Foreign-Surname Cultivators

A cultivator's aptitude was generally judged by the Qi Meridians, their connection patterns, and the Qi Meridians.

Having all twelve Qi Meridians intact meant one possessed the aptitude to cultivate.

The fewer branches there were at the connections between Qi Meridians, the more spiritual qi loss could be reduced.

The broader the Qi Meridians, the greater the flow of spiritual qi that could enter the body.

At present, every aspect of Wu Tong's aptitude could be called inferior, yet it had not reached the point of being unusable.

In other words, among those capable of cultivation, she belonged to the group with the worst aptitude.

"What is your name?"

"Wu Tong!"

"Very well. Come here."

"Thank you, Immortal Master!"

Old Wu San was still frozen in stunned disbelief when he saw his daughter already standing behind Yang Guanfeng.

The surrounding villagers were likewise wide-eyed in shock.

"That girl Wu Tong can enter the immortal sect too!"

"Heavens above! Old Wu San really won his gamble!"

"Immortal destiny, immortal destiny—it truly is something us mortals can never fathom."

"I wonder how Wu Tong's aptitude compares to Zhao Qi's."

"Only the Immortal Master would know that."

With a second child passing the test, the crowd erupted into discussion. Zhao Dapeng also stepped forward and supported Old Wu San, whose body was trembling.

"Third Brother, the child has made something of herself. You should be happy!"

The former "Old San" had now become "Third Brother."

Old Wu San came back to himself, wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes, and said with a smile, "You're right! I should be happy!"

After the two children bid farewell to their families, Yang Guanfeng grabbed them and leaped into the air, vanishing from before the crowd.

The matters afterward were handled by Yang Feiyun.

Every household that had brought a child this time, whether their child had displayed talent or not, received a reward worth a full year's harvest for their family.

With money in hand, everyone's faces shone with irrepressible delight. Their mouths overflowed with thanks, praising the Main Family for its generosity and grandeur.

The Zhao and Wu families, however, received great additional gifts beyond the reward money!

Yang Feiyun directly allotted the Zhao family a large tract of land, gifted them a residence at the foot of the mountain, and threw in several shops as well.

Zhao Dapeng, originally a farmer who tilled the fields, instantly became a wealthy household at the foot of the mountain!

Since Old Wu San was alone in the world and had no relatives, he voluntarily gave up those rewards and only requested to remain in the Yang Family.

Yang Feiyun then arranged for him to become the steward of one of the Yang Family's side residences.

After these villagers descended the mountain, news of the reward money and bestowed grants quickly spread below.

They also brought another piece of news: from then on, the Yang Family would recruit children from the foot of the mountain once every year, but only North Bank residents would be eligible.

The moment this news emerged, it was like a single stone raising a thousand waves.

Upon hearing that old farmer Zhao Dapeng's child had gone up the immortal mountain and that he had received land and a grand residence, no one could sit still any longer.

"There really is such astonishing good fortune!"

"Ah! What a pity my child is already sixteen this year. Otherwise, perhaps he might have caught the Immortal Master's eye too!"

"No, this won't do! We must quickly find a way to earn the Yang Family's trust!"

"Between the south and north, the North Bank was already fertile while the South Bank was barren. Now that there is also a path to immortality, the gap has become even more obvious!"

"Didn't they say two children were chosen? Why hasn't the other family moved?"

"It was Old Wu San, who had neither kin nor family. His daughter was chosen, and since Old Wu San had no relatives left, he petitioned the Yang Family Patriarch. He now remains with the Yang Family as a steward!"

"Ho! That is a fine job indeed!"

To ordinary folk, let alone working within the Yang Family, simply having even the slightest connection to the Yang Family was already something extraordinary.

Seeing two families' children attain the Dao and send chickens and dogs soaring to heaven, the villagers below the mountain began to stir with ambition as well.

Those from the South Bank racked their brains to display loyalty to the Yang Family, hoping to gain the qualification to live on the North Bank.

