Longevity and selection

[Martial Dao Longevity Points: 2]

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

This came as little surprise. Since transmigrating, he had usually gained only one point a day.

That single point was nothing to scoff at. If he used it to extend his lifespan, it meant one more day of life.

In other words, if he spent no points elsewhere, this guaranteed daily point would let him live forever, barring any accidents. In a sense, he had already attained longevity.

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

After making breakfast with the pork belly his eldest maternal uncle had brought yesterday, Xu Yang changed into his only reasonably presentable outfit and headed out.

The rising sun had already climbed above the mountaintop, spilling golden light over his face.

Walking toward the morning sun, Xu Yang felt for the first time that its rays were not scorching, but warm.

"Dressed so neatly, Yang! Are you off to meet a prospective bride today?" An auntie from a collateral branch of the family, already up and about in the ward, could not help teasing him when she saw his clothes.

"Auntie, I'm just going into town to take care of something." Xu Yang flashed his white teeth.

Quite a few people greeted him along the way, and he answered each of them. Most were curious about his clean, tidy outfit.

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

Zhou Shunchang had explained the location of the Yellow Family Estate in detail yesterday. Xu Yang entered the city without trouble after about a quarter of an hour, then walked another ten minutes or so before finding the estate.

Xu Yang had thought few people would come. Yet after giving his name and entering the Yellow Family Estate, he found the spacious courtyard packed with heads-a hundred or more at the very least, all boys of sixteen or seventeen like himself.

Everyone stood stiffly in the courtyard, not daring to wander around.

Xu Yang knew no one there, so he picked a spot off to one side. More people continued to arrive, and the bone assessment had yet to begin.

"Greetings, brother. I'm Luo Dehu. May I ask your name?"

A voice suddenly came from beside him. Xu Yang turned and saw the boy calling himself Luo Dehu cupping his hands in greeting. He promptly returned the gesture politely. "I'm Xu Yang."

Luo Dehu's gaze swept over Xu Yang's clasped hands, and the smile gradually faded from his face. "Ah, Brother Xu Yang. I've heard much about you..."

After saying that, he quietly walked away, as though he had not been the one to strike up the conversation with Xu Yang.

Xu Yang was somewhat baffled. Then he looked down at his palms, rough from mining and covered in cracks and dark lines, and began to understand.

He had handsome features and fair skin, having spent years working underground, out of the sun.

His clothes were decent today, too. At first glance, he looked as though he came from a family of some standing, which was why Luo Dehu had approached him.

But once he revealed the hands hidden beneath his sleeves, his identity as a mud-legged laborer scratching a living from the earth was exposed at once. Luo Dehu had not even bothered to keep up appearances before going off to make friends with someone else.

Was he really that calculating?

Xu Yang shook his head inwardly and paid it little mind.

About a quarter of an hour later, several people emerged from the rear courtyard of the Yellow Family Estate. At their head was a white-haired old man, his hands clasped behind his back and his bearing imposing. Of the other two, one was Xu Yang's eldest maternal uncle, Zhou Shunchang, carrying a register and a brush. Xu Yang did not recognize the other.

"Come forward one at a time. Those with D-Grade Upper Bone Root or above may stay. Those with D-Grade Lower Bone Root or below are to leave immediately," the old man announced.

"You actually need D-Grade Upper!"

"That requirement is too high!"

The old man's words sent the crowd boiling like a pot on the stove. Many faces turned grim.

Xu Yang was a little surprised as well.

From what he had overheard earlier, he knew that Bone Root was divided into four grades: A, B, C, and D. Each grade was further divided into upper and lower.

D-Grade Lower was the worst Bone Root, followed by D-Grade Upper. A-Grade Upper was the best.

He did not know which grade his Bone Root of twenty-two fell into, but judging by everyone's reaction, even D-Grade Upper—the second-lowest rank—was probably extremely rare.

"No Bone Root!"

"No Bone Root!"

Ignoring everyone's reactions, the old man had already begun examining their bones. Xu Yang finally understood why they had reacted so strongly.

The old man examined five or six boys in a row, and every one of them had no Bone Root. None even reached the disqualifying grade of D-Grade Lower. Only the eighth boy finally had D-Grade Lower Bone Root, but he, too, was doomed to elimination.

In fact, D-Grade Lower Bone Root already offered a chance of becoming a martial artist. The Yellow family simply did not wish to invest in someone with that grade of Bone Root.

"D-Grade Upper Bone Root. You may stay."

The eleventh boy finally turned out to have D-Grade Upper Bone Root.

His face lit up with joy, and he ran excitedly over to Zhou Shunchang to register his details.

As time passed, five boys were selected to stay. Most had D-Grade Upper Bone Root, with only one reaching C-Grade Lower.

"Bone Root... B-Grade Upper!"

After another boy, his clothes covered in patches, stepped forward for his assessment, the old man announced B-Grade Upper Bone Root. Everyone immediately turned to the boy in astonishment. Even the old examiner looked somewhat startled.

In an instant, the boy's face flushed scarlet and his entire body trembled. Even an important member of the Yellow family was alerted and hurried over in person.

The assessments continued, but scarcely one boy in ten could reach D-Grade Upper.

At last, it was Xu Yang's turn!

He walked up to the old examiner and stood still. The examiner placed both hands on his shoulders and began pressing and feeling.

Though the examiner looked old, his strength surpassed anything Xu Yang had imagined. His fingers were like steel needles, seemingly capable of piercing straight through his flesh.

He's probably a martial artist, too.

Xu Yang endured the intense pain and let the examiner feel him from head to toe, probing his bones inch by inch.

"C-Grade Lower Bone Root!"

At last, the examiner announced Xu Yang's Bone Root. Zhou Shunchang, who had been watching him the entire time, was overjoyed. He even rose to his feet in excitement. Xu Yang truly had talent—and respectable C-Grade Lower Bone Root at that.

With C-Grade Lower Bone Root, someone had a strong chance of becoming a martial artist, provided enough money was spent on their training.

This would not merely change Xu Yang's fate. Zhou Shunchang's fate would change along with it, because Xu Yang was his nephew.

The main reason Second Xu was willing to act so inhumanely to support someone else's son was that people with the Bone Root to become martial artists were far too rare. If a chance to curry favor with one arose, he could not afford to miss it.

He actually has C-Grade Lower Bone Root!

In the crowd, Luo Dehu silently regretted his earlier behavior. The mud-legged laborer he had looked down upon actually possessed a C-Grade Lower Bone Root. He should not have turned cold before the results were out.

I can't be so rash again. Still... he

probably doesn't know why I acted that way just now, so I haven't really offended him, he thought on reconsideration.

More importantly, he had yet to undergo his own assessment. He might well have the Bone Root to practice martial arts himself.

Only a C-Grade Lower Bone Root? A B-Grade Upper Bone Root really is impressive.

Xu Yang pondered this. His Bone Root had increased from two to twenty-two, yet it was only C-Grade Lower. The B-Grade Upper Bone Root was two ranks above his. Judging by the panel's numerical values, it should be over fifty.

Of course, it might be even higher.

"Uncle!"

As he thought, he reached Zhou Shunchang and bowed respectfully.

"Well done, lad. You've really made me proud."

Zhou Shunchang could not suppress the smile tugging at his lips. "Train hard from now on. Don't squander that Bone Root of yours."

With a nephew of Xu Yang's respectable Bone Root, his standing in the Yellow family would be very different from now on.

His brush swept briskly across the page as he recorded Xu Yang's details, and Xu Yang stepped back to join the other selected boys.