qi-guiding methods soon," Zhao Minglai advised, his tone softening. "The Third Young Master needs people around him with some real ability. Knowing how to wait on him isn't enough."

It was a hint. After all, a study companion wasn't merely a servant; he needed cultivation progress to back him up.

Li Tui nodded quickly. "This disciple will remember."

Outside the training room, the sun climbed higher.

As soon as Li Tui stepped over the threshold, several youths surrounded him. They were all the retainers' sons selected this time, their faces wreathed in smiles as they greeted him warmly.

"Brother Wang, you really are something!"

"We'll be counting on you to guide us from now on!"

Currying favor was only human nature.

Li Tui wore a faint smile and answered each of them in turn. He was neither distant nor overly familiar. They were all just fence-sitters; keeping up a polite front was enough.

At the edge of the crowd, Huang Bao stood alone, watching Li Tui with a complicated expression.

Li Tui caught sight of him from the corner of his eye, but felt nothing.

Over the past few days, he'd already seen through the boy. Honest, timid, easy to handle. Keeping him around would give Li Tui someone he could put to work at the Zhao Mansion; that was better than having another potential nuisance.

Without drawing attention to himself, he parted the crowd and walked over to Huang Bao, casually resting a hand on his shoulder. "What are you spacing out for? Let's go."

Huang Bao started, then hurriedly nodded.

Li Tui naturally led Huang Bao toward the dining hall. The youths around them stepped aside, and Huang Bao was swept along into the middle of the crowd.

Huang Bao lowered his head and looked at the hand on his shoulder. The knuckles were well-defined, the palm calloused, and the touch carried an unmistakable firmness.

Warmth surged through Huang Bao, as if something had burned him. Once this month's spirit rice is handed out, I'll have to give Big Brother a larger share.

No, not just this month. As long as he had spirit rice from now on, he couldn't let Big Brother go short on what he needed to cultivate.

The thought came suddenly and fiercely, weighing on his chest until it felt tight.

He couldn't explain why. Perhaps it was because Big Brother had casually rested a hand on his shoulder, drawing him close. Perhaps it was because Big Brother looked so impressive surrounded by everyone. Or perhaps... he simply felt that following someone like him was the only way to have a future.

Feeling the warmth and pulse beneath his palm, Li Tui remained unmoved. He even thought with indifference, Those who haven't seen much of the world will give their hearts away for a little kindness. Still, that's not so bad...

To Li Tui, Huang Bao wasn't even worth calling a chess piece—at most, he was a handy tool. Useful, he could be put to work; useless, he could be discarded.