Longevity, Selection

Martial Dao Longevity Points: 2

The first thing Xu Yang did upon opening his eyes was check his Status Panel; his Martial Dao Longevity points had increased by one.

It was no great surprise. Since crossing over, he had only been able to obtain one point most days.

Do not underestimate this single point; if used to extend his lifespan, it equated to one full day of life.

In other words, if he refrained from spending these points elsewhere, he could theoretically live on indefinitely thanks to this guaranteed point, provided no accidents occurred. In a sense, he had already achieved longevity.

"Stay home and wait for big brother's good news!"

After making breakfast with the pork belly his uncle had brought over yesterday, Xu Yang put on his only decent set of clothes and pushed the door open to leave.

The rising morning sun had already climbed over the mountain, casting a golden radiance upon his face.

Facing the morning sun, Xu Yang felt for the first time that the light was not scorching, but rather carried a touch of warmth.

"Ah Yang is dressed so neatly; are you going on a blind date today?" A neighbor, his auntie who had risen early in the White Stone Ward, couldn't help but tease him when she saw his attire.

"Auntie, I'm just heading into the city to take care of some business." Xu Yang flashed a smile, revealing his white teeth.

Many people greeted him along the way, and he responded to each one, though most were curious about his neat appearance.

Once he cleared the White Stone Ward, he quickened his pace.

Zhou Shunchang had provided detailed directions to the Huang Family Estate yesterday. After about a quarter of an hour, he successfully entered the city, and after another ten minutes of walking, he arrived at the Huang Family Estate.

Xu Yang had assumed there wouldn't be many people, but after reporting his name and entering, he saw that the spacious courtyard was packed with a sea of heads—at least a hundred or so, all of them youths around sixteen or seventeen, just like him.

Everyone stood in the courtyard, tense and afraid to wander about.

Xu Yang didn't know anyone, so he stood to one side. People continued to arrive, and the bone-testing had not yet begun.

"This brother, I am Luo Dehu. May I ask your name?"

A voice suddenly sounded from beside him. Xu Yang turned to see the man who called himself Luo Dehu cupping his hands in a salute, so he politely returned the gesture: "I am Xu Yang."

Luo Dehu's gaze swept over Xu Yang's cupped hands, and the smile on his face gradually faded: "So it is Brother Xu Yang, I've heard much about you..."

After saying this, he didn't act like someone who had come to strike up a conversation; instead, he silently walked away.

Xu Yang was a bit bewildered, but a moment later, he looked down at his own palms—calloused, cracked, and stained with black lines from years of mining—and realized with a flash of insight what had happened.

He had a handsome face, and because he had worked in the mines for years away from the sun, his skin was fair.

Coupled with his decent clothes today, he looked at first glance like someone from a family of some standing, which was why Luo Dehu had approached him.

But the moment he revealed the hands hidden within his sleeves, his identity as a mud-legged laborer was exposed, so Luo Dehu didn't even bother with the pretense and went to befriend someone else.

"Is it really this realistic?"

Xu Yang shook his head to himself, not paying it much mind.

About a quarter of an hour later, several people emerged from the back courtyard of the Huang estate. The leader was a white-haired old man with his hands behind his back, looking quite imposing. Of the other two, one was Xu Yang's uncle, Zhou Shunchang, who held a book and a brush, while the other was a stranger.

"Come up one by one. Those with Grade D Superior Bone Structure or higher may stay; those below Grade D Inferior must leave immediately," the old man announced in a loud voice.

"They actually require Grade D Superior!"

"That requirement is too high!"

As soon as the old man spoke, the crowd erupted like a boiling pot, many faces turning grim.

Xu Yang was also somewhat startled.

Through eavesdropping earlier, he knew that bone structures were divided into four grades: A, B, C, and D, with each grade subdivided into Superior and Inferior.

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

He didn't know which grade his bone structure, now raised to twenty-two, would fall under, but seeing the crowd's reaction, he realized that even a Grade D Superior—the second-worst tier—must be extremely rare.

"No bone structure!"

"No bone structure!"

The old man ignored the crowd's reactions and began the bone-testing. Xu Yang finally understood why everyone was so agitated.

The old man had tested five or six people in a row, and all of them had no bone structure at all. Not even one met the threshold for Grade D Inferior. It wasn't until the eighth person that a Grade D Inferior finally appeared, though they were still eliminated.

In truth, a Grade D Inferior bone structure already held the potential to become a martial artist, but the Huang family clearly had no intention of investing in that caliber.

"Grade D Superior bone structure, you may stay."

By the eleventh person, they finally saw someone with Grade D Superior bone structure.

The youth was beaming with joy and excitedly ran over to Zhou Shunchang to register his information.

Time passed, and five people had been selected to stay, though most were Grade D Superior, with only one reaching Grade C Inferior.

"Bone structure... Grade B Superior!"

After another youth in patchwork clothes finished his bone test, the old man announced a Grade B Superior bone structure. Suddenly, everyone looked at the boy in astonishment, and even the master conducting the test showed a hint of shock.

In an instant, the boy's face flushed red and his whole body trembled. Even some big figures within the Huang family were startled and rushed over personally.

The bone-testing continued, but among every ten people, it was rare for even one to reach Grade D Superior.

Finally, it was Xu Yang's turn!

He walked up to the old bone-reading master and stood still, whereupon the old man reached out and placed his hands on his shoulders to knead them.

The old master appeared elderly, yet his strength was far beyond what Xu Yang had imagined; his fingers felt like steel needles, seemingly capable of piercing through his flesh.

He must be a martial artist as well.

Xu Yang endured the sharp pain, allowing the old master to feel him from head to toe, kneading his bones inch by inch.

"Grade C Inferior Bone Structure!"

Finally, the old master announced Xu Yang's bone structure. Zhou Shunchang, who had been watching him closely, was overjoyed upon hearing this; he even stood up in his excitement. Xu Yang actually possessed talent, and a decent Grade C Inferior Bone Structure at that.

With a Grade C Inferior Bone Structure, as long as one was willing to spend the money to cultivate it, the chances of becoming a martial artist were high.

This would not only change Xu Yang's fate, but his own as well, because Xu Yang was his nephew.

The reason Xu Laoer was willing to treat his own kin like dirt while nurturing someone else's son was simply because people with the potential to become martial artists were too rare; he could not afford to miss an opportunity to curry favor.

"He actually has a Grade C Inferior Bone Structure!"

Within the crowd, Luo Dehu secretly regretted his previous actions. The peasant he had looked down upon actually possessed a Grade C Inferior Bone Structure; he shouldn't have burned bridges before the results were out.

I cannot be so rash in the future. However... he shouldn't know why I acted that way just now; it doesn't count as having offended him, he thought to himself.

Most importantly, he had not yet had his bones read; he might not lack the bone structure for martial arts himself.

It's only a Grade C Inferior Bone Structure, yet a Grade B Superior Bone Structure is truly formidable.

Xu Yang pondered. His bone structure had increased from two to twenty-two, yet it was merely Grade C Inferior. According to the data on his Status Panel, a Grade B Superior Bone Structure, which was two grades higher than his, should be above fifty.

Of course, it could be even higher.

"Uncle!"

Amidst his thoughts, he arrived before Zhou Shunchang and bowed respectfully.

"Good lad, you've truly brought honor to me."

The smile at the corners of Zhou Shunchang's mouth could not be suppressed. "Practice martial arts well in the future; do not let this bone structure of yours go to waste."

With a nephew like Xu Yang who possessed such a decent bone structure, his status within the Huang Family would be vastly different from now on.

After scribbling down Xu Yang's information, Xu Yang retreated to join the other selected youths.