Longevity, Selection

Martial Dao Longevity Points: 2

The first thing Xu Yang did when he opened his eyes was look at the Status Panel. His Martial Dao Longevity Points had increased by one.

It was no great surprise. Since transmigrating, he had only gained one point a day for most of the time.

One point might not seem like much, but if he used it to increase his lifespan, it was worth one extra day of life.

In other words, if he didn't spend his points on anything else, then with this guaranteed point every day, he could live on indefinitely—as long as nothing went wrong. In a sense, he already had eternal life.

"Stay home and wait for good news from your big brother!"

He made breakfast with the pork belly his uncle had brought over yesterday, then changed into the only decent outfit he owned and headed out.

The rising sun had already climbed over the mountain, casting a golden glow across his face.

Walking into the morning light, Xu Yang realized for the first time that the sun wasn't harsh at all. It felt warm.

"Ah Yang, all dressed up like that—are you off to meet a match today?" A Tang auntie from the ward, up early, teased him when she saw his clothes.

"Auntie, I just have something to take care of in the city." Xu Yang flashed his white teeth.

Plenty of people greeted him along the way, and he returned each greeting. Most seemed curious to see him dressed so neatly.

Once he left White Stone Ward, he quickened his pace.

His uncle Zhou Shunchang had explained exactly where the Huang Family Estate was yesterday. It took Xu Yang about fifteen minutes to enter the city, then another ten or so to find the estate.

Xu Yang had thought there wouldn't be many people, but after giving his name and entering the Huang Family Estate, he found the spacious courtyard packed with heads—at least a hundred of them, all boys around sixteen or seventeen, just like him.

Everyone stood stiffly in the courtyard, afraid to wander around.

Xu Yang didn't know anyone, so he stood off to one side. More people continued to arrive, but the bone-root examination still hadn't begun.

"Brother, my name is Luo Dehu. May I ask yours?"

A voice suddenly sounded beside him. Xu Yang turned and saw that the self-proclaimed Luo Dehu was cupping his hands toward him. He returned the gesture politely. "I'm Xu Yang."

Luo Dehu's gaze swept over Xu Yang's clasped hands. The smile on his face slowly disappeared. "So you're Brother Xu Yang. I've heard so much about you..."

After saying that, he simply walked away, as if he hadn't been the one to approach Xu Yang in the first place.

Xu Yang was baffled. Then he looked at his own hands—rough and cracked, with black lines from mining—and began to understand.

He had a handsome face, and years spent working in the mine, away from the sun, had left his skin fair.

On top of that, his clothes weren't bad today. At first glance, he looked like he came from a family of some means, which was why Luo Dehu had tried to make his acquaintance.

But once Xu Yang revealed the hands hidden beneath his sleeves, his identity as a dirt-poor laborer was laid bare. Luo Dehu hadn't even bothered to keep up appearances; he'd simply gone off to seek out someone else.

"So people really are that practical?"

Xu Yang shook his head to himself and thought little more of it.

About fifteen minutes later, several people emerged from the rear courtyard of the Huang Family Estate. The one in front was a white-haired old man, his hands clasped behind his back and an imposing air about him. One of the other two was Xu Yang's uncle Zhou Shunchang, holding a book and a brush. He didn't recognize the last man.

"Come up one at a time. Anyone with Grade D Superior Bone Structure or better may stay. Those with Grade D Inferior Bone Structure or worse should leave," the old man announced in a ringing voice.

"They actually require Grade D Superior!"

"That's way too high a bar!"

The crowd erupted at the old man's words. Many wore grim expressions.

Xu Yang was also taken aback.

From what he'd overheard earlier, he knew bone roots were divided into four grades: A, B, C, and D, with each grade further divided into superior and inferior.

Grade D Inferior was the worst, followed by Grade D Superior, while Grade A Superior was the best.

He didn't know what grade his bone root of twenty-two counted as. But judging by everyone's reaction, even Grade D Superior—which ranked second from the bottom—was probably extremely rare.

"No bone root!"

"No bone root!"

The old man ignored the crowd's reaction and began examining them. Xu Yang finally understood why everyone had reacted so strongly.

The old man examined five or six people in a row, and every one of them had no bone root at all. Not even a single person met the elimination threshold of Grade D Inferior. The eighth boy finally had Grade D Inferior, but he was still eliminated.

In truth, someone with Grade D Inferior still had a chance of becoming a martial artist. The Huang Family simply wasn't willing to invest in someone with bone roots like that.

"Grade D Superior. You may stay."

It wasn't until the eleventh person that someone finally had Grade D Superior Bone Structure.

The boy beamed with joy and hurried over to Zhou Shunchang to register his details.

Time passed. Five people had been selected so far, most with Grade D Superior Bone Structure. Only one had reached Grade C Inferior.

"Grade... B Superior!"

Another boy, his clothes covered in patches, stepped forward for the examination. The old man announced his Grade B Superior Bone Structure, and everyone turned to stare at him in shock. Even the veteran examining bones showed a hint of surprise.

In an instant, the boy's face flushed red and his whole body trembled. A major figure from the Huang Family was even roused and hurried over in person.

The examinations continued, but out of every ten people, it was rare for even one to reach Grade D Superior.

At last, it was Xu Yang's turn!

He stepped in front of the veteran bone examiner. The old man set both hands on his shoulders and began feeling his bones.

The old man looked ancient, but he was far stronger than Xu Yang had imagined. His fingers felt like steel needles, as though they could pierce straight through flesh and bone.

"He's probably a martial artist too."

Xu Yang endured the pain and let the old man feel him from head to toe, testing his bones inch by inch.

"Grade C Inferior!"

At last, the old man announced Xu Yang's bone root. Zhou Shunchang, who had been watching him intently, was overjoyed. He even sprang to his feet. Xu Yang really did have talent—and a respectable Grade C Inferior Bone Structure at that.

With enough money invested in his training, someone with Grade C Inferior Bone Structure had a strong chance of becoming a martial artist.

This wouldn't just change Xu Yang's fate. Zhou Shunchang's fate would change along with it, because Xu Yang was his nephew.

The biggest reason Xu Laoer was willing to raise someone else's son, despite being so shameless, was that people with the potential to become martial artists were rare. You couldn't let a chance to curry favor with one slip by.

"He actually has Grade C Inferior Bone Structure!"

In the crowd, Luo Dehu silently regretted how he'd acted earlier. The dirt-poor laborer he'd looked down on had Grade C Inferior Bone Structure. He shouldn't have turned his back on him before the results were out.

"I can't be so impulsive in the future. Still... he probably doesn't know why I acted that way just now, so it's not like I've offended him," he thought.

More importantly, he hadn't had his bones examined yet. He might have the potential to practice martial arts too.

"To think he only has Grade C Inferior Bone Structure. Grade B Superior really is impressive."

Xu Yang pondered. His bone root had risen from two to twenty-two, yet he was only at Grade C Inferior. Grade B Superior was two levels above him. Based on the Status Panel's data, it ought to require a score above fifty.

Of course, it might take even more.

"Uncle!"

As he thought this over, he went over to Zhou Shunchang and bowed respectfully.

"You little rascal, you've really made me proud."

Zhou Shunchang couldn't suppress his grin. "Work hard at martial arts from now on. Don't let your bone root go to waste."

With a nephew like Xu Yang, who had such good bone roots, Zhou Shunchang's standing in the Huang Family would be very different from now on.

He quickly wrote down Xu Yang's information. Xu Yang then went over to join the group of boys who'd been selected.