Volume One, Chapter Three: The Daughter Has Grown Up

The system stayed silent.

After a long standoff, Ye Bufan had no choice but to rage impotently.

He glanced at his beloved wife beside him.

She looked as though she had just cried, yet was blooming with springtime radiance, pitiful and lovely, impossible not to admire and impossible not to smile at.

"My lady, it was all my fault before. Tonight, your husband will make it up to you properly."

Nie Yushan's eyes shone.

"My husband, are you better now?"

"Better from what?"

"Your illness. Are you well again?"

"Rest assured, your husband is not ill. Today I will let you see what I am truly capable of."

Ye Bufan was full of bravado.

"Mm."

Nie Yushan murmured shyly.

The next day.

Just before dawn.

Madam Rong, who had been eavesdropping outside the door.

"This son-in-law is truly impressive. It's been a whole night and he still hasn't stopped. How I envy the young lady."

"And this old body of mine, alas."

After she left, the ground where she had stood was visibly different in color.

One patch was bright; the other had a faint sheen.

Spring passed and autumn came.

Twelve years later.

The sect's spiritual root examination would begin in three days.

As for why it had been twelve years, Ye Bufan ultimately still did not want the children to leave him too early. First, he could not bear it; second, they had only been with him for a short time, so there would be little feeling between them in the future.

The Nie residence.

A pavilion in the back garden.

A graceful young girl was reciting poetry from the booklet in her hand.

"Light as startled swans in flight, supple as a dragon in the stream. Bright as autumn chrysanthemums, splendid as spring pines..."

"All right, Feifei, come here, and Yan'er too. Come see what your father has prepared for you."

The two girls, one reciting and one practicing swordplay, cried out in delight.

"Father, you're here."

The younger one was more lively and rushed forward first.

"Father, I guessed right, didn't I? You bought me a red-tasseled spear, didn't you?"

Ye Bufan said, "A young lady should not go about brandishing spears and sticks all day. What sort of behavior is that?"

The elder daughter, Feifei, said, "Father must have made something delicious. It's cake, isn't it?"

"Feifei really is clever."

Nie Feiyan jumped up happily. "Yes! Father, you're so good. How did you know I wanted cake today? I thought of it first, so I want two portions, hehe!"

"All right, all right, I'll let you eat more. You can even have Father's share too, all right?"

Ye Bufan picked up his younger daughter and said indulgently.

Nie Feifei said, "Father, I want a hug too."

"You are already a little grown-up. What are you asking for a hug for? I can hardly carry you anymore."

"My sister is eleven, and I'm only two years older than her. I'm not that old either, hmph."

Ye Bufan said, "Very well. Come, let's play the high-lift game you loved when you were little. Aren't you afraid?"

"Hehe!"

"Haha!"

Laughter spread to everyone around them. Even the woman wiping the floor felt that work was happier today.

Ye Bufan taught his daughters Chinese characters, and also taught them poems, songs, and verses from the treasures of Chinese culture that he knew. He even taught them a few lines of English.

In this world, only his family knew these languages; no one else understood them. In the future, they could even be used as a secret code.

In the Nie family, his standing had now risen considerably, first because he had broken the Nie family's record of nine generations with a single heir by having two children.

Though they were still girls, Sun Yaowei was overjoyed and sent Ye Bufan five more spirit stones. Even Madam Rong received the reward she had longed for.

Now that he was advanced in years, he was also preparing to retire. After observing this son-in-law for so many years, he could finally trust him completely and was ready to let him gradually take over the family business.

Nie Yushan said, "My husband, the cake you made is so delicious. Do you have any ice cream? I want some too."

With two beautiful and adorable daughters and her handsome, considerate husband, she, being easy to please, lived a very happy life.

Only, it was still a little short of perfect.

She only thought her husband had fallen ill again, and that this illness had lasted for so many years.

Yong Prefecture.

Wu City.

At the center of the city, the Ascension Square.

It was packed tight with people. Ye Bufan estimated there were at least tens of thousands, and even the surrounding streets were jammed impassably.

It was just like a stadium during every concert, crowded everywhere with people.

Although the immortal masters of the sect would not arrive until tomorrow, it was already about to burst at the seams.

"Clan king, you overachieving monster."

"You disgrace."

Curses rose and fell all around him, all of them aimed at Ye Bufan.

He remained unmoved, letting their spittle fly.

"You overachiever. Things were perfectly fine before. Everyone used to queue tomorrow morning, but you had to come the night before and line up, so now the rest of us had no choice but to come too. You overachieving fool. Why doesn't heaven just take you away?"

He pretended not to hear the insults.

He was simply too anxious. He was desperate for his daughters to be the first ones examined, so nervous that he could not sleep. In the end, he decided he might as well come and queue through the night to secure a place.

The next day.

Wu City was one of the cities wholly controlled by the Cloudflow Sect. The entire Cloudflow Mountain Range, within a radius of three thousand li, belonged to the sect's absolute sphere of influence. Other sects could not recruit disciples here. Within a radius of thirty thousand li, however, it counted as an area of influence, and the Cloudflow Sect, other sects, as well as some smaller powers and clans, could recruit disciples here as well.

Several streaks of rainbow light crossed the sky.

A strong wind sent layers of maple leaves drifting down.

Five cultivators in matching robes and at the Qi Refining stage swept overhead on flying vessels.

"The Cloudflow Sect has arrived!"

Voices rang out with tension and excitement.

"Everyone be quiet."

On the high platform, a free and elegant Cloudflow Sect cultivator called out.

His voice was not loud, yet everyone around could hear it clearly.

"This first round of spiritual root testing is only a preliminary examination. We will merely check whether a root exists, not its quality. Anyone with a spiritual root will return to the sect with me for the final test. Those who fail the final test will be sent back home."

"Now, everyone line up and come forward one by one to touch the Spirit-Testing Pillar. If it shines, you pass. If it does not, you fail."

"Anyone found to have a spiritual root should stand to my left and wait."

Ye Bufan took out two bundles and handed them to his daughters.

"Inside here, each of you has five spirit stones. I begged your grandfather for them. He said the family only had ten left. If you are not selected, you will have to return them."

The two girls nodded.

"Beginning now."

Because Ye Bufan had secured their place, his two daughters were the first to go up for testing.

Light shone.

"You have a spiritual root. Come over to my side."

The Cloudflow Sect cultivator was in a very good mood. The very first person today had a spiritual root. Excellent. It gave him high hopes for what was to come.

Light shone.

"You have a spiritual root. Next."

His mood improved even further.

A simple-looking young boy stepped forward.

"No spiritual root. Next."

The boy left with his head down, full of disappointment. He had even stayed up all night to queue early, only to find he had nothing at all.

"Pah, overachiever. Told you not to line up so early. Now look at you, aren't you finished? Haha."

He ignored the ridicule around him and walked away with his head lowered.

He thought to himself that at most he could count as a second-tier overachiever. How could he possibly deserve the title of clan king?

After a few steps, he suddenly lifted his chest again.

He thought, This time I didn't have a spiritual root, but maybe next time I will. Right, next time, in six years, I'll come even earlier to line up!

The Nie residence.

"My husband, it's rare that Feifei and the others aren't here today."

"Take your clothes off."

"I want to eat breakfast..."