As for the couples on the North Bank, they began getting busy that very night.

Their thinking was simple: since immortal destiny was hard to come by, they should have more children. It was too late now, but perhaps ten years later they might strike this grand prize!

The reaction of the villagers below the mountain was precisely what the Yang Family's management wanted. With this round of maneuvering, they had killed three birds with one arrow.

First, they could discover promising seedlings with cultivation aptitude.

Second, it made the South Bank residents all the more devoted to the Yang Family.

Third, the population under the Yang Family's influence would continue to grow, ensuring they would not lack manpower for decades or even centuries to come.

Compared to the bustle below the mountain, the Yang Family Forbidden Ground upon the mountain remained as tranquil as ever.

The two children were handed over to Elder Yu, who brought them to a courtyard in the Forbidden Ground. It lay outside the Cloud Mountain Mist Array but within the Pine Forest Thick Earth Array, over thirty zhang away from the main courtyard.

"You two will live here from now on. Do you remember everything I explained before?"

"We remember, Ancestor Yu!"

"We will cultivate with all our hearts!"

Elder Yu nodded slightly and took out two booklets, handing them to the pair.

"This method is called the Circulating Qi Induction Art, a Qi Gathering Realm cultivation technique. It uses the body's circulatory pattern to draw in the spiritual qi of heaven and earth. Today, I will explain its opening section to you both, so listen carefully..."

"This second method is called the Hundred Bones Body Tempering Record. It is also a Qi Gathering Realm technique, a body-tempering method that refines the flesh and absorbs the spiritual qi of heaven and earth. I will explain it to you two as well..."

Elder Yu spoke steadily, explaining the introductory sections of the two cultivation methods to them word by word.

Both children listened with extraordinary focus, afraid of missing even the slightest detail.

In terms of quality, these two cultivation methods naturally could not compare to the Nether Spirit Path Seeking Scripture.

The latter could be cultivated to the Core Formation Realm, while the former reached its limit at Qi Gathering Perfection. They were specifically intended for foreign-surname cultivators.

In the future, the Yang Family would certainly have more foreign-surname cultivators, and they could become an important force in the Yang Family's hands.

Yet at the same time, their realms could not be too high, or the Yang Family's descendants would find them difficult to control.

The Yang Family could give them the opportunity to step through the gates of immortal cultivation, but in return, they had to be absolutely loyal to the Yang Family.

The two children had not yet entered the Qi Gathering Realm. Once they succeeded in Qi Gathering, Elder Yu would have them swear blood oaths to serve the Yang Family unto death.

"Have you memorized it all?"

"Reporting to Ancestor Yu, we have!"

The two nodded in perfect unison.

"Good. Let me add a few more words. Cultivation is not easy, and the Dao Path stretches long and far. You must guard against arrogance and impatience, and never act with undue haste."

Elder Yu spoke with earnest gravity. "You two are the first foreign-surname cultivators my Yang Family has brought up the mountain. You will become examples for future generations, so you must cultivate diligently without cease and persevere without slackening."

"Ancestor Yu's teachings, Wu Tong will remember!"

"Ancestor Yu's teachings, Zhao Qi will remember!"

The two children deeply bowed to Elder Yu, their eyes burning with fervor.

"Mm. Then begin. From now on, I will come every three days and stay for two hours. If you have any doubts, you may ask me then. Whenever you successfully reach Qi Gathering, you may formally take me as your master."

Elder Yu rose and said, "That is enough. Comprehend the cultivation methods properly."

With that, he got up and departed.

The two children in the courtyard began taking turns reading the two cultivation methods, then slowly started their attempts.

What they did not know was that Yang Guanfeng, Elder Yu, and Chen Yang were all silently observing them at this moment.

"Aptitude is important, but my Yang Family values character even more. Elder Yu, I will need you to keep a close watch over them."

"Rest assured, Patriarch."