Chapter 423 – Life 110, Age 16, Martial Disciple 1

Following the Shi Clan’s Patriarch and Grand Elder, YuLong and Meng LuYao crossed into the compound’s inner bailey, where the din of the training yards gave way to the quiet calm of the residential district.

Unlike the sprawling estates of the Nine Rivers Continent, the Shi Clan had chosen to expand their compound upward, instead of outward, mimicking Chang’an’s more vertical design. Its residential district was comprised of only five buildings, but each of these was a massive high-rise, thirty to forty stories tall, with floors broad enough to house over a hundred people. On the tenth and twentieth floors, skybridges connected these buildings together, allowing the occupants of one building to visit their neighbors without having to travel to the ground floor.

Like the skyscrapers in Chang’an, the Shi Clan’s high-rises had started as basic, box-like structures. They had been built quickly, with the only goal being to get people housed before the next beast tide. Several floors were ringed with faintly glowing inscriptions, but these were functional, not decorative. They were nodes of the grand defensive formation that protected the district’s residents.

In recent decades, however, a few of the clan’s earth cultivators had used their spare time to carve sculptures into the buildings’ facades. The first couple of floors were carved with simple, geometric designs, but starting on the third floor, the sculptors began incorporating artistic renditions of the various demon beasts.

YuLong craned his head back, a faint crease forming between his brows. “This is… different. You know that Chang’an was only designed this way because there wasn’t enough room to do anything else, right? I don’t think anyone liked living in those towering monstrosities. They were just the only option. You guys are surrounded by nothing but open fields. Why not expand a little?”

The Patriarch gave the Grand Elder a worried look, urging him to say something.

Hesitantly, the Grand Elder cleared his throat. “Well, you see, Ancestor… Keeping the city small helps with its defense. Normally, it isn’t so bad, but those damn hawks and ravens… Ahem. Forgive me. The flying beasts are difficult to repel without the assistance of our defensive formations.”

Both the Grand Elder and the Patriarch looked to YuLong for his approval, causing Meng LuYao to slap his arm dismissively.

“Don’t mind him,” she snorted. “He’s just interested. He’s not criticizing your decisions.”

YuLong grinned sheepishly. “Yeah, just… It’s been a while since we visited this world. We’re just… getting our bearings.”

The Patriarch exchanged a glance with the Grand Elder, then gave a stiff nod. “Of course, Ancestor. Please, follow me.”

Worried about causing any further offense, the Patriarch quickened his pace, guiding the group toward the central tower, where a tall archway of black-lacquered wood opened into a wide lobby, its polished stone tiles reflecting the glow of the ceiling’s lighting formations.

Upon entering, the Patriarch walked over to the right side of the lobby, where he pressed a large plate that was set into the wall next to a doorway. When the Patriarch and Grand Elder then proceeded to wait patiently in front of this door, YuLong looked at them quizzically before walking over to examine the stone plate.

“What’s going on? Is this some type of signaling formation? Are you calling for someone to open the door?”

“N… No, Ancestor,” the Patriarch replied. “It’s part of the lift formation.”

When YuLong just stared at him, the Patriarch continued, “The lift formations were developed nearly four centuries ago. Following the cataclysm, mortals started to become far more numerous, and it was difficult for them to climb the endless stairs of Chang’an’s towers. Originally, these formations needed to be activated with qi, but over the years, the design has been refined so that mortals can use them by pressing a simple stone plate. They—”

Meng LuYao cut him off with a sharp gesture. “Mortals became more common? Why? Why not give them the essence they need to develop affinities?”

The Patriarch hesitated, glancing sidelong at the Grand Elder before lowering his voice. “Reverend Elder, after the cataclysm, access to the outer worlds was cut off, and with it, our source of essence. It’s not that we don’t wish to raise people’s affinities—we can’t. These days, whatever affinities one has upon awakening are the affinities they will have for the rest of their lives.”

He paused. “Though… with your return, perhaps this will change?”

Meng LuYao’s face darkened as she looked at YuLong, silently passing the conversation to him.

YuLong clasped his hands behind his back and spoke evenly. “Possibly, Patriarch. Possibly, but certain things are outside our control. We can assure you that the Shi Clan will become more powerful, but we cannot predict what shape this strength will take.”

The Patriarch immediately lowered his head and cupped his fists. “Of course, Ancestor. Forgive my presumption.”

As silence descended upon the group, the doors in front of them slid open, revealing a small, empty room. Entering behind the Patriarch, they watched as he pressed a stone plate marked with the character for ‘eleven.’

The doors closed. Then, only a few seconds later, they reopened to reveal the eleventh floor—a cavernous chamber supported by evenly spaced pillars. Upon entering this chamber, both YuLong and Meng LuYao let out racking coughs as they breathed in air that was contaminated with the fine dust of dried and broken reeds.

On the right side of this hall, young men hauled bundles of long sticks from storage chests that were too small to hold them. The sticks were fed into a wooden machine that cracked and crushed the stalks, which were then beaten rhythmically with wooden paddles until nothing but rough strands of fiber remained.

These coarse fibers were then gathered into bundles and passed to a row of low-level wood cultivators who were seated at the center of the chamber. Using stone combs that were etched with some unknown formation, these cultivators removed any lingering woody fragments and aligned the strands into smooth bundles of hemp that looked far more lustrous than normal.

Finally, on the left side of the hall, the loose strands were gathered and twisted into fine threads before being placed into another set of storage chests.

YuLong stood in silence, measuring the scene without comment. Meng LuYao, however, stepped forward, picked up one of the completed spools, and rubbed the smooth threads between her fingers.

“Interesting,” she murmured. “I’ve never seen fibers treated this way. There’s no lingering energy, so those combs, what, partially refining the threads? Making sure all the fibers are precisely aligned?”

The Patriarch’s face lit up at her obvious interest. “Yes, Reverend Elder. This process has been perfected by the Shi Clan over the past several generations. While our hemp lacks the prestige of the Li Clan’s silks, we can produce it in far greater quantities.”

Meng LuYao hummed, still studying the fibers.

YuLong glanced at her once, then turned his attention to the Grand Elder. “These workers, they are the mortals we came to see?”

The Grand Elder bowed his head. “Yes, Ancestor. Any young man who fails to awaken is brought here to the eleventh floor, where they learn to process hemp. Later, they may apply for other work, but this year’s entire cohort—the sixteen-year-olds—are still in this hall.”

“And the women?”

“They are on the fifteenth floor, learning the basics of embroidery. The talented will remain there, while those who prove less skilled will be introduced to other jobs.”

YuLong gave a single, slow nod. “Good. Let’s do this all at once, then. Gather up anyone who’s willing to accept a mission that will take them beyond the clan’s walls. Tell them that the task carries a generous reward, but don’t mention me or the title of ‘Ancestor.’ Don’t even tell them about this mission directly. Pass it down through their normal supervisors. Let it appear to be an ordinary—if dangerous—assignment.”

The Grand Elder cupped his fists in a martial salute. “At once, Ancestor.”

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While YuLong and Meng LuYao followed the elders into a side chamber to drink tea, I carefully observed the effects of the Grand Elder’s announcement.

By the time the word of this special assignment had reached the fifteenth floor, whispers were already racing up and down the tower. As such, it didn’t take long for the information to reach the ears of a young woman who was bent over one of the fourteenth floor’s looms, weaving a bolt of cloth with practiced motions.

Upon hearing that two old men and two strange youths were recruiting people for a dangerous mission, she didn’t hesitate. She immediately abandoned her work and rushed to the stairs, not willing to wait for the lift.

She arrived at the meeting point out of breath, lungs burning, only to find her supervisor planted firmly in the doorway, barring her path with a sad face.

“Sorry, JiuLi. This mission is only open to those under 20. You… don’t qualify.”

JiuLi dropped into a deep bow. “Please, Deacon Gui. I only turned 20 five months ago. There are still seven more before I enter stagnation. If there’s any chance at all, let me try.”

The man’s jaw tightened. “Li, I can’t. These aren’t my rules. They come from above—far above.”

A single tear slid down JiuLi’s cheek. Her voice trembled. “Please, Deacon… I don’t want to spend the rest of my life in front of a loom. Just… let me try.”

The deacon grimaced, torn. After a long moment, he exhaled, turned his back, and stepped aside, leaving the doorway unguarded.

JiuLi cupped her fists and bowed before darting inside.

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When YuLong and Meng LuYao entered the audience hall, only eight youths were waiting for them. Considering the interest that people had shown upon hearing about our mission, I had been expecting dozens to step forward. However, there weren’t many who were willing to brave the dangers that lurked beyond the clan’s walls.

Standing unnoticed at the back of the room, Meng LuYao swept her gaze across the group, assessing them in silence.

“Anyone with a weapon talent?” asked YuLong.

“A few.” She tilted her chin toward the youths without drawing their attention. “Two with spear talents, one girl with a sword talent. I can’t say how far they’ll be able to go without actually seeing how this talent conversion works firsthand, but they feel rather weak. Eight-star affinities, maybe seven?”

YuLong gave a small nod. “If that’s all, then that’s all. They should at least be able to reach Peak Master. That’s not much, but it should allow us to get an eight-star sect. That’ll have to do.”

Decision made, he strode forward and gestured to the three that Meng LuYao had marked. “You three remain. The rest of you may return.”

This announcement caught everyone off guard, but after a moment of silence, those who had not been chosen all dropped their heads in acceptance as they turned to leave.

All except one.

JiuLi darted forward, planting herself in YuLong’s path with arms flung wide. “Please, sir! Give me a chance. I need to become a cultivator. It’s my destiny.”

YuLong frowned, ready to dismiss her, but then turned to look at Meng LuYao. “Well?”

LuYao narrowed her eyes, studying the girl closely. “No weapon talents. No elemental talents, either. However…” She paused, brows knitting. “Her talent for beast taming is extremely high. Five-star, perhaps even four? I see others as well, equally strong, but I’m not sure what they represent. I think one is a general cultivation talent. She might have the potential to become a rather skilled beast tamer, but without affinities or talents for any of the elements…”

YuLong stared at the young woman, his face a mix of uncertainty and hesitation.

Just as he was about to reject her, a piece of paper appeared directly in front of him. It contained only a single, barely legible word.

Accept